OT: MLB Thread XLV

[ecemleafs]

we think aaron judge sets the single season home run record this year? i know its only 60 games, but i think hes got a good shot.

 

[Leetch3]

I think the Mets would have had a pretty strong case to completely terminate Cespedes' contract. They didn't go that route, though.

I do not like them and think they're terrible owners. That said, it's not like they spend like the Athletics or something. They're usually top ten. They hand out big deals. The last two years they've used that 0-5% overage taxed dollar for dollar to sign all their picks. Not big things for sure but not like they're truly squeezing every single penny. And honestly before the Madoff thing they weren't afraid go throw money around--they made plenty of splashes.

Cespedes looked awful this year. Whether you think this was a Wilpons thing or not, he didn't exactly do anything to justify being in the lineup everyday, striking out in 50% of his ABs. I don't know, I actually would side with the team wanting to give him days off while he works his way back into it.

I think he was pissed in general, unhappy with how things unfolded, unhappy he had to accept a reduced salary, was probably concerned the team wasn't going out of its way to put him in a spot to earn his bonuses (which really, if he's not playing, they shouldn't go out of their way to do that; he created this situation), and then with the deterioration of COVID things and the Mets looking like garbage, he said f*** it, I'm done.

I think the Mets look bad from a PR perspective, as usual, even though they didn't do much that was actually wrong beyond not understanding how to talk to the fan base and baseball public. The rest is on Cespedes. He acted pretty lame, IMO.

well about 1/3 of the payroll last year went to guys that didn't play and insurance paid those guys so the wilpon's aren't paying what the payroll says but that doesn't matter they will be gone soon...

and I could be wrong but my understanding is that players that are opting out don't get paid. I'm pretty sure that they can't terminate his deal cause players opting out are protected from that. but with 1 year left and he isn't getting paid there would be nothing to fight to terminate anyway

 

[Crease]

Nobody:

Reporters:

Mets: We lost a player and don't know where he is.

 

[nyr2k2]

well about 1/3 of the payroll last year went to guys that didn't play and insurance paid those guys so the wilpon's aren't paying what the payroll says but that doesn't matter they will be gone soon...

and I could be wrong but my understanding is that players that are opting out don't get paid. I'm pretty sure that they can't terminate his deal cause players opting out are protected from that. but with 1 year left and he isn't getting paid there would be nothing to fight to terminate anyway

I meant that they could have terminated his contract after his accident. It surely would have resulted in a grievance but given he was supposed to be rehabbing and what he was actually doing was probably in violation of quite a few different things in his contract, I think the Mets would stand a good chance of prevailing. Right after it came to light what actually happened to lead to the injury, there was a ton of speculation the Mets would move to terminate. But they didn't--they kept him and still paid him a decent base salary for a guy who was out of the league for two years, and then made it a very nice base salary if he was healthy enough to make the team at the start of the season. And then added kickers on top. So, honestly, while the Mets are generally pretty shitty, I actually think they did good by Cespedes to this point.

RE: The payroll even if you take away the IR money (which, to be fair, you'd have to do for other teams as well), they'll still be in the to half of the league every year and closer to 10 that 15. Again they should be spending more, but it's not like they'r bottom of the barrel. The Madoff thing was 2008. If you look at ESPN's numbers on payrolls, which granted are not super-detailed, the Mets had the second-highest payroll in 2009. In 2008 and 2007, third. In 2006, fifth. 2005 third, 2004 fourth, etc. The team used to spend big. You can blame the Wilpon's for being stupid about the Madoff thing (although he bilked a lot of wealthy and smart investors), but the reality is they just don't have the resources they once did and can't be a top-three spending team anymore.

They should obviously sell the team because if you want to own in the NY market, you need to be able to spend big. But they're not just some uber-cheapskates. They're the key accounts guy who lost most his key accounts and his $2M condo is now barren and he can barely afford the mortgage, let alone anything else that he used to enjoy in his lavish lifestyle.

 

[nyr2k2]

Nobody:

Reporters:

Mets: We lost a player and don't know where he is.

LOL yup.

 

[East Coast Bias]

I'm not going to kill the Mets for this Cespedes shit.

The entire fanbase wanted him re-signed.

It's not the Mets fault he had those injuries.

They re-worked his deal to lower it for this season, included language about off the field injuries.

Whatever happened here, Cespedes hasn't exactly been fair to the org and his teammates during this contract so I doubt he suddenly was doing everything right and got unfairly screwed.

 

[nyr2k2]

I'm not going to kill the Mets for this Cespedes shit.

The entire fanbase wanted him re-signed.

It's not the Mets fault he had those injuries.

They re-worked his deal to lower it for this season, included language about off the field injuries.

Whatever happened here, Cespedes hasn't exactly been fair to the org and his teammates during this contract so I doubt he suddenly was doing everything right and got unfairly screwed.

