Two Missed Moves Will Haunt Mets

Hindsight is always 20/20. I realize that. But there are two missed moves that are glaring in the face of every Mets fan and will trouble our minds not just this year, but in the seasons to follow.

The names are familiar: Adam Dunn & Derek Lowe. These two players while not perennial All Stars are the pieces the Mets needed, but opted for other options. I'm not saying that having these guys would have changed the outcome of this season. Injuries played too large a role to salvage any part of 2009. But the mismanagement of not getting these guys will impact the moves that need to be made in this coming off season.

Instead of signing Derek Lowe, the Mets opted for the unlovable, inconsistent head case that is Oliver Perez. The reason being that Perez is much younger than Lowe. So instead of a solid, proven veteran who is a legitimate #2 starter behind Johan Santana, the Mets are now saddled to the $140 million mental patient.

Injuries and his psyche, now make you question whether Perez can be a reliable starter, let alone considered a #2 starter. And one year later the Mets will enter the winter months looking for more starting pitching. They'll be forced to spend even more money potentially on a Jon Lackey or force a trade for a guy like Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt.

Not that any of those options aren't better than signing Lowe, but there's a chance the Mets might not even have the money or the pieces to get any of these guys. And the Mets will now have spent $140 million on a risky #4 starter and spend another $100 million on a #2. That's just poor money management.

Which brings me to Adam Dunn. The most glaring omission from the Mets lineup is a power bat. We expected to get that from Delgado, Beltran and Wright, but of course injuries and the curious case of David Wright have impacted that situation. But in the cavernous Citi Field, any baseball mind knows that you need a power guy who can just plain mash, which is what Adam Dunn does year in and year out. He's got 40 dingers and can potentially reach 100 RBI this year for the dismal Nats.

The Mets needed a left fielder, but they rolled the dice by going with a selection of tier 2 options that included Murphy, Tatis, eventually Sheffield, Sullivan, Evans and Reed. If the Mets had signed Dunn they would have had an extra power bat and a solid backup to Delgado at first base. Of course Dunn is a liability with the glove, but you can say that about pretty much every Mets player these days. When Delgado went down, Dunn could have slid over to first base or Murphy could have moved from bench player to first baseman rather than dancing around that option for a few months.

But the bigger impact of not signing Dunn is in this off season. Now the Mets will seriously consider signing Delgado for one year even though he hasn't stepped on a playing field for almost an entire season. They may get him cheap, but he's yet again a one year fix and the Mets will shop for a replacement again the following year.

If they don't sign Delgado, the first base free agent crop is cast of B-list players which don't quite fit the bill of what the Mets need. So the Mets may be forced to trade for a player or try and salvage a season with a roll call of backups or making Murphy fit into their first base plans for the future.

Instead the Mets could have had Dunn as their first baseman for the next two seasons and be in a position to sign Adrien Gonzalez or Justin Morneau when they are free agents and Dunn would come off the books.

There is little to be happy about this season when it comes to the Mets. But I hope the torture of this season and the missed moves of the last off season will cause the front office to think, not short term, but long term about the impact their moves have on this team for years to come.

Remember August 18th of the 2009 Mets Season

I want you to remember August 18th, 2009. Why? Because it is likely the only bright spot and memorable game in the second half of the Mets season. I give Omir Santos' home run off of Baby Papplebon as the bright spot in the first half, but last night is the post All Star Game cake taker.

Of course, this is a meaningless win on a Tuesday night in a season where the Mets are going nowhere, but it's nice to have a relief from the losing and a surprise comeback.

The Mets were able to string together 10 hits in one inning which scored 8 of their 9 runs. The amazing this is it all came against Derek Lowe who just imploded and Bobby Cox refused to take him out.

As I was watching the game I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was one of the most unexpected comebacks. When Oliver Perez gets you down 4-0 before the 4th inning is over, you can pretty much back up your bags and leave the ballpark. But Sheffield was hitting the ball to the opposite field, Tatis was avoiding double plays and Santos found the gaps leading to one of the great one inning rallies the Mets have ever seen.

