Topic: How would you improve this team at the trade deadline?

Why do fans care what the payroll is? If you live in Ohio you are not contributing by going to games and neither am I being in AZ. Dunn is a bonafide power guy that this lineup can use. Lee might be worth the gamble especially if Ollie can't make it back. Tonite is probably a mirage. Delgado and Wagner come off the books in '10, correct? There is a new stadium in Flushing and the Wilpon Family is sitting on a gold mine with that and their cable station. Sorry about the Madoff scam but it is the fans who are paying for it. I am sure everyone on this Newsday board have been hit by the ecomomy in more ways than one. Ownership needs to show commitment to the fans by investing with another big salary to salvage the season and attempt to be a contender. If it weren't for the Phils sucking while the Mets were sucking, the Mets can be 6-7 games out by now. I was hopeful that this team could make the playoffs but just way too many injuries and not enough depth in the minors.

Regarding Crunch's comment to BaseballMom that the Mets system is ranked 18/30. Who is ranking them? I agree with BM that this farm is still depleted other than the prospects that we all know about. At this point, I am really rooting for Wilmer Flores to make it so that the Mets can get rid of Reyes. With Putz out, Parnell is a definite keeper instead of being a chip. This Nieve guy seems too good to be true. Am afraid that the League will quickly catch up to him.

My Dad asked me about Dan Wheeler, Heath Bell and Matt Lindstrom whom I think I heard went on the DL with Florida. Those guys just weren't going to make it in NY. Is Kunz a keeper? I really like the catching tandem of Schneider and Santos. This Santos may be the real deal. I liked Castro as well.    Yup, it has been a frustrating season so far.

Question not about Mets. If A-Rod, Tejada, Giambi, Ramirez were linked to illegal substances--why are they being allowed to still play? Do you guys feel that Luis Gonzalez and Shawn Green and even Piazza were juicers? Brady Anderson with Baltimore? Steve Finley with AZ? The years that they were saying that the ball was juiced but not the men? Who else am I missing as possible cheaters?

Redding and Livian have been nice additions. Should they give Pedro one more chance? I am one that also agrees that both Manuel and Minaya should be let go after this season.

Sorry about the Omar hater tag.  Should have been more careful.  No offense intended.  Beginning to think Ronnie is right also.  While I am on the fence with Omar- like the Santos/Cora type pick-ups but think the farm system could be better- I like the fight I've seen from this team.  Guys like K-Rod, Sheffield and Cora have added some grit to this team.  Wright is stepping up since Delgado's injury.  Sometimes fighting through tough times helps a team mature.  This may not be the time to tear it up.  Maybe grow the prospects and see what we have.  There is $45MM payroll coming off this offseason.  Once we know what we have, then we can make the necessary changes.  The fate of Omar and Manuel will probably be determined by how this team responds.

I find it interesting that those that criticize Omar for the depleted farm system are the first ones that want a major trade now or free agent signing in the off season. A major trade costs the team prospect that are presently in the farm system. Signing free agents cost future draft picks. Both of these types of transactions that were done in the past are the reason why the farm system is in the shape it is in today.

THE BASEBALL PROSPECTUS? FORGIVE THE ALL CAPS. WHO ARE THEY TO ANALYZE A FARM SYSTEM BETTER THAN WE THE FANS. WHOEVER WORKS FOR THEM ARE NO BETETR THAN THE BASEBALL WRITERS AND US AS FAR AS ANALYSIS & OPINIONS. LIKE YOU SAY, AGREE TO DISAGREE BUT OMAR HAD NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP AFTER DUQUETTE. 

I'LL BET THAT YOU, ME AND A FEW OF THE OTHER POSTERS LIKE AFAN, HUNT, WESTCOAST, HOJO, BASEBALL MOM WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING PAID BY THE METS WOULD DO JUST AS GOOD OF A JOB AS OMAR, BERNEZARD AND THEIR SCOUTING STAFF. I DON'T KNOW WHO THEIR SCOUTS ARE BUT I AM NOT IMPRESSED AND WOULD BE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR BETTER EVALUATORS OF TALENT. YOU LIKE OMAR...I CAN'T STAND HIM. JUST NOT WORTHY OF THAT RIDICULOUS 4 YEAR EXTENSION SIMPLY BASED ON THAT CASTILLO 4 YEAR SIGNING WHERE HE WAS BIDDING AGAINST HIMSELF. IF CASTILLO WOULDN'T SIGN A 1 YEAR CONTRACT HE SHOULD HAVE GONE TO DAVID ECKSTEIN. UNLESS OMAR SIGNED CASTILLO HOPING TO LURE SANTANA OVER HERE? WHO KNOWS THE INSIDE STORIES AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH PLAYERS AGENTS.

