Six weeks into a season that stretches over six months may be a tad early to make pronouncements on expected outcomes for this year’s Mets squad, but the indicators of relative strengths and weaknesses have at least given a reasonable hint of what can be looked for going forward. A sub-.500 record with a propensity for generosity by the bullpen and parsimony on the part of the offense hasn’t inspired a great deal of optimism in fans at this point. Not that there were many of us ready to try to make a convincing case for a division crown going into this season, but as always we remain hopeful and ready to be pleasantly surprised.  The unexpected run toward respectability that occurred during the first part of the 2012 campaign might yet re-surface this year as a second half surge, something that would actually be a more hopeful sign of things to come. As we await the inevitable arrival of Zack Wheeler, Travis D’Arnaud, et al later this summer, it seems worthwhile to evaluate yet again how the overall roster might best be shaped.

The twin issues of a porous bullpen and an impotent lineup seem to be continual matters of concern. Of course, were the rotation more consistent at providing quality outings, the bullpen wouldn’t be as overtaxed as it seems to be and perhaps more able to provide adequate support. On the other hand, a bounty of run production would compensate greatly for less than shutdown outings from the relief corps, but lacking even middle-of-the-pack scoring ability since an uncharacteristic eruption to begin the season, we are left to look for the domination of a Harvey start and cross our fingers in-between.

So, unwilling to write the season off entirely at this point, what strategy best serves management’s multiple goals of major league player development, minor league nurturing, and fielding a product respectable enough to generate sufficient revenue from an increasingly impatient fan base?  Do they continue along the current path, waiting for the team as presently comprised to round into shape and begin playing close to what more bullish expectations had envisioned? If so, where does one finally draw the line if that level of performance isn’t forthcoming before a certain time period has elapsed (let’s say, hmmmm…, the All-Star Break)? Or, if more drastic action is deemed appropriate, who is most directly affected by that action?

So many questions, but not that many readily apparent answers. As the roster is made up largely of relative youngsters with potential  and varying track records of success (Ike, Murphy, Tejada, Duda, Niese, Parnell, Gee, Harvey, Valdespin, Turner, Lagares, Carson, Familia), with an added sprinkling of seasoned veterans (Wright, Buck, Hawkins, Atchison, Byrd, Marcum, Lyon), and role players (Baxter, Brown, Rice, Recker, Hefner), the Mets are in a position that seemingly requires that we all bite the bullet and wait out the unavoidable growing pains of a franchise in the middle stages of a rebuild. Sandy Alderson’s statements in regard to the possible fate of Terry Collins indicate that his expectations are more closely focused on development of young talent than on the team’s won/lost record this year, although one would expect an improvement in the latter as an outgrowth of the former.  From an historic viewpoint then, could we conceive of the 2013 season as being analogous to 1983 as a harbinger of good things to come? One of the keys to the transition of that team from bottom dweller to contender and eventual champion was not only the establishment of later rotation stalwarts Ron Darling and Walt Terrell, but the mid-season acquisition of Keith Hernandez as a consistent veteran presence in the lineup and in the clubhouse. These moves were instrumental in the remarkable year-over-year gain of 22 wins for the 1984 squad, though adding in a couple of pitchers by the names of Gooden and Fernandez didn’t hurt, either.

If there is to be a similar advancement over the next season or so for the Citi-dwellers of 2013, we will need to see results with the ostensible rotation strategy in the form of the debut and successful development of at least two starters from the vaunted arsenal of Met hurlers-to-be. Zack Wheeler’s debut now seems fairly imminent, but it would be a stretch to expect the likes of a Montero or Syndergaard much in advance of late 2014. In the meantime, I would expect more in the form of placeholders like Collin McHugh until the more dominant arms are ready. Ultimately, to make the move from mediocrity to the upper echelon of the league will require contributions from the starting staff in the form of multiple 200+ inning seasons from the majority of the rotation. Such was the case in ’84 when Messrs. Gooden, Darling, and Terrell all achieved the feat. As to the questions of if and when the Mets could expect to receive production of that magnitude from the current crop of arms making their way to Flushing, your guess is as good as mine.

