TheLeiterSide takes over the Mets

[TheLeiterSide]

I am using JrCrowley's rosters for this Dynasty.

Backstory
------------
After an abysmal 2003 season which saw the Mets finish in last place, only winning 66 games, Mets owner Fred Wilpon fired both GM Jim Duquette and manager Art Howe. They went for a younger approach, hiring an absolute nobody to be their GM and Manager. They hired me, a 20-year old who posts on the Baseball Mogul 2005 board. I guaranteed them that I could make this team a winner again. Wilpon told me that this was a publicity stunt. I was convinced to turn this publicity stunt into a World Championship.

Goals for 2k4
-----------------
1. Cut payroll under $100,000,000 (Failed: $101,900,000 as of the end of the 2004 Season)
2. Win at least 50% of games. (Completed 87-75)
3. Have at least 3 all stars. (Failed: Kaz Matsui only All Star)

[TheLeiterSide]

First Things First...Cut Payroll

I looked at the roster, and saw an absolute mess as far as salaries are concerned. Most of these players are overpaid.

Cutting payroll requires shrewd thinking. Trading good players for budget players takes a baseball genius. I can't do either of those, but I did make some deals that in my opinion, will help us.

Mets get: SP Frank Castillo, RP Mark Malaska
Red Sox get: SP Kris Benson

Mets get: RP Rafael Betancourt
Indians get: RP Mike Stanton, RP Jose Parra

Mets get: 1B Olmedo Saenz, SP Wilson Alvarez, LF Jeremy Giambi, RP Troy Brohawn
Dodgers get: SP Steve Trachsel, CF Mike Cameron, 3B Kevin Orie

Mets get: 1B Lance Niekro
Giants get: (C) Jesse Levis, LF Esix Snead

Mets get: CL Jorge Julio, RP Matt DeWitt
Orioles get: RP Mike DeJean, RP Scott Strickland

Mets get: 3B Kevin Youkilis
Red Sox get: SP Jae Seo

I have a feeling anyone who reads this dynasty will have a field day with the Youkilis - Seo trade.

Rather than tempt fate with Jeff Duncan as the new starting center fielder, I have signed Brian Hunter to a 5-year, $1,050,000 contract.

Next post: Lineup and Rotation

[TheLeiterSide]

New York Mets 2004 Roster

Lineup
---------
1. Jose Reyes (2B) OA: 73 PK: 92
2. Kaz Matsui (SS) OA: 77 PK: 88
3. Cliff Floyd (LF) OA: 93 PK: 93
4. Mike Piazza (1B) OA: 90 PK: 90
5. Jason Phillips (C) OA: 81 PK: 81
6. Richard Hidalgo (RF) OA: 85 PK: 85
7. Brian Hunter (CF) OA:74 PK: 74
8. Kevin Youkilis (3B) OA: 71 PK: 77
9. Pitcher's spot
-------------------------------------------------
Jeremy Giambi (LF) OA: 79 PK: 80
David Wright (3B) OA: 65 PK: 92
Vance Wilson (C) OA: 74 PK: 74
Olmedo Saenz (1B) OA: 75 PK: 75
Eric Valent (RF) OA: 69 PK: 70
Joe McEwing (2B) OA: 73 PK: 73

Pitching
----------
1. Tom Glavine OA: 80 PK: 80
2. Al Leiter OA: 77 PK: 77
3. Frank Castillo OA: 78 PK: 78
4. Wilson Alvarez OA: 74 PK: 78
5. Victor Zambrano OA: 74 PK: 74
---------------------------------------------
Closer - Jorge Julio OA: 74 PK: 74
Setup - Braden Looper OA: 90 PK: 92
Short - Ricky Bottalico OA: 78 PK: 78
Middle - Rafael Betancourt OA: 73 PK: 78
Long - Daniel Wheeler OA: 70 PK: 80
Alt. - Matt Ginter OA: 67 PK: 74

[TheLeiterSide]

A Surprising First Month

Note: I am not too much into details, so I will post monthly recaps, with key games being given special attention. If you want to know anything, just post :)

April: We kinda' surprised the league with a 14-9 record in the month of April. Cliff Floyd hit .333 this month, with 8 HR's and 17 RBI. My acquisition of Frank Castillo is looking like a good move so far, as he is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA. On the down side though, Jason Phillips slumped all month, ending with a .177 average, with just 2 dingers.

