March is fantasy baseball draft month, and with only a week left, leagues are beginning to finalize and finish their drafts. The fantasy baseball season officially kicks off on Opening Day, which is a little over a week away. Over the past week or two, a number of high caliber players have gone down. Here is some injury news to be aware of as you head into the final week of drafting, as some of the injured players may start the season on the disabled list.

Hanley Ramirez
Ramirez needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and will be out for eight weeks. He injured himself in the World Baseball Classic championship game against Puerto Rico. The eight week timetable puts him at a possible mid-to-late May return, but more likely early June.

Advice: Hanley’s fantasy value obviously takes a massive hit. Luis Cruz appears to be the leading candidate at shortstop, with Dee Gordon still a possibility as well.

Chase Headley
The Padres’ third baseman is out with a small fracture on the tip of his left thumb. The estimated time for his return to action is 4-6 weeks, which could mean a possible, early May return.

Advice: Headley will likely slip in drafts, and if he is still sitting there in round five you may want to consider scooping him up. Headley finally hit on his potential in 2012; I would grab him and stash him on your DL until he is ready.

Mark Teixeira
The first baseman has an to the tendon sheath in his right wrist, which is the same ailment Jose Bautista dealt with last year, which required surgery.  GM Brian Cashman recently estimated that Teixeira has about a 70 percent chance of avoiding surgery. If he has an operation, it would end his season.

Advice: Teixeira will likely not return until June at the earliest.  Keep in mind if you draft him, you are taking a chance, because if he ends up needing surgery, he will likely be done for the season. Kevin Youkilis has seen time at first base this spring, as well as Juan Rivera.

Zack Greinke
The righty threw 43 pitches over four scoreless innings in a minor league game Wednesday, and following the outing stated that his arm “felt really good… It felt strong.” With only two more exhibition outings scheduled, on March 25 and 30, he could potentially line up to make his Dodgers’ regular season debut on April 5.

Advice: I would draft Greinke as you had originally planned. He is on a powerhouse team, and appears to be healthy enough to start the season. Worst-case scenario is that the Dodgers take a cautious approach with their hefty investment, and he misses a couple starts to begin the season.

Albert Pujols
Prince Albert is recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee, as well as dealing with plantar fasciitis. He said he felt “great” during his first spring start at first base on Tuesday, and at this point it appears he should be firing on all cylinders come Opening Day.

Advice: The Angels would rest Pujols for the remainder of the spring, if it meant he would be ready to go on Opening Day. Right now, he is easing back into action, which is a good sign. As long as the knee is healthy, he will be good to go. He has dealt with the plantar fasciitis for the last 6-7 years.

David Ortiz
The lefty slugger is still dealing with a heel issue and is slated to begin the season on the disabled list. Right now, there is no clear timetable on when he will be ready to go.

Advice: Big Papi cancelled a scheduled batting practice on Wednesday, and it appears that once he comes off the disabled list, he will need a rehab stint. Anticipate him coming off the DL by mid-April, at the earliest, followed by a week or two rehab, which puts Ortiz at a possible late April, or early May return.

Derek Jeter
The Yankees captain will not appear in another Grapefruit League game this spring due to his balky ankle. The Bronx Bombers want to have the ability to backdate a disabled list stint if he is not ready to go on Opening Day. In the meantime, Jeter is expected to play in games on the minor league side of camp at some point next week. Not playing in major league games gives the Yankees the ability to backdate his DL stint if need be.

Advice: Anticipate a 15-day DL stint to start the season. The Yankees will not rush their captain, and risk losing him for a longer period, especially with all the injuries they currently have to key players.

Carl Crawford
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said earlier in the week that he believes Carl Crawford will be ready for Opening Day. The speedy outfielder has finally progressed to live game action, and picked up a pair of hits and an RBI in Monday’s tilt with the Diamondbacks.

Advice: At this point, he has yet to play in the field, which is a hurdle that will need to be climbed before he’s cleared for Opening Day. I’m not so sure I share the same optimism as Colletti. I believe this is a rushed attempt to return for Opening Day, and I expect some DL time for Crawford this season.

Post any questions you may have regarding injuries or possible replacement players, and I will respond throughout the day. Check back on Monday as I will be posting about possible sleepers, closer battles, and some prospects to keep an eye on.

