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Pedro, Carlos, Omar ... and Adam

Frayed Knot Feb 19 2006 08:50 PM

New York Daily News Met reporter (and Bellmore, Long Island native) Adam Rubin has written a book about the 2005 Mets: Pedro, Carlos & Omar: The Story of a Season in the Big Apple and the Pursuit of Baseball's Top Latino Stars "P, C & O etc" will available in all the usual places* on or just after March 1st (otherwise known as a week from Wednesday) and in an effort to promote the book (plus the honor of posting on the CPF) the first-time author will be taking a dive into the Crane Pool for a live chat on Monday, February 27th at 9PM. So if you blokes have any questions that you'd like to ask an active NYM beat reporter for a quaint metropolitan newspaper - either about the book specifically or about the team in general - drop by at that time armed with your best. In the interim you might want to take the upcoming week to keep up on Adam's columns in the Daily News to get an idea about the latest topics he's writing about now that ST has started and columns are appearing on an everyday basis. You can also pre-submit questions in this thread if you aren't able to drop by the pool at the designated hour. * Just a note: In ordering the book via Amazon I was immediately led to a suggested package of P, C & O along with the 2006 edition of The Baseball Prospectus Handbook for around $28 for the two, not much higher than the list price of either one and conveniently in that free shipping range. Good deal.

ScarletKnight41 Feb 19 2006 08:57 PM

] the first-time author will be taking a dive into the Crane Pool for a live chat on Monday, February 27th at 9PM. Very cool - I'll look forward to the chat. Did you set this up FK? WTG!

metirish Feb 19 2006 08:57 PM

Very cool, I like Rubin, can't wait to have him here.Here's my first question. Adam you grew up in Bellmore, were you a Mets fan growing up?, if yes then what are your favorite Met moments from down the years?If you were not a Mets fan is it difficult to be the beat reporter for a team you are not a fan of? ok sorry that is really three questions, still I read you all the time so...

Edgy DC Feb 19 2006 09:23 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 19 2006 11:50 PM

On a scale of 1 to 10, a being "It was a baseball decision with no family issues whatsoever," and 10 being "Disassociate us from that crazy broad, I don't care if she's married to Sadaharu Oh," what influence did Ms. Benson have on the deal to trade her husband? If Omar had full autonomy, why didn't the Mets aggressively pursue re-hiring Bobby Valentine? Fan opinion is generally that the Cameron/Nady deal was a short sell for the Mets, and looks even shorter in the context of the market for centerfielders shifting in the sellers' favor late in the offseason. Do you think this is fair?

metirish Feb 19 2006 09:29 PM

WOW, I set Rubin up with some soft balls to welcome him to the board and Edgy comes in with some high heat queations.....damn good ones though...I see Rubin is our newest registered user....cool deal FK.

Edgy DC Feb 19 2006 11:50 PM

Oh, and welcome.

G-Fafif Feb 21 2006 06:03 PM

Adam, Two questions: 1) Does it bother you that the Daily News is so slanted to the Yankees? Even given the relative success rates of the two New York teams, the front pages, back pages and inside pages given to the Yankees overwhelm those devoted to the Mets, to say nothing of the existence of a recurring column about "Bleacher Creatures" that is sickeningly pro-Yankee and anti-Met. Even if one takes Filip Bondy's effort as all in good fun, there is no equal time given to any other writer. It would be one thing if that was Bondy's shtick, period, but he's one of your paper's leading sports columnists and several times a year, he drops the pretense of objectivity altogether and tells us he thinks the Mets and their fans are a joke. We don't see Lupica or Olson or Ziegel do any such thing. Do you think your good work gets enough play in this environment? Have you ever discussed this with your editors? Or do you disagree with this read of your newspaper? (I buy the News, Newsday and the Times every day and check the Post online and I find nobody leans so obviously and heavily to the Yankees as the News.) 2) Why does almost every beat writer in spring training file virtually the same story, at least on the same topic, every day? Why is one day Victor Diaz Day and the next day Julio Franco Day and so forth? Is it a matter of player availability? A worry that if five other writers have a Tom Glavine profile on Thursday that you, theoretically the sixth, will look bad if you don't? These are two things I've always wondered. I appreciate your consideration of these questions, truly enjoy your reporting and can't wait to read your book. Thank you.

metirish Feb 21 2006 08:14 PM

Great questions G-Fafif, I have never taken Bondy all that seriously but I see your point, Adam I often wonder why TJ Quinn is not a regular anymore, IIRC he used to do Mets stuff quite a bit, now I only see him doing specials every few months, why is that?( that's probably not a fair question to ask you though).

PatchyFogg Feb 21 2006 10:58 PM

Good stuff, Frayed! Adam is the shiznit, or whatever the kids are saying these days.

G-Fafif Feb 22 2006 07:25 AM

Two more for Adam after reading an excerpt of your book (which only made me want to buy it more): 1) Talk radio hysteria aside, how, if at all, has the ethnic composition of the Mets' clubhouse affected your job? Do you feel you get the quotes/insights from Pedro, the Carloses and other Latin players that you need? Is there a language or cultural barrier between the beat writers (presumably mostly American-born and obviously English-speaking) and the Latino Mets? Do you find yourself leaning more heavily on the likes of Wright, Glavine, Floyd and other non-Latinos as your go-to guys as a result? Have you felt the need to brush up on or learn some Spanish given that baseball (not just the Mets) has so many Latin stars? It seemed to me we read a lot of quotes from Doug Mientkiewicz last year, a quotable fellow to be sure, but hardly the obvious team spokesman. I got the feeling that the writers, as a rule, were more comfortable going to an English-speaking semi-regular than to a Jose Reyes, who, while reasonably conversant in English, is probably limited in how much he can express himself in a second language at this point in his career/young life. 2) Is the concept of the "clubhouse leader" overrated? And has the absence of a definitive one in recent years hurt the Mets at all? I've noticed that the player tabbed as the leader of the Mets in any given year by the beat guys always seems to be a new player. Ventura in '99, Zeile in 2000, Vaughn (at least in theory) in 2002. This phenomenon dates back to John Franco in 1990 and Rick Cerone in 1991. Is there something about the Mets that creates a leadership vacuum? Is this all just one big coincidence? And bringing it back to my first question, is there a danger that a team on which more than half of the roster speaks Spanish as a first language (and almost half doesn't) will be prone to fatal fissures and cliques? Or is that where a strong manager comes in? Thanks again.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 22 2006 08:36 AM

Hi Adam – Thrilled to see you join us, and looking forward to your book. My question was inspired in part by your first chapter: 1) In retrospect, the Mets really punted in 2004: Duquette never got the full faith and credit of his bosses; money that might have netted Vlad Guererro in a soft market instead was used to pay off the Dolans and launch a new network; shortstop went to Kaz Matsui who proved not up to the task while Reyes sat out for a prolonged period injured… sulking? … and unhappy; Howe’s firing leaked; and there seemed to be a leadership crisis that ultimately resulted in the poor decision to trade Scott Kazmir. a) Who was really running the show in 2004? b) Regarding the Kazmir trade, some have pointed fingers aggressively at the “grey-haired baseball men” brought in as Duke’s lieutenants —Livesley and especially, Goldis – for exerting influence that overwhelmed more reasonable minds. What was the role of those two in the Kazmir-Zambrano deal, and was their influence poison as portrayed in some places, or “sour grapes” coming from those who might have disagreed with them on a thorny issue? What are they doing now that it appears Omar’s guys (Bernazard, etc) are calling the shots? c) Anonymous “leaks” appeared epidemic then, and you get the feeling they didn’t happen by accident. In general, what were the motivations of the leakees? Has the new leadership really put a stop to them, and if so, how? d) Despite all the handicaps, it seemed to me that until the Kazmir trade Duke was doing a heroic job: He gathered in some prospects in 2003, the Cameron signing was excellent, and he hired a stat guru called Ben Baumer, whose influence might have helped the Mets better compete particularly amid the budget cutting. We haven’t we seen Baumer’s name in print in 2 years. Why? What does the guy do all day? e) There was an undercurrent to the Reyes shenanigans in 2004 that really strained credulity. Am I right to suspect his major injury that year was “hurt feelings” as much as “sore hamstrings”? f) Seems to me Matsui’s troubles have been exacerbated by an inability to be understood – whether it was need to get glasses or not, the nature of his injuries, etc etc etc. Are the Mets guilty of underestimating the difficulty of understanding Matsui (or vice-versa?) Is there any indication that, beyond the fact that the fans seem to hate the poor guy and the Mets barely bother to protect him, that maybe, his translator sucks or something? I’m serious.