Mets AAA Round-up
-------------------------
Tyler Yates is 1-0, with a 3.86 ERA.
Tom Wilson is hitting .391
Danny Garcia is hitting .317

Call-ups/Demotions
-------------------------
Matt Ginter demoted (0-1, 14.09)
Tyler Yates promoted (1-0, 3.86 in AAA)

Major MLB News
---------------------
Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN) out 3 weeks with a stress fracture in his wrist.

[TheLeiterSide]

May: We came back down to earth a bit with a 12-14 record this month. Jason Phillips continues to slump early in the season, despite raising his average almost 50 points to .220. Injury bug hits us hard, with Frank Castillo going down with severe elbow tendonitis. He's out for another 85 days. To replace him in the rotation, we sign an old friend, Rick Reed. Tyler Yates clearly is not ready for the big leagues, and it shows. With a 18.78 ERA, Yates is given a one-way ticket back to the minors, making room on the roster for another free agent. Bruce Chen signed a deal for us, $710,000 over 4 years.

Signings
----------
Bruce Chen - $710,000 over 4 years.
Rick Reed - $520,000 over 1 year.

Promotions/Demotions
-----------------------------
Tyler Yates to AAA
Frank Castillo to DL
Bruce Chen to Majors
Rick Reed to Majors

NL East Standings
-----------------------
Florida 33-19
Philadelphia 28-21 4.5
Mets 26-23 6.5
Montreal 21-29 12.0
Atlanta 15-34 17.5

Major MLB News
---------------------
None to report

[TheLeiterSide]

June: More injury woes for the Mets, as Victor Zambrano comes down with severe elbow tendonitis, and he'll be out for another 113 days. Matt Ginter will be recalled from AAA to take his spot in the rotation. We made a deal with the Indians, trading away struggling starter Wilson Alvarez along with minor leaguer Jeff Duncan to acquire Jeff D'Amico and minor league reliever Kane Davis. Davis has been assigned to the minors, while D'Amico will take a spot in the rotation until Castillo comes back. Turning our attention to the lineup now...Richard Hidalgo has been on a long slump. His average has gone all the way down to .219, and we feel that he could do with some time on the bench. Eric Valent will take his place in the lineup and hit 8th. Despite a 16-9 month, we remain in 3rd place in the East, but we are just 4 games out.

In a deal that is sure to only help us, we sent 4 mediocre pitching prospects and cash to Atlanta for misused starter Horacio Ramirez.

Mets get: SP Horacio Ramirez (0-4, 8.39 in 14 appearances)
Braves get: SP Aaron Heilman, RP Pedro Feliciano, RP Orber Moreno, RP Pat Strange, $1,000,000

NL East race
----------------
Florida 48-29 .623
Philadelphia 46-30 .605 1.5
Mets 43-32 .573 4.0

[TheLeiterSide]

June: Florida has pulled away in the NL East thanks to poor months from the Mets and Phils. With the trade deadline near, we were looking to acquire a big-time arm on the cheap...and we do, but it had a huge cost. We gave up 5 players to Oakland for Mark Mulder.

Mets get: SP Mark Mulder
A's get: RP Kane Davis, SP Jason Roach, CF Prentice Redman, (C) Tom Wilson, 3B Todd Zeile, $4,000,000

The rotation now looks like this going into the stretch run...

1. Tom Glavine (7-7, 2.56)
2. Mark Mulder (7-5, 3.75 in OAK)
3. Jeff D'Amico (3-1, 4.02)
4. Horacio Ramirez (2-2, 3.32)
5. Al Leiter (11-4, 3.86)

NOTE: Mulder and D'Amico came from American League teams, so their stats will be reset as is the norm for players traded from league to leaLgue.

With the National League East pretty much out of our range now, we turn our attention to the wildcard.

NL East
----------
Florida 64-39 .621
Philadelphia 57-47 .548 7.5
Mets 56-47 .544 8.0

NL Wildcard
---------------
Houston 61-43 .587
Pittsburgh 57-46 .553 3.5
Los Angeles 56-46 .549 4.0
Philadelphia 57-47 .548 4.0
Mets 56-47 .544 4.5

[XtremeSlim]

This is decent. Please keep it going.

[TheLeiterSide]

Thanks, I will continue this in a few minutes. I just got home from a day with the family *sigh*.

[TheLeiterSide]

Minutes turned into days..sorry for not updating, but I'm ready to update now.

August: With a 16-12 month, the Mets got back in the race, but are still 6.5 games behind the Marlins for 1st in the NL East. The Mets are all but out of the running in the Wildcard, 8 games behind the San Francisco Giants.

Around the League
------------------------
August 23, 2004: Sidney Ponson of the Baltimore Orioles throws a one-hitter, shutting down the explosive Oakland offense 3-1.

Here's a nice article I found in one of the Florida newspapers.


Marlins Trifecta of Pitchers Has Florida Thinking Repeat

The Florida Marlins have been led by their dominant pitching for years. Last year, it helped them win a World Championship. This year, with the way their pitching has dominated, Florida's thinking repeat.

Enter Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, and A.J. Burnett. They are 1-2-3 in the league in Earned Run Average, at 2.26, 2.34, and 2.39 respectively. Burnett is 14-4, Willis is 14-5, and Beckett is 10-6. Combined, that's 38-15. The Marlins always play well when one of those three pitches. "We've come a long way with these guys, and with any luck, we'll finish the season the same way we finished last year", said A.J. Burnett after one of his starts. Without a doubt, the trio of Beckett, Willis, and Burnett will have National League hitters calling for backup.

AAA/Majors Callups - Demotions
-----------------------------------------
Dan Wheeler to AAA
Joe McEwing to AAA
Danny Garcia to Majors
Frank Castillo off of DL to Majors

NL East race
----------------
Florida 78-53 .595
Mets 72-60 .545 6.5 GB
Philadelphia 72-60 .545 6.5 GB

[TheLeiterSide]

September: The team that wouldn't say die finally died. After a disappointing 13-14 month, the Mets have been eliminated from playoff contention. With the Mets out of contention, young players from the bench and the minor league system are being brought up to play it out in October.

Callups/Demotions
------------------------
Olmedo Saenz to AAA
Lance Niekro to Majors
Ricky Bottalico to AAA
Mark Malaska to Majors

October: The Mets played well to finish October at 2-1, and they finish with a record of 87-75. A good year, but disappointing not to make the playoffs.

Playoffs - THE CURSE IS OVER. Boston has defeated Florida in 6 games in the 2004 World Series. Pedro Martinez was named MVP of the World Series after shutting down the Marlins offense through 8 1/3 innings in the deciding game 6.

Mets to Watch in 2005
-----------------------------
Kevin Youkilis - Youkilis was the Mets starter at 3rd Base for 151 games this year, hitting a respectable .252 with 6 HR's and 47 RBI. With the lack of depth at 3rd base, Youkilis was forced into the starting role, but handled things very well and is expected to improve significantly and become a very solid player.

Richard Hidalgo - Amidst rumors of his possible departure from the Mets, he struggled through without a doubt his worst season offensively. Hitting just .226 with 25 HR and 73 RBI, Hidalgo made up for his poor production with game-saving catches in the outfield, only making 2 errors all year.

[TheLeiterSide]

Off-Season
--------------
Jose Reyes resigns for 3 years @ $5,300,000
Lance Niekro resigns for 2 years @ $630,000
Horacio Ramirez resigns for 6 years @ $5,200,000
Mark Malaska resigns for 3 years @ $1,250,000
Rafael Betancourt resigns for 7 years @ $2,600,000
Frank Castillo not resigned
Dan Wheeler resigns for 6 years @ $2,000,000
Rick Reed not resigned
Matt DeWitt resigns for 2 years @ $340,000
Victor Zambrano not resigned
Tom Glavine signs 4-year extension @ $6,400,000
Al Leiter signs 4-year extension @ $6,500,000

Hall of Fame Elections
----------------------------
Rafael Palmeiro (.289 career AVG, 536 HR's)
Barry Larkin (.297 career AVG, 200 HR's)
John Franco (424 saves, most ever by a left-handed pitcher)