It is worth noting that the 1984 squad received significant production from its outfield corps, getting 60 HR’s and 75 SB’s from the starting trio of Foster, Wilson and Strawberry, and topped that off with solid contributions from Hernandez and Hubie Brooks at the infield corners. The deficiencies of the current Mets outfield have been covered ad nauseum at this point so I won’t rehash them, but suffice it to say that an acquisition or two would appear to be absolutely vital going forward for the balance of the strategy to be effective.  The timing of this aspect of roster construction can be highly variable and opportunistic. The key move for the 1983 team was clearly the Hernandez trade, something that came about largely as a result of a personality clash between Keith and Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog. The acquisition of Ray Knight, a major component in the 1986 championship drive, came about as a near-deadline pickup in late August for the 1984 team as they prepared for that season’s stretch run. The off-season blockbuster that brought Gary Carter into the fold ahead of the 1985 campaign was a more “traditional” type of swap, undertaken by GM Frank Cashen as a means putting the final major piece of the puzzle into place.

The lesson here is that opportunities must be taken when they present themselves, lest similar ones fail to present themselves in a timely manner. Many questions have surrounded the Mets’ apparent refusal to include Zack Wheeler in a deal that would have netted stud outfielder Justin Upton, the type of offensive force that the lineup so desperately needs. If Wheeler becomes another Ace alongside Matt Harvey for years to come, the decision to keep him will seem wise or at least reasonable, depending on how the rest of Upton’s career turns out. If he is spun off in a deal that brings Giancarlo Stanton into the fold, most would consider that a fair alternative, to say the least.

In any event, if the strategy of the current Mets’ regime is to bear fruit in the commonly accepted timeline to contention (2015 by the reckoning of most), we should expect to see some important additions to the roster in the relatively near future. Building a winner takes time, but it also needs the right kind of material. Right now, much of that material would seem to be lacking.

The Braves acquired both Upton brothers this offseason.

The Braves made headlines this offseason with their acquisition of B.J. Upton in November, signing him to a five year deal worth about $75 million. However, just when the offseason was winding down and it appeared the Braves were done, they surprised everyone and acquired B.J.’s brother Justin from the Diamondbacks. The tandem added a boost to the Atlanta offense that they so badly needed, and had some experts picking them to challenge the Nationals for the NL crown.

Thus far, it appears the Braves made the right move, at least with Justin Upton. If the season ended today, he would be the unanimous MVP. Upton is leading the majors with 12 home runs, three more than anyone else. That, to go along with a not-too-shabby .287/.387/.693 has carried the otherwise mediocre Braves offense.

In reality, it has been the pitching that has carried the Atlanta Braves this season. Despite trading Tommy Hanson this winter, the Braves lead baseball in team ERA with an outstanding 3.10 mark coming into today’s action. More specifically, it has been their bullpen, which has been even stronger than last year’s. Craig Kimbrel has continued his dominance, striking out 15 batters in 10.2 innings. Kimbrel and Jordan Walden, who the Braves received in the Tommy Hanson trade, are among five relievers with at least ten innings pitched and an ERA under two. Compare that to the Mets, who have two such pitchers.

This Braves team is good (yes, even better than the Marlins if you can believe it) and will put up a very tough fight, especially in close games. The key for the Mets will be scoring runs off their starting pitching, because  if they trail in the late innings, the odds are stacked against them.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Shaun Marcum (5.2 IP, 50 ERA+, 1.33 K/BB) vs. Mike Minor (31.2 IP, 125 ERA+, 5.40 K/BB)

Minor, 25, was selected seventh overall in the 2009 draft by the Braves and quickly rose to stardom in their minor league system. Once he reached the big leagues, he never pitched like the ace some thought he could become. Minor came into the season with a career ERA of 4.37 in 302.2 career innings. This year, however, has been much better for him, at least so far. Over five starts, he has a 3.13 ERA and career-best 1.4 BB/9 rate. He was roughed up for six runs in 6.2 innings against the juggernaut Detroit offense, but had a 1.80 ERA in four starts coming into that outing.

Game 2: Jonathon Niese (32.2 IP, 112 ERA+, 1.31 K/BB) vs. Julio Teheran (28.1 IP, 77 ERA+, 2.50 K/BB)

Teheran has been a highly-regarded prospect since his breakout year in the minors in 2009. He worked his way through the minors fairly quickly, until stalling at Triple-A last season. Coming off a dominant season in Triple-A in 2011, Teheran failed to earn a job out of spring training, and was sent back. Once he was back in the minors, Teheran wasn’t the same pitcher. His 3.0 walks per nine wasn’t terrible, but his 6.7 strikeouts was a career-low. What was most concerning was the 18 home runs he gave up, doubling his previous career-worst of nine. Teheran has a 5.08 ERA in five starts, striking out 20 and walking eight in 28.1 innings.

