Sandy Alderson was on WFAN a short time ago. He addressed MANY different aspects of the season and what will happen in the offseason. One quote stood out to me more than any other. Mike Francesa asked “Do you expect to make small upgrades in the OF and C or do you plan on making significant changes at those positions?”. Alderson replied “I expect to make SIGNIFICANT changes to both these areas.”

Most fans have been clamoring for the Mets to redo the catching situation for 2013. Shoppach was given a tryout, which didn’t exactly turn out so well. Thole drew rave reviews from Dickey for his work behind the plate, but his offense took a major step backwards.

If the Mets do in fact turn to the trade market to address the catcher position, who could be some names on the market? One name that stands out to me the most is J.P. Arencibia. Arencibia was the starting catcher for the Blue Jays this past season.

Arencibia would be a perfect fit for the Mets. He is right-handed, plays C, has power and is young (27 years old on Opening Day 2013). He is also under team control through 2016.

Why would the Blue Jays want to move Arencibia? They have the top catching prospect in Major League Baseball in Travis D’Arnaud.

D’Arnaud is considered major league ready, despite his injury woes in 2012. The Jays recently added D’Arnaud to the 40-man roster as well.

What would they be looking for in return?

That’s a really good question. I’m sure they would be interested in young pitching like every other MLB team. Dillon Gee could be a possible piece. Another name that could interest the Jays is Lucas Duda. Adam Lind didn’t exactly light the world on fire for them at first base in 2012. Duda could step in a become their 1B in 2013 in a possible Arencibia deal.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Always like to hear from fellow fans on these possible scenarios.

Last night, I was pondering more possible deals the Mets could explore this offseason. One that I considered a strong match was Lucas Duda for Matt Joyce.

I’ve been a big admirer of Joyce for a while now. I feel that his left-handed power potential is something the Mets could sorely use. He also plays the outfield and would fill a void they covet. The Rays could be open to moving him due to this winter being his first arbitration eligible offseason. If they are reluctant to pay the raise, Duda could be a fine return in trade.

The Rays’ current first baseman, Carlos Pena, will be become a free agent at seasons end and Duda could fill the void at 1B for them, while also getting time in at DH. Duda is not eligible for arbitration until after the 2013 season.

Their 2012 numbers are not that dissimilar: 

»  Lucas Duda (26) - .243 BA, .331 OBP, .728 OPS, 14 HR, 15 2B, 47 BB, 111 K, 423 PA.

»  Matt Joyce (28) - .249 BA, .350 OBP, .784 OPS, 15 HR, 17 2B, 52 BB, 95 K, 429 PA. 

I’m not necessarily saying this will be a straight up deal. The Mets could end up having to throw in an extra piece Tampa Bay’s way.

The Rays continuously search for spare bullpen pieces to help them compete in the tough AL East. I’m sure names like Parnell, Carson, E. Ramirez could entice them. The Rays do have a deep farm system and will probably prefer a major league ready talent. I do wonder however, if Sandy Alderson could be savvy enough to get them to accept a lower-tier RP prospect instead.

This hypothetical trade could end up looking like this:

Mets get Matt Joyce

Rays get Lucas Duda & Robert Carson 

Earlier today I was reading a post on MetsBlog about possible trade rumors that we could hear this offseason. In the comments section I noticed a trade idea that Dan Wexler proposed.

The trade involved the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal would send Justin Upton to Texas and Elvis Andrus to Arizona. Obviously this deal would be broadened to included at least one other player going Arizona’s way should it ever come to fruition. It would work though since Texas could lose Josh Hamilton in free agency and Upton could take over in right field for them in 2013.

Why would the Rangers want to deal Andrus? They have arguably the top position prospect in baseball in Jurickson Profar who happens to play shortstop.

So my thought is – What if Texas keeps Hamilton? Could a similar deal still be accomplished?

Last December, the Rangers were said to be interested in Ike Davis. Obviously nothing came out of those rumors since Davis is still the Mets first baseman. However I’m sure that if they had interest in him then, they might still have some interest now since they have yet to find an answer at the position. Mike Olt could end up being the answer, but he is a third baseman by trade.

Arizona dealt shortstop Stephen Drew to the Athletics at the deadline and will certainly be looking for a replacement come the offseason. Elvis Andrus could be a perfect fit. The Mets are starved in the outfield at pretty much all three positions. Not to mention if they moved Davis they would need power even more than they already do. This makes Justin Upton a great fit for the Mets. Arizona was said to be discussing moving him around the deadline and could definitely revisit the idea after the season.

The three-team trade I propose…

• Mets get Justin Upton.

• Rangers get Ike Davis.

• Diamondbacks get Elvis Andrus & a second piece from the Mets.

This second piece could be of a wide variety of players. Names that could work off the top of my head are Jordany Valdespin, Colin McHugh, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Bobby Parnell.

This trade could work for all parties involved… It fills major needs of each organization all in one trade. These types of trades are very rare in MLB.

For the Mets in particular they could then move Lucas Duda to first base for 2013, and could possibly find himself on the block following the end of next season if Wilmer Flores continues to progress in the minors. I’ve been clamoring for the Mets to consider him as a future first baseman candidate for a while now.

