Beltran Is Justly Critical Of The Mets

This morning Carlos Beltran  was officially introduced by the New York Yankees.  During his introduction press conference, the top inevitably turned towards his previous time in New York with the Mets.  His comments were less than flattering...

Regarding his departure from the Mets:

"The organization tried to portray me as the bad apple.  It 

hurt me and my family." 

"You've got to blame someone.  You've got to blame the guy

making the most money.  That's baseball."

"When someone is trying to hurt you in a personal way...

Then its personal.  Now we have trouble."

You'll recall that he and team were at odds over how to treat his barking knees, the year prior to his departure from the Mets.  You'll also recall that he missed the now infamous trip to Walter Reed Medical Center in DC (something I took an issue with).  His time with the Mets, especially at the end wasn't without controversy.

There will be folks to liken this to Curtis Granderson's swipes at the Yankees during his own introductory press conference.  Don't.  This wasn't playful.  There was not coy smile involved.  Beltran hold legitimate angst towards the Mets organization.  You may not care about his opinions, but you should.  Beltran is one of the most vanilla personalities in baseball.  He lets his play do the talking, the way it should be.  For him to make these comments, which are well out of character, this is something he's carried with him for some time.

Let this serve as a lesson to the Mets, who have continued to bad mouth players as they've walked out the door.  More recently than Beltran, the team publicly criticized RA Dickey after his trade to the Toronto Blue Jays.  Just this winter the team leaked a bogus explanation that the reason Justin Turner wasn't tendered a contract was a lack of hustle.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with any of what the Mets have said, its bad business.  It looks bad to other incoming players that if things don't go well, their reputation could be thrown under the bus.  Now we'll await a reply from the team's front office, because while they should certainly keep their mouths such, history says they won't.

Beltran Moves To The Dark Side

Perhaps you've already heard, but late last night the New York Yankees acquired the services  of former-Met, Carlos Beltran.  Signed to a reported three year deal worth $45 million dollars, Belran will join fellow recently acquired teammate, Jacoby Ellsbury, in the Yankee outfield.

The news is sure to bother some Mets fans, as Beltran rocked 149 home runs in his injury plagued six and half seasons in Queens.  You'll recall he was traded mid-year in 2011 for Zack Wheeler, who joined the team last season.  He is widely considered the best outfielder to ever play for the blue and orange and oddly enough, because he landed in the Bronx as opposed to Kansas City, could still wear a Mets hat if elected to the Hall Of Fame.

The decision to sign with the Yankees was likely an easy one for the slugger.  Many speculated he prefered the Yankees over the Mets when he signed in 2005, but the Yankees just wouldn't pony up the money (7/$126MM) necessary to sign him.  He is also still in pursuit of his first World Series ring after falling short last season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Granderson Talks Intensify

Per ESPN's Adam Rubin, talks between the New York Mets and Curtis Granderson intensified Tuesday night.  This following a face-to-face meeting between the two sides on Sunday which was Granderson called more of a Q&A than anything else.

Granderson would likely fill in in left field for the Mets.  He possessed forty home run potential with the Yankees, but would likely be more of a thirty home run guy playing most of his games at Citi Field, where its believed his power would translate nicely.  If he is brought in the Mets would have three "natural center fielders" in their opening day outfield, to include Chris Young and Juan Largares.

Per Rubin, the Met hope to land the slugger on a three year deal, but may be forced to include a guaranteed fourth. This sounds about right, amidst rumors that 37 year old Carlos Beltran has a three year offer on the table.

Things have progressed quickly, as the Mets look to fill another hole in their outfield prior to the MLB Winter Meetings next week.  Doing so will allow Sandy Alderson to know what trade he theoretically has to make while in Orlando.

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@Mets & Granderson see eye-to-eye on a 3-yr deal, but he's still looking to find a team willing to give to go to four.
— Matthew Cerrone (@matthewcerrone) December 4, 2013

The above tweet from Matt Cerrone seems to indicate things are indeed progressing. Granderson on only a three year deal would be quite a steal, in my opinion. It would limit the risk over the long term and allow the Mets to reinvest in a younger player when that time comes. Its still far from a done deal, as there are rumblings that the Red Sox could enter the market for Granderson, at which point a fourth year would be inevitable.

Can Mets Strike In A Cooling Free Agent Market?