Game 3: Matt Harvey (40.1 IP, 237 ERA+, 3.83 K/BB) vs. Tim Hudson (35 IP, 101 ERA+, 2.18 K/BB)

Even at age 37, Hudson continues to be the rock of the Atlanta rotation. In 11 of his past 12 seasons, Hudson has posted an ERA below four. This year, he has a 3.86 ERA in 35 innings over six starts. In his last outing, Hudson shut down the Nationals, holding them to one run on three hits in seven innings on only 96 pitches.

Series News & Notes

• The Mets sent down a struggling Collin Cowgill today in favor of the red-hot Andrew Brown, who has been tearing it up with the Las Vegas 51s. Brown was hitting .367 with a .440 On-Base Percentage and two home runs in 25 games.
• Jordany Valdespin slugged a three-run pinch-hit home run on Wednesday to give the Mets a 5-4 lead…It was the Mets first pinch-hit home run of the year and the sixth pinch-hit of Valdespin’s brief career…He is tied for second all-time on the club’s pinch-hit home run list.
• New York has scored three or fewer runs in eight of itslast 12 games and is hitting .202 (89-441) over that span…Overall, the Mets are seventh in the majors scoring 4.85 runs per game.
• Craig Kimbrel recorded his 98th career save Monday in Atlanta’s 3-2 win over Washington…Kimbrel’s career save percentage of 89.1 (98/110) ranks fi fth all-time among pitchers with at least 100 save opportunities (see chart at right)…According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the quickest anyone has ever reached 100 career saves was Eric Gagne, who did in his 104th opportunity, followed by John Smoltz (107th) and Joakim Soria (112th)…Kimbrel could tie Soria for third all time if he can convert each of his next two opportunities.
• The Atlanta bullpen’s homerless streak was snapped at 21 games last Friday (April 26) at Detroit when reliever Anthony Varvaro surrendered a three-run shot in the fourth inning…Since the franchise moved to Atlanta (1966), that was the furthest into a season (21 games) that a Braves team has gone without the bullpen allowing a home run.

Mets Starting Lineup

1. SS: Ruben Tejada
2. 2B: Daniel Murphy
3. 3B: David Wright
4. C: John Buck
5. 1B: Justin Turner
6. LF: Lucas Duda
7. CF: Marlon Byrd
8. RF: Andrew Brown
9. SP: Shaun Marcum

Game Notes

Collin Cowgill was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas to clear the roster spot for the promotion of fellow outfielder Andrew Brown. Cowgill, 26, hit .157 (8-for-51) with two homers and eight RBIs with the Mets and was hitless in his final 13 at-bats.

Andrew Brown, 28, is now with the team after a solid month in Las vegas where he hit .367 (36-for-98) with two homers and 27 RBIs in 25 games with the 51s. Brown had an 11-game hitting streak and was leading the Pacific Coast League with 13 doubles.

Pedro Feliciano is nearing a return to the Mets bullpen. Last night in Ft. Myers, he allowed a walk and a hit in a scoreless inning of relief in St. Lucie’s 3-2 loss to the Miracle. Feliciano has allowed three hits and two walks, with four strikeouts, in four innings of work over four games with Advanced-A St. Lucie.

Game Preview

It’s May and the Mets will finally meet the Braves for the first time in 2013. The Mets are fresh off of a win in Miami where they snapped a 6 game losing streak thanks to some offense and a bullpen that didn’t completely implode. The Mets will also be joined up with Andrew Brown who is hitting well in Vegas and could fill in at the OF and occasionally at first base. Anyway, tonight’s game features Shaun Marcum pitted against Mike Minor.

Marcum had a rocky start in his 2013 debut allowing 3 ER in 4.0 innings of work (right before the bullpen just fell apart). Then, the baseball gods decided to turn on Shaun as 1.2 innings against the Marlins and would give up the winning run in the 15th inning. And just like that, 5.2 innings into the season, he is 0-2. He pitched one game against Atlanta last year and he allowed only 3 hits and 2 runs over 7 innings of work. He will be facing a much different Atlanta lineup that now boasts BJ Upton (although currently struggling) and Justin Upton (who is hitting the ball way out of the park). The Braves have the following numbers on Marcum:

BJ Upton 6-21, 2 2B
Johnson 1-12
Schafer 3-9, 2B
Uggla 1-8
Justin Upton 2-8
Freeman 1-5

