Author: Will Sommer
I recently had the opportunity to send a couple of e-mails to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Check this article out that he recently wrote. It will make you laugh.
Will Sommer: What is your take on the Mets struggling lately?
Jerry Crasnick: Join the club. With the exception of the Dodgers and the Cardinals, who've cooled off a little bit lately, there's been a lot of parity in the early going in the NL. The Mets have been very inconsistent, but they haven't buried themselves. Problem is, some of the questions that made you wonder about this team going into the season are still questions.
Sommer: Who is to blame?
Crasnick: It's easy to point to the starting rotation after Johan Santana. But heading into the Phillies series the Mets had scored 118 runs -- the same as Pittsburgh and Seattle. That's obviously not going to continue. David Wright has two homers and Jose Reyes has a .685 OPS. This team isn't hitting with much power, and I'm sure the vast dimensions at Citi Field aren't helping in that area.
Sommer: What player(s) should Mets fans worry about?
Crasnick: It's easy to point to the starting rotation after Johan Santana. But heading into the Phillies series the Mets had scored 118 runs -- the same as Pittsburgh and Seattle. That's obviously not going to continue. David Wright has two homers and Jose Reyes has a .685 OPS. This team isn't hitting with much power, and I'm sure the vast dimensions at Citi Field aren't helping in that area.
Sommer: Who signs Pedro? And for how much?
Crasnick: I thought the Dodgers were a lock to sign Pedro, but they're 20-8 without him, so he doesn't exactly have a lot of bargaining power there. Most people in baseball are convinced he'll have to sign with an NL club. He just doesn't have the stuff or the endurance at this point in his career to get it done in the AL. Could the Mets jump in at some point? I guess. But they sure haven't shown much interest so far. I suspect somebody will sign Pedro in June for maybe $2 million and hope he has enough bullets to contribute 100-120 innings. But the longer he sits out, you have to wonder. He ain't getting any younger, as they say.
Sommer: Have you heard any rumors about the Mets and starting pitching?
Crasnick: I haven't heard much on the Mets' pitching front. Keep in mind that there are probably 15-20 other clubs out there that would love to have another starter. If any of those teams thought Pedro, Paul Byrd or Mark Mulder were the answer, those guys would have found jobs a while ago. And it's way too early for serious trade talks.
Sommer: If you've been to Citi Field, what do you think of the stadium?
Crasnick: I went to Citi Field when the Mets played the Brewers, and I liked the place. I wasn't sure what to think of the two big scoreboards in the outfield; it initially struck me as a very transparent way to sell lots of ad space. But the park has an old-time feel and some interesting nooks and crannies. There's a nice intimacy to it, even though it's a big, pitcher-friendly yard. I heard a lot of people complaining on WFAN about obstructed views on my drive home after the game, so I'm not sure how it's playing with the fans.
Comments