ABG Feb 22 2006 10:12 AM

Adam, Having read an excerpt of your book, it appears you have some excellent sources. How many of the sources in your book are primary? In writing, how cooperative were any or all of the following: Fred and Jeff Wilpon, Wille Randolph, Omar, Pedro, Beltran, and anyone associated with the Commisioner's office? Thanks and look forward to reading your whole book.

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 06:12 PM

Hi, guys. Rather than have a ton of questions to answer all on Monday, perhaps I can get ahead with some that have been posted ... On a scale of 1 to 10, a being "It was a baseball decision with no family issues whatsoever," and 10 being "Disassociate us from that crazy broad, I don't care if she's married to Sadaharu Oh," what influence did Ms. Benson have on the deal to trade her husband? Wow. That is a tough one to start. I'll say a 6. There obviously were a ton of other factors, too. - The belief Benson isn't a No. 3 starter on a postseason team. - They could use the cost savings ($5 million this year alone) to get a comparable or better starter at the trading deadline if needed. - That the bullpen needed to be improved, even after obtaining Duaner Sanchez. - That Heilman deserved to be in the rotation. If Omar had full autonomy, why didn't the Mets aggressively pursue re-hiring Bobby Valentine? I don't know Omar's exact feelings on Bobby Valentine, but I get the sense by the Willie Randolph hiring that Omar wanted someone he could mold -- which is different than control, by the way. It's the reason I believe he never really concerned Jim Leyland. Regardless, full autonomy doesn't exist anywhere. Owners have say on payroll caps, etc. And let's just say that I don't think one person in particular in the ownership group was particularly enamored with Valentine. Fan opinion is generally that the Cameron/Nady deal was a short sell for the Mets, and looks even shorter in the context of the market for centerfielders shifting in the sellers' favor late in the offseason. Do you think this is fair? I think they could have received more in return by waiting. But here are a few points: - Omar for whatever reason wanted to move quickly this winter. He was basically done with the big pieces by the time the winter meetings arrived. Basically they cleared salary here in order to take on the Delgado salary. And Nady fit in that they didn't know if it was going to be Delgado or Manny Ramirez. Nady could have slid to first if it was Manny. - Omar's point was that other teams wanted to see Cameron's health, which necessitated holding onto him into spring training possibly. By then, teams payrolls would be locked in. So while the Mets could have gotten more in prospects, perhaps, they would have eaten some of Cameron's contract. - Cameron wanted out, and I've seen recent speculation that Omar felt he needed to move Cameron before that became widely known. I don't particularly buy that. I think any savvy GM would see that Omar needed to move Cameron.

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 06:17 PM

Two questions: 1) Does it bother you that the Daily News is so slanted to the Yankees? Even given the relative success rates of the two New York teams, the front pages, back pages and inside pages given to the Yankees overwhelm those devoted to the Mets, to say nothing of the existence of a recurring column about "Bleacher Creatures" that is sickeningly pro-Yankee and anti-Met. Even if one takes Filip Bondy's effort as all in good fun, there is no equal time given to any other writer. It would be one thing if that was Bondy's shtick, period, but he's one of your paper's leading sports columnists and several times a year, he drops the pretense of objectivity altogether and tells us he thinks the Mets and their fans are a joke. We don't see Lupica or Olson or Ziegel do any such thing. Do you think your good work gets enough play in this environment? Have you ever discussed this with your editors? Or do you disagree with this read of your newspaper? (I buy the News, Newsday and the Times every day and check the Post online and I find nobody leans so obviously and heavily to the Yankees as the News.) I can't dispute the fact that there seems to be more Yankee copy of late than Mets copy. But I would say that as the Mets fan base becomes energized and the Mets have a successful season, the balance will begin shifting in the other direction. The Yankees have so many soap operas the Mets don't. In a way, that's a good thing. Bottom line is this spring that we've had a main story, notebook and column just about every day. In those three elements we've been able to cover just about everything going on here. 2) Why does almost every beat writer in spring training file virtually the same story, at least on the same topic, every day? Why is one day Victor Diaz Day and the next day Julio Franco Day and so forth? Is it a matter of player availability? A worry that if five other writers have a Tom Glavine profile on Thursday that you, theoretically the sixth, will look bad if you don't? I would hope that would change soon. The first week there's going to be a lot of overlap. Guys arrive on certain days and everyone feels compelled to write that person that day because they want people reading it in their paper. Case in point: Julio Franco was the only player to arrive a couple of days ago. So he ended up being many people's story that day. Because John Harper, a columnist at my paper, is in Port St. Lucie, I ended up doing a story on lefty relievers that day. One day the Times did a story on Brian Bannister. Everyone else pretty much did a right-field story that day, because that's the day both Xavier Nady and Victor Diaz showed up at camp.

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 06:19 PM

Great questions G-Fafif, I have never taken Bondy all that seriously but I see your point, Adam I often wonder why TJ Quinn is not a regular anymore, IIRC he used to do Mets stuff quite a bit, now I only see him doing specials every few months, why is that?( that's probably not a fair question to ask you though). T.J. Quinn, who preceded me on the Mets beat, was promoted four years ago to investigative sports writer. He appears less regularly, but the aim is to be more hard-hitting with each piece. He's at the Olympics now.

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 06:35 PM

Well, I'll be back at some point in the near future to continue ...

seawolf17 Feb 22 2006 06:36 PM

Thanks Adam!

metirish Feb 22 2006 06:47 PM

Thanks Adam,I told myself I'd buy your book if you actually showed up here, good job.

ScarletKnight41 Feb 22 2006 07:12 PM

Thank you Adam - I look forward to your future discussions here.

Zvon Feb 22 2006 07:14 PM

This is GREAT stuff Mr Rubin. Thanks for your time.

Edgy DC Feb 22 2006 08:23 PM

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 09:16 PM

Two more for Adam after reading an excerpt of your book (which only made me want to buy it more): 1) Talk radio hysteria aside, how, if at all, has the ethnic composition of the Mets' clubhouse affected your job? For the most part it hasn't. Do you feel you get the quotes/insights from Pedro, the Carloses and other Latin players that you need? Pedro is a great storyteller, which I think you'll see is reflected in the book. Carlos Beltran happens to be quiet, which has nothing to do with ethnicity. If you look at the Thursday stories, I think you'll find that Carlos Delgado is quite eloquent, too. Is there a language or cultural barrier between the beat writers (presumably mostly American-born and obviously English-speaking) and the Latino Mets? With the exception of Cuban defector Alay Soler, everyone competing for a major-league job speaks English very well. Certainly when Yusmeiro Petit was in the clubhouse, it was a lot more challenging to communicate, though I believe he spoke English with his teammates and just wasn't as comfortable with us. Players like Jose Reyes deserve a ton of credit. Reyes was an incredibly quick learner. Pedro has such a magnetic personality, his heritage is irrelevant. And the veteran Hispanic players have such a command of English they speak better than many natives. The challenge sometimes comes with the younger Hispanic players. They're capable of explaining what happened on a play, but you don't get the storytelling ability you do with, say, David Wright, who we now all know has a father who is a vice and narcotics captain with the Norfolk Police Department. The challenge is to get the stories told, too. Do you find yourself leaning more heavily on the likes of Wright, Glavine, Floyd and other non-Latinos as your go-to guys as a result? Have you felt the need to brush up on or learn some Spanish given that baseball (not just the Mets) has so many Latin stars? Reporters tend to gravitate to the most quotable people. I'm sure there's a subtle tendency to speak more often to people you share a background with, but there are obviously no shortage of Pedro quotes. Let's face it, though, it's a lot easier to speak with Brian Bannister about his brother going to pitch for Stanford in August than with Anderson Hernandez about a high-school age sibling. But the challenge of journalism is to present information in an unbiased, balanced manner and make sure you represent everything going on in the clubhouse. It seemed to me we read a lot of quotes from Doug Mientkiewicz last year, a quotable fellow to be sure, but hardly the obvious team spokesman. I got the feeling that the writers, as a rule, were more comfortable going to an English-speaking semi-regular than to a Jose Reyes, who, while reasonably conversant in English, is probably limited in how much he can express himself in a second language at this point in his career/young life. Doug Mientkiewicz is a different story. He couldn't stop himself from talking, which is a reason why he had a rocky relationship with Willie Randolph and irked some of his teammates. 2) Is the concept of the "clubhouse leader" overrated? And has the absence of a definitive one in recent years hurt the Mets at all? I've noticed that the player tabbed as the leader of the Mets in any given year by the beat guys always seems to be a new player. Ventura in '99, Zeile in 2000, Vaughn (at least in theory) in 2002. This phenomenon dates back to John Franco in 1990 and Rick Cerone in 1991. Is there something about the Mets that creates a leadership vacuum? Is this all just one big coincidence? And bringing it back to my first question, is there a danger that a team on which more than half of the roster speaks Spanish as a first language (and almost half doesn't) will be prone to fatal fissures and cliques? Or is that where a strong manager comes in? On winning teams, things are going well and I'm not sure how important one guy stepping up is. On a team on the bubble such as the Mets last season, it's more important. Pedro and Ramon Castro had great personalities and kept the clubhouse alive last season, but they weren't everyday players. Cameron would have been a leader, but he was absent too often because of his injuries. Mike Piazza certainly was the best player for several years, but he was a loner, pretty much divorced from the team. There are so many players on the 2006 team who are veterans and quality guys, I'm sure the role will shift day to day, but there won't be a void. Julio Franco, Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and even David Wright might be the guy to step up on a given day. As for ethnicity, the Mets' clubhouse was remarkable last year for the cross-cultural bonds. There's one passage in my book that is banter between Wright and Castro that really shows their mutual admiration. As for learning Spanish, I've studied the last two winters. I'm by no means fluent and would not do an interview in Spanish, but I hope if necessary I could get a point across.

metirish Feb 22 2006 09:22 PM

Adam you are going to at least make a dozen sales on your book with your apperence here......just kidding of course, any special site that I should order the book from or is Amazon ok?..you don't have a site is what I mean.

