Time to root for the Braves to win the NL East

Last week, I cancelled my DVR recordings of Met games. This week, I am officially rooting for the Braves to beat the Phillies, since obviously the Mets have no chance. I am also hoping against hope that Omar Minaya starts turning some veterans into prospects, otherwise known as "selling."

If he is afraid to sell players because ownership wants to sell tickets, he does not have a good read on the emotional state of Met fans. Most fans, including me, would rather see some hungry, young players brought in to finish the season, instead of watching this collection of broken-down, and/or broken-spirited guys.

It is time to start planning for the future, or at least the part of the future that is 2010. Anyone that is not part of the long-term plan needs to go, especially those guys that have some value to someone else. The Mets should be willing to eat most of their salaries, in order to maximize the return on players such as Gary Sheffield, Livan Hernandez, Brian Schneider, Elmer Dessens, and Luis Castillo. If Carlos Delgado returns this year, I would also include him in the list. It's probably too late to trade Jose Reyes this year, but I would shop him in the off-season.

Castillo, under the most intense fan dislike that one can experience, has actually been the Mets' most consistent offensive contributor this year. If they can entice another team to give up something useful, now is the time, before he gets hurt again, or starts to play like it was 2008.

Baseball is a young man's game, and Omar Minaya is obviously an old man's GM. He needs to adjust or get fired, simple as that. If I were the Wilpons, I would get rid of Minaya, Tony Bernazard, and any other front office guys that are causing division in management. It is time to hire player development experts and fill the organization with great teachers, especially at the lowest levels.

One great move would be to fire Dan Warthen, and hire Greg Maddux to be the pitching coach. The Braves have always had a better GM, a better manager, and usually a better pitching coach than the Mets. It's time to steal one of their great minds and start training pitchers in the Braves' way.

Caroms Off the Wall

You know your team is in trouble when an injury to Fernando Nieve is the final nail in the coffin.


© Judy Kamilhor 2009