THE METS are between a clock and a hard place. They want to give themselves as much time as possible to get back into contention in 2002, yet recognize time is ticking against them improving their product for 2003 and beyond if they do not start dealing – and soon.
They used an eight-run eighth inning last night to open the second half by defeating Philadelphia 9-1. Still, this was no glorious day because first-place Atlanta won to maintain a 121/2-game gap on the Mets and second-place Montreal got Cliff Floyd yesterday afternoon.
Nevertheless, during last night’s game, the Mets kept running a scoreboard promo hawking the Shea series next week against the Marlins featuring Cliff Floyd. That pretty much defined the Met season to date: ineptness combined with wishful thinking.
Despite feeling they are in the wild-card race (eight back when the day began), the Mets are not conning themselves that adding a player will make much difference. Instead, GM Steve Phillips said, “If we start clicking on all cylinders it would feel like we acquired good players.” And Phillips already has put the team into a similar mode as last July, when he traded Dennis Cook, Turk Wendell, Rick Reed and Todd Pratt; the Mets are willing to deal, but not major pieces such as Roberto Alomar, Armando Benitez or Al Leiter.
They very willingly will chip away at payroll and try to add prospects by dealing Edgardo Alfonzo, Jeff D’Amico, Shawn Estes, Mark Guthrie, Jay Payton, Steve Trachsel or John Valentin, feeling none severely impacts their long-shot chances in 2002.
Met owner Fred Wilpon wants to honor Leiter’s wishes not to be traded and there are indications extension talks could re-open after the July 31 trade deadline. Arizona has called the most about Leiter, who allowed one run in 71/3 innings yesterday, but Boston, Seattle and St. Louis also have expressed interest.
With Alomar, the Mets are hoping for a big second half and he had three hits, including two doubles batting righty last night. The Mets figure they will give Alomar a few more months to see if he can grow comfortable and Hall-of-Fame-like in Flushing, knowing they could always deal him if need be in the offseason with more than the current contenders interested.
Despite reports about Alomar, the Dodgers recently expressed a greater interest in Alfonzo. But a person familiar with the talks said Los Angeles would not obtain either Alomar or Alfonzo without moving overpaid, underachieving second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, who is signed through next season and is all but untradeable. At least one team has made an offer for Estes, but wanted the Mets to pick up part of his contract, which they are currently unwilling to do.
“The calendar dictates certain things and you don’t have to do anything by July 11,” Phillips said.
But Phillips did acknowledge a risk in waiting because there are many more sellers than buyers as financially ailing clubs look to unload contracts. It is possible if Phillips waits too long, the few buyers will already have filled their needs. The Yankees and Expos, for example, may be done shopping already. It could mean Phillips will face a late July in which he has a non-contender unable to trade veterans for prospects to help a hurting farm system.
Therefore, it is possible this second half is more critical for Phillips than even his players or beleaguered manager. This is the second year in a row a team assembled by the GM has been paid well, yet underperformed.
His future might be linked to this team’s second-half performance. With his job on the line, would Phillips dare bring in youngsters rather than go with veterans? And does Wilpon entrust Phillips to go get youngsters, considering the Phillips regime has not been deep in either developed prospects or in his ability to obtain high-ceiling prospects from elsewhere?
A players strike still might come to create a stain large enough to make us forget the Met mess. But as the second half began last night, the Mets were on their own to prove this season is not a complete disaster. And the clock was most definitely ticking against them and their general manager.