PatchyFogg Feb 22 2006 09:30 PM

If you're by a book store, it comes out 3/1. That's probably the fastest way to get it.

Nymr83 Feb 22 2006 09:33 PM

yeah...is there any website/bookstore where you get an extra cut for sending us that way?

Frayed Knot Feb 22 2006 09:37 PM

Hey cool, an early visit! Thanks for coming by Adam and don't forget to tell us a bit about what to expect from the book. Would I be correct in assuming that this is a more-or-less chronological account of Met-land dating from the Omar hiring through the '05 season? And, since much has been made about the "Latinization" of the team via Omar's signings/trades plus the team's marketing focus, is that a major theme of the book or simply one aspect of it that just happened to make for a snappy sub-title?

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 09:39 PM

1) In retrospect, the Mets really punted in 2004: Duquette never got the full faith and credit of his bosses; money that might have netted Vlad Guererro in a soft market instead was used to pay off the Dolans and launch a new network; shortstop went to Kaz Matsui who proved not up to the task while Reyes sat out for a prolonged period injured… sulking? … and unhappy; Howe’s firing leaked; and there seemed to be a leadership crisis that ultimately resulted in the poor decision to trade Scott Kazmir. a) Who was really running the show in 2004? There's really no simple answer. There were really too many people pulling in different directions. Too many voices, in essence. You had superscouts recommending certain things. You had ownership, while respecting Jim Duquette, probably not having as much faith as they do in Omar's baseball-evaluating ability. You had players with ownership's ear. As I said, it's not simple. b) Regarding the Kazmir trade, some have pointed fingers aggressively at the “grey-haired baseball men” brought in as Duke’s lieutenants —Livesley and especially, Goldis – for exerting influence that overwhelmed more reasonable minds. What was the role of those two in the Kazmir-Zambrano deal, and was their influence poison as portrayed in some places, or “sour grapes” coming from those who might have disagreed with them on a thorny issue? What are they doing now that it appears Omar’s guys (Bernazard, etc) are calling the shots? Livesey had Zambrano in Tampa Bay, and I'm sure he overstated Zambrano's merits. Al Goldis was probably more involved with the evaluation of Kazmir, but that's a little more murky. They have a year left on their contracts, if I remember correctly, but I haven't seen either this spring. Certainly they've been pushed out of the inner circle, at the least, with Tony Bernazard and Sandy Johnson much, much more influential. c) Anonymous “leaks” appeared epidemic then, and you get the feeling they didn’t happen by accident. In general, what were the motivations of the leakees? Has the new leadership really put a stop to them, and if so, how? Leaks can be a positive or negative thing. Say the Mets are about to pull the trigger on a big trade ... what's the point in keeping it secret until it's announced? If it's leaked, you get the back page of the paper in the days leading up to the official announcement, as well as the press conference coverage. Sometimes people are just chatty. Other times, people are trying to advance their own agenda. An agent may leak that he's negotiating with a certain team to create a bidding war, which is why anonymous quoting is dangerous. There are probably fewer leaks with the Mets now, but it's because things are going positively for the team, I suspect. d) Despite all the handicaps, it seemed to me that until the Kazmir trade Duke was doing a heroic job: He gathered in some prospects in 2003, the Cameron signing was excellent, and he hired a stat guru called Ben Baumer, whose influence might have helped the Mets better compete particularly amid the budget cutting. We haven’t we seen Baumer’s name in print in 2 years. Why? What does the guy do all day? I look at those trades more as salary dumps than anything. In reality, the only notable returns were Victor Diaz, Royce Ring and maybe Anderson Garcia, and the Mets got Diaz because they picked up a ton of Jeromy Burnitz's salary. I agree Duquette had a good first winter. The salary plummeted and he had Kaz Matsui forced on him, yet he still added Mike Cameron and Braden Looper. As for Ben Baumer, the Mets' culture is to keep their employees out of sight. I would say that why the Mets rely on data, it's probably a little stong to label his contribution heroic. I can't think of one signing that was a Moneyball-type move. e) There was an undercurrent to the Reyes shenanigans in 2004 that really strained credulity. Am I right to suspect his major injury that year was “hurt feelings” as much as “sore hamstrings”? Reyes was really hurt, if you're suggesting otherwise. Part of it was a medical staff not performing well. Part of it probably was hurt emotions with playing second base. I think, in general, people who feel good about themselves end up healthier. f) Seems to me Matsui’s troubles have been exacerbated by an inability to be understood – whether it was need to get glasses or not, the nature of his injuries, etc etc etc. Are the Mets guilty of underestimating the difficulty of understanding Matsui (or vice-versa?) Is there any indication that, beyond the fact that the fans seem to hate the poor guy and the Mets barely bother to protect him, that maybe, his translator sucks or something? I’m serious. Willie Randolph has mentioned a difficulty to communicate with Matsui as frustrating. Matsui actually hired a former teammate with the Seibu Lions to train and coach him away from the ballpark. Matsui is one of the great mysteries. Everyone who saw him in Japan swears they believed he would excel here.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 22 2006 09:45 PM

Hey awesome. Queen or the Doors?

Adam Rubin Feb 22 2006 09:46 PM

Having read an excerpt of your book, it appears you have some excellent sources. How many of the sources in your book are primary? In writing, how cooperative were any or all of the following: Fred and Jeff Wilpon, Wille Randolph, Omar, Pedro, Beltran, and anyone associated with the Commisioner's office? Thanks and look forward to reading your whole book. The Mets were very cooperative, for which I'm appreciative. I made Omar Minaya, Jim Duquette and Jay Horwitz aware early in the season that I was working on this project and they were wonderfully candid. Baseball writers are blessed with being in the clubhouse with the players from 3:30 to 6:15 every day, except for batting practice. Over the course of a 162-game schedule, it's remarkable access, and you truly get a feel for each player's personality. The Mets have a wonderful clubhouse. There really have been very few people I've disliked with the Mets over the past several years, despite the litany of superstars who you might think would be difficult to deal with because of their stature. Everyone by now has heard what a wonderful person David Wright is, but across the board -- Ramon Castro, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, Steve Trachsel, Heath Bell, Aaron Heilman, Braden Looper, Roberto Hernandez ... I could keep going -- there are so many great people. ... On a different note, thanks for the opportunity to answer these questions. I'm glad I've caught up. Some of these are sensitive topics, and it's not easy to answer them succintly. I'll look forward to chatting on Monday night. If I might give a quick plug for the book, it's available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com now, and it should be in bookstores next week.

Edgy DC Feb 22 2006 09:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 22 2006 09:54 PM

If you're looking for material for slow news day, I humbly suggest a plug for Kiss It Goodbye: The Frank Thomas Story. Mr. Thomas previously fielded some of our questions through his co-writer.

metirish Feb 22 2006 09:52 PM

Plug away Adam, the pleasure is ours, Amazon is doing a good deal for the free shipping, your book along with Baseball Prospectus 2006 for $28:50....I just ordered that deal...can't wait to read yours.

