Baseball Guru
06-03-2003, 11:19 PM
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
BY DON BURKE
Star-Ledger Staff
Well, at least no one got fired. That's really about the best face the Mets can put on their recent 12-game tea party with the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. Billed as a major referendum on the team's fortunes as well as the continued employment of general manager Steve Phillips, the Mets finished that difficult dozen with a 7-5 record.
While that showing was good, it was only enough to get the Mets one game closer to first place in the National League East. Two weeks ago, when they opened a three-game series with the Phillies -- who have not been playing like the team they were cracked up to be -- the Mets had a 19-25 record and were in fourth place, 12 games behind the Braves. After Sunday night's 10-4 victory over those Braves, which gave the Mets a split of their first six games with the perennial division winners, the Mets were 26-30 and in fourth place, 11 games off the pace.
That lukewarm progress was enough to extend Phillips' shelf life, at least for the time being.
According to a Mets official, the way the team has played recently has enabled the GM to keep the job he has held since 1997 and extended the evaluation period for him and the team's on-field personnel.
"People had speculated about that," Phillips said late Sunday night, "but I didn't know it to be a fact."
But there are some in the organization who are pointing to the Mets three-game series with the Yankees, scheduled for June 27-29 at Shea, as the next critical dates. Not so much for how these Norfolk-flavored Mets fare against their bitter rivals, but how they play between now and June 29. It is at that time, the official indicated, that the club will decide whether to fish or cut bait with Phillips, whose contract expires at season's end, and also whether to rid the team of as much of its high-priced, underachieving talent as possible.
In the meantime, there is today's amateur draft -- the Mets have the 12th pick overall -- and the start of a three-game home series with the Milwaukee Brewers. After that, the Mets begin the interleague portion of their schedule with a three-game series with Seattle, the team with the best record in the American League, as well as Texas and Anaheim, the defending world champions.
"We have to keep it going," manager Art Howe said. "We can't take anybody lightly now that we're going out of our division. It's fun to see the guys battle. We may be underdogs, but we can play with anybody."
"We're playing better," Phillips said. "We're playing good hard-nosed baseball, doing the little things. We're doing some of what we hoped we'd be doing all along, but certainly not with the names we anticipated."
Instead of getting key contributions from Mike Piazza and Mo Vaughn, both out indefinitely with injuries, the Mets have been getting production from less-heralded players such as Vance Wilson, Ty Wigginton and Jason Phillips.
"You feel bad about all the injuries that we've had," Wilson said. "But to have guys step up, that's what the big leagues is all about. You control your own destiny in the big leagues."
"We've got some guys who are getting it done, picking up the slack," said Jeromy Burnitz, who has at least one hit in each of his past 11 games. "As a result, we're giving ourselves a chance to win some games."
Note:
The Mets signed a lease agreement for a new baseball academy in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, establishing a training facility for the organization's Dominican players.
"This facility will be one of the best in the Dominican Republic," said Jeff Wilpon, Mets senior VP.
"We believe it will help our scouting and recruiting efforts," said Jim Duquette, senior assistant GM for player personnel.
David Waldstein contributed to this report.
BY DON BURKE
Star-Ledger Staff
Well, at least no one got fired. That's really about the best face the Mets can put on their recent 12-game tea party with the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. Billed as a major referendum on the team's fortunes as well as the continued employment of general manager Steve Phillips, the Mets finished that difficult dozen with a 7-5 record.
While that showing was good, it was only enough to get the Mets one game closer to first place in the National League East. Two weeks ago, when they opened a three-game series with the Phillies -- who have not been playing like the team they were cracked up to be -- the Mets had a 19-25 record and were in fourth place, 12 games behind the Braves. After Sunday night's 10-4 victory over those Braves, which gave the Mets a split of their first six games with the perennial division winners, the Mets were 26-30 and in fourth place, 11 games off the pace.
That lukewarm progress was enough to extend Phillips' shelf life, at least for the time being.
According to a Mets official, the way the team has played recently has enabled the GM to keep the job he has held since 1997 and extended the evaluation period for him and the team's on-field personnel.
"People had speculated about that," Phillips said late Sunday night, "but I didn't know it to be a fact."
But there are some in the organization who are pointing to the Mets three-game series with the Yankees, scheduled for June 27-29 at Shea, as the next critical dates. Not so much for how these Norfolk-flavored Mets fare against their bitter rivals, but how they play between now and June 29. It is at that time, the official indicated, that the club will decide whether to fish or cut bait with Phillips, whose contract expires at season's end, and also whether to rid the team of as much of its high-priced, underachieving talent as possible.
In the meantime, there is today's amateur draft -- the Mets have the 12th pick overall -- and the start of a three-game home series with the Milwaukee Brewers. After that, the Mets begin the interleague portion of their schedule with a three-game series with Seattle, the team with the best record in the American League, as well as Texas and Anaheim, the defending world champions.
"We have to keep it going," manager Art Howe said. "We can't take anybody lightly now that we're going out of our division. It's fun to see the guys battle. We may be underdogs, but we can play with anybody."
"We're playing better," Phillips said. "We're playing good hard-nosed baseball, doing the little things. We're doing some of what we hoped we'd be doing all along, but certainly not with the names we anticipated."
Instead of getting key contributions from Mike Piazza and Mo Vaughn, both out indefinitely with injuries, the Mets have been getting production from less-heralded players such as Vance Wilson, Ty Wigginton and Jason Phillips.
"You feel bad about all the injuries that we've had," Wilson said. "But to have guys step up, that's what the big leagues is all about. You control your own destiny in the big leagues."
"We've got some guys who are getting it done, picking up the slack," said Jeromy Burnitz, who has at least one hit in each of his past 11 games. "As a result, we're giving ourselves a chance to win some games."
Note:
The Mets signed a lease agreement for a new baseball academy in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, establishing a training facility for the organization's Dominican players.
"This facility will be one of the best in the Dominican Republic," said Jeff Wilpon, Mets senior VP.
"We believe it will help our scouting and recruiting efforts," said Jim Duquette, senior assistant GM for player personnel.
David Waldstein contributed to this report.