Key questions surround the Mets
Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:49 AM
Had a chance recently to dine with my former Mets broadcast colleague Keith Hernandez. I've come to treasure these chances as Keith became a friend during our four years together. And any play-by-player should relish the opportunity to learn more about the game from a bright mind like Keith. He sees the game differently, as do most who excelled at it, and he knows a ton about winning.
So I was immediately dealt a lesson: Never judge a team or player on his April performance. These reminders are essential in our era of never-ending "bliggedy blogs and tweety pages" (the genius words of Denis Leary in the new Hulu commercial) where opinion is demanded, and judgment rendered before its due time.
Yes, it was easy to bury the Mets in April and May has proven Keith correct. Their recent three losses notwithstanding, Keith believes the Mets are the best team in the NL. A strong statement, but one that can be reinforced by the play of Carlos Beltran, the recent surge by David Wright, a strong presence from manager Jerry Manuel, and the rebuilt bullpen.
Questions still exist like will there be more lapses in the fundamentals as was the case in Monday night's loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Ryan Church missed THIRD base in scoring what should have been the lead run in the 11th, and a fly ball dropped untouched between Beltran and Angel Pagan in the bottom half of the inning. And what’s up with Jose Reyes, out five straight games with a calf problem.
Did Manuel hold Reyes out of nationally televised games on Saturday and Sunday to send a message? Did Reyes respond by asking for a MRI in Los Angeles on Monday? Remember 2004 when Reyes contracted a mysterious leg injury after the signing of Kaz Matsui forced Reyes to second base. He only played 53 games. Once restored to shortstop in 2005, he missed 14 games TOTAL in four seasons. And now the hip surgery to Carlos Delgado (my sources -- not Keith -- have told me for two years that Delgado is not a positive clubhouse presence. His absence for at least 10 weeks could qualify as "addition by subtraction."
But that only works if Gary Sheffield hits. And that's where Keith was at his most insightful. Keith believes Sheffield can still hit. That he can still contribute if he plays regularly. There's a catch. Can the 40-year-old play five games a week in the outfield and produce at the plate? Sheffield has conceded nothing to time and age in his approach, the menacing waggling bat that is the most intimidating stance of his time is intact. Look at his record, though, and it is four years since he was a productive force. His OPS in a small Mets sampling is 100 points higher than his disastrous 2008 for Detroit.
One other area to note: Sheffield has already made his mark in the Mets’ clubhouse. He has publicly commented on the team's unease when behind in games. It's the "edge" that general manager Omar Minaya referenced earlier this year, and is a staple of conversation among Mets fans. Do the Mets have a winner's edge? That cannot be conclusively answered until October, and the Mets take the field for a playoff game. But Sheffield is proven, and he is voicing out loud something the Mets must confront. He is an African-American entering a clubhouse cleaved between Latin and white players, thus his voice may resonate. If so, the Mets may silence those who screamed all winter for Manny Ramirez.
FIVE SWINGS:
1. TRADE POSSIBLILTIES…will the Mets look for a first baseman (Nick Johnson)? And the Brewers need help at second base after Rickie Weeks' injury (Ray Durham finished last year with the Brewers and is still unsigned, wondering if he's interested in playing? It looks like highly regarded Mat Gamel gets first shot at third base with Craig Counsell taking over at second base.
2. SPEAKING OF THE BREWERS…an emphatic weekend in St. Louis as they swept a Cardinals team weakened by injuries to Rick Ankiel and Eric Ludwick. Still, Milwaukee is heading to the quarterpole as the NL's most pleasant surprise.
3. OAKLAND IS IN FREE FALL…but their horrid road trip pales in comparison to the news that Eric Chavez has a herniated disc in his back and that places his fading career in imminent jeopardy. It's clear that he will never regain his All-Star form, and as one of the players listed here in April as essential to their team's chances, no surprise that his absence correlates to the A's’ demise. Yet no changes expected in Oakland.
4. ANOTHER MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT IN CHICAGO…where the White Sox are feeble. Dead last in the AL runs scored, both manager Ozzie Guillen and his players have tossed around the "embarrassed" word.
5. THE PRINT MEDIA…loves to crush Major League Baseball for late-starting postseason games, a stance it curiously avoids when it comes to the NBA Finals. But hypocrisy is nothing new with our newspaper brethren (although sympathy for them is proper at this time with their industry enduring an agonizingly slow death).
Anyway, on to the announcement from Fox that the 2009 World Series will start earlier. No charity involved here, it's simple business. Fox disbanded its baseball studio show this year. Ad sales on network TV are down. With no political ads this year, and the auto industry's demise, two huge buyers of ad time are gone. This is simple dollars. If Fox could sell time, nothing would change. Instead, they allow their affiliates to air local late news at a slightly less late hour, a benefit for their ratings and sponsors.
