This year can't be over quick enough for the Mets, who do not have very fond memories of 2007. On the verge of what Omar Minaya expects to be a championship season -- of course he never specifies division, NL or World Series -- what's your New Year's resolution for the Mets?
I know, I know. Acquire Johan Santana. Besides that. Is there something that has do be done differently with the team as it is presently put together? There is a very real possibility that these are your 2008 Mets -- no Santana, no Joe Blanton and no Erik Bedard. Is this group good enough to win the NL East? I think so. But the team as a whole needs an attitude adjustment, and if they didn't learn from last year's choke job down the stretch, they never will.
Anyway, cheers!
Comments (12)
I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE THEY CAN WIN WITH A "FLAWED" TEAM
IN A FLAWED DIV OF A FLAWED LEAGUE.
I ALSO BELIEVE D.WRIGHT IS PREPARED TO STEP-UP TO THE LEADERRSHIP ROLE NOW THAT THE DOMINATING SPECTRES OF LoDUCA & FLOYD ARE FADING OR GONE PERIOD. HE'S HAD THE RIGHT TUTORIALS. HIS POST-SEASON STATEMENT AIMED AT NO LONGER BEING WILLING TO ACCEPT A LOSS, PERIOD. WHETHER SPRING-TYRAINING OR REG SEASON IS CERTAINLY AN ATTITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT HE NEEDS TO LEAD WITH. CERTAINLY MANY OTHERS WILL FOLLOW. THERE AREN'T OTHER STRONG LEADER EGOS TO BATTLE WITH AS THE EIGHTY-SIXERS HAD WITH MEX/KID/STRAW. THE CARLOSESALONG WITH THE OTHERS SEEM CONTENT TO FOLLOW IN LOCKSTEP IN THE RIGHT(WRIGHT) DIRECTION. PEDRO, AS USUAL, CAN LEAD THE PITVHING CONTINGENT ON A PARALLEL COURSE.
The entire NL East took a hit and lost some pretty good players. Only the Nationals improved, and they don't really have a team that will contend just yet. Yes, the Mets can win in 2008....but so can the Phillies. As of today, this team looks weaker than the 2007 team.
SANTANA TO THE METS! AND LETS MOVE ON PERIOD!
Now that Rickey Henderson has left the clubhouse, things will improve dramatically. Middle relief will improve with Burgos and Sanchez back and Mota is gone. If they don't get a front-line starter, then need the 4-5 guys to step up.
The thing I hope for is a lot more passion from all the mice on the team. All too often there are players willing to just hide in the shadows of the Locker room. Enough of all of Jose' stupid little dances. Start getting p.oed when you lose. Start getting the killer instinct that's needed. Start getting on peoples cases when they loaf in the field or on the bases. Are you listening Jose'? Lo Duca and David seemed to be the only people who cared about winning last year. And now Pauly is in Washington. Maine and Ollie need to take the next step and become the dominating pitchers we know they can be. I want to see more 14 strikeout no-hit bids in the 8th inning this year. I want to see Maine, Ollie, and Pedro all getting 18-20 wins and 200+ innings. All of these things are possble, all they have to do is make it happen.
Leadership! This team needs to have leaders such as Pedro and David Wright to step up and provide (player) leadership and fire up this team. They need to provide leadership in a manner which does not undermine Willie Randolph. I think the team is pretty much set with position players....but Delgado needs to have better year and Jose Reyes needs to finally become the player he has the talent to be on a consistent basis. We still need one more front line starter to replace Glavine's 200+ innings and we also need another proven setup man, as there are still too many question marks there.
The Phillies will be breathing down our necks all year...which may not be a bad thing to keep things in check!
What is everybodie's problem in the baseball world? PEDRO IS BACK ALL YEAR!!!!!!!! Who gives a rats behind about Glavine's 200 innings? Pedro will get 200, and Maine and Perez will get more this year too. Innings from an over the hill soft tossing bull headed Brave pitcher don't matter. And Sanchez will also be back this year too. If Bedard or Santana can be had, that's all the better.
lets hope Maine's and Perez's stamina has improved..they need the starters to go 7 consistantly..the bullpen was the reason they choked, due to overwork
I believe Maine and Perez will both do better this year. Maine had 191 innings and he pitched two fewer games than Mr. Brave. Maine also pitched the second half of the season with a sore hip. I don't imagine that helped him with his victories and stamina. I believe Perez pitched around 175 innings. The real worry innings wise is El' Duque. Once he gets over 100 innings, he seems to get less effective and hurt. I think he should be the long man/ spot starter next year. Have Pelfrey or Humber in the 5 spot unless the Mets pull a Santana or Bedard out of the hat.
"Now that Rickey Henderson has left the clubhouse, things will improve dramatically. "
????? Let me understand this.......Are we talking about impressionable little leaguers?????????? NO! We're talking about multi-million$$$$$$ ballplayers!!!! For one particular individual to have such a negative effect on a team or ballplayer is a condemnation of the mental maturity of the team and more specifically the player!
It's also called a COP-OUT.
There's no assurance either Maine or Perez will match or surpass their '07 totals. Maine had a stellar 1st. half and then got pounded in the second half until the 1-hitter in game 161. Albeit, he was nursing an injured hip in the 2nd. half. Maine's bead 'n butter is the high moving fastball. Always susceptible to the long-ball. Perez is madding inconsistent. You're (himself as well) never sure what you're going to get. Double-digit SO's, 2-hitter over 8 innings. Or 7 walks out of the first 10 batters he faces. And realistically it's a stretch to expect Martinez to have an injury-free '08 and comprise 200 innings.
Omar make yourself useful and acquire Santana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan the mets said it right. Get pissed and fired up. If you look back, if you did not notice during the year, this team had no killer instinct. They were not putting away teams, nor winning series. The year before they wre coming into cities sweeping each team. Get the killer instinct back. Wille... don't care if you show no emotion, show it. Get throwin out of game to fire your team up if you must. Besides Lou, so does Bobby Cox. Fire & intensity.
No we our not getting Santana unless it is the middle of the year. If he becomes a free agent we will have him next year. Do not want Blanton, overrated. Bedard, be nice, but worried about his arm (has a history). Ha! get the Kaz back from the D-Rays.
All the Loshe doubters look at his stats compared to Glavine.
Very similar stats, except for win & loss record. He had more so & less BB. Sign for four years no, three maybe.