A solid AAA campaign in 2010 could make Fernando a Mets starter in 2011

BY AARON YORKE
STACHE WRITER

It’s early February and most baseball fans have a few more weeks to wait until they see their team’s prospects in action. Mets fans are lucky. That’s right. We have the opportunity to follow Fernando Martinez’s progress in the Caribbean Series, the annual competition between the Winter League’s best teams.

Martinez is still considered by some to be Mets’ top prospect, but his hype machine definitely took a hit over the past year thanks to a disappointing major league debut. Was this warranted? It was if you thought that a 20 year old should come out of nowhere and light the big leagues on fire. The truly disappointing stat of Martinez’s 2009 was his less than 300 at bats between AAA and the majors. He needs to stay healthy to grow into a solid player.
Read More…

Could Gary Matthews Jr. be the answer? (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

When the news broke about Carlos Beltran’s micro fracture surgery, it took a lot of will power for me not to rant and rave into oblivion, so I decided to be rational for once in my life. I waited for the facts to develop, and the Mets proved to be the wrong doers in the whole equation.

Shocking.

So I began to think to myself. I just write an article about how expendable Angel Pagan is, and then this happens, and Pagan becomes a much more important part of the overall puzzle. But would that be the smartest thing to do?
Read More…

Nobody doubts that talent is certainly present with Fernando Martinez. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Recently, we have been hearing some reports that suggest that Fernando Martinez may very well be on the trading block. When I first heard this, I scratched my head because it confused me. Why would you trade a guy when his stock is so low? But, you cannot rule anything out when you look at the management of this team.

Martinez was once touted as the top prospect in the Mets’ system, and we even saw a glimpse of him last season. Known for his gap to gap power, his speed and his arm, Martinez looked like a real stud, and he still may develop into one. The problem is that he cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries.

I am not exactly sure what the Mets think they are going to get for a guy who hasn’t proved he can stay healthy for a full season. The talent is there, but no team in their right mind would deal anything of value for a question mark. Somebody call the Pirates. I kid. I kid.
Read More…

Jonathan Mayo is one of MLB.COM's best and brightest.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Recently, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to conduct an email-based interview with MLB.COM writer Jonathan Mayo. Many people know him around baseball circles for his expertise with the youngsters in baseball, and since the Mets’ minor league system has been so scrutinized over the past couple of years, I thought we could get a “State of the Union”, so to speak. So without further adieu, enjoy.

Daily Stache: If you compare the Mets to the rest of the league, how would they stack up in terms of their minor league system?

Jonathan Mayo: They’d still land near the bottom. As was evident when there wasn’t a whole lot to come up to replace the many injured big-leaguers, they’re particularly weak at the top of the system. There are some interesting young arms from international scouting efforts and Ike Davis looks legit, but there’s still not much there.
Read More…

Alex Cora would bat second in my lineup of injured Mets. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

Recently, while I was trying to decide what kind of new story to write, I got a very good idea from a friend. Can I go and see if I would be able to field a full team based on who is currently out of commission right now. Well, I can’t nab a full team, but I can do a lot with what I’ve got. Here’s my starting lineup.

1. SS Reyes
2. 2B Cora
3. 3B Wright
4. CF Beltran
5. 1B Delgado
6. RF Francoeur
7. LF Martinez
8. C Martinez
9. P Nieve, Maine, Putz, Niese
Read More…

The Mets September Call Ups Are Coming! EXCELLENT!

BY JOSEPH STONE
STACHE WRITER

For those of you that were missing me, here I am, back with them old school rhymes fo yo ass!

I had to put myself into a brief hiatus due to some personal issues, but I am back to serenade you with more witticisms and gripping thoughts about our favorite team, the New York Mets.

Ok, so that’s not quite the case. I got nothin’. I think Oscar Wilde would be struck speechless at the ineptness of this team. Good Lord! Can things get any worse for our heroes?

From where I last chronicled, the Iron Met, Davis Wright, was knocked from the starting lineup, Omar Minaya was given the full backing of Darth Wilpon, somehow the worst lineup ever was able to set an offensive record, Livan was cut, Francoeur is day-to-day (Aren’t we all), a game ended on the wrong side of an unassisted triple play(!), and the Fillies trashed the joint. Did I miss anything? Is there anything in this interminable season that would change the horrible fortunes of the team?

Psst. Give ya a hint. The answer only has two letters, and those two little letters ain’t F and U.

Read More…

Building a Team after this Moment has been very hard for the Mets (Courtesy of Boston.com)

BY JOSEPH STONE
STACHE WRITER

I have heard it said the the Mets mission statement over the last two years was to win Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. That they wanted to eradicate the memory of the loss and somehow change the course of history. I don’t think that’s quite true. I think that was something we the interactive fans and the professional writers inferred upon the team, that that particular game was somehow still winnable.

The Mets, in a wise move, just stuck with the core of a team over the next three years that was thisclose to the World Series in 2006, and are just now feeling the fallout from a long barren run at post-season success. After the outcome of the 2006 season, obviously the Mets, as an organization, felt that essentially standing pat with a team that was so close to the promised land was the right choice, hence the Alou signing as a stopgap to shore up RBI production and keep the train rolling.

Management felt that the veteran presence would assist, and not even a beat would be missed on the march back to October. They were absolutely correct. The 2007 season was going along according to script until…no need for specifics in rehashing at this point, we are all well versed. The team that had steamrolled along all year hit the wall and blew up. It happens. Only once in a blue moon, but strange things can happen in baseball. Ask the Cubs, or the Phillies.

Read More…

Angel Pagan has been a breath of fresh air for the Mets this year. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MATTHEW JAKL
STACHE WRITER

I know. It is hard to watch the Mets. Painful at times. Mental errors, injuries, and bats that seem to be afraid of the ball have the number in the L column growing faster than the national debt. And I know. The Mets are 10 games back, looking down only at the lowly Natinals. And I know. Those boys in Flushing have broken our hearts the past two years with last day loses; keeping Mets fans watching the post season with apathy and the players watching from their couch.

With that said, how it can it get worse?
Read More…

Brad Holt may be the best pitching prospect in the Mets' system.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Through the last few weeks, we have seen some of my fellow writers propose some interesting moves to make. The Mets have struggled, and each writer played the role as General Manager to try to fix the team.

Some of the players that were recommended to be acquired include Roy Halladay, Adam Dunn, Matt Holliday (who has since been dealt to St. Louis) and Victor Martinez. There has been Adrian Gonzalez chatter as well. But, believe it or not, there is a smart course of action for the Mets.

Read More…

This guy should already be wearing a Mets Uniform (Courtesy of MLB Media)

BY BRIAN NADEAU
STACHE WRITER

Depending on whom you believe, Omar Minaya may or may not have rejected a trade for Toronto ace Roy Halladay. The players mentioned were current Mets reliever Bobby Parnell, soon to be starting pitcher Jon Niese, 17-year-old shortstop Ruben Tejada and 20-year-old outfield Fernando Martinez.

At first glance it seems like a lot. Every glance after that and it seems like next to nothing. We’ve read several articles saying why this trade should or should not have been accepted. Some appear on this site and offer some great insight (Daniel Siegel’s tops the list). So I’ll throw my hat into the ring as well as to why this trade would be a no-brainer for the Mets.

Read More…