I AM NOT GOING TO CRITCIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER POSTER HERE BUT SERIOUSLY...YOU WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO BRING OVER LEE OR DUNN IN A SENSIBLE TRADE OF PROSPECTS?

AND HUNTSY....WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON THESE PLAYERS OR HOLLIDAY? OR JUST STAY WITH EVANS, MARTINEZ AND MURPH?

West Coast....who in the farm system are they trading? Honestly, I don't think that any GM wants Mets prospects. Minny was forced to deal with Omar. I wonder if Twins fans are happy with the Gomez for Santana trade. Mulvey and Humber seem to be nothing but more than hyped players that the Mets used to be good at doing. This organization just can't keep promoting their players in the poker card game where they have been busted for bluffing on their prospects. Yes, Wright is the real deal. Reyes has all the potential in the world but is either stupid or the minor league Managers could not teach him baseball sense. Reyes is not docile. The jury is still out on Parnell, Evans and Murphy. At this point, the Mets bluffed Washington and got Church and Schneider for another Mr. Overhype..Milledge. The new Seattle GM made a deal that doesn't seem so silly now.

Endy Chavez/Jeremy Reed a wash. Sean Green for Heilman and Carp. Was that basically the trade that everyone, including me, foamed over. Maybe just maybe the Seattle GM knew that Putz was damaged goods. If I recall correctly there were rumors of Heilman for Marquis straight up or Heilman for Huston Street straight up.

Okay, Ike Davis is untouchable. Thole, Stoner, Kunz, Flores, Bowman. Who of them are untouchable. Who else is down on the farm that I am missing? Michael Abreu? Nellie Figueroa? Maybe I am not seeing the big picture here with the Mets farm system. What gems am I missing?

I have to agree with Baseball Mom here.

Which one is it?  Are you a Dragnet or CSI investigator?  You're bent on getting the "facts" - the knowing who, what, where, when, ahd why - and not understanding the the current core is a failed grouping in terms of team leadership, its impact, and direction, especially over the last three years.  Individually, they put up numbers that look good but are soft.  Why?  It's because the concept of team and where we are going, a to-a-man resolve, is lost.  The one exception is Degado's resurgence last year after Randolph was fired, he carried the Mets but that only went so far because of the September collapse.

It's a matter of not knowing how to win.  The 2006 Mets had fun but fell short.  The next two years, it was within their grasp and slipped away in the collapses.  If this core was individually on some of the great teams of the past, would they start or sit on the bench?  The Phillies have already expressed what they think.

Yes, I am a Mets fan for over 40 years.  What frustrates me is the discrepancy of how this team is promoted and how they play.  Yet, I don't take anything about the Mets and the postings on this forum personally.  I'll disagree with and challenge but not demean anyone.

I'LL BET THAT YOU, ME AND A FEW OF THE OTHER POSTERS LIKE AFAN, HUNT, WESTCOAST, HOJO, BASEBALL MOM WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING PAID BY THE METS WOULD DO JUST AS GOOD OF A JOB AS OMAR, BERNEZARD AND THEIR SCOUTING STAFF.

Surely you can't honestly believe this?

Displaced, thank you for the props.  I have been asked, on this forum, who would I get for a trade of one or more of the core members?  It's a good question.

I believe that Omar Minaya, Tony Bernezard, and others either read or scan this forum.  If they want the benefit on my intelletual prowess and property, then an adequate consulting fee is required!  Basically, I am not going to do their job for them!  LOL!!!

Hey Met fan,

Prefer to respond to you vs. the rhubard going on here  LOL ! I love BaseballMom, My neighbor, Afan, as well as Crunch, West Coast and you.

What's happening here in this dogfight of posts is frustrated Met fans vs. positive minded Met fans and guess what, it was due to happen !

When you read all posts, you see differant styles of writing and sometimes things get missinterpreted.

Lord knows I've apoligized so many times here and sometimes I think, 'what the hell did I say"?

Crunch, no offense intended, your writing sometimes comes across as an expert on the Mets. I view you as being a very positive minded Met fan. Again , no offense intended.

Hell to be a Met fan, you better be positive minded ! Met fan, West Coast, Crunch, what I think you miss here, and we need to hear it occasionally , no , more often, is your dissapointment in this team!

