From: niepornt@dial.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: The New Yuck Mets: A Look Ahead
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 03:30:05 GMT

In article <1992Nov17.031537.614@asd.com> scott@asd.com (Scott Barman) writes:
>In article <1992Nov15.014509.23297@Princeton.EDU> niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent) writes:
>>In article <kf0Mqfm00iUyI7oqoQ@andrew.cmu.edu> Kevin Paul Goldman <kg1i+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

>>>I'm heartened that the Mets dinally decided to adress a weakness instead
>>>of loading up on names. It takes 9 to win a ball game, putting all the

>>Not sure who you're referring to here.  Are you talking about Fernandez?
>>If so, you're *way* off base.  This is *traditional* Mets baseball.
>>Picking up an aging player who is overpaid but has a good reputation and
>>much less production.  (Eddie Murray, for instance.)  

>Keith Hernandez... Gary Carter... if we go back farther in their
>"history" we find Rusty Staub (70s vintage), Felix Millan... then we can
>go back and find Don Clendenon.  Wow, some history!  I'll take it!!

Yes, I had forgotten Hernandez and Carter.  I don't remember about
Carter, but all they gave up for Hernandez was Neil Allen.  They didn't
give up two draft choices, like they did for Murray.

>>I'd be surprised if Tony Fernandez has more than one above average year left.
>>He'll probably be about average, both offensively and defensively, next year.

>Compared to their shortstops of the past few years, this would be a
>great improvement!!

I dunno; they used to have a real good shortstop, named after a hotel.
(Who hit, in his worst year ever, almost as well as Fernandez did last year.)

>>What you *really* get is a really overrated team losing ball games.  How
>>much longer are the Mets going to coast on the fact that Dwight Gooden
>>*used* to be a star pitcher?

>When he gets to be around 30.  Gooden is 28 TODAY (Happy Birthday,
>DOC!).  You want to throw a 28 year old on the scrap heap?  I guess this
>is why you're a GM!

He's not awful, but he's no longer much above average, if at all.  And
hasn't been, for a couple of years now.  I wouldn't throw him on the scrap 
heap ordinarily, but when he wants $5 million+ per year, I'd toss him out 
and sign Maddux or even Cone.

>>Or that Murray *was* a great firstbaseman?

>He was great, now he's just solid.  He provided the offense they
>expected and the defense they expected.  They did not expect a GG nor
>did they expect him to be their second coming of Keith Hernandez.  He
>did the job in 1992, which is more than others on that team could say.
>Also, Murray is not on their protected list.

True, but I wasn't talking about their protected list.  I was talking about
wasting the money on signing an average player, when they had someone 
already to play first (Magadan).  Why did they do this, except so they
could move another player out of position?

>>Or that Vince Coleman *used* to be slightly above average?

>Neither is Coleman and if the Mets can find a suc.. err... taker for him
>I am sure they would gladly give him up.  This is know, that's if you
>actally read the press clippings and stop Mets bashing in the process!

Um, yes, I know.  But the Mets think that he was a bad deal because he's
been hurt almost his entire time with them, rather than because he's
never been a very good player, and hasn't even been a good player in
recent years.  Why did they sign him?  Because he's a big name.

And did I mention Willie Randolph?  Now *that* was a brilliant acquisition.

>>In fact, that hall-of-famer Charlie O'Brien outhit both of them.

>I didn't see any smilies here, I hope you were kidding.

I don't know if you edited this, or if it got mangled somewhere along
the line, but this was in response to someone who was praising their
other catchers, Sasser and Hundley, both of whom also managed to get
outhit by Dick Schofield.

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Mike Mussina 1993 AL Cy Young Winner
niepornt@phoenix.    |------------------------------------ 
   princeton.edu     | "I still believe in a place called Hope."
Clinton/Gore '92.  Don't stop thinking about tomorrow.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball