Baseball Crank :

Not a terrible move, but symptomatic of Omar Minaya’s defective thought process and lack of imagination.

Buster Olney quotes one team:

Matthews is a player to be avoided. Slow bat. Declining range. And above all else, a player who wants to be a regular and will be an unhappy distraction in your clubhouse when he’s not in the lineup every day.

On, that’s just perfect. All the Mets need is another malcontent that they can’t get rid of.

With apologies to LBJ referencing Walter Cronkite. But when the Mets have lost the Blogfather, they’ve lost significant fan base.

The thing is, that isn’t what concerns me; because, who knows, maybe Matthews is ‘in the best shape of his life,’ which I am sure someone will write this Spring, and maybe he becomes an outstanding fourth outfielder. The move is weird, but I understand how the team justifies it. Nevertheless, he’s not the issue.

The issue, to me, is: how does acquiring Matthews fit in to the overall plan to be better? Actually, come to think of it, what is the overall plan to be better?

I can’t say that I blame any of them and naysayers will turn out to be correct if Matthews cannot contribute in a significant way or becomes a problem.

Justification exists when considering the potential power that Matthews -unlike Cory Sullivan or Jeremy Reed – represents if he is on the roster. Furthermore we must remember that extras Chris Carter and Nick Evan cannot play center field . Mathews can. The oft-injured Fernando Martinez needs to play in Buffalo and should not be looked upon as a back-up to Angel Pagan.

This is the sort of move a club makes if they are planning on contending.

Now go out and get another starter. Or maybe even two.

I know exactly when things changed for me. Adam Rubin’s stories about Tony Bernazard’s reign of terror throughout the organization during his tenure angered me. When Tom Romano told me two years ago about his run in with Bernazard it alerted me that things might not be going well with my old team. Willie Randolph’s demise and the whispers that came out in the media about Bernazard’s clubhouse meddling further signaled to me that this man was a dangerous force in the organization. The story of the abuse of the Binghampton club and the verbal assault on a front office colleague was my own final straw.

Bernazard was a tyrant and it was clear that he ruled by fear and intimidation. I just couldn’t believe that the Wilpons were either unaware or gave tacit approval to Bernazard’s management style. Either are unacceptable. They have some serious self assessment to do. Sadly it needs to begin with Omar Minaya’s dismissal and an overhall of baseball operations from bottom to top.

When I visited Port St. Lucie in 2006 I found myself drawn to the minor league complex and often spent most of the day there, only going back to the stadium to watch the game. Jay Horwitz had made the clubhouse off limits to me so I really couldn’t go there much. So I got to meet alot of the minor league staff and players. I realized just how much in common I had with them and how I identified with them as much as anyone. It was guys like them whom a bad actor like Bernazard would prey on.

I knew what kind of atmosphere that Bernazard must have been fostering. And yes, it did affect the major league club, too. One only need to realize that Francisco Rodriguez stood up to Bernazard in front of the whole team on the bus. Bernazard had entrenched himself in a way that it would take a player of that stature to take the bully on.

But the Wilpons and Minaya had to know how Bernazard operated and never lifted a finger until Rubin’s story broke. Maybe that’s what really behind Minaya’s shoot the messanger tact with Rubin. If Rubin hadn’t made Bernazard’s story public, he wouldn’t have had to fire him.

Worst for me is that this whole episode leaves the impression that the Mets are an organization that doesn’t treat its people well. It’s a curious combination of displeasure and desire. I can’t stand how things are going and badly want to see them do better.

Having said that, there is something that troubles me about the Mets and it does not involve people in uniform. Bill Madden’s column this week revealed again the odd influence that Tony Bernazard has that clearly serves to undermine the manager. We’ve been down this road before with Bernazard as his role in making Wille Randolph’s job was documented last season.

If Bernadard is again constantly whispering in the Wilpon’s ears and roaming around the clubhouse as a clubhouse lawyer, don’t expect any good to come from it. Even when we get all those players back.

I told Backman about it later and he laughed loudly. In fact several players did. It meant mission accomplished. Backman got under the other team’s skin. How many current Mets spark this sort of response.