Yes I know Reyes has been the brightest light in an otherwise dark season for the New York Metropolitans. In what will end up being yet any wasted season in Flushing, Reyes has been unarguably the most exciting player in baseball. On pace to shatter the Mets triples record and also hitting .354. Why would anyone in their right mind want him injured?

Oh yeah he is on pace to get paid 100+ million dollars after seasons end. And oh yeah the team trying to re-sign him has as much money as MC Hammer. Some team is very likely to offer Reyes 150+ million if he continues having the Hall of Fame like season he’s been having. I mean hell Jayson Werth got 120 million dollars and he’s not half the player Reyes is.

Reyes has done everything he possibly can to make sure his value is at an all-time high. Having unquestionably the most productive season in his career. And the key part of it all is he has stayed healthy. More than his production, health is the true factor teams are looking at as Jose Reyes continues his 2011 season. I mean who is going to give an often injured player (which Reyes has been his whole career) a 100+ million dollar contract?

Enter Hamstring injury. Does everyone remember why Fred Wilpon said Reyes “Won’t get Carl Crawford money”?

It was because he believed no team would be willing to commit that type of money to a player with Reyes injury history. So what does Reyes do? He plays an uninterrupted 2011 season without injury. Until Saturday that is. This hamstring injury furthers Fred Wilpon’s thinking. Reyes just can’t stay fully healthy for a whole season. And as good as his numbers have been all season, this injury will be the first thing to decrease his value. And as a Mets fan who desperately wants Reyes back (and thinks he will be back), this is the first time I’ve seen Reyes go down where I truthfully wasn’t disappointed. In the big picture, it may be a good thing.

Dear Fred Wilpon,

When you were a child, didn’t your mother ever teach you that when you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all?

In all seriousness this was a mistake on Mr. Wilpon’s part. The Mets are currently 2 games below .500 and by no means out of it this season. Sandy Alderson has been on record saying he believes this team can win now. Mid-season trades are looking less and less likely to happen everyday this team stays in contention. But in the event the team begins to fall farther out of contention, now what?

Wilpon just openly ripped his 3 best offensive players in the media. If you are trying to trade any of these guys come July 31st, now your bargaining position could be faltering.

Wilpon basically calls Reyes an oft-injured player with zero chance to land Carl Crawford money. He says he has had “everything wrong with him.” While I agree he won’t get 142 million dollars, he will very likely break 100 million if his career year continues on current pace. Then what? Jose Reyes leaves and we get a 1st round draft pick and a sandwich round pick? All because you are too incompetent to resign him because of his injury riddled past? That’s silly in my opinion. He’s a fan favorite. Wilpon and Co. should be doing everything in their power to bring Reyes back after 2011. You think Citi Field is empty now? Wait until you let Jose Reyes sign with the Angels. However I still think Reyes is a Met in 2012. Not changing my long withstanding opinion over this media stupidity.

It also makes no sense to rip Carlos Beltran. If the Mets fall out of contention he may very well be your best trade chip. As owner of the team your job is to increase his value, not decrease it. Our rebuilding process may very well be helped by dealing Beltran for a prospect or two. We need to sell him as the player he has showed us he can be in 2011. The last thing owners should be doing is his hurting his value in the media.

And last but not least we come to David Wright. I’m going to keep this short and sweet. HOW DO YOU RIP THE FACE OF YOUR FRANCHISE?!?!? “David Wright is NOT a Superstar”…Umm I’m pretty sure he is. He’s been a top 3 player at his position for the best 5-6 years. That qualifies as a Superstar in my book. Not to mention the fact he’s the face of our franchise. Without a doubt he’s the Mets Derek Jeter. It’s just plain stupidity no matter how you look at it.

Last week the Nationals signed outfielder Rick Ankiel for just $1.5 million.  He can earn another $1.25 million in performance bonuses.  Not a bad contract in a rebuilding year for a team. Of course, signing Ankiel is not going to win any championships that’s for sure, but it would have given us some depth in the outfield which the Mets do need as Ankiel does play all three outfield positions.  Of course, he also has trouble staying healthy, but you can say the same thing about Beltran and Pagan. Besides providing depth in the outfield, signing Ankiel could help the Mets make a trade.

