Updated Post 1:44 PM

MLB Trade Rumors just posted something that would add to the debate on Choo as a potential acquisition for the Mets in 2014. I also updated the original post to indicate that Choo’s best position is right-field.

Of course, as with most free agents, Choo’s next contract will cover post-prime years, perhaps age 31-35.  With Boras doing the negotiating, we can’t rule out a sixth year or a salary in the $18-20MM range, plus the loss of a draft pick.

Are you guys ready for another Winter of debating the loss of a pick, even if in the Mets case it’s a second round pick based on where this season is heading?

Original Post 12:44

Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, had an article this morning suggesting the Mets should make a strong attempt at signing Reds center fielder Shin-Soo Choo if they are serious about contending in 2014. Choo is a free agent at the end of this season.

Choo, 30, was acquired by the Reds in the offseason for highly regarded shortstop prospect Didi Gregorious and outfielder Drew Stubbs. According to Kepner, Cincinnati Choo was charged targeted Choo to fix their problems in the leadoff spot, which produced a .254 on-base percentage last season. So far, Choo has delivered in a big way, ranking second in the National League with a .455 on-base percentage.

The Scott Boras client has always been able to hit for average and get on base as his career .386 OBP would attest. Going into this season, he has averaged 38 doubles and 90 runs per season in his career. He also can give the Mets power and speed while providing solid range and defense in center field, though right field is his best position. The left-handed batter has averaged 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a typical season for him and is on a pace to smash both of those marks in his walk year with the Reds.

“He’s the big reason why we are where we are right now,” said Brandon Phillips of the Reds, who hold the second-best record in the National League. “Playing against him when he was with the Indians, I always told everybody he’s one of the best all-around players in baseball — underrated. Right now he’s just being himself. It’s a blessing to have him over here.”

Kepner also adds that the South Korean native, might be a sensation in New York, whose metropolitan area has the second-largest Korean population in the United States, behind Los Angeles.

Obviously, I love Choo and had wanted the Mets to go after him last offseason, and even though he’ll be a year older I would still have no problem bringing him on board for the 2014 season and beyond. I’m assuming it would require at least a four-year commitment and the bidding from other teams will be aggressive. That’s the part that frightens me – or should I say frightens Sandy Alderson. You see, I’ll maintain what I’ve been saying all along about him and that is that he doesn’t have the stomach for these types of negotiations. To quote myself from last October, “Alderson doesn’t have the ability to go after a desirable and marketable free-agent, it sin’t in his DNA.”

There will be other outfield options out there next offseason, assuming they are not re-signed. Jacoby Ellsbury and  Carlos Beltran are among them.

The problem is will Alderson be willing to spend and come out strong?

Or will it be another Winter of waiting for the market to settle to his liking, which of course never happens leaving him to scamper and pick the bones of whatever carcass he can find on the scrap heap?

A sheet of notebook paper, with the words, “Know your place, Rook … signed, your teammates,” was taped over Lastings Milledge’s locker in the Mets’ clubhouse in old RFK Stadium. This, in the late summer in 2006.

The Mets were en route to the playoffs and a veteran laden team was rubbed the wrong way by Milledge’s brashness and arrogance. Then-manager Willie Randolph – who reprimanded Milledge several times that summer – ripped down the sign, but knew he hadn’t ripped away the problem.

The Mets labeled it a misunderstanding, and Randolph called Lastings Milledge “a good kid,’’ but this clearly was not a misunderstanding with a teammate. It was the accumulation of several incidents that rankled several teammates.

This one-time cant-miss prospect was seeing his stock go down and his odds of scratching out a major league career was now just a game of chance like playing online slots.

Milledge burst upon the Mets, hitting over .300, was dazzling on the bases and showed a strong arm. He was going to be the next “fill in the blank.’’ Willie Mays? Roberto Clemente?

However, things quickly cooled after his first career homer, when on his way to the outfield he high-fived fans down the right field line in Shea Stadium. Randolph sensed how the Giants seethed in their dugout, especially since he saw some of his own players do the same.

Randolph reprimanded Milledge on the unwritten laws in baseball, but it didn’t take. There were ground balls he didn’t run out and times he didn’t hustle in the outfield. He was flash with the jewelry swinging wildly on the field, but in the clubhouse he often sat buried in his locker wearing headphones or playing a video game.

He came off as sullen and angry and clearly couldn’t be bothered by getting to know his teammates. Or, a baseball legend for that matter. During spring training then-GM Omar Minaya brought Milledge to the Nationals dugout to meet Frank Robinson, but Milledge was came off as being in-different.

Finally, he arrived in the clubhouse in Philadelphia an hour before a day game. Although it was early, the veterans made it in on time. David Wright had enough when Milledge strolled in with sunglasses and an iPod as if he owned the place and told him this wasn’t acceptable.

Wright wouldn’t belabor the issue Opening Day, only managing to say “seniority is big in this game,’’ which is the politically-correct translation for Milledge hadn’t earned his stripes.

Milledge popped into my consciousness today when I learned it was his 28^th birthday, an age when he should be in the prime of his career. Instead, Milledge is one of hundreds of baseball prospects given the label of “can’t miss, but eventually did.’’