Last week I put out Version 1.0 of my MLB Mock Drafts. I had the Mets selecting highs chool outfielder Courtney Hawkins with their first pick, 12th overall. Now, I have Hawkins already gone by the time the Mets pick and instead have the Mets drafting High School SS Gavin Cecchini.

Cecchini is considered by many to be one of the top 5 HS bats in the 2012 Draft. Also i’ve read many articles by draft experts who all expect him to able to remain at SS long term given his above average range.

Below is the second version of my 2012 MLB Mock Draft:

1. Houston Astros – RHP Mark Appel – Stanford

2. Minnesota Twins –
OF Byron Buxton – Appling County HS (GA)

3. Seattle Mariners – C Mike Zunino – Florida

4. Baltimore Orioles – RHP Kevin Gausman – LSU

5. Kansas City Royals –
RHP Kyle Zimmer – San Francisco

6. Chicago Cubs – SS Carlos Correa – Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

7. San Diego Padres – OF Albert Almora – Mater Academy (FL)

8. Pittsburgh Pirates – SS Deven Marrero – Arizona State)

9. Miami Marlins –
LHP Max Fried – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)

10. Colorado Rockies – 3B Richie Shaffer – Clemson

11. Oakland Athletics – OF Courtney Hawkins – Carroll HS (TX)

12. New York Mets – SS Gavin Cecchini – Barbe HS (LA)


13. Chicago White Sox –
RHP Michael Wacha – Texas A+M

14. Cincinnati Reds –
LHP Andrew Heaney – Oklahoma State

15. Cleveland Indians – RHP Chris Stratton – Mississippi State

16. Washington Nationals – RHP Marcus Stroman – Duke

17. Toronto Blue Jays – RHP Lance McCullers Jr – Jesuit HS (FL)

18. Los Angeles Dodgers – 3B Stephen Piscotty – Stanford

19. St. Louis Cardinals – RHP Lucas Giolito – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)

20. San Francisco Giants – OF David Dahl – Oak Mountain HS (AL)

21. Atlanta Braves – OF Victor Roach – Georgia Southern

22. Toronto Blue Jays – (FL) OF D.J. Davis – Stone County HS (Miss)

23. St. Louis Cardinals – LHP Matt Smoral – Solon HS (OH)

24. Boston Red Sox –
LHP Hunter Virant – Camarillo HS (CA)

25. Tampa Bay Rays – RHP Zach Eflin – Hagerty HS (FL)

26. Arizona Diamondbacks – OF Tyler Naquin – Texas A&M

27. Milwaukee Brewers – SS Addison Russell – Pace HS (FL)

28. Milwaukee Brewers – C Stryker Trahan – Acadiana HS (LA)

29. Texas Rangers – RHP Nick Travieso – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL)

30. New York Yankees – 3B/1B Corey Seager – Northwest Cabarrus (NC)

31. Boston Red Sox – OF Travis Jankowski – Stony Brook

MLB.com’s Draft expert, Jonathan Mayo, had this to say about Cecchini:

Will the Mets go with two straight high school hitters in the first round? The buzz is that they really like Cecchini’s tools and makeup, and he is more advanced than last year’s pick, outfielder Brandon Nimmo. If they go with a more advanced type, any of the above pitchers would come into play, as could Marrero and Shaffer from the college-hitter ranks.

Mayo also has the Mets picking Cecchini with the 12th overall pick in next Monday’s draft.

As some of you know, aside from writing here at MetsMerized I also write for the blog St. Lucie To Flushing which focuses mainly on Mets Minor League coverage.

A good friend of mine Joe DeMayo also writes over at STF. He recently finished the 4th version of his MLB Mock Draft. It’s truly a great piece of work to read if you have the time. He includes a write up for the first 15 picks in the draft including the Mets pick at 12:

LHP Max Fried – Harvard Westlake HS (CA) – I will preface this by saying it is entirely possible that Fried is long gone by time the Mets pick at 12. But I think given what some teams are looking to do it is a possibility that Fried falls to 12. I asked this to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo on Twitter and he said he thought it was possible that he could be available for the Mets. The Mets have seen a lot of Fried this spring through his ups and downs. The upside is undeniable and I think if Fried falls to 12 the Mets would be ecstatic to select him. Latest I am hearing in regards to the Mets is unless someone falls (ala Fried) they are looking at some prep bats and would also consider Texas A+M righty Michael Wacha.

Check out Joe’s complete updated 2012 mock and his analysis at St. Lucie To Flushing.

P.S. – Last week I posted my own mock draft on MetsMerized which you can view by clicking here.

Will Courtney Hawkins Find His Way To The Mets At No. 12?

Rapidly approaching is Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft. June 4-6 it will all unfold before us. The first round will be televised on MLB Network. Below is my take on how the draft may turn out.