The rumor for months have been that the Tampa Bay Rays will be looking to trade starting pitcher Matt Garza this off season.  Starting pitching is something the Mets really need right now.  The Rays outfield lost a great player in Carl Crawford when he signed with Boston. They’re going to need to fill that hole. If the Mets trade for Garza you have to believe that the Rays are going to want Pagan as part of the deal.  While Crawford is a better player than Pagan, he would certainly fit in rather nicely there and the price is right. I have been a Pagan fan for awhile, but realistically we’d have to part with something of value to complete a deal for Garza. I doubt the Rays are going to want Beltran with his big contract and his bad knees. They certainly are not going to want to trade for Jason Bay and that bad contract either. Pagan is the obvious choice.  Sad to say because I really do like Pagan, but if he nets the Mets Garza then he has to go to Tampa.

Unfortunately, Ankiel is gone the Mets outfield depth is still limited.  Duda is not ready to be an everyday outfielder, and his defense is still somewhat questionable. F-Mart cannot stay healthy and has not produced anyway when he was promoted to the majors suggesting even more time in the minors.

I understand this is a rebuilding year, but couldn’t they have made some attempt to sign a player like Ankiel for one year and under $2 million guaranteed?

It could have enabled the team to have more depth and give them more options in trying to acquire a starting pitcher via a trade.

How will Jose Reyes perform in his walk year? This is a very important year for Jose Reyes and his future with the Mets.  Reyes is one of my favorite players, I was hoping that Alderson and the Mets would have signed him to an extension after picking up his option.  Unfortunately it looks like at least right now that Reyes will be a free agent in 2012.  I’m hoping that Reyes can stay healthy and produce the way he has in the past.  I really think that he is one of the best players in the game and one of the best players to ever play for the Mets.

Also I’ll be interested to see how Jason Bay rebounds after a horrible season that was made worse by suffering a season ending concussion.  Jason Bay signed a big contract last year and I don’t think I’m wrong to say that last year was a huge disappointment for him and for us.  He was supposed to be the power that the Mets needed, but before getting injured he had only hit six home runs.  The Mets have a lot of time and money invested in Bay.  I’ll be interested to see if his power comes back, if Citi Field is still in his head, and how he’ll be able to play after suffering that concussion.

Carlos Beltran will be a very interesting story to watch.  Will he or won’t he be moved to Right Field? Will his knees hold up a full season? If Beltran has a good first half will he be with the Mets the second half?

Another story to watch in 2011 will be Josh Thole and how well he plays now that he’s the everyday catcher.  Thole impressed me a lot last season.  Of course he only played in 73 games, so it will be interesting to see how his bat and his body holds up playing the demanding position of catcher in 120-130 or more games.

Also we’ll be watching to see how Ike Davis does in his sophomore year.  Hopefully this off season Ike has worked on correcting that flaw in his swing.  If Ike does correct it, he could very well have a breakout season and become a nightmare for opposing pitchers.

There’s also Jon Niese and how well will  he follow up on a very impressive season.  He didn’t finish 2010 off very well, but that could have been due to fatigue, and not a drop-off in skills.

Let’s also not forget we have a new manager and it will be interesting to see how he manages this team next season.  Will the team respond to Collins?  Will Collins be able to handle the pressures of New York?

I’m sure there are some other pretty good story lines to keep an eye on next season. There might even be some that won’t be written until the season begins to unfold beginning in April.

Hopefully, we’ll have more happy endings than bad ones, but we’ll know the answer to that by next September. Either way, the 2011 season will be anything but boring.

It looks like two of baseball’s biggest stars could possibly be heading toward free agency as both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez have ceased negotiations with their respective teams.

According to a report by Marc Topkin of the St.Petersburg Times, Carl Crawford and the Tampa Bay Rays have decided to postpone all contract extension negotiations until after the season. His agent, Brian Peters, said:

“We had an opportunity to exchange ideas with the club about a contract extension for Carl and it was clear to all of us that an immediate agreement was not going to materialize.  Thus, we all agreed to table discussions until the end of the year.  We’d like to minimize distractions for Carl and the club and keep the focus on baseball, so we don’t plan to comment upon Carl’s contract status again until after the season.”

The three time All Star is just 28 years old and last season he tied a modern era record by stealing six bases in a game against the Boston Red Sox. He is considered to be the best defensive left fielder in the game and won the 2009 All Star Game MVP after scaling an 8′ wall to rob Brad Hawpe of a game winning homerun. The speedy outfielder has led the league in stolen bases four times and sports a .295 career batting average. I always wanted to see Crawford on the Mets, but with the Mets current outfield situation as it is, it doesn’t seem very likely.

