He’s been making the rounds on sports talk radio, and yesterday he shed some light during an appearance on the Boomer & Carton show on WFAN.

Like the professional that he is, Cora had no hard feelings against his former team who released him just before a $2 million dollar option was going to kick in.

“Let’s be honest, I’m hitting .207 and in sports you have to perform. When you hit .207 … they obviously expected a little bit more and that comes with the territory. And they also wanted to see the young kids perform.”

When asked what he thought was wrong with the Mets, Cora shed some light on the inconsistent play and how the team reacts after a win or loss.

“I think winning teams try to find that middle part where you are consistent. Like you win today, but you turn the page and you do it again tomorrow. Or you lose today and go after it real hard the next day. Until they find that point where they lose and can put it behind them, they will be inconsistent.”

Since June 23rd, not only have the Mets failed to win back to back games, but they have gone 12-24, the second worst mark in the majors. The worst? The Seattle Mariners who just cleaned house and fired their manager and coaches.

“We just didn’t hit. You can tell it was hard for us to show up and push it. It’s not that we quit, but it was very hard to keep that level of consistency that winning teams have.”

The most compelling part of the interview came when he was asked to comment on the core of the team.

“The core of the team is Jose Reyes and David Wright. They are both still young and learning, but they need to play harder and become leaders. Young guys like Tejada, Davis and Thole need leaders that they can look up to. Beltran is entering his final year, and Bay hasn’t been with the team long enough. David and Reyes have to evolve. They are now the veterans and they need to understand what that means.”

Cora also weighed in on Oliver Perez saying that he needs to help the team and get to work and reinvent himself. Regarding Luis Castillo, he said that Castillo needs to embrace his role as a backup and be a mentor for Ruben Tejada.

Pretty smart guy…

The Mets have released infielder Alex Cora and demoted outfielder Jesus Feliciano to make room for Fernando Martinez and  Ruben Tejada who will both be in uniform for today’s game.

Cora appeared in 62 games for the Mets this year and was 18 games shy of having his 2011 option automatically vest at $2 million.

So that’s that… The mystery has been solved… We still have Oliver Perez… We still have Luis Castillo… We still have basically the same problems…

Original Post 11:00 AM

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, the Mets have announced that Fernando Martinez has been promoted to the Mets.

No word yet as to who will be cut to make room for him.

Also, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes writes that Ruben Tejada has also been promoted to the Mets.

Yesterday, there was speculation that both could be traded, but today we learned from Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, that neither Fernando Martinez or Ruben Tejada were placed on trade  waivers which means they cannot be traded.

As for who the Mets will cut, or trade or demote to make room, the possibilities are many.

It could be that Francoeur or Castillo could be cut or traded, or it could simply mean that Chris Carter, Mike Hessman or Jesus Feliciano are being demoted.

We will keep you updated.

After tonight’s loss, David Lennon of Newsday provided us with an interesting moment that took place in the clubhouse when Alex Cora took exception to the jovial clubhouse environment after the loss.

Another one of those intangibles that doesn’t show up in the stats, but could make a positive impact in a different way nonetheless.

Hat tip to Bayonne Met Fan

Q – Doesn’t Cora’s option vest with 80 starts, not 80 appearances? It’s bad enough with 80 starts, you’re freaking me out with the 80 appearances thing

A – I asked Alex yesterday, and he confirmed to me it’s 80 appearances for the contract to vest for 2011 — not 80 starts. And that’s exactly how the Associated Press carried the terms of the contract originally when he signed it.

Cora’s vesting option for the 2011 season is worth $2 million dollars not including performance bonuses.

In just under a third of a season, Cora has already appeared in 30 games and is on pace for 95 appearances.

One thing that will practically assure Cora more playing time was manager Jerry Manuel’s new edict that he will be platooning Castillo with Cora for the foreseeable future.

Cora is currently batting .218 in 78 at-bats this season.

This looks like another bad multi year contract in which very little though or logic was applied. Even though it may not rise to the level of the Perez or Castillo contract, it still shows a troubling pattern of the Mets continuing to bid against themselves for marginal players.

Last night’s epic 20 inning marathon between the Cardinals and the Mets had more ups and downs than a ride on the Cyclone in Coney Island. When the game finally came to an end and I saw Luis Castillo field the grounder off the bat of Ryan Ludwick and fire it to Mike Jacobs at first base for the final out. it took a couple of minutes for me to finally rise up and cheer like I usually do after a Mets win. The realization that the game had really come to an end took a while for my brain to process. It was all so surreal to me, and after taking in the entire 6 hour and 53 minute affair, all I knew was that I just witnessed one of the most thrilling, exciting and gut-wrenching regular season Met games ever. I’ll even go one further than that. There’s no way of really knowing for sure, but even if the Mets had lost the game, I don’t know if it would have made any difference in the way I felt afterward because the game itself had become more important in the grand scheme of things than the end result. The final score seemed like just a footnote on this historic evening for the Mets.

When you are fortunate enough to witness such a classic game as this one, you come away with a wonderful collection of thoughts that won’t soon perish. To watch two teams go toe-to-toe with both sides so unwilling to lose, often times under the most direst of circumstances, was like seeing the true greatness of our national pastime for the very first time… untainted, unblemished, and a grand feast for all your senses. It was a chance to admire all of the game’s intricacies and beauty without all the incessant off the field distractions. It was pure baseball and I loved it. The win for the Mets only made it that much more satisfying.

