Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 3 of 3

Written by Joe D October 18, 2007 at 4:34 pm

This week as I conclude this short series I wanted to focus on the pitching. This is probably the one area that Omar Minaya will have to concentrate most of his efforts this off-season. The Mets starting pitching and bullpen both failed to meet expectations in 2007 and barring some significant changes, it may be in for a repeat performance if things remain unchanged.

On the starting pitching side, don’t expect much help from free agency. Sure there may be one or two pitchers you might want to take a flier on, but the fact is that there are no top of the rotation candidates among them. Some fans have suggested signing guys like Carlos Silva, Bartolo Colon, Livan Hernandez, and even David Wells… you can keep them as far as I’m concerned. Truth be told, Tom Glavine is better than any of them and we cut him, so why would we want to tangle with any of those guys?

If we are going to improve our starting pitching than it will have to be via a trade. Now I know how great it would be to sign Johan Santana who the Twins are willing to trade, especially after overtures from Santana that he would waive his no trade clause for any team that gives him an extension… But realistically the Mets have nothing to offer that will not be beat by about another half dozen or so other clubs.

The Mets need to tone down the high expectations and revisit past negotiations for Dan Haren, Rich Harden and Joe Blanton. The A’s are loaded with top of the rotation starters, but they are not loaded with the cash necessary to sign and keep them all. It’s an opportunity the Mets can take full advantage of. Last season the Mets turned down the A’s offer of Dan Haren for Lastings Milledge and Mike Pelfrey. I’m sure the Mets would do that in a heartbeat now, but I’m sure it would be the A’s turning down the offer this time around. Regardless, both teams have the resources to get something done that would benefit both teams. The Mets should make a big push for Blanton or Haren before one of them ends up in the hands of another NL East rival.

The bullpen needs some help too, but considering that almost all of them are under contract except for Jorge Sosa, it poses a bit of a dilemma. May I suggest that the Mets cut their losses and release Guillermo Mota for starters. We can then use that spot to sign a guy like Scott Linebrink who has long been considered one of the leagues top setup men until an off year in which he posted an ERA of 3.71, which still was infinitely better than half the guys on the Mets. All the Mets need to do is find one decent arm to join Heilman, Feliciano and Wagner, and they will then have a solid nucleus in the pen. If the Mets do add another starter and add El Duque to that nucleus, the bullpen becomes significantly better than last year. The Mets need to make some room on their 40 man roster to pull this off, and like I said they can start by cutting bait with Mota.

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14 Responses to “Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 3 of 3”

Tyler says:

October 18, 2007 at 6:23 pm

Nice post Joe D. If there is going to be any trade with the A’s, Milledge will have to be involved. Billy Beane has a man crush on Lastings Milledge. I wouldn’t give up Carlos Gomez who has the potiental to become a star for Joe Blanton. Also, if the Mets were looking to trade Carlos Delgado, the A’s are the best team. There starting first basemen is Daric Barton who is still a rookie. Delgado could play firstbase and DH. Mabye, the Mets could trade Carlos Delgado and Lastings Milledge/Carlos Gomez for Danny Haren and Alan Embree. Seems pretty unrealistic but, it would could be possibly nice to see it happen.
Milo says:

October 18, 2007 at 6:29 pm

Milledge and Mulvey/Humber for Blanton and Dan Meyer. Blanton would be a terrific addition to the staff
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 18, 2007 at 7:51 pm

Great post Joe… one little correction though. You said the entire pen has contracts accept Sosa, thats not exactly true. Hielman, Sosa and Feliciano do not have contracts. All three are under Mets control, while Heilman and Sosa are both eligible for arbitration but Feliciano has less then 3 years of service thus he isn’t eligible for arbitration and his contract will be renewed for a salary determined by the Mets.
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 18, 2007 at 7:52 pm

Tyler why would the A’s have any interest in Delgado and his salary? If Delgado was to be traded the best fit for him right now would be the Angels.
Tyler says:

October 18, 2007 at 8:30 pm

Forgot about the salary factor. I was on mlbtraderumors.com and this guy posted one of the most stuppidest comment ever. It was a possible trade proposal between the Mets and the Twins. This is what he said:
Fernando Martinez, Lastings Milledge, Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber, Carlos Muniz, Joe Smith and Abiorix Burgos for Johan Santana and Joe Nathan.
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 18, 2007 at 10:32 pm

wow that deal is nuts lol
Joel Then says:

October 19, 2007 at 10:00 am

Looks like someone has been re-reading their copy of moneyball… I agree, a deal for an A’s pitcher is ideal, but do we really have to let Lasting’s go?…. I really think that he should stay a Met.
Joel Then says:

October 19, 2007 at 10:32 am

I have to say, I’m very glad that Omar decided to keep Willie Randolph. Everyone was so emotional after the season collapse that they failed to see what Willie brought to the table…. With that said, I want people to really think about the potential and talent that Lastings Milledge brings to the team…. I would deeply regret trading him away, I know he will be a great player later on….
That would be like when the Braves got rid of Saltalamacchia…. I just shook my head at that one… Sure, you have a good catcher now, but Jarod is the future… I think he will be the second coming of Piazza…
Keep Lastings Milledge!
Roland says:

October 19, 2007 at 11:35 am

I agree ..we should keep Lastings. I don’t think he has come close to showing the talent he has. I know sometimes being in such a big market city like NY we want guys to show up right away,But people the guy is going to be something good might not be great. But good. He has a canon of an arm to play right and if anything can always back up beltran in center if need be. I think we have a better chance keeping and shipping Gomez.
Adam Baker says:

October 19, 2007 at 12:32 pm

Any trade that improves the Mets sounds good to me.If we were to trade Delgado, who would play first for us? I think its more likely Omar and co. chalk his season up to injury and new fatherhood.Carlos, in my opinion is better than any one we can get back in a trade for a pitcher. I really like Scott Linebrink, he was coveted by many and strangely ended up in Milwaukee…Weird huh?
I know Colon is hurt, but maybe Omar can get him in on an incentive heavy deal.I also think you are right about lowering expectations and going after some of the A’s surplus.The Braves and especially Philly are gonna be crazy this year, especially after getting a taste of success against the Mets. Omar better do something!
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 19, 2007 at 1:39 pm

Mark my words Gomez will be twice the player Milledge will ever be. Milledge may be good but he will not be close to what Gomez will be.
sdfsdf says:

October 19, 2007 at 3:52 pm

we just move foward now.. can’t keep dwelling on the past .. won’t get us anywhere
Milo says:

October 19, 2007 at 5:05 pm

I’d say keep lastings but he barely progressed this year. In fact I’d say he regressed in some ares (Attitude). Trade him for a legit starting pitcher. I’ve had enough of him, he wouldn’t hit a lick in the AL.
Sean Fitzgerald says:

October 22, 2007 at 8:33 am

For the right deal, I would trade Milledge. I know a lot of you here are high on Gomez but, I dont see it as clearly as you all do. I believe Milledge is the better prospect and will have the better career. Gomez can run, shows signs of good play in left but, I see a lot of wholes too. Gomez is a talent but, I wouldnt be so quick to rank him higher than Milledge just yet.

Previous Article: 2007 Mets Report Cards: Starting Pitching
Next Article: 2007 Mets Report Cards: Bullpen

Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 2 of 3

Written by Joe D October 8, 2007 at 10:52 am

On Friday I took a look at all of the weaknesses the Mets needed to address this off-season, and focused on why they should re-sign both Luis Castillo and Paul Lo Duca.

This morning I wanted to delve into the outfield situation.

Let’s start with left field which was handled quite well by Moises Alou last season… when he was healthy. He had a consistent season for the Mets and batted .341 to lead the Mets, and in only 328 at-bats he hit 13 homeruns, drove in 49, scored 51 times and had a .916 OPS, second only to David Wright. By all standards this was an exceptional season and even more remarkable given that Alou posted these numbers at the age of 41. The Mets hold a team option for about $7.5 million dollars in 2008, and even if he only played in 125 games it would still be the biggest bargain since Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan Island for $24 from the natives.

While everyone seems all to willing to get rid of Carlos Beltran, let me be the voice of reason. Carlos Beltran is among the most productive players at his position in the majors, and ranks in the top five in all major statistical categories. He can not only win a game with his rare blend of power and speed, but can also change the the outcome of a game with his gold glove caliber defense. Although the media likes to paint him as soft, he is the kind of player that usually guts it out when he is sore or in pain, and has proven that even when he is at less than 100%, he can still dominate the game like very few others. The Mets are set in center field for the next five years.