MFS62 Feb 23 2006 08:35 AM

Hi Adam. As my screen name implies, I've been a Mets fan since 1962. I was mentioned in last year's book "Inside the Mets Dugout" Two questions if I may: 1) While you've been down there in Spring Training, have you seen Rickey spending a lot of time with Jose Reyes? If so, are they working on? Baserunning? Pitch selection? Someting else? Who else has Rickey been working with? 2) I once heard Ralph Kiner say that in all of his years with the Mets, only one or two players have come to him for hitting tips. Can you please ask him who they were, and if they successfully put his tips into practice? Thanks in advance, and I'm looking forward to your book as well as the chat. Later

Johnny Dickshot Feb 23 2006 10:52 AM

Adam – thanks for tackling these questions. That the Mets “prefer to keep their employees out of sight” seems like a pretty good reason in itself to go check in now and again on what Baumer might be up to, don’t you think? Anyway, just as a suggestion, how teams view and apply analysis is a topic a lot of fans appear to be interested in today: the Mets especially seeing as under Omar they appear to be most comfortable in a traditional approach as opposed to whatever level of Moneyballness Duquette might have been leaning toward (I think the argument can be made that Cameron was a leading-edge Moneyball signing, and as noted in your reports then, affected or at least approved by Baumer’s proprietary data). A few more questions if I may: The Internet seems to have really changed how fans consume baseball, in good and oftentimes in bad ways, by allowing everyone to be a publisher or even a “journalist”— without necessarily committing any journalism while doing so. Have you found the Internet Rumor Industry causing you to do any additional legwork, chasing down reports that may or may not be legitimate? How has it helped? How tuned in are you to what’s being said about your work in the blogs? And in a world where the baseball fan can consume so much more information and opinions from more sources than ever, what can you do to be certain the Daily News remains essential reading? Which of your counterparts on the beat do you admire most and why? Victor Zambrano seemed to be rarely quoted last season, and it was very odd to catch him smiling. Is he really a sad and quiet guy?

Sandgnat Feb 23 2006 04:00 PM

Adam - you mentioned previously that Mike Piazza was a loner, pretty much divorced from the team. Was this always the case for the entire 7 years or was it more the final year or two that he was here? What was the cause of this? Was he simply a shy, quiet type of guy who kept to himself, or did most of the other players simply not like him for some reason? Was he close with anyone else in the clubhouse?

Nymr83 Feb 23 2006 05:02 PM

Adam- Of the trades that received lukewarm or hostile responses from the fans (losses of Cameron, Benson, Seo, and aquisition of LoDuca in my mind) which will have those fans biting their tongues a year from now and praising Minaya? Do you believe the Mets are a better team now than they were before Benson and Seo were traded?

Benjamin Grimm Feb 24 2006 07:05 AM

My copy of Pedro, Carlos, and Omar arrived yesterday, and I plan to start reading it next week. It looks great: a section with color photos, an index, and the photo of Pedro on the cover has him in the blue cap and a pinstriped jersey. (Mad props for that!) Adam, thanks for joining us. I still read the print edition of the Daily News every day, even though I moved away from New York over 17 years ago. It's great having you here. Here are my questions: How conscious are you of the back page? When you submit a story, do you consider whether or not it's back-page material? Do you get a special thrill when it does show up there, or feel disappointment when a worthy story doesn't? Do you know in advance where it's going to be placed, or do you find out when you get your copy of the paper? When you're in spring training, or on the road, do you get a print edition sent to you? How hard was it to get your book published? Was this your first attempt, or had you pitched other ideas in the past that didn't get picked up? If the Daily News offered you the Yankees beat tomorrow, would you jump at it, consider it, or turn it down outright? (We won't be offended, whatever your answer!) This was in Jon Heyman's column in Newsday this morning, regarding Lastings Milledge: ]One other high-ranking Mets person said flatly, "He's our leftfielder in 2007." I've read such things before. You may know or suspect who it was who said that, but I won't ask you to reveal who it was. But that's not the first time I've read such statements about Milledge. What do you think, though? Is he solidly in their plans for 2007, an "untouchable," or do you think he's merely untouchable until Barry Zito or Manny Ramirez or somebody else becomes available in July? Again, thanks for visiting with us. Please feel free to drop in on us during the season when your schedule permits. There's always some kind of Mets conversation going on, and we'd enjoy having you jump in whenever you'd like.

Bret Sabermetric Feb 24 2006 07:35 AM

Absolutely fantastic thread. Thank you, Mr. Rubin. Which do you value more--words Willie says, or actions Willie takes, in deciding how to tell the story accurately? For example, last week Willie was quoted as saying harshly (and correctly in my view) that Matsui is going to have to play well to get starts and at-bats, that his salary won't matter if he isn't playing well, etc, but these words are at odds with his practice (with Matsui and with others) in 2005, when he played veterans and never-will-be's getting high salaries over younger cheaper players. Did Willie change his mind after his first year? Is he just mouthing the words but is still committed to playing people on the basis of their salaries? Am I totally wrong about assessing Willie's practices in 2005 or his words in 2006?

Edgy DC Feb 24 2006 07:39 AM

I've got to think that the options are open. An undistinguished few months from Diaz and Nady and a contract-extending slugfest from Cliff Floyd and the Mets and the fans will be looking at Milledge in right. And that's if he continues to progress. But Adam may see it differently.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 07:21 PM

Here are a few more responses so I can try to start with a clean slate Monday ... Any special site that I should order the book from or is Amazon ok?..you don't have a site is what I mean. I don't have my own Web site, though Alan Schwarz -- with whom I had dinner tonight -- said I should. I'd be grateful if you bought it anywhere. I know it has been shipped to bookstores already. The release date is March 1, so I imagine it will be on shelves this week.

metirish Feb 26 2006 07:24 PM

No problem Adam, I ordered it form Amazon last week.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 07:29 PM

Would I be correct in assuming that this is a more-or-less chronological account of Met-land dating from the Omar hiring through the '05 season? The book opens with Fred and Jeff Wilpon secretly flying to Montreal to hire Omar Minaya in Sept. 2004. It flashes back a little and discusses the dysfunction that prompted the Wilpons to make the trip, but it's mostly chronological from that point. Chapter 1 is the '04-05 winter, Chapter 2 is spring training, Chapter 3 is the 0-5 start through the six straight wins that followed, etc. And, since much has been made about the "Latinization" of the team via Omar's signings/trades plus the team's marketing focus, is that a major theme of the book or simply one aspect of it that just happened to make for a snappy sub-title? There's a notable presence of the Hispanic angle throughout the book, including what people in the clubhouse thought about it, to some extent. The first chapter revisits those David Sloane e-mails and the John Leguizamo commercial. The spring training chapter has a lot about the notable difference in the clubhouse culture. And there are other times throughout the year when the topic flared up, including right after the promotions of Jose Santiago and Juan Padilla, when some players -- even Hispanic -- came to briefly believe that maybe Omar Minaya did want an all Latin team (at least 24 + David Wright).

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 07:47 PM

1) While you've been down there in Spring Training, have you seen Rickey spending a lot of time with Jose Reyes? If so, are they working on? Baserunning? Pitch selection? Someting else? Who else has Rickey been working with? Rickey actually is only scheduled to be in spring training for the final 10 days, once Jose Reyes returns from the World Baseball Classic. Darryl Strawberry will be in camp this week. 2) I once heard Ralph Kiner say that in all of his years with the Mets, only one or two players have come to him for hitting tips. Can you please ask him who they were, and if they successfully put his tips into practice? That might have to wait until the season. I don't expect Ralph will make any appearances in Port St. Lucie. Tom McCarthy, the new radio voice who came from the Phillies arrived today. Gary Cohen, I believe, will be visiting later this week. I'm sure we'll see Keith Hernandez soon. He has a place in Florida, I'm pretty sure.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 08:12 PM

The Internet seems to have really changed how fans consume baseball, in good and oftentimes in bad ways, by allowing everyone to be a publisher or even a “journalist”— without necessarily committing any journalism while doing so. Have you found the Internet Rumor Industry causing you to do any additional legwork, chasing down reports that may or may not be legitimate? How has it helped? How tuned in are you to what’s being said about your work in the blogs? It's helpful to the extent that people do find obscure links from time to time. It's frustrating in that people tend to be a little too liberal with the cutting and pasting. As for the rumors, it's generally pretty easy for me to discern what's real or not, because a lot of times I've already had direct conversations with the principals involved, just speaking on background. And in a world where the baseball fan can consume so much more information and opinions from more sources than ever, what can you do to be certain the Daily News remains essential reading? I'm pretty proud of the credibility of our reporting. Team announcements may end up getting on the Internet first, but there are plenty of things on a daily basis that we've delivered. Just in the past few days I've reported that Pedro is penciled in to pitch in the World Baseball Classic on March 13, after a Grapefruit League game March 7. Newspapers will eventually figure out the Internet, and when they do watch out, because their news-gathering ability is unrivaled, I believe. Which of your counterparts on the beat do you admire most and why? I like Marty Noble. In a day when beat turnover is high, he stands out, and readers benefit from his breadth of knowledge. Victor Zambrano seemed to be rarely quoted last season, and it was very odd to catch him smiling. Is he really a sad and quiet guy? He's smiling a lot more this year, which is one positive byproduct of having an increased Hispanic presence. He did seem a little shell shocked by New York. He is very quiet.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 08:23 PM

