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Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson
Centerfield Jan 12 2016 03:55 PM |
So we all heard the company line last week offered by Sandy Alderson that the Mets are, in fact, fulfilling their promise to spend. But that we, the public, are not bright enough to realize this. Alderson cited to an $85 million payroll in 2014, a projected 2016 payroll of possibly $120 million, and stated that this increase in $35 million over 2 years. This $35 million represents the Mets fulfilling their promise to re-invest in the team.
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Ceetar Jan 12 2016 03:58 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
every single thing Sandy Alderson says is bullshit. He's a GM.
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 04:17 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
The only way to get worked up over this is insisting upon interpreting anything Fred and Sandy says as a "promise."
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 04:22 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
It's not just that.
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 04:30 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
Take it with a fucking grain of salt already. You're dying to be insulted and victimized.
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d'Kong76 Jan 12 2016 04:47 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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I've put away my Schlagwerk mallets for the time being, but if 23rd comes to fruition it's just sad (and frustrating). I still think as the days evaporate this off-season that the Mets are going to sign Cespedes to a big-money contract for a short period of time.
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 04:57 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
I think it's sad too. I just don't go around pretending to be bamboozled by the whole thing.
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d'Kong76 Jan 12 2016 05:02 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
I can't watch this right now but it's pertinent to the thread topic:
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 05:02 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Well at least all attempts to disguise disdain have been cast aside. I actually prefer outright aggressive. What do you think mods. Does this count as an "ad hominem" attack? Where is the lecture on civility and decency?
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 05:10 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Not recognizing a Ponzi scheme is completely different than believing a public figure who makes a public statement. He's not a politician. He's not running for office. He runs the team and he said what he intended to do. I don't see why it was not reasonable to believe him. Do other owners in baseball do this? I've come to realize now that he was lying. This offseason. I'm not the only one who didn't realize this until now. Perhaps you were smart enough to see through the bullshit all along. Good for you. I was not. And now I'm expressing my frustration about it on a forum full of Mets fans. Forgive me if this is not the appropriate venue. When the GM makes further misleading statements, I get upset and call him out on it. Some may find that interesting. I'm sorry that you do not.
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TransMonk Jan 12 2016 05:28 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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This. When I watch Sandy talk, I get the sense that not even he believes what he is relaying in interviews. However, my faith is in his abilities as a GM, not in his ability to truthfully communicate with the press.
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Ceetar Jan 12 2016 05:33 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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The GM has to speak. The media needs to fill columns. The other thing is it doesn't really make sense for Alderson to give away information in relation to budget or pursuit of players. (And the leaks we hear are designed to give away specific information) There's a lot of cat and mouse going on between teams and agents.
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batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2016 05:35 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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They're businessmen, first and foremost. And they're selling a product. And they want you to buy season tickets. And that's what they mainly care about. Your interests and theirs aren't aligned so perfectly.
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 05:36 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
I'm not tying to be disdainful, my beef in this thread is not about your point of view on the payroll itself -- I agree, fair game to be criticized, and I also get your point about its relativeness being meaningful. It's that I just don't get being pissed off about it because you expected a partiuclar outcome based on interpreting remarks to reporters on this topic as gospel.
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 05:37 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2016 06:04 PM |
Understood and agreed. I just think that Sandy is so good at this, and having his pedigree and past success, that the media is afraid to challenge him when he makes statements like this.
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 05:45 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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I take back what I said then. Sorry. It sounded like disdain to me. I'm pissed off about it because I really thought that's what they were doing. And not just because of one press conference. Sure, that had a lot to do with it. I mean, how often has Fred come out and outright lied? But also because everything they did pointed to them going about this the right way. Not spending during rebuilding years. Avoiding guys like Shin Soo Choo. Getting smart people in charge. It seemed like they finally got it right. And when they went balls out at the deadline, I took that to mean "Shit is going to be different from now on." And when Sandy comes out and says "What are you talking about? We ARE spending, just like we said. You're just pissed about Cespedes." That just drives me crazy.
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batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2016 05:48 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Youse are gonna hate Megdal even more. Here's a picture of his upcoming book, due on the shelves next month:
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 05:51 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
Eh that's old news, man.
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d'Kong76 Jan 12 2016 05:52 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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I don't hate anyone, and I promoted his interview sight unseen.
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Lefty Specialist Jan 12 2016 05:55 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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[youtube]JTF2j0OWUi8[/youtube]
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Frayed Knot Jan 12 2016 06:00 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
THE CARDINALS WAY: How One Team Embraced Tradition and Moneyball (and the illegal hacking of opponents' proprietary information) at the Same time
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2016 06:00 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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I watched it. Again, I disagree with the idea that a case ought to be built on against Fred for violating a "promise" interpreted from his remarks. I also disagree that he's running a ponzi scheme inasmuch as the fans didn't buy the Mets this year so as to assure a higher payroll next year -- that might be an expected byrpoduct, but it's not the purpose. They bought the Mets this year because they buy good baseball, and on that count the Mets delivered. That Fred needs to do that as efficiently as he can to service debt should be plainly obvious in spite of anything he says.