1. Houston Astros – OF Byron Buxton – Appling County HS (GA)

2. Minnesota Twins – RHP Mark Appel – Stanford

3. Seattle Mariners – C Mike Zunino – Florida

4. Baltimore Orioles – RHP Kevin Gausman – LSU

5. Kansas City Royals –
RHP Kyle Zimmer – San Francisco

6. Chicago Cubs – OF Albert Almora – Mater Academy (FL)

7. San Diego Padres – SS Carlos Correa – Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

8. Pittsburgh Pirates – SS Deven Marrero – Arizona State)

9. Miami Marlins – 
LHP Max Fried – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)

10. Colorado Rockies – 3B Richie Shaffer – Clemson

11. Oakland Athletics – RHP Lucas Giolito – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)

12. New York Mets – OF Courtney Hawkins – Carroll HS (TX)

13. Chicago White Sox –
 LHP Andrew Heaney – Oklahoma State

14. Cincinnati Reds –
 RHP Michael Wacha – Texas A+M

15. Cleveland Indians – RHP Chris Stratton – Mississippi State

16. Washington Nationals – RHP Marcus Stroman – Duke

17. Toronto Blue Jays – RHP Lance McCullers Jr – Jesuit HS (FL)

18. Los Angeles Dodgers – 3B Stephen Piscotty – Stanford

19. St Louis Cardinals – SS Gavin Cecchini – Barbe HS (LA)

20. San Francisco Giants – OF David Dahl – Oak Mountain HS (AL)

21. Atlanta Braves – OF Victor Roach – Georgia Southern

22. Toronto Blue Jays – OF D.J. Davis – Stone County HS (Miss)

23. St Louis Cardinals – LHP Matt Smoral – Solon HS (OH)

24. Boston Red Sox –
LHP Hunter Virant – Camarillo HS (CA)

25. Tampa Bay Rays – RHP Zach Eflin – Hagerty HS (FL)

26. Arizona Diamondbacks – OF Tyler Naquin – Texas A&M

27. Milwaukee Brewers – SS Addison Russell – Pace HS (FL)

28. Milwaukee Brewers – C Stryker Trahan – Acadiana HS (LA)

29. Texas Rangers – RHP Nick Travieso – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL)

30. New York Yankees – 3B/1B Corey Seager – Northwest Cabarrus (NC)

31. Boston Red Sox – OF Travis Jankowski – Stony Brook

A  two-way player (pitcher/outfielder) in high school, right-handed slugger Courtney Hawkins has been the flavor of the week as far as where the Mets select and has been slotted at number 12 in no less then a half dozen other mocks this month.

Here is a scouting report by MLB Draft Guide says the following about this talented young outfielder:

Impressive showings over the summer and fall have placed Courtney Hawkins near the top of 2012 MLB Draft prospect rankings.  Hawkins, a prep outfielder from Texas, shows true 5 tool ability. Hawkins has shown tremendous power and the ability to drive the ball to all fields.  He has very good bat speed and the ball really jumps off his bat.  Hawkins also shows good patience.  He is still somewhat raw and has a tendency to lunge at the plate.  He has shown great improvement over the last year, however.

Hawkins has the ability to cover alot of ground in the outfield (6.62-60).  He has a plus arm, with throws from the outfield recorded at 91.  Projections generally have Hawkins pegged as a future right fielder. If Hawkins puts it all together, he has the tools to be one of the top players to come out of the 2012 draft.

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo ranked Courtney Hawkins at No. 12 in his Top 100 Draft Prospects and wrote the following:

The Texas high school product was shooting up draft boards as the 2012 spring season began, thanks to a very successful summer.

He has some swing-and-miss to his game, but he does have power. He has shown the ability to hit any fastball and can show pop to all fields, though he needs to improve his approach at the plate, where his over-aggressiveness leads to those misses. An average to a tick-above-average runner, he’ll play center field for his high school team, but with his size, strength, power profile and at-least-average arm, the University of Texas commit profiles best as a corner outfielder in the future.

The June MLB First Year Player Draft is rapidly approaching. The Mets brain trust will be tasked with filling the organization with more quality talent. According to ESPNNewYork’s Adam Rubin the Mets own 4 pick’s in the top 75 (12,35,71,75).

In the coming months many people will speculate who the Mets are targeting at #12. While consensus thought is that they will take offense (an area the Mets minors is currently lacking), anything is possible. The Scouting Department could have a pitcher really high on the their boards that falls into there laps at No. 12 and pull the trigger. The more likely route however is an offensive player.

A possible name that could be available at #12 is Stryker Trahan. Trahan is the second ranked Catcher right now only to Florida’s Mike Zunino. Zunino who is a likely top five pick in the upcoming draft.

Our friends at Baseball Prospect Nation offers the following summary on their scouting report for Stryker Trahan:

Really intriguing catching prospect with Projectable defensive tools and legit left-handed power. Good feel for the game and a hard worker. Continues to improve behind the plate. Arm is weakest defensive tool and even that will play at the position. Power offensive profile could land him fifth or sixth in the order on a good club. Some questions about his long term hitting ability, but he shows good aptitude and solid hands that should let his power play. Best high school catching prospect in the draft. Easy first round pick that should go in the teens.

From the video i’ve seen I love Trahan’s swing. It’s short and compact and the follow-through is tremendous. I do question whether he will be able to adjust to quality breaking ball’s ultimately, however his plate discipline is exceptional. On the defensive side of the ball he certainly has the arm. His throw can be a little inaccurate at times, however that is normal for someone with his raw potential. He has ideal size for a catcher and seems likely to stay at the position unless he grows. Should he keep growing he may ultimately profile as a 1B/RF.