Meanwhile at the other side of the nation, San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez sounds like he is resigned to moving on after his contract expires with the Padres after the 2011 season.

“This next contract is going to be the one where I look for what I deserve. If the Padres want to keep me around, they’ll find a way to keep me around.”

His agent John Boggs told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he believes the Padres will have to trade him.

“The feeling we’re getting is more than likely they are going to have to trade Adrian Gonzalez because they can’t afford him.”

Padres CEO Jeff Moorad pretty much confirmed as much when he replied,

“The early signals indicate his cost will be greater than our ability to pay.”

Gonzalez, 27, is owed a $4.75 million in 2010 with a $5.5 million club option for 2011. He hit .277 with 40 home runs and 99 RBIs last season to go with a .407 OBP and .958 OPS.

Gonzo is another guy I would have loved to see on the Mets, but with how the Mets feel about Daniel Murphy and the up and coming Ike Davis, like Crawford, there’s little chance of Gonzalez ending up in Flushing anytime soon.

Given the type of season David Wright had in 2009, does that really make sense (though, of course, your first round selection could play a role in your decision, I’m going to assume that you take a player that leaves both players likely)? Let’s take a look:

Speed:
There’s no questioning Crawford’s immense edge in the category. Outside of his injury plagued 2008 campaign, when he stole just 25 bases, he’s had at least 46 steals every year since 2003. In fact, he’s had 50 or more five times during that span including his career high of 60 last season.

He is one of the elite players in this regard, doing things that very few others are capable, especially since he contributes in other categories as well.

David Wright is no slouch when it comes to speed, but he’s far from elite. He’s had 20 or more stolen bases in three of the past four seasons, topping out at 34. It’s unlikely that he gets back to the level, though I wouldn’t say that it is impossible either.

If the Mets truly want to play a speed/defense game, they are going to open the floodgates for their baserunners to run rampant. Still, 30 seems to be the maximum level, with 25 or so a much more realistic number.

Average:
David Wright had one of those years in 2009 that is hard to explain. If you want to call it the pressure of trying to carry an offense as his teammates seemingly fell day after day due to injury. That helps to justify things later in the season, but not early on.

If you want to blame it on trying to adapt his game to the new CitiField, it’s possible, but again, it’s a tough sale. He’s proven to be too good of a hitter in the past to simply just flop like he did due to being placed in a new environment. And honestly, was Shea Stadium a hitter’s haven? Far from it.

Whatever the reason, David Wright saw his strikeout rate rise significantly. After posting a strikeout rate between 18.8% and 19.7% for four consecutive seasons, he seemed to find it impossible to make consistent contact, whiffing 26.2% of the time. People will point to that rate, and his inflated BABIP of .400, as a reason to believe his average will drop like a rock in 2010.

Again, I’m not buying it. Prior to last season he had consistently shown an ability to post a BABIP in the .350 range and I have to believe that he didn’t suddenly forget how to hit a baseball. His contact rate is going to fall, potentially significantly, so even the fall in BABIP should not result in an average that regresses too greatly.

Throw in a potential increase in power (which we’ll get to), and expecting another .300+ season should be a given.

Crawford is a career .295 hitter, but has been above .300 in four of the past five seasons. With his speed, you can expect him to once again be right around that level, since he can use his wheels to beat out some balls other wouldn’t, and therefore generate a higher BABIP. Throw in the fact that his career strikeout rate is at 15.1% and there’s nothing not to like.

While Wright has the potential to post a better average, as he has in the past, the two are close enough here to consider this a draw.

Power:
Carl Crawford is what he is in the power department. He’s shown that fantasy owners can expect between 11 and 15 home runs from him season in and season out. That’s something, giving him an advantage over other speed options for sure.

When it comes to Wright, I have to believe that last season’s major regression was a one-year thing. The CitiField argument doesn’t hold much water, because the truth of the matter is that he just wasn’t hitting the ball out of any ballpark.

You can argue that, with his stroke, he will be less likely to hit the ball out of CitiField, meaning seeing him reach 33 home runs again would be a pipe dream. That I can believe, but I just don’t buy into the belief that he’s lost his power just like that. He’s just 27-years old. How many players that age simply fall off a cliff?