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batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2016 06:06 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Yeah, I agree. Now that I've seen Megdal explain his Ponzi scheme analogy, I don't agree with it. Not that the Mets are being operated properly. But that Ponzi scheme analogy kinda blows.
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Centerfield Jan 12 2016 06:12 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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The Ponzi scheme comparison is dumb and meant to be intentionally inflammatory. But I like the fact that he is calling out the Wilpons on their lies. It doesn't matter if it's a promise, or a statement, or even if you believe it or not. When a public figure is dishonest, I like to see that fact brought to light. Same with Alderson. When he says something misleading, I wish others would call him on it. I still disagree that the Wilpons being unable to spend was that obvious. Hell, I'm still holding out hope that they still do something this winter.
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d'Kong76 Jan 12 2016 06:20 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Forgot about that! Good one.
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Centerfield Jan 13 2016 01:07 AM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
And just to round out my thoughts here, I don't agree that the only reason one should be upset is if they view Wilpon's words as promises.
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d'Kong76 Jan 13 2016 02:07 AM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
They need to be kicked out of ownership, like that LA dude. I
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Mets Guy in Michigan Jan 13 2016 05:10 AM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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[url]http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2015/02/are_the_mets_a_playoff_team_in_2015_absolutely.html Sandy in Spring Training in 2015: Expectations are higher, too. General manager Sandy Alderson believes 89 wins is a reachable number and the postseason would be in reach. Not BS! I just need to give him credit for the one exception. :)
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Centerfield Jan 13 2016 02:39 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
Agreed. And on top of that, there are times where his job dictates that he feed the press BS.
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Ceetar Jan 13 2016 02:54 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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"Sandy mum on Mets payroll. Is he being gagged by the Wilpons?"
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Centerfield Jan 13 2016 03:05 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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I can't speak for how others would have reacted. But you wouldn't hear that from me.
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Vic Sage Jan 13 2016 03:09 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
Absolutely this. It's one thing for a GM to mislead (or outright lie) for strategic reasons, to help improve the club. It's another thing to just shill for incompetent and/or corrupt ownership and then call the fans morons for daring to call him on it. There was no baseball reason to say what he said. He was just a dog fetching his master's slippers. Given his age, health and career accomplishments, he shouldn't feel compelled to kiss Wilponian ass. He doesn't need the job that badly. Life is short. As a Sandy supporter, i'm deeply disappointed in him.
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John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 13 2016 04:22 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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This would still shock me.
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Centerfield Jan 13 2016 04:43 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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This is on me. It was there. I didn't read it. I'm willing to admit at least some part of this was not wanting to read it in hopes that it wasn't true. That's part of why I'm so irritated now. It's all hitting me this winter.
Me too. As much as I'm still holding out hope for a big move, I don't think it will be Cespedes. I get the feeling that management just doesn't like him. And it's hard to ignore the fangraphs projections. (Though if they signed Cespedes for a reasonable deal, I'd certainly applaud the move.) NYMR posted these before, and they are interesting. http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.as ... pe=steamer According to them, Cespedes will fall off a cliff. Not a big surprise. But they project a similar correction year for Granderson (.740 OPS). Which is why I think ultimately Justin Upton is probably the best pick. Upton is coming off a down year, and moving out of SD will likely uptick his production. If signed, he would be the only Met projected over .800 in OPS. Plus, with good plate discipline, he is an "Alderson" type hitter. As to positions, the numbers for Lagares and Granderson call for a platoon. I know the Mets are resistant to doing this, but this is the best baseball move. Granderson can fake it in CF for half of this year. As it will probably play out, he may play himself out of a starting job this year or next. Lagares, you would hope, will get better.
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Vic Sage Jan 13 2016 04:53 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
i'd go along with that plan. but i also think i'm going to win Powerball.
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LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jan 13 2016 05:10 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 13 2016 05:41 PM |
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I mean, I'd be willing to accept free concert tickets for a decade, or be exec chef at Per Se for a million-plus-per, or fart on Donald Trump's head, consequence-free, when I'm having a bad day. There's plenty I'd be willing to do, should the offer ever materialize.
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Centerfield Jan 13 2016 05:28 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
I'd say that the chances of you winning Powerball are higher than the Mets platooning Granderson and Lagares.
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Zvon Jan 15 2016 01:23 AM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
I think Alderson was hired because of the financial problems. And while dealing with that he got us to a World Series. I don't listen too much to what he says (seems like political double speak at times), I'm more concerned with what he does. And he's been doing us good.
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Frayed Knot Apr 20 2016 01:12 AM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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Opening Day Payroll Figures
Mean = $130.1 mil Median = $123.0
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Centerfield Apr 20 2016 02:30 PM Re: Calling Bullshit on Sandy Alderson |
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