George Vecsey‘s column today is written with it’s typical grace. He’s good. Real good. But even with my own reservations about the current club, I think that Vecsey has gone too cynical by half.

I sense change has come to the Mets. Much of the negative influences that brought the club down are gone and have been replaced by reasons for hope.

Jeff Wilpon’s hands on approach with personnel has improved the outlook. While roster changes did not occur as many of us would have hoped, the opportunities to do so this past off-season were not there. Moves were not made out of panic. The addition of Jason Bay was a good one and will prove to benefit the club this year and beyond.

It is true that if this club gets off to a poor start, changes at the top should begin to occur. But Wilpon has prepared for it with replacements already present within the organization. As the club perhaps struggling early on may already be anticipated, the only mistake that can be made is if the Mets do nothing and allow a cynical New York media to dicate the narrative.

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“Meet the old boss. Same as the new boss.”

With apologies to The Who, I fear we are seeing much of the same we left off with last year. Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran will not be in the opening day line-up. Carlos Delgado and his Hall of Fame type numbers are gone from first base and a a journeyman will open there. Mike Pelfrey, John Maine and Oliver Perez are healthy but have had lackluster springs. And unlike previous seasons, we’re not sure whom will take the mound in the 8th.

It’s not hopeful.

But let’s hope nonetheless.

Jason Bay will be in the line-up on opening day as will another new leader in Jeff Franceour. David Wright will not be alone in the middle of the line-up. The two players that have vied for the centerfield job in Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews Jr have been pleasant surprises and one could be dealt to bring back pitching. Maybe the catching will be better and make a difference. Ike Davis, Fernando Martinez and Jennry Mejia look like they will be future All-Stars.

The minor league system is not barren afterall and under more effective and positive leadership than was during the Tony Bernazard regime. The Mets are embracing their past. Wally Backman’s back. Tim Teufel is the AA manager. They both look like future managers in Flushing.

But there’s still the start to this season.

If the club gets off to a poor start, the Omar and Jerry watch will begin. If it gets bad, the team will play as if they are waiting for someone or more than one to get fired.

I don’t think that Jeff Wilpon will put everyone through that. He’s made it clear that Minaya no longer has his favor. People are already in place to easily step into both positions. Wilpon won’t get fooled again and will act quickly and decisively.

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I agree with Michael Baron’s well thought out take this morning. Says Baron:

…in regards to the pitchers Sherman mentioned, Garland was always destined for the west coast, unless of course a team like the Mets blew him away with an offer, but i think people would’ve been equally as critical if they had done that with Garland or Davis, because neither are talents any team should overpay for because neither talents can transform a franchise…the Mets were in on Pineiro but ultimately, the Mets wouldn’t increase their offer, and for a guy who i believe will not succeed outside of St. Louis, i’m not going to jump on Omar Minaya for that either…

Baron was using Joel Sherman’s column for talking points. He makes the good points that Mets are not the same destination it once was. The club was going to have to overwhelm most free agents to be in the picture. The talent in this market – save Jason Bay and John Lackey – did not warrant that. The Mets would have upped their offer to get Bay. Lackey’s health should have been a question of concern that kept them out of a bidding war with the Red Sox.

But Baron makes another point that I have been making in that Jason Marquis was the best fit that never seemed to be considered. Unlike other players, the New York native made it known he wanted to play for the Mets. If Marquis has a good season for the suddenly improved Washington Nationals, the non-signing will prove to be another hammer of media segues.

Still, the relative one-year bargains that Doug Davis, Jon Garland, and Bengie Molina are non only indicative of the market the Mets likely predicted but were also just that -bargains. Its easy to feel that the Mets could have “over paid” or easily made a offer worthy of accepting.

You can be assured that the team that ultimately the Mets are compared to in the Yankees would have paid the price to get a player they either wanted or needed. Yet the Mets did not make any of those determinations, and it reveals they better be thinking in other ways as I commented on a few days ago.

What ever the plans, the Mets are committed to it now. They have to bank now on the return to form of Oliver Perez and John Maine. Mike Pelfrey will have to improve. The Omir Santos – Henry Blanco catching tandem has to suddenly compare favoritably to the Nationals acquisition of hall of famer Ivan Rodriguez as Dan Warthen was public in his condemnation of last year’s catching. The bashing of Luis Castillo by his own club needs to have not been accurate.

It’s alot to hope.

