Wherefore Art Thou, Wilmer?

This is how I would look if Ruben Tejada was keeping me on the bench.  (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Wilmer Flores was called up to the majors a little over a week ago to play shortstop for the slumping Ruben Tejada.  Flores started two games at short, collecting two hits and drawing a walk, then got sick and hasn't been seen in the starting lineup since May 10.

A day after Flores last played, Tejada went 2-for-4 and drove in the winning run in an extra-inning victory over the Phillies.  Tejada has been in the starting lineup ever since.  There's only one problem with this.

Tejada was hitting .181 before his extra-inning heroics.  He's hitting .176 since.  And Flores is no longer sick.  But not only is he not starting games, he hasn't even been used as a pinch-hitter.  At all.  That's zero at-bats, zero plate appearances.  And I have zero answers.

Earlier today, Adam Rubin tweeted that Tejada will continue to be the Mets' primary shortstop.  He also mentioned that Flores might move over to second base the next time the Mets face a southpaw to give the left-handed hitting Daniel Murphy a day off.  Again, there's a problem there.

Daniel Murphy is hitting .359 versus all left-handed pitchers and also has a .538 slugging percentage against them.  But that's actually low compared to his numbers in games started by southpaws.  In those games, Murphy is hitting .441 with seven extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple, two homers).  For all you kids out there, that's a .794 slugging percentage is games started by southpaws.

So let me get this straight.

Terry Collins would rather start a player who was having an awful time with the bat (Tejada had a .181 batting average and a .299 on-base percentage through May 9), then had one good game before getting even worse at the plate since then (.176 average, .263 OBP).  In addition, he'd like to find room for Flores by sitting Murphy when a left-handed starter is on the mound.  And of course, Murphy is hitting the cover off the ball under those circumstances.

Yup, that seems about right if you're taking notes from the "Managing For Dummies" manual.

Come on, Terry.  You're a better manager than that.  I understand that Flores was sick.  And I understand that Daniel Murphy needs a day off before the summer heat arrives.  But can't you find more time for Flores at shortstop instead of second?  I mean, Daniel Murphy on his worst hitting day is still better than Ruben Tejada on his best.  And if you really don't want to put Flores in the starting lineup, at least let him pinch-hit every once in a while, especially since it doesn't look like he's being sent back to Las Vegas anytime soon.

Wilmer, Wilmer, wherefore are thou, Wilmer?  If Terry Collins continues to have his way, the only place you will find Wilmer Flores these days is on the Mets bench.  And that just makes everyone sick, not just Flores.

Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Davey?

The David Wright contract extension.  That's what on the minds of all Mets fans today, especially with conflicting reports that Wright has been offered a long-term extension.

Over at ESPNNewYork, Adam Rubin's sources claim that the Mets have offered Wright a seven-year extension that would allow him to remain a Met until 2020.  But MLBTR is reporting that no such deal has been offered.  In fact, Wright himself was quoted on the site, saying:

"I have said from Day 1 that I want to play my entire career with the New York Mets.  I remain hopeful that goal can be achieved.  However, I am disappointed by the reports that I have read today which are inaccurate."

Wright's "now you see the extension, now you don't" news comes a day after the Tampa Bay Rays gave homegrown third baseman Evan Longoria a six-year extension worth $100 million.  Earlier this year, the Nationals signed the man in their hot corner to a similar deal, keeping Ryan Zimmerman in Washington through 2019, with a team option for 2020.

Both six-year, $100 million extensions were signed after each player was coming off an injury.  Zimmerman's deal this spring came after he played only 101 games in 2011 and posted the worst power numbers of his career (12 HR, 49 RBI).  Similarly, Evan Longoria signed his extension after missing 88 games for Tampa Bay in 2012.  Both Zimmerman and Longoria were 27 years old at the time their new contracts were signed.

David Wright will turn 30 in three weeks.  He was not injured in 2012 and posted fine numbers (.306, 41 doubles, 21 HR, 93 RBI).  However, his production fell off during the second half, as it has over the past few seasons in which he was fully healthy.

