Panzram
01-10-2005, 10:37 PM
On the money (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpMGlxY3AxBF9TAzk1ODYxNzc3BHNlYwNv ZQ--?slug=onthemoney&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
On the money
By Ken Rosenthal - SportingNews
Now this is more like it.
I still don't like the Mets' signing Pedro Martinez, a pitcher in decline, to a four-year, $54 million contract. I still can't believe they traded lefthander Scott Kazmir, a potential ace, for righthander Victor Zambrano, a mediocre veteran. But signing center fielder Carlos Beltran -- though excessive at seven years and $119 million -- gives the team an impressive young nucleus for the rest of the decade. Beltran is 27, third baseman David Wright 22, shortstop Jose Reyes 21.
The Mets' plan a year ago was to get younger and more athletic. Their plan now is to put together the best possible team for the launch of the Mets Network in 2006 -- and also to establish the franchise as a force in Latin America under new general manager Omar Minaya, a native of the Dominican Republic. The additions of Martinez, a charismatic ace from the Dominican, and Beltran, a five-tool wonder from Puerto Rico, suit both purposes. But the Beltran signing also fits the previous strategy, which was the right one all along.
Go back to last offseason. The Mets signed shortstop Kazuo Matsui, then 28, and center fielder Mike Cameron, then 31, to improve the team's up-the-middle defense. Matsui, a disappointment, will move to second base in 2005, enabling Reyes to reclaim short. Cameron, displaced by Beltran and recovering from wrist surgery, could end up in a corner outfield spot or with another club.
Those were not the desired outcomes, but the Mets were building properly before they traded Kazmir and another pitching prospect, Matt Peterson, in separate deals for Zambrano and Kris Benson last summer. The Mets could deviate from the proper course again if their next move is signing free-agent first baseman Carlos Delgado, a DH type who turns 33 in June, or trading for Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa, who is in decline at age 36.
No one should expect a fully formed vision from a team desperately trying to compete with the crosstown Yankees, but Minaya would be foolish to go further. He should settle for a defensive specialist such as John Olerud or Travis Lee at first base, which would make the team's other infielders better. He also should be content with Cameron in right field and Cliff Floyd in left, even with Cameron likely to miss at least the first month of the season. Floyd's defensive shortcomings would be easier to tolerate with Beltran covering so much ground in center.
Can this team contend? My guess is yes, but so much is uncertain. Willie Randolph, a first-time manager, will face tremendous expectations. The rotation, a potential strength, is full of questions -- age being one, consistency from Benson and Zambrano being another. The team's middle relief is an even bigger concern, and closer Braden Looper, though coming off a good season, hardly is elite.
Adding Delgado or Sosa would be overkill; the Mets are taking on enough risk with their long-term signings of Benson, Martinez and even Beltran. It is difficult to find fault in Beltran, a switch hitter with speed and power. But for $17 million a season, he will need to keep improving his on-base plus slugging percentage. His age and recent performance suggest that is possible. But his new home park will be pitcher-friendly Shea Stadium, and it remains to be seen whether he can handle the pressure of New York.
As good as Beltran was last season, his .915 OPS matched that of the Reds' Sean Casey, tying him for 24th among qualifying major leaguers. Beltran's .844 career OPS barely ranks in the top 50 among active players. It's nearly 100 points lower than Alex Rodriguez's OPS was when A-Rod became a free agent after the 2000 season. In fact, from 2000 to '03, Beltran's offensive value was very similar to Cameron's. Beltran's 2004 breakthrough and monster postseason set him apart.
The Mets, then, could be making the same mistake that several clubs have made with their recent free-agent signings -- overrating a player based on his most recent season, then overpaying him to replace a comparable part. Beltran could be the next Shawn Green or Jason Kendall, a good player held to an unreachable standard because of the size of his contract. But again, neither this signing nor Martinez's can be judged in a vacuum. Not with the Mets forming their own TV network. Not when they're trying to regain their footing in New York.
