It doesn't make long term financial sense to have them up now. Colon will pitch better. If the Mets are out of the playoff picture in July, they can trade Colon for some sort of prospect. It would be a middling prospect like a Vic Black type. Or they could trade Colon for a young veteran like Dayan Viciedo. The other option is for the Mets to be good and actually compete for a playoff spot. The Mets surprised in 1969. They have never done that again. The Padres a few years ago were surprisingly good. The Athletics do it a lot. The ChiSox surprised in 2012. The Indians did last year. It is about time the Mets do it. They have been surprisingly good only one year in franchise history. It's amazin'!
Ike wasn't getting enough hits playing behind Duda. Letting him sit behind Duda was pointless and now we acquired a relief pitcher in Zack Thornton who is 25 and was the Pirates minor league closer in AA and AAA last year totaling 76 strikeouts in about 70 innings. Can he pitch in the majors? I guess we'll find out...
Aaron Harang no-hitting the Mets through 7. And Freeman just jacked a home run to make it 3-0 in the 8th.
I don't think people expected them to be 90-win good in 1984. Or 88-win good in Bobby V's first year ('97 I think) with really an average - if that - team.
I would take Ike over Duda. Just cause once upon a time he proved he had some ability. I'll wait to sort my feelings about this trade when we find out about tptbnl. Did they do this now because they feel this is for the betterment of the team or to shave even more from the payroll? Not sure anymore what their motives are. Um Granderson I'm going to need you to get it together.
I expected them to win in the high 80s, low 90s in 1997. They underachieved in 1996 and the switch to a new manager during that season was going to make the team good the next year. I was too young in 1984 to have known about any feelings or predictions, but it seems to me the Mets had been bad for a long time, they had made a trade for Hernandez and Strawberry had debuted. Then Gooden was set to debut in 1984. Was it a surprise that they were good in 1984? My research indicates no, but I never read any 1984 season previews. We could look up the 1984 SI baseball preview issue.
They did it now because it is better for all parties. There is no good reason to have three 1Bs. The manager chose Duda over Davis. Davis has a lot of holes in his swing. Looking back, I am surprised he hit for a good average at one time. Then again, we shouldn't be too surprised that his average slipped. Clearly, pitchers have made adjustments. Davis gets to play more often now. Things were not working out for him in New York. It was time to end the relationship.
I suppose you can say they surprised in 1984. They did not make the playoffs, though. 1973 was a freaky season. The Mets made the playoffs at 82-79. I am still waiting for a year in my lifetime when the Mets are picked by most people to be under .500, but they make the playoffs instead.
I'd take Ike over Duda everyday of the week. I would be shocked if Duda is the starting first baseman opening day next season.
Ike wasn't getting any hits period, I'm glad he is gone. Once the book was established on him it was lights out and he could not adjust.
It was definitely harder to do that pre-wild card though. It'll probably be Farnsworth, another retread yippee. And GranderBay...yuck.
Once again, the Mets will bat in the bottom of the 9th inning at home, but at least they're not losing.
Granderson is horrible. Can't stand watching him play. D-Wright is hot as can be though and has a 12 gsme hit streak
I honestly think d'Arnaud is going to hit. Just pounded an opposite drive deep to right field off the base of the wall. I think he's going to be the real deal _
