Thursday, August 23, 2007
Why I Like the Hit Dog
It seems that Mo Vaughn and his former albatross salary have become the shining emblem for the mismanagement of the post-2000 WS Mets. Yes, trading for Maurice Samuels Vaughn was a mistake (thank you Steve Phillips), but at least as big a mistake was the signing of Kevin Appier in the first place. The Mets signed a journeyman 34 year old pitcher with a career ERA+ of 120 to a 3 yr/$29.5MM contract before the 2001 season. Granted, the $34MM that the Mets ended up paying Vaughn, wasn't exactly chump-change; but my contention is that the gamble on Vaughn (who was also 34 in 2001) was a smarter risk than signing Appier. Vaughn had a higher upside, was an everyday player and really enjoys strip clubs. He also went to Seton Hall, which I find relevant.
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On the heels of Todd Zeile's offensive indifference and Appier's ludicrous contract, you speak the truth in the context of the times. Getting Vaughn was a decent gamble and he's just a literally bigger target than others on the 2002 team and thus doesn't deserve to stand as the archetype of All That Was Wrong With The Mets. A less desperate team might have figured a way to work him back into playing condition and bring him along slowly, not insert him into the cleanup spot on Day One after a year of inactivity. But that was the Mets' fault, not Vaughn's.
I really enjoy GMDB. "Go Mets" and "Die Braves" are marvelous symbiotic thoughts and bringing them together was inspired. Keep it up!
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