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Looks like Darryl talked to a number of members of the media yesterday. Although some writers appear to be taking his comments to be an indictment of Omar Minaya, I think that he tried to stay away from it. He mentioned that the acquisition of Jason Bay as a positive, but that it hurt to lose Carlos Beltran. That’s a win-lose wash. And Darryl said that the club needed more pitching. You can probably get members of the front office to say that publically.

More telling were his quotes regarding the Mets intensity. Fans will agree with that. Darryl’s characterization of the 86 Mets’ moxie is similar to my own. It’s not so easy though. Frank Cashen referred to it as “fire in the belly” on the day he fired Davey Johnson in 1990.

By that time, a different set of players were around. No Ray Knight. No Roger McDowell. No Lenny Dykstra. No Jesse Orosco. No Mookie Wilson. A far different chemistry existed in the Mets clubhouse. A different formula for success was in place that didn’t work as well. The club didn’t play as well as it had because it wasn’t as good. Cashen unfairly took that to mean that the team wasn’t playing as hard or cared as much. Bobby Ojeda took exception to Cashen’s statement and spoke to both him and Buddy Harrelson who shared similar views.
Harrelson was gone before the end of the next season. Cashen sceeded control to Al Harazin and Jerry Hundsicker a few days later.

Essentially it has little to do with caring or intensity. Chemistry in a positive sense spawns from winning combination of players. To be sure negative influences can cause harm . See Gregg Jefferies, Eddie Murray, and Tony Bernazard.

I’m hopeful that a subtle change can occur in these Mets’ clubhouse. With the departure of a subdued Carlos Delgado, a new hierchy will emerge among everyday players. The example of intensity will come from David Wright, Jeff Francouer and Jason Bay. A healthy Jose Reyes, the lovable foil.

And if the pitchers can get enough outs we just might see some of that “fire in the belly”.

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If the Mets sign Frank Catalanotto, it will create some competition for jobs in spring training. He represents the 25th player. On the surface that’s a good thing, but it could suppress some of the younger players who have may have options left on their contracts.

If Catalanotto is signed and makes the club along with Fernando Tatis, it’s unlikely that either Chris Carter or Nick Evans makes the club. The Mets will probably keep 12 pitchers and two catchers. Alex Cora, Luis Castillo, Jose Reyes, Tatis, Daniel Murphy and David Wright will be the infielders. Catalanotto, Jason Bay, Jeff Francouer, Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews would be the outfielders.

Carter and Evans will get significant times at bat in prime games this spring as the club needs to see what they’ve got. It will be interesting to see what the Mets feel is their potential upsides.

One thing for certain, the Mets have addressed one of their goals in improving their AAA Buffalo roster. The bulk of the pitching staff is on the 40-man roster and will be in major league camp. Non-roster invitees that were signed to minor league contracts, R.A. Dickey and Josh Fogg will be part of the rotation at Buffalo. Jon Niese and Tobi Stoner probably will, too.

In all the Mets signed six free agent pitchers that they hope will begin the season in AAA. The benefit in this is that it allows them to keep some of their young pitching prospects at AA Bighamtom such as Brad Holt and Jenry Mejia to start the season. Ike Davis can even start the season at AA, but he’ll probably be promoted to AAA by mid season.

These are good things for individual player development in it that allows good players to have more success before being promoted. No need to rush anyone. No need to seek a “fast-track option.”

The Mets hesitancy to sign veteran free agent starting pitchers is evidence that they are banking on enhancing player development while improving the value of their personel. If for instance, Tobi Stoner and Jon Niese are effective in AAA it allows them to move a Mike Pelfrey or John Maine to improve the ball club at some point during the season.

It could be that after the season begins, the Mets will be in a far better situation to improve the club.

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Jason Bay’s statement that the Mets were the first team to contact him reveals that the Mets were serious about getting better this off-season. Despite significant criticism there has been no panic as evidenced by not bidding against themselves on Bay and apparently on the catcher they want in Bengie Molina. The market has come back to them and the free agents they still desire have come back to them in potential costs. If Minaya upgrades the starting staff before spring training and brings in Orlando Hudson (no matter if he has traded Luis Castillo or not) it will have been a successful winter. Best of all is that the perception in camp will be one of hope and not of a organization in dysfunction.

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One myth can now be cast aside. The Wilpons are not broke and will not be going into small market mode. They would not have signed Jason Bay if they were. Give the Wilpons and Omar Minaya for being smart with their money.

1. The moves in the bullpen signal a clear philosophy. Low investment with the potential for high yield investments in Kelvin Escobar and Ryoto Igarashi may represent 8th inning alternatives. The Mets must also believe that Bobby Parnell can be the same, otherwise they would have sent the talented righthander home this offseason with instructions to prepare to start.

