Kuzul

A few years ago, the New York Mets had a sensational, up and coming player in their minor league system.

That player is Nick Evans .

In January, www.minorleagueball.com published a list of the best prospects in the Mets system. Bleacher Report’s Matt Esposito wrote a wonderful breakdown of it.

However, Evans was not on that list.

In the 2008 season, Evans was brought up with much fanfare. In the 50 games he played that season, Nick hit two home runs. Not very impressive.

But for being a rookie, and while getting only limited at bats (109), that’s not too bad. He was used more as a bench player. So his 28 hits in 50 games are not terrible for a player used in a limited capacity.

Players like Fernando Tatis can stay on the major league roster with far less production. Not that I’m picking solely on Tatis .

But there are players on this season’s major league roster who have been just as unproductive for the Mets as Evans was as a rookie.

The following season, he really struggled.

During the 2009 campaign, Evans only hit one home run in 30 games. His numbers in the minors for both of those seasons are quite the opposite.                                         

In 2008, he hit 14 home runs, and batted .311. He had 13 homer runs in 2009.

Evans has proven he can hit in the minor leagues. He has not been given the opportunity to settle in, and adjust at the major league level.

While Ike Davis is tearing it up in Queens, he has been given the chance to play consistently.

That opportunity to play everyday is making Davis a better all around player. No one questions that he can hit in the minors, he’s already proven that. He was given the chance to hit in the everyday lineup for the major league team.

And he has responded.

Evans was never given that chance.

Suppose Ike Davis was a bench player for Jerry Manuel’s team now. From the bench, having an at bat every other day, and a start once a week, do you think he would be able to adjust to the majors as well? Or as quickly?

I do not.

Yet, that is what happened to Evans.

Unfortunately, he is in a bad position. Evans must either wait for an injury at the big league level or he has to wait for his contract to expire.  In this case, he could sign with another team who might give him a chance in the majors.

Either way, he is wasting away in the minors.

Evans is not growing as a hitter like he could in the majors. Many may argue that he didn’t hit major league pitching when he had the chance. But those limited roles aren’t enough to truly gauge a player.

If the Mets had any interest in wanting to properly develop him, they would have kept Evans in the majors. Some players need to adjust at the major league level. He may be one of them. With that said, I highly doubt that he will get that chance again.

He has played the outfield before, although not very well. There are too many talented outfielders in the system to consider before him. Evans currently plays first base for the AA ball club, the Binghamton Mets .

This season, he is hitting .285, with 12 home runs and 36 RBI, in 48 games as an everyday first baseman.

The trouble is, there are no spots open on the major league roster for that position, either. Evans might make the roster next season as a bench player if the Mets part ways with a few aging veterans. But in the mean time, his bat and his youth are wasting away.

As the trade deadline looms, the Mets may or may not become active, depending on who you were to ask. If they have no immediate plans for Evans, perhaps they should consider trading him before his contract runs out. If so, he could parts ways with them and they would end up empty handed.

This way, they could still get something for his talent. If they have no interest in using that talent in the majors, or have no need to use it, then the wise thing to do would be to acquire someone that can be used for that talent.

Most fans would not want to admit this, but it is the smart thing to do.

Instead of stock piling young players that will just waste away in the minors season after season, players that they have no plans of using, use these prospects as trade bait for someone the team needs right now.

Evans has proven he can hit in AA. The Mets need to fish or cut bait with him. Utilize him with the big club or use him for the big club.

Either way, he deserves better than this.

To read more of my thoughts on New York Sports, visit my blog:

http://nyfaninsjersey.blogspot.com

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The New York Mets have long been without a presence of leadership and consistent confidence. You have to look back into Mets lore to find several players who exuded those attributes.

One of them is Edgardo Alfonzo. While with the Mets , he became a leader and an example. He was what is called “clutch.”

Not many players can claim that anymore, especially in Queens.

The team has been searching for quality backup players, while wasting valuable money on starters who don’t belong in the major leagues.

According to MLB Rumors.com, Alfonzo had recently expressed interest in playing in the MLB again and more specifically with the Mets . The team has a need on the bench and even more so, a need at second base.

