As if watching the Phillies win the World Series wasn’t painful enough, we’re now fed with the idea that a broad hatred for the Mets helped put them in the postseason to begin with.

In a recent report for The Daily News, Bill Madden relays a statement made by the now World Champion Phillies GM Pat Gillick:

“If you want to know the best thing we had going for us this year,” said Gillick, “it was the fact that all the other teams in our division hated the Mets’ guts. It started with Atlanta and all the hostility they had with the Mets through the years. Then Fredi Gonzalez left Bobby Cox to manage the Marlins and he didn’t forget everything that went on between the Braves and Mets. Look what Florida did for us the past two years (beating the Mets two out of the three in each of the last series of the season to prevent them from making the postseason)!

“Washington doesn’t like them very much either, and all those teams seemed to really get up for the Mets.”

Today, on his Newsday blog, Ken Davidoff wonders what Met fans thought of the 1986 Championship team, also hated around the league:

I want to start asking these Mets fans, who hate their own team, what they thought of the 1986 Mets. They had to be one of the more hated teams in recent times, didn’t they? The difference, of course, is they got it done when they had to. I thought the ‘08 Mets displayed plenty of character until the bitter end. They just couldn’t overcome their horrid bullpen.

This is an interesting topic for a couple of reasons. On the one hand, to play the game as well as you can, it’s easy to argue that you should be yourself and just let the game come to you, even if it means pressing the wrong buttons with a few people. On the other hand, this group hasn’t won anything yet, so some are naturally going to ask why they have any right to continue any sort of onfield dances and celebrations.

Of course, when it comes to this topic, the first name that comes to anybody’s mind is Jose Reyes. We all know about his dances on the field and top step of the dugout, but this is just about what always comes up when another team admits to hating the Mets. When Reyes tried to adopt a new, lowkey style early this season, he struggled a bit until Carlos Beltran convinced him to go back to being himself. At the same time, his enthusiastic behavior is arguably a big reason why the Mets are so widely hated. So the question goes to you guys:

I do not know why but when Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske, I felt my stomach drop as though I were watching a video of Adam Wainwright making Carlos Beltran’s knees buckle. Even though 2008 was nowhere near the collapse (and was not a collapse, period) of 2007, this year’s elimination just became a very tough pill to swallow. 

On the bright side, at least the Mets lost the division to the best of 2008 and the National League will get some respect (I was tired of hearing about the Rays, Red Sox, Angels etc.). The Phillies got the job done and I congratulate them. Maybe it will do the Mets some good to chase the champs. I say BRING IT ON. Tomorrow the off-season begins and I can’t wait to attempt to get into Omar’s head and voice my opinions as the winter progresses.

But for now, you cannot go to a major sports site without having to deal with a headline that cleverly replaces the “F” in familiar words with “Ph” because, in case you didn’t realize, the Phillies won the World Series and their city and team name begin with Ph. Here are some:

• CBSSportsline: Phil-nomenal!
• ESPN: Phinally!
• FoxSports: WONDERPHIL!
• Phillies.com: OctoberPHest! 
• Yahoo Sports: Phinally Phillies
• Nymets.com: Free Agency Scramble nears as series winds down. (How did they not use “Phree?”)

I haven’t looked at every media outlet on the internet but I assume the following exist:

• “Phantastic!”
• “Philled with Joy!”
• “Phirst Place!”
• “What a Phinish!”
• “Phriendly Phans Get Championship”
• “Phriends Phorever!”

Don’t get me wrong, if the Mets won the World Series I would eat up, print up and frame every cheesy headline in existence. (”METeoric rise” 2009?)

The bottom line is I pheel sick.

Maybe I’m bitter, but this just seemed like the worst world series in the history of sports. I’d even put it behind the infamous 1919 Black Sox series. Maybe it was because it was pretty boring. Or that the Rays just didn’t quite seem like they belonged. Or the fiasco that was game 5 (parts I and II).  Or maybe its just because deep down I have a burning hatred of everything having to do with Philly. Most of that burning hatred tends to be directed towards the Phillies, though there’s even enough leftover for other things. I refuse to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese, and once I punched an actor dressed as Benjamin Franklin. But those are all stories for another day. The Phillies are now champions, which will add more swagger and respectability to their strut next season, which considering their swagger barely fit inside their suspiciously tiny stadium to begin with spells trouble. Either way, tomorrow we wake up in a world where a Philly sports team has a championship, where ninjas and pirates are friends, where the Buffalo Bills are respectable. All I can really take from it at this point, is that chances are the laws of nature have been suspended. Lock your doors, quit your job and hope gravity isn’t the next law to go.

