It’s getting to be the dog days of summer for the NY Mets and their run for a second straight National Leauge East title. With only a 3 game lead over the Braves it’s going to be a tight race till the end.
The two things needed most to solidify this team for the stretch run are a corner outfielder and another arm in the rotation. Shawn Green is in the twilight of his career and his play out of right field has been sporadic at best. Solid in the field but his performance at the plate leaves much to be desired. He is no longer the 35 HR 100 RBI threat he was in Toronto and Los Angeles. Then you have Moises Alou. He was signed in the off-season to be the Mets every day left fielder and started quick out of spring training. But as feared and predicted by me…the veteran and often injured 40+ year old got injured in late May. He is only now in late July returning and I predict more injuries in the last third of the season for Moises. I said from day one he was a bad pick up. When healthy he is solid…but that is rare.
This being said I would love to see the Mets maybe make a move for Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye. He has worn out his stay in Chicago and would fit nicely in either corner of the Shea Stadium outfield. There has been rumors of late of Jeff Conine “The Barbarian” as well. But I am not thrilled about that, I don’t want another aging veteran.
I think the pitching staff is solid as is but you can NEVER have enough pitching. So far the starting rotation of 2 time Cy Young winner Tom Glavine, El Duque, Oliver Perez, John Maine and Jorge Sosa has been solid. As of today they are fourth in the league in pitching. The bullpen was shakey for a minute but has settled down and Billy Wagner closing it out every night is pretty much automatic. But the Mets don’t necessarily need a trade to fix any pitching issues. Pedro Martinez makes his return from rotator cuff surgery in August. It is being said he is in he best shape he has been in for years. So you have a Hall of Fame number one starter coming back for the stretch run and don’t give up a thing for him. Likely Sosa gets sent down or maybe to the pen only making it in turn stronger as well.
So look for Mets GM Omar Minaya who is always active around the trade deadline to make some moves and hopefully bring in a solid every day outfielder. Until then the young star in the making Lastings Milledge will platoon with Alou and maybe Green. While Milledge is talented he needs more time to develop and I don’t want to see that take place during a pennant run.
Should be interesting but I see the Mets holding off the Braves and taking their second straight NL East title. Playoff run…not so sure. Depends on how hot they get at the end of the season. The hottest team, not always the best team, usually wins in the post season. See the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals who won 83 games, barely made the post season but in the end won it all.
OK, so it’s another season of me and my boy Rosey analyzing his Mets and my Yankees. The bottom line is this. Both of our teams have neglected our farm systems and spent way too much money on “past their prime” players. Shawn Green and Jason Giambi are two that come to mind right off the bat. It seems as though every time either New York team picks up a “big name”, the “big name” gets into a big friggin slump and Minaya and Cashman are left with a steaming pile of dog shit as a roster.
I think a lot can be said of the yanks championship teams that won despite the fact that maybe one spot in the lineup hit over 30 HR’s and the fact that most of their pitching talent and key players were home grown. I think it’s about time that the teams in the league start insisting on incentive based payment terms for these primadonnas that seem to name their own price. Let’s get back to hustle and people that actually care about the game still….and get rid of all the no talent ass clowns that are riding the coat tails of 2 seasons ago.