The Mets bats hope to replicate their last game and not their previous 6 before that tonight against Mike Minor who is 2-2 on the season over 31.2 innings and 5 starts with a 3.13 ERA. He has went from spectacular, allowing 2 runs over his first 19 innings to not so good allowing 9 ER over 12.2 innings (with his last start being the real dagger at 6.2 IP, 6 ER). In two starts against the Mets last year he allowed 9 hits and 6 ER over 11.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Wright 2-11, 2 2B
Tejada 4-13, 2B
Buck 0-8, 3 BB
Turner 3-7
Byrd 4-8, 2B
Duda 3-8, 2B
Davis 0-4, 3 K
Murphy 2-5, 2 2B
Gee 2-2 (I know he’s a starter and he’s not starting tonight but whatever sorry not sorry)

Let’s Go Mets!

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER!

Team News and Notes

Atlanta Braves (12-1)

The Braves continue to plow over any team in their way, as they are thoroughly dominating their opponents and remain in first place in the NL East. The Braves tomahawked the reigning NL East champs in Washington this past weekend, with a clean sweep of their three game series, while outscoring them to the tune of 18-4. Justin Upton continues to lead the club in many of the major offensive categories, batting .340/.404/.900 with eight homers, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored. On the mound, Paul Maholm has surprised everyone with his incredible start to the season, as he now has run his scoreless streak to 20.1 innings with a record of 3-0. Atlanta was 7-0 this past week, and is currently riding a 10-game winning streak. .

Washington Nationals (8-6)

With a team of budding young stars, such as Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman usually flies under the radar. So far Zimmerman has been the Nats best pitcher, with a record of 3-0, a 2.45 ERA, and one complete game. Rafael Soriano may be a lock for 40 saves this year, as he already has nailed down five just two weeks into the season. Jayson Werth is hot to start the year batting .309/.333/.491 with three home runs and eight RBI. Harper holds the team lead in home runs with five.

Philadelphia Phillies (6-7)

Roy Halladay rebounded from two awful outings to start the year, and tossed eight innings of one-run ball in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Marlins. It was a step in the right direction, but it was still the Marlins, and they did not have Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup. Cliff Lee stayed hot to start to the year holding a current ERA of 1.52 through three starts. Cole Hamels fared much better in his third start, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. On offense, Chase Utley is batting .294/.339/.588 as he continues his resurgence. He leads the Phillies in home runs with three and RBI with 12.

Miami Marlins (3-11)

Marlins young prodigy Jose Fernandez remains the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal start the 2013 season. Fernandez followed up his five inning nine strikeout debut with a six scoreless innings in his second outing, and currently owns a 0.82 ERA. The Marlins offense has sputtered to begin the season, and to date, only have two home runs as a team. The injury to Giancarlo Stanton‘s left shoulder has kept him out of the lineup since last Wednesday, although batting .167/.342/.233 before the injury wasn’t helping matters much.

Injury Report

Nationals: Wilson Ramos landed on the DL on April 14 due to a let hamstring strain. He is expected to return when he is eligible to come off at the end of the month. Reliever Christian Garcia is on the DL with partial tear in his forearm tendon.

Braves: Brian McCann (offseason shoulder surgery) was supposed to begin catching in extended spring training games on Wednesday or Thursday, and possibly start a rehab stint next week. However, the veteran backstop felt some tenderness in his wrist and will now be having an MRI instead. Jonny Venters (elbow) remains shut down for four weeks as of April 2, and may be out for the first two months. Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery) is still recovering and could return by midseason. Freddie Freeman who was placed on the DL with a strained oblique on April 7, recently took pain free 30 swings and could possibly be due back when he is eligible.

Phillies: Delmon Young (ankle) is progressing nicely and may be able to start a rehab stint as early as next week. His May return remains on target.

Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton has been out since last Wednesday because of a left shoulder contusion. An MRI showed no structural damage, but he is still feeling discomfort, and remains day-to-day and will test his shoulder on Tuesday. Casey Kotchman was placed on the DL, retroactive to April 4, with a strained hamstring. Logan Morrison is currently on the 60-day DL, as he recovers from a torn patella tendon that required surgery last September. Henderson Alvarez and Nathan Eovaldi are both on the DL with right shoulder inflammation. Alvarez threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on April 13, and could return by early May, while Eovaldi remains out indefinitely.

Upcoming Schedules (4/8-4/14) 

Nationals: (@MIA, 4/6-4/17), (@NYM, 4/19-4/21)

Braves: (KC, 4/16-4/117), (@PIT, 4/18-4/21)

Phillies: (@CIN, 4/15-4/17), (STL, 4/18-4/21)

Marlins: (WSH, 4/16-4-17) (@CIN, 4/18-4/21)

Suspensions

Carlos Ruiz: The Phillies backstop has 12 games remaining to serve his 25-game suspension.