Some of the best memories I will take away from this game, includes the feeling of jubilation within me after I watched first baseman Alex Cora make that unforgettable putout while diving into the stands and into the crowd to catch that foul popup. You want shock and awe, this play was just that… It was an unbelievable catch by Cora, even Jeter-esque, and it came just seconds after I finished my rant protesting the decision to substitute Cora at first base in the first place. Baseball can often times be so humbling.

Watching the Mets bullpen fight through a bases-loaded nobody out situation three different times to keep the Cardinals off the board and the game tied, was nerve-tattering to say the least, but the exhilaration that came after each third out was registered, made all the angst well worth it. The Cardinals left 22 men on base which clearly illustrates you how truly remarkable the bullpen performed sans Frankie Rodriguez. However, K-Rod’s blown save did add to the buildup and lead to the overall grand finale, so all is forgiven. Remarkably, Mike Pelfrey would get the save which he can add to his perfect 2-0 record to go with his 1.38 ERA. You didn’t think I would forget that did you?

Lost in this amazing test of endurance, were the two warriors who started the game and led their respective teams into this historic foray. Mets left hander Johan Santana and Cardinals newbie Jaime Garcia who was making only the third start of his young career. Both of them delivered one of the best scoreless pitching duels you will ever see in a regular season game. It was a classic battle that pitted a Jedi Master against his up and coming Jedi Apprentice, if I may throw in a cinematic analogy. Both of them pitched like aces, with the much younger Garcia holding the Mets hitless for five innings before ultimately giving up a single to Angel Pagan to start the sixth inning. But Johan, who would not be undone, brought his “A” game and was up for the challenge. Santana gave the Mets seven scoreless innings while striking out nine Cardinal batters in the process. They both walked away like gunslingers with seven scoreless innings each under their belts, and even though neither pitcher would walk away with a win, they had etched their place in baseball history. Nobody knew it at the time, but Garcia vs Santana was just the opening act and there would be four more hours of pure adrenaline-pumping delightfulness coming our way.

Those are just three of the many things that I took away from this true Mets classic, which I’m sure we’ll see again and again on SNY, as the Mets gave their network a true treasure to expand their video library.

This game was truly one for the ages.

Carlos Delgado goes down and is replaced by untested leftfielder Daniel Murphy…

Jose Reyes goes down and is replaced by Alex Cora…

In both instances the downgrades were too much to overcome. Of course you can’t replace a Delgado and a Reyes with the snap of a finger, most teams can’t, but it still showed how woefully lacking the Mets were at two vital positions to the team.

Injuries happen and sometimes there’s nothing any team can do to avoid them, but good teams have capable backup plans especially for positions where they might be vulnerable.

Going into the offseason, the Mets knew that no matter how well Jose Reyes was doing post surgery, he was still an injury risk until he could prove that he can withstand the rigors of playing the field everyday and running the bases at full tilt. How can you go into the 2010 season with a worse backup plan than you had last year at shortstop when you:

A) Knew there could be a strong possibility that Jose Reyes may not be ready for Opening Day?

B) Saw first hand how inadequate Alex Cora was as his replacement, and yet you resigned him after two more surgeries and chronic back problem?

C) Did nothing to address your depth at shortstop at the minor league levels?

How do you ignore all of those things after what happened last season?

How can you not have targeted an Adam Kennedy or Felipe Lopez for example, both of whom recently signed for $1.25 MM, almost half of what the Mets will pay Alex Cora?

Lopez scored 88 runs last season while posting a .383 OBP and .313 batting average, and Kennedy hit 11 homeruns while driving in 63 runs and batting .289. You already know what Alex Cora did…

Sure it’s easy for me to say that now, but shouldn’t that have been the general manager’s job and goal after seeing that we STILL had no capable backup plan for Jose Reyes if he got injured again? Isn’t that what he gets paid for?

Instead of dealing for Chris Carter when they dealt Billy Wagner to the Red Sox, why didn’t they instead insist on a AAAA shortstop instead of a AAAA rightfielder?

These are the things that really bug me because it shows the lack of a plan or vision.

The Mets also failed to sign ONE LEGITIMATE STARTING PITCHER in the offseason, knowing full well that 4/5ths of the rotation was coming off major injuries, surgeries, etc. and were all risks for not pitching the 200 innings the Mets need from each of them.

Our backup plan in the rotation are the same cast of guys we sank with last season; Nieve, Figueroa and Niese.

The Mets had over a dozen players coming back from some sort of injury this spring…

Did Omar Minaya really believe that all of them would come back in pristine condition with no setbacks or relapses?

This reads more like the script from Titanic than it does a plan for success.

You could sit back and feel sorry for the Mets all you wanted last season because the amount of injuries was staggering, but they get no sympathy from me when the same players go down and there is no adequate replacement this season.

They had time… all the time they needed… to address these MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN.

Nobody plans to fail, but that’s exactly what happens when you fail to plan.

Competition is a good thing, and in Mets camp there is a lot of it. Many players have entered Mets camp this year hopeful they can win a job with the big league club. Let’s break down this completion position by position and name the favorites.

Center Field - Carlos Beltran’s injury leaves a void in center field. The Mets acquired Gary Mathews Jr. to compete with Angel Pagan for the opening day center field gig. Pagan did a nice job filling in last year for Beltran when he batted .306 in 88 games. Pagan has his flaws though, many question his decision making and his intelligence on the base paths and in the field as well as his ability to stay healthy. Pagan is very talented and Matthews is going to have a hard time trying to pry the starting job away from him.