Major Free Agents (by position)
---------------------------------------
C - Johnny Estrada (.260, 11, 62)
1B - Travis Hafner (.300, 28, 80)
2B - Todd Walker (.275, 13, 82)
3B - Eric Chavez (.268, 37, 96)
SS - Jack Wilson (.300, 23, 95)
LF - Reggie Sanders (.247, 23, 60)
RF - Lance Berkman (.283, 34, 116)
CF - Jim Edmonds (.282, 38, 121)

SP - Pedro Martinez (22-2, 2.24)
SP - Russ Ortiz (14-9, 3.54)
SP - Dontrelle Willis (15-8, 2.41)
SP - Steve Trachsel (15-6, 3.38)
SP - Barry Zito (5-11, 4.97)

RP - Francisco Rodriguez (12-6, 3.65)
RP - Scott Williamson (13-8, 3.35)
RP - Jason Kershner (5-2, 3.26)
RP - Antonio Osuna (3-2, 3.68)
RP - Joey Eischen (25 saves, 3.72)

Many other solid players out there as well. The next post will contain who the Mets acquired ;)

[TheLeiterSide]

Mets off-season signings
--------------------------------
Jody Gerut (7 years, $9,300,000)
Francisco Rodriguez (3 years, $5,800,000)
Brandon Lyon (3 years, $2,600,000)
Grant Balfour (2 years, $860,000)
Khalil Greene (2 years, $370,000)
Chase Utley (3 years, $360,000)
Jesse Garcia (7 years, $350,000)

Released
------------
Mo Vaughn (Bought out contract for over $8,000,000)
Ricky Bottalico (Doesn't fit into plans now that Rodriguez is in NY)

Trades
---------
Mets get: CF Coco Crisp
Indians get: RF Richard Hidalgo

Next post: Minor League Draft and MLB Preview for 2005

[TheLeiterSide]

OOC: Sorry that it's taken me this long to update again, but I've had some problems with the computer, and now they've been resolved.

The Draft

There isn't much to say about the draft classes, because I'd be lying...so I'll keep the draft short, and list the Mets picks.

Round 1 (22nd Overall): 2B Rahul Melenores (OA: 65/PK: 96)
Round 2 (52nd Overall): RP Hiroshi Mizutani (OA: 67/PK: 80)
Round 3 (82nd Overall): SP Cesar Messia (OA: 79/PK: 90)
Round 4 (112nd Overall): RF Ben Belshaw (OA: 67/PK: 93)
Round 5 (142nd Overall): 3B Mike Baker (OA: 65/PK: 85)
Round 6 (172nd Overall): 1B Juan Celades (OA: 66/PK: 91)

Trades
---------
Mets get: RF Dewayne Wise, RP Toby Borland
Marlins get: SP Matt Ginter

Synopsis: We get a veteran reliever who can give us a boost via a mid-season callup if needed, and a right fielder who is a huge asset in the field.

Free Agent Signings prior to Spring Training
--------------------------------------------------------
Antonio Osuna (1 year, $2,700,000)

Next post: Position Battles in Spring Training

[TheLeiterSide]

2005 New York Mets Spring Training Outlook

Position Battles
-----------------------
Catcher - Jason Phillips
1st Base - Mike Piazza
2nd Base - Jose Reyes/Chase Utley
Shortstop - Kaz Matsui
3rd Base - Kevin Youkilis/David Wright
Left Field - Cliff Floyd/Jeremy Giambi
Right Field - Jody Gerut/Dewayne Wise
Center Field - Brian L. Hunter/Coco Crisp

On the Bubble
------------------
RF Dewayne Wise
2B Danny Garcia
1B Olmedo Saenz
RF Eric Valent
1B Lance Niekro

Rotation Battles
------------------------
1. Mark Mulder
2. Horacio Ramirez
3. Tom Glavine
4. Al Leiter
5. Jeff D'Amico/Tyler Yates
-------------------------------
Closer - Jorge Julio/Braden Looper/Antonio Osuna
Setup - Braden Looper
Short - Francisco Rodriguez
Middle - Rafael Betancourt/Antonio Osuna/Brandon Lyon
Long - Brandon Lyon/Rafael Betancourt/Bruce Chen
Alternate - Bruce Chen/Tyler Yates/Jeff D'Amico

On The Bubble
------------------
SP Bruce Chen
SP Tyler Yates
RP Toby Borland
RP Mark Malaska

Major Free Agent Signings
---------------------------------
SP Pedro Martinez (5 years, $19,000,000, Chicago Cubs)
1B Jason Giambi (5 years, $790,000, Seattle Mariners)
LF Reggie Sanders (3 years, $1,200,000, Montreal Expos)
SP Livan Hernandez (6 years, $6,700,000, Milwaukee Brewers)
SP Roy Oswalt (4 years, $5,900,000, Baltimore Orioles)
SP Roger Clemens (1 year, $1,800,000, Kansas City Royals)

Next post: Spring Training recap, and which bubbles bursted.