NL West At A Glance

Arizona Diamondbacks: The D’Backs made tough decisions this off-season  They decided to build their roster based on their team concept, and not based on just overall talent. Some think Justin Upton was the move that proved their concept, but I think it was sending Trevor Bauer to Cleveland. Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson have an idea of what they want this team to look and act like, and they apparently did not fit that mold. Miguel Montero is one of the best and most underrated players in the sport, and he’s surrounded by a lot more underrated talents. Martin Prado, Aaron Hill and Paul Goldschmidt are all players you never talk about but should. One thing that hurts though, rookie Adam Eaton who excelled in twenty games last year was supposed to be their starting CF this year is now out for about 8 weeks with a strained UCL. Their rotation is young but talented. They are lead by Ian Kennedy and Wade Miley but also have Brandon McCarthy and Randall Delgado whom they acquired in the Upton deal. I am really curious to see what Heath Bell does for this team. If he can revive his career then he and J.J. Putz could be a lights out combination.

San Francisco Giants: The Giants are your defending champions, and just like in 2011, I’m predicting they will finish second in the NL West following their title. The Giants didn’t really improve on anything, and sure the reply “they won it all,” is valid, it can still be argued they needed to improve. Offensively they are very weak, and unless Tim Lincecum returns to Cy Young form, this team cannot boast a dominating staff that will offset the lack of run support. I will believe the 2012 Angel Pagan was the real thing, when and if I see it in 2013. Buster Posey, and Pablo Sandoval provide the run support for the champs, and while I’d love to have them both on most teams, I don’t think they can carry an offense. The Giants chose to not offer Lincecum a longterm deal for a reason, and I think we started to see why last year. Madison Bumgarner and Cain are the real deal, but if Vogelsong, Lincecum and Zito struggle as I expect – there will be a repeat for San Francisco, just not the one they were hoping for.

San Diego Padres: The Pads were one of the best second half teams in 2012. Manager Bud Black seems to be getting the most out of his young roster, and I expect it to get a little better in 2013. First baseman Yonder Alonso needs to turn the corner though and become the complimentary corner player to Chase Headley. Speaking of Headley, is he the real deal after an MVP caliber season or was it a fluke? The Padres are just joining the masses who decided their park is “too” pitching friendly. So how will that help or hurt this team? Only time will tell, but I like their under the radar roster and I think they can squeak by in the NL West to get to third place.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers are the sexy pick in this division, which is exactly why I’m predicting them 4th. They went out and grabbed Zack Greinke and Korean free agent Hyun-Jin Ryu to solidify their rotation. During the 2012 season, they also added Hanley Ramirez (now out for 8 weeks), Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett. A-Gone is a superstar, and if he can take the reins and keep players like Beckett and Ramirez in check, things might be better than I expect. To take it a step further, if Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez stay healthy and they along with Clayton Kershaw can be the faces of this franchise and overshadow any issues – this team will be dangerous. I think the talent is there and I’d be a fool to deny it. However, I can just picture this blowing up in their faces like we’ve seen so many times. The end result will be Don Mattingly without a job. Regardless, there are not many better things in sports than turning on a Dodgers game and listening to the poetic methods of Vin Scully.

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies are starting to look more and more like the mid 2000’s Rockies that couldn’t put together a team and had a terrible rotation year after year. This year’s biggest question marks will be based on what they get in a trade for Carlos Gonzalez and whether or not Troy Tulowitzki can return as an MVP candidate. Their best pitcher is coming off Tommy John Surgery (De La Rosa), and I can’t pencil him in as a guarantee just yet. Coors Field effect is less of a big deal than it used to be, but they can’t compete in the NL West with this pitching staff.

Projected Standings

XtreemIcon: Giants, Dodgers, D-Backs, Padres, Rockies
Jessep: D-Backs, Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Rockies
Joe D: Giants, Dodgers, D-Backs, Padres, Rockies

Top Sleeper

XtreemIcon: Josh Rutledge, Colorado
Jessep: Gerrardo Parra, Arizona
Joe D: Tyler Colvin, Colorado

Top Rookie

XtreemIcon: Tyler Skaggs, Arizona
Jessep: Adam Eaton, Arizona
Joe D: Tyler Skaggs, Arizona

Top Pitcher

XtreemIcon: Matt Cain, San Francisco
Jessep: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles
Joe D: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco

Top Hitter

XtreemIcon: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles
Jessep: Chase Headley, San Diego
Joe D: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles

Next up will be the NL Central.