Favorite - Angel Pagan

Dark Horse – Fernando Martinez

Fifth Starter - The Mets did not acquire a big name starting pitcher this winter, leaving an open competition for the fifth starter’s job. Jon Niese, Fernando Nieve, Nelson Figueroa, Hisanori Takahashi, and R.A. Dickey are all names that should be considered for that final rotation spot. The Mets doubted that Niese would be healed from off-season surgery, but he has proven his health. Nelson Figueroa and Fernando Nieve proved useful to the Mets last season, and are hoping to break camp as the fifth starter.

Favorite - Jon Niese

Dark Horse - Hisanori Takahashi

Set-up Man – The Mets acquired Japanese import, Ryota Igarashi to compete for the eighth inning role with former Angel, Kelvim Escobar. Escobar pitched in only one game last year after missing all of 2008. Escobar is most known as a starter for the Angels, but was an effective reliever in the past for the Blue Jays. Early word is that Igarashi has impressed Mets’ coaches. Bobby Parnell is also an interesting name in consideration for this role.

Favorite – Ryota Igarashi

Dark Horse – Bobby Parnell

Final Bench Spot – With Alex Cora, Henry Blanco, Fernando Tatis, and Matthews/Pagan guaranteed to make the bench, that leaves one spot open assuming the Mets go with a five man bench. Mike Jacobs, Frank Catalanotto, Chris Carter, and Anderson Hernandez are likely to compete for this spot. It’s believed the Mets want this bench spot to be occupied by someone who can potentially enter a platoon with Daniel Murphy at first base, so that knocks Hernandez out of consideration. Jacobs is a power hitter, who just two years ago hit 32 homeruns for the Marlins. Catalanotto is known for being a clubhouse leader. Catalanotto has a slight edge over Jacobs because of his ability to play first base as well as outfield.

Favorite – Frank Catalanotto

Dark Horse – Chris Carter

2009 was just awful to be a fan of the New York Mets.  Injuries and incompetence ran rampant and by July we were out of playoff contention.  For me October 4^th, 2009, the last regular season game, could not come fast enough.  The day after the season ended we all know how Fred Wilpon, Omar Minaya (who may or may not be the General Manager) and Dave Howard did a media blitz promising that 2010 would be different.  The mistakes handling injuries would not happen again the 3 Stooges promised us. They also promised that they would spend what was needed in improving the season.

Well, it’s February 9^th, 2010, and before the new season even starts the Mets already have already embarrassed themselves and us with the handling of Carlos Beltran’s knee surgery. As usual, the Mets made their one traditional big move by signing Jason Bay, and then filling in the rest of the blanks with a bunch of backup catchers, reclamation projects and overpaying bench players like Alex Cora because he’s a nice guy. It’s the same tired script we’ve seen again and again under the Minaya era.

The truth is I wasn’t expecting the Mets to make good on the promises they made after last season ended. My blinders are off, but I was hoping they would prove me wrong.  I sit here and see how nothing has really changed from the 2009 season and it fills me with despair and hopelessness for 2010. Will the Mets lose 90 games if everyone stays healthy?  Most likely they won’t, but I don’t see them winning over 85 games this year and it’s hard to envision them making the post season.  The way this team is currently operates, just doesn’t seeming like a recipe for success.

The Mets are going into the season with two backup catchers who will log more playing time than they deserve, Daniel Murphy who will keep first base warm until something better comes along, an immovable second baseman that the club doesn’t want but refuse to dump his contract, and their fourth outfielder will most likely be their everyday centerfielder on opening day. The problems with the rotation are well documented.

You can call me negative and say that it’s only February, but we were saying a lot of the same things in early 2009.  The Mets have alienated me, my hopes aren’t high for 2010, but because I love this team I will be watching and going to games, hoping that they prove me wrong.

Dirt was thrown at everybody from the ownership down to and through the medical staff, the Minor League organization and most obviously the Manager Jerry Manuel and the General Manager Omar Minaya . Nobody was as critical of these two so called professionals than me. I gave them some credit for their valiant try to finish on top in 2008 and even went so far to say that the team overachieved in getting down to the last day to decide their fate for the playoffs.

I wrote at least four articles on websites for the Mets to resign Pedro Martinez. Their rotation was a disaster coming out Spring Training and although I like and enjoy the World Baseball Classic it’s timing last season couldn’t have been worse for the Mets as 17 players left camp to play for their countries. Was it a big surprise that so many of those players who did go to the WBC come down with critical injuries during the season? I will address the WBC situation at another time.

The Mets fans and media as well wants the Mets to make a splash in the off season for two reasons. One, many of us feel the Mets still need help in a few areas including left field, second base, and adding depth to an already suspect rotation. The second reason for the need to make a splash is for the Mets ownership to show the fans that they willing to do what it takes to pay for high quality free agents and compete with the other big money teams in pursuit of these players.

For all accounts prior the the winter meetings the Mets were going to be all in on pitcher John Lackey, as well the two top outfielders, Matt Holliday and Jason Bey in the free agent market. What they didn’t expect was these players just might not want to come to Citi-Field and have their offensive numbers wind up somewhere around mid-toilet.

Do I want the Mets to pick up either Matt Holliday or Jason Bay? Of course I do. Do I now think they are going to get either one of them? The answer is No. There are lots of secondary outfielders out there that have power and lack defensive skills necessary to play in a big ball yard. On the flip side there are excellent gloves that could make the starting outfield the best defensive unit in baseball but they can’t hit their weight.

So, what are the Mets to do? In what appears to be in a no win scenario, I am going to propose a plan which is going to be vastly unpopular with my guess being around 97% of Mets fans and media coverage out there.

