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Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Edgy DC Mar 25 2011 07:59 AM

Read along as your favorite bloggers put the Met GM's feet to the fire here. You may (or may not) want to initially skip over Janish's comments to keep the flow going. I'll say right out that I really really wish he'd be more circumspect about considering fan animosity when making the decision to release players. Not that I don't understand that it's an even greater challenge for a struggling player to be climbing that emotional hill (and therefore a greater burden for the team), but coming out and explicitly saying so the way he has been only serves to more greatly empower the boobirds.

The Second Spitter Mar 25 2011 08:05 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Congrats to Ceetar, G-Fafif, and Bucket (and G!) Edgy's link chopped off the transcript of the last question, below: MetsByTheNumbers wrote: Can I have a picture of your wife?

Benjamin Grimm Mar 25 2011 08:17 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Edgy DC wrote: ...but coming out and explicitly saying so the way he has been only serves to more greatly empower the boobirds. I was thinking the same thing.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 25 2011 09:08 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

The Second Spitter wrote: Congrats to Ceetar, G-Fafif, and Bucket (and G!) Edgy's link chopped off the transcript of the last question, below: MetsByTheNumbers wrote: Can I have a picture of your wife? This is why they don't ever invite me. I was waiting for one of my blogpatriots to ask, "Why isn't he here?" but they have their own agenda.

A Boy Named Seo Mar 25 2011 09:17 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Good stuff. I liked the Reyes question & answer. Don't agree w/ the commenter that 'seasoned beat writer' Delcos caught Sandy 'unaware' with his decidedly non-softbally question. Seems like Sandy gave a solid, no-bullshit answer, and don't think any of us should be surprised that he admits Reyes is great, but he may not be back for a couple of legit reasons. I've sadly been resigned to 2011 being the Reyes Farewell Tour. Hope I'm dead wrong, though. Good job G & Ceets. I didn't see Bucket on there??

Edgy DC Mar 25 2011 09:26 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

It would have been great if somebody came in with more of a cultural question. "Sandy, has the Mets Hall of Fame fully considered Karl Ehrhardt? Has that ship sailed?" "Sandy, Jeff's hair. What's the deal there? You've got to fill us in." "Catch us up, Sandy. First day on the job. You start it of course by going to Mrs. Payson's tomb to pay your respects, but what next?" "Sandy, will this team ever dress anybody in 2 who's, you know, worth a shit?"

batmagadanleadoff Mar 25 2011 09:26 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Edgy DC wrote: I'll say right out that I really really wish he'd be more circumspect about considering fan animosity when making the decision to release players. Not that I don't understand that it's an even greater challenge for a struggling player to be climbing that emotional hill (and therefore a greater burden for the team), but coming out and explicitly saying so the way he has been only serves to more greatly empower the boobirds. Don't even get me started to rant about this one. That comment was one of the most weasel-y things ever to emanate from the Mets org, and I'm deeply disappointed that, of all people, it spewed from Alderson's mouth

Ceetar Mar 25 2011 09:31 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I'll say right out that I really really wish he'd be more circumspect about considering fan animosity when making the decision to release players. Not that I don't understand that it's an even greater challenge for a struggling player to be climbing that emotional hill (and therefore a greater burden for the team), but coming out and explicitly saying so the way he has been only serves to more greatly empower the boobirds. Don't even get me started to rant about this one. That comment was one of the most weasel-y things ever to emanate from the Mets org, and I'm deeply disappointed that, of all people, it spewed from Alderson's mouth I mean, I don't think the fan feelings were much of a factor, but I think the idea of Castillo - Fan Ire < Emaus + rule 5 issues. Add in the depth of Turner and Tejada and Murphy and there just wasn't any compelling reason to keep around a guy that's going to promote negativity. He could've explained it better though. I think in response to Shannon's question he points out how the non-baseball factors really don't play in much.

Ceetar Mar 25 2011 09:34 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Good stuff. I liked the Reyes question & answer. Don't agree w/ the commenter that 'seasoned beat writer' Delcos caught Sandy 'unaware' with his decidedly non-softbally question. Seems like Sandy gave a solid, no-bullshit answer, and don't think any of us should be surprised that he admits Reyes is great, but he may not be back for a couple of legit reasons. I've sadly been resigned to 2011 being the Reyes Farewell Tour. Hope I'm dead wrong, though. Good job G & Ceets. I didn't see Bucket on there?? Delcos doesn't really fit in with the group because he's not a fan, but that question was probably one of the MORE softball ones in my opinion, because it's one that's pretty much been discussed a lot and asked a lot already. Actually, both transcripts left out Alderson's parting comments, where he did indicate he thought the questions were fairly 'non-softbally' (I don't remember the word he used)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 25 2011 10:13 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Metsgrrl challenged him-- if subtly-- on transparency, and he bit: I thought it would’ve been disingenuous to say that fan sentiment had not had anything to do with the decision. I think that that would’ve been patently obvious. With the new management team, and turning the page, it was too obvious of a consideration. But, did that dictate our decision? No. I think I was trying to be too subtle … obviously there are things that we can’t talk about at a particular moment but I do believe you try to be as straightforward as you can and I don’t think that was even close to the borderline. Hmm... "[not] even close to the borderline?" Holy sh*t-- we're getting "Hard Knocks: Flushing" on SNY this season, aren't we?