Zimmerman and Longoria are just entering their prime.  Wright will soon be leaving his.  If the Mets do offer Wright a seven-year extension, which would not begin until the 2014 campaign, that would keep him in New York through 2020, his age 37 season.  Will he be worth the amount of money the Mets would be paying him that year?

Carlos Beltran was given a seven-year deal by the Mets at age 27.  He played well until he was 31, then started to miss large chunks of time with injuries.  Before Beltran, there was Mike Piazza, who also signed a seven-year deal to remain a Met after the 1998 season.  Piazza had his last .300 season in 2001 at age 32 (the third year of his seven-year deal) and his final 30-homer season at age 33 (his fourth year).

If the Mets are truly going to give Wright a seven-year deal, they have to make sure they don't backload it with a high salary that will make it difficult to bring in other players once Wright starts to slow down, whether it be through injuries (like Beltran) or age and a demanding position (like Piazza).

Is Wright going to remain a Met for life?  Conflicting reports are confusing the issue.  But one thing the Mets should not be confused about is letting Zimmerman and Longoria's deals affect what they're going to do with Wright.  Both players are younger than Wright and should get more money because of it.  But Wright's best season may already be behind him.  It's up to the Mets to notice that before they talk dollars and cents with their third baseman.

Broken News: Lucas Duda Can't Afford Movers

Welcome to the latest edition of Broken News, where someone else breaks the news, then we break it some more.  In today's edition, we literally have broken news, or more accurately, we have news of a break.

Earlier today, Adam Rubin reported that Mets' outfielder Lucas Duda underwent surgery to repair a fractured right wrist, which he sustained while moving furniture in his California home.  The surgery should allow Duda to be ready for spring training, according to the team.

Lucas Duda made a shade under $500,000 this past season and is expected to get a raise in 2013.  (Duda got an $83,200 raise after the 2011 season.)  He can afford to hire someone to move his furniture around.  But no.  The man who flubbed many a fly ball in right field has now made an error at home, joining the likes of Hunter Pence (injured when he walked through a sliding glass door in his spring training apartment), Clint Barmes (broke his collarbone while carrying venison up a flight of stairs), Joel Zumaya (inflamed wrist on his throwing hand due to an addiction to Guitar Hero) and the granddaddy of all "stay-at-home" injuries, Glenallen Hill, who injured himself sleepwalking while trying to flee from nightmarish spiders (no word on whether Freddy Krueger had something to do with Hill's injury).

At least Duda won't miss any games with his injury, like Pence, Barmes, Zumaya and Hill did.  But his injury should:

a) teach him about the wonders of hiring movers, or at the very least, a neighbor who could use a few extra bucks, and

b) serve as a notice to his teammates (like the one pictured below high-fiving Duda) that injuries can happen at any time, even when doing the most mundane things.

Justin Turner, take heed.  You don't want to end up like 2009 NL Rookie of the Year Chris Coghlan, who followed up his sensational rookie season by getting injured while giving a teammate a shaving cream pie to the face.   The Mets have enough weird injuries as it is.

I Have The Solution To The Mets' Bullpen Problem!

After the Mets' meltdown across the border in Toronto, where they allowed 14 runs to the Blue Jays (including six more runs given up by the bullpen), the team decided a change needed to be made.  As per ESPNNewYork's own Adam Rubin, the Mets are expected to call up Jeremy Hefner to fortify their tattered bullpen.  Although the Mets have made no formal announcement of this transaction as of this writing, the prime candidate for demotion/release/being sent to the principal's office is Manny Acosta (although the team is leaning toward demoting Jordany Valdespin and his "I own Jonathan Papelbon" shirt).

Acosta allowed five runs to the Blue Jays last night in two innings of so-called "work".  For the season, Acosta has allowed 27 runs (23 earned) in 19⅔ innings.  He has allowed more runs than any pitcher on the Mets' staff except Dillon Gee.  Yes, you read that correctly.  A relief pitcher is second on the team in runs allowed.  R.A. Dickey, who has thrown 30⅔ innings more than Acosta, has allowed five fewer runs (two fewer earned runs) than the man who has continued the tradition of putrid pitching in uniform No. 46.