Yes. I initially came out criticizing the Mets for how they handled the PR aspect of losing their player, and I actually feel more strongly about it given that it's come out that Cespedes was upset and this shouldn't exactly have come as a surprise to the team.

That said, where I originally was in the "I can't blame Cespedes" camp, I've now come around a bit go believe he was also acting quite shitty. I will never fault someone for opting out due to the pandemic, but I don't believe for one second that's what this was really about for Ces.

Glad it's over. Will be more glad when the season is over and the team is sold.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Nobody:

Reporters:

Mets: We lost a player and don't know where he is.

pathetic - we lost a player and can’t find him yet we believe he is ok.

Good news though, like Kelenic, the Mets will likely end up picking in the top 5 which will strengthen their position to land Albert Pujols by flipping the prospect.

 

[NYSPORTS]

I'm not going to kill the Mets for this Cespedes shit.

.

What have the Mets done which is worth applause? Resign DeGrom after collecting insurance money?

 

[East Coast Bias]

Yes. I initially came out criticizing the Mets for how they handled the PR aspect of losing their player, and I actually feel more strongly about it given that it's come out that Cespedes was upset and this shouldn't exactly have come as a surprise to the team.

That said, where I originally was in the "I can't blame Cespedes" camp, I've now come around a bit go believe he was also acting quite shitty. I will never fault someone for opting out due to the pandemic, but I don't believe for one second that's what this was really about for Ces.

Glad it's over. Will be more glad when the season is over and the team is sold.

Yeah the context is key here. It sounds like he got fed up, told some guys and packed his stuff and left.

When they released their statement, they had other players saying "oh yeah he said he's out last night" but no word from Cespesds himself or his agent. Which is why they went right to the press. They were fed up.

Everyone loves to pile on the Mets because lolMets but I just think they're tired of his shit. I imagine everyone including his teammates are tired of his shit. He missed two years for some unexplained off the field injury. He has shown zero dedication during this contract.

 

[NYSPORTS]

well about 1/3 of the payroll last year went to guys that didn't play and insurance paid those guys so the wilpon's aren't paying what the payroll says but that doesn't matter they will be gone soon...

If not for Madoff the slimy Wilpons wouldn’t own the Mets. They lose $50 million per year, have never paid a cent off their debt principle (only interest) and rejected over $2 billion for the org b/c the useless son wanted to have his say lol.

 

[NYSPORTS]

When they released their statement, they had other players saying "oh yeah he said he's out last night" but no word from Cespesds himself or his agent. Which is why they went right to the press. They were fed up.
.

so they went to the media as if the media would show the Mets sympathy? lol, yeah. Nice move

 

[East Coast Bias]

so they went to the media as if the media would show the Mets sympathy? lol, yeah. Nice move

No one's looking for sympathy.

I'm sorry you're not able to parse your feelings from understanding how events played out

 

[NYSPORTS]

No one's looking for sympathy.

I'm sorry you're not able to parse your feelings from understanding how events played out

You should be asking yourself why you’re endorsing stupidity rather than feeling sry about my feelings.

 

[East Coast Bias]

You should be asking yourself why you’re endorsing stupidity rather than feeling sry about my feelings.

Endorsing stupid? A guy who has been an awful teammate/employee for years quit, without telling his team he quit, and they're supposed to do what? Write up a nice sending off?

f*** that guy. He did what he did.

 

[will1066]

Just got wind of this. Wow. No big loss to me, though.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Endorsing stupid? A guy who has been an awful teammate/employee for years quit, without telling his team he quit, and they're supposed to do what? Write up a nice sending off?

f*** that guy. He did what he did.

Hahahah,the Mets have been awful to their customers. They treat everybody like shait. In CT, you can’t even get the Mets on SNY so whatever kid wants to watch baseball is forced into the Yankees. Oh the Mets got tired lol. The organization is a disgrace and did nothing more than embarrass themselves. Cespedes doesn’t care while the Mets didn’t even have to pay the majority of his contract.

In the end, a low paid employee left and the Mets handled the situation comically.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Or you can put that hateful energy towards your billionaire owners who are being deliberately cheap to prevent a player from reaching his bonuses.

Had a snickers...all good .

 

[Machinehead]

Mike Ford is a big boi

 

[mrmovies779]

Watching Cole pitch is an absolute joy.He and Tanaka as #1 and #2 in the playoffs is going to be deadly.

 

[17futurecap]

Gio still being good, what a time to be alive.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Watching Cole pitch is an absolute joy.He and Tanaka as #1 and #2 in the playoffs is going to be deadly.

What's scary is I don't even think Cole has been "vintage" Cole yet.

 

[Cassano]

What's scary is I don't even think Cole has been "vintage" Cole yet.

He isn't striking out guys like he can. Small sample size so far though, of course.

 

[BroadwayStorm]

Severino wont play this year right?

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Severino wont play this year right?

Sadly, nope.