Ceetar Mar 25 2011 11:23 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Metsgrrl challenged him-- if subtly-- on transparency, and he bit: I thought it would’ve been disingenuous to say that fan sentiment had not had anything to do with the decision. I think that that would’ve been patently obvious. With the new management team, and turning the page, it was too obvious of a consideration. But, did that dictate our decision? No. I think I was trying to be too subtle … obviously there are things that we can’t talk about at a particular moment but I do believe you try to be as straightforward as you can and I don’t think that was even close to the borderline. Hmm... "[not] even close to the borderline?" Holy sh*t-- we're getting "Hard Knocks: Flushing" on SNY this season, aren't we? It'd be pretty interesting.

G-Fafif Mar 25 2011 03:58 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Applause for Sandy's honesty. And if "Hard Knocks" gets us to the conference championship, so to speak, bring on the goddamn snacks.

Edgy DC Mar 25 2011 06:36 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

I think honesty and circumspection can go hand in hand. I mean, if you want Hu because he's more or less as good as the next guy and your marketing folks tell you he'll get you 75% more Chinese-American fans and 45% Asian-American fans overall, sure. I guess. (I think he looks to be the better bet anyhow.) But I sure don't look forward to the backlash when he goes 0-4 with an error and folks complain that he's only on the team because he's Asian.

smg58 Mar 25 2011 07:03 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Good stuff. I liked the Reyes question & answer. Don't agree w/ the commenter that 'seasoned beat writer' Delcos caught Sandy 'unaware' with his decidedly non-softbally question. Seems like Sandy gave a solid, no-bullshit answer, and don't think any of us should be surprised that he admits Reyes is great, but he may not be back for a couple of legit reasons. Janish also cited Harris, Paulino, and Hairston as evidence of an inconsistency in Alderson's approach. Actually Harris draws a fair number of walks and has decent power for a lefty reserve utilityman. He had a .364 OBP in 2009, despite a .235 AVG. Obviously he can only do so much good in that category if he's on the interstate again, but Alderson is betting on that not happening. As for Paulino, a .328 career OBP is hardly awful for a backup catcher, and he has a .390 OBP against lefties. Hairston's not a super OBP guy, but the .498 SLG against lefties despite playing most of his career in a worse hitter's park than Citi obviously factored in (as did defense). And at any rate, the point of beating on that with Reyes is that his speed is an asset only to the extent that he gets on base.

G-Fafif Mar 25 2011 07:11 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Edgy DC wrote: I think honesty and circumspection can go hand in hand. I mean, if you want Hu because he's more or less as good as the next guy and your marketing folks tell you he'll get you 75% more Chinese-American fans and 45% Asian-American fans overall, sure. I guess. (I think he looks to be the better bet anyhow.) But I sure don't look forward to the backlash when he goes 0-4 with an error and folks complain that he's only on the team because he's Asian. Alderson on Hu: People have latched on to his name in the "who’s on first?" and all of those kinds of things. So he’s developed a little bit of a following and become part of the entertainment value of what the team represents. Now that’s not going to determine whether he makes the team or someone else does, but it’s a factor, I guess, of some small magnitude. Nothing about ethnicity there. I watched one of the games Hu played in the last week and was struck by the very enthusiastic "Huuuuu" chant, presumably from whatever cross-section of Mets fans attended that game.

smg58 Mar 25 2011 07:11 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

PS And Brad Emaus is quite obviously here for his ability to draw walks.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 25 2011 09:03 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

smg58 wrote: Janish also cited Harris, Paulino, and Hairston as evidence of an inconsistency in Alderson's approach. Actually Harris draws a fair number of walks and has decent power for a lefty reserve utilityman. He had a .364 OBP in 2009, despite a .235 AVG. Obviously he can only do so much good in that category if he's on the interstate again, but Alderson is betting on that not happening. As for Paulino, a .328 career OBP is hardly awful for a backup catcher, and he has a .390 OBP against lefties. Hairston's not a super OBP guy, but the .498 SLG against lefties despite playing most of his career in a worse hitter's park than Citi obviously factored in (as did defense). And at any rate, the point of beating on that with Reyes is that his speed is an asset only to the extent that he gets on base. Hairston's the only real inconsistency there, OBP-wise. Among available options, I do think that Fred Davis might have been a better backup-OF-who-also-plays-center pickup. Janish provides an interesting perspective (although one suspects at times that he brings up the baseball experience so that he can bully people when his arguments fail) and can do some good work, but stat analysis-- especially pointed stat analysis-- isn't his strong point.

Edgy DC Mar 25 2011 09:12 PM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

People are going to keep bringing up anything inconsistent with their perception of Moneyball to hammer Alderson and Beane and others wtih. I mean, the idea that Mientkiewicz was asked to be a glove caddy for David Ortiz somehow discredits the body of work of Bill James? Come on.

Ceetar Mar 26 2011 06:12 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

Edgy DC wrote: People are going to keep bringing up anything inconsistent with their perception of Moneyball to hammer Alderson and Beane and others wtih. I mean, the idea that Mientkiewicz was asked to be a glove caddy for David Ortiz somehow discredits the body of work of Bill James? Come on. Right now a lot of peoples misunderstanding of Moneyball comes from understanding it through the Joe Morgan misunderstanding. I wonder how much worse that'll get when they misinterpret it through the Hollywood filter.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 26 2011 07:43 AM Re: Conference Call with Sandy Alderson

"Scott Hatteberg? Which one's Hatte-- OH! You mean the Walkin' Ju-Jitsu Koala!"