Adam - you mentioned previously that Mike Piazza was a loner, pretty much divorced from the team. Was this always the case for the entire 7 years or was it more the final year or two that he was here? What was the cause of this? Was he simply a shy, quiet type of guy who kept to himself, or did most of the other players simply not like him for some reason? Was he close with anyone else in the clubhouse? I've been around the team for five years, and that's what I've always observed. He was closer to guys like Ventura, Zeile and John Franco. In fact, after his last game as a Met, he went to dinner with Franco. His best friend actually was Charlie Samuels, the clubhouse manager. Piazza is a loner. He didn't have the most cheerful disposition, either.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 08:31 PM

Adam- Of the trades that received lukewarm or hostile responses from the fans (losses of Cameron, Benson, Seo, and aquisition of LoDuca in my mind) which will have those fans biting their tongues a year from now and praising Minaya? Do you believe the Mets are a better team now than they were before Benson and Seo were traded? I'm not sure Lo Duca should be lumped in with that group, because I don't think that was unpopular. Of the other trades, I'd predict fans will be most pleased with Duaner Sanchez. Like everyone else, I wouldn't have made both trades, because it leaves little safety net in the rotation, especially given Pedro's situation. The Mets needed to bulk up the bullpen, however.

Adam Rubin Feb 26 2006 08:53 PM

How conscious are you of the back page? When you submit a story, do you consider whether or not it's back-page material? Do you get a special thrill when it does show up there, or feel disappointment when a worthy story doesn't? Do you know in advance where it's going to be placed, or do you find out when you get your copy of the paper? Certainly the goal of any reporter is to maximize the attention your story gets, but you have to work with the subject matter. There are no Gary Sheffields here. I don't know specifically where it's going most of the time. When you're in spring training, or on the road, do you get a print edition sent to you? The Daily News is sold in Florida, so I see it every day, though it's a smaller edition. Basically, I wake up and read on the Internet the Mets coverage from the seven papers that cover the team on a regular basis. How hard was it to get your book published? Was this your first attempt, or had you pitched other ideas in the past that didn't get picked up? I had it much easier than most. My publisher, Lyons Press, did a Yankees-Red Sox book last year called "Tale of Two Cities." I work with John Harper, who was a co-author of that book. The publisher wanted to do a Mets book, and John and Tony Massarotti from the Boston Herald were kind enough to recommend me. If the Daily News offered you the Yankees beat tomorrow, would you jump at it, consider it, or turn it down outright? (We won't be offended, whatever your answer!) I'd turn it down. Too much aggravation trailing George Steinbrenner every day. Quote: One other high-ranking Mets person said flatly, "He's our leftfielder in 2007." I've read such things before. You may know or suspect who it was who said that, but I won't ask you to reveal who it was. But that's not the first time I've read such statements about Milledge. What do you think, though? Is he solidly in their plans for 2007, an "untouchable," or do you think he's merely untouchable until Barry Zito or Manny Ramirez or somebody else becomes available in July? I would always hedge when writing. There are no absolutes in baseball. I expect Floyd would move on after this year, but what happens if he's MVP of the World Series? I don't think you'll see Milledge traded, but if Zito will sign an extension, I would never rule anything out. That said, the Mets braintrust is enamored with Milledge, and rightfully so. Peter Gammons was at camp Saturday. Jeff Wilpon dragged Gammons over to a different field just to show Milledge off during batting practice.

metirish Feb 26 2006 09:15 PM

Adam I'm curious about something, you said before that Marty Noble is a writer that you look up too, as a person that has posted here for a few years I can tell you that Noble gets a lot of respect here, my point is this, in Newsday tomorrow Jon Heyman has a column about Gary Sheffield and Manny Ramirez, his point is this, both are not happy so trade Sheff for Manny, he even admits that this is based on nothing, this kind of stuff kills me, not long ago he was saying that the Mets must get him, would you ever just make crap up to fill a column?...I am sure the answer is no and I am not asking you to hammer Heyman but it's pure filler from him...thoughts? http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-sphey0227,0,4007122.column?coll=ny-sports-headlines

Nymr83 Feb 26 2006 10:45 PM

I'm fine with that article, the author goes out of his way to say that there are no rumors or "super secret sources that i can't reveal but swear exist." He's writing a filler column with some speculation and I'm glad he's straightforward about it.

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2006 12:11 PM

Just a reminder to all that Adam Rubin is scheduled to be by for a "live" online chat at 9 PM tonight to discuss both the state of the Mets in general and his upcoming (Wednesday) book in particular. The are no specific rules set up for this and it's not going to be "moderated" in any way; but I'm thinking that since this is a "real time" chat - as opposed to his early visits when he answered a bunch of our longer pre-submitted queries - maybe we can aim this towards a series of shorter questions which would allow all present to get a question or two in and not take A.R. too long to answer any one. An attempt to keep them to a more-or-less one at a time pace would also be preferable to throwing out a whole bunch at 9:02. So come on by if your schedule permits. Nothing like a little first-hand baseball talk to help deal with your curling withdrawl.

Benjamin Grimm Feb 27 2006 05:40 PM

Adam, thanks for all these great answers. Let's talk about Art Howe a little bit. Was he as bad a fit for the Mets as he seemed? Is there anything good you can say about his tenure that we might not have picked up on? How would you compare him to Willie Randolph, in his ability, his approach, the respect the players had for him? Fred Wilpon's desire to win has been questioned in this forum. What do you think? Is he as driven to win a World Series as Steinbrenner is? Or do the Wilpons put more value on revenue than championships?

The Brooklyn Bum Feb 27 2006 06:10 PM

Frayed Knot wrote: Just a reminder to all that Adam Rubin is scheduled to be by for a "live" online chat at 9 PM tonight to discuss both the state of the Mets in general and his upcoming (Wednesday) book in particular. The are no specific rules set up for this and it's not going to be "moderated" in any way; but I'm thinking that since this is a "real time" chat - as opposed to his early visits when he answered a bunch of our longer pre-submitted queries - maybe we can aim this towards a series of shorter questions which would allow all present to get a question or two in and not take A.R. too long to answer any one. An attempt to keep them to a more-or-less one at a time pace would also be preferable to throwing out a whole bunch at 9:02. So come on by if your schedule permits. Nothing like a little first-hand baseball talk to help deal with your curling withdrawl. Um, how would one find such a magical place?

Johnny Dickshot Feb 27 2006 06:21 PM

Adam, thanks again for coming back. Really enjoying your perspective and feel free to drop in anytime. What do you sense the Mets' plans are for Victor Diaz? Some of us feel that unless they go with 11 pitchers, he's a longshot to make the opening day roster. Jeff Wilpon: Among talk-radio callers and message boarders his brand image (cereal-eating, meddlesome, unworthy daddy's boy) probably couldn't be worse, but when pressed I don't believe they could articulate what he's really all about. Do you get a sense of how, if at all, he differs from his pop? Also -- are we to assume he someday runs the whole show, and if so, is there a succession plan out there yet?

G-Fafif Feb 27 2006 06:25 PM

Doesn't appear I'll be desktop at 9, so if I may toss out these quickies... --Jay Horwitz: Players seem to swear by him, media been known to swear at him. Man's had the job a long time. Your experience with him? --Mike Piazza: You mentioned his isolation earlier. Was there ever a chance he'd come back for '06? If not, why couldn't the two parties let it go and give the fans a chance to say a more definitive farewell? --Adam Rubin: Any players who have come and gone without particular on-field distinction in your time on the beat who we might not realize were very special people? Thanks in advance for these and thanks for your earlier answers. Will be lined up at a B&N later this week. Keep up the great work.