Let’s talk specifics. I believe the club needs both youth and experienced veterans who are willing to run through walls if necessary to get the job done. A guy who can hit .280, knows how to move a runner from first to third, can steal a base, lay down a good sacrifice bunt and willing to bust up a double play. When a veteran like Alex Cora with two busted thumbs does that, guys like Fernando Martinez take notice. There are plenty of those gritty type players out there that won’t bust the Wilpon bank, but will put people in the seats into a ballpark that will lose many visitors if 2009 is even remotely duplicated.

Let’s break this down and remember you’re not going to to like it. I think Daniel Murphy has the potential to be an excellent defensive first baseman, hit third in the order and remind people of Keith Hernandez. Will he do all this in 2010? No. The answer here is to re-sign Carlos Delgado. I can hear the screaming starting now. Carlos Delgado is as proud a man than just about any ballplayer I have watched for the past 60 years. No clearer indication of that was in 2008 when finally recovered from a wrist injury where he compensated not to re-injure his wrist, He put on a second half performance the likes of which hasn’t been seen south of the Bronx in a very long time.

He started off 2009 where he left off the previous fall and if he had played a full season his numbers would have duplicated 2008. But of course that never happened. Carlos is exactly like Pedro. He feels his mission in New York will not be complete until he has a ring. Have him play 130 games at first base and let the Super Sub Daniel Murphy fill in not only there, but he can be occasionally back up David Wright, and yes even stick him in left or at second for a game or two. Could it be any worse then having Tatis at those positions?

Next, at second base we must say goodbye to Punch and Judy, Luis Castillo. Having as good a year that was possible for him, he now has value for some teams who need players who can get on base. My problem with Castillo believe it or not was not his bat in 2009 but his defensive play at second base. It was, to put it in one word, awful. He has lost his range and played the game with his head not always on his shoulders. He did prove his point and gave the Mets a spark they needed last year and for that I hope another team sees value in him. If Orlando Hudson is available and he’ll take a two year contract then by 2012 Reese Havens should be ready for Major League play.

I’m not at all concerned about the left side of the infield. I expect David Wright to have that bounce back year and with his partner Jose Reyes getting on base, stealing bases and keeping everyone on the edge of their seats we will once again see the old David Wright smashing the ball all over the yard. Jerry Manuel however has to be smart and not change where he places David in the lineup. If it’s 3rd then keep him there. If it’s 4th or 5th, then keep him there. One of Jerry’s biggest shortcomings last year was juggling that lineup so badly everyday that no one knew their role.

The catching situation is already out of hand and it looks like their next move is to have an open casting call for all catchers to try out for the Mets. Right now they have four catchers. Santos, Thole, Coste, and Blanco. Wonderful, and Bengie Molina is trying to secure a three year deal at 35 to be the next catcher. Oh my!

I say right from opening day to go with the youth, and platoon Santos and Thole and if either one of them breaks out of the gate fast let’s stick with him. Thole in his short stay looked no better or no worse than the more heralded Matt Weiters of the Baltimore Orioles. Thole should and could be the Mets catcher for the next ten years.

I would have no problem with a one year deal for Pat Burrell or Marlon Byrd or Johnny Damon or any number of other second level left fielders. Personally I would like to see, if healthy, Fernando Martinez in left field on opening day. He has been our top prospect for 5 years, and now may be a good time to see what he’s got for us or to showcase him as major trade bait.

Beltran and Francoeur can roam the outfield for the next 4-5 years and provide the power and defense we need in spacious Cit-Field. Angel Pagan is a very serviceable 4th outfielder and some may argue that he deserves a starting spot in left field for opening day. Personally I’d rather see Martinez there.

So here is my opening day line up.

Reyes                    SS
Hudson                  2B
Beltran                   CF
Wright                    3B
Delgado                 1B
Francoeur              RF
Martinez                 LF
Thole                     C
Santana                SP

If you’re already mad at me and think I’m ridiculous you’re really not going to like this. There are only two starting pitchers out there in the free agent market that I would even entertain a look at. They are Joel Pineiro and Ben Sheets. When healthy, and I think we can say that about any pitcher, these two guys could do a great deal to solidify the staff. I’d also keep on eye on Wang, Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang. But let’s say the Mets don’t get any of these pitchers for whatever excuse they come up with, then this is a do or die year for the Mets rotation.

Santana can’t make 162 starts so where does that leave us? I believe John Maine is more of a number 2 than Mike Pelfrey. I would push Pelfrey down to the 4 spot and allow Oliver Perez to move to the number 3. If I am sure of one thing this off season it is that Oliver Perez will come to camp in the best shape of his life. He has been working vigorously in the off season on both his physical and mental sides.

That leaves the number five spot open to some very healthy competition for Jonathon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Pat Misch and Fernando Nieve. Once again I believe we could do no wrong signing Pedro Martinez to a two year deal. I think he certainly proved himself down the stretch for the Phillies and he can not hurt this team. His veteran leadership in the Mets clubhouse can not be measured. This rotation last year before the season started was picked by many to be enough to compete with the Phillies for the NL East.

With Roy Halladay now just 90 miles south and for the Mets to have to face him at least 4-6 times a year is an uphill battle at the least but in a head to head with Johan Santana I’ll take my chances.

Finally, if the Mets get out of the gate slowly I would look to replace Jerry Manuel after 40 games. As much as I feel that he caused many of the on the field problems for 2009, I am willing to give him just enough rope to hang himself. And as far as Omar is concerned, unless some miracle can be pulled out of a hat, this will be his final year for sure.

