Full Autonomy, My Foot

By Taryn "The Coop" Cooper
Posted Thursday, November 15, 2007

So I was reading an interesting story today, thanks to my colleagues and faculty over at F.U., regarding a hot pursuit of one Yorvit Torrealba, free agent catcher coming off a most likely inflated market value due to his Colorado Rockies’ magical run to the World Series in 2007.

There is also some speculation that Paul LoDuca, arguably the heart, soul, fever, pulse, non-BPP member of the New York Mets, has fallen out of favor with the Mets organization. Simply because, you know, he’s the only player to speak his mind and get riled up when he’s surrounded by a bunch of underachievers.

Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before.

Marquee player (well, sort of, but Paulie Lo is known as an all-around good baseball guy, one whom fans and teammates both love and respect – tough qualities to find in the game today) falls out of favor with the “organization” or more aptly, the “executive branch” (including the Wilpon boys and the Katzes), who truly believe that the New York Mets are a family-friendly and “professional” organization who don’t like guys who speak for themselves and cause controversy or anything they perceive to be controversy.

Well, technically, you can’t stop me, since I just finished. But it sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Just that history repeats itself, again and again. And again and again. Going back to the drafting of Steve Chilcott over Reggie Jackson, driving Tim Leary into the ground before his time, trading Tom Seaver for bunch of spare parts (that never EVER seemed to equal the whole) and now, the rumor of signing Torrealba for $5 mil per year just to platoon with Ramon Castro…well, it screams of one thing to me, personally. See if you agree.

That Omar’s once fulfilling promise of “full autonomy” (or “full authority,” depending on where you’ve heard it from) is all but a broken one from the Wu-Pon Clan.

Let’s think back to what seems like a hundred years ago, when Omar was first named general manager of the Mets. Not only were Mets fans promised that the baseball guy would make the baseball decisions, but that the money and check-signing would be left to the money guys, most of us thought – now this is what we needed.

Furthermore, getting a new guy decidedly took the heat off the Wilpons who desperately wanted to make a change to not only make the Mets more competitive, but to get rid of the dead weight by looking more hands-off than the Bush Administration. When Minaya got rid of Met vets Alois Leiter and John Franco, it made a statement; it also made the Wilpons, who were friendly with those two, not look like the “bad guys.” Hey, it wasn’t us who got rid of you, it’s the NEW GUY! Blame HIM!

Not to mention, signing Carlos Beltran AND Pedro Martinez? What a coup! It definitely seemed like the Mets were turning a corner to becoming a legitimate contender. Then the next season, orchestrating not one but SEVERAL trades that changed the landscape of the Mets to make them not only competitive but championship-worthy? From moving Mike Cameron to San Diego to turn into Oliver Perez, not signing inflated free agent Barry Zito, pulling the rug out from underneath Jim Duquette in Baltimore for John Maine and El Duque from the Diamondbacks, what could possibly be under Omar’s sleeve?

Well, as we’ve seen from the Lukewarm Stove reports, not much really.

Now, I know that losing Paul LoDuca is not a make or break deal here. It really isn’t. Fact is, his offense declined severely in 2007, not to mention his defense was MORE than questionable to begin with. It also seems like with comments to the press about his teammates, he may have been giving the impression there was a certain amount of discord in the clubhouse.

And for some strange reason, since the words came out of his mouth, he’s been blackballed not only by the NY media, but by fans and seemingly has lost the Met organization backing.

Is it because he’s a fireball? Is it because he’s willing to speak his mind? Is it because he’s giving the perception that the Mets are anything but close to being the professional team across the river, through the woods (of Upper Manhattan) and to the North…OK, the Bronx…OK the Yankees. I’m sure you got the reference.

I think with the last one, we might have a winner.

Basically because there are a few things the Wilpons and upper Mets management are very concerned with. Image is one thing. With the new SNY (well, sort of new) television network and the new stadium being constructed, being anything less than the modern version of the lovable guys who once lived in Flatbush, well, that’s just uncivilized.

Another thing the Wilpons are aware of is the media. Although as the Yankees upper management (like Steinbrenner…not one in particular, the whole darn lot) has proven time and time again, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Even with negative stories surrounding the Yankees breaking ties with Joe Torre, allowing A-Rod to opt out of his contract and refusing to negotiate with him but then saying they never said that, anything regarding Jeter with his ladies du jour. This does nothing to tarnish the so-called Yankee mystique and aura. As we have seen time and time again.

Letting Paul LoDuca go simply because he is perceived as a “threat” to the image of the organization, that the media will have a field day because of his exploits (perfectly legal, I might add)…well, that’s just absurd. I mean, take a look at the fans that fill the stands. If you’ve ever sat in the Coop box in Mezzanine, well, let’s just say…the talk aint exactly G-rated.

And if there’s one thing Mets fans love, it’s fire. It's the guy who goes out and gives his all and shows disappointment when they let the team and fans down, the guy who plays for money, yes, because let’s be honest – they all do. But they also play for – Gasp! Shock! Horror! – the love of the game.

If you ask me, the Mets need 24 more Paul LoDucas. Well, maybe with better bats. But still.

Since Omar spared no expense in bringing him to the team prior to the 2006 start, and that he spoke so very highly of LoDuca prior to and during his tenure on the Mets…something doesn’t smell right in Flushing Bay. And it’s not just the bathrooms on the Mezzanine.

It's the Wilpons sticking their nose into Omar’s business once again.

Of course, I have no proof of this. But if Paulie Lo was a favorite in the Mets organization, well, you know that Omar would be willing to give him his due.