Everyone but Daniel Murphy got in on the action, including a surprise single from Oliver Perez. Of course I fully expect the Mets to get shutout tonight, but I'm going to enjoy these few fleeting moments.

Mets Failed the Test

In my previous post I talked about how this first game against the Braves would be a test for the Mets coming off a 7 game win streak and their ace on the mound.

Well the Mets failed with flying colors.

Santana struggled early, but honestly folks, he pitched another game that was winnable. The Mets were baffled by Derek Lowe for most of the night, but the team was not going to win this game tonight. Errors, a roughed up bullpen and an inability to get anything going at the plate added up to a loss to the rival Braves who were without one Larry Jones.

I honestly think the Mets looked past this game. Santana was pitching and they thought it was a "lock" (thanks Craig Carton). But we shouldn't be surprised because that's how they've played for every Santana start. Lackluster offense with a sensational pitcher on the mound.

Still a 7 game win streak and winning 8 of the last 10 is still a great place to find yourself. However, a bounce back win would be great on Tuesday as the dreaded West Coast swing awaits the Mets at the end of the week.

Remember When We Were Going to Get Derek Lowe?

I remember getting into arguments back in January with fellow Mets fans who were telling me the price for Derek Lowe was too high. He's too old and not worth the money. I was told we could get the same kind of pitcher in Oliver Perez for less money and a younger arm.

If by same kind of pitcher they meant a guy with an ERA over 8 and an inability to beat the worst teams in baseball, than they were correct.

Oliver Perez is making Omar Minaya look like a fool for signing him for the millions upon millions that he did this offseason. Perez looks lost. He has absolutely no control and his fastball is topping out at an intimidating 88 mph.

Makes you long for the days of Rick Peterson.

Now you have a head case who you signed for huge dollars and can't get past the 5th inning to save his life. What's a GM to do? Thankfully, Perez is starting against the Phillies this coming week. If history has shown us anything it's that Perez pitches his best against tougher opponents.

A good outing against the Phils might be just what Perez needs to get his confidence back and hopefully right his sinking ship. If Perez lays another bomb, than the Mets are in a world of hurt because I don't think they can bench a guy they're baying over $10 million a year for.

An Absurd Mets Nation

As only our friend at Bugs & Cranks, Brad Bortone, can do he's compiled some of the best comments from Mets nation on the recent news that the Mets lost Derek Lowe to the Braves and provided some additional sarcastic insight that will show you the absurd, neurotic side that is Mets nation.

I was planning on commenting on the post, but really you just have to go and read it for yourself and enjoy the humor and absurdity.

Click here for the full post.

Derek Lowe: Enemy of the State

Derek Lowe is officially on the enemy of the state list. The coveted right-handed pitcher has officially signed with the hated Atlanta Braves. The details are a 4-year deal worth $60 million dollars.

That's a bit more than I wanted the Mets to offer Lowe so Atlanta may have overpaid, but I hate the fact that we lost a guy we wanted to a dreaded rival. Which also begs the question what's worse, Lowe on the Braves or on the Phillies? Something to chew on.

I'm guessing the Mets will now focus all their attention on Oliver Perez who will have an advantage at the negotiation table as he and Scott Boras know the Mets will be a little more desperate to sign him than they were yesterday.

Losing Lowe isn't catastrophic by any means. He would have been a nice asset, but if the Mets can sign OP they should get similar production from him. They just might have to be for a shrink that they wouldn't have had to with Lowe.

If the Mets can sign Oliver Perez, the rotation would look like: Santana, Perez, Maine, Pelfrey and Redding. No worse than last year. No better, but not worse.

Where Do We Lowe from Here?

The Mets negotiations with Derek Lowe are going as smoothly as James Carville having dinner with Ann Coulter. The Mets have gone from being the only player in the market for Lowe to potentially losing him to the dreaded Atlanta Braves.

Now it's not that Lowe is the Mets saviour, but he's the best guy available in an otherwise weak starting pitcher market. I wouldn't even care if the Mets didn't get him as long as he didn't end up with the Braves or Phillies. I even heard the Nationals want to make a play at him.

