Bobby Parnell is just one guy who needs to step up in 2010.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Recently, we have been doing a lot of bantering back and forth about what moves the Mets should or shouldn’t make, but there are some guys on this team who, if they step up and make some progress, may take this team to the next level.

Now, I am not talking about the Wright, Santana, Reyes and Beltran that everyone knows should step up, but this is more a look at some secondary guys who could make a difference if they decide to take that step to the next level.

Now let’s get started.
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The Last Time We Rememered The Maine, We Went To War

 

BY JOSEPH STONE
STACHE WRITER

Once again, our good friends at Deadspin are finding any dirt they can to throw on the corpse that is the 2009 Mets.

Well, I am back once again from the land of the lost. After spending the past few days in Philadelphia, I have spent sufficient time in quarantine so the douchebag virus has not taken over my vitals. Since I’ve been gone, I see not much has changed with our favorite sons. At least they did win a series against the Cubs. That was the first series win since July. Good God, that was the saddest sentence I’ve written in awhile.

The best news is that my main man, Beltran, is back! Can’t tell you how glad I am to see that. It’s amazing what a ballplayer of that caliber can add to the squad. He hadn’t played in the majors for 2 months and change and nearly blasts one out on a protection swing. Unbelievable. He’ll find his stroke very quickly and be right back to killing it like he was in May and June. Can’t wait.

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When Rick Peterson was around, John Maine required a lot of hands on the shoulder. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

John Maine will be returning soon. Yawn.

Today’s New York Daily News article by Adam Rubin states, “The hope is he will be back in New York some time in the next couple of weeks – if not sooner.” I am sure most fans will agree this brings little or no excitement to the product on the field. Injuries and mediocrity have plagued Maine over the past two seasons. ERA’s of 4.52 and 4.18 have defined his inability to take his game to the next level.
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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
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It has definitely been a year to scratch your head for John Maine and the Mets. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

When the Mets traded Kris Benson to the Orioles on January 21, 2006, I wasn’t too sure what to make of it. I always liked the guy. I liked his wife even more. But the Mets got two guys in return. One was Jorge Julio, which later turned into Orlando Hernandez, and the other was a young kid named John Maine. I didn’t know much about him, but this was definitely one of the better trades Omar Minaya has made.

First of all, Benson has fallen off of the face of the Earth, while both Hernandez and Maine were important pieces for the Mets. It was Maine who was the really intriguing part of the deal, because he was so young and could be a part of the Mets’ future for a long time.
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We Could See These Two Guys Back Very Soon

BY WENDY ADAIR
STACHE WRITER

According to Metsblog.com , Jerry Manuel has stated that both JJ Putz and David Wright are both doing well and are planning to be back on the active roster on or about September 1st.

Putz has been rehabbing from elbow surgery that has kept him sidelined since June 5th and Wright is recovering from a concussion since last weekend after getting hit in the head by a Matt Cain fastball.

The Mets knew that Putz had bone spurs in his elbow when they signed him last winter.

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Concerns about John Maine and a potential dead arm might create a hole in the Mets' rotation next season. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANDREW CAVAGNARO
STACHE WRITER

As this long and bizarre season winds down, I can’t help but look towards the future. Will next season be worse? No way. However as I look at the present roster and the holes that must be filled, I ask the question, “Will it be much better?”

Whoever sits general manger’s seat come the off season must figure out a way to plug holes in left field, first base, catcher, and several spots in the rotation. That’s a tremendous amount of needs that the Mets must correct.
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This Guy Needs More Time To Prove His Worth

ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

I support Omar Minaya. GASP! Oh no he didn’t.

Listen, I am really not sure why all the pessimistic met fans are pointing their collective guns at Omar Minaya’s head. The Adam Rubin spat notwithstanding this guy has had a very good, yes, very good run here in NY.

If you go back and check out his moves, from the draft picks to the trades you will come to the same conclusion. Mix in some facts and you’ll see Minaya is not a bad GM. At all.

Ask yourself this. Did Omar Minaya put a team together, 3 years in a row, that was in position to compete for a World Series.

The answer is yes. 2006, NLCS loss. 2007, 7 games up with 17 to go, 2008, 3 games up one week to go. Every year the Mets were in it.

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All The Injured Mets Stars, About 5 Players Too Many This Season (Courtesy of Weretheteamtobeat.com)

BY ZACHARY SCHULMAN
STACHE WRITER

The Mets continue to get injured. When it is thought to not get any worse, Murphy’s Law kicks in. Jon Niese and Fernando Martinez’s injuries were only two of the many that happened to Mets young players.

The Mets have not had much luck in recent years, with the exception of Wright and Reyes, in developing a lot of useful talent in their minor league system. This year I have paid much more attention to the Mets minor league affiliates. I was curious to see if the Mets really lacked the talent that everyone claimed they did. While the Buffalo BIsons are a lost cause for this year and probably the short term future, the AA level and below has a lot of promise.

With Delgado getting hurt in a walk year, it all but finalized his career with the Mets. Daniel Murphy has been a very pleasant surprise defensively at first and is showing some signs that he might break out hitting wise.

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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.

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