- A pile of scorecards from yet-to-be-played games that will be of the "I was there when..." variety. While that wish came true this year (among the games I attended: Delgado's walk-off walk, the Armando Benitez balkfest, the Ralph Kiner tribute, and Pedro returning to Shea and outdueling Roy Oswalt), this is the sort of thing to wish for every year.
- News of Wallace Matthews being traded to a newspaper in Wyoming for a bale of hay (I picked the state with the smallest population so as to subject as few readers as possible to his writing). This wish is definitely staying on there, although I may lower the trade demand to half a bale of hay.
- A Mets victory on my birthday (June 12). Instead of a victory, I got an opposing pitcher flipping his bat to cap off the bottom of the Dodgers' order going back-to-back-to-back. Fortunately, the Mets do have a game scheduled for the afternoon of June 12 next year, so they have a chance to make up for ruining my 21st birthday.
- Baseball Tonight replacing Jeff Brantley with someone who doesn't make me want to throw things at my TV (a seemingly easy task, until you remember that this is ESPN we're talking about). I think it's safe to say that this wish did not come true. This year, I'll set my sights a bit lower and simply wish for more arguments between John Kruk and Steve Phillips because at least their stupidity is mildly entertaining when they aim it at one another.
- SNY on the NYU campus cable network (and not just for me - my little brother will be going here next year). Yep, got that. This year's wish: that my graduation will be held in Shea Stadium now that the Washington Square Park renovations have forced NYU to find an alternate site.
- All-Star Game festivities that include a Met-free Home Run Derby and MVP honors for Jose Reyes. Only half of that wish was granted this year, so it's staying on for next year.
- Another weekend trip to see a game at a different ballpark. I went to DC this August for a game. As all of the Mets' road games next year against the Nationals and Cubs are during the week, I may have to amend this one to taking a trip down to Florida over spring break to see some spring training games.
- A "2007 World Champion New York Mets" T-Shirt. Guess I'll just have to change "2007" to "2008," then.
The End of an Era (Plus Some Holiday Fun)
For the past two years, any discussion among fans (and even in the press) about what the Mets were going to do, could do, or should do eventually found its way to one name: Dontrelle Willis. To some, the lefty with the quirky delivery and impressive hitting skills was the one guy the Mets needed to acquire at any cost, at least in part so that they would no longer have to face him. To others, he was a decent, but overrated, pitcher whose heavy workload at a young age made him too much of a risk for the price the Marlins would ask in return. Tonight, Mets fans on both sides of the debate are left searching for a new player to argue about, as Willis was traded to Detroit along with Miguel Cabrera in version 2.5 of the Marlins fire sale.
It's a huge deal, one that I didn't see coming at all (I thought that the Marlins would trade Cabrera to the Angels but hold on to Willis), and as I suggested in my preview of the Winter Meetings the other day, it's the sort of move that's good news for the Mets in 2008 but bad for 2010. The Marlins got 6 players from the Tigers in the deal, including Cameron Maybin (one of the top prospects in baseball) and Andrew Miller (a good young left-handed starter). I wouldn't be surprised at all if this whole scenario repeats itself at the Winter Meetings 4 years from now, only with Maybin and Miller playing the roles of Willis and Cabrera.
_______________________________________________________________
In honor of the beginning of Hannukkah (by the way, a happy holiday to any readers who also celebrate it), I'd like to revisit a wish list I made last year, making some alterations for this year's version. Here goes:
Previous post: My Calm After the Milledge Storm
Next post: Heilman to Start At Last?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
But you gotta Detroit some points for having the balls to do that blockbuster trade to get both cabrera and willis, wow!! Omar wouldnt have the balls or the gusto to pull it off…
In this scenario The Mets could have probably gotten Willis and Cabrera for 2 years for Milledge, Gomez, Mulvey, Humber and a b minor leager, I would have done it in a heartbeat, Good for Detroit..