The problem wasn’t the number of flyballs he hit (though they were down), he saw his HR/FB, which had been over 16% three times from 2005-2008, fall to just 6.9% in 2010. I would fully expect him to rebound, putting him back into the 22-25 range.

Runs Batted In:
Crawford isn’t supposed to be a big source of RBI, though he could be good for around 70. He’s had three seasons of 77 or more and reached 68 last season. Like I noted for the power, with a player that is an elite speed option, also being able to get this many RBI significantly boosts his value.

Wright, on the other hand, is expected to be a major bat in the Mets lineup. He had a streak of four straight 100 RBI years broken last year, but that can easily be explained by his power outage and the pathetic offense the Mets were putting on the field.

With his power returning, at least close to where it was, and the addition of Jason Bay and a healthy Jose Reyes & Carlos Beltran, you would expect Wright to again close in, if not eclipse, the 100 RBI mark.

Runs:
Both players have shown the ability to be in the vicinity of the 100 run plateau, though surprisingly Wright has had the bigger seasons in the past. Still, when Crawford has Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and company hitting behind him you have to think he’ll be back in the vicinity once again. Plus, if he can continue to draw walks like he did last season (career best 7.8% walk rate), things could be really close here.

I’d call it a draw.

Conclusion:
With average and runs being declared a draw, what this comparison really comes down to is if Wright’s power and RBI advantage overcome the huge advantage Crawford brings in stolen bases. If Wright didn’t have as many questions surrounding his power as he does, I could easily say yes, it does.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Wright’s 10 home run campaign in 2009 makes you wonder, at least a little bit, just how far back he will be able to come in 2010. Additionally, Crawford is one of the few players who can carry your team in stolen bases. For those reasons, if I had the choice between the two, I’d select Crawford in the second round.

With third base still a concern, and thinner than it has been in the past, I would target Kevin Youkilis or Ryan Zimmerman in the third or fourth round, but that’s a story for another day.

What are your thoughts between Crawford and Wright? Who would you rather have and why?

Make sure to place your order for the Rotoprofessor 2010 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here.

On this slow Mets news day, for the sake of entertainment, let us assume that both these players are available. Which of them would be a better fit on the Mets?

On the one hand, you have Carl Crawford of the Tampa Rays.

The 28-year old leftfielder owns a lifetime .298 batting average and batted .309 this past season.  He had a career high 60 stolen bases and has led the league in that category four times.

The three-time All Star has also led the league in triples three times and has had 90 or more runs scored four times, including this season when he crossed the plate 98 times.

According to Baseball Reference, Crawford has averaged 28 doubles, 14 triples and 13 homers in his eight year career with a .295 BA / .335 OBP / .437 SLG.

For those of you who value WAR, Crawford checks in with a 5.5. In the field, Crawford excels with a UZR of 17.5 and a UZR/150 of 17.6.

Then we have Curtis Granderson.

The aspiring star of the Detroit Tigers is also 28 and just finished his fourth full season in the majors. Unlike Crawford who is blessed with amazing speed, Granderson is not exactly a slouch and has averaged a modest 15 stolen bases per season, and even led the league in triples himself twice.

He only batted .247 in 2010, but some would look past that and take note that his on-base percentage is a notch better than Crawford. (.344 v .335) Granderson strikes out a lot and once swung and missed 174 times to lead the league in his first full season. Last year he whiffed 141 times.

The one thing Granderson convincingly has over Crawford is his enormous power which continues to grow. Last season he hit a career high 30 homers after swatting 23 and 23 big flies in the two years prior.

His career slugging percentage stands at .484. He had a 3.4 WAR last season. Defensively, Granderson played mostly centerfield for the Tigers and had a UZR and UZR/150 of 1.9, a significant improvement over the prior season when he finished with a -9.4. That said, those who watch Granderson everyday will tell you he is a human highlight reel in the outfield.

According to Baseball Reference, Granderson has averaged 30 doubles, 14 triples, 25 homeruns, 105 runs and 72 RBI per season. That’s a heck of an average season.

Although both of these gifted players would represent major upgrades in leftfield for the Mets, which one really represents what the Mets need most?

Would you be happier with another top of the order hitter to join Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo, or more of a power hitter who could bat behind Carlos Beltran?