Most people under sell what Carlos Beltran accomplished over his career with the New York Mets. When the reality of the situation is you could actually make a case he is the Mets best position player of All-Time. It may not seem like he earned his enormous 7-year 119 million dollar deal, due to long injury stints and the 2006 Game 6 NLCS ending AB some people put too much weight up. But the in reality he earned almost every cent of his contract by the #’s he put up. And as good as he was on the field, his best value to the Mets ended up being what he fetched in trade.

Enter Starting Pitcher – Zack Wheeler, the Mets #1 prospect.

The Mets haven’t possessed a pitching prospect with as much upside as Wheeler has in over a decade. 10 years ago this season the Mets selected Scott Kazmir with their 1st Overall Pick in the 2002 draft. Time sure flies doesn’t it?

Zack Wheeler has an arsenal that will produce high strike-out number’s (and hopefully low BB #’s) as his control is still a work in progress. Most people don’t expect him to be ready until sometime late during the 2013 season. If it was up to me he would begin the 2012 season in St. Lucie (where he ended the 2011 season with 2.00 ERA in 27 IP)  and move to Binghamton halfway through the season if he’s tearing it up in Single-A.

Matt Harvey should be cracking the rotation at some point in 2012, which may put the writing on the wall for a guy like Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey is very likely to be in another uniform come 2013 or earlier. It’s possible the Mets could end the 2013 season with a rotation that consists of Harvey-Wheeler-Niese-Santana-Gee. This of course depending on everything panning out and everyone staying healthy (Santana). And as Mets fans we all know it’s never that easy. But maybe this time all our pain and suffering will finally pay off…

I recently did a Top 20 Mets Prospect List of my own which you can check out at my other site, St. Lucie To Flushing.

Not so different then many others you’ve probably read. However I do have one guy higher than most people and that is SS Philip Evans. He was drafted in the 15 round of last years draft. Many teams were scared off by his strong commit to San Diego State. He has the potential to be a MLB SS/2B one day in my opinion. His swing is very balanced and he has tremendous patience at the plate for his age. His sky is the limit.

Anyways Spring Training is right around the corner. While there is not much to look forward to in the majors this season it should be nice to see how our prospects develop of the farm. I eagerly anticipate watching Matt Harvey on TV vs. MLB Hitters in ST. Should be a early preview of what we may have awaiting us on the farm. Not to mention fireballer Jeurys Familia is also coming to camp and should generate some serious buzz.

Incidentally, Joe DeMayo also posted his 2012 Mock Draft 1.0, here are the top 12 picks:

1. Houston Astros – RHP Mark Appel – Stanford
2. Minnesota Twins – OF Byron Buxton – Appling County HS (GA)
3. Seattle Mariners – SS Deven Marrero – Arizona State
4. Baltimore Orioles – RHP Lucas Giolito – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
5. Kansas City Royals – RHP Kevin Gausman – LSU
6. Chicago Cubs – RHP Chris Beck – Georgia Southern
7. San Diego Padres – SS Carlos Correa – Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
8. Pittsburgh Pirates – C Mike Zunino – Florida
9. Miami Marlins – OF Victor Roache – Georgia Southern
10. Colorado Rockies – LHP Max Fried – Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
11. Oakland Athletics – C Stryker Trahan – Acadiana HS (LA)
12. New York Mets – 3B Trey Williams – Valencia HS (CA)

Check out St Lucie To Flushing for the rest of the draft as well as new player profiles on prospects Jack Leathersich and Zack Wheeler.

One of the teams believed to be interested is the Toronto Blue Jays. And why wouldn’t they be? They’ve got ton’s of competition in a strong AL East. A LHP like Niese to fit behind Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow could be just what the doctor ordered in Toronto.

Who could be coming back to the Mets in trade?

One name that may be tossed around is J.P. Arencibia. He hit .219/23/78/.282(OBP) line in 2011. Strikes out a ton (133 times in 443 AB’s in 11′). But his power cannot be ignored and he seems to be able to handle himself behind the plate. Could be a solid piece for a young rebuilding Mets team.

Why would the Blue Jays trade Arencibia? Because one of there top prospects is a guy named Travis d’Arnaud. He had a .311/21/78/.371 line at AA (New Hampshire) in 2011. He is also 22 years old and was recently added to the Blue Jays 40-Man roster.

The Mets could insist on getting d’Arnaud back in trade of course. Sandy Alderson proved he is about QUALITY and not QUANTITY with the Carlos Beltran trade. I’d bet every dollar in my bank account that Alex Anthopoulos would kindly say “No” though. Arencibia remains a more likely target.

This situation would push Josh Thole into more of a back-up role clearly. This could be good for the young backstop as he has shown he is more of a platoon catcher at best anyways.

Other possibilities the Mets MAY target in a trade with Toronto are – (Adeiny Hechavarria, Anthony Gose, and Jake Marisnick.)

For the last few week’s i’ve been mentally preparing myself for the inevitable fate that Jose Reyes would sign with the Miami Marlins. As much as I tried to stay as optimistic as I could, realistically I knew the team was moving in a different direction. This regime will not give 6 year contracts to players with an injury riddled past as grey as Reyes.

