The Quiet Fall of Angel Pagan

With injuries, rookie mistakes and lackluster baseball abounding in New York, one Mets player is avoiding the scrutiny he deserves. And that man is Angel Pagan.

Pagan is half the man he was last year and is somehow flying under the radar of criticism. What we saw last year was a player who would rightfully be the heir to the center field throne for years to come. We thought we had a #2 hitter to put behind Reyes that would be an on base percentage machine and once in a while give you some pop. He'd be a good defender and put the ball in play.

That Angel Pagan is gone. I'm starting to think that 2010 was an anomaly for Pagan. His patience at the plate is gone. His swing has changed to try and hit the ball for power instead of going the opposite way. His arm in the field is proving to be not even close to what we were used to with Beltran.

Is he the biggest problem with the Mets? Not even close. Is he the center fielder we should be happy to have for the foreseeable future? I think that's a question that needs to be asked.

A Heaven Sent Home Run

...great ending to a great comeback. a much needed win before a scorcher today.

Pagan to Bat 5th?

Mets haven't even played a game yet and I'm already annoyed. The Mets released their opening day lineup and it goes something like this: Reyes, Harris, Wright, Beltran, Pagan, Davis, Emaus, Thole, Pelfrey.

Which of these doesn't belong? You got it, Pagan batting 5th. The guy batted right around .300 last year, mainly as a #2 hitter. He doesn't have much power and it's not like Willie Harris' OBP is just unbelievable that there's no way you move him down in the order.

Just weird. Why? Reyes, Pagan, Wright, Beltran, Davis, Thole, Emaus, Harris to me is the smartest lineup for efficiency. But what do I know.

I had great plans for not being annoyed until after Game 2....

Trading Beltran Would Be Stupid

The Mets are always good for a stupid deal every other year. Or maybe every year for that matter. But the dumbest move of this coming off season would be to trade Carlos Beltran.

Carlos Beltran is entering the coveted walk year of his contract and is at a pivotal point in his career where he has the opportunity to get one more decent contract before he gets put out to pasture. If there was ever a year that Beltran would be motivated, focused and totally in shape, it's next season.

We've even seen flashes of this over the last week or so as Beltran's slowly gotten into the baseball swing of things and is swinging the bat, running and covering ground in the outfield like he used to. Now he will never have the same jump on the ball like he used to wearing that mammoth brace, and I do believe that Angel Pagan should be the starting center fielder, but Beltran can contribute next year.

Plus who do the Mets have to replace him? Do they honestly believe they can upgrade from Beltran via a trade? Fernando Martinez is not exactly knocking our socks off. If Beltran goes you've got a choice between Chris Carter, Nick Evans, Lucas Duda, FMart or trying to trade/sign someone.

The only possible reason I'd trade Beltran is if I knew I was going to lock up Carl Crawford via free agency. However, I think the Mets money would be better spent on starting pitching, namely a #1 starter, than on another outfielder. There are also greater needs at second base or catcher than in center.

If the Mets trade Beltran, I predict he'll hit 29 home runs and drive in just over 100 RBIs for whomever he's traded to. And what will we get in return? Sure it frees up cap space, but you will have a gaping hole in your lineup unless you shell out more money for superior talent.

Jason Bay is LOST

Call him Jack Shephard. Call him Hurley. Call him Sawyer, Freckles, Locke, Jin , Henry Gale or Desmond for all I care. It all leads to the same conclusion. Jason Bay is utterly lost.

Bay is causing Mets fans to flashback to the first year Beltran joined the ballclub. Big paycheck coming off a huge season, only to struggle for 6 months in New York. Flashforward to 2010 and Jason Bay is doomed to repeat history.

The big power bat signing of the offseason has fewer home runs than a rookie first baseman who didn't even play for most of April. His bat is no longer a threat and it leaves those batting in front of him unprotected. It's not even that Bay has had a tough stretch or that he's hitting the ball well but getting out. Bay just looks completely baffled at the plate for the better part of the last three months.