That position is currently being patrolled by Luis Castillo, who is having a poor season. His batting average (.246) and on-base percentage (.340) are lower than his career averages. He does have seven stolen bases and two triples this season so far, but he is not getting on base and doing what he was paid to do, entirely.

While the emergence of Ike Davis has pushed Daniel Murphy back to the minor leagues to learn second base, there is still a void at that position. The team brought in Frank Catallanotto to be the utility infielder, but his bad bat forced the team’s hand into  cutting ties with him.

They still search for that key contributor. The rare player who can play multiple positions and hit well in a pinch.

Alex Cora has been the player that can play multiple positions, but his bat has been inconsistent. Alfonzo was a great player, who still may have something left in the tank. He has been battling numerous injuries in the past several years, and multiple teams gave up on him.

He has been playing in Japan, and has proved himself as capable of playing at the big league-level again. If the Mets are willing to pay for and take a chance on broken down players like Kelvim Escobar , why is Alfonso not worth a look?

He is at least worth the opportunity to pass his knowledge on to the younger players from the dugout. This team lacks that experienced leader. They struggle on the road because of a lack of confidence.

They need a player who will bring a quiet confidence to their clubhouse. A positive example of what it means to be a winner and what they should strive to be. Not just a locker room speaker, or a guest appearance, but a mainstay in the clubhouse and the dugout.

A constant reminder of what they ought to strive for.

He could bring just that.

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This weekend, the New York area will once again be enthralled with a yearly spectacle. That spectacle is the Subway Series. That is the name given to the series of games between the now defending champion New York Yankees and the lovable amazin’s , the New York Mets .

This modern day version of the series first started in 1997. The first two years were just a three game series per season.

After that, the 1999 season saw the birth of what we now know as the yearly proceedings, a pair of three game series with each team hosting it once.

From its’ beginnings in ’97, the Yankees have won 42 out of 72 games. The Mets have only won the majority of games in the season series twice (2004, 2008) in the thirteen seasons it has been played.

The Yankees have swept the season series once (2003) and five of the six games once (last season) as well.

Every other season not mentioned, has resulted in the Yankees dominating the majority of the season series four games out of six.

The Yankees have, for the most part, been the dominant team in the rivalry and the Mets have usually shown themselves inferior.

The rivalry reached its’ pinnacle in the 2000 World Series where the Yankees won another title. One moment in the rivalry was the Roger Clemens bat throwing incident.

Clemens threw a broken shard of a baseball bat at the Mets star, Mike Piazza. The benches erupted in shoving and pushing.

In usual Mets fashion, they did not respond well to it and essentially allowed it to be a distraction to them.

The Mets have rarely ever proven themselves of being capable of holding their own against the Yankees and this year has proven to be no different. The Mets have struggled mightily and the Yankees have soared.

These teams are polar opposites of one another and it may be an embarrassing series for the Mets . It may also be a series that causes shakeups for the Mets .

The series has not been interesting for several years and it seems to be one lost series after another for the Mets .

The Yankees seem to circle this series every year as the games that they can take off and still coast to victory. After all, the Mets will usually find a way to beat themselves (see Luis Castillo-massive 2009 errors).

As lopsided as these games have become, it seems that the interest in them is just as lopsided.

To the Yankees fan, it is a series of confidence and assurance. To the Mets fan, this series is six games that they sit on the edge of their seats and cover their eyes.

Yankees fans embrace it, while Mets fans would rather see other divisional teams play the Yankees more than once a year.

Many Mets fans claim it to be unfair that they must play each other six times, while other divisional team get easier interleague rivalries. The Phillies get the Blue Jays, while the Nationals get the Orioles.

The Mets get the Yankees. It is unfair. It is also not as even of a schedule as Major League Baseball would like to admit.

The Mets are not ready for this series and will not do well in it. After this weekend is over, the Yankees will continue to be the toast of the city and the Mets will still be the Mets .

One is the team you love to hate and the other is the team you hate to love. Take your pick, either way, it is the only time during the season where you’re guaranteed that New York will win.

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In the last part of the series on leadership in the New York Mets club house, we will look at several player options.

Those options include Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur , Rod Barajas , Ike Davis and Jose Reyes. We have reviewed Johan Santana, David Wright and Francisco Rodriguez.