But here is where I’m having a hard time….I read a report in USA Today a few days ago about the winners and losers of the winter meetings.  The Mets were not considered to be a winner or a loser.  Think about that.  By being neither, the Mets have cemented themselves as being apathetic and non-committal to the whole hot stove process.  And if you are not intent on improving your team, you are destined to lose more games than you win.  It’s that simple.

And then this morning, I read this piece on Yahoo Sports about Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, he of the 97 mph fastball.  Dude had a throwing session yesterday in which big league scouts were on hand and here are the teams they mentioned that sent a representative: Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Nationals, Marlins, A’s and Orioles.  Of course, there were 15 teams represented in all, so there is no telling if the Mets did indeed send someone, but the writer didn’t mention them.  That’s either because the Mets did not care enough to send a scout, or because the writer did not care enough to mention the Mets.  Either way, it’s adding more fuel to the apathy fire.  Because really, why wouldn’t you go overpay like crazy for a guy like Chapman, who not only throws 97 mph, but is a LEFTY who could neutralize those big bats of the Phillies.

I think the version of the Mets you see now is what you’re going to get in April, plus maybe the return of Carlos Delgado.  And wow, what a heartwarming thought that is during the hot stove league season.

No additional information on the severity of the injury is available at this time.

This certainly isn’t good news for Omar Minaya, as he has faced criticism as of late for signing the veteran utility man to such a lucrative deal.

Last season with the Mets, Cora played in 82 games while primarily filling in at shortstop for the injured Jose Reyes. In 251 at-bats, which were the most he has had since 2004, Cora hit .251 with one home run and drove in 18 runs with an OBP of.320.

This situation definitively bears watching as even if the injury is in fact a minor one there are now going to be serious questions regarding Cora’s durability.

Having a healthy Cora is essential heading into next season because the Mets really don’t know what they’re going to get out of their starting shortstop, Reyes.

Minaya has his priorities twisted. You fill in the blanks after you land the Great White, not aspire to bag a school of (dropout) minnows. He is a lousy fisherman and I am not alone in losing faith in the Mets fearless (clueless?) leader.

How else can a die hard Mets fan rationalize his first three signings: Alex Cora, Chris Coste, and Henry Blanco? Then again, what do I know? Perhaps the line was as long as the ones that formed in the wee hours of the morning on Black Friday. Perhaps Cora, Coste, and Blanco was much coveted door busters that Minaya sacrificed sleep over.

Speaking of snoozing, wake me up when he gets into the War and starts bidding on World Class talent, such as John Lackey-a must have for a team in need of an innings eater and bulldog. Not a trio of players that surely will still be in the bargain basement bin in February.

Moreover, Minaya’s rancid negotiating skills, the ones that overpaid by $20 million dollars for a nearly washed up second baseman, has reared it’s ugly head again by dolling out twice as much for Cora than the market could possibly bear (inked for the outrageous amount of $2 mill for someone who had both thumbs surgicaly repaired. Makes you wonder if Jeff Wilpon pays an iota of attention when he signs the checks).

What the heck was the rush to overpay for Cora?

Minaya should have been at Lackey’s doorstep at 12:01 when free agency opened, and bulled him over with a SUV fully loaded with greenbacks. He had his chance to set off a howitzer and instead pulled out his pea shooter. My fellow Mets fans, he is not fit to lead us into the new decade.

How about the fact, according to our esteemed Joe D., he doubled Blanco’s stipend after a retched .235 season? And Coste, a career minor leaguer, but fine author, is a catch that should have all Mets fans rushing to the liquor cabinet to rejoice with a celebratory libation.

You build a team with stars and impact players, not with leftovers. It is hard to believe Minaya is still steering our ship-albeit aground.

Anyone seen Steve Phillips lately?

According to source familiar with the negotiations, former Red Sox infielder Alex Cora is close to a one-year deal with a vesting option for  second with the New York Mets. The deal, which would guarantee the 34-year-old the same $2 million he made in ‘09 during at least the initial year of the contract, is expected to be finalized upon Cora passing a physical.

Alex Cora played in 82 games with the Mets last season before succumbing to torn ligaments in both thumbs that ended his season.

He hit .251 while taking over for Jose Reyes who was lost for the season due to leg and hamstring injuries.

I really don’t understand the urgency in locking in a roster spot to a utility player whose best days are behind him. His limited performance was not so outstanding that it warranted a two million dollar deal. Especially when he has yet to swing a bat after off season surgery on both of his hands.

 Assuming the Mets stick to their game plan and sign the righthanded bat to platoon with Murphy at first base, an everyday leftfielder, and a starting catcher, it could mean that the Mets bench will once again feature Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, Angel Pagan, Jeremy Reed and Alex Cora.

I don’t know about you, but it sounds a little bit too familiar for a team that is looking to shed the stigma of last season. But that’s just me.

Former Mets who have officially filed now include Brian Schneider, Carlos Delgado, Alex Cora and Ramon Martinez.

I believe that out of that group, at least one of them stands a good chance of returning next season. Delgado and Schneider will both be playing for new teams next season. Schneider has his sights set on a return to the Nationals, while Delgado is resigned to being a 1B/DH for a contending team in the American League. According to Adam Rubin, a Mets official confided in him that the Mets will be in the market for a right handed first baseman to platoon with Daniel Murphy in 2010.

I wonder if that’s really a good idea? It seems to me they are basically saying that they want a Fernando Tatis type. Didn’t we already try that and agree that it didn’t provide enough offense from the first base position where the Mets ranked last in homeruns, RBI’s, runs scored, and slugging percentage.

The Mets were very pleased with Alex Cora last season and see him as a positive influence in the clubhouse. Many have considered Cora to be a future manager, and the Mets see those same qualities in him and wouldn’t mind having him stick around as a player/coach.