Oh, thats negative. But, needs to be done! Needs to be stated emphatically ! Just as much as my being negative means I write positive when the time comes.

If we knew more often that you feel the same way, the dissapointment, we would get along better.

We are not Steppard wives to this Met team! To Omar, to the Met Org. If Omar is great, we would have won one by now, wouldnt we have ?

Do we not measure greatness by a WS ?

We CAN be , Met fans that dissagree where this team is going, and there is no denying, although I will open the floor, that we are on a downwood spiral.

Unless your content with being a plus .500 team every year, I think your making a mistake .

Go Met fans, positive or negative, we are Met fans either way !

I can not speak for anyone but myself; I have mentioned numerous times that I am disappointed with where we are at. I also have said that I prefer to recognize that the injuries we have had have decimated this team and have played a big part in that. We have 3 of 4 of the "core", 2 of 5 starters plus Redding, our RF, catcher and RF, plus 2 back-up infielders and a back-up outfielder have spent time on the DL. I believe that any team with this many injuries would be struggling. That said, I also beleive if we played better earlier in the season and won the games that we gave away we should be trying to hold onto a lead rather than trying to stay close. Play has been sloppy, dropped balls, missed bases to name a few are not the signs of a "great" team. So yes I am frustrated too. Then I look at the standings and say if we can hold on until the calvery comes back we can still win this thing. Some of you will say we are lucky that the Phillies are also playing bad, but let me ask you this; do you think Philly fans want to give back last year's trophy because they only won it because the Mets played bad down the stretch and handed it to them? I think not. So even though there are a lot of negatives to this season we are still close and there is a lot of baseball to play and I prefer to think my team still has a pretty good chance of winning this damn thing.

Hey West Coast,

I admire your determination.

After last nights loss to the Yankees's , I am very dissheartened. At home, even if a hurt team, it's a time when a weak team rises to the occasion or a bookie's bet to say, they will lose tonite.

They lost, at home, in front of all Met fans who came out to support them.

This appears to me, we will continue down this tract. I am so sorry to say this, but this team is going DOWN !

I empathize going down not to **** you off, it just pisses me off. No offense meanted to you , it's just an emphatize on my point of view.

I'm glad to hear your frustrated too. Sometimes we need to hear it, more often. Cause this team is the most frustating team I've had the displeasure to rout for.

GO METS, PLAY LIKE 69 !

I could care less if they play like the '73 Mets as long as they make the playoffs, then as the 2006 Cards can attest to anything can happen!

Sorry West Coast,

I go Huh ?

Just don't get the post.Your saying miricales are coming. We are overdue for some. I hope your right.

73 Mets went 82-80 , are you pointing that out ?

If it happens I would be there.

Talk to me me buddy. We are getting in desparate times here now.

Crunch wrote" When I visit family in New York, I sometimes watch a show called Loud Mouths. Two guys arguing over issues; which is great entertainment. I can see myself,westcoast, metfan on one side of the table and you, gary from ariz, baseballmom on the other side of the table arguing over the Mets. I bet it would be better entertainment than those two guys."  

Well said.  Any good baseball discussion needs knowledgeable fans and varying opinions.  This board has plenty of both.  I enjoy that interplay.  We've talked alot about everyone having a right to their opinion.  Well the show, Loudmouths, that Crunch refers to is popular because both sides voice knowledgeable but differing opinions.  When a fan is frustrated or unhappy about the play, I tend to try and pick them up.  That's how baseball works.  If your teammate makes a big error, you go to their support.  It is not meant to deny anyone their right to their opinion.  Since it seems to bother some, I will stop that.   Like everyone else, I get frustrated by this team.  I think any good fan recognizes that poor fundamentals have hurt this team alot.  This is a game of relative failure.  I am, by no means, happy that they are just over .500.  I look at baseball as entertainment.  The fact that they are only a half game out means that we are still in it.   I love baseball.  I like the discussions of how to improve the team, the talk of our prospects.  I don't dwell on the failings or the frustrations.  The great thing about this game, and this team, is there is always hope.  I enjoy how this team fights despite all the injuries.  We celebrate the '73 Mets but they were worse than this team until they got hot at the end of the year.  Am I delusional to believe that if Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Maine, Perez, Putz and Wagner come back by August, that this team could do some damage?  I choose to believe that this team, if healthy, can make a '73 type move.  Such delusion may not be for all but it has served me well over the last 40+ years rooting for this team.  Whatever works for you, I hope this team gives us all more to root for than to be disappointed in.  Lets Go Mets!!!!!!!!