This will start a flurry of trading in the Al to compete with Detroit and ensure the American League will be dominant and win the world series again in 2008
rumor is the mets offered humber, heilman, and gomez for bedard and they sent us packing with nothing 2 show 4 it…. any thoughts?
That’s a nice piece. Good writing. As a defacto Mets fan because of my Dad, I feel a connection to the boys from Shea.
The one positive you can take out of Dontrelle and Miggy heading to the AL is that your division is now that much weaker. To me, this makes it even more imperative for Minaya to go for the jugular NOW.
There is no doubt the American League is far superior to that of the NL, and the National League can be won with a team that wouldn’t sniff the top five of the their counterparts.
So, whether it is Bedard, Haren or anybody else, the Mets have a window to add a key piece that can put them to the top. Let’s see if they can follow through with it.
Once again Jessica, flawless.
Happy Hanukkah to everyone. The other holidays will come soon enough.
Mike, I highly doubt that package would have gotten both of Cabrera and Willis. For Willis, Florida was asking the Mets for price that Omar deemed far too expensive. Imagine something like Heilman, Pelfrey, Gomez, and either Humber or Mulvey. The Mets were not having any of that.
I think the only way the Mets can get an ace like Santana is to include the works. Meaning Heilman, Pelfrey, Humber, Mulvey and Gomez.
Mind you Minnesota originally had Heilman in their grasps when he was drafted. He chose not to sign with them and went back to Notre Dame and had that stellar senior year (15 starts, 15 wins, 3 shut outs and 7 complete games era around 3). They want Heilman, but they are trying to get as much out of the Mets as possible.
I still think the Mets would be better off keeping all that talent and simply starting Heilman. Let Pelfrey start again, and simply let the other kids develop in the system. These guys are damn good prospects and major league players. You can’t let 1 year detail their entire future.
I do agree that the A.L. will be going nuts trying to match Detroit. Who knows, maybe the Mets can pull Dontrelle away from Detroit with a similar package they offered Florida for him. Detroit would love to replenish a good chunk of the prospects lost in that deal.
Idk Kevin, with Rogers always getting injured, i think they might need Willis this year.The Tigers are going to be a very serious team this year and i think having Willis will just make them better. Always a pleasure in reading your posts Jessica, looks like you got a little under half of what you wanted this yr, thats ok though i know that the t-shirt is what you, i , and every mets fan really wanted the most. Hopefully we can land Bedard or by some miracle get Santana…idk, Minaya always has a way of getting the spanish players better than most gms so it could happen.
Mike, it’s not just about having the balls to pull it off, it’s about having the players that other teams want. As talented as the Mets’ young outfield prospects are, they’re not on the same level as a Cameron Maybin. It’s also worth noting that part of the reason that Detroit had the young talent available to make a trade like this is that they go out and draft the best player available in the 1st round even if he’s demanding a bonus above slot, something the Mets haven’t been willing to do lately (which is why they end up picking low-ceiling players like college relievers in the first 3 rounds).
defense122, I read that on Mets.com. Supposedly, the Mets made that offer a couple of weeks ago, before Milledge was traded, and they tried it again yesterday and got shot down. In the article on Mets.com, another GM was quoted as saying that the Mets didn’t have the chips to land an ace even before the Milledge trade. As much as it pains me to say it, I can understand why – there’s not a lot of depth in the farm system beyond the 5 prospects constantly being talked about, and those 5 consist of 2 outfielders who are still a bit far from being major-league ready, 2 pitchers who didn’t really boost their trade value with their performance this year (although Humber had a much better year than most are giving him credit for), and Kevin Mulvey, who had a good year but who doesn’t have ace potential. That being said, if the rest of the league is placing such a low value on our prospects, I’d rather see the Mets just hold on to them and let them either become useful players for the Mets or try to boost their trade value with good performance next year.
Kevin, Santana has already said that he’ll only waive his no-trade clause for the Red Sox or Yankees, so we can cross him off the list and breathe a sigh of relief that Jose Reyes is staying put (because that’s who the Twins were supposedly asking for).