If you have been under a rock for the last month, recuperating from yet another Mets disappointment, you have missed the Phillies capitalize on the Cubs misfortune of going cold at the wrong time, and drove through the Dodgers and Rays on their way to their first championship in 20 years. Congratulations to them, I guess.

The better question is, how does this affect the Mets this offseason? Does it make Omar Minaya go and sign the big name free agents, such as Manny Ramirez, KRod, or CC Sabathia? We will have to see how this unfolds, but it does leave a sour taste in my mouth seeing the Flyin Hawaiian run in from center field to tackle Brad Lidge after the final out…

The reason the Phillies were able to take the NL East this year, was because of their outstanding bullpen. Forget leftfield, and forget the starting pitching. If we want to compete with the Phils next year we are going to need a completely revamped pen. The bridge of Ryan Madson to Chad Durbin to JC Romero to the closer Brad Lidge was near unhittable last night. Of course, if Aaron Heilman pitches like he did in 2006 and 2007 that will be one less problem to be solved. Even though I have a little of faith in Heilman, we can’t depend on him going into 2009. We need to get proven veterans in here, who have proven track records (oh, hey Chad Bradford). I’m hoping we don’t spend 75m on KRod, and instead use that 75m on five guys, because a KRod with no bridge will be as unsuccessful as it was this year.

In addition to hoping against hope that the Scott Kazmir-led Tampa Bay Rays stage a dramatic World Series comeback, I thought it was time to check up on the Arizona Fall League. The league runs through November 20th and I’ll try to post another couple updates before it ends.

C Josh Thole

9-24 (.375), 1 2B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 2 passed balls

3B Shawn Bowman

11-37 (.297), 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI

Bowman is 5-26 in his last 6 games. 

P Eddie Kunz

0-1, 12.79 ERA (9 ER in 6.1 IP)

On October 17th, Kunz entered a tie game and blew up to the tune of 8 earned runs in a third of an inning. He gave up these 8 runs while facing 9 batters. He walked one, gave up 7 hits and no home runs. 7 runs occurred while he was pitching and the 8th earned run came after he was pulled. Not a promising performance for our future closer but outside of this massacre, Kunz has given up 1 ER in 6 IP. Let’s hope October 17th was an anomaly. There is no need to be concerned just yet. It should be interesting to follow Kunz as the AFL progresses and in Spring Training. 

P Tobi Stoner

2-0, 1.04 ERA (1 ER in 8.2 IP), 7 K’s, 3 BB

Not a bad showing so far for the 23 year old Stoner.

P Bobby Parnell

3 starts, 6.1 IP, 2.84 ERA, 9 K’s, 4 BB’s

On October 22nd, Parnell pitched 4 shutout innings, walked none and struck out 5. Parnell gave up 1 hit.

P Jason Vargas

1-0, 0.00 (0 ER in 12.2 IP, 1 start, 4 games), 7 K, 1 BB

Vargas followed Parnell’s impressive performance on October 23rd (his first start of the fall) with an equally impressive line. He gave up 1 hit and no walks in 5 innings striking out one. If he continues to pitch well throughout the off-season, Vargas could potentially be an option for the Mets. His numbers thus far are spectacular considering he missed all of 2008. (I know it is very early in the off-season but the potential comeback story has got me prematurely excited).

2B Daniel Murphy 

16-40 (.400), 4 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI (in 10 games), 8 BB, 3 K

Murphy is 5 for his last 11 at bats and has 6 multi-hit games thus far (out of 10). Very impressive.

Defensively, Murphy has committed one error (the same game that Kunz blew) and has been a part of a bunch of double plays. It was a fielding error. 

Jerry Manuel has made some minor moves with his coaching staff. No one on the staff had contracts following the 2008 season.

Hitting coach Howard Johnson, pitching coach Dan Warthen, bench coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and catching instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. will all return in 2009.