[TheLeiterSide]

2005 New York Mets Season Preview

Mets Add Gerut, Veteran Bullpen, 2005 Looking Up

2005 is looking to be a great year for Mets fans, as the Mets have continued their committment to winning by signing numerous Free Agents during the offseason, including Jody Gerut and Antonio Osuna. These additions, and add that to a solid minor league system with a perfect mix of veterans and youngsters, and you have yourself a good program.

Ones to Watch
-------------------
Jason Phillips - The 28-year old Catcher has a lot to prove going into this season. After a mediocre first full season as a starter, this young man needs to show that he belongs in the starting line up. If he fails to produce this year, the Mets could look elsewhere, but they wouldn't need to look any further than new signing Yorvit Torrealba.

Kevin Youkilis - This is his money year, so this 3rd Baseman should really play hard, especially with superprospects David Wright and Mike Baker nipping at his heels.

Tyler Yates - Having won the 5th spot in the Rotation from Jeff D'Amico, Yates has to prove that he belongs in the show. With D'Amico ready to reclaim the #5 spot if Yates faulters, the pressure is on.

Antonio Osuna - Osuna won the middle relief spot in the bullpen from Rafael Betancourt, who will start the year in the minors. Osuna is growing older but can still keep a team in the game. We'll see how long he lasts though, as he isn't as healthy as he used to be.

2005 New York Mets Lineup/Rotation/Bullpen

Lineup
---------
1. Brian L. Hunter (CF)
2. Jose Reyes (2B)
3. Mike Piazza (1B)
4. Cliff Floyd (LF)
5. Jody Gerut (RF)
6. Jason Phillips (C)
7. Kaz Matsui (SS)
8. Kevin Youkilis (3B)
9. Pitcher's Spot
---------------------------------
Jeremy Giambi (LF)
Coco Crisp (OF)
Chase Utley (2B)
Vance Wilson (C)
David Wright (3B)
Eric Valent (RF)

Key Omissions
-------------------
1B Olmedo Saenz
RF Dewayne Wise
C Yorvit Torrealba

Rotation/Bullpen
---------------------
1. Mark Mulder
2. Horacio Ramirez
3. Tom Glavine
4. Al Leiter
5. Tyler Yates
-----------------------------
Closer - Jorge Julio
Setup - Braden Looper
Short - Francisco Rodriguez
Middle - Antonio Osuna
Long - Brandon Lyon
Alt. - Jeff D'Amico

Odd Men Out
-----------------
Rafael Betancourt
Bruce Chen
Toby Borland
Mark Malaska

Just Signed
---------------
Barry Zito (4 years, $1,600,000) - Will start in Minors

Next post: 2005 Season starts, first month of action

[TheLeiterSide]

April 2005

Not really the best of starts for the Mets, as they go 12-12. Kevin Youkilis has a horrible first month, hitting just .148 and as a result, gets unseated at 3rd Base by David Wright.

Tyler Yates didn't have a good first month as well. In 4 starts, Yates has a 6.19 ERA.

Meanwhile, around the league, superstar Right Fielder Lance Berkman is still waiting for a call. Berkman is rumored to be in contract talks with the Baltimore Orioles, but the Mets have shown some interest in signing the former Astros superstar as a backup to Jody Gerut, but Lance's agent and the Mets can't agree on money.

In other free agent news, the Mets have signed young reliever John Riedling to a 5 year contract which will net the 29-year old Riedling $570,000 for the next 5 years through 2009. Riedling was 5-11 last year for the Reds in 81 appearances with a 6.98 ERA.

Minor trade to report, as the Mets traded Dan Wheeler, who was told that the team has no plans to call him up.