This winter's hot stove has seen moves early and often, with bloated contracts being handed out far and wide.  However in the past few days, there seems to have been a bit of a cool down.  No, not in the sense that no one is signing, but in the sense that the crazy contracts appear harder to find to include two potential Mets targets.

The day's news has been dominated by Curtis Granderson and the notion that the Mets could possibly sign him.  It started with news from NYDN writer Andy Martino, who stated that Granderson is seeking at least a three year deal, but could likely get more.  Mike Francesa said this afternoon that the Mets are willing to give Granderson three, but he wants more.  Its not surprising, and as I wrote this morning, a four year deal seems likely and at a respectable price the Mets shouldn't hesitate.  However, what price is respectible.  Multiple writers who I consider to be in the know have made mention to a four year deal at between $55 and $65 million.  Thats a far cry from the numbers approaching $80 million we heard once Marlon Byrd cashed in in Philadelphia last month.

Another interesting development is that there is little buzz around Stephen Drew.  It was once thought that Jhonny Peralta would wait for Drew to sign in order to set the market price for free agent short stops.  Now, with Peralta getting settled in with his 4 year/$53 million dollar deal in St. Louis, there seem to be some who question whether Drew can muster as much.  In fact, MetsBlog's Matt Cerrone cites an MLB market expert who predicts Drew will only get a deal of 3 years/$40 million dollars.  That's a far cry from Peralta, who was considered second fiddle to Drew when the winter started.

Things can certainly ramp back up again (assuming there is truth to Carlos Beltran's 3yr/$48M offer), but if they don't Sandy Alderson's decision to wait out the rush could eventually pay off.  Its crazy to speculate, but could the Mets be in the running for both?  Certainly things will have the fall into the place, but as things get more affordable heading into next week's winter meetings, may the Mets strike more than once in the coming weeks?  It wouldn't be the first time Alderson has surprised us.. for better or worse.

The Mets Have A Wilpon Problem

Photo Courtesy of The7Line

Seventy-five.  That's how many wins the New York Mets have averaged over the past five years.  If you're not keeping score at home, that's fourteen games below .500.. on average.  Locked into an ever present battle for fourth place in the division, the Mets are one of only seven teams to not reach the playoffs since 2006.  In the meantime, a new stadium, a sports network and a massive financial scandal have all combined to retard the franchise's progress forward.

So what comes next?  A methodical reduction in payroll.  First Beltran, then Luis Castillo and good ol' Ollie Perez.  Next up was Jose Reyes, Jason Bay and finally, Johan Santana.  A big market team which once boasted a payroll in excess of $135MM, has been reduced to a mid-market excuse for a baseball franchise struggling to find the pennies necessary to field a $90MM roster.

The one constant over this half decade long struggle?  The Wilpons.  Principle owner Fred Wilpon and his silver spooned idiot son, Jeff, have presided over and ridden a once proud franchise directly into the ground.  Gone are the big contracts, the playoff runs and for the most part..the ticket sales.  The rowdy stands of Shea Stadium have morphed into the sparsely populated bleachers of Citi Field, and I'm not even sure the organization has noticed.

From claims that the franchise is snake bitten to unfathomable statements that money is no obstacle, the Wilpons remain out of touch with the reality of their situation.  Yesterday provided the most recent example of the Wilpons' complete disregard for the fan base they depend on.  In the early weeks of an offseason of renaissance, with fans clamoring for the first of what they hope will be many acquisitions this winter, ownership dunce Jeff Wilpon took to the mic to scream from the rafters than the Mets were poised to do something big.  With several things in the works..an announcement was on the horizon.  What could go wrong?

Fast forward two hours and Sandy Alderson is left the pick up the pieces.  Not only was no acquisition imminent,  but the big news of the day would be next season's summer concert series.  Fans were left in disbelief.  How could one of the men at the forefront of this organization have no clue that his words would incite the masses?  Five lost years..with a shred of hope mixed in with the mirage at the end of the tunnel, and ownership just toys with its line of income.

I can't begin to predict what will happen between now and spring training, but it remains safe to say that the organization's ultimate leadership, its owners, are the root of the problem.  I once feared the biggest dilemma we might face would be their bankroll, or lack thereof.  However, now it seems their inability to grasp the reality of their situation could be our downfall.  Jeff Wilpon's words have once again kicked Mets fans in their proverbial teeth.  Now its time to put whatever money he might have left where his mouth is..assuming there is any room left once he removes his foot.

