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Is there some impulse for self-destruction among New York teams? First the Jets willfully bring in Tim Tebow and pretty much blow up the Tannenbaum-Ryan era. For what?
Now the Mets’ Sandy Alderson is throwing around coy hints that he might trade R.A. Dickey for some younger talent. Let me drop a few names, before Alderson's time, to be sure: Joe Foy. Jim Fregosi. Mo Vaughn. The Mets don’t have much – won’t have much for a long time – but the last time I looked they were using the golden images of David Wright and R.A. Dickey every half inning on television to thank the fans for their support. Not only that, but whenever anything was happening around the Mets – good or bad – the visual of the dugout showed the 38-year-old knuckleballer right in the middle of it, the adult in the room, always positive, always there. A guy who played every fifth day is the heart and soul of this team. Did I mention that Dickey won 20 games and the Cy Young Award with a pitch that he could conceivably still be floating toward home plate for three-four-five years? And when he cannot pitch, and is doing all the family-religious-charity-academic-travel-writer things he wants to do, Dickey should be given a permanent position – chaplain, dugout coach, honorary uncle, spring-training guru, whatever he wants. I understand the general manager’s tropism for negotiating contracts. It’s what they do. Feint a trade and save the House of Wilpon a few million. Fine. They need it. But the process is so undignifid that the Mets could actually botch their relationship with a very good pitcher who knows he will never have a better gig than in Queens. I am confident the Mets could mess it up. Two more words for them. Tim Tebow. 11/16/2012 09:23:07 am
Of all the NY teams, the Knicks appear to be moving in the right direction. Retaining Coach Wooden, probably by default rather than any rational thought, has Carmelo Anthony acting like a teammate.
Brian Savin
11/16/2012 12:13:54 pm
Every NY team has a different fatal issue, except the Giants. I (still) predict the Mets will dissolve and their assets will be distributed within a very, very few years. I'm heartbroken, but convinced there is no hope.
Ed Martin
11/16/2012 02:48:30 pm
George, is there such a thing as being more than 100 percent right? 11/17/2012 12:34:00 am
This a conversation right out of a Leave it to Beaver episode, and you, George, can play the role of "Golly Wally." Hero worship is dead. Free agency did that. Marvin Miller and the players did that. We root for the uniform now, exclusively.
George Vecsey
11/17/2012 02:32:57 am
Charlie, thanks, everything you say is reasonable -- well, my panties aren't all that bunched -- but my bigger point is that the Mets need some continuity from good players of proven character. 11/17/2012 09:14:02 am
George, I appreciate the issue of continuity, especially for the younger members of the fan base. There's a bigger issue, in my opinion. The Wilpons, through their own mismanagement, have changed the business model. If the Mets are going to go on the cheap, they can still compete only when they can produce and export talent. As of now, they have as many minor league teams as anyone in the majors. That tells me that a long-range plan is in motion. The addition of Grade-A prospects in conjunction with the removal of potential roadblocks to further player development (let's face it - Dickey and Wright can easily become Santana and Bay, they too both wonderful people, dressed as albatrosses) cuts off any hub-bub at the pass. And let's not forget that Dickey and Thole are a package deal, and Josh Thole is a new-age Mackey Sasser.
Ed Martin
11/17/2012 03:06:56 am
"Blessed are the peacemakers...". Nice reply, Geo. 11/17/2012 04:24:42 am
There is merit on both sides. Some general managers, as Charlie suggests, sell their talent when they are on the rise and bring in younger players with potential. This concept is discussed in "Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win and why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport". The French premier league, Nice FC, is very profitable by their practice of selling for high transfer fees and buying low.
Alfredo Garcia
11/17/2012 08:10:22 am
Nice blog you have here. Just wondering--why can't NY Times sports writers vote for awards like the Cy Young award? That's strange, the NY Daily News and the NY Post writers can. Could you at least vote for people to Baseball's Hall of Fame? Thanks.
George Vecsey
11/17/2012 11:46:26 pm
Dear Mr. Garcia: Thanks for finding it. I'm mostly retired, and don't speak for the NYT in any way, but having worked there a long time, I think it's a good policy. None of their critics vote for awards in their disciplines -- theatre, movies, etc. They don't want their people to be part of the story. And in sports, that happens -- people know who voted for whom. The NYT wants reporters to report and columnists to have opinions but not get in the firing line for taking a vote that could be brave or stupid or enlightened. I've seen it -- colleagues from other papers who make a bold MVP or Cy Young vote. It keeps us on the side of covering but not making news. Thanks for asking. GV
Altenir Silva
11/21/2012 05:13:58 am
Dear George,
George Vecsey
11/21/2012 07:43:25 am
Dear Altenir: 11/21/2012 08:38:05 am
George
george vecsey
11/21/2012 11:19:13 am
Alan, as of now, I don't see a way to make the links active., I'm still learning rudimentary weebly.
Altenir Silva
11/21/2012 12:37:17 pm
Dear George,
Mendel
11/24/2012 06:11:23 am
Mr. Vecsey,
Brian Lokker
12/11/2012 12:17:46 am
Excellent column. I discovered it late, but I agree with you completely. (Of course, Dickey may be traded by the time this is published -- right after he plays an elf for the Mets in one of their community Christmas outreaches this morning.)
George Vecsey
12/14/2012 02:38:00 am
Dear Mr. Lokker, and others: I don't know if the House of Wilpon is aware of my little site here, but I do know them enough to be aware of their strong sense of family. Comments are closed.
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