Matt Cerrone’s reporting on Minaya’s commnets was excellent in that he noted how Minaya made his initial pointed comment that clearly was intended to point to this club’s particular passion and intensity. Another more appropriate word would be moxie, a term that measures one’s ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.

Minaya’s use of the word, “edge” is more subtle and more ill defined. But to use my word, moxie, on the surface only a few current Mets clearly appear to have it: Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and David Wright. When Jose Reyes is playing with his devil may care attitude and the other team hates him, he has it. But these times are not seen often enough. Essentially only one of these is an everyday player.

Yes, here is where that other ill defined term, chemistry comes in. It’s not just liking and getting along and/or respecting each other. Whatever the particular personalities, a sense of shared purpose needs to exist. Resolve to acheive you goals.

And yes, you are what you appear to be – to opponents, to fans and yourselves.

With the current batch of players, all of these issues and subsequent questions are out there. The 2006 team that reached Game 7 of the NLCS had two players with which played with the aura of these intangible qualities in Cliff Floyd and Paul LoDuca. Pedro Martinez was also still around.

Omar Minaya did indeed walk back from his thoughts not because he believed he was wrong, but beacuse he knew he was right and there isn’t a whole lot he can do about it.

Chemistry can develop though as a team begins to find its way. But this team’s starting rotation will have to do more. The model for victory in last’s night’s game – needing three relievers to win – cannot sustain itself over a season. The line-up cannot continue to watch leads they’ve gotten during the early innings fade while they are playing defense during the middle of the game. There will be way too much psychological drama and the bullpen’s most talented pitchers will be spent by the time August gets here.

Daniel Murphy’s first inning two-run homer held up last night. Its these sorts of things that can help build something. Murphy is batting 3rd alot and its a traditionally an important spot in the batting order for the Mets. See Keith Hernandez and John Olerud. He’s done nothing but hit since he’s arrived. Maybe it will be that his emergence as a young star the Mets will have a badly new source of positive energy.

A further trouble is that the Mets have rarely been decisive in player development until having their hand forced.They cannot let Murphy go the year with the label of being an outfiled pariah that sours on fans and kills his hitting. They’ve done this before. Nvermind what this does in the clubhouse. It is here where the Manual – Minaya realtionship will be tested. If it has too much Tony Bernazard, its too bad for all parties concerned. Its conceivable that Murphy could go to Buffalo to save his season and career.

If the Mets had done just this with Gregg Jefferries in 1989 with a Juan Samuel and a Mookie Wilson still in their prime, it could have been the Mets and not the Cubs whom won the division. Sammy at second with Mookie in center batting 1-2. Lets do this and go get the division title

Over dinner one night in St. Louis in 1989, I pressed this upon Mookie Wilson and he said it was too late for that. The next day he was traded for Jeff Mussleman from Toronto and Frankie Viola was acquired from the Twins. Wilson knew it had already been done and wanted to have a last dinner with the turds before he left.

So with Daniel Murphy the Mets cannot repeat themselves. While Jefferries was a bit of a social recluse, Murphy seems to have the support of his teammates. Hopefully they won’t let him get down as he finds himself in and out of the line-up depending on the defensive needs of the club.

Citi Field is big and Murphy might give way to Ryan Church and Jeremy Reed. Even the elevation of Fernando Martinez makes sense at a certain point. The Mets are faced with the reality that their outfield is going to have to be more athletic now. The Mets need to make sure they dont lose Murphy in the mean time.

NOTE: From my just a though category. Look for the Mets to consider giving Casey Fossum a start. He wasn’t bad last year, pretty good in the spring and frankly the best starter they had out of an abysmal Buffalo staff.

Is anyone but me shocked at how flippant the Mets seem with pitching….Darren O’Day: why bring him in at all if he’s going to be lost when the first stress is put on the roster. The Mets wasted good company time and mound time on someone they knew might pitch so little they want folks to forget about it. …….Nelson Figueroa is another story. Why burn him? Geez, it seems almost reckless.

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For reasons I’m uncertain of, Richman was referred to as “the General.” He delighted in the nickname. My late father was a Lt. Col. in the Air Force and along with Mom came to a series at the old stadium in Atlanta in 1985. He loved my folks and put them in the club box behind the dugout so he could visit with them during the game. Arthur really loved the military. Another family member from someone on the team – an active duty major was also seated in the box. Richman had a ball with everyone but couldn’t wait to tell me in the clubhouse after the game the he’d been the ranking officer.