Again, I think I may be going against the grain when I say the Mets should trade Lastings Milledge in a package to obtain a starting pitcher. (Dan Haren maybe?) Let’s not be so quick to dismiss Shawn Green, and consider for one minute the possibility of keeping him and signing a right handed platoon partner. Although Green is clearly not an everyday player, he absolutely flourished as a platoon player and gave the Mets some dramatic hits during August and September, and led the Mets in several offensive categories during that stretch. He is also a capable first baseman that came in very handy when Delgado went down.

I would suggest the Mets look into signing Shannon Stewart to platoon with Green. I love Carlos Gomez, but lets face it… he is at least a full season away from being major league ready and was totally over-matched at the plate.

The 34 year old Stewart is coming off of a season where he hit .290 and scored 79 runs while driving in 48 runs at the top of the order. He has some pop in his bat as evidenced by his 12 homers, and he still has sharp base running skills. He has had many stints on the DL, but they were all related to the artificial turf in Minnesota. Last season while playing on grass, he had 576 at-bats in 146 games which ranked second on the A’s. He is a career .298 hitter, with a .362 on-base, and .434 slugging pct. He can also step right in and play everyday in the event we were to lose Moises Alou, thus keeping Endy Chavez as the 4th outfielder where he clearly performs at his best. Shannon Stewart won’t cost a lot of money either.

Let me know what you think….

Later this week I will finish it off with a look at the pitching.

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18 Responses to “Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 2 of 3”

Milo says:

October 8, 2007 at 11:27 am

I think the Mets should cut ties with Alou. He’ll just get hurt again, and we don’t need another player on this team into his forties. I think Shannon Stewart’s best days are behind him as well. I might sound insane, but I wouldn’t be opposed to the Mets giving Milton Bradley a whirl. Sure he’s a total moron off the field, but at just 30 he’s got all the talent in the world, if Randolph can be a good influence on him than we could really have a solid option in right field.
I think we should keep Green in a strictly reserve role if he doesn’t retire. Like Chavy or Castro, his flaws are easily exposed when he plays on a regular basis. Off the bench or getting a spot start at 1/B or RF are how I feel he’d be the most productive. Gomez needs to start out in AAA and improve his game, he’s still very raw, and needs to learn how to bunt/hit line drives.
I’d totally trade Milledge for a starter. Either a package for Santana or Milledge straight up, I’d do it. We need another established starter, and if we can get a Joe Blanton or Dan Haren for Milledge, we should definitely do it. Great stuff as always Joe D.
Ryan says:

October 8, 2007 at 12:13 pm

Get Moises Alou back. His offensive skills nearly carried the team through a bunch of skids in September.
Him and D-Wright were the only people performing.
Milo says:

October 8, 2007 at 12:24 pm

Ryan he’ll be 42 and he’s been injured every year of his career. At this point in his career he needs to be on a team where he can DH. Also he won’t be cheap.
Johnny says:

October 8, 2007 at 12:29 pm

I like Alou coming back. If he can play 100 – 125 games like you suggested, and hit as good as he did this year, 7.5 mil would be a HUGE bargain. Beltran in center…if you want to trade him your nuts, and Green/Stewart makes a TON of sense.
Very well done on the outfield!
Tyler says:

October 8, 2007 at 12:50 pm

The Tigers are in search for a left-handed hitter. The Mets could put a package together for Nate Robertson. Carlos Delgado for Nate Robertson in a straight up deal. Mike Cameron is also a free agent but, do you think he will play right field if the Mets were to sign him. If the Mets need to get a free agent outfielder as a bench player, Sammy Sosa is a free agent after this season, and since Omar Minaya is very fond of Dominican baseball player, Omar could sign Sosa. I don’t see this happening since the Mets are trying to get “young”.
I was on the internet today just checking son some things about the Mets. I came across a very interesting graphic. This website had the projected starting lineup, starting rotation and the closer.
Catcher- Francisco Pena
First Base- Carlos Delgado
Second Base- Anderson Hernandez
Shorttop- Jose Reyes
Third Base- David Wright
Left Field- Lastings Milledge
Center Field- Carlos Beltran
Right Field- Fernando Martinez
#1 Strarter- Mike Pelfrey
#2 Starter- Phillip Humber
#3 Starter- John Maine
#4 Starter- Deolis Guerra
#5 Starter- Kevin Mulvey
Closer- Billy Wagner
I think that Deolis Guerra will be just about ready in 2010, but I’d rather see Oliver Perez. On April 17th 2010, Deolis Guerra will be 22 years old. Also, Billy Wagners contract will be up in 2009 and I don’t see Wagner being on the team in 2010. I would like to see Ambiorix Burgos become the closer. He is 23 years old and is coming off of Tommy John surgery which means that he will be ready for the 2009 season. I think in ‘09 the Mets should try him in the setup role to get him ready to become the closer in 2010. Thank for the great blog Joe D.
Tyler says:

October 8, 2007 at 12:52 pm

I was on the internet today just checking some things about the Mets. I came across a very interesting graphic. This website had the projected starting lineup, starting rotation and the closer for the 2010 season.* Sorry guys.
Houston Mets Fan says:

October 8, 2007 at 1:00 pm

NO NO NO!!! This is the same patchwork thinking that has killed the Mets in the past.
Let Milledge Play Right Full Time, Let Green go…or platoon him with Alou in left if you can keep him for 2-3mil, Get a starter like Willis (lower value because of bad year) or Haren (if you can pry him away without giving up the farm).
Keep this in mind…Reyes will be better in 08 than 07, Delgago will be better in 08 than 07, Beltran will be better in 08 than 07, Wright will do the same, I would not mind looking at Adam Dunn and forgetting about Alou and Green.
but keep this in mind…its the pen stupid!
go after capable pen arms that will be available (linebrink and Gagne may come cheaper because of subpar years and are far better than Mota and Schowenweis)
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 8, 2007 at 1:21 pm

Green is a west coast guy, the only reason he waived his no trade clause to come to NY (never wanted to play in NY before) was for a chance to win (since his career is winding down) and he had very close friends on the team, most notably, Carlos Delgado. Green and Delgado were best man at each others weddings. With Delgado’s status as Met in doubt next year, I highly doubt Green would want to return.
Changes will be made and despite the nonsense talk about Beltran and Reyes being dealt the fact is they will be Mets next year, 3B, SS and CF are set in stone. LF, RF, C, 2B and 1B are all in doubt, to be able to upgrade our needs those positions will need to be filled with youth, contact hitters, 1 power bat (Dunn?) and some high OBP guys with some speed mixed in.
Each year since 2004 Alou had missed more and more time. Here the number of games each year he has appeared in.
2004 – 155
2005 – 123
2006 – 98
2007 – 87
To think he will play in even 100 games may be pushing it.
We could very well fill in significant holes by dangling the following 10 players as bait.
John Maine
Oliver Perez
Mike Pelfrey
Phillip Humber
Lastings Milledge
Pedro Feliciano
Aaron Heilman
Carlos Delgado
Guillermo Mota
Scott Schienwiess
Dealing that group could bring us 2 significant starters, an upgrade at 1B and a few 2nd tier prospects + dump some salary to turn around and sign a Linebrink, Riske, Romero and/or Dunn.
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 8, 2007 at 1:43 pm

As for Shannon Stewart I’ve always been a big fan of his. He was a major factor in the Twins clubhouse in 2006 and his loss to them was felt all season. He does add leadership, a nice consistent bat, speed and baseball smarts.
Two more I have always been a big fan of include Trot Nixon and Darrin Erstad. Although they both have been in decline of late but are hard nosed, gritty, in your face type players. Both are 33 years old not exactly too old yet and may be able to revive their careers in New York. Erstad has been of interest to the Mets before. He was originally drafted by the Mets but chose not to sign and stayed in school. Mets also tried to acquire him in a deal several years back. Nixon has had some steroids questions surrounding him in the past which may be an issue. Erstad is an all out Lenny Dykstra type player he beats up his body on a daily basis. Although injury prone he is a gamer.
Devin says:

October 8, 2007 at 2:22 pm

Joe D and Christian I agree with both of you on Shannon Stewart. He is someone that Omar should aggresiveley pursue at low pricetag for two years until Gomez or Martinez is ready.
To the people who say we should trade delgado or that he is on his way out… STOP IT. Nobody is taking Delgado off of the Mets hands. We own him for $20 million which is more than 25% of most teams payrolls!!! Learn to live with him for one more season because he is not going anywhere!
Like this blog says, sign Alou and Green, go get Stewart and bide our time until our prospects are ready to contribute. A Green/Stewart platoon would be perfect for the Mets. Some of you do make the most outlandish hypothetical trades on here.
Milo says:

October 8, 2007 at 2:34 pm

But alou didn’t even play n 100 games this year. He played in 87. Since 2004 he’s progressively played in less games each year. Why would that improve when he’s a year older? I don’t mean to keep posting in the same blog but I don’t see the logic of fans who want the Mets to get younger but want to keep alou
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 8, 2007 at 3:00 pm

Delgado has a $16 million salary in 2008 of which the Marlins are paying $4 million of it. If the Mets find a taker for him and cover another $4 million. Thats $8 million for the team picking him up, which is affordable for most teams. He does also have an option for 2009 with a $4 million buyout. Angels need offense and Cali is the relaxed type atmosphere Delgado prefers. A trade of Delgado is not all that far fetched. Its much more likely then Reyes or Beltran ever being traded. I’d say there is a 30% chance Delgado gets traded and 0% chance that Reyes or Beltran are traded.
Coop says:

October 8, 2007 at 3:01 pm

Please Christian – from your mouth to Omar’s ears. Get rid of Delgado. it can even be my christmas present!!!
Devin says:

October 8, 2007 at 4:17 pm

Why arent you adding the $4 million buyout to the $16 million salary? It’s 20 million and if the Marlins are paying 4 million, than it’s still 16 million the Mets are on the hook for. Plus after the great lengths Omar went through to get Delgado, even before the trade when he was still a free agent, what makes you think he’s going to be traded?
James says:

October 8, 2007 at 5:46 pm

Christian, I agree we need to lose some of the fodder in the pen but I dont agree with one name on that list. John Maine. The kid has alot of talent and he just needs to get away from the pitching coach. I see Maine being our #2 starter in 09. He just needs some more experience and the team and pen to stop blowing performances. If we dont click in 2008, doesnt matter what trades we make – we’ll still be in trouble.
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 8, 2007 at 6:00 pm

If we want to acquire an ace starter then we will have to give up a guy like Maine. He is cheap for another few years, proven he can pitch at this level and in the big game. Small market teams would ask for him. If there is any chance trading for Santana or an ace type pitcher then you have to give up Maine, our prospects alone won’t get it done. Now wouldn’t you consider Santana an upgrade to Maine, I sure hope you would.
graves211 says:

October 8, 2007 at 10:29 pm

I am with christian here. For Santana I would give up Maine, no doubt. He is a number 2 starter at best. Santana is not just an ace but probably the best pitcher in baseball right now. I proposed the other day that we give up Millidge, Heilman (he will start for someone else and we should pump him up as an untapped starter), Maine or Perez (and I personally like Perez better in the long run), and Humber (a lefty)and a young second teir prospect. Sorry it will take a bunch to get him here and who knows if that would even do it. This is all with the stipulation we can sign him long term prior to the deal.
Santana
Pedro
Hernandez
Perez
Pelfry
Now lets go get some bullpen help!
by the way- Alou stays and Green goes (unless he signs for something small). Please dont let me see Valentine again.
tim says:

October 9, 2007 at 5:05 pm

Carlos Beltran might be able to win games with his power and speed, but he can also ground to second 20 times a week and leave plenty of men on base.

Previous Article: Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 1 of 3
Next Article: 2007 Mets Report Cards: First Base, Second Base

Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 1 of 3

Written by Joe D October 6, 2007 at 10:36 am

With the first two considerable moves of the off-season now out of the way, the Mets are in full hot stove mode.

With Tom Glavine declining his player option and Willie Randolph officially being retained, the Mets must now go about the business of filling some major flaws and in the process, resurrect the confidence of the fans which has been largely shattered.

When you consider the dearth of talent in this year’s free agent market, you can see how daunting a task this will be for general manager Omar Minaya.

To begin, the Mets have to consider whether Ruben Gotay is the full-time answer for them at second base, or try and re-sign the top free agent at the position, Luis Castillo (32). Among other free agent second baseman you have Mark Loretta (37), Tadahito Iguchi (33), Kaz Matsui (32), and former Mets Damion Easley and Jose Valentin. You can now see why the Mets have no other clear choice than to re-sign Castillo. The Mets could always trade for a second baseman, but in doing so it may cost them the bargaining chips they will certainly need to land a starting pitcher to replace Tom Glavine.