I was one who thought it was just a funk that Bay would find his way out of, but it seems less likely that Bay is going to come anywhere close to the 30 home run, 100 RBI player that we all thought he would be.

There may come a time when Angel Pagan and Jeff Francoeur may look like the better options to play in left.

Is It Time for the Mets to Trade Francoeur?

When the Mets traded for Jeff Francoeur last year I was shocked. I viewed Frenchie as a lifelong Braves player and couldn't understand why Atlanta would give up on their home grown talent.

But a year later, I'm starting to see why.

Francoeur is a rare talent in the outfield. He throws out runners like it's a toss to first base. His arm has prevented dozens of runners from scoring and squashed rallies. But it's his bat that's the problem.

Calling Francoeur streaky would be like saying Siberia is chilly. He was red hot to star the season then found himself in a 60 at bat funk. He broke out for another week and appears to be back in a slump. I doubt he'll find another groove like the one he had in April.

Sure Francoeur is a great clubhouse guy, a decent leader and always good for a quote. But clubhouse leadership, while important, doesn't help you win a pennant. So I think it's time for the Mets to trade Francoeur.

When Beltran returns, the worst thing the Mets can do is send Angel Pagan to the bench or platoon him. Pagan is succeeding as an every day player. Frenchie has always been an every day player. There's no way either of these guys are going to flourish in a platoon role. You have to move one of them.

Over the long term Francoeur's bat won't suddenly become a reliable offensive machine. He'll always be streaky, but that streakiness is leaving the bottom of the Mets order vulnerable. I can't even count how many times Frenchie comes up with runners on base and two outs late in the game and then swings at the first pitch only to pop out.

There's a chance the Mets can get some relief help or a backup infielder for Francoeur while also freeing up some space in their outfield. I really like Francoeur, but I find that the only reason I want to keep him is for his arm and that he's a gregarious guy. Is that really a reason to keep a weak, unreliable bat in the lineup?

Mets Pull a Berzerker Barrage on Tigers

I can't remember the last time I saw an offensive onslaught like the Mets put on last night. It seemed that every time the 1-4 batters got up, I was totally confident there was going to be another hit. The Mets hit with no one on. The Mets hit with runners in scoring position. It was a berzerker barrage of hits. Those who have ever played Marvel vs. Capcom know what I'm talking about.

This was a great game to back home to. Mets had lost 2 out of 3 to the Yanks but came out to show that it was merely a blip on the radar. When the Mets are at home, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking of forces, Angel Pagan is about to force Carlos Beltran into obscurity. Pagan flirted with a cycle last night when just hours before he was being peppered with questions about Beltran's return to center field in a few weeks. If I was Pagan I would have responded, "Carlos who?"

This team is rolling right now from the batting perspective, but the pitching will need to continue to improve to effect this team's playoff chanes.

The Mets Opening Day Lineup

According to SNY's Kevin Burkhardt, the opening day lineup for the Mets will be as follows:

1. Alex Cora - SS
2. Luis Castillo - 2B
3. David Wright - 3B
4. Mike Jacobs - 1B
5. Jason Bay - LF
6. Gary Matthews, Jr. - CF
7. Jeff Franceour - RF
8. Rod Barajas - C
9. Johan Santana - P

Yes, it's a formidable lineup if you're the Royals but not exactly the one Mets fans wanted to see. Even with the players that are on the DL I'm baffled at just how bad this lineup is. There are ways to improve this lineup even with players the Mets already have on their bench.

I don't get why this isn't the real lineup:
1. Angel Pagan - CF
2. Luis Castillo - 2B
3. David Wright - 3B
4. Jason Bay - LF
5. Mike Jacobs - 1B
6. Jeff Franceour - RF
7. Rod Barajas - C
8. Alex Cora - SS
9. Johan Santana - P

I think Angel Pagan has done enough to deserve the opening day start and batting Cora leadoff is just absurd. At least with Pagan, or even Matthews for that matter, you have the potential for some early game doubles or triples.

Matt Cerrone at Metsblog.com made an assessment which I also uphold and that is why on earth or you giving Jacobs the potential for more at bats than Jason Bay? Sure Bay batted fifth with Boston but he is a more than capable clean up hitter who definitely deserves more AB's than a guy who probably shouldn't have even made the team.

It is what it is though and maybe I'm over thinking things. I'm anxious for the season to start though and see if Bay's and Wright's spring performance are sign of things to come.

The Forgotten Fernando Martinez

Once upon a time, there was a young talent so coveted in baseball that he was deemed the future savior of the Mets at the meager age of 17. In fact he was so good and so lauded the he was not even worthy to be traded for the best pitcher in baseball, Johan Santana.

But then something happened that caused the Mets to lose sight of this phenom and move on without regard to what plans had been set in place many years before. It was called losing.

And so Fernando Martinez finds himself in an odd position...he has none. With the Mets pushing hard for Matt Holliday and the keeping of Jeff Franceour, Martinez will be the 4th or 5th outfielder on the team or will spend another year in the minor leagues honing his skills.

My question is what are the Mets plans for Fernando Martinez? I believe the answer is they don't know or don't have one. If the Mets sign Holliday or Bay they'll have a left fielder locked up for another 5 or 6 years. Beltran has another year left on his contract, and the question mark is how long the Mets will look to hold onto Franceour.

But in the mean time, Martinez is left blowing in the wind. Pagan looks like he'll be the 4th outfielder and I'm not sure you want Martinez riding the bench for a full season.

Do you trade him? If you can get a young starting pitcher like say Felix Hernandez? Than yes. But if it's for a middle of the road guy, I don't think you should.

For a guy that we've been hearing and talking about for at least 3 seasons, you'd think we'd know when we'd see him taking the outfield in Citi Field on a regular basis. For now, he's just trying to recover from injury and find his way back to the ballclub. In another 6 months, who knows where he might be.

The Worst Mets Lineup Ever?

There were some pretty bad ones in the early 90's and 2000's, but today's lineup against the Marlins has to be up there.

Here is the lineup for the 2009 Mets on this 27th day of August:

Angel Pagan
Wilson Valdez
Daniel Murphy
Jeff Francoeur
Cory Sullivan
Fernando Tatis
Omir Santos
Anderson Hernandez

Parnell, Pagan and Pitching

The three P's to the Mets victory last night were Parnell, Pagan and solid relief pitching.

I'm not one of those people who thinks Parnell is the great white hope for the Mets pitching staff. In fact I think Parnell should stay in the bullpen. I think the Mets might be making the same mistake the Yankees made with Joba in that you had a young guy who could be a solid closer some day and now you're throwing him into the starting rotation.

But last night that didn't matter. Parnell was throwing some serious gas well into his 85 pitch count limit. He had good control and looked like a different person from his last start. In this season of depression, it's nice to see a bright spot find its way to shine on the Mets if even for a day.

Pagan wanted redemption from his benching this past week and found it in his first at bat as he crushed a high fastball to left field. Oddly enough Pagan finds Citi Field to be a home run hitter's park as he hasn't hit a homer anywhere else. I really want Pagan to be a good every day player. I saw it in him last year and this year, but I don't know if it's for real yet.

And finally the bullpen sealed the deal with another great outing from Brian Stokes and KRod. We expect a solid outing every time from KRod so that's no surprise, but Stokes has come a long way since April and May. I was ready to give up on Stokes, but I think Jerry Manuel's confidence in him has caused Stokes to respond in a positive way. He looks sharp. Throws strikes. And most importantly doesn't back down off of throwing his fastball.

I'm actually feeling good about a Mets game. Who knew that was possible this year? Santana today at 4 pm on FOX.

If You Were Still Holding Out Hope for the Mets...

...Nelson Figueroa just flushed it down the toilet with a Tom Glavine-esque performance.

In the biggest start of his career, a chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues, Figueroa couldn't even make it through the second inning against the offensively enemic Diamondbacks.