Now, moving on, let’s further examine the rest of that list, starting with Carlos Beltran.

Beltran was brought in to be the playoff-tested veteran. He was supposed to bring experience and leadership to a young core to push them over the top.

He has brought the experience, but he never has brought that leadership the team sought.

Too often, his mouth has written checks that his abilities couldn’t cash. That has gotten his reputation into poor standing in both the league and the clubhouse.

Then, his health became an overwhelming issue. It still is.

A leader, as previously stated, must be both on the field and produce.

He has not been both at the same time for a few years. The franchise is still desperately holding on to hope that he will magically heal, and become the leader they envisioned him to be. He is only getting older and slower. It most likely will not happen.

Another player recently brought in for such a role was Jason Bay. Bay is far too quiet for this role and far too new to the team and city to take on such a position. He is still relearning the National League and his own ballpark.

He has yet to truly produce in New York, and so he had his own struggles to be concerned with before he can convince anyone that he can help them with their struggles.

Even if he didn’t have these productivity issues, he is not the fiery type that is needed to be the unquestioned leader.

The next one is fiery, however.

Jeff Francoeur is the epitome of fire and passion. He is the man a teammate wants in the trenches along side of them. But he is also too emotional and too passionate to be the sole leader.

He can help be an enforcer, but not the main leader. He has the emotion and the mouth to be a leader, but he often loses his grip on that emotion. A leader must have control of himself before he can take control of a team.

Rod Barajas has been well underrated and unnoticed in the offseason hoopla that surrounded the Mets ‘ need for a catcher.

In the talk of the team signing every available player over 35 to fit the mold and the pursuit of Benjie Molina, Barajas was lost in the shuffle. He was signed as a last desperation move.

It was a stroke of luck on the part of Mets GM Omar Minaya .

Skill had nothing to do with this acquisition. Minaya was simply desperate after he was embarrassed that Molina shunned him publicly by taking a hometown discount in San Francisco.

This lucky move has paid dividends already for the Mets . Barajas has had multiple big hits and moments of productivity.

He has performed well above expectation, but while he is the present, he is not the future. That distinction goes to Josh Thole.

Thole is widely regarded as the next great hitting catcher, and is expected to take that role for many years to come.

Barajas , though productive, is just a bridge to the future. Therefore, he can not be a long-term leader. Thole will need a few years to grow into the role, if he develops the brashness and the production, he could fit the bill.

Time will tell, but for now he needs seasoning.

We continue, to Ike Davis.

Davis has been the young gun. The player that everyone adores. He is the real deal. So much in fact, that he pushed the opening day first baseman to the bench or the minors.

The first baseman I speak of is last year’s golden boy, Daniel Murphy.

Davis is so good, that Murphy conceded and admitted that Davis belongs as the starter. Davis has shown the heart and hustle as the newest face of the franchise, and has captured the collective hearts of the fans.

The problem with Davis, however, is that he lacks the experience to be the leader at this time.

He may be able to in the future, but for now, he must show that he can respond to the adjustments that the rest of the league will inevitably make against him. He is a welcomed addition to both the lineup and the clubhouse, but as of now, not a leader.

Finally, we come to Jose Reyes.

Reyes is a very important component to the Mets franchise. I have him last on this list for a purpose.

He is one of the first names that come to mind when thinking of a leader for the team; however, he is the greatest example of the biggest problem with this team—identity.

Leadership is only forged after identity is established. When a player has an identity, they have confidence and confidence brings leadership.

Reyes has had a headline filled offseason that continued into the first few weeks of the regular season as well. He has yet to truly find his role on the team.

Is he a leadoff hitter or a No. 3 hitter?

This is an important question to ask.

Essentially it is a question of whether or not he is the table setter or the meat of the lineup? Is he better to the team at starting rallies or continuing them?

We all know what Reyes is capable of doing on the field. The problem is that Mets manager Jerry Manuel knows this too, and is still undecided on how to properly utilize him after almost a year of having him as a weapon at his disposal.

That indecision has hurt Reyes and his production. Therefore, it has hurt his role on the team.

If a player is not only undecided on his role to the team, but is uncomfortable as well, it is impossible to expect him to lead.

How can he lead with so many other issues?