The Mets are faced with the same dilemma behind the plate at the catching position. Not only might they have to re-sign the outspoken Paul Lo Duca (36), but his backup Ramon Castro (32) has proven to be a valuable backup as well. The only alternatives at free agent are Brad Ausmus (39), Michael Barrett (31), Jason Kendall (34), and Jose Molina (33). Ivan Rodriguez and Jorge Posada have been both mentioned as possible free agents, but there is a slim chance that both won’t be retained by their teams. The closest Met prospect is still years away from joining the major leagues.

The Mets don’t have much in the way of bargaining chips. Younger pitchers like Philip Humber and Mike Pelfrey have actually seen their own trade value take a hit. Neither of them busted out of the gate with solid performances, and rather than future aces, they looked more like middle or back-end rotation guys according to one National League scout.

Both Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez have shown flashes of their potential, but their attitudes and lack of baseball instincts, make them seem too raw and risky.

I’ll take a look at some of the other areas of concern, namely the outfield, the bullpen, and of course the rotation in the next couple of days. As you can see the Mets have a lot of work to do, and replacing Glavine is just one of a myriad of concerns.

But here at Mets Merized we fully stand by the slogan, "In Omar We Trust… Most Of The Time."

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18 Responses to “Your Mets Hot Stove Season Has Come – Part 1 of 3”

Drew says:

October 6, 2007 at 11:08 am

Good informative post. It’s definitely time to stop beating the dead horse known as the September collapse and look toward next season.
will says:

October 6, 2007 at 11:14 am

Wow it just kinda hit me that our team is going to be so much more diffrent than i origionally thought…but its for the best
TJ says:

October 6, 2007 at 11:20 am

How could we have so many holes to fill? This is ridiculous and I am disappointed in the job Omar did this season. How is he gonna fill all these holes? How is he going to change the makeup of this lackluster team? We have more holes than any of our NL East rivals. This is what happens when you fill your team with aging and mediocre talent. This team suffered from balance and now I want to see how Omar pulls a rabbit out of his hat with these unappealing prospects that never shined. Our minor leagues is ranked at the bottom 10 in baseball and now you can see why. It may take several off seasons before the Mets win the division again.
Joey says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:14 pm

The September callapse will live with Met fans for a long time and for most of us it was more heartbreaking then ending a relationship with a long time significant other, but it is time to move on and focus on the off-season. Omar has his hands full and really needs to make shit happen! Get rid of all the useless “prospect” and bring some “YOUNG” veteran players. Maybe he has to do what it takes to get a guy like Johan Santana in a Mets uniform. Even if it will cost us Carlos Beltran. Andruw Jones is a free agent, sign him as a replacement! Keep Reyes, anyone who wants him gone is a total ASS! Re-sign LoDuca, Alou, and Castillo. Get rid of over rated garbage with a bad attitude, I mean Lastings Milleage. Omar will get it right, he has to, if not it will be hell for him next season!
Lisa says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:27 pm

Great blog… All I can say is that it could not get any worse. At this point, having broken the record for the most pathetic season (is there such a record, smile) we can only go up. There are a lot of concerns from pitching to coaching, to the bullpen. It seems like the fans are here to stay so hopefully that gives Omar something to be thankful for…
Carl says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:32 pm

Glad to see you guys are moving on and talking about the future. YES! We should re-sign Castillo, Lo Duca and Castro. The pickins’ are thin at free agent and we need to conserve what little we have in trade bait for more important things like a bullpen arm and a top of the rotation starting pitcher. Today ESPN said that the Mets have the two best number three starters in baseball, but the problem was they are currently the numbers 1-2 pitchers for the Mets. They said Pedro was also a number three or four because he will never pitch 200 innings again, and that the inside word is that El Duque will pitch out of the pen all year next season. Anybody else go along with that decision, because I dont!
eklypse says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:37 pm

At this stage of his career Andruw Jones CANNOT replace Beltran. For all the crap Mets fans heap on him, he’s one of the most reliable players in the game. The Mets’ most glaring weakness is the bullpen (which is where blame for the collapse should be placed, not on Tom Glavine). People worry way too much about our starting pitching. For most of the year our starting pitching was among the best in baseball. Alot of their later struggles were due to overuse because of the inconsistent bullpen. Maine and Perez are young guys who pitched more innings this season than they ever had. Both had good years overall, showed improvement and this experience will make them stronger. Glavine and El Duque were also asked to pitch too many innings. Next year we should have Pedro for a whole year. Duaner Sanchez will also hopefully be back next year taking pressure off of Feliciano, Heilman, and Wagner. If we can pick up some bullpen help in addition to Sanchez returning to form, then we’ll be in good shape. If we have the chance to grab Peavy or Santana by trading Maine or Perez, then great. But we should NOT (as some Mets fans are suggesting) trade these guys just to get rid of them. We shouldn’t do something just for the sake of doing something.
Ken says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:43 pm