Seven years ago – the career lifetime of a select few – the Mets had three prized outfield prospects in Milledge, Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. One by one they arrived, fizzled to the point of exasperation and were traded. Not one of them hustled like journeyman outfielder Collin Cowgill.

After turning down several proposals for Manny Ramirez, the Mets eventually traded Milledge to Washington as part of a trade that brought Ryan Church – he of the concussion fiasco – and catcher Brian Schneider. Milledge had his coffee to go with Washington, then Pittsburgh and finally the White Sox before heading to Japan. Milledge had his head-scratching moments in each place, but basically stopped hitting.

At 28, Milledge is still young. It’s about discipline in Japan and if Milledge comes back with a changed attitude perhaps he’ll get another chance. It’s a long way to Japan, and perhaps an even longer route back to the major leagues.

I had no intentions of watching the one game playoff between the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers last night. Somehow, almost as if it was fate, I came upon the game while channel surfing and paused only because I heard Ron Darlings voice. “Wow’, I thought to myself, “at least one 2009 Met made it to the post season.”

It was the seventh inning and I figured, what the heck, I’ll just watch and see who gets the honor of being mauled by the Yankees later this week.

The high definition drama that would then unfold before my very eyes swallowed me whole. The game sunk its claws into me and it didn’t let go.

By the time everything was said and done, I found myself cheering for the Twins and rooting for guys like Joe Mauer, Orlando Cabrera and of course our old friend Carlos Gomez who scored the dramatic winning run in the bottom of the 12 inning. From the time I tuned in until the end, I watched the lead change hands five times. What a battle…

“This is the most unbelievable game I’ve ever played or seen,” Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.

Their thrilling victory stirred me inside, and I was so happy and grateful that fate led me to watch one of the most exciting finishes to a game that I had seen all year.

Immediately after the game, I quickly went online while the festivities ensued on TBS. I was curious about the makeup of their roster. Surprisingly, I hardly recognized most of the names. Who are these guys I thought, and why are they going to the Divisional Series while my Mets wallow in self pity?

The Twins are mostly comprised of one huge mega-star in catcher Joe Mauer, who is then surrounded by a host of quality complimentary players like Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Orlando Cabrera, Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young. Cabrera and his .312 OBP is the spiritual heart of the team, and yes grit and leadership does trump statistical nirvana.

Who could believe that the Mets would swindle the Twins out of their ace Johan Santana, and that they would be the ones to go to the post season first?

Last night I filed for temporary custody of the Twins as my new adoptive team… at least for the duration of their joyride. A ride that I hope leads them to the pinnacle of baseball.

They are everything I wanted the Mets to be.

Join us for a LIVE CHAT tomorrow at 8:00 PM, as we will field questions about the current state of the Mets, and what the Hot Stove Season may have in store for the Amazins. It will be part of a regular feature all off season long as we track and discuss all of the Mets off season moves. Mets baseball never ends on Mets Merized Online.

Much like a lot of other things the Mets say, this is wrong.  The Mets somehow were able to steal Santana for 4 prospects that are nowhere close to the talent Santana has.  Lets look at each player following the trade:

• Kevin Mulvey: The Mets drafted Mulvey in 2006 in the 2nd round of the draft (62nd overall).  Last year in AAA his record was 7-9 with a 3.77 ERA.  This year he is currently 4-7 with an ERA over 4.  He has 48 walks this season, that was all the walks he allowed last year.  So far he has pitched in 20 games this season.

• Deolis Guerra: The Mets signed Guerra in 2005.  He seems the most promising out of the trade for the Twins as far as pitching goes.  Last year for the Twins Single A+ team he went 11-9 with a 5.47 ERA.  He started in 25 games last season.  This year in the 1st half of A+ ball he was 6-8 with an ERA of 4.69 in 15 games started.  He is now currently in AA with a record of 4-2 and an ERA over 6 in 6 games started.

• Phil Humber: The Mets drafted Humber in 2004 as their 1st round pick.  They gave him a signing bonus of 3.7 million dollars.  Before being traded he underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2005.  After being traded to the Twins Humber was assigned to Triple A for most of the season.  He did appear in 5 games for the Twins in 2008.  He had an ERA of 4.63 in 11.2 innings.  He allowed 11 hits, 6 runs and allowed 6 HR’s.  In 2009 he appeared in 4 games posting an ERA of almost 13 before being designated for assignment by the Twins.

• Carlos Gomez: The Mets signed him to a contract at the age of 16.  In his time with the Mets he made it to the show.  We saw that he had explosive speed and was a good defender but his offense left a lot to be desired, challenging the notion that he was a five tool player.  Gomez became the starting center fielder for the Twins after trade with the departure of Tori Hunter.  He hit for the cycle last season but also had the most errors among center fielders in MLB.  He finished the season with a .258 batting AVG.  This season so far he is hitting only .224.

Now if these guys were not traded and were the “future” of the New York Mets we would be in even more trouble than we are now.  The fact is that Santana being traded here to the Mets did not deplete the farm system.  The farm system was no good before this trade was made.  The Twins were desperate to cut their payroll and had asked too much of the Yankees and Red Sox, and the only team left that could afford to give Johan the money he wanted was the Mets.  The Mets over the last few years have done a horrible job developing their minor league system.  If there is one silver lining this season that silver lining is that the amount of injuries has shown how bad the farm system is and that it needs to be rebuilt and soon.