Reyes cannot lead until he is settled and comfortable with one role, whatever that role may be.

So, therefore, he can’t be the leader because Manuel is holding him back from being it.

He certainly has the ego, the energy experience and the mouth to be the leader. But until he is assigned a role and is allowed to stay in it to allow himself to get comfortable, he cannot be a leader. He will just be a follower.

Here lies the essential problem with the Mets .

They have too many potential chiefs, but no one capable or willing to stand out to lead the tribe. All of them are followers that aspire to lead to an extent. That’s not leadership; that’s called aspirations.

No team has ever won based on aspirations. Teams need bonafied leaders in the trenches with them. Then the rest will follow suit and fall in line. That is what history has proven.

Going back to my very first example of leadership, George Washington.

Washington, like so many others, took control of the confused and directionless troops around him. Only when there was unity and true leadership on the field of battle, did victory emerge as a byproduct.

It was only under true leadership that this group of colonies prospered into a nation.

It will only be due to unity from true leadership that this slightly above average team of followers that we call the New York Mets will prosper into a contender and a champion.

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In the second part of our look at the deeper issue facing the Mets , leadership, we will look at the potential leaders on the current roster.

As previously mentioned, neither the Carlos Delgado’s or Pedro Martinez’s of the organization in the past few years has been a true leader or have been able to get others to follow for one reason or another.

However, there are a few players on the current roster who will need to try in order to right this sinking ship that we call the New York Mets .

Those players are Johan Santana, David Wright, Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur , Rod Barajas , Ike Davis and Jose Reyes.

None of these players are the current leader of this team. They have all led in a particular moment or game, but not for any stretch of time longer than that.

First is Johan Santana.

Let me say this before getting into Johan. Personally, I like Santana.

With that said, he was brought in to put the team over the hump and to carry them on his back. He is the supposed to be the team ace. The unwritten definition of an ace is two—fold. They’re supposed to bring a reputation and an attitude with them.

An ace is supposed to stop losing streaks and start winning streaks. They’re supposed to be relied on for consistency and dominance, whether at home or in hostile road environments.

In the few years that Santana has been here, he has seldom done any of this.

He hasn’t lived up to the reputation or the contract of an ace. Injuries have been the frequent excuse, and with good reason. But there comes a point in time when a team must recognize the contributions, or lack thereof, from its key contributors.

Santana has one of the lowest run support averages over the last few seasons. That is certainly a factor, but an ace is expected to have a handful of bad outings where his team will have to score several runs as opposed to just a few.

The problem in his case, is that too often, he has forced the offense to score more than a few.

That pressure on an inconsistent offense is suicide for a team’s success.

His boasting and selfish mentality has alienated him to a degree as of late. His lack of production and consistency has dug the hole even deeper.

Sooner or later, the impatient fan base that worships and defends his every action, will grow tired of defending stat lines like he posted up in Philadelphia.

They will turn on him if he continues at that pace. Santana needs to get himself together before he can try to get his team together.

I can only speculate that there has been an issue with him so far this season overall. Whether that issue is physical or mechanical, he did correct it in his last outing, but his overall consistency has not been there for a team that desperately needs it.

Santana has not been the pitcher that Mets GM Omar Minaya envisioned him to be when Minaya traded for him from Minnesota.

When he makes claims, such as he is the “best pitcher in the NL East”, in response to the rival Phillies trading for league ace Roy Halladay , then pitches the way he has, it makes him and the team look foolish.

If Santana were to truly be a leader, he must stop talking until his consistency can back up his boasts.

Next on my list, is David Wright.

Personally, I like him too and think he is the best candidate for the role, however, there are issues. He does not routinely show emotion or speak out enough to be the leader of this team.

There are three things that are true about him.

First, he shows up everyday and works his tail off to be successful and to maintain success. That example is more than enough to speak volumes for him. But it is not enough to speak loudly enough to gain the collective attentions of those in the locker room to respond to his direction.

Some may follow his example, but not his lead.

Second, he always confronts the media and is the face of the franchise. Through good or bad games, he is the last to leave because he is facing the media storm that is New York.

He addresses them with grace and character, but again, that example is not enough to be a leader.

Third, he shows little emotion. The other day, he argued with the home plate umpire, and it seemed out of his character due to the rarity of his outbursts.