Jeremy Hefner had a cup of coffee in the major leagues earlier this season, pitching three innings of scoreless relief in a loss to the Giants.  That's fine and dandy.  But it's still only three innings of major league experience.  He might not be the long-term solution.  But I might just have a better solution.

Earlier today, I had a discussion with Clayton Collier.  (Follow him on Twitter here, why don't ya?)  Clayton is a writer for numerous sites, such as Mets Merized Online, and is the founder/head baseball writer at Trifecta Sports, so it's safe to say he knows what he's talking about when it comes to baseball and the Mets.

In our discussion, we talked about some previous faux suggestions for bullpen help, such as Tim Tebow, whose erratic left arm would strike the fear of God into opposing batters.  Clayton also suggested Jeremy Lin, although his curveball isn't as good as his crossover.

That's when the eco-friendly light bulb lit up above my head (albeit dimly).  I know what the Mets have to do to strengthen their bullpen.  Cue up the video...





That's right, kids!  I'm throwing my own Mets hat into the ring.  I'm nominating myself to help the Mets' relief corps.

You see, when R.A. Dickey gave me tips on how to throw a knuckleball, I shocked him by not only throwing a perfect strike, but by knocking his ball out of the hole.  (Dickey threw a practice pitch and embedded it into the haystack that served as the strike zone.  My pitch hit his ball in the center of the strike zone and dislodged it.)

Hitters would be so confounded by my knuckleball, a stark contrast to the 100-MPH heat thrown by Bobby Parnell and the assortment of other pitches thrown by the rest of the crew, that they wouldn't know what to do with it.  Either that or they'd just laugh so hard at the out-of-shape noob on the mound that they wouldn't notice strike three fluttering by.

Think about it, Mets fans.  It makes sense on so many levels.  I have acquired pitching experience from my personal lesson with knuckleball guru R.A. Dickey.  I also own many personalized Mets jerseys, so I'd even save the cash-strapped Wilpons some money since they wouldn't have to make new uniforms for me.

It's time to get the campaign rolling!  Let's get some fresh blood into the Mets bullpen!  No more turning the relief corps into the relief corpse!

Put me in, coach!  I'm ready to play!  Look at me, I can be ... your reliever!

Smells Like A Good Deal For Jonathon Niese!

It looks like our fav'rit homegrown lefty starter will be calling New York home for a very long time.  According to Adam Rubin, the Mets and Jonathon Niese will soon be shaking hands on a five-year deal worth approximately $28.5 million.  The deal would also call for two team options in 2017 and 2018, worth $11 million and $11.5 million, respectively.

Once the two sides have crossed their i's and dotted their t's (or is it the other way around), the deal will be made official.  It would be the first contract of more than two years signed by a Met under Sandy Alderson's watch and would also keep Niese in Flushing until he is in his 30s.

Keeping Niese into his 30s would give the Mets stability in the starting rotation.  But it would also give the team a chance to finally keep one of its homegrown players for the majority of his career.  With all the uncertainty surrounding David Wright and the possibility he will not be with the team in 2013, Niese could become the first homegrown player since Vance Wilson in 2003 to remain with the team until after his 30th birthday.

Even if Niese's club options for 2017 and 2018 aren't picked up, Niese has a good chance to establish himself as one of the top pitchers in franchise history.  That might seem like a stretch right now, but consider the following:

Jonathon Niese is currently tied for 43rd place on the Mets' all-time list with 22 victories.  Should he average only nine wins per year over the next five years, he would crack the top ten, surpassing Steve Trachsel, who is currently 10th on the Mets' all-time wins list with 66.  Despite spending time on the disabled list in 2010 and 2011, Niese reached the nine-win mark in both seasons.

With 315 strikeouts as a Met, Jonathon Niese is currently No. 39 on the team's all-time strikeout list.  Niese has averaged 143 strikeouts per season over the last two years, even with the time missed due to injuries.  If Niese were to average that amount over the duration of his contract (not including the option years), he would add 715 strikeouts to his career total, giving him 1,030 lifetime strikeouts.  Only seven pitchers in Mets history have reached that lofty total (Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, Jerry Koosman, Sid Fernandez, David Cone, Ron Darling, Al Leiter).

