How Mets, and their fans, miss the big picture
I am thinking about the Mets and their fans, and about two columns I have written in which certain words triggered pre-judgment before – I believe – the main points could be appreciated. The first occurred in spring training. I wrote about an outfield drill with these words: New Mets outfield coach Ruben Amaro is...
Sandy Alderson’s plan worked, just in time to maybe blow it up
The crux of Sandy Alderson’s plan may never have worked better, and the Mets have hardly ever played worse. The Alderson Mets were designed to be led by elite starting pitching. That was re-emphasized when a pitching coach, Mickey Callaway, was named manager after last season. Lo and behold, the Mets have produced rotation excellence...
Jun 13, 2018
Mike Trout’s historic nights show exactly what’s wrong
Mike Trout’s career was encapsulated on Monday and Tuesday. He homered twice in both games. That made him the first player to ever hit multiple homers in consecutive games at Safeco Field. (Think about that: It wasn’t a Mariners player.) It gave him an MLB-leading 23 homers in what is so far the best season...
The Jay Bruce trade that would make a lot of sense
The Mets do not have a lot to trade to try to get better. So here is a thought for taking a struggling player from an area of potential depth to obtain a struggling player who, if he can be fixed, would help in an area of weakness not just this year, but in the...
Yankees testing limits of success with offense not carrying weight
The Yankees exited Citi Field at the right time. The Mets might actually be contagious. The Yanks lost Masahiro Tanaka to injury in the opener and were shut out for the first time in 2018 in the finale. In fact the Mets’ offense is so atrocious — at least half the hitters in the lineup...
An unearthed pitching prospect shows a Yankees advantage over Mets
The scout came up to Tim Naehring, and the Yankees vice president of baseball operations dismissed him. This was in the stands behind Field 1 at the Yankees’ Tampa-based minor league complex. The Instructional League was ongoing last September, and Naehring had circled back for many reasons, but front and center was to get another...
This is exactly what a Mets spiral looks like now
The Mets have been perfect hosts to the Yankees. Not only hanging enough pitches at Citi Field so the Yankees’ long-ball barrage can continue, but using the first two Subway Series games as an example of how their season has gone, just in case the Yankees hadn’t noticed. Which is to say, great to start...
Why Mets are mulling minor-league stint for Michael Conforto
Michael Conforto returned a month earlier than anticipated from shoulder surgery, immediately immersed himself into the Mets’ early season success. That combination was seen as symbolic of where the team and the player were heading this season. Except it wasn’t. Conforto, in fact, might have returned too soon, and now the Mets are at least...
Years of Mets frustration is moving into ‘curse’ territory
It begins as just a year, actually a good year — 1908 or 1918 or 1940. The Cubs or the Red Sox or the hockey Rangers win a championship. And then it is something else. An albatross, a relentless reminder, a taunting chant. When does 1986 become that for the Mets — something once great...
What Mets and Yankees would have to swallow for Syndergaard or deGrom deal
Brian Cashman wanted to trade Robinson Cano in his 2013 walk year. The same with David Robertson the following season. Not until 2016 did his bosses fully buy what the Yankees GM was selling — that modern rosters must be young, deep, versatile and financially flexible, and that maintaining George Steinbrenner’s model of never taking...
How Yoenis Cespedes’ eventual return will ripple through Mets
The Mets moved closer to whole Tuesday, when they activated Todd Frazier and Anthony Swarzak from the disabled list. The next move, though, will be most fascinating and revelatory about the Mets. Jose Reyes was spared in this latest roster shuffle. But when Yoenis Cespedes returns, perhaps in the next week, Reyes could be looking...
Mickey Callaway’s ‘pressure’ excuse is partly what’s wrong with Mets
The quote read terribly. Mickey Callaway reacted to a lost weekend against the Cubs filled with more horrible offense, relief pitching and fundamentals by saying Sunday: “Let’s be honest, this is a tough place to play. It’s tough on everybody. If [Mets players] were in Cleveland or somewhere else, maybe they wouldn’t feel that pressure....
Jun 2, 2018
Piecing together the complex puzzle of the MLB draft
The MLB draft will be held Monday to Wednesday, and what will follow both the first round and the whole process is the assigning of grades. Forgive me if I do not take them all too seriously. Then again, I do not take much out of the same ritual with, say, the NFL draft. And...
Why Mets and Indians could be ideal trade match
One connection to monitor is between the Mets and the Indians. The front offices have long had a good relationship — they made the Jay Bruce trade last August. But it is even stronger now with former Cleveland pitching coach Mickey Callaway, the Mets manager. The clubs talked extensively about Jason Kipnis in the offseason,...
Matt Harvey’s road back could save Phil Hughes
A metaphorical baton handoff occurred in 2011-12 in which Phil Hughes’ warranty expired as the next big pitching thing in New York and Matt Harvey took over. They were like ships passing in the Dark Knight. But their careers actually have many parallels. Both enjoyed high highs (one All-Star Game each), but never totally fulfilled...