If he showed a little more emotion and addressed members of the team that are at fault a little more, he would be the leader. As it stands, he is not.

Perhaps, this maturity that he is showing as not just the face of the franchise, but the source of its fire as well, will be enough to catapult him into that role.

Emotion can be good if not overused. It is a thin rope to balance. Should he learn to do so, he will be the Mets leader for the next decade.

The rest of the names on my list are interesting, but not probable, with one exception. Jose Reyes. I will get into him last, for now, let’s move down the list.

Next, is K-Rod, Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod is the closer. No team has ever had a closer as its’ leader. From Trevor Hoffman and John Franco to Lee Smith and Dennis Eckersley , other players have filled that void for one good reason.

A closer’s role is too infrequent. They can be leaders in a core group of players, but not the essential figure. They just aren’t on the field enough. Rodriguez has the heart and the mouth, but not the man hours required to truly take the attention of the clubhouse.

In the final part of this article series, I will examine the rest of the list that includes such names as Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Ike Davis and Jose Reyes among others.

As we continue to look for a leader for this ragtag group of misfits that we root for and gladly call, the Metropolitans .

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According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word leader is someone who leads, guides, or is the first and/or principal performer of a group. In other words, it is someone who takes charge. When scanning through the pages of history, we see countless examples of people who have qualified under this definition and have achieved great success.

The most notable in American history may be George Washington . He is a man who took control and was great at making adjustments. He used the situation to his advantage. He showed heart, attitude and experience to lead and conquer. The rest is history as they say.

Believe it or not, sports and history have much in common. A team needs a leader. They need someone who will stand up and guide. Someone who will be the experienced one when no one else knows what to do in a given situation. Every successful team has had this to some degree or another.

The current New York Mets are lacking this presence on the field. They are too busy listening to instruction and direction from managers, general mangers, owners, scouts, and whatever else the case may be. The trouble is that the leadership presence that they need is not experiencing the situations with them, only observing and responding to them.

For this reason, it is not possible for a manager to be the true leader of a team. They will direct and pull the strings, but never truly guide in the moment. Therefore by definition, the New York Mets lack a player who meets these characteristics. Although they have a few candidates for the role, no one has truly stepped into it. This may perhaps be the major reason for the uninspiring and, at times, unspirited play that the team has displayed over the past few weeks.

The record of this current team as I am writing this is 18-16. This isn’t the best record in sport right now, but it certainly isn’t the worst. It is a slightly above average record for a slightly above average team. The question is why are they just a slightly above average team? What do they lack that the top tier teams all seem to have?

The answer is leadership. The team has actually been without this for the last several years, since the departure of their last true on-field leader, Mike Piazza. There have been a few since him that have tried to fit the mold, but to no avail. Before we look at the current candidates, let’s take a brief look back at the past so-called leaders. This is how we learn in history, sports, and life, by looking back and learning from past errors.

Since Piazza, the Mets have had only a few who have attempted to guide this team. Paul LoDuca , Pedro Martinez, Brian Schneider, and Carlos Delgado are the only ones who really come to mind. LoDuca had the fire, intensity, and heart that you want in a leader, but not the self-control. He led by example only.

Pedro Martinez led by word but seldom action or example. He was brought in by the Mets brass for the specific purpose of leadership. He showed the heart and the mouth, but not the consistency required for the job.

After the departure of LoDuca , Brain Schneider was charged with the mission of leading this team. His leadership, however, proved to be that of the quiet type. He led by example but not by words, then was injured and became lost in irrelevancy.

The final one was Carlos Delgado. Delgado had the mouth, attitude, and experience needed to fill this void. His health, however, became an issue. He was a good influence on the team, though he was not without his own controversies. But a good leader must be able to call out a teammate to encourage them to strive to do better. The problem with Delgado is just as he was taking on the role, his health prevented him from being effective in that role.

Moving forward to the present, the team still lacks that leader. There are a few who could fill that gap on the current roster. In part two of this article, we will take a deeper look at them. From the current roster, they are: Johan Santana, David Wright, Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Jeff Francoeur , Rod Barajas , Ike Davis, and Jose Reyes. We will examine the pros and cons of each of these candidates, in part two.

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