Edgy DC Feb 27 2006 06:37 PM

Sorry to bombard you, but I don't think I'll be online at nine. This year the Mets celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their 2006 World Championship. Among the festivities will be an on-field reunion of the particulars. How do you see that working out? a) Will all the principle players show? b) Do you suspect the strains of the relationships of some of the stars of that team with the organization dampen the spirit of the thing? c) Do you suspect the strains of the relationships of some of the stars of that team with the fans dampen the spirit of the thing? d) I notice that Darryl Strawberry, despite his latest arrest and estrangement from his wife Cherisse, has been brought back for a second go-round as a spring-training instructor. He also held an on-line chat at mlb.com where he declared that leaving the Mets was his biggest mistake. Should we (somewhat cynically) see this as part of a (somewhat cynical) time-intense campaign to rebuild his connection with Shea fans before he re-takes the field with his old teammates? Can we expect to see similar friendly faces from Dwight Gooden and Wally Backman in the next few months? e) Who in the Mets front office is doing the delicate work of arranging these festivities and bringing the principles back into the fold?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 06:42 PM

I'll try to get to a few of the lingering questions before we start at 9 ... Let's talk about Art Howe a little bit. Was he as bad a fit for the Mets as he seemed? Is there anything good you can say about his tenure that we might not have picked up on? How would you compare him to Willie Randolph, in his ability, his approach, the respect the players had for him? Let's be honest: Art's first year, the starting lineup was generally Mo Vaughn, Rey Sanchez, Roberto Alomar, Ty Wigginton, Roger Cedeno, Jeromy Burnitz, Mike Piazza and Cliff Floyd. Compare that to now and you'll know Art wasn't as bungling as he was made out to be. That said, I do think Willie Randolph has more respect in his clubhouse, while Art had more of a disconnect with his players. I also believe more teaching is going on now, but that's just as much an indictment of Art's staff.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 06:45 PM

Fred Wilpon's desire to win has been questioned in this forum. What do you think? Is he as driven to win a World Series as Steinbrenner is? Or do the Wilpons put more value on revenue than championships? Let's not forget, expect for the salary shaving when Jim Duquette was GM, the Mets have been hovering around third in MLB in payroll, behind the Yankees and Red Sox. I think it was more mismanagement than cheapness.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 06:48 PM

What do you sense the Mets' plans are for Victor Diaz? Some of us feel that unless they go with 11 pitchers, he's a longshot to make the opening day roster. While many people are suggesting it's a battle between Xavier Nady and Victor Diaz for right field, I emphatically think the real question is whether Diaz is on the 25-man roster. I think he faces an uphill battle, since he still has options. I'm confident Julio Franco, Jose Valentin, Chris Woodward and Ramon Castro are locks for the bench. I think Endy Chavez has the leg up on Tike Redman for No. 5. That's it if the Mets go with 12 pitchers, which has been their trend. I believe they would like to go with 11 pitchers, but that could have the way for Bret Boone if he outplays Matsui. Diaz is going to have to show more than just a good spring-training average. He's going to have to look charge in the outfield, too, and his concentration level on the basepaths, etc., will have to be evident to Willie Randolph.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 06:51 PM

Jeff Wilpon: Among talk-radio callers and message boarders his brand image (cereal-eating, meddlesome, unworthy daddy's boy) probably couldn't be worse, but when pressed I don't believe they could articulate what he's really all about. Do you get a sense of how, if at all, he differs from his pop? Also -- are we to assume he someday runs the whole show, and if so, is there a succession plan out there yet? I'm confident the Mets will be in the Wilpon family for at least a few more decades, with Jeff next in line to take over. In reality, Jeff oversees the day-to-day operations and is very hands on, while Fred seems more removed at this point, perhaps concentrating on other family business, such as the construction/development company. I actually thought the Wilpons did a smart thing laying low for a year after the debacle at the end of Art Howe's tenure. I think Jeff particularly has rehabilitated his image and is starting to be more visible at press conferences, etc.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 06:58 PM

--Jay Horwitz: Players seem to swear by him, media been known to swear at him. Man's had the job a long time. Your experience with him? I don't know that that's an accurate portrayal. I have a positive working relationship with Jay. As an aside, there's probably no one more passionate about the Mets than him. --Mike Piazza: You mentioned his isolation earlier. Was there ever a chance he'd come back for '06? If not, why couldn't the two parties let it go and give the fans a chance to say a more definitive farewell? I think the video tributes to him the final month of the season kind of let him know where he stood as far as coming back in a not-too-subtle way. To answer the latter part, I'm not sure the Mets could have done more than they did for an active player. --Adam Rubin: Any players who have come and gone without particular on-field distinction in your time on the beat who we might not realize were very special people? I have several favorites I'm sorry I don't get to see on a regular basis anymore. Jeff Duncan is a great guy. Craig Brazell, too. (I think he signed with Tampa, but I'm not positive.) I had a great relationship with Danny Garcia, though his confidence rubbed some people the wrong way. My all-time favorite among departed people might be Mike Jacobs, who we'll still get to see plenty of in the NL East. I still remember how dejected he was last spring when he learned he would be repeating at Double-A and moved to first base. I'm glad there's been a happy result, at least so far.

ScarletKnight41 Feb 27 2006 07:03 PM

Adam - what was it like dealing with the players in terms of interviewing them for your book? Were they open to the project, or hesitant?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:04 PM

This year the Mets celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their 2006 World Championship. Among the festivities will be an on-field reunion of the particulars. How do you see that working out? a) Will all the principle players show? I don't know yet. I guess we'll have to wait and see about Gooden. b) Do you suspect the strains of the relationships of some of the stars of that team with the organization dampen the spirit of the thing? I guess we'll have to wait and see about Ojeda, but I don't think it will be an impediment. Even the guys who left the organization this year, Teufel and Mookie, were helping sell tickets Sunday in New York, so there doesn't seem to be much tension. c) Do you suspect the strains of the relationships of some of the stars of that team with the fans dampen the spirit of the thing? I think they'll get embraced, as they should. d) I notice that Darryl Strawberry, despite his latest arrest and estrangement from his wife Cherisse, has been brought back for a second go-round as a spring-training instructor. He also held an on-line chat at mlb.com where he declared that leaving the Mets was his biggest mistake. Should we (somewhat cynically) see this as part of a (somewhat cynical) time-intense campaign to rebuild his connection with Shea fans before he re-takes the field with his old teammates? Can we expect to see similar friendly faces from Dwight Gooden and Wally Backman in the next few months? The Mets passed on Wally when they hired Juan Samuel as Double-A manager, so I don't see any interest in bringing him back to the organization now. Darryl has made it clear he wants no more role than a sporadic guest instructor. And if Gooden comes to the August event, I suspect that will be the extent of his Mets involvement. e) Who in the Mets front office is doing the delicate work of arranging these festivities and bringing the principles back into the fold? I'm sure there are several people, but I suspect they're leaning on Jay Horwitz in particular to round up the '86 gang.

The Brooklyn Bum Feb 27 2006 07:06 PM

Adam, what's it like working with Jesse Spector? Errr... Um.... I'll think of a real question...

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:07 PM

Adam - what was it like dealing with the players in terms of interviewing them for your book? Were they open to the project, or hesitant? Actually, I mentioned the book to a handful of players late in the season, but for the most part it was just from the access I'm afforded working for the Daily News. Baseball writers are blessed with plenty of time around the players, which is why fans get a better feel for the players than in any other sport. For a 7 p.m. game, I'm in the clubhouse at 3:30 p.m., and not out until 6:15, except for batting practice. Now, during spring training, I'm in the clubhouse around 8 a.m. until they get ready to stretch at 9:30. Then I'm back in after the workout.

Bret Sabermetric Feb 27 2006 07:08 PM

Not sure if you missed this from page 2 of this thread, Mr. Rubin, but in case you did, I asked a question about how you choose what's important in helping you to decide how to cast a story: Which do you value more--words Willie says, or actions Willie takes, in deciding how to tell the story accurately? For example, last week Willie was quoted as saying harshly (and correctly in my view) that Matsui is going to have to play well to get starts and at-bats, that his salary won't matter if he isn't playing well, etc, but these words are at odds with his practice (with Matsui and with others) in 2005, when he played veterans and never-will-be's getting high salaries over younger cheaper players. Did Willie change his mind after his first year? Is he just mouthing the words but is still committed to playing people on the basis of their salaries? Am I totally wrong about assessing Willie's practices in 2005 or his words in 2006?

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2006 07:09 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 27 2006 07:10 PM

Hi Adam, welcome back, In general, how much stock do you put into the adage that it's much tougher for players - particularly new ones - to thrive while playing in NYC? While I suspect that there is such a thing as players getting spooked by the increased scrutiny, I wonder if we Noo Yawkers aren't sometimes too quick to cite the bright lights/big city as cause-and-effect whenever a newcomer's numbers slip from their previous levels simply because it fits the pre-determined story line. Are there signs you look for as to whether or not it really is the increased glare that's causing an off-season and are there some (Beltran maybe?) who you definitely thought were affected (and is any of this a part of the book)?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:10 PM

Adam, what's it like working with Jesse Spector? Errr... Um.... I'll think of a real question... He's a great guy. Thanks for checking in Jesse.

The Brooklyn Bum Feb 27 2006 07:12 PM

Just for the record, I'm not Jesse, but he's a buddy of mine. I wouldn't got to that dump in the Bronx even if I was paid to. Real question: What's the hardest part of being a beat writer?