The Braves didn't get AJ Burnett, they lost Smoltzy to Boston and they're looking at Tom Glavine potentially being their opening day starter. That's pretty desperate times down in Georgia, so I wouldn't be shocked to see the Braves up the ante on Lowe.

The Mets have been said to be interested in Tim Redding, Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf and I'm sure a Jose Contreras rumor is just waiting to pop up. Perez would be fine, but not ideal. And the rest of these guys are pretty low on the pecking order.

If the Mets don't get Lowe and settle for the tier 2 crop of pitchers, I think they should look to improve the offense a bit. Whether it's Orlando Hudson, a bat in the outfiled, or come on how about a little Manny on the Mets, I think they still need to make another move before spring training. And it better not be signing Pedro Martinez.

Omar Won't Negotiate

I think Omar's New Year's Resolution was to never let a Luis Castillo type deal happen again, and so he is taking a hard line with the negotiations with Derek Lowe.

Lowe wants a deal worth $16 million a year (don't we all?). Omar says no go. The Mets appear to not be budging on their initial deal of $13 million. Hey, I'm fine with a little hard negotiations although I do think if push comes to shove the Mets might bump that number up to $14 million.

Word is out that the Mets are still talking to Randy Wolf (yawn) and haven't given up on Oliver Perez. In my opinion, Randy Wolf is a last ditch option. I'd much rather have Lowe or Perez than Wolf. Oliver Perez has pitched plenty of big games for the Mets, but I have this nagging feeling that as soon as he gets a multi-year deal he's going to go off the deep end.

Experts believe that a deal will be hammered out this week by the Mets for one of these starting pitchers.

A New Year's Lowe?

The Mets offered Derek Lowe a 3-year, $36 million dolloar contract yesterday and are awaiting his acceptance of the offer. The market for Lowe has seriously, and surprisingly, dwindled of late leaving the Mets as pretty much the only contender for the right-handed starter.

Derek Lowe has been the guy I've wanted the Mets to sign. Would I have taken Sabathia? Probably, but after him, Lowe was the one free agent I thought the Mets needed to sign to improve their rotation. He's a much better option than Randy Wolf, and as much as I like Oliver Perez, Lowe is not a head case but a proven veteran who can eat up innings.

So happy new year, Mets Lifers, let's ring in 2009 with hopefully a signing of Derek Lowe. How long til pitchers and catchers report?

A Mets Lifer Christmas Wish List

K-Rod, Putz, and a very distant Aaron Heilman. Christmas appears to have arrived early this year for Mets Lifers. But like any good human being, we're never satisfied with what we have. Here's a Christmas Wish List from Mets Lifer:

1. Sony Blu-Ray DVD player - The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray. Sick.
2. Rafael Furcal - I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with Rafael Furcal at 2B. Do you really think he wants to play for the A's? Doesn't he know that guarantees that he'll be traded at the deadline in one of the next 2 seasons. A Reyes/Furcal tandem up the middle would be unreal. It might just be a dream, but hey, it's the holidays.
   
3. Derek Lowe - The Yanks want him. The Sox might want him. The Phillies want him. We can't let the Phillies get him. If he's reasonably priced, the Mets should make a pitch for him. He eats up innings, usually is healthy, and has big game experience. If he's not available an affordable Jason Marquis will suffice.
4. Flip Video HD Camera - Have you seen this thing? It's the size of a soda can, records HD video and is under $200. 
5. A Traded Scott Blowenweiss - Addition by subtraction. Last year it was Guillermo Mota. This year it's Blowenweiss. Maybe Willie wants him in Milwaukee?
6. An Omar Minaya Surprise - I'm not talking a Matt Wise type of surprise. I'm talking a John Maine surprise or Carlos Beltran surprise. Minaya has a knack for picking up players nobody wanted or nobody thought Minaya could get. Those types of deals have gotten the Mets Beltran, Maine & Oliver Perez. I have a feeling another one of those moves is in the works. Who doesn't love a little suprise for Christmas?