I don’t have a problem if the Mets were to bring Cora back. The Mets need all the good baseball people they can get and if nothing else, Cora fits that bill. Offensively, Cora is no great shakes, but he held his own as a utility infielder and stepped up for the team when Jose Reyes went down.

Yesterday, the Mets exercised the option on starter Mike Pelfrey. The Mets picked up their $500,000 option on Big Pelf who was actually operating on the terms of the deal he signed when the Mets originally drafted him. Here are those details:

Pelfrey was signed to a 4-year deal with an option for $6.6 million dollar contract and received a $3.55 million dollar bonus. At the time, it was the second largest contract ever given to a drafted starting pitcher. It guaranteed him almost $2 million dollars a year and was one of the reasons the Mets rushed him to the majors.

The good news for the Mets is that Pelfrey will be getting a significant pay cut after earning $2.9 million dollars in 2009. Plus he remains under the Mets control for another four years. If he wants to get back to that $2 million dollar figure in 2011, he’ll have to pitch his ass off in 2010.

In 2009, Pelfrey was a big disappointment and finished the season with a 10-12 record and 5.03 ERA in 31 starts. After a season like that, there is no place to go but up in 2010. One thing that was a little concerning last season was how easily Pelfrey became rattled on the mound, especially with a runner on base. He was constantly talking to himself, pacing the mound, shaking off his catcher or poorly communicating with them, and he would completely unravel if the umpire squeezed him which they regularly did. Some of my friends thought he was showing a lot of fire (whatever that is), but I thought it was more of a lack of confidence and self control, and those are things you would expect from a rookie and not someone who is entering his fourth major league season.

A thought to ponder…

Which will happen first, the Mets 3rd World Series title or the Yankees 28th?

Luis Castillo, age 34
2010 contract: $6M (’08-’11)
2009 stats: .308 avg, 1 hr, 36 rbi, .355 slg
Career stats: .293 avg, 28 hr, 422 rbi, .355 slg

It’s true that Castillo has shocked every Met fan at how well he’s played. His average is ninth in the National League but his ability to hit singles and sac-bunts may not be helpful to the Mets if they are going for a playoff run next year. Castillo has been able to stay healthy (for the most part) and his defense has been at par if you take away his dropped ball against the Yankees. I still don’t think his singles and his few stolen bases are enough to get the Mets into the playoffs.

Verdict

No, best of luck to Castillo next year but he is more suited for a team that needs a reliable base runner and is a more likely competitor for the playoffs. I say deal away Castillo for something the Mets need for next year.

Orlando Hudson, age 31
2010 contract: no contract
2009 stats: .285 avg, 9 hr, 62 rbi, .415 slg
Career stats: .282 avg, 77 hr, 434 rbi, .430 slg

I was surprised the Mets did not get Orlando Hudson this offseason. The guy was basically begging to play for the Mets. His past numbers have proven he’s an offensive plus to the team and his defense, well you’ve all seen how great that is. He would be a great defensive and offensive bonus to the team and he was younger than I thought he was so he would be around longer than Castillo would.

Verdict

Yes, there’s no doubt in my mind that Hudson would be a bonus to the Mets. He’s someone the Mets need to go for during the offseason. His defense is spectacular and he can hold his own at the plate.

Dan Uggla, age 29
2010 contract: no contract
2009 stats: .240 avg, 30 hr, 85 rbi, .456 slg
Career stats: .257 avg, 120 hr, 355 rbi, .482 slg

We’ve all seen Uggla play poorly in last year’s All-Star game, probably the worst defensive player in the National League as well. But his offensive power makes up for it. He has consistent power numbers but his average is sub-par and he even he may not be able to reach the CitiField walls.

Verdict

No, Uggla may have power but the Mets say they are going to work on defense, speed and pitching. Everything Uggla doesn’t have. He could help the Mets in the power department but that’s all he’s good for.

Ben Zobrist, age 28
2010 contract: none
2009 stats: .286 avg, 24 hr, 79 rbi, .518 slg
Career stats: .253 avg, 39 hr, 136 rbi, .444 slg

Ben Zobrist is coming off the best season of his young career and is someone the Mets could use at second. He plays hard, runs hard, hits hard. The only disconcerting thing about Zobrist is his average. His average has been constant, consistently decent. Nothing spectacular in that department but the rest of his numbers are great and with guidance from the veterans on the team he would be a great fielder and hitter.

Verdict

Yes, Zobrist has proven himself down in Tampa and played well when they played the Mets earlier this year. He is someone that has heart and plays his hardest. His young age is helpful to the Mets if they are going to try to build up on future players.

Other possibilities…

Wilson Valdez - No, he’s done a decent job at filling in for the injured Alex Cora and Jose Reyes but he’s not in the Mets plans for next year.

Argenis Reyes – No, he let me down this season, he had a decent season last year with the help of Jose but he was useless to the Mets this year.

Ramon Martinez - No, hahahaha sorry needed a laugh. The guy has been out longer with a sprained pinky than A-Rod was with his hip surgery.

Alex Cora – Yes, despite getting injured several times he’s done well as the Mets platoon middle infielder and the Mets should bring him back. Maybe not for another two million but for less.

Anderson Hernandez - No, he only came back to the Mets to help fill in for the injured middle infielders. You’ve lost your marbles if you thinks he’s coming back next year.

As a roundup…

Yes – Alex Cora, Ben Zobrist, Orlando Hudson.
No – Argenis Ryes, Luis Castillo, Dan Uggla, Anderson Hernandez, Wilson Valdez, Ramon Martinez.

