Return from Hibernation: Road to Recovery

With the Winter Meetings on the horizon and just ahead, I return from a three month hiatus from posting here on Metsmerized.  I have not been short of words to say or topics to discuss, but the emotional letdown of yet another September meltdown was too much to overcome until now.

My outlook for this offseason is optimistic but yet frighteningly realistic at the same time. I do believe the Mets number one priority needs to be adding a legitimate closer who can lead a battered bullpen which at the current time has not one reliever worth writing home to mother about. The pressures of pitching in the New York market as well as 10 times a year in the house of the defending world champions is a daunting task and it takes a set of stones to get that done.

Francisco Rodriguez or K-Rod as we like to dub him, I believe should be the man to fill this vacancy. He has a World Series ring on his resume. Though he had over 60 saves last season, not one of them were recorded while going over one inning of work, so he is not as overworked as people make him out to be. He has pitched playoff games in New York and has beaten the Yankees when they were the feared evil empire.

Even if he hadn’t, he has the closers mentality.

Rodriguez is not afraid to go into Citizens Bank Park with a one run lead and throw his best stuff at the meat of the Phillies order. Just visualize if you may, K-rod standing on the mound in Philly, striking out Ryan Howard to end a game, how pumped up he would be, the images already have me giddy.

In addition to the need for a closer, I feel as though the offense needs to be upgraded. Omar Minaya hasn’t appeared to yield much interest in the way of adding a bat to his lineup, but he should change his tune once he settles in on his pitching rotation. Wright and Reyes traditionally are not clutch players, and may never be, that is if you asked WFAN’s Mike Francesa. Carlos Delgado exploded like a man possessed after the All-Star break last season, but as faithful followers of the Metropolitans, is it fair to expect the same Delgado to show up in Citi Field? Luis Castillo is in the running for biggest abomination on a baseball field award in 2009, yet if you listen to Omar, you get the sense he feels comfortable giving Castillo an opportunity to rebound.

This is just the start of my return to Metsmerized; I will once again be resuming my duties and hitting all of you fellow Mets die hards each and every Friday afternoon with my thoughts on our beloved ball club. It’s good to be back, and LETS GO METS!