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Sandy Alderson’s First Mets Test

Sandy Alderson has arrived at the baseball winter meetings, and with it comes his first real test as Mets GM. So far the only thing he’s done this year is talk and deal with some expiring contracts and options.  With most of that out of the way it’s time to start building the team for 2011, and he’s suggested he’ll return from Orlando with some new players when the Winter Meetings are over.

Jeff Francis Climbing the Coors Field Steps
Jeff Francis Climbing the Coors Field Steps

Reports on what type of money and players Sandy will be looking for vary, but reading between the lines seems to suggest that he’s looking for short contracts and isn’t looking to overpay anyone, particularly if they’re not a given to help out. So with the Mets needing at least two starting pitchers (Under the assumption that Santana won’t be ready for Opening Day, Oliver Perez is not getting a spot, and the prospects will be seasoning in Buffalo) it looks like Sandy is looking for that pitcher shrouded in doubt, and possibly coming off an njury, to bring in.  They’ve already been linked to Chris Young and Jeff Francis, so it does appear Sandy is on the right track.

Based on what’s leaked this coming week, who the Mets are linked to, who Sandy talks to and who he signs to be a New York Met next year will be the first thing we really get to judge our new general manager on.  First impressions are pretty important and Mets fans are likely to be peeved if the guy Alderson brings back is someone like Bruce Chen.  Scrolling through the free agent list does turn up some interesting names with various degrees of set-backs, and it’ll be interesting to see who the Mets feel can contribute in the future.

Despite the nature of the fans to overreact to a signing Alderson may or may not make during the Winter Meetings, what is important is that it contributes to winning.  Many of the same people that wanted Omar Minaya fired on the spot for giving a minor league deal to R.A. Dickey are now talking about giving Dickey an extension. Hopefully Sandy takes a good hard look at what’s available, opens a dialogue with a half dozen different agents, and sets the stage for the Mets to have an excellent rotation, and team, in 2011.  I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.

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Phillies Suck..Have a Keychain

As I write this the Islanders are losing to the Flyers, the Giants are trailing the Eagles in the division, the Phillies are two-time National League champs and the Mets have yet to make a major upgrade this offseason.  I’m not interested in the NBA so I get no great pleasure from the 76ers being almost as bad as the Nets.

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Still, I’m not ashamed to wear my Mets pride dangling from my keys in the form of a keychain slash bottle opener from www.wholesalekeychain.com.  They’re solid keychains that I haven’t managed to mangle, lose, or break yet.  Given the sad state of the New York Mets, the bottle opener is getting more use than is probably good for me.

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I can’t get excited about the baseball Winter Meetings.  Sure there is a chance something will get done, but it’s 95% rumor and speculation.  It’s all fluff with no content, and even though some things do get done, things could get done anyway.  A lot of the bigger pieces, like Holliday, probably won’t be happening soon, and no matter how many backup catchers the Mets sign, I’m not going to be satisfied until it’s spring and I know where they stand and how the team looks.  I’m also not going to call out Omar and criticize every little move or non-move he makes.  I’ll reserve judgment until April 5th, and see who takes the field on Opening Day.  Much like Rome, the 2010 World Champion Mets weren’t built in a day.