Some Mets fan’s will kick and scream and demand the Wilpon’s heads. How could they not be willing to give Jose Reyes 106 million? Are you really that broke? That cheap? Is this not New York? However these fan’s are misunderstanding the situation. The Mets did not let Reyes walk because of the money. Believe me they have the money to lock Reyes up for as long as they want. And TRUST ME they know how valuable he was toward the on-field product. His value will reflect worse in the attendance figures for the the 2012 season then in the actual standings. The Mets will survive without Reyes, and they won’t have his looming leg injuries to worry about. Especially with a contract as hefty as 106 million over 6 years to boot.

As far as why I won’t boo Jose Reyes upon his return to New York?

How could I boo someone who made a sound life decision for himself and his family? He got the contract he was hoping for (100+ mil), He will be playing in Miami, which is a growing Sports city (see Miami Heat), Brand New Stadium, Brand New (Latin) Manager, Friends (or acquaintances?) on the team (Hanley Ramirez). All this add’s up to a very successful new life for Jose Reyes in South Beach.

I would never boo Jose Reyes for making the decision he made. Will it hurt to watch him play 20+ games a year vs. the Mets? Absolutely. He was my favorite player. He was also the lifeblood of the very energy that flowed through the team in past years (when he was healthy). However that was then and this is now. New Mets team’s will create new chemistry. New energy. Will it be sad not to see Number 7 running and jumping around being himself next season? Yes. But with new team’s come new favorite players and new excitement.

Here’s toward the future! Let’s Go Mets!

A couple of days ago Metsblog’s Matt Cerrone shared what he has heard regarding the teams plans for Angel Pagan. As many of you already know Pagan is a non-tender candidate this off-season. However many NY Beat Writers have already put out stories that the team plans to tender Pagan a contract for 2012. Cerrone reports that the talk around the team is that the Mets would like to tender him a contract, then trade him to a team with pitching to dangle.

Cerrone did not specify whether the team would look for starting pitching or bullpen help in a trade for Pagan, however he did imply that it may be a starter. The team would then use the money they saved on Pagan to sign a CF replacement. Names like David DeJesus, Nate McLouth and Rick Ankiel are all possibilities. However do not count out a trade for a CF either.

It’s also fun to speculate on what Pagan could fetch in trade. Obviously his value is down after a poor 2011 campaign. The Mets probably could have landed a much better pitcher in exchange for Pagan after last season when his value was at an all-time high.

Teams That Could Be Interested In Pagan

Athletics -

Brandon McCarthy and Joey Devine could be discussed.

Rays -

Jeff Niemann could be discussed.

Nationals -

Tom Gorzelanny and Collin Balester could be discussed.

Rangers -

Scott Feldman, Michael Kirkman and possibly Colby Lewis could be discussed.

Today’s rumor mill is spinning regarding the Mets plan’s to pursue Jose Reyes.

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets front office plans to let the market set itself for Reyes.

Sandy Alderson knows Reyes wants to test the free agent waters. It would be stupid to make an offer now. The Mets WILL SPEND to bring Reyes back. But WHY would Sandy Alderson make a huge offer now before seeing what other teams are offering. Other teams could be wary of his injuries just like the Mets. It’s possible other teams will prefer 5 year deals, which I think Alderson already assumes. I doubt Alderson has any problem giving Reyes 5 years with options. It’s when the discussion jumps to 6 or 7 years that the thought process tends to think 2 draft picks.

At 5 years the Mets can spend like any other MLB team. How many teams are going to go above the 100 million threshold if 5 years is the table-setter? But when the discussion starts increasing to 21-22 million a year or more, I could see the Mets back off and take the draft picks. Sandy Alderson is not going to spend more then he thinks Jose Reyes is worth. Who knows if he even values Jose Reyes as a 5/100 player? He may set the limit per year closer to the 18 per range.

It’s all a mystery at this point. But I PRAISE the stance the front office is taking. For all they know their offer could be the best on the table. Why “overspend” dare I say if the market hasn’t even set itself yet. Jose Reyes clearly wants to get the Free Agent attention. The guy is like a giddy school kid on the diamond. He is going to eat up all the attention.

So just like when you find a girl worth keeping, set her free and let her make sure what she really wants is waiting for her back home. If he wants to be a Met and continue his life in Long Island then God Bless. I will be a lot happier with him hitting leadoff and playing SS for the Mets in 2012. But if he should chase a crazy contract from *shield your eyes* the Phillies, then he is not the person I always thought he was. I’m still in the small % of Mets fans who thinks Reyes will be back.

P.S. how about that game last night? Best World Series game I’ve ever seen.

This is all HYPOTHETICAL (for all those reading impaired individuals)

Albert Pujols is one of the best, if not THE BEST, hitter our generation has ever seen. I completely expect the Cardinals to re-sign Albert Pujols to a contract worth over $200 million for 7-8 years. Let’s get a little hypothetical on this dark and rain-soaked afternoon.

———————————————————————————————————————————

For one minute let’s pretend Albert Pujols and his agent reached out to all major league teams. And of course they will all talk, this is obvious. When I say “reach out”, I mean contact teams with an open mind of acquiring Pujols. I’m sure the Cardinals will lock him up fairly quickly, but let’s pretend Pujols’ representatives actually test the waters.