Guy Conti, the Mets bullpen coach for the past 4 years, will be replaced by Randy Niemann. This will be Niemann’s third stint as the Mets’ bullpen coach and he has been in the organization for 22 years. He was the bullpen coach when the Mets went to the World Series in 2000 (and of course was also a member of the ‘86 Mets). For the past two seasons he has been serving as the Mets Minor League Rehabilitation Coordinator.

Replacing Luis Aguayo at third base will be Razor Shines. Shines was the third base coach for the White Sox in 2007 and spent this year managing the Phillies’ Single-A affiliate, the Clearwater Threshers. He managed the Threshers to a 64-76 record (Hopefully this means the Phillies have poor talent in Single-A).

If nothing else, at least Shines carries a fantastic name that, if appropriate, will lead to some thoughtful headlines.

Ken Oberkfell is also out as first base coach. Both he and Aguayo will be reassigned within the organiztion. The organization appeared very high on Oberkfell last year when he was managing in New Orleans so I wouldn’t be surprised if he were assigned to manage in Buffalo.

The first base coaching position is the only position yet to be filled.

Maybe the Mets can name Roberto Alomar first base coach and have the Alomar trifecta?(Or maybe Alomar at 2B?) I would say both possibilities are doubtful.

Hat tip to our own Jeanette Scott for digging up this gem.

Dave O’Brien over at the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that the Braves and Padres are in serious trade discussions centering around ace SP Jake Peavy. Peavy would be shipped to Atlanta in exchange for a group of Braves prospects.

If you can remember the Braves went after Peavy last year as well, but the deal fell through. I don’t want the Braves even sniffing Peavy, but it’s looking like a real possibility with the amount of talent in their farm system..

So far there is mostly good news to report out of the Arizona Fall League. This good news of course pales in comparison to the bad news that there will be World Series games played in Philadelphia next week but that’s another story.

Mets prospects Daniel Murphy, Eddie Kunz, Bobby Parnell, Josh Thole, Jason Vargas, Tobi Stoner and Shawn Bowman have helped Peoria Saguaros jump out to a 7-1 record. This is obviously a small sample size but still worth a look in a tough October.

2B/1B Daniel Murphy

5 Games played: 9-17, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 7 Runs, 6 BB.

With runners on base, he is 5-7 and with runners in scoring position he is 2-3. In his last three games, he is 7-9 with 5 walks. That’s an .857 OBP. Not bad. The man can hit.

More importantly, Murphy is error-less through 5 games and has been a part of 5 double plays. In his most recent game, he was a part of 3 double plays. He has started three of these double plays and was the turn man on two of them. I’m not watching these games so his lack of errors and participation in double plays are all I have to evaluate his defensive performance.

RHP Eddie Kunz

4 games, 4 IP, 2 saves, 3 Hits, 4 K’s, 2 BB.

Yesterday Kunz saved a 3-2 game giving up 1 hit and no walks (also no strikeouts). He also saved a 3 run lead a week ago giving up a walk and a hit.

RHP Bobby Parnell

Parnell started one game, pitched an inning, struck out 2 and gave up a hit.

RHP Tobi Stoner

3 games, 5.2 innings, a 1.59 ERA, two walks and six strikeouts.

The 23 year old Stoner split time between St. Lucie and Binghamton this year starting 24 total games with an ERA of 3.64. He was 5-11 on the season and had a 4.33 ERA in his 15 starts in Binghamton.

3B Shawn Bowman

5 games, 8-20, 2 HR, 6 RBI. Pretty solid.

The 23 year old Bowman hit .248 at Binghamton this year in 113 at bats and struck out 35 times (more than a strikeout a game). At St. Lucie, however, Bowman hit .340 in 97 at bats.

C Josh Thole

1-8, 3 walks, 1 RBI.

The 21 year old Thole had a good year for St. Lucie in 2008. He hit .300 in 347 at bats with 5 HR’s, 57 RBI’s, 25 doubles and a couple triples. He only struck out 38 times. On the AFL roster, Thole backs up Cole Armstrong (White Sox prospect) and is also competing for time with Cardinals catching prospect Steven Hill.

LHP Jason Vargas

2 games, 4 innings, 4 hits, 0.00 ERA.

In Vargas’s first game of 2008, he pitched one inning giving up 3 hits. In his second game, he pitched three innings while striking out three and only letting two runners on. Vargas entered in the 2nd inning with a 1-0 lead and was credited with a hold.