The crazy part is every ball was crushed. Even Dan Haren sent Angel Pagan within a step of the warning track against Figueroa. As I type it's now 6-0 and it's not even the end of the second inning yet.

It's over folks. This game. This season. This team.

Let's talk about getting Roy Halladay for the next two months. We've got a better shot at achieving that than this team has of finishing the season above .500.

Mets Fans, Prepare for More Bad News

Just when you started getting back into baseball, the Mets drop 3 out of their last 4 games to make you wonder why you ever got excited about the Wild Card.

After a heroic and improbable victory on Saturday night behind Angel Pagan's 8th inning grand slam, Mike Pelfrey waltzed out on the mound and proved why the Mets should stop worrying about trading prospects for proven big league talent.

Okay, I'm being harsh. Pelfrey is still young and can improve, but there's a hint of truth in my previous statement.

The Mets are proving to us that this is not the year, so please let go of any Wild Card aspirations and prepare for more bad news. You know all those reports about Reyes, Beltran & Delgado coming back? Yup, they're all public relations stunts.

They're not coming back this season.

Now that the Mets are pretty much out of it and will continue to head into a downward spiral, the reports of our beloved All Stars playing this year will slowly fade away. The Mets PR machine has already started. The focus is on Wagner and Putz coming back in 3 weeks.

Wow, three weeks? Won't it be Christmas by then?

There's no reason to rush Beltran, Reyes or Delgado back at this point. If the season is over, no need to have these guys come back just to reinjure themselves. The only one of the three that I'd like to see come back in the near future is Delgado because he's gone next year and he may be able to clear waivers so the Mets could trade him for some prospects.

I have zero confidence the Mets will beat Dan Haren tonight and the Cardinals are going to come into town and sweep a 2-game series before we head to the West Coast. If there's anything the Mets have taught us the last two seasons it's that the Mets can't beat low level teams after the All Star break so don't get your hopes up about a road trip to San Diego and Arizona.

Face it folks. No Beltran. No Reyes. No Delgado. No Wild Card.

See you Omar. Nice knowing ya.

Even Gary Cohen Is Disgusted with the Mets

As the 9th inning came to a close, Gary Cohen vehemently declared that the Mets had just lost a series to the team with the worst record in baseball. The statement is obviously true, but the manner in which Cohen communicated the fact led me to believe that even this stellar broadcaster has seen enough of this team's pitiful play.

I honestly don't know why the Mets even bother finishing games when they fall behind by more than one run. There should be a mercy rule like in little league. If the Mets fall behind by two or more runs, the umps should just call the game.

Mike Pelfrey bounced back from his last start, but Josh Willingham just owned him tonight and it ultimately cost the Mets the game. Angel Pagan continues to impress, but unfortunately the Mets can only score runs when the other team makes mistakes.

The Mets should bat Pagan cleanup at this rate.

A much needed off day (is there any other kind this year?) arrives on Thursday. Lets you dwell on losing to the Nationals for an extra day.

Searching for Happiness in the Lost Cause Mets

While the Phillies continue to roll (how good is Jayson Werth?) and the Mets continue to slide (can I give Fernando Tatis a ride back to the Dominican Republic?), it's difficult to find joy in the 2009 Mets season. We are being forced to watch B-list players start on what was supposed to be a title contending team.

The last week has found me barely watching an inning of every game because I already know the outcome. John Lannan is pitching? 4 hit shutout. We're playing the Braves in Atlanta? Lose 3 out of 4. It's pitiful, but the optimist in me has to find something to root for.

It's been difficult to find, but there are a few glimmers of hope that I'll be watching as we head into the dog days of summer until NFL training camp starts. Here they are:

Angel Pagan: I really want to see if this guy can perform at a high level for the next few months. When he's healthy, Pagan looks like a high quality everyday outfielder. He's got speed. He can hit with some pop and he's got a solid glove. The question mark is his health and how he can handle extended playing time. With Reyes out, Pagan is our next best leadoff hitter and I really think he adds a spark. Or will too much playing time cause him to break down?