Now let’s pretend your the General Manager of the New York Mets. Fred Wilpon comes to you and say’s you have an unlimited budget to sign Albert Pujols and structure the team around him.

Do you do it? It mean’s Jose Reyes is not returning for sure. It also means Ike Davis is either being moved to RF or traded.

Lucas Duda, who was a big part of the 2011 Mets, will probably be your right fielder. He may very well be able to handle LF. Could you trade Bay?

Would you trade Jason Bay for A.J. Burnett? If the Yankees can lock up C.C. and one of Yu Darvish or C.J. Wilson they may be open to swapping A.J.’s contract for another closely matched contract. Not to mention Bay would rake in Yankee Stadium and he could replace Nick Swisher in RF.

Trade Mike Pelfrey to a team willing to absorb his contract for his potential.

Now you spend the remaining dollars you can squeeze out of Wilpons checkbook plus what you saved on Pelfrey on a bullpen piece or two (think Joe Nathan and Octavio Dotel on cheap deals).

Sign a cheap CF, say Nate McLouth. Done.

This is the 2012 Mets

1B – Pujols

2B – Turner

SS – Tejada

3B – Wright

C – Thole

LF – Duda

CF – McLouth

RF – Davis

Bench – Murphy, Nickeas, Evans, Satin, OF we sign in FA or F-Mart ehh

SP – Santana, Niese, Burnett, Dickey, Gee

RP – Beato, Herrera, Byrdak,

SU – Dotel, Acosta, Parnell

CL – Nathan

If You Could Sign Albert Pujols, Would You?

Gooden told E:60 that the night the Mets won the World Series he and many of his teammates ended up at a well known Long Island club. The following day he found himself in the Long Island projects and was still so high from his cocaine binge that he forgot to go to the parade. He says he planned to go, however he lost track of time because he was on a haze and before he knew it he was watching the parade on television. Sad indeed if only he there were sites like http://drugabuse.net back then, where young players could learn about the dangers of drug abuse.

He claims that the house he watched the parade from belonged to his drug dealer. In the interview he goes into detail about his rampant drug use and struggles while he was a player.

For years the common story was that Gooden overslept and missed the parade. However, he admitted that it was a PR cover-up. Looking back on it, he says knowing that he missed the parade because of the drug abuse is “a horrible feeling.”

* UPDATED POST

Here’s a early look at some of MLB’s Top Free Agents entering the off-season…

1. Albert Pujols 1B – Cardinals – He was never leaving St. Louis in my opinion. They were never going to let him walk away. He’s arguably the greatest player in franchise history and will be paid as so.

2. C.C. Sabathia SP – Yankees – Almost guaranteed to opt out of his contract at this point. Reports are surfacing the Rangers expect to make a big bid for his services as well. However in the end I see no way he leaves the Bronx. He’s claimed he is comfortable there and has no plans to leave.

3. Prince Fielder 1B – Cubs – Theo Epstein is already being enshrined as a demigod in the Windy City. The new Cubs ownership is expected to allow Epstein a nice pocket of cash this offseason to pursue free agents. With Carlos Pena out the door after a one year deal, Fielder makes a ton of sense in a new look Cubs lineup that may very well not feature Aramis Ramirez either.

4. Jose Reyes SS – Mets – I’ve been saying I expect Jose Reyes to remain with the New York Mets for almost 2 years now. He is comfortable in New York, the Mets have plenty of money to spend, and the front office knows they are not that far from competing. I expect the two sides to come to terms on a 5 year year deal worth over 100 million dollars in the end. Option years are possible too based off of games played, performance, etc. I expect the Giants to show a lot of interest with the Phillies, Brewers, Marlins, Nationals, Tigers, and possibly Red Sox also in the mix.

5. C.J. Wilson SP – Rangers – If the Rangers are interested in making a qualifying offer for CC Sabathia then they must be willing to spend some money this offseason. While C.J. Wilson is not the elite ace that Sabathia is, he is a pretty good pitcher. I expect Nolan Ryan to pay as so too.

6. Mark Buehrle SP – Cubs – Buehrle is coming off yet another stellar year where he posted his best ERA (3.59) since 2005 (3.12). A move across town to the Cubs could be just what the doctor ordered for Buehrle. It just really depends whether he is looking to get that last big contract of his career, or stay with the White Sox for less.

7. Yu Darvish SP – Yankees – If Yu Darvish is posted I expect the Yankees and Red Sox to be right up front in the posting process. While I expect big bids from teams like the Rangers, Red Sox – in the end I see the Yankees outbidding everyone. They are going to bring back CC Sabathia at all costs and then look toward more pitching next. Darvish is the arguably the biggest rock star in Japan right now so what better for him then to come to the world biggest baseball stage in the Bronx.

8. Carlos Beltran RF – Giants – Carlos Beltran has seemed comfortable in his time in San Francisco. He has even reportedly contacted Jose Reyes about playing there next season. Also I have my doubts that Brian Sabean is going to want see his Zack Wheeler investment go to waste so quickly. There is no free agent compensation for Beltran so he would not bring the Giants anything back for signing elsewhere. I expect the 2 sides to eventually work out a deal. Posey and Beltran could be a nice combination for the Giants in 2012.

