Half a season

[Strawman]

Seems to me that it's worth looking at this team half a season in. The Mets play hard, stay in games, have 2.5 top line starters, and score runs. To my eye, there are three major holes and in this order of importance:

1. Bullpen - worst in baseball. Alderson's personal stamp on the team so far. But also the most fixable with two acquisitions.

2. Defense - in a word, horrid. Almost a 50th anniversary tribute to the '62 Mets! The Mets ranks 26th of 30 teams in overall fielding %. Tough to fix, because you're playing guys regularly who can't field very well.

3. Speed - in a word, slow. The Mets ranks 26th of 30 teams in stolen bases. No pressure on opposing pitchers to hold guys close. This matters in late innings over course of a year, and obviously in the post-season (should the team squeak in). Missing Reyes is one thing - batting Tejada (who runs marginally better than Lucas Duda) lead-off is another. Not sure if this can be fixed in-season.

So, the bullpen has to be the front office's major mid-season fix - if that front office actually believes in pushing for the post-season in 2012. It may not. We'll see.

[milladrive]

I'd say #2 runs a distant second to #1 in things with which the Mets should concern themselves. And #3 quite distant from #2. Without that horrid bullpen, the Mets would have literally a quarter of the losses they currently have. ...and that's being generous. The defense would be much better if they had had Tejada the whole season, and if they wouldn't play Turner at 1B when Davis doesn't play. Turner is useless at 1B. ...unless you're the opposing team.

The rest of the defensive team I can live with.

[Strawman]

I'd say #2 runs a distant second to #1 in things with which the Mets should concern themselves. And #3 quite distant from #2. Without that horrid bullpen, the Mets would have literally a quarter of the losses they currently have. ...and that's being generous. The defense would be much better if they had had Tejada the whole season, and if they wouldn't play Turner at 1B when Davis doesn't play. Turner is useless at 1B. ...unless you're the opposing team.

The rest of the defensive team I can live with.

Yeah I agree with you - but the defense is pretty bad. That outfield.....brrrrrr! And heck, Murphy is a thousand times better than Turner at 1B. Seems the Mets want to acquire a better defensive backstop though....

[Paulypal]

Seems to me that it's worth looking at this team half a season in. The Mets play hard, stay in games, have 2.5 top line starters, and score runs. To my eye, there are three major holes and in this order of importance:

1. Bullpen - worst in baseball. Alderson's personal stamp on the team so far. But also the most fixable with two acquisitions.

2. Defense - in a word, horrid. Almost a 50th anniversary tribute to the '62 Mets! The Mets ranks 26th of 30 teams in overall fielding %. Tough to fix, because you're playing guys regularly who can't field very well.

3. Speed - in a word, slow. The Mets ranks 26th of 30 teams in stolen bases. No pressure on opposing pitchers to hold guys close. This matters in late innings over course of a year, and obviously in the post-season (should the team squeak in). Missing Reyes is one thing - batting Tejada (who runs marginally better than Lucas Duda) lead-off is another. Not sure if this can be fixed in-season.

So, the bullpen has to be the front office's major mid-season fix - if that front office actually believes in pushing for the post-season in 2012. It may not. We'll see.

I agree here, although I cant say which is more important 1 or 2. My thinking is that if they caught the ball on a more regular basis the starters would have gone longer, and the defense would have limited the damage when the bullpen did come in.

The bullpen is not good, but a good defense can really help a sub-par pitching staff. The Met defense needs a lot of help.

[Strawman]

I agree here, although I cant say which is more important 1 or 2. My thinking is that if they caught the ball on a more regular basis the starters would have gone longer, and the defense would have limited the damage when the bullpen did come in.

The bullpen is not good, but a good defense can really help a sub-par pitching staff. The Met defense needs a lot of help.

Which brings up another subject for me - because of the team's decent play, there are several Mets who the fan base consistently rates higher than their observable talent deserves. Not that I don't like them as players, but I think these guys are a bit overrated:

1. Duda - a slow-footed former first-baseman is the worst starting OF in the National League, though he has occasional Kingmanesque pop.

2. Davis - some talk about him like he's the second coming of Lou Gehrig. Bzzt. Another Kingman - with Kingmanesque attitude to boot! I actually thought he'd be better, frankly. But the injury took a real toll, and now he's not even a plus defensive guy. And he argues the umps like sandlot player.

