Dear Mike Pelfrey:
I just read an article on ESPN.com where you, in refer to your expectations of the the Mets this season by stating: "We pretty much have the same team and the same rotation that a lot of people picked to win the World Series last year. Now everybody is so down on us." I retort umm maybe Oliver Perez isn't the only crazy guy in the Mets starting rotation.
Where should I start with how wrong that statement is. Well since you are a starting picture lets start with the rotation. Ace: while Johan is coming off surgery indications are he will be ok. He has been phenomenal since becoming a Met and his pitching last season was the only bright spot for an otherwise dismal team. While I certainly don't believe a word that comes out of the Mets bullshit PR machine I believe in Johan. Why you ask because he has proven himself a winner and a gamer year after year time after time. That brings us to you, Maine and Perez. None of the rest of the men in the starting rotation have proven time and time again that they can be winners. Flashes of brilliance do not inspire long term confidence. Last year you were coming off the end a season where you appeared to break out and turn the professional cornor. This year you are coming off of a horrible season, injuries, poor pitching, the yipps -- you did not pitch well. So yes you are the number two again, excuse me for not thinking you are going to live up to the hype. Maine..." this year he is healthy and will revert to his past excellence" is the story we are expected to believe. This is starting to feel a bit like the boy who cried wolf to me. I guess I'll believe it when I see it. Perez... there are not enough hours in the day for me to explain why he is a mistake and why I have no hope for him or his abilities. And as for the fifth starter, last year there were some solid veterans and unproven rookies that the organization hyped us to believe could be impact players. This year we have a few young guys who have shown in limited experience in the bigs that they do not have what it takes to be a starter in the major leagues. Enough said.
How about the bullpen. Starting with K-Rod. Two year ago he had 62 saves with a 2.24 ERA. Last year he had 35 saves with a 3.71 ERA. And did I mention he switched from the AL to the NL so no more desigated hitter? While K-Rod certainly wasn't a bust and he wasn't the reason the team sucked hard last year, forgive me for not thinking he is God. JJ Putz is gone and who is replacing him Pedro Feliciano a guy who is coming off a season where he pitched 6.2 innings. Questionable at best. After that the bullpen is made up of two rookies and a group of guys who averaged ERAS over 5 last year.
How about the starters. First base, Carlos Delgado coming off a season where he hit .271 with a slugging percentage of .518 verses Daniel Murphy coming off of a disappointing .266, .427 year. Luis Castio is a year older and a year slower, he is at the end of an excellent career but it is insanity to think he is going to ever be the offensive or defensive player he was in the past. At short stop we have glass legs Jose Reyes. No he probably won't be ready to start the season. He has shown flashes of brilliance but he can't stay health and he has failed as a lead-off hitter because he has no batters eye. The bloom is off the rose. David Wright, here I'm still hopeful. Yes his power numbers are way down but I'm not willing to give up on him to he is consistently down. See I'm a Mets fan. Arguably the Mets are better in the corner outfield positions. Bay should certainly be an significant upgrade on Murphy, offensively and defensively. I am hoping Frankie will have a real bounce back year and be a great asset to the team. Carlos Beltran is starting the year on the DL and frankly I don't know when he will be back. This is the same injury that ended his season last year and no amount of surge and rehab during the winter has made much of a reported change. Even when he does comeback it is crazy to assume that he will be the Beltran of two years ago, he will have to lose a step defensively and who knows what he will do with the bat. Finally catcher. Admittedly Schnider wasn't a star for the Mets, but his replacements this year leave a ton to be desired. For me upper management's failure to find a catcher of ay caliber to play this year is a clear indication that they have given up on this season as well.
All that being said, are you sure you want to stand by your words in that ESPN article? Hey, I'm a Mets fan. I hope for the best. And in spite of what I have just written I believe that you guys could be a sleeper team. After all "Ya Gotta Believe," and I will not congratulate any team before the final out is on the score card. See you at the ball park.
Sincerely,
Amy
PS... have you noticed how much the Phillies and Braves, and even the Marlins, have improved their teams? I guess that is another letter.
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