The Mets have had their share of excellent right-handed pitchers, such as the aforementioned Seaver, Gooden, Cone and Darling.  However, besides Koosman, Fernandez and Leiter, the only other left-handed pitcher in Mets' history to appear regularly on the club's all-time leaderboards is Jon Matlack.  (Johan Santana hasn't been healthy enough to appear on these lists and we're not discussing Tom Glavine here.)  By the end of his contract, we might be talking about Koosman, Fernandez, Leiter, Matlack and Niese as the top five left-handed starters in club history.  Who'da thunk it?

In giving Jonathon Niese a five-year deal, the Mets assured themselves of stability in their rotation through 2016.  But they may have also assured themselves of keeping a pitcher who could end up being mentioned in the same sentence as the team's all-time greats.

Seaver, Gooden, Koosman, Niese?  It's not as far-fetched as you think.

Joey's Post-Game: The Tejada/Collins Summit

Ruben Tejada showed up to camp yesterday on time, but on time wasn't good enough for manager Terry Collins, who expressed disappointment and called for a meeting with the new Mets shortstop this morning.

I'm Studious Metsimus roving reporter Joey Beartran and here is my report and commentary on the Ruben Tejada/Terry Collins Summit.

According to Adam Rubin, Tejada wanted to show up to camp early, as his manager wanted, but had problems obtaining his visa from the Panamanian embassy, which was closed for a few days.  Perhaps the embassy employees had to report to their own manager early or had to close the shop to play a hockey game on the roof.  Regardless, Tejada should have not left his visa issue to the last minute, especially since it was important to his manager for him to arrive early.

This wasn't the only time that Tejada didn't do what his manager asked him to do, as Collins wanted his shortstop to spend a chunk of the winter at the Mets' complex in Florida.  Collins was hoping for Tejada to work with his strength coach and to familiarize himself with Daniel Murphy, who will be his double play partner in 2012.

To this, Tejada responded that he already worked with Murphy as a double play partner in 2010, albeit for a brief 20-game stretch, when both players were members of the AAA-Buffalo Bisons.  As for getting stronger, Tejada said that he used his own personal trainer in Panama, and that he is now feeling "a little bit stronger".

This reporter would like to remind you that Ruben Tejada hit no home runs in 328 at-bats in 2011, and has one home run in 544 career at-bats in the major leagues.  His .314 lifetime slugging percentage is just slightly higher than former Met shortstops Rey Ordoñez (.310) and Rafael Santana (.307).  Therefore, if Tejada hits an inside-the-park homer in 2012, he will have surpassed his 2011 home run output and doubled his lifetime total.  He'll have to be a little more specific when he says he got "a little bit stronger".

For all we know, his quote could mean that he expects to elevate his power from Rey Ordoñez levels to Felix Millan levels.  (For those not in the know, Millan slugged .337 in five years as a Met from 1973 to 1977.  He did this by "blasting" eight home runs in 2,677 at-bats in New York.)  Who needs Terry Collins' strength coach when Tejada's own personal coach can give him one-in-a-Millan power?

That fearsome stance.  The way he holds his bat.  Nothing screams power more than Felix Millan.

Ruben Tejada is only 22 years old.  He was born on the same day Jonathon Niese and his original nose were celebrating their third birthday.  He has a lot to learn about what it takes to be in the major leagues.  Not all of that learning takes place on the field.  Some of it has to do with taking instructions from your manager.  Ruben Tejada failed his manager twice by not showing up to camp early and by not working with his double-play partner and the team's strength coach in Florida.

Tejada is not Jose Reyes, nor should anyone expect him to be.  But he is a major league baseball player, and major league baseball players are supposed to conduct themselves a little better than Tejada is right now.  Ruben Tejada might be feeling "a little bit stronger" now.  What he should also be doing is feeling "a little bit wiser".  He'll have to work on that as well if he wants to be an accepted part of Terry Collins' team.

