NewsInbox: Should the Mets trade their stars?
Beat reporter Marty Noble answers fans' questionsBy Marty Noble / MLB.com
10/20/09 12:09 PM ET
Would you trade any of the core players -- David Wright, Carlos Beltran or Jose Reyes? Would you re-sign Carlos Delgado?-- Mandi S., Westwood, N.J.
The Mets are not about to deal Wright, so the question has no bearing. And neither Beltran (who has a no-trade provision in his contract) nor Reyes would command in trade what they would have commanded a year ago and what they might command a year from now. So, no, I wouldn't trade any one of the three. Nor would I re-sign Delgado. As much as the Mets need power and a player who provided what Delgado did in the second half of the 2008 season, they also need to move on and implement a plan that will begin to pay dividends in 2011 or sooner. Delgado wouldn't be part of any plan beyond 2010.
The club appears intent on playing Daniel Murphy at first base. It believes he will become a .300 hitter with close to 20 home runs and 100 RBIs a season. It points to the 63 RBIs he produced in 508 at-bats in 2009. I guess a chance of that exists.
I'm not sure how much of Murphy's September surge I trust. Either way, I wouldn't bring back Delgado.
Of all the mistakes GM Omar Minaya made that affected the 2009 season, none hurt the Mets more than not bringing back Pedro Martinez. Look what he's done for the Phillies. The Mets could have used a a few seven-inning shutouts, don't you think?
-- Jesus D., New York, N.Y.
So you think Martinez would have won -- what -- 20, 25 games for the Mets? Or merely 15? If you believe he would have made 25 starts, much less 32, you weren't watching 2006-08. I recognize Pedro's brilliance with the Phillies. But c'mon, let's be realistic. He wasn't going to approach 150 innings with the Mets. And with their offense and defense behind him, 20 starts probably would have produced a 6-10 record or something akin to it.
The smartest move Pedro made in 2009 was missing the first 4 1/2 months, healing and re-strengthening his body. He managed to find the type of role Roger Clemens created with the Yankees in 2007 and Michael Strahan had with the Giants in their most recent Super Bowl season -- show up late, be a conquering hero. If Pedro had joined the Mets in August, as he did with the Phillies, he would have found nothing to save.
From time to time, you have come down on manager Jerry Manuel for making so many pitching changes and not letting his relievers face a batter who hits the "other way." Now that Yankees manager Joe Girardi, by the way a team you root for, has lost a big game because of one of his many pitching changes, I'd like to know what you think.
-- Salvador L., Brooklyn, N.Y.
I think Girardi made a mistake. I thought he was making an unnecessary move before Alfredo Aceves reached the mound. Don't fix what ain't broke is what comes to mind. But since Tony LaRussa began the practice of lengthening games to more than 3 1/2 hours, more managers make pitching changes because they can, not because a discernible need exists. I am hardly alone in my reaction to Girardi summoning Aceves. But I think the change would have warranted a raised eyebrow or two -- or 1,002 -- if Aceves had prevailed and the Yankee had won.
Now, about your assertion that I root for the Yankees. Please provide evidence of what you say. Sometime in the past year or so I said I was a Yankees fan as a kid. I also ate Rice Krispies for breakfast, watched Heckle and Jeckle cartoons and frequented the Bronx Zoo. I don't do those things anymore, though if someone were to show the talking magpies, I certainly would watch and probably would laugh.
|
Have a question about the Mets?
 E-mail your query to MLB.com Mets beat reporter Marty Noble for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
|
||||||||
Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen suggested late in the season that reliever Pedro Feliciano was the Mets' most valuable player. Do you agree?
-- Alan D., Bronx, N.Y.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America ballots for the Most Valuable Player Awards come with some guidelines, one of which is to consider the number of games a candidate plays. If an official Mets MVP award existed and I were asked to vote, I would make the same consideration and, in doing so, I wouldn't vote for Feliciano. He appeared in 88 games and was on the field for merely 178 outs. As effective as he was and factoring in that a reliever can have greater influence than a position player in some games, Feliciano didn't have an impact comparable to that of several regular players.
Although Wright had a down season, he did lead the team in nearly every major offensive category. And he played in 144 games, more than any teammate other than Daniel Murphy. It may be by default to some degree, but Wright clearly was the Mets' MVP in 2009, followed by Luis Castillo and Johan Santana.
Do you think any Mets will receive votes for the National League MVP Award?
-- Ned S., Syosset, N.Y.
Not a chance.
You've painted a pretty bleak picture about the Mets' offseason. You said they were pretty much "boxed in" by their injuries, lack of prospects and the lack of free agents. I don't disagree with what you've written. My question is how bleak is the outlook for next season and beyond?
-- Eddie N., Yonkers, N.Y.
The horizon has little bearing at this point. No clock exists in the game or in the offseason. Roster assessments made before the World Series are meaningless. That said, the immediate future (2010) doesn't appear particularly bright with the Phillies, Braves and Marlins having passed the Mets in record, personnel and performance. The Mets have a lot to fix. The longer-term future -- 2011-2015 -- can't be assessed now, not in any meaningful way.
Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