9. Aramis Ramirez 3B – Brewers – How about that? The Cubs sign Prince Fielder and the Brewers respond by signing Aramis Ramirez and move Casey McGehee to 1B. The Brewers will need to replace Fielder’s production somehow if they want to stay relevant in the Central mix. What better then with a guy who hit 26 HR/.306 AVG/.361 OBP/93 RBI in 2011.

10. David Ortiz DH – Red Sox – I don’t expect the Red Sox to break the bank for David Ortiz being that he will soon be 36. However I do expect them to bring Ortiz back to Boston on at least a 2 year contract. Ortiz had arguably one of the best seasons of his career in 2011 with a 29 HR/.309 AVG/.398 OBP/96 RBI batting line.

Here are my updated 11-20 additions to this post…

11. Jimmy Rollins SS – Giants – Rollins is originally from California. The Giants have a glaring hole at the SS position and he may be the perfect guy for the job. His bat will also provide a nice addition to a lineup that may also see Carlos Beltran back, not to mention a healthy Buster Posey.

12. Grady Sizemore CF – Brewers – If the Indians decline Sizemore’s 8.5 million dollar option for 2012 he will hit the open market. Before his bout with injuries, Sizemore was an All-Star CF who played stellar both offensively and defensively. I’m guessing he will want to take a 1 year deal to reestablish his value with an eye on a big contract. I expect the Indians, Brewers, Marlins, Mets, Giants, and A’s to show interest.

13. Edwin Jackson SP – Tigers – Some team is going to give Jackson a 3 year deal this off-season. I just don’t know if it will be a contender or a pretender just yet. I’m sure the Nationals, Tigers, Cardinals, Rangers, Yankees, Rockies, Cubs and Diamondbacks to all show varying levels of interest. Dave Dombrowski liked him enough to trade one time prospect Matt Joyce for him following the 2008 season. He may still hold the admiration, especially after the Tigers defeat in the ALCS.

14. Hiroki Kuroda SP – Japan – Many people have already speculated that Kuroda will end up back in Japan this offseason. Kuroda had another successful year in 2011 going 13-16 with a 3.06 ERA. He will turn 37 in time for opening day 2012 and wouldn’t likely get more then a 2 year deal on the open market. In the end it will probably be whether he gets the money he wants to consider staying in the U.S.

15. Paul Maholm SP – Nationals – Maholm is not an ace. He is a borderline #3 starter for most MLB teams outside of Pittsburgh. He does not blow it by you and relies on his ability to pitch to contact for outs. I like the A’s, Nationals, Tigers, Rangers and Mets as interested suitors for Maholm. May be able to secure a 2-3 year deal with a team like Washington.

16. Michael Cuddyer RF – Mariners – Cuddyer will be 33 on opening day 2012. I expect him to get a 2 year deal with options on the open market. He put up good numbers in 2011 posting a (.284 AVG/20 HR/.346 OBP/70 RBI) batting line. Team’s that may have interest include the Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners and Giants. The Mariners could certainly use a bat in their impotent lineup. Cuddyer could fit the bill at his reasonable price.

17. Heath Bell CL – Cardinals – Heath Bell has said he likes living on the West Coast and would like to live there permanently. Only problem is he is going to seek at least a 3 year deal and I don’t see any West Coast team’s ready to empty their pockets for him. The Phillies may show interest as well.

18. Francisco Rodriguez CL – White Sox – Will seek a 3-year deal on the open market. Showed he still has Closer stuff during the postseason with the Brewers. Cardinals, Phillies, Mets, Reds and Marlins all may show interest. In the end I expect it to come down to dollars and the opportunity to close games.

19. Erik Bedard SP – White Sox – If the White Sox lose Mark Buerhle they may be in the hunt for a new LHP for their Starting Rotation. Bedard made 24 starts in 2011 going 5-9 with a 3.62 ERA. He showed that he is healthy and probably can command a 2 year deal with options. The Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, Orioles, Tigers, A’s, Cubs, Reds,  Diamondbacks and Rockies all could show interest in the former Orioles ace.

20. Jonathan Papelbon CL – Phillies – The Phillies make a ton of sense of Papelbon. He converted 31 of 34 saves in 2011 and will have no trouble finding work this offseason. Pitching in Philly is full of pressure and unruly fans, something Papelbon is all too used to. He can probably step in and help stabilize a Phillies bullpen which was a major weakness in 2011. Also Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge are both free agents which makes signing a new Closer all the more important. Other teams who may show interest include the Mets, White Sox, Reds, Marlins, and Cardinals.

Follow me on Twitter – @ben_yoel

The Mets will be looking for more of a stop gap closer. A guy who will take less money to come in and close games. A guy that maybe needs a season to showcase that he can still perform.

Could that guy be Jonathan Broxton?

Broxton fell out of favor for the closers job in LA during their abysmal 2011 season. They are almost certainly not bringing him back in 2012 due to the emergence of pitchers such as Kenley Jansen. Jansen set a MLB record of K/9 in 2011 with a whopping 16.1 average. He is a favorite to get saves in LA heading into the 2012 season.