Gentlemen, Move In This Wall!

At Citi Field in 2011, long fly balls came, they died and opposing teams conquered in 2011. The Mets finished with their worst home record (34-47) since 1993, hitting 50 HR at Citi Field in the process. That came after a 49 HR season in the ballpark's inaugural season and a 63 HR campaign in 2010.

All year long, Sandy Alderson heard the fans crying for the fences to be moved in to allow for more home runs by David Wright, Jason Bay, et al.  In fact, If I had a dollar for every time an announcer said "that would have been a home run at any other ballpark" after every long fly ball crashed into the Great Wall of Flushing, I'd be able to afford seats at Yankee Stadium (which I would sell on StubHub, naturally).

So what did Alderson say after witnessing his first season of Mets baseball, a season in which Carlos Beltran's 15 homers led the team in that category, despite playing the last two months of the season as a San Francisco Giant?

"Gentlemen, move in this wall!"

According to Adam Rubin at ESPNNewYork, Citi Field's dimensions will indeed change in time for the 2012 season, with some changes being significant.

The aforementioned Great Wall of Flushing, the 16 foot monstrosity in left field that has seen more dings than dingers, will not be lowered because it is a structural part of the ballpark.  However, a wall half its height (8 feet) will be erected in front of it, with all balls clearing it now being home runs instead of doubles or long outs.  That will cause for a modest reduction in distance down the left field foul line and a more significant reduction in distance in the power alley.

In addition, the MoZone area in right field will be no mo', as that area will be filled in, thus eliminating the overhang of the Pepsi Porch and allowing for more balls to leave the yard in right field.

The most significant change will be in right-center, where the deepest part of the ballpark once stood.  That area, which had been 415 feet from home plate since 2009, will now be moved in to 390 feet, a 6% decrease in depth.  The change will allow for more home runs by David Wright, who prior to 2009, was an excellent opposite field home run hitter, and will give Ike Davis the opportunity to hit balls 60 feet over the wall instead of just 35 feet past it.

Of course, the changes in Citi Field's dimensions will also mean that Mets pitchers will have to pitch differently, as the luxury of throwing a pitch where the hitter could hit a deep, but playable, fly ball will no longer be an option.  (Are you listening to me, Mike Pelfrey?)  But this change will clearly make Mets hitters breathe a sigh of relief, as they will no longer be frustrated by home run trots that turn into slow walks back to the dugout after the ball is caught near the wall.  It will also allow for free agent hitters to not automatically say "thanks, but no thanks" when the option of playing 81 games a year at Citi Field as a Met comes up.

Let's face it.  David Wright has not been the same player since Shea Stadium was renamed Parking Area B.  Jason Bay has also not lived up to his $66 million potential (a.k.a. his contract), although he does hustle and play better than expected defense.  Moving in the walls and lowering the fences should make both players' power numbers approach the levels that were expected of them.  It should also (for the front office's sake) put more fannies in the seats, as attendance at Citi Field has dropped significantly in each of its three seasons.

The fans have spoken and the Mets have answered.  Citi Field will now be a "fair" ballpark (a la Shea Stadium) as opposed to being a pitcher's park.  Let's just hope the cosmetic change to the ballpark does more good for the players dressed in the home whites than the ones in the road greys. 

Well, That Stinks - Angel Pagan Has Colitis

Were you present at the Mets-Phillies game last night in Philadelphia? If so, did you look behind you because you smelled something funny during the game? Apparently, the Mets' performance at Citizens Bank Park wasn't the only thing that turned up a few noses.

According to a tweet by Adam Rubin, Mets' centerfielder Angel Pagan has colitis and has had the condition since 2004. This was the reason for his early departure from last night's game (originally his exit was said to be due to a stomach virus), a game in which the Mets suffered a 10-0 defeat at the hands of the Phillies.

For those who don't know medical terms or didn't watch Doogie Howser, M.D. back in the day, colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine or colon. It's symptoms can include constant bowel movements, dehydration and (ahem) really bad gas. (That's not an attempt at potty humor; it's absolutely true.)