Edgy DC Feb 27 2006 07:13 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 27 2006 07:14 PM

This year the Mets celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their 2006 World Championship. Nice Kinerian slip there by Edgy.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:14 PM

Which do you value more--words Willie says, or actions Willie takes, in deciding how to tell the story accurately? For example, last week Willie was quoted as saying harshly (and correctly in my view) that Matsui is going to have to play well to get starts and at-bats, that his salary won't matter if he isn't playing well, etc, but these words are at odds with his practice (with Matsui and with others) in 2005, when he played veterans and never-will-be's getting high salaries over younger cheaper players. Did Willie change his mind after his first year? Is he just mouthing the words but is still committed to playing people on the basis of their salaries? Am I totally wrong about assessing Willie's practices in 2005 or his words in 2006? Sorry. Just an oversight ... That's why it's so important to have experience on the beat. You can read between the lines. Willie praised Matsui all winter, but his actions last year in liberally playing Miguel Cairo spoke volumes. The bottom line, too, is that Willie is the manager, and to a limited extent he's influenced by his bosses. I sat in with Willie a few days ago when he said he intended to play the best people, but he hedged slightly by saying contracts must be considered. The bottom line is, if Matsui is on this team and Boone is not, Matsui will start the season at second base. But he'll be on a short leash if he's underperforming, with guys like Valentin and Chris Woodward poised to step in and fill the role. You'll like -- or talk about, I think -- the story I've written for tomorrow. I think there's a chance you may see Matsui as the No. 2 hitter on a part-time basis this year.

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2006 07:18 PM

"I think there's a chance you may see Matsui as the No. 2 hitter on a part-time basis this year." I'm gonna guess that means Matsui as #2 while Castro is catching and LoDuca sitting, but we can wait until tomorrow's edition for that answer.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:19 PM

In general, how much stock do you put into the adage that it's much tougher for players - particularly new ones - to thrive while playing in NYC? Certainly the historical evidence -- whether it's the Mets or Yankees -- suggests it's real. The booing can make a player mentally fragile. If you remember Al Leiter's quote from last winter -- at least as told by David Sloane (which is in the book, by the way), Leiter basically says that the reporters chip away at your confidence, which feeds the talk-radio frenzy, which feeds the booing at the stadium, which further erodes your confidence ... New York isn't for everyone. There also are time-management issues because of the media demands and obviously the tempations of living in Manhattan in many cases. Are there signs you look for as to whether or not it really is the increased glare that's causing an off-season and are there some (Beltran maybe?) who you definitely thought were affected (and is any of this a part of the book)? I'm not going to dispute that Beltran was affected to a certain degree by the scrutiny of New York, as opposed to K.C. or Houston. But I really believe the primary factor in his struggles was the quadriceps injury that he did not allow to fully heal. He had one stolen base until the final day of June. He was a guy who stole 40-plus bases the previous two seasons. The leg injury also didn't allow him to play his best center field, which probably compounded his hitting problems since he couldn't feel good about anything.

The Brooklyn Bum Feb 27 2006 07:20 PM

Also to piggy back on Frayed Knot's question: Have any players (you don't have to name names) come flat out and said that playing/signing in NY was a mistake? Have any complained about the booing/talk radio/tabloids? Thanks.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:20 PM

Real question: What's the hardest part of being a beat writer? A few things come to mind. 160 days a year on the road isn't ideal. And, in New York, seven papers cover road games, so there's plenty of competition, whether for a major story or minor one.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:22 PM

"I think there's a chance you may see Matsui as the No. 2 hitter on a part-time basis this year." I'm gonna guess that means Matsui as #2 while Castro is catching and LoDuca sitting, but we can wait until tomorrow's edition for that answer. You just may be onto something, but please don't tell the other papers.

Edgy DC Feb 27 2006 07:23 PM

How seriously is the press corps taking the World Baseball Classic? How seriously are your editors? Will you be staying in Florida or going to some of the sites of the Classic?

ScarletKnight41 Feb 27 2006 07:23 PM

On the subject of being on the road so often, what is your best story ever that's related to covering the Mets on the road?

Johnny Dickshot Feb 27 2006 07:24 PM

Wow. Adam Bomb drops in the Pool.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:25 PM

Have any players (you don't have to name names) come flat out and said that playing/signing in NY was a mistake? I joked with Tom Glavine for a few years about that, but he's never actually said it. None, honestly, come immediately to mind. Mike Cameron had a few moments, like when we approached him in K.C. in 2004, before Beltran was traded to the Astros. We asked him what he thought about the possibility of Beltran being a Met and he said he would have just signed with Atlanta if he knew that would happen. Have any complained about the booing/talk radio/tabloids? Many have complained. Al Leiter among the loudest. Thanks.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 27 2006 07:26 PM

Going way back in time (if this is before yours, please overlook): But when Steve Phillips whacked Valentine's coaches in June of 99, did he hhave a replacement manager in mind in the event Bobby resigned? That question kills me.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:28 PM

How seriously is the press corps taking the World Baseball Classic? How seriously are your editors? Will you be staying in Florida or going to some of the sites of the Classic? I think U.S. sports editors, in general, won't treat it very seriously. If there's not a major player from your market playing, you'll probably see very little coverage, probably just an AP roundup. I suspect the New York papers will treat it very differently. I expect we'll have reporters at most venues, though the focus -- expect maybe in a Cuba game -- will center on the New York athlete, whether it's Pedro, Jeter, Damon, A-Rod, Beltran, Delgado, whatever. I'll be staying in Mets camp. That's the nice part about a large staff.

Rotblatt Feb 27 2006 07:29 PM

Adam, thanks for taking the time to candidly answer our questions! Chase Lambin put up some sick stats in AA & AAA for a middle infielder last year, hitting 24 HR in under 400 at bats, yet I never hear him mentioned anywhere. I know he's not exactly young at 26, but given our 2B situation, why isn't he ever brought up?

PatchyFogg Feb 27 2006 07:30 PM

Hi Adam, first time, long time. Is it true that Bret Boone got Kaz's usual Spring Training locker? And, who is Henry Owens and why is Paul LoDuca carrying his bags? As always, thanks.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:33 PM

On the subject of being on the road so often, what is your best story ever that's related to covering the Mets on the road? Wow. That's tough. There are boring things, like trying to cover the trading deadline at Olympic Stadium in Montreal a few years ago with poor cell-phone reception. There was Mike Piazza declaring his heterosexuality in Philly. There also was getting to Coors Field in Denver real early one afternoon and stumbling onto Piazza taking ground balls at first base for the first time, using a glove that Joe McEwing had borrowed from Jeff Manto when they were cleaning out Manto's garage. There are a couple of stories in the book set on the road that people might like. One was the opening series last season in Cincinnati, when MSG cameras claimed to have caught Jose Santiago in the stands behind the Mets' dugout. Another came in Houston at the trading deadline, when Marlon Anderson took Carlos Beltran to see a televangelist at the old Compaq Center where the Rockets used to play. The reporters generally stay in separate hotels from the players -- intentionally on the reporters' parts -- so it's not too different a relationship with them than if the game were at Shea.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:36 PM

Going way back in time (if this is before yours, please overlook): But when Steve Phillips whacked Valentine's coaches in June of 99, did he hhave a replacement manager in mind in the event Bobby resigned? That question kills me. You'd have to ask my predecessor, TJ Quinn, that one. I starting taking over for T.J. during Bobby Valentine's final year and got the beat officially in Jan. 2003

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:38 PM

Chase Lambin put up some sick stats in AA & AAA for a middle infielder last year, hitting 24 HR in under 400 at bats, yet I never hear him mentioned anywhere. I know he's not exactly young at 26, but given our 2B situation, why isn't he ever brought up? Anderson Hernandez is the future at second base. And from the Binghamton games I've seen, Lambin doesn't have major-league range, though he is a tremendously good person.

The Brooklyn Bum Feb 27 2006 07:41 PM

Adam, thanks again for taking the time to answer our questions. I got one more that's been killing me: Have you suspeced any Met of taking steroids or amphetamines? Again, you don't have to name names, I'm just wondering if there was a 'buzz' that player x was on roids or uppers.

