Mets May Consider Rod Barajas Over Bengie Molina

Last night, Newsday’s Ken Davidoff reported via Twitter that the Mets are considering free agent catcher Rod Barajas as an alternative to Bengie Molina.

With Molina’s insistence for a three year deal, he may have played himself out of a contract with the Mets who are looking for a starting catcher, but are unwilling to sign one for more than one year, although they would be willing to go two years with Molina to get something done.

The Mets believe that Josh Thole will be ready to take over the starting catchers job in 2011, and are not looking to commit to anyone beyond the 2010 season. 

Last season while playing for the Blue Jays, Barajas hit .226 with 19 home runs and a career high 71 RBI in 125 games.

I’d rather go with Barajas for one year anyway rather than Molina for even two years. Take the money they would save and put it toward filling another need. Maybe we get lucky and Thole presses the issue with a huge season in AAA that would force the Mets to call him up. Stranger things have happened, right?

Hey, maybe if we sign Barajas, it might buy us a little leverage in getting Roy Halladay?