Broxton saw his ERA jump 1.64 points from 2010 to 2011. This after his ERA jumped from 2.61 in 2009 to 4.04 in 2010. Why is his ERA jumping like this? Very likely its due to his diminishing velocity. If you remember how hard he through in the 2008 playoffs vs. Philadelphia it may paint a nice picture of why his arm in diminishing.

However, the Mets need a cheap option at closer. Money will be very thin this off-season if Reyes is re-signed. And if he isn’t re-signed that money won’t be spread out. There will be more money, yes. But that 20 million isn’t going out on the market necessarily. There’s a very good chance Alderson signs a few experimental guys for the bullpen and heads to Spring Training with a big try-out board on Terry Collins office wall.

I am worried about his ever increasing ERA, however if he comes cheap trying to re-establish himself it could work out for both sides. The fact that he may be willing to take a 1 year deal makes him an attractive option for Sandy Alderson.

This offseason the expectation is that Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters will post Yu Darvish. All 30 MLB teams will have the chance to submit bids for his services.

Ever since Darvish name really became well known in America scouts have been raving about his talents. I’ve heard people say he could very well be one of the best pitchers in the world.

The Mets, like every other MLB team, have had scouts in Japan watching Darvish for years. Darvish, who is now age 25, has said he plans to make the jump to the majors in time for the 2012 season. If he stays true to this, I expect the Mets to be part of the key bidders for his services. If you remember the Mets finished 2nd behind the Red Sox in the bidding process for Dice-K. That one worked out good for the Mets in the long run i’ll say. Darvish, however is a much different pitcher and also a lot younger than Dice-K. He could very well work out better for whichever team wins the bidding.

Now the main question – If the Mets could only sign ONE of Jose Reyes or Yu Darvish, who do they sign?

I have been a HUGE advocate for re-signing Reyes for well over a year. He’s not only my favorite player but he is in my opinion the Mets most valuable player. He is coming off a 2011 season in which he won the first Batting Title in New York Mets history with a batting average of .337. He is without question the most exciting player in MLB today. And lets not forget that he plays the hell out of the SS position every time he steps on the diamond.

Giving Reyes a 5-6 year deal worth over 100 million dollars will be a gamble. With Reyes checkered injury history any multiyear deal worth that much comes with extreme risk.

Would the Mets be better off going with Ruben Tejada at SS in 2012 and beyond? He hit .284 in 328 AB’s in 2011.

Jose Reyes is a type A free agent this offseason and will command 2 drafts picks (1st Rounder and Supplemental Round Pick) from whichever team signs him. This is clearly enticing to a front office set on “rebuilding” the Mets with young talent. It would also allow them to spend the money they would have given Reyes on multiple free-agents instead of just one.

The other option to spend that money is on the bidding process/signing of Yu Darvish.

His #’s from the past 7 seasons can be seen below -

A 2013 Rotation that consists of the likes Darvish/Santana/Harvey/Wheeler/Niese/Gee is extremely enticing. Maybe enticing enough to let Jose Reyes walk in free agency. As hard as that may be…

The season is over. Once again the Mets failed to reach the postseason. Nothing new, and certainly not surprising. Time to start looking toward the offseason.

Would B.J. Upton make sense in CF for the New York Mets in 2012?

Centerfield will be a wide open position for the Mets in 2012. While I don’t think Non-Tendering Angel Pagan is a good idea, it may happen. I think Pagan is at least a valuable 4th OF. However his talent may not equal what he gets awarded in arbitration. If the Mets feel that is the case he is a goner.

Upton has been on the trading block for awhile now. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Maybe both. There’s no secret Upton has a cocky personality that has clashed with teammates in the past (see Longoria spat). That can be a toxic substance to bring into a clubhouse that made great steps forward in 2011. However that toxic substance can hit for a power. And right now the Mets badly need an influx of power.

Upton’s 2011 Batting Line- .243 AVG, 23 HR, 81 RBI, .429 SLG, 71 BB, 161 K* in 560 AB

Obviously the average leaves a lot to be desired. Pagan hit .262 in 2011. The strikeouts are also WAY to high. However he hit 23 HR this season. Not to mention he has shown he can take the ball out of Citi Field at will in the past. Now with the dimensions being altered and walls coming down a tad, Upton will surely flourish at Citi Field.

Defense is also a big key to Upton’s game. He has quick legs and has shown the ability to cover his position well. Could be a nice replacement for Angel Pagan in Citi Field’s spacious CF.

Murphy’s 2011 Batting Line – .320 AVG, 6 HR, 49 RBI, .448 SLG, 24 BB, 42 K in 391 AB

Murphy could play a variety of positions for the Tampa Bay Rays. He can mainly play 1B while alternating at DH. He could even spell Evan Longoria at times at 3B from time to time.

While I’m not sure if the Rays would say yes to a straight up swap of Upton for Murphy. I’m quite positive they’d say no. Murphy is coming off back to back seasons where he was injured. More than likely the Rays would ask us for another piece to even out the trade. One name I like is Fernando Martinez. He’s still young despite his constant injury problems that have haunted his young career. If he can get it together he still has potential to be a mediocre MLB player.

Would Rays say yes to a Murphy/Martinez for Upton swap? I think it’s possible. At very least Murphy is a starting point in talks.