...evidence the career and the success of one Scott Kazmir. Remember him, Mets fans? Now, I know he didn't win the game last night, but that's beside the point. It really pains me to write this post, because I swore up and down that I would NEVER mention his name again vis a vis the Mets, because, frankly, I am sick and tired of listening to what seems to be every single Mets fan bring up the Kazmir for Zambrano trade ad nauseum as if it were a reason for breathing, or living, or hating, or anything.
But, alas, I find I must, at least once, revisit the trade, because it's so emblematic of what's gone on in past days with the Mets organization. Listening to the wrong people, making snap judgments, trading away the future for the present, and not even doing it smartly, logically, reasonably or in any way intelligently.
It's like the Old Boys Network... literally, which is what Mets fans inevitably end up with. The Old Boys Network.Hmmm.... come to think of it, that's as fitting of a moniker as anything else for the Mets teams of the past ten years or so. The Old Boys Network.
Perhaps that's what Fred and Jeff should have used as a name for their network.
6 comments:
I don't know what the OBN would be carrying in October, because it certainly wouldn't be Mets baseball!
I think the Kazmir thing has to be brought up constantly; ownership needs to be constantly reminded not to give away the farm in exchange for proven mediocrities. I bet you that we'll be having a similar conversation regarding Lastings Milledge a few years from now ...
Sadly Zambrano wasn't even mediocre. Maybe they thought they were getting Carlos Zambrano?
Not that he's as good as Kazmir, but let's not forget the Mets had Dan Wheeler once, too, but traded him for--and yes, I had to look this up--Adam Seuss. Not that the Mets needed bullpen help this year....
Well, I was just saying this on Cerrone's site, but coulda woulda shoulda with Kazmir. Sure, he'd be nice, but I doubt we'd have Beltran, Maine, Perez, Wagner, etc countless others. Even think about Wright / Reyes - remember the scrutiny Jose was under when he first got here? He was always tweaking his hammy? I think Mets fans would have clammored to get his butt of town, or the ownership would have gotten sick of waiting. I think it took the Kazmir trade to kind of make the Wilpons see themselves -- think about their rep at the time. It was old, stodgy, cheap and not caring about the fan base. I mean, they are still old, stodgy and not caring about the fan base, but at least they spend some money now. Omar Minaya came, despite our disagreements about what he does, he's done a good job at being aggressive and let it be known the Mets are a major player in the FA markets when it was basically the Yanks and that was it. I'd love to have Kazmir, sure, but I think I would miss the rest of the team a lot more.
George,
You know I love you, but Dan Wheeler is hardly in the same realm as Scott Kazmir. I've always felt that for the most part, bullpen help is much more fluid than starting pitching; of course, I didn't count on Omar letting the fluid dry up when others drank from the fountain, lol!
Coop,
How you can say you'd miss any of this team is totally beyond me at this point, lol hee hee hee!!!!! I have to confess, I don't miss them, ANY OF THEM, one bit. I guess the past two seasons took more out of me than I thought, lol! But I understand what you mean, although I don't necessarily agree with it. Having kept Kazmir doesn't necessarily preclude the other things you described from happening; one has little to do with the other, imv.
And frankly, I don't think Fred and Jeffy have learned very much, not very much at all. Evidence of that -- they hired Willie Randolph and the relatively unproven Omar Minaya, both AFTER the Kazmir for Zambrano debacle, and kept Willie past his expiration date. So even thought it can honestly be said they spent more money, they chintzed in some areas, overspent in others, and simply put, did nothing in yet other areas.
Jack,
There is little point in continuing to bring up the Kazmir thing, because frankly, Fred and Jeffy are clearly not learning anything about how to build a major league team in the right way. I believe as long as they own the team, our only chance is an accidental championship. They spend enough money that that might happen; but if it does, it certainly won't be by specific design. They knew in 2007 that Willie had pretty much lost the team, and even after the collapse, they kept him and most of the team intact. They knew in 2008 that they needed bullpen help desperately, yet they did nothing, even though other teams managed to find pitching here and there. There are too many examples of Wilpon stubborness, ignorance and stupidity to set forth here at length. Let's just say I have lowered my expectations greatly for next year, to save what's left of my sanity, lol!
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