2. The Mets are always making noise about wanting another lefthander to complement Pedro Feliciano. They brought in numerous lefties last year but kept playing roster whack-a-mole with them all. If they have really been serious about needing to fill this role, they would have actively pursued former Met Darren Oliver whom ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers. They also made no move for Mike Gonzalez who probably wanted to close anyhow. So I don’t think that the Mets really want to pay alot for someone for this role.

3. I believe there is a reason that 2B Orlando Hudson has not signed with anyone yet. He’s waiting on the Mets to get rid of Luis Castillo. Maybe there’s even some back room conversations. Now that the Mets have filed the left field hole, some certainty exists for Minaya. He can now move Castillo and sign Hudson. Unless there’s something else going. See #4.

4. All’s been quiet on the rumors that the Reds were trying to move some big salaries. Earlier this month, there was some speculation at MLBTradeRumors about Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang being moved. Other high salaried Reds mentioned were Arthur Rhodes, Brandon Phillips and Franciso Cordero. There are some matches there, especially if other clubs get involved. It is from this scenario that Minaya can acquire a starter, a lefty reliever, a set-up guy or an upgrade an 2B. Stay tuned.

4. I don’t believe the Mets have ruled out contending, but they know that they are banking on a healthy return to form by Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. With them plus Bay, David Wright should be better. Wright found out what George Foster did in his first season when it was just him. It’s unlikely that Carlos Delgado will not be returning. It would be nice if Daniel Murphy became at least a Dave Magadan circa 1991. To be fair, it’s really been Minaya’s only viable option to pursue with respect to the line-up.

5. Dan Warthen needs to be right in that whatever the final upgrade in catching matches a some sort of improvement in Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine. Whomever they group with Henry Blanco, they won’t be counted on for offense, but it will be ok if Murphy and Jeff Francoeur are hitting sixth and seventh.

6. Last season was an aberation with respect to injuries. The Mets made no changes in their sports medicine team, and it shouldn’t have. Admittedly I have a soft spot for these guys, but I do not communicate with any of them. I’ve always maintained that a communication problem existed and that the presence of Tony Bernazard poisoned this as well.

7. There were some changes to the coaching staff. I hope they were based mostly on Jerry Manual’s wishes and not Omar Minaya’s prejudices fueled by Bernazard’s manipulations. Firing a manager’s coaches makes a manager impotent. The beginning of the end began for Davey Johnson and Willie Randolph when the front office dismissed some of their staffs.

Spring training is just 6 weeks away. Minaya has been signalling that the team will be better at that time. He’s wisely let the market come back and has saved the Wilpn’s some money they may have to spend later in the event the Mets actually do contend. With more positive moves, Minaya will haveweathered the media firestorm that surrounded him and it will pay off once camp opens.

No drama.

Only hope with a dash of reasonable expectations.

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And stiffed the print media in the meantime. They all had to wait on Mike Francesa of WFAN to announce the Jason Bay signing on his show yesterday after teasing everyone with it 24 hours before. It was only after Francesa’s announcement were any of them able verify it. With as nasty as writers have been toward Minaya, who can blame him for wanting to pull one over on them.

I include myself in that list, too. That dithering I talked about a week ago, turned out to be the proper amount of patience on behalf of Minaya. He didn’t bid against himself or out kick the market. Most importantly, he improved the ballclub.

All the while, he took alot of pressure off the Mets. The perception of a dysfunctional organization is lessened this morning. With most news indicating that Bengie Molina will eventually be signed, Minaya will be able to focus on other free agents or trades that he’s done his homework on.

With John Lackey gone, Minaya had to get the best player available to improve the line-up. While some may argue that Matt Holliday would have been a better fit, Bay will be a solid addition to the middle of the line-up.

Minaya’s not done either.

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So Mike Francesa had the goods afterall.

As Francesa had this yesterday and no local or national writer had it, it’s clear he got the tip from somebody way up. My guess is that it was Minaya himself. Second guess is Jeff Wilpon. It wasn’t Jay Horwitz who would protect a secret even if you put bamboo shoots under his fingenails.

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Classic line from my friend David Pinto at Baseball Musings:

Omar Minaya says the Mets are pursuing Matt Holliday. I think like Jason Bay, the free agent is more than happy to use the Mets as a beard.

All’s fair in negotiations. But if Minaya lands either Bay or Holliday at this point, he and the Mets will begin to gain some much needed credibility.

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