I don't buy agent Scott Boras' whimsical career projections for Beltran, but I do buy the idea that a rising star at age 27 is worth the risk. Give the Mets their due; they've landed a franchise player.
On the money
By Ken Rosenthal - SportingNews
Now this is more like it.
I still don't like the Mets' signing Pedro Martinez, a pitcher in decline, to a four-year, $54 million contract. I still can't believe they traded lefthander Scott Kazmir, a potential ace, for righthander Victor Zambrano, a mediocre veteran. But signing center fielder Carlos Beltran -- though excessive at seven years and $119 million -- gives the team an impressive young nucleus for the rest of the decade. Beltran is 27, third baseman David Wright 22, shortstop Jose Reyes 21.
The Mets' plan a year ago was to get younger and more athletic. Their plan now is to put together the best possible team for the launch of the Mets Network in 2006 -- and also to establish the franchise as a force in Latin America under new general manager Omar Minaya, a native of the Dominican Republic. The additions of Martinez, a charismatic ace from the Dominican, and Beltran, a five-tool wonder from Puerto Rico, suit both purposes. But the Beltran signing also fits the previous strategy, which was the right one all along.
Go back to last offseason. The Mets signed shortstop Kazuo Matsui, then 28, and center fielder Mike Cameron, then 31, to improve the team's up-the-middle defense. Matsui, a disappointment, will move to second base in 2005, enabling Reyes to reclaim short. Cameron, displaced by Beltran and recovering from wrist surgery, could end up in a corner outfield spot or with another club.
Those were not the desired outcomes, but the Mets were building properly before they traded Kazmir and another pitching prospect, Matt Peterson, in separate deals for Zambrano and Kris Benson last summer. The Mets could deviate from the proper course again if their next move is signing free-agent first baseman Carlos Delgado, a DH type who turns 33 in June, or trading for Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa, who is in decline at age 36.
No one should expect a fully formed vision from a team desperately trying to compete with the crosstown Yankees, but Minaya would be foolish to go further. He should settle for a defensive specialist such as John Olerud or Travis Lee at first base, which would make the team's other infielders better. He also should be content with Cameron in right field and Cliff Floyd in left, even with Cameron likely to miss at least the first month of the season. Floyd's defensive shortcomings would be easier to tolerate with Beltran covering so much ground in center.
Can this team contend? My guess is yes, but so much is uncertain. Willie Randolph, a first-time manager, will face tremendous expectations. The rotation, a potential strength, is full of questions -- age being one, consistency from Benson and Zambrano being another. The team's middle relief is an even bigger concern, and closer Braden Looper, though coming off a good season, hardly is elite.
Adding Delgado or Sosa would be overkill; the Mets are taking on enough risk with their long-term signings of Benson, Martinez and even Beltran. It is difficult to find fault in Beltran, a switch hitter with speed and power. But for $17 million a season, he will need to keep improving his on-base plus slugging percentage. His age and recent performance suggest that is possible. But his new home park will be pitcher-friendly Shea Stadium, and it remains to be seen whether he can handle the pressure of New York.
As good as Beltran was last season, his .915 OPS matched that of the Reds' Sean Casey, tying him for 24th among qualifying major leaguers. Beltran's .844 career OPS barely ranks in the top 50 among active players. It's nearly 100 points lower than Alex Rodriguez's OPS was when A-Rod became a free agent after the 2000 season. In fact, from 2000 to '03, Beltran's offensive value was very similar to Cameron's. Beltran's 2004 breakthrough and monster postseason set him apart.
The Mets, then, could be making the same mistake that several clubs have made with their recent free-agent signings -- overrating a player based on his most recent season, then overpaying him to replace a comparable part. Beltran could be the next Shawn Green or Jason Kendall, a good player held to an unreachable standard because of the size of his contract. But again, neither this signing nor Martinez's can be judged in a vacuum. Not with the Mets forming their own TV network. Not when they're trying to regain their footing in New York.
I don't buy agent Scott Boras' whimsical career projections for Beltran, but I do buy the idea that a rising star at age 27 is worth the risk. Give the Mets their due; they've landed a franchise player.