Jeff Francoeur's arm: I've always known Frenchie had a good arm, but until you see him every day you don't get a true sense of just how good it is. Last night he threw a ball to third in the air from deep right field that was on a rope. If David Wright didn't have his glove up, the ball would have hit him square in the chest. Obviously, Francoeur's bat will be the real question mark, but his arm is something to behold out there in right.

Daniel Murphy's development: Did you know Daniel Murphy was our opening day left fielder? Yup, hard to believe. But now Murphy is looking more and more comfortable at first base. The kid is making veteran plays over there and he seems to mentally be at ease over there. His bat is questionable, but I wonder if the nerves and expectations of playing left field made him lose focus at the plate or try to overcompensate for his lack of fielding by making big plays at the plate. In my mind, Murphy can be a solid defensive first baseman in a few years, but that's not ideally what you're looking for from that position. You either want some power (like Adam Dunn) or a guy who can hit for average (like Olerud or Hernandez). If Murphy can start hitting, we will have an interesting bargaining chip for offseason trades if not a guy the Mets want to hold onto.

What To Do With Pagan?

I like Angel Pagan. It was this time last year that I was first introduced to him while watching Mets spring training games. He's got speed, a decent glove and, through the early parts of the 2008 season, a bat.

But Pagan's injury last season may have sent his time with the Mets into a tailspin. He went from being the every day left fielder to practically forgotten. Now he's back and the early reports from Port St. Lucie show that he's healthy. Kevin Burkhardt even went so far as to call him a "freak" because of the athletic abilities he was showcasing on the field this spring.

Now Manuel has come out early and said that Daniel Murphy is more than likely his every day left fielder and Ryan Church his right fielder with Tatis playing the role of super-sub. I'm sure Pagan will also fill-in off the bench, but to me Pagan is a guy who will suffer on the bench. He needs that everyday rythmn to get things going. He's not an Endy Chavez type of player and I think he would be more productive in an everyday role.

But what can you do about it? I wouldn't sit Murphy if he plays like he has shown us last season. I'd definitely start Church if he continues to play like the pre-concussion Church of early '08.

So Pagan pulls the short straw. Crazy things happen in baseball. Injuries, slumps, etc. can change the best laid plans. I hope none of that happens, but I am curious to see if Angel Pagan can produce like the player I saw in April 2008.

Corner Outfielders: Feast or Famine?

While many a Mets fan has made the argument for the Mets to get a corner outfielder (say Manny Ramirez?) the Mets may actually have some depth in the corners. Ok, pick yourself off the floor and try to control your laughter. I did say the Mets MAY have depth there, then again they might not.

Last year in April and May we saw some significant offensive output from both Ryan Church and Angel Pagan. The two were probably off to their best starts in their entire careers until injuries derailed their seasons. The question is whether or not what we saw out of these two was the real deal or just a flash in the pan. Chances are it was just a flash in the pan, but you never know when someone's season gets cut short.

Then you have the super subs, Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis. Both of these guys became fan favorites and showed the ability to produce in the clutch. I was one of the people who couldn't believe Fernando Tatis was our every day left fielder, but I quickly found him to be one of the few guys in the lineup that could hit in the clutch.

Now chances are we'll never see a year like that from Tatis ever again, but you never know. Everyone is high on Daniel Murphy these days, but will his sophmore season show us some improvement or will he struggle like many second year players do.

These are all major question marks, but if things go our way (which they rarely do) we ccould have better outfielders than we originally thought.

Would I still like to see the Mets sign Manny to a one or two year deal? Aboslutely.

The Mets are Good at Ruining Young Talent

The Mets are really good at ruining young talent. We can take the best prospects and dash their hopes and dreams with the best of them. Besides Jose Reyes and David Wright can you name the last young prospects or home grown talent that the Mets have developed into stars?

Let's think, there was Generation K. Nope that didn't work out. There was Timo Perez, Benny Agbayani & Jay Payton. Yeah, that didn't work out either. Gotay? Check. David Segui. Nada.