Vargas missed all of 2008 after undergoing surgery on his hip. In one of Omar’s more dubious moves, Vargas was acquired in the deal that sent Matt Lindstrom to the Marlins before the 2007 season (I’m sure everyone remembers Lindstrom getting the save in the last game the Mets will ever play at Shea Stadium. He’s pitched in 137 games since the trade with an ERA of 3.11).

Vargas, a former 2nd round pick, had a solid 2005 with the Marlins (4.03 ERA, 13 starts) but he fell apart in 2006 (7.43 ERA in AAA and a 7.33 ERA in the majors). In 2007, Vargas pitched 10.1 innings for the Mets to a 12.19 ERA (2 starts). Vargas also started 24 games at AAA New Orleans that year and went 9-7 with a 4.97.

The lefty Vargas will be 26 when Spring Training opens so it should be interesting to see what he does this off-season. Everyone loves a potential comeback story.

Between reading about the exorbitant figures that free agents like CC, KROD and ManRam will surely command in these upcoming months, I figured I’d take a look at what we have cooking in our minor league system.  Thankfully, being from the Dominican Republic grants me direct access to many of the no-name prospects that are waiting in the wings to move up through the system.

While browsing through the Mets’ Dominican Summer League roster, I stumbled upon our 2008 Sterling Award winner, a 21 year old hurler who goes by the name of Germen González.  Granted, the competition in the DSL is nothing like it’d be in AA or AAA (much of the Mets’ position players, for example, are hovering just above the Mendoza line), but take a quick look at Germen’s stats:

ERA: 1.34 / Innings Pitched:  74 / Strikeouts: 70 / Walks: 15 / Wins: 5 / Losses: 2

After inquiring about this and other pitching prospects, I was told by DSL sources that some pitchers of Germen’s mold, who tops out at around 90mph, are being held back in favor of pitchers with stronger arms, yet considerably less pitching smarts.  This mirrors what might be an organization-wide policy on acquiring live arms (Ambiorix Burgos and Jorge Julio, to name a few), instead of focusing on guys who can just plain pitch. 

Some of the greatest careers have been based on pitching guile and deception and it’d be a shame for the Mets to only pursue these radar-gun babies.  An out is an out, whether recorded by a 98mph fastball or an 83mph circle changeup.

Despite what you may have assumed after reading the headline, he will NOT be dressing up and racing as President Garfield…

Ken Davidoff of Newsday reports that the Washington Nationals are interested in hiring Willie Randolph, who is due $2.25 million from the Mets in 2009, as either bench or 3rd base coach under Manny Acta.

Acta, by the way, managed the Nats to a somewhat decent 73-89 record in 2007, but went backwards in 2008 after adding more Mets castoffs, posting a poor 59-102 record.

So I guess Willie won’t be taking that Raiders gig then.  Wouldn’t this situation be interesting?  He had reason to worry about Acta usurping him in New York, being that he was clearly a favorite of Omar Minaya‘s and Tony Bernazard’s, and now Willie gets to make Acta squirm a little if he goes with plan C and works for the Nats.  Not that Manny would mind losing his Washington gig, since as Mr. Davidoff points out, his real desire is to return to work for the Mets anyway.  Not that he should under ANY circumstances.

I loved Willie, but he clearly lost this Mets team, so he and Acta can stay down and Washington and lose that team together as far as I’m concerned.

I have seen a lot of speculation regarding exactly how much payroll flexibility Omar has heading into the off-season. A lot of it depends on what Wilpon is willing to spend. For all we know, Wilpon only signed off on the Johan contract knowing that Pedro was off the books in 2009. This article will show the Mets payroll as of today and how much flexibility Omar could have depending on the will of the Wilpons.

Here’s a look at the Mets payroll flexibility going into the offseason. (ROTOWORLD/ESPN).