3. Nieuwenhuis - must be the hair. Decent 4th outfielder type though. Actually appears speedy on team with no speed.

4. Thole - can't hit much. Not a great defensive catcher. Decent back-up on a winning team.

5. Turner - he does come through in late innings sometimes. Can't field. Spends too much time making whipped cream pies for the post-game.

Here's the guy I admittedly underrated - Ruben Tejada.

And Valdespin's a keeper. Don't go trading him, Alderson.

[Paulypal]

Which brings up another subject for me - because of the team's decent play, there are several Mets who the fan base consistently rates higher than their observable talent deserves. Not that I don't like them as players, but I think these guys are a bit overrated:

1. Duda - a slow-footed former first-baseman is the worst starting OF in the National League, though he has occasional Kingmanesque pop.

2. Davis - some talk about him like he's the second coming of Lou Gehrig. Bzzt. Another Kingman - with Kingmanesque attitude to boot! I actually thought he'd be better, frankly. But the injury took a real toll, and now he's not even a plus defensive guy. And he argues the umps like sandlot player.

3. Nieuwenhuis - must be the hair. Decent 4th outfielder type though. Actually appears speedy on team with no speed.

4. Thole - can't hit much. Not a great defensive catcher. Decent back-up on a winning team.

5. Turner - he does come through in late innings sometimes. Can't field. Spends too much time making whipped cream pies for the post-game.

Here's the guy I admittedly underrated - Ruben Tejada.

And Valdespin's a keeper. Don't go trading him, Alderson.

I agree here except for Davis. Although he is not Gehrig I don't see an attitude issue. You blamed HIM for not going down to Buffalo...incorrect thinking.

Also if you want to get quality in return Valdespin may have to go. Can't have it both ways.

[Strawman]

I agree here except for Davis. Although he is not Gehrig I don't see an attitude issue. You blamed HIM for not going down to Buffalo...incorrect thinking.

Also if you want to get quality in return Valdespin may have to go. Can't have it both ways.

Not just the Buffalo thing - which he opposed in public - but the constant call-questioning with the umps. That said, he's had a rough year so maybe he should really get a pass. And I still hope he'll be a keeper. I do kind of laugh when fans refer to the "Ike Davis of old" like he's Willie McCovey. Hence, his inclusion on the overrated list!

Valdespin, yeah. He's a very strong bargaining chip because everybody likes his talent and energy. I'd kinda like to see that develop here.

[Paulypal]

Not just the Buffalo thing - which he opposed in public - but the constant call-questioning with the umps. That said, he's had a rough year so maybe he should really get a pass. And I still hope he'll be a keeper. I do kind of laugh when fans refer to the "Ike Davis of old" like he's Willie McCovey. Hence, his inclusion on the overrated list!

Valdespin, yeah. He's a very strong bargaining chip because everybody likes his talent and energy. I'd kinda like to see that develop here.

I basically agree with you on Davis. I had this discussion on here with Milla about what has Davis ever really done that we should expect a "star"?

His public comments were he didn't see how Buffalo was going to help...he never refused to go because he wasn't asked

Fans are way too quick to title and label guys as "the next so and so" or "great" etc.

[Strawman]

I basically agree with you on Davis. I had this discussion on here with Milla about what has Davis ever really done that we should expect a "star"?

His public comments were he didn't see how Buffalo was going to help...he never refused to go because he wasn't asked

Fans are way too quick to title and label guys as "the next so and so" or "great" etc.

Yeah I agree - btw, I might add Niese to that list as well. He fills a back half of rotation slot in decent, but not great, form. And I don't see the fantastic upside some others always claim to. He's decent. But not a build-around guy.

[CokeMachineGlow]

Yeah I agree - btw, I might add Niese to that list as well. He fills a back half of rotation slot in decent, but not great, form. And I don't see the fantastic upside some others always claim to. He's decent. But not a build-around guy.

He's not back-of-the-rotation type, though. He's a solid mid-rotation with, possibly if everything goes right, #2 potential.

Outside of the anomalous amount of homeruns he's given up, Niese has been very solid this year.