Richman had this delightful gallows humor and was fond of poking fun at his own immortality even thirty years ago. He quipped about being buried in Babylon Cemetary and in tight moments of plane travel or bus rides he’s yell out, “bye, bye, Babylon.”

Richman also remembered being poor as a kid and used to ask be during my first year in 1985 whether or not I had enough money. And I often wish I’d listened to him when he told me, “Sikesie, you’re never going to make any money as a trainer. Become an agent.”

“The General” was right. I should have gone to law school after getting canned in 1991. It sure would have been better that moping around for far too long until I foung teaching.

At any rate, thank you Arthur. For your friendship, kindness and wisdom.

John Franco is back in uniform, working as a Spring Training instructor. And his responsibilities are? “I do what Darryl does,” he says. But Darryl Strawberry’s job description is “to be Darryl Strawberry.”

“I’ll have to grow,” Franco said.

Franco, always a conspicuous presence in the clubhouse when he played, is quieter these days. “I’m on the other side of the room now,” he says.

I know what they mean about Franco. I was a frequent foil for Franco and catcher Rick Cerone in 1991. For some reason I was always getting fined in the kangaroo court that Franco insisted upon. We’d often wished Franco were an everyday player who’s energy and exhuberance the team could have fed off. I wonder if Darryl still gets on Franco about the two walk-off homeruns he hit off of him when he pitched for the Reds.

Gooden returned to the Mets in June after serving a suspension. As part of his return, he was required to take mandatory tests administered by the commissioner. Tests were adminsitered both on the road and at home. A witness for the ballclub was required along with the commissioner’s adminsitrator. From the years 1987 through the end of the 1991 season that person was either me or my boss, Head Trainer Steve Garland. We signed a document after Gooden supplied the sample in our presence. No person would have been able to swith a sample afterwards as they were sealed in our presence and we signed the sealed packaging afterwards.

I was let go after the 1991 season and Gooden’s time with the Mets ended after the 1994 season – Garland’s last. Sam McCrary served as assistant – a man I know well. Although I was not there, I’m comfortable in saying that Garland – or Gooden for that matter would have allowed anyone besides Garland or McCrary to witness Gooden’s drug test for the ballclub. That person would never have been a man who served as a clubhouse attendant as Kirk Radomski is quoted as saying in an interview with ESPN.

Garland was extremely protective and fond of Gooden. I shared those same feelings and I imagine that McCrary was the same. He also cared for Gooden in the minor leagues. Needless to say, its unlikely that Garland would ever have anyone besides himself or McCrary to witness Gooden’s test.

While it is true that Gooden sadly lapsed into cocaine uee during the 1994 season that resulted in a positive test administered by the commissioner’s office, Radomski’s interview opens a can of worms of ramifications of which are impossible to calculate. He’s lost his credibility. As he’s not telling the truth about Doc Gooden, its easy to ask whether of not he’s telling the truth about about anything else.

So if we are to believe WaPo’s Dana Milbank, Obama said this yesterday when speaking to congressional democrats:

Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, “This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for,” adding: “I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions.”

Dem operatives are out spinning now and saying that the quote was taken out of context. Some like the one who appeared on Fox moments ago attempted to change the subject by running out the false claim that McCain had attempted to land a helicoptor on an oil rig during a hurricane. McCain cancelled his visit to an oil platform over a day in advance because of safety issues. Nevermind the fact that the rig was going to be evacuated. Hysterical dem hacks are notorious for making false claims on TV.

To draw the parallel with major league players again, when the freshly interviewed player returned to the hooting lockeroom, he’d often be asked if he’d been reading his own press clippings too much.

Perhaps this is what Obama is doing. Intoxicated by roaring masses and a largely fawning press, Obama is now personifying what he’s been criticized for becoming – the messianic figure. The use of “I”, even in a meeting with colleagues, is troubling in the manner in which it was applied. No matter what context.

Nontheless, a great unswoon is underway. With the startling critical editorial from the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen yesterday was just another example that with 97 days left the media may not be as in the tank for Obama as some have observed.