Like what you've read?  Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Yankees May Pursue Carlos Beltran

Photo by Michael Baron

No.

No. No. No.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News is reporting that the Yankees and Carlos Beltran may both be interested in a deal that would bring the former Met, Cardinal, and Astro to the Bronx.

That's just disheartening.

There have been numerous blog posts and tweets touting the upside of bringing Beltran back to Flushing, but that was always a long, long shot at best. There were some extremely optimistic and hopeful fans (which is strange enough) that seemed to believe it was a possibility, but it wasn't. It remains to be seen where he will actually land, but I'll admit it will be more painful than almost anywhere else if I have to see him play in pinstripes.

As funny as all of the #BlameBeltran jokes are and as entertaining as people complaining about him striking out to Wainwright in 2006 is, he was the best centerfielder the Mets have had in my lifetime. He made everything look so easy in the field, and was a solid hitter with power in the middle of the lineup. I look back on his time here pretty fondly. The team came up short of what it should have accomplished, but I don't think much if any of that falls on Beltran's shoulders. Still, the Met fanbase seems pretty fixated on him, good or bad.

Also, are the folks over at the Daily News drinking at work? Because I drink at work, but I don't let it disrupt my job this much. Yikes. That's three typo/errors in one sub-heading.

I guess for the newspaper that employs Andy Martino, everything is a crapshoot.

Jose Bautista On The Mets..Yes, Please!

Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet Canada reported yesterday that the Toronto Blue Jays could be open to trading any one of a number of players on their current major league roster, to include right-fielder Jose Bautista.  Guess who's in the market for a right-fielder?  You guessed it, the New York Mets.

Bautista is an interesting offseason option for the Mets' front office.  He remains under contract for the next three seasons, set to make $14 million in both 2014 and 2015, and finally has a team option for the same in 2016.  The front office would probably say that's a lot of money to allocate to an outfielder who will be thirty-three when he arrives for spring training next year.  To be honest they may be right, but having the option to make only a two year commitment should things go south, should be appealing to Alderson and Co.

If a trade were to go down, Bautista would instantly become the team's best offensive outfielder and arguably the best bat on the roster.  That said, he does have injury concerns, having played only 118 games last season and just 92 the year before that.  If he did make it through a full season, he would threaten to hit forty home runs and drive in well over one hundred runs.  The Mets haven't seen that type of production from an outfielder since Carlos Beltran's 2006 campaign.

The other perk to Bautista over some other potential outfield trade options (think CarGo or Stanton) is the Mets would have to part with much less to get him.  The two teams also have a history together (RA Dickey/Travis d'Arnaud).  Plus, JP Riccardi has worked within the Blue Jays system.

So sure, Baustista represents a considerable risk for the Mets.  He may come in and struggle to stay on the field just like the aforementioned Beltran did, but he would be a short term risk.  If things go well, the Mets could pick up the option year on his contract.  If they don't, the Mets can walk away or look to trade a power hitting outfielder in the last year of the deal (Alderson is good at this).

On the surface I like the idea.  I think its a good fit for the Mets provided they don't have to give up too too much in the trade.  I think he allows the team to make a quality addition who will help the team now, but also won't tie up payroll very long.  I think that would be ideal, but its still early and other options could come available as the winter moves on.

That's my two cents.  What do you think?  Is Bautista a viable option for the Mets or would you prefer they look elsewhere?

Side Note:  Bautista follows me on Twitter (no clue why), you should too at @RobPatterson83.

The Beltran Pipe Dream

Let's get this out of the way before I get any further: I love Carlos Beltran. To this day, he remains one of my favorite players and is one of my favorite Mets of all time. So when I see Mike Puma from the NY Post tweeting about a possible return of Beltran to the Mets, my heart flutters and I want to shriek like a 12 year old girl (half kidding).

Photo courtesy of nj.com

Several days ago here on Effing Mets, all of the bloggers agreed that the Mets biggest need this offseason is power. Carlos Beltran can certainly provide punch to a lineup, but the main concern is the diminished returns as an outfielder in such a large ballpark. I could overlook that if we could get his bat in the lineup, but then again I am completely biased because of my continued love for him.