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either of them. But if I had the final say, I would probably choose Granderson in this case.

Also, just because both rumors suggesting their availability have been debunked, it’s no secret that both teams may be cutting payroll next season. Most teams will not admit to having a player on the block because it creates bad feelings if they ultimately choose to keep the player or can’t move him. Especially when those players are fan favorites like Crawford and Granderson are. So just because they say they are not on the block, it doesn’t always mean they are not being shopped or taking offers.

The Yankees just won the World Series after they went hard after free agents CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira.  They filled two voids by signing those three players.  By adding Sabathia and Burnett, they replaced the retired Mike Mussina and did not have to depend on the likes of Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner anymore.  Teixeira replaced Jason Giambi at first base and instantly brought a fearsome bat to the hot corner that Giambi stopped being a few years ago.

Coincidentally, the Mets are now looking for a few starting pitchers and a first baseman.  Of course, they might also be shopping for a left fielder as well.  Unfortunately, this year the free agent class isn’t as deep in the starting pitching and first base department as it was last year when the Steinbrenners maxed out their credit cards in order to buy their championship.

There is no under-30 superstar first baseman to be had, a la Mark Teixeira.  The best available players at the position include Adam LaRoche and Hank Blalock, neither of which can produce the across the board numbers Teixeira did even if they played half of their games in a Little League field as opposed to Citi Field.

Recently, I suggested that the Mets should go hard after Adrian Gonzalez if the Padres decide to trade him.  However, with the emergence of Ike Davis, I’m not so sure about Gonzalez anymore.  Sure, Gonzalez would give the Mets the power they got when they traded for Carlos Delgado in 2006 at a much younger age than Delgado was, but Davis would keep the payroll lower for a longer period of time, enabling the Mets to go after pricier free agents in the future, especially starting pitchers.  If the Mets don’t feel that Davis will be ready for the majors until 2011, then they’d be better off signing a stopgap first baseman to a one-year deal, like a Russell Branyan.  LaRoche and Blalock would be good one-year signings, but it is unlikely either player would accept a one-year deal at this stage of their careers, as they’re both younger than Branyan.

As far as starting pitchers go, I think I’ve made it clear in past blogs that I want John Lackey on the Mets.  He is a fierce competitor who would complement Johan Santana perfectly.  Imagine a lefty-righty combo of Santana and Lackey.  They would be firing up the team on and off the field with their win-at-all-costs attitude and determination.  Obviously, the 2009 Mets lacked good health.  But one other thing they lacked was the fire good teams need to succeed.  Lackey would add a few logs to that fire.

There has been talk around the hot stove that Lackey would prefer pitching in his home state of Texas.  Isn’t that the same talk that was revolving around CC Sabathia last year?  Wasn’t he supposed to go to a California team so he could be back home?  Instead, he left Milwaukee and went in the opposite direction and found himself a World Series ring under his pillow.  Why can’t the Mets do the same for Lackey?

Having Santana and Lackey ahead of John Maine and Mike Pelfrey (I’m intentionally leaving Oliver Perez out of the mix) would allay fears of who the Mets can count on after every fifth day that Santana trots out to the mound.  With only Santana, the Mets would have to rely on Oliver Perez too much.  Even Maine and Pelfrey are question marks for the 2010 season, with Maine’s injury concerns and Pelfrey’s regression to his pre-2008 form.  These question marks might require the Mets to look for another starting pitcher even if they do sign Lackey.

What about left field?  I personally love Angel Pagan, but I know he might be best suited as a fourth outfielder.  His bat is without question his strength, but his fundamentals still need a little work.  If he hadn’t confused aggressive baserunning with reckless baserunning so much in 2009, perhaps a Pagan/Beltran/Francoeur outfield would have been the ideal situation for the Mets.  However, because he did not prove that he can be a heady ballpayer just yet, the Mets might need a different player to patrol left field.

Ideally, the Mets would need to have a power hitter at first base so that the need for power in left field would not be as great.  Outfielders, especially in spacious Citi Field, need more speed than a first baseman requires.  Therefore, if the power at first is addressed quickly, then the Mets can turn their attention to someone like Carl Crawford.  There’s no question he has the speed, as he’s an annual threat to win the stolen base title.  His defense is another facet of his game that is above average.  I would trust him chasing after fly balls more than I would trust Angel Pagan.  If the Rays feel that they cannot afford to keep Crawford, then the Mets should do what it takes to bring him to Citi Field.