But here’s something I just can’t get past.  The disabled list itself, and the fact that our core that have landed on there (Beltran, Reyes, Delgado, Putz, Maine) and are probably all done for the season.  Here is the list of who went on the DL when, and why…

The 60-day DL sometimes means longer, but how is it that Reyes, Maine and Beltran are all on the 15-day DL?  So far, Reyes has been on there for 90 days, Maine 73 days, and Beltran 58 days.  We’re not talking broken bones here.  We’re talking tendonitis, shoulder fatigue and a bone bruise, respectively.  I’m not a doctor, but apparently neither are the guys in charge of the Mets’ infirmary either.  I think there is a real problem in this organization, whether that’s on the diagnosis end or in the weight room or something.  But there is a problem here for sure.

Cora also has a torn ligament in each of his thumbs and will have surgery on this left thumb this Thursday, and surgery on his right thumb five weeks later.

Parnell was on a pitch count of 60-75 pitches, so it was unlikely that he was going to pitch the minimum five innings to qualify for a victory.  That became more apparent when he needed 29 pitches to get through the first inning, an inning in which the Padres tied the game at 1 after the Mets had taken the lead in the top of the first on Alex Cora’s first home run in his last 415 at-bats.

After loading the bases with one out in the third inning, Parnell’s evening was done (68 pitches, two runs, four hits, three walks, one strikeout) and Nelson Figueroa was brought in to try to keep the game tied.  Figueroa struck out Eliezer Alfonzo for the second out, but then walked last night’s slam dancer, Everth Cabrera to force in the go-ahead run.  It was the fifteenth time this season a Mets pitcher had issued a bases-loaded walk.

The bullpen did a fine job keeping the game close, giving up only an unearned run in the eighth inning.  Tim Redding in particular did well, pitching three scoreless innings.  However, for the second straight game, the Mets were able to score in the first inning and then hit the snooze button for the remaining eight innings.  This was epitomized by the 5-4-3 double play hit into by Jeff Francoeur in the ninth inning after Daniel Murphy led off the frame with an infield hit.

For the Padres, rookie Mat Latos picked up his fourth consecutive victory, holding the Mets to one run in his six innings of work.  Ex-Met Heath Bell pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 28th save in 29 chances.

The Mets have now lost eight consecutive games at Petco Park and are 1-9 in the ten games played there since the beginning of the 2007 season.  They have scored two runs or less in six of those nine defeats.  With tonight’s loss, the Mets have fallen to a season-high eight games under .500 (51-59) and are now a full 10 games behind the Wild Card-leading Giants.  The Phillies are now light years ahead of the Mets in the National League East standings.

Tomorrow’s series finale will feature Johan Santana against Tim Stauffer.  Santana will be looking for his 13th win after being denied the victory in his last start when Francisco Rodriguez allowed the Cardinals to tie the game in the ninth inning in a game they eventually won in ten innings.  If the Mets are going to avoid a ninth consecutive loss in San Diego and their second straight four-game sweep there, Santana will have to be at his finest since the Mets are having difficulty finding ways to score runs at Petco Park.  Game time will be at 4:05 PM.  Should the Mets lose, the eulogy will be delivered shortly after the final pitch is thrown.

Every time an updated injury report is released, August appears to be the month circled for the majority of the disabled players to make their return to the Mets.  What will this mean for the players who have been thrust into everyday roles over the past few months?  Let’s start analyzing what August has in store for the Mets, beginning with the hitters.

The key Mets injuries in 2009 have been the ones to Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes.  Their replacements have been Daniel Murphy, Angel Pagan and Alex Cora, respectively.  They have all performed well defensively at their positions, but other than Pagan, their offense has been a considerable dropoff from the players they replaced.  What role will they serve in August?

Although he started out rather poorly in left field, Daniel Murphy has become more than adequate at first base.  In fact, on occasion, he has been nothing less than brilliant.  He has participated in numerous key double plays, with the most recent being the 3-2-3 twin killing he started during Saturday night’s game against the Diamondbacks to help Oliver Perez get out of a bases-loaded no-outs situation.  Also, who can forget the behind-the-back flip he made to Bobby Parnell on July 8 against the Dodgers?

However, Murphy is not the power hitter Delgado is.  He has been flirting with a .250 batting average for most of the season and has only produced six home runs.  Murphy certainly has a role as an infielder on this team, but until he shows he can be a better hitter, especially at a corner infielder spot where more power is expected, he will most likely be relegated to the bench once Delgado comes back.  Fortunately for Murphy, Delgado appears to be the furthest from returning from his injury of the three core hitters, as he is still not able to run the bases.  He has been hitting in the batting cages and has been taking light infield practice.  Once he is able to run the bases, he should be able to return to action with the Mets.  Although no timetable has been set, mid-to-late August seems to be the best bet for Delgado’s return.

Angel Pagan has been heaven sent.  He has been better than advertised since he replaced Carlos Beltran in center field.  Pagan has been a great clutch hitter and has played well covering Citi Field’s vast expanses.  Beltran was able to take outdoor batting practice on Saturday for the first time since he was placed on the disabled list in June.  He might be two to three weeks away from returning, but that hinges on his ability to test out the bone bruise in his right knee.

When Beltran is well enough to return from the disabled list, he will surely be reinserted into the everyday lineup as the starting centerfielder, forcing a move for Angel Pagan.  However, Pagan should not be placed on the bench.  He has earned his starting role and should be moved to left field.  An outfield of Pagan, Beltran and Francoeur is exceptional defensively.  The only question will be where Pagan would hit in the order since Jose Reyes will take over the leadoff spot once he returns.