Off the Books (significant contracts):

1. Pedro Martinez: $11,813,351
2. Moises Alou: $7.5 million
3. Orlando Hernandez: $7 million
4. Oliver Perez: $6.5 million
5. Luis Ayala: $1.7 million
6. Matt Wise: $1.2 million
7. Damion Easley: $950,000
8. $4 million of Carlos Delgado’s Contract (going from $16 million to $12 million)

Total: $40,663,351

Increased Salary from 2008 to 2009:

Marlon Anderson: $1.05 million (2008), $1.15 million (2009)
Ramon Castro: $1.85 million (2008), $2.5 million (2009)
Endy Chavez: $1.8 million (2008), $2.05 million (2009)
Jose Reyes: $4,375,000 (2008), $5.75 million (2009) (Note 2010: $9 million)
Johan Santana: $19 million (2008), $20 million (2009)
David Wright $5 million (2008), $7.5 million (2009) (Note 2010: $10 million)

Total Increase: $5,875,000

Arbitration Eligible (2008 Salary):

Ryan Church ($2 million), Pedro Feliciano ($1.025 million), Aaron Heilman ($1.2 million), John Maine ($450,000), Duaner Sanchez ($850,000)

The only arbitration eligible player I could imagine making a significant dent in payroll flexibility would be John Maine. He is at least a #3 starter who is making near the league minimum. The Mets will give him a decent contract (even though he’s coming off surgery). The bottom line is that John Maine coming off shoulder surgery is worth much more than $450,000.

The other arbitration eligible players will also likely have salary increases. The Mets will have to give these players contracts to avoid arbitration. The only player I could see going through arbitration is Aaron Heilman. I just get the feeling he will want set-up man money. He is 30 years old and, before this season, was a setup man for three seasons. Aaron Heilman sees himself as that and I doubt the Mets front office agrees at this point.

PAYROLL FLEXIBILITY:
2008 Payroll: $137,391,376
Off the Books: $40,663,351
Payroll Increase: $5,875,000
Arbitration: To be determined

Mets payroll as of 10/13/2008: $102,603,025 (with inevitable increases through the arbitration process).

Payroll Flexibility

(Note: Subject to increase re: arbitration eligible players):

1. Payroll flexibility if Wilpon allows Minaya to reach $137,391,376 (2008 payroll) for 2009’s payroll: $34,788,351.

2. Payroll flexibility if Wilpon wants Minaya to return to the $117,915,819 payroll of 2007: $15,312,794.
-This is unlikely but anything is possible. Plus maybe returning to this payroll was a condition of the Johan signing. Who knows.

3. Between 2006 and 2007, the Mets payroll increased by $17,014,734. From 2007 to 2008, the payroll increased by almost $20 million (Hello Johan). Anything is possible if Wilpon believes a signing can improve the team. Let’s now assume that Wilpon is willing to increase the payroll by another $17 million for 2009. Payroll Flexibility in this scenario: $51,788,351.

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Rick Peterson is “genuinely interested in the [pitching coach] job” and that he has had at least two conversations with Rangers officials about the position. As of now, no interview has been scheduled. Peterson on the position:

“There is no question I’m intrigued about this possibility,” said Peterson, who was fired by the New York Mets at midseason. “This is my life’s work and I’ve got a passion for it. You look at the people that are there and there are some great people. I’ve had this challenge twice before and it’s always exciting for someone who does what I do.” Dallas Morning News.

While the Ballpark at Arlington does the Rangers no favors, their top two starters were Vincente Padilla (4.74 ERA) and Kevin Millwood (5.07 ERA). Their bullpen is also less than stellar. Their closers throughout the year were lefty C.J. Wilson (6.02 ERA) and Frank Francisco (3.13 ERA but 5 for 11 in save opportunities). I feel as though this is the kind of project Rick Peterson would love to get his hands on. We all know Rick Peterson enjoys a challenge and turning around the Rangers pitching staff would be quite a feat.

In June I disagreed with Peterson’s firing. At the time, I thought Howard Johnson (one of my all-time favorite Mets) would be fired alongside Randolph. The Mets were not hitting and I found it surprising Peterson was let go instead of HoJo. It is still early but if Peterson is hired by the Rangers I would be very curious to see how it pans out.

The Dallas Morning News is also reporting that the Rangers may ask to speak with Dave Wallace, another former Mets pitching coach and current consultant for the Mariners, regarding the pitching coach vacancy.

In his most recent AFL appearance, Daniel Murphy went 4-4 helping Peo Saguaros beat Surprise, 11-6.

Murphy was 4-4 with a double, two RBIs (one of them with 2 outs), a walk and three runs hitting in the two hole.

We know Murphy can hit. But, more importantly, Murphy committed no errors and helped turn a double play at second base.

Murphy’s AFL experience at second base will be a very interesting topic as the winter progresses.

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