Jess, I’ll breathe a sigh of relief if Heilman stays. I agree that all of those players the Mets have are far more valuable to the Mets organization as opposed to any other.
I want to see Heilman start-Period. He’s going to have highly qualified replacements of Duaner Sanchez, and Juan Padilla. I think it’s important to note how badly Heilman struggled when his role was limited to 6th and 7th inning duties. That’s why the Mets should be taking advantage of this very valuable reliever free agent market. Landing both Dotel and Chacon would be a huge help. It’s going to add so much more high quality depth that would make Heilman starting so much more of an obvious necessity.
As bad as the Mets situation looks from afar, when up close, you see that it’s not that bad. Pedro is fully healthy. Then we have two young and improving 15 game winners. Two first round draft pick starting pitchers who everyone wanted as recently as last year. A reliever who can truly benefit from someone taking his place in the pen so he can be the starter he should have been for years.
And then getting into the bullpen; The Mets have the dominant El Duque getting a lot of resting time as a reliever. He won’t pitch so many inning and he will easily make that bullpen stronger. Think about who he is going to be there with. As a long reliever, Duque will easily replace Sele. Pedro Feliciano (very good) and Scott Schoeneweis (had a down year but great away numbers), Juan Padilla and Duaner Sanchez back healthy. Both of those guys were among the best relievers in the game when they last pitched for the Mets during the season. Close it out with an even more determined Wagner, and I think the Mets have a sleeping giant here.
Now imagine adding the likes of some top of the free agent relievers. Dotel/Gagne/Chacon..The Mets don’t need the back pages to be better. They don’t even need the back pages to be good. When it comes down to it, they just need to play.
So let’s forget about the super huge trades of all the farm, and all the good major league help they have. Let them hold onto their talent. Let them win with this crop and shove it in everyone else’s faces. Just like they did when they backed of of the Barry Zito race, and he pitched terribly in his first year of that ridiculous contract. Just like they did when no one had faith in Oliver Perez. Just like they did when they traded Benson away and got what appeared to be scraps in Jorge Julio and John Maine.
This team is still ahead of the entire NL east. Phillie got Lidge. Yes, but it took a miracle second half from Phillie, and a terrible last month collapse by the Mets.
The Braves have a very good starting rotation, but nothing that tops what the Mets have. Smoltz-Pedro, Hudson-Maine, Glavine-Perez
The rest are all question marks but health is a factor. We can put Hampton against El Duque or Heilman, and even though El Duque breaks down at the end of the year…at least he pitches during it. Heilman is as durable as they come. He doesn’t break down.
Next is James-Pelfrey/Humber
While I can make cases for Pelfrey and Humber having far more talent, James has at least won double digits in the majors. If it came down to it, I would bank on the talent of Pelfrey and Humber.
Most likely, the Mets are going to acquire a combination of Silva or Hernandez, as well as Chacon and Dotel. Any of those starters would top James or Hampton.
So forget about the Braves being some threat at all. They lost Jones in center. And having Hampton hurts them more than it helps.
The Nationals are making a lot of improvements. They’ll replace the Marlins standing in the division for a few years now. But they are a long way away from the Mets.
The Marlins will be their usual pesty selves. Rich in talent, they will be legitimate threats in two years. But no sooner than that.
Mets/Phillies. That’s the who the NL east will have fighting for the divisional title. And despite the moves made by Phillie…the Mets have the advantage. As long as they don’t trade away their future.
Jessica, I would agree with you if this was a normal situation but the Marlins are not normal.
They are in big trouble in Florida.They can’t get a Stadium deal, the fan base has dwindle to nothing and who will be traded next? Hanley Ramirez!
The individuals I feel sorry for are Maybin and Miller;for they now have to play for probably the worst franchise in baseball, toally disfunctional.
This is comparitable to a NYC police officer being banish and pounding a beat in Antartica.
Who knows what will happen with this franchise The Mets should count their lucky stars that they have them in their division,