Eclypse,
I mostly agrre with you except for where you said the starting pitching was overused. The Mets ranked second to last in innings pitched per start which was less than 6. That is horrendous. Also, the Mets used over 12 different starting pitchers last season, another horrendous number. We do need starting pitching!!!
mikey says:

October 6, 2007 at 12:58 pm

If it was up to me…
1) Keep Alou and LoDuca, who have both publically stated they WANT to be in NY. LoDuca even said he’d take less money to stay here. You can’t BUY that kind of loyalty, toughness and attitude.
2) Re-sign Castillo (if it’s a reasonable price), and rest his knees often by giving Gotay and Anderson Hernandez a shot.
3) If Shawn Green is willing to be a utility/bench guy, he’d be a GREAT back-up 1st baseman, and can still play right field when needed. I’d rather see him pinch hitting than David Newhan.
4) Trade Milledge and Heilman. Try to see if Pelfrey will work out of the pen.
5) I would PAY whatever it takes to get Santana, but not at the cost of Reyes or Beltran.
6) Mota’s got to go. One way or the other, even if we’re eating the contract.
7) Keep Marlon Anderson and Ramon Castro and we’ve got the makings of the best bench in baseball. Are we gonna try to get Oswalt again this year? How about Dontrelle? Dontrelle, despite his shaky year, would be a STAR in NY, and we can’t let the Yankees have him. Put him on a team that draws, and let his star shine with a winning team, and I assure you, we’ll get the old, winning Dontrelle Willis.
David Chan says:

October 6, 2007 at 1:22 pm

1. Johan Santana and Dontrelle Willis will be a great addition to the Mets Rotation.
2. Paul Lo Duca is already gone, rumors abound that the Mets are targeting catcher Ivan Rodriguez for next season.
3. Mota and Heilman hasn’t done the job the Mets would hope, so see ya!
4. The Mets better be careful with their farm system because it burned them five years ago when Scott Kazmir got traded and has done well with the Rays.
5. Resigning Castillo as a starting second baseman for ‘08 could be a bargain rather than paying more to get a free agent.
6. Moises Alou? This is the unknown whether he’ll be with the team or not next year.
7. Should the Mets have gotten Barry Zito? Who knows if the price could have been lowered than the Giants currently paying him with a bad 2007 record.
Rudy says:

October 6, 2007 at 1:57 pm

Ivan Rodrigues is not an urestricted free agent. The Tigers have a team option and they are going to exercise it.
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 6, 2007 at 2:39 pm

When breaking down the pieces of this team you need to concentrate on what I call the big 13. Your 8 everyday position players, your top 3 starters your closer and your main setup man. Your bench and middle relief are a dime a dozen they will change on a year to year basis, to concentrate on those spots now is a waste of time.
The Mets have their fanatic 4 in Wright, Reyes, Beltran and Pedro. These guys are the face, the heart and the foundation of this team. If you get rid of any one of them the foundation of this team will crumble. You need to have a few players that the fans can relate to as true Mets and you need to have those guys locked up as Mets for their entire career, these four must retire as Mets.
With the #2 or #3 starter 3B, SS and CF set as your core you then move on to the other 9 major spots.
With that all said everyone else on this team should be available at the right price and yes that includes Wagner, Maine and Perez.
We need to develop more players from within that really care about being a Met and brining in players that are New York guys. Delgado is not a NY guy he is only here because he had no choice. He never got a no trade clause from the Marlins and had no say in being traded to the Mets. LoDuca on the other hand is a New York guy he bleeds blue and orange. When building a team you need to look at other aspects of a player not just his talent, this is not a fantasy league the pieces need to fit together. This year this team did not have that fit. The talent was there, the unity the I’m proud to be a MET was lacking, the feeling of this is NY and i’m a New Yorker wasn’t there.
One major reason teams like the Braves and Spankees have so many fans is not just that they win but also that they keep their main core for many years. Jeter, Rivera and Posada will for ever be known as Spankees and most likely will only play for them for their entire career. Same goes with the Braves with Chipper, Smoltz and Andruw Jones (Andruw not so much anymore) and now they have a new core of young home grown players. The Braves also build a team the right way by developing from within then dealing their 2nd tier prospects to fill holes. They then lock up their guys long term.
Sean Fitzgerald says:

October 6, 2007 at 2:52 pm

Christian,
I couldnt agree more…. There is NO WAY IN HELL you trade Beltran, Wright, Reyes, Or Pedro. Thats it!!! They need to find that NY Heart. They need hungry guys that want nothing more than to win and win as a Met. Santana has that kind of fire. Can he be that NYer?? who knows but, that fire is there. Loduca is a perfect fit for this team. How Omar fills the holes is anyones guess but, to break that core… Would be disaterous!
Max says:

October 6, 2007 at 3:08 pm

I just posted on the most current post on why the closest the Mets will get to Santana is the phonecall where their GM laughs out loud upon hearing Omar’s offer.
Max says:

October 6, 2007 at 3:10 pm

Also, the reason the Mets will never win is because the management and the fans become so enamored with their players that they consider mediocre players and prospects as untouchable. They don’t have the stomach to play hardball with the Braves or the Yankees.
Josh53 says:

October 6, 2007 at 10:05 pm

What pithers are free agents? Who do you think we would consider signing?
Christian (MetsMan) says:

October 7, 2007 at 1:24 am

Josh53 – here is the potential free agent pitchers.
Starting pitchers
Tony Armas (30) – $5MM mutual option for ‘08
Kris Benson (33) – $7.5MM club option for ‘08
Paul Byrd (37) – $8MM club option for ‘08
Shawn Chacon (30)
Roger Clemens (46)
Matt Clement (33)
Bartolo Colon (35)
Josh Fogg (31)
Casey Fossum (30)
Freddy Garcia (32)
Tom Glavine (42) – $9MM player option for ‘08
Livan Hernandez (33)*
Jason Jennings (29)
Joe Kennedy (29)
Byung-Hyun Kim (29)
Brian Lawrence (32)
Jon Lieber (38)
Kyle Lohse (29)
Rodrigo Lopez (32)
Greg Maddux (42) – $8.75MM player option or $11MM club option for ‘08
Eric Milton (32)
Tomo Ohka (32)
Russ Ortiz (34)
Odalis Perez (31) – $9MM club option for ‘08
Andy Pettitte (36) – $16MM player option for ‘08
Joel Pineiro (29)
Kenny Rogers (43)
Curt Schilling (41)
Carlos Silva (29)
Julian Tavarez (35) – $3.85MM club option for ‘08
John Thomson (34)
Brett Tomko (35) – $4.5MM mutual option for ‘08
Steve Trachsel (37) – $4.75MM club option for ‘08
Koji Uehara (33)
Jeff Weaver (31)
David Wells (45)
Kip Wells (31)
Randy Wolf (31) – $9MM club option for ‘08
Jamey Wright (34)
Jaret Wright (32)
Relievers
Armando Benitez (35)
Joe Borowski (37) – $4MM club option for ‘08
Francisco Cordero (33)
Octavio Dotel (32) – $5.5MM mutual option for ‘08
Eric Gagne (32)
Jason Isringhausen (35) – $8MM club option for ‘08
Todd Jones (40)
Al Reyes (37) – $1MM club option for ‘08
Mariano Rivera (38)
Bob Wickman (39)
Jeremy Affeldt (29)
Antonio Alfonseca (36)
LaTroy Hawkins (35)
Jorge Julio (29)
Joe Kennedy (29)
Scott Linebrink (31)
Troy Percival (39)
David Riske (31) – $2.85MM club option for ‘08
Russ Springer (39)
Julian Tavarez (35) – $3.85MM club option for ‘08
Mike Timlin (42)
Luis Vizcaino (31)
Kerry Wood (31)
Don says:

October 7, 2007 at 5:02 am

This is a really thorough list Christian. If I were to sign any of these starters it would have to be for a contract for no less than 5 years. That pretty much rules out anyone over 40. One pitcher that would be decent either in the rotation or out of the pen would be Kerry Wood if we could lure him out of Chicago. Another closer I’d consider is Gagne.
Of the starters, I’d have to think about it a little.