At any rate, Beltran's comments are coming from a man who will need a job next year. I don't know about you, but if I'm about to be unemployed I wouldn't go around saying that I'd turn down specific jobs. Of course he is going to keep open the possibility of a return, if only because he can still play and won't want to turn down a paycheck. My prediction (like a lot of others) is that Beltran links up with an AL team where he can DH and occasionally play right field. Let's face it, he probably has a better chance of winding up in the Bronx then back in Queens. And it pains me to say, but I'd still be one of his biggest fans.

Figuring Out Mets Fans

Players, personnel, team direction and team history.. Its all cause for argument.  There isn't much that Mets fans tend to agree on, but I think we're all in agreement that we comprise one of the most passionate, connected fan bases on the planet.  That said, there are certainly cliques within crowd.  Where do you fall?

The Eternal Optimists
I used to find myself here.  No matter what, things are going to get better.  They'll figure it out.  They'll get it done.  I believe in my Mets..They won't let me down!  And then they did..over and over again.  Some fans remain undeterred in the face of some pretty epic meltdowns and little progress in recent years.  They believe the Mets are only a few moves away from a World Series run and they also believe in each and every player that straps on the uniform.  This isn't a terrible mindset to have by any means.  It makes the games more fun and prevents fans from ever getting down on their team.  Its just at this point, I don't know how y'all do it...

The 'I Don't Care' Contingent
There are two subgroups within this larger group.  First and foremost there are a great number of fans who are so beaten down, so weathered by season after season of disappointment that they can no longer tune in on a nightly basis to watch the team flounder.  It may not be that they don't care, but they've certainly become apathetic towards the team's plight.  The other group that resides here are those who say, the Mets need to get better and "I don't care how they do it."  To trade you have to have players worth trading.  To sign players via free agency you need money.  To win games you need good players.  The circumstances make no difference to these folks.  Just get it done so I can enjoy my baseball team.

The Past vs. The Present
This has got to be the most tired group within the fan base.  I'm not talking about those who discuss the franchise legends like Tom Seaver or Cleon Jones.  I'm talking about those who still, to this day, argue about the departure of Jose Reyes.  Those who still make references to Carlos Beltran's strike out that ended the 2006 NLCS.  Those who discuss any one of an unending list of team failures.  I suppose there is a level of comfort in those years.  You know..when the Mets were good..or at least when we had reasons to be optimistic.  However, those days are long gone now.  Dwelling on the past takes what little fun there is in the present away, but that doesn't matter to this group..who just can't get over the mistakes of yesteryear.

The Righteous Reality
This tends to be an ever slowly growing group of Mets fans.  Those who read everything, understand the game, and the processes that go into putting a team on the field.  Its also has to be one of the most frustrated groups within the fan base.  These guys and gals are always looking forward.  The next draft or free agency period that will usher in the future.  They are aware that off-the-field circumstances effect the product on the field.  That baseball is a business and we may not always (or ever) get what we want.  These fans learn from the past and hope that the Mets can do the same.  They also try to impart that logic on other, often unsuspecting and less than willing, Mets fans.  These are the intellectuals (sometimes self-proclaimed), if you will.. and you're going to hear their opinion whether you like it or not.

The Bandwagon
Bueller....Bueller.... (If your too young for that joke, look it up.)  There probably aren't enough fans left here to warrant talking about, but the bandwagon fans are an integral part to any fan base.  Believe it or not, no baseball team in the country could fill their stadium without the bandwagon fan.  Show up when the getting is good and then find the exits when things start to spoil.  Baseball is supposed to be fun, and these fans won't partake in it any other way.  Well..baseball hasn't been all that fun in Queens lately and the stands at Citi Field reflect that.  However, the bandwagon fan is more important to team revenue that most people understand and its for that reason that they remain an integral part of the Mets fan base.

So, where do you stand?  Chances are you can probably align your thoughts with more than one of these groups.  Maybe you just hate labels, which is fine too.  While we all often disagree about the best players and the best courses of action, its important to remember that we're all still here.  Its important to remember that one day things will get better, and for those of use who've rode out the storm, it will be glorious to watch it all come together.  In the meantime...try not to kill one another!

If you like what you read, you can follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.