Pagan has taken pills for the condition and was even placed on the disabled list because of it in 2007 while he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Although the condition can be uncomfortable and occasionally embarrassing, Pagan will still be in tonight's starting lineup, batting leadoff for the Mets as they try to even up the series in Philadelphia.

For the past three seasons, Angel Pagan has been running like the wind, catching fly ball after fly ball in center field for the Mets. Since 2004, that's not the only thing he's been doing with the wind, as he's been breaking it as well because of his affliction with colitis.

All jokes aside, colitis is something Pagan will have to deal with for the rest of his life. Hopefully, with continued use of his medication, he will not be affected the way he was last night and will continue to produce for the Mets in the way he has been over the past few weeks. It would really stink if last night repeated itself.

Jason Bay, Benchwarmer

According to Adam Rubin, Jason Bay will not start in tonight's series finale against the Brewers and tomorrow's game against the Pirates. The decision was made by Terry Collins prior to tonight's game in an effort to give Bay time to regroup after his horrendous start. Jason Pridie will be taking over for Bay in left field until Collins sees fit to re-insert the former slugger into the lineup.

Bay is currently going through the longest slump of his career, not collecting a hit in his last 23 at-bats. As a result, his batting average has dropped to a Mario Mendoza-like .207. Since going 3-for-4 against the Washington Nationals on May 19, Bay has batted .161 with no extra-base hits and 15 strikeouts.

Although the temporary benching is for "at least two games", Bay is expected to be back in the lineup for Saturday's game in Pittsburgh against right-hander James McDonald. In four plate appearances against McDonald, Bay is 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

It's clear that Jason Bay has been a shadow of his former self since coming back from the disabled list in late April. It's also clear that he has been hurting the team by not producing out of the cleanup spot. Although a trip to the minors helped established veterans Bobby Jones and Steve Trachsel salvage their careers with the Mets, a demotion was not in the cards for Bay, as Collins did not think that would be beneficial for the leftfielder.

Jason Bay is a nice guy and was a fine player for many years. Whether or not he can continue to be that fine player remains to be seen. For now, he'll be riding the pine for at least two games, hoping that when he does make his return to the starting lineup, he can bring the offensive skills with him that have been missing ever since he became a Met.

Roger Clemens "Misremembers" Severity of Piazza Bat-Throwing Incident

Apparently, there's a new comedian that's the latest ('roid) rage, as Adam Rubin reports on ESPNNewYork that Roger Clemens has been able to find some humor in his infamous bat throwing incident during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series.

Scenes like this always make for good comedy material. Isn't that right, Roger?

For those with no long-term memories, the incident occurred when Mets' catcher Mike Piazza hit a foul ball on a Roger Clemens offering, breaking his bat in the process. When the sharp end of the bat landed near Clemens' feet, the hurler took the projectile and flung it in the direction of the Mets' slugger, clearing both benches. At the time, Clemens claimed that he thought it was the ball Piazza had hit. Of course, this made perfect sense since both teams were playing with 19th century rules, where a fielder could register an out by throwing the ball directly at the batter/runner instead of tossing it to first base. Oh, they weren't? My bad. Then I have no explanation for what Clemens did.

Anyhoo, the current Hall of Shamer was at a charity event last night in Uncasville, Connecticut and reflected on the event from a decade ago. Apparently, he believed that would be the perfect time to joke about the Piazza incident by saying:

"I just remember my form being really good when I threw the bat. My form was impeccable. I fielded it perfectly. My arm angle when I whistled it on-deck was a little low."

So now Roger Clemens is a comedian, because it's funny to joke about throwing a sharp weapon at an unsuspecting player who's standing less than 60 feet away from you. This is the same player who Clemens gave a concussion to when he hit him in the head with a 90+ MPH fastball during that same season.

I wonder how Piazza feels about Clemens' comedy act. One thing is for sure. While Piazza is preparing his Hall of Fame speech in 2013, Clemens will be preparing his latest lie to a judge. I'm sure Piazza will find plenty of comedy in that routine.