I have set myself up as GM and manager, but didn’t play out any games this season, saving that for once Dad hits The Show.
So, how did we do?
We stayed in last place for quite a long time … but after the all star break, suddenly started winning some games. Specifically, after a certain trade that I’ll mention below, though I’m not sure if the trade was specifically the cause. Somehow we actually completed the season with a winning record, 83-79. That’s kind of fun, but may need to I need to hit commish mode to get that needed first draft pick.
Boston won the AL East (99-63), The California Angels won the AL West (98-64), the Phillies won the NL East (96-66), while our 83-79 record was good for fourth place. The Big Red Machine won the NL West easily, with a 1-5-57 record, 21 games ahead of the second place Dodgers.
Interesting Mets transactions by month:
Feb28: Signed bench coach John Williams, 5 years, $34,980 a year. It looks like this wasn’t the best signing of all, as at the end of the season he has a ‘Below Average’ development influence and only an average relationship with the team. All of his good relationship’s are with pitchers, and all of his ad relationships are with postion players, especially my better position players. He does have some potential as a manager some day though, so maybe it will work out long term.
Feb 28th: Signed assistant GM Eddie Almanza, 5 yeras, $13,560 per year. It’s sort of weird that the assistant GM is paid a lot less than the bench coach, but I’ll take it. I think its simply because the bench coach was listed with 25 years of experience, while this is Eddie’s first job. I chose Eddie because he puts a strong emphasis on player development, and has a high Player Loyalty rating. His draft and trade ratings wouldn’t match what I want, but since I’ll be handling all of those aspects that’s not a problem. His roster strategy is to lean towards defense and speed, which I’m a fan of, but I don’t expect that to matter much either.
Feb28th: Pitching coach Hidetoshi Yanagi, 5 years, $5,340 per year. I got another cheap contract here because this is Hidetoshi’s first job. I went with him because he favors power pitchers and rookies. It feels like maybe its the wrong error to favor power pitching, but I can’t resist it. Usually I aim to keep rookie-favoring personnel below the MLB level, and veteran favoring personnel at the MLB level, but my plan is to end up with a lot of young talent at the MLB level soon, so I’m ok with making an exception.
March 5th: Added RP Scott Holman and RP Jeff Reardon to spring training roster.
March 11th: CL Skip Lockwood went on the Injured List with bone chips (did I mention yet that I really hate spring training injuries?). Total recovery time expected to be 5-6 weeks.
March 11th: The St Louis Cardinals offered RF Tito Landrum in exchange for 3B Ron Washington. The trade seemed like a wash to me, except that Landrum is two years younger, so I accepted.
March 31st: SP Roy Lee Jackson hits the IL, with a strained abdominal muscle. Expected recovery time of 8 weeks (that’s some strain!)
April 4th: Scott Holmman and Jeff Reardon earn their roster spots, and are added to the 40 man roster.
April 27th: CL Skip Lockwood returns to the MLB roster.
June 12th: 1B Willie Montanez had previously been placed on the trade block after complaining about not being a member of the starting lineup. The Expos offered to take him along with minor league SP Dave W Smith in exchange for 2B Dave Cash and $4600 in cash money. Getting a complainer off the team was nice, and Cash gave us a short term upgrade at 2B. Smith didn’t matter long term, and so this trade probably didn’t either, but gave some short term sanity.
June 24th: Roy Lee Jackson returns to the MLB Roster, with Mike Scott optioned back to Triple A to make room.
July 17th: I had set my team needs to young prospects, and this induced the Padres to offer up 24 year old SS Ozzie Smith for 19 year old SS Wally Backman. My assistant GM told me this was a bad deal, but I didn’t fire him. Admittedly, this took me the wrong way age wish, and removed a Mets icon from this timeline. But Ozzie Smith. This felt like the turning point in our win-loss record.
July 28th: Signed SP Craig Swan to a 10 year extension worth a total of $6,830,000. There is a player opt out after the fifth year, which I suspect I’m going to hope he takes. I think I’ve overpaid a bit, but wanted to make sure I had some guaranteed decent pitching going forward. (guaranteed pitching HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!)
July 30th: Cincinatti Reds offer us 23 yo minor league SP Jay Howell in exchange for 31 yo 1B Richie Hebner. Hebner is the starting 1B that caused our other 1B to whine, and had played well up to that point. However he was in the last year of his contract, we had no shot of going anywhere, and getting some sort of potential future value out of him seemed worthwhile. Attempts to shop him around didn’t show up any better trades, so we accepted.
July 31st: The Minnesota Twins offered 23 year old C Butch Wynegar for 25 yo SP Pete Falcone. Wynegar is an elite defensive catcher, without being a complete offensive liability. My plans for the position were to let John Stearns go when his contract expired at the end of the year and let Jody Davis take over as the starter, but with Wynegar’s defensive abilities he might end up taking that starting role. Davis is a strong defensive player with some pop, so will make a good backup if he doesn’t being whining. Falcone is a decent pitcher, and I may regret his loss, but I can’t resist an elite defensive catcher.
July 31st: With the Falcone trade, Mike Scott is brought back up to the bigs.
September 1st: With the roster expansion, CF Mookie Wilson, 3B Hubie Brooks, C Butch Wynegar, and RP Jesse Orosco are brought up for their cups of coffee.