How would Upton look as a Met?

In the wake of Tuesday’s blockbuster deal between the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays, I think it is only fair that the Mets make a blockbuster trade of their own. Justin Upton is still available, and despite the lack of rumors linking the Mets and D’backs in trade discussions, my hope is that GM Sandy Alderson has at least inquired about the young right fielder. A talent like Upton NEVER becomes available at such a young age, 25. Making him even more attractive is that he’s under team control through the 2015 season. Upton will make just a shade under $10 million in 2013, and just under $15 million in both 2014 and 2015.

D’Backs GM Kevin Towers is in search of an infielder for the left side. I know this has been debated and discussed at nauseam, but do the Mets have what it takes?

Why couldn’t we give them a call and offer a package that started with Ruben Tejada and Jon Niese? Some people feel as though offering Niese and Tejada might be too much. Tejada is on his way to becoming and good Major League player, same for Niese. But Upton is a star on the verge of becoming a superstar. There is a big difference.

I would also consider offering Wilmer Flores and Daniel Murphy. They have both played third and second base, and could help out on the left side of the infield, as well as give Arizona some added offensive productivity. The Mets are not yet able to offer Gavin Cecchini, but he might be able to be added as a player to be named later.

Murphy can play first, second and third. Flores has played second and third, and Niese would give them a very young and solid middle of the rotation starter, and a lefty at that. Tejada seems to be the one guy fans don’t really want to part with. It’s hard to find a quality shortstop, but it’s even harder to find a supreme talent who is available at such a young age. Sandy should not let Tejada be the reason why we miss out on a potential superstar like Upton.

Signing Dickey to an extension should not be the the number two priority this offseason, behind locking up David Wright. The number two priority should be finding a way to have Justin Upton starting in right field on Opening Day in 2013.

How would Upton look as a Met?

The trade deadline came and went without Arizona moving their best player who is still a couple of weeks shy of 25 years old. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. But the real surprise is that a player like Justin Upton was actually available. Upton went number one overall back in the unreal 2005 draft, ahead of Ryan Zimmerman, MVP Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki, likely MVP Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce and Jacoby Ellsbury. By the way, those last three players were taken after the Mets drafted Mike Pelfrey. But at least the Mets have a shot to make up for that now.

Upton came up at 19 and took a couple years to start producing. Trout and Harper didn’t set the world on fire in their first seasons either. But once he did he became a top asset in baseball. Starting from his breakout 2009 to this season Upton’s OPS has been: .899 , .799, .898, .765. Obviously this is a special talent, but he’s also still putting it together. However he’s also signed until 2015, so he has time to work with coaches and figure it out before he cashes in on a big free agency pay day. For his career he hasn’t hit as well away as he has at home, but his OBP is always high. So yeah he will hit better in Chase Field, who doesn’t? I’ll still take a guy who hits .275 if he can still produce a .850+ OPS. And he’s a power/speed guy. Guys like that are perfect in CitiField. Upton also has the power to clear the Citi fences. If you look at this chart here, you’ll see Upton’s homers clear Citi’s dimensions.

What’s another great selling point is that Justin, and his brother B.J., are friends with David Wright. They grew up playing AAU ball together. Imagine a 2013 lineup that features both Upton brothers and Wright. A group of friends playing ball every day, keeping each other in check, and providing the Mets with some star power. B.J. is a free agent and always has had untapped potential, the lights of Broadway could bring the best out of him. And even if it’s only Justin the Mets go for, Wright finally gets some protection behind him again.

The best part is the Diamondbacks reportedly aren’t looking for prospects, they want players that can contribute now. So the Mets can hold onto Wheeler/Harvey and be able to make a deal for Upton. Justin isn’t having that great of a year, but he’s been hot lately going .283/.391/.435 the last 30 days. Sometimes you just have a bad start or a bad year.

Verdict: Players of Upton’s caliber don’t come around too many trade blocks. Make a deal for Upton that allows you to hold onto Wheeler/Harvey, send along Duda/Flores plus other pieces that are ready to help Arizona compete. Work with him and watch Upton blossom into that stud player everyone expected him to be. By not surrendering tons of key prospects you can take a shot here and not set your franchise back. And by taking this shot here you have a chance to land a 20/20 threat and a positive future for the franchise.