Rotblatt Feb 27 2006 07:41 PM

Why did Seo spend so much time dominating AAA hitters while Ishii was serving up batting practice last year? In your opinion, was it institutional or a personality conflict or what? On that note, Brian Daubach was having a monster season in AAA, and when he finally got called up, Willie hardly used him at all. Any idea of the rationale behind that?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:43 PM

Is it true that Bret Boone got Kaz's usual Spring Training locker? Thanks for the questions. I want to say that's correct about Boone getting Matsui's old locker. The most senior major leaguers tend to get the corner lockers, like Boone, which pushed Matsui to the inside of a row. I'm not sure it means much. Jose Reyes is between Wright and Matsui on that row, and I know the Mets are high on him. And, who is Henry Owens and why is Paul LoDuca carrying his bags? Henry Owens is one of my new favorites. He's a great guy, in addition to an up-and-coming pitcher. For whatever it's worth, he and Philip Humber are very good friends. Henry is a converted catcher claimed in the Rule 5 draft who hit 100 mph on radar guns. His pitches are hard to pick up because he short arms the ball to a certain extent, so it looks like the ball is being released from his neck. I used this story in the paper a few days ago, but minor-league teammate Alhaji Turay, when he entered Henry into the phonebook on his cell phone, typed his name as Henry "Adam's Apple" Owens because of where the ball looks like it's being released. As for the photo of Lo Duca carrying his bags, Henry was quite amused about that. He was walking into the clubhouse from the parking lot with some belongings. Lo Duca offered to help him. Photographers snapped away.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 27 2006 07:44 PM

Care to make a prediction on the NL East standings?

Rotblatt Feb 27 2006 07:45 PM

]Anderson Hernandez is the future at second base. Now that's interesting to me. Most of the experts over at BA & whatnot seem to think Hernandez is a future back-up, at best. Are the Mets pretty convinced that he's got a future as a regular? On that note, are there any other minor leaguers who the Mets have their eyes on?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:45 PM

Have you suspected any Met of taking steroids or amphetamines? Again, you don't have to name names, I'm just wondering if there was a 'buzz' that player x was on roids or uppers. Yes, on both counts, though no one currently on the team. With the latter drug, one player, in Montreal actually, had heart palpitations a few years ago. He blamed it on coffee, but teammates suggested otherwise.

Edgy DC Feb 27 2006 07:48 PM

Alll the sh** goes down in Montreal. I knew it.

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2006 07:49 PM

And as a bit of a follow-up to some of Rotblatt's questions about minor leaguers: I noticed during the few times I've heard you on the radio and also in some of your columns from last year that you have a pretty good grasp on Met minor leaguers - something it's always seemed to me that the big city media has ignored for the most part over the years. I've also seen some of the other papers (Newsday most notably) start to pay more attention in the last year or so as well. Is this something you and/or your paper have made a conscious effort to follow more closely as compared to previous years?

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:49 PM

Why did Seo spend so much time dominating AAA hitters while Ishii was serving up batting practice last year? In your opinion, was it institutional or a personality conflict or what? Someone asked earlier about whether contracts dictate playing time. Yes, to a certain extent, as do trades. That's the same reason why Nady would start over Diaz in right field unless something extraordinary happens. In Seo's case, he might not have been as successful if he got called up quickly. He learned two new pitches while he was at Norfolk -- the cutter and splitter, I believe, off the top of my head -- which contributed to the success when he returned. On that note, Brian Daubach was having a monster season in AAA, and when he finally got called up, Willie hardly used him at all. Any idea of the rationale behind that? There are some people who are known as 4A players -- great Triple-A stats, but can't get it done at the major-league level. Daubach probably qualifies at this point.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:50 PM

Care to make a prediction on the NL East standings? Braves Mets Phillies Nationals Marlins But Mets make the postseason as the wild card. There's probably no logical explanation to pick the Braves, other than if a coin comes up heads 14 straight times, you might as well pick it again. So much will be dictated by Pedro's health.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 07:56 PM

Now that's interesting to me. Most of the experts over at BA & whatnot seem to think Hernandez is a future back-up, at best. Are the Mets pretty convinced that he's got a future as a regular? On that note, are there any other minor leaguers who the Mets have their eyes on? Before this past year, Hernandez hasn't hit, so back-up might have been his ceiling. But he did a nice job in winter ball to follow up on a solid minor-league season, during which he was much more patient at the plate than in the past. In the short term, the second baseman for the Mets will be asked to bat eighth and the priority ought to be defense, which would be Hernandez's forte. I'm sure if there were some major second baseman available via free agency or trade after the season, the Mets would at least explore it. After al, Matsui's contract is up. The minor leaguers you'll probably see at some point this season: Anderson Hernandez Mike Pelfrey Brian Bannister (in a Seo-like scenario, if one comes about) Henry Owens I'm not sure you can label Heath Bell and Juan Padilla minor leaguers, but they have options, so they very well could start the season in the minors and join the team in a month or two. There are other guys who might have a Jose Santiago-like role, such as Jeremi Gonzalez. Lastings Milledge could be up in September, but the Mets being in a playoff race will limit call-ups. I'm rooting for Matt Lindstrom, who is going to throw off a mound for the first time Tuesday since the stress fracture in his arm. He thinks his walks were way up last season because he was pitching in pain most of the year. Hopefully the free passes will drop back down to a normal level now.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 08:02 PM

And as a bit of a follow-up to some of Rotblatt's questions about minor leaguers: I noticed during the few times I've heard you on the radio and also in some of your columns from last year that you have a pretty good grasp on Met minor leaguers - something it's always seemed to me that the big city media has ignored for the most part over the years. I've also seen some of the other papers (Newsday most notably) start to pay more attention in the last year or so as well. Is this something you and/or your paper have made a conscious effort to follow more closely as compared to previous years? I used to cover minor-league baseball when I worked in Birmingham, Ala. In fact, I covered White Sox prospects Joe Crede, Mark Buehrle, Aaron Rowand and Jon Garland there, as well as ex-Met Matt Ginter. So I'm very fond of the minors, particularly Double-A. I can't say I have a great handle on the low-A guys, but I attend enough Binghamton games a year to have a pretty good handle on the upper levels. Plus, I purposely spend a lot of time in the clubhouse during spring training with the minor leaguers in big-league camp. I also attend the minicamp. I've spent a lot of time this spring with Philip Humber, Henry Owens, Matt Lindstrom, Brian Bannister and Joe Hietpas. I'm just getting to know Mike Pelfrey and Lastings Milledge. And I'm also around Drew Butera, Jason Scobie and several others.

Adam Rubin Feb 27 2006 08:05 PM

Well, I seem to have exhausted the questions. And I've got an early wake-up call. I read seven papers' Mets coverage in the morning, then am in the clubhouse by 8 a.m. So if I could give one last plug for the book, which should be in stores in a day or two, if it's not already, it's called Pedro, Carlos and Omar. It's always available online. Here are a couple of links ... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592288758/qid=1133584879/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/104-7288835-4754339?n=507846&s=books&v=glance http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=Bf2N7DeCY5&isbn=1592288758&itm=1

ScarletKnight41 Feb 27 2006 08:06 PM

Adam - thank you for your time and your participation in this chat. Best of luck with the book!

Frayed Knot Feb 27 2006 08:08 PM

Thanks Adam, Between your earlier visits plus tonight I think you've gone above and beyond. And I think it's safe to say that many here are looking forward to the book.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 27 2006 08:08 PM

Many thanks.

Rotblatt Feb 27 2006 08:09 PM

Are there any online-only colums/weblogs/etc. that you find particularly entertaining or informative? Last question: Willie got a lot of crap from us here for a variety of reasons, but I think the biggest perceived flaw was that he was inflexibile. He decided Cairo was his guy, and he stuck with him until he got injured. Heilman & Seo were spot starters, so they got sent back to where they came from when they weren't needed, even though they were pretty dominant (Seo had an ERA of 2.00 through 3 starts between 4/23 & 5/4). Willie's been a little more flexible in camp this year--shorter practices, etc.--do you think that's a sign of things to come or do you think he'll remain as stubborn as he was last year?

Edgy DC Feb 27 2006 08:09 PM

Well played.

metirish Feb 27 2006 08:14 PM

Adam thanks a bunch, this was cool of you, also I saw a TJ Quinn article in the News today( I had asked where he was). ON Edit...I'm Nolan Ryan....bringing the heat....

Benjamin Grimm Feb 28 2006 08:27 AM

That was terrific. Great job by Frayed Knot setting that up. (And Patchy too, who I assume was also involved.) I hope he decides to visit us again some day.

Frayed Knot Feb 28 2006 08:24 PM

Yes, Patchy Fogg deserves a significant assist for Adam's visit. It certainly helps when you're inviting a guest to have someone already in contact lie to ... umm, I mean vouch for the fact that this site isn't filled with a bunch a stereotyped screaming internet weenies with an MTV-like attention span and the social skills of Boo Radley. Well, not most of us anyway. P.S. I think we can un-stick this one now.

PatchyFogg Feb 28 2006 08:34 PM

I can tell you that Adam looks forward to doing this again with the folks at the CPF, so all praise the Knot of Frayed-dom.