Some of the moves I have suggested are free agent acquisitions while some would involve trades.  It’s much easier for me to write about these moves than it is to actually make them.  That’s where Omar Minaya has to come in.  He is very much in danger of losing his job if the Mets can’t compete in 2010.  He has to make this hot stove season burn brightly.  I’m sure he noticed what the Yankees did last year during the winter and look what it did for them this season.  If the Wilpons want to make sure there aren’t as many empty seats at Citi Field as there were during the last month of 2009, they have to supply Omar with the funds to put together the best possible team he can.  Otherwise, the hot stove will only serve to burn the fans instead of lighting the way to the promised land.

In the next few weeks, I’m sure I will be receiving my ticket plan renewal brochure from the Mets.  Imagine the uproar by my fellow fans if the Mets didn’t feature Johan Santana, David Wright or Jose Reyes on their renewal brochures.  Wouldn’t that raise a red flag in Mets-ville?  The media would be all over that one and Omar would have some explaining to do.

The Padres already traded Jake Peavy to the White Sox during the season to reduce their payroll.  Next season is the final year of Adrian Gonzalez’s four-year contract that he signed prior to the 2007 season, although there is an option for 2011.  Surely, Gonzalez will be worth more than the Padres can pay for his services once his contract expires.  Perhaps the Padres have already been considering this and would like to make it known that he will become available if the right deal presents itself.

The Padres have a promising first baseman that they called up in 2009 named Kyle Blanks.  In his brief time with the Padres, Blanks hit .250 with 10 HR and 22 RBI in only 148 at-bats.  The 23-year old’s minor league numbers have been quite impressive over the past three seasons.

• 2007: .301 average, 24 HR, 100 RBI in 465 at-bats.
• 2008: .325 average, 20 HR, 107 RBI in 492 at-bats.
• 2009: .283 average, 12 HR, 38 RBI in 233 at-bats (before his call-up to the Padres).

Blanks seems ready for the major leagues now and the Padres might be willing to accommodate him if they can move Gonzalez first.

The Mets should be all over Gonzalez if the Padres are looking to trade him.  He provides two things the Mets did not have in many of the players in 2009 – durability and power.  Consider his numbers from 2007 to 2009.

• 2007: .282 average, 30 HR, 100 RBI in 161 games.
• 2008: .279 average, 36 HR, 119 RBI in 162 games.
• 2009: .277 average, 40 HR, 99 RBI in 160 games.

He has been in the lineup in all but four games over the past three seasons (the Padres played 163 games in 2007).  Also, his home run totals have increased in each of the past three seasons despite the fact that he plays his home games in a pitcher’s park.  Therefore, Citi Field shouldn’t diminish his home run totals.

Gonzalez defines durability and consistency.  Not only that, he is still very young.  At age 27 (he’ll be 28 in May), he is just entering his prime.  If the Mets can come up with the proper package for the Padres, they should go all out to bring Gonzalez to New York.  By having a home run hitter playing first base, the Mets would not have to make a move for a home run hitter in left field.  They could try to swing a deal for Carl Crawford or keep Angel Pagan as a cheaper option to Crawford.  There is more of a need for speed in the outfield because of Citi Field’s spacious gaps, so bringing in Crawford instead of Matt Holliday or Jason Bay would benefit the Mets both offensively and defensively, especially if they can trade for Adrian Gonzalez.

If the Mets cannot live with another year of Daniel Murphy at first base, then Adrian Gonzalez is the first person they should consider.  Their minor league system might not be as deep as other teams, so swinging a deal now might take some creativity.  However, if they can find the right group of players to satisfy the Padres, why not go for Gonzalez?  According to that Padres brochure, he might be there for the taking.  Now it’s up to the Mets to make that call.

Special note to our MMO readers: This is my 100th post for MMO, so I’d like to thank the readers for making it such a pleasure to write for you.  It is an honor to write for the best fans in the world.  Thanks also go out to Joe D for having faith in me and to Kelly and Denise for giving me that push to come aboard.  I’ll keep trying to write my best work for you so that MMO can continue to thrive.  I’m already planning out my next 100 blogs (but not at the same time.  That would be like a record or something).  Hope you’ve all enjoyed reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.  Thanks again!