October 02, 2008
Time to Take Charge
Metstradamus makes a good point about Wright and Reyes:
But clearly, and as illustrated by people like hate list inductee Mike Francesa ... misguided as he may be on this ... the honeymoon is over for Wright and Reyes. They've been known as the future for so long they've gotten numerous passes from all of us. But the grace period ended as the era at Shea Stadium ended ... especially for Wright. And it's not fair. Reyes hasn't been quite as Teflon as Wright when it comes to criticism at home (he's gotten plenty of it from elsewhere from his dancing), but both have had their ascension to the forefront of the ballclub unchallenged for the most part. But now that they're there, it's time for the duo to shed their remaining weak points and take this game by the neck and shake the success out of it.
Criticisms of the two are nitpicky. But great players shed those criticisms nonetheless. It's time for Wright and Reyes to take the next step in their baseball lives.
Gee, all Wright did was lead the Mets in OPS, fifty points ahead of anybody else on the team. Clown bloggers are free to criticize anybody they want. But scapegoating Wright for the team's collapses is stupid even by blogger standards.
Actually, Wright's led the Mets in OPS in three of the last four years. He was second the other year. Yeah, he's really the problem here.
Criticizing the players who represent the strengths of your ball club seems a little childish. I think they need to worry more about second base, the corner outfield spots and the bullpen.
Clubs are suppose to build around their best players not beat them up because they can't make up for glaring deficiencies on the team
I'm not sure what else the two of them can do to keep an irate fan base from aiming their hate and frustration at them. They would be better served aiming their frustration at Minaya's judgments on bullpen arms and contracts for the elderly.
Didn't Bill James point out twenty-five years ago that this habit of blaming the star of a failed team is as smart as leaving your wife when you lose your job?
Wright is definitely not the Mets' problem. Manuel gave Reyes a needed attitude adjustment and hopefully got him back on the right track.
Minaya failed to add a reliever after Wagner went down. Might not have been eligible for the playoffs true, but first you have to get there.
He failed to add a guy who could galvanize the clubhouse as well as help on the field. Look at what Manny Ramirez did in LA.
Say what you will, even an over-the-hill Jim Edmonds has been a major positive for the Cubs.
Mac