Aug
25
Chatter Up! Mets @ Marlins 8-25-09 through 8-27-09 Edition!
Filed Under (Chatter Up) by mrose at 2:00 PM on 08-25-2009
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| Welcome to NLEC’s Chatter Up! This edition will be the first between the New York Mets and TRS of The Real Dirty Mets Blog matching up against The Marlins and Wally Londo of FishGuts. Enjoy everyone. |
| Matt S(PP): While 2009 has been a total disaster in so many ways, Luis Castillo has been very solid. Has he rid himself of last year’s disappointment? How do Mets fans view Castillo’s very good 2009 season and should he be the team’s second baseman for next year? |
| TRS(TRDMB): Castillo has been very solid. With the casual fan I think he has redemed himself quite nicely. However, there are still a few that are still very adimant about the contract and just don’t like Castillo’s brand of baseball. He could have a OBP of over .400 and it would not be enough. I think Castillo WILL be the 2nd baseman for next year but my hope is they also consider bringing in a guy like Figgins who can play OF and IF. |
| Mark P(CFG): I keep reading that Citi Field has not panned out for Mets fans this year in a way that the franchise had hoped — so what’s wrong? Is that the way you see it? This was supposed to be a “no brainer” ball park. What happened? Or do you view it as an unquestioned success? |
| TRS(TRDMB): I can not answer this question as I have not been. Matt Rose maybe you would be better to answer this one. I also assume that if the season had been better the ball park would not be an issue. Matt R(NLEC): I will say that I do love the stadium and while it does not have the mystique of Shea Stadium for a Mets fan, it still is a success in my mind. The gripe most fans have is that it is/was too oriented towards the Giants and Dodgers of old, and while I agree, the Mets are starting to make it more like home, I think once the Mets say they are “done”, then we can really begin to judge, for now though, it feels like home. |
| Mark P(CFG): Red Sox fans keep saying that the beantowners have just gotten too old. The same seems to apply to the Mets: is that your view? How do you get younger: who goes and who stays. |
| TRS(TRDMB): Looking up and down our roster we are actually younger than most teams in our league. We don’t have a lot of age on the roster that is locked down after this year. In fact of the players coming back, I can’t think of any right now that are old. Age has never seemed to be a problem for the Yankee’s so I don’t see an issue with the Mets or the RSox Age. |
| Mr North Jersey(NLEC): Many Mets fans were annoyed to hear Fred Wilpon quoted as saying that Minaya will be back in 2010 to which Minaya then expanded upon to say if he’s back so is Manuel. If true and you must put up with one more year of Minaya/Manuel do you feel he will be aggressive to try and win back the fanbase or passive this off-season? |
| TRS(TRDMB): That’s a great question. I think the Wilpons will be desperate to put a competitive team on the field and Omar will know his job is really on the line this time. There really are no excuses left and to me we are one more try away from rebuilding. |
| Matt R(NLEC): What players that have needed to play in the injury prone season have actually shown an ability for next year? Do you think these players have solidified their standings for 2010? |
| TRS(TRDMB): It’s hard to say because really who have we seen because of injury on a consistant basis? Most have been scrubs or broken old guys. One would assume that Pagan will be here. One of Reed or Sullivan will be here. I expect Cora to be brought back on a lesser contract. Nieve and Niese should factor into the 5th spot competition. I think Stokes has really locked down his spot as a potential 7th inning guy for next year. |
| Thanks Eric, great debut! Now, moving on to FishGuts and we welcome back Wally |
| DirtySanchez(TRDMB): Does Emilio Bonifacio fit into the long term plans of the marlins? |
| Wally(FG): It certainly seems so. With how he has been treated by management and also how management has treated his potential competitors (moving Coghlan to Left Field and moving Gaby Sanchez to Left Bench), it seems obvious he is the team’s long term choice at 2nd base. He’s certainly showed flashes of being a great defensive player, and moving back to his natural position, and one that is less stressful on his arm, should prove to be a good move. But if his bat doesn’t come around, I’ll never be a fan. |
| DirtySanchez(TRDMB): Can you give the mets any tips on playing spoiler? |
| Wally(FG): Ha!
Our lips are sealed. Sorry, buddy. |
| DirtySanchez(TRDMB): How confident are the Marlins to leapfrog atl/sf/col in the WC? |
| Wally(FG): I’m sure the team is brimming with confidence; No use taking the field if you don’t think you are going to win it all until you are absolutely mathematically eliminated. Now, as a fan, I’m not confident at all. I always thought we had a chance, and at times a damn good one, but I never thought we were the favorites. If Nick Johnson can get back healthy and Anibal Sanchez shows what he did against the Braves, this team can still make it interesting. |
| Mark P(CFG): Ricky Nolasco went down to the minors earlier this year, but now finally seems to have hit his stride. He has mastered his fastball. Is he here to stay? |
| Wally(FG): I’m one of Nolasco’s biggest boosters on the various Marlins sites I go on. When he’s on, there’s no pitcher in baseball I prefer watching. And he has been on more often than not since he got called back up. I think he’s here to stay, and I think he’s here to stay as a very good number 2 starter. The only question is whether the team will pay him in arbitration, and he is where that dreadful start has a silver lining: it should knock his numbers down enough to make his salary palatable to the team. |
| Mark P(CFG): What do you think the prospects are for Josh Johnson winning the Cy Young? What does he need to do the rest of the way? |
| Wally(FG): There’s not a whole lot he can do. I really think Tim Lincecum deserves to win it. Chris Carpenter is having a hell of a year, but as I’m still bitter about his win in 05 over Dontrelle, I’m boycotting him. The simple fact is The Freak has thrown more innings than anyone in the NL and only one other pitcher has thrown higher quality innings. I don’t think anyone in the NL is going to sniff a Cy Young for the next 5 years but Lincecum, barring injury. JJ would have to go on a historic type of run to get to the 220 IP, 200 K, 2.6 ERA type of numbers that would really put him in the discussion, but I don’t think it’s a discussion. He’s having a great season, but so are a lot of people. |
There goes another segment of Chatter Up! please feel free to email any recommend questions or comments about this or a future segment to mrose@nleastchatter.com or go to this forum topic and post a reply.