Mets get: RP Todd Erdos and $1,000,000
Brewers get: RP Dan Wheeler

Callups/Demotions
------------------------
Danny Garcia to NYM
Chase Utley to AAA
Barry Zito to NYM
Tyler Yates to AAA

NL East
----------
Florida 12-11 .522
Mets 12-12 .500 .5 GB
Atlanta 11-12 .478 1 GB
Montreal 10-12 .455 1.5 GB
Philadelphia 9-13 .409 2.5 GB

[TheLeiterSide]

May 2005

We went 15-12 in May, putting us @ 27-24, and in first place in the NL East by 1/2 game over Montreal.

Milestones
--------------
Brian L. Hunter made his 300th Stolen Base on May 5th at Shea Stadium in a 5-4 loss to the Dodgers.

Mike Piazza hit his 400th HR on May 12th in a 5-0 win against the Pirates.

Player Reports
-------------------
Since being called up from AAA Norfolk, Barry Zito is 0-4 with a 4.81 ERA. He has been sent down to the bullpen, with Jeff D'Amico taking his spot in the rotation.

Antonio Osuna is continuing to be an inspiration to the younger pitchers. In 15 appearances, he has compiled a 0.48 ERA, including 2 saves.

Trades
---------
Braden Looper has been traded from the Mets to the Marlins for 1B Jeff Conine, Catcher Mike Redmond, and minor league pitcher Tommy Phelps.

Mets get: 1B Jeff Conine, C Mike Redmond, SP Tommy Phelps
Marlins get: RP Braden Looper

To fill the roster spot left by Braden Looper, the Mets called up veteran hurler Toby Borland.

Callups/Demotions
------------------------
Toby Borland to NYM

NL East
----------
Mets 27-24 .529
Expos 26-24 .520 .5 GB
Marlins 25-24 .510 1 GB
Braves 22-28 .440 4.5 GB
Phillies 20-30 .400 6.5 GB

[Chipper_Jones]

Good luck, hopefully you can hold onto that lead! :)

[TheLeiterSide]

GRRR!!! I was updating the next two months, and AOL just crapped out on me...nonetheless, here's the NL East standings in this sub-par update.

Montreal 56-48 .538
Mets 53-51 .510 3 GB
Florida 52-51 .505 3.5 GB
Atlanta 50-53 .485 5.5 GB
Philadelphia 43-60 .417 12.5 GB

[TheLeiterSide]

Trading Deadline/August to the End

There were some Met moves made at the deadline, here they were.

Mets - Cardinals trade
----------------------------
Mets get: SP Jason Simontacchi (0-4, 6.82)
Cardinals get: RP Jorge Julio (2-2, 5.83) and RP Toby Borland (2-4, 7.30)

Mets - Astros trade (a blockbuster maybe?)
-------------------------------------------------------
Mets get: 3B Morgan Ensberg (.362, 19, 44)
Astros get: RP Todd Erdos, Troy Brohawn, and Jeff D'Amico (5-5, 4.85)

August
---------
17-11 in the month, 2 games behind Montreal

September
--------------
12-14 month puts out of the playoff race...well actually, no it doesn't. We're now 3 out of the NL Wildcard, but with 3 games remaining in the season, we need Colorado, Florida, and Cincinatti to get swept while we sweep the Braves.

October
-----------
Swept the Braves in our only 3 October games. Unfortunately, Colorado, Florida, and Cincinatti did not get swept, eliminating us from the playoffs entirely.

Final NL East Standings
-----------------------------
y-Expos 88-74 .543
x-Marlins 88-74 .543 0.0 GB
Mets 86-76 .531 2 GB
Braves 74-88 .457 14 GB
Phillies 71-91 .438 17 GB

y = Clinched Division Title
x = Clinched Playoff Berth

World Series
----------------
Dodgers d. Angels in 5 games

[TheLeiterSide]

Off-Season

Signings/Releases
------------------------
Mike Redmond released
Danny Garcia signs $3,200,000 over 4 years
Vance Wilson released
Kevin Youkilis released
Dewayne Wise released
Mark Mulder released (his performances are not worth $9,400,000)
Doug Waetchter signs $3,600,000 over 7 years
Antonio Osuna signs $6,100,000 over 4 years
Tyler Yates released
Jason Simontacchi released

Post will be edited later to show who I signed. I just wanted to get the season over with and the off-season started.