You pretty much have to go back to Doc & Darryl. But the crazy thing is look at the young talent we've had that has gone wasted. Perfect example is Jeff Keppinger. Keppinger came up in the middle of the 2004 season and was hitting the cover off the ball for a mid-season call-up. He played a great defensive second base and was one of those spray hitters. I thought the Mets had found their second baseman for the next 5 or 6 years.

Then we traded him to the Royals. Where is he now? He's hitting .298 with a .403 slugging percentage for the Reds (P.S. he had a .477 slugging pct last year).

Keppinger is not the only one. Timo Perez came up with a spark in his bat and then faded quickly. Every young pitcher we've had has turned into a bust (you've been warned Mike Pelfrey). There's Ruben Gotay who we ran out of town after he was the most clutch Mets hitter for a period of time last season. Now we got Gimpy Castillo for the next couple of seasons.

Milledge? Wasn't he suppose to be the next big thing but the Mets couldn't quite get the reins in on him.

And now I'm seeing the same thing happen to Angel Pagan. Pagan started the season with a bang and now has been delegated to pinch hitting duties. No one in their right mind can expect Pagan to hit like he did in April without the chance to play on a regular basis.

Don't get me wrong. I love that Alou is back, but Pagan is going to hurt because of it. Sure next year might be his shot to play every day. But who knows how he'll play next season. If history tell us anything it's that his chances aren't great because the Mets can't mold young talent.

That has to change if we're going to be a competitive team in years to come.

Forget About Alou

Moises Alou was supposed to be the key to this Mets offense this year. He was not the central focus but more the linchpin that propelled the Mets lineup beyond the rest of the NL East.

I'm here to tell you to forget about Alou.

Just remove him from your memory. The sooner you do, the better. The longer we continue to think that Alou will make a return, the longer you're just fooling yourself.

It was a no brainer to sign Alou for another year and I can't blame the Mets for doing it. I would have done it too. But the guy can't cross the street without breaking a bone. He gets aneurysms from eating hot oatmeal. And the guy can't walk his dog with pulling a groin muscle.

Alou is done. It's time to move on.

His absence leaves a glaring hole of not-so-much power in the middle of the lineup. Ryan Church has closed that gap considerably, but the good news is we have adequate bodies to fill left field. Which is actually pretty surprising considering we lost Gomez & Milledge.

Angel Pagan has filled in nicely. Endy Chavez is possibly the best defensive bench player in all of baseball. We can even through Marlon Anderson out there if we're desperate.

But what about the offense? Here's the key. Our main guys need to produce. Call me a revolutionary but Reyes, Wright, Beltran, and Delgado need to produce. That's why we pay them the big bucks. That's why they're on the All Star teams. That's why they have to produce.

If that happens it won't matter who's in left field because they'll be playing a role and not a central part of our offense.

But in the mean time, just forget about Alou. He's not coming back.

Headlines for Angel Pagan

Angel Pagan has become an early hit for the Mets thanks to his bat, his speed, and even his hustle in the outfield. As a Mets fan I've quickly come to like Angel Pagan, but I also love him as a blogger for the headlines he offers.

It's been years since the Mets have had a guy with a name that offers so much potential for creative headlines until Angel Pagan. As I was planning on writing a post about him the other day at least 20 different plays on his name immediately came to mind, such as:

• "Angel Gives Mets Wings to Victory"
• "Angel Pagan Is Heaven Sent"
• "Angel Pagan Provides Miracle Hit"
• "Guardian Angel Protects Mets Win"

And I could go on. Let's say Pagan gets into a bit of a slump:

• "Fallen Angel Hurts Mets Offense"
• "The Dark Angel Posseses Mets Lineup"
• "Angel Has His Wings (and Bat) Clipped"

So many play on words, so little time. The best part is the kid can play so all this word smithing would be in vain if Pagan couldn't produce some offense. He's the most exciting player to watch so far this season and every time he comes to the plate I feel like something is going to happen.

Today he bats leadoff as Reyes gets the day off and I'm fully confident he can pick up the slack with Jose out of the lineup. Now who expected that line would ever be written?