Speaking of Jose Reyes, he suffered a setback on Friday when he was unable to run hard around the bases.  Reyes can take infield practice and has been able to hit, but as with the other disabled players, his problem has been running the bases.  Since Reyes’ forte is his speed, he will not come back until the team feels he can run at full speed without feeling tightness in his hamstring.

A return from Reyes would put Alex Cora back on the bench.  He has been a good injury replacement for the Mets, filling in nicely on the defensive end for the injured Reyes, but he has gotten far more at-bats than he ever expected and is nothing more than a singles hitter.  As a leadoff hitter, Reyes was not expected to drive in many runs.  However, even though he hasn’t played since May 20, he still has more RBI than Cora (Reyes has 15 RBI to Cora’s 14).  Cora is far more effective as a bench player and a backup for Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo.

As far as the pitchers go, namely Billy Wagner, J.J. Putz and John Maine, Wagner is the closest one to returning.  He pitched a perfect inning in his rehab appearance on Friday night, needing only ten pitches to retire the three batters he faced.  With a few more pain-free rehab appearances, he could be back in the Mets bullpen at some point in the next few weeks.

J.J. Putz said during a Sunday interview on SNY that he expects to be back in about three weeks.  He reported no pain after completing a favorable bullpen session on Saturday in which he threw 25 pitches (20 fastballs and five splitters).  His next bullpen session is scheduled for Wednesday where he is expected to throw 30-35 pitches.  If this is also favorable, he will then face live hitters before beginning a minor league rehab assignment.

John Maine may or may not return this season.  However, he did receive some positive news from Dr. James Andrews when it was revealed that he has nothing more than shoulder weakness, confirming an earlier diagnosis.  Maine has since returned to the minor league complex in Port St. Lucie but the Mets have not stated what his upcoming rehab schedule will be.

Three hitters.  Three pitchers.  August will herald the return of some, if not most of these players.  Once they do come back, the bench will be strengthened and the players currently getting playing time will get much-needed rest.  Jerry Manuel will have plenty of lineup decisions to make over the next few weeks, but fortunately those decisions will not involve which bench player or minor league call-up to insert into the game.  They will involve which established major leaguer is going to play.  That’s a decision a manager loves to make.

In closing, I’d like to ask the readers what they would do with the players currently playing on an everyday basis.  Which players should continue to play every day?  Which should return to the bench?  What roles and/or positions should they play?  Would the Mets be better served if the disabled players were shut down for the remainder of the season?  Here’s your chance to play manager.  Let’s see what you’ve got.

The Mets finally snapped their four-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night.

Oliver Perez made his long anticipated return to the mound, but he was as erratic as ever as he toiled through five innings while throwing 108 pitches. He allowed just two runs and was very lucky it wasn’t a lot more.

When Perez walked the first batter of the game on four pitches, I wondered how many Mets fans turned their televisions off right there and then?

Ollie walked seven batters, allowed four hits, and struck out two. I guess I should be thrilled that the Mets won, but honestly all I felt after the game was relief.

I don’t know what to make of Ollie’s performance because on any other day seven walks would usually translate to a loss, but I guess I should just shut up and be happy with the win. Bobby Ojeda thought it was good sign that Oliver Perez never imploded and that he was able to wiggle out of trouble a few times. I suppose that’s a good sign, but geez… seven walks?

Offensively, the Mets finally snapped their 23 inning scoreless streak when they scored a run in the second inning after Jeremy Reed doubled and scored on a Luis Castillo single to tie the game at 1-1. Woo freaking hoo…

In the third inning hell froze over as the Mets exploded for three runs!

After a Daniel Murphy doubled (he had two in the game), Wright snapped his 0-for-17 slump with a single to score Murphy and put the Mets up by a run. I swear I couldn’t remember the last time the Mets had a lead.

A walk, an error, and another single later (by Jeremy Reed), the Mets were up 4-1 and all of a sudden Mets fans everywhere collectively exhaled.

The bullpen did an okay job after relieving Perez of his duties. Bobby Parnell allowed three runners and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, but he looked more comfortable out there and composed. His slider was especially sharp and he used it to effectively setup his fastball.

Feliciano came in for an out, and Sean Green allowed a run in the eighth inning, but it was K-Rod in the ninth inning that really scared us out of our skins.

He was immediately greeted with a leadoff homerun by Manny Ramirez and suddenly the Mets lead had shrunk to just one run. Rodriguez then proceeds to walk Casey Blake on four pitches, and NONE of them were even close to being strikes. After a visit by Dan Warthen, K-Rod struck out Mark Loretta, but then Russell Martin lined a sharp single putting the tying and winning runs on base. (Could this really be happening???)

Luckily, Andre Ethier slapped a hard grounder right to Alex Cora who turned the game ending double play. Wow, the Mets won, but what in the world is up with K-Rod lately?

Well, the important thing is that we won. Unfortunately for us however, so did the Phillies, Marlins and Braves. The Mets gained no ground and still find themselves in 4th place, 4 1/2 games behind the Phillies. Tonight the Mets will send Livan Hernandez to the mound and he will be opposed by Randy Wolf.

One last thing… Daniel Murphy made an incredible play in the seventh inning. 

When a Mark Loretta grounder took a wild bounce first base, a stumbling Murphy managed to grab the ball and make a blind, behind-the-back flip to Bobby Parnell who was covering first base. It was a great play and and both Loretta and Torre argued the out call.

Lets Go Mets!

(Video courtesy of MetsBlog and SNY)