One of my greatest wishes as a relatively young Mets fan is wanting to have seen Tom Seaver pitch.

Sure, I’ve seen the highlight videos and World Series tapes that portrayed his dominance, but it’s still not the same as seeing the best pitcher in Mets’ history actually toe the rubber.

However, albeit still very early, we younger Mets fans are seeing firsthand what it was like when Seaver took the mound in the form of Matt Harvey – just throwing it out there that I was also too young to remember Doc Gooden as well.

Harvey has been dominant this year, and his body of work is very similar to that of Seaver.

Harvey has a slightly bigger build than Seaver when he pitched, but Seaver still fit the mold of a powerful right-hander.

Both have explosive fastballs and aren’t afraid to challenge hitters up in the zone – again going back to at least what I’ve seen from Seaver on the tapes.

Both have at least one good secondary pitch: Seaver mostly a slider and Harvey a curveball, slider and change-up. Harvey already has shown great command of each of these pitches, just like Seaver demonstrated with his slider.

Certainly, the mental approach by each pitcher resembles one another. That “bulldog” mentality if always wanting to win allowed each to experience success very early in their careers – and we naturally hope Harvey’s success continues for plenty more years.

But of all the similarities between the two, the fact that each came up with an inept offensive team is just uncanny.

The Mets really have never been known as an offensive team, but to not somehow scratch together a run when your pitcher is working on a perfect game really is embarrassing. Yes, Hector Santiago threw a very good game Tuesday night for the White Sox, but that’s where you have to dig deep and dent the plate at least once.

I looked at Seaver’s rookie year in 1967 and compared it with the first few months of Harvey’s career. Seaver made 34 starts during his Rookie of the Year campaign and finished with a 16-13 record.

However, he had just a 2.76 ERA, and in those 34 starts, he only gave up four or more runs eight times. He also threw 18 complete games, but we’ll overlook that for now since today’s game is much different than back then – especially when dealing with pitch counts and innings limits.

As for Harvey in 17 career starts, he’s given up four or more runs in a start just once and has a collective 2.07 ERA. Yet his career mark is only 7-5.

Now I don’t want to only point the finger at the offense for a lack of production. There likely were times – albeit few – that the Mets actually scored a comfortable amount of runs for Seaver, and the same will be true for Harvey eventually.

It may not even out fully, but there will be times when Harvey doesn’t have his best stuff and the Mets score enough runs to get him the win.

But just imagine if Seaver and Harvey had any sort of consistent run support. Is it so much for a pitcher to ask his team to score four runs per game? If that was the case for Harvey, he could potentially be 11-1, not to even mention the no-decisions.

Ok, it’s definitely not as cut and dry as that, but what I’m saying here is that it’s just the typical Mets way to have an ace-type pitcher yet not be able to score a single run.

Let’s hope that changes as Harvey continues to progress. Based on what we saw Tuesday night, he may only need one run per game.

Luckily, he’s a decent hitter too, so he should be able to help himself at the plate. Like a typical Little League superstar game, Harvey could pitch a complete game shutout and hit a home run to win the game.

That might be his only chance to consistently pick up wins.

Most baseball pundits cast off the Mets’ outfield as being the worst in the league heading into the season.

On paper, maybe that is correct, but based on performance, the Mets outfield hasn’t been all that bad.

Lucas Duda has looked good offensively, Marlon Byrd has had some big hits, Mike Baxter gives all-out effort every time he’s on the field, and Jordany Valdespin proved last night what a great asset he is to the ball club.

Of the group, Collin Cowgill has struggled since his Opening Day grand slam, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis really didn’t have a place on this roster.

So Juan Lagares was called up to replace Kirk. But the timing of it all is somewhat strange.

Lagares was hitting .346 in Las Vegas so a call-up was certainly warranted. But where does he fit on the big league roster at this point?

Duda is entrenched in left field. That’s a given. In right, Byrd hasn’t exactly played himself out of the batting order, and again Baxter – as exhibited by his key hustle double last night – produces when given the chance.

Center field has been the revolving door, but Valdespin has shown that he could be productive if given the chance. Cowgill might be in a cold spell, but he could very well regain his hot form from spring training.

The thing that confuses me is that Lagares should not be in the Majors unless he’s playing every day. He’s said to be a great defensive center fielder – which is of course important – but he needs to consistently be put up against top-notch pitching.

If Terry Collins is insistent on trying to get Cowgill regular at-bats, then Lagares should still be in Vegas. And throw Valdespin in the mix, and who knows what’s going on in center?

Even a platoon situation with Lagares and Valdespin would not do the kid much good. If he ever plans on being a regular, he’ll need to face both righties and lefties.

Here’s a potential scenario, that I hope does not play, out but could be an option. If Ike Davis continues his abysmal stretch, the Mets may consider sending him down to Vegas to find himself. Duda then moves to first, and Valdespin can play left with Lagares in center.

We learned last season that even after a slow start, Davis can turn it on in a big way. His second half last year has basically earned him a free pass to struggle early on this year. But if he doesn’t find his stroke like he did last season, maybe a change would do him good.

Again though, let’s hope Davis finds his stroke.

Right now, let Valdespin play; he’s an electric talent. Everyone keeps saying that he’s so raw, but the only way to get more refined is to constantly be in the lineup.

Not many players can say they are not in the starting lineup the day after hitting a walk-off grand slam. Sure, the Mets are facing a lefty, but again, you have to give Valdespin the exposure.

Same goes for Lagares. If Collins can find him regular at-bats, that’s one thing. But if Cowgill is getting the start over him, then he should be playing every day in Vegas.

Maybe I haven’t given this enough time to properly play out, but there’s no point in having a prospect sit on the bench in the Majors when he could be refining his game every day in the minors.

NL East At A Glance

Miami Marlins: The team that essentially alienated whatever fan base they thought they had looks like an obvious 5^th place team in this division. They do however have the best player in the division in Giancarlo Stanton. No matter what the rumors say, I still think Giancarlo is a Marlin for a very long time. If I’m wrong, I hope I’m apologizing on my way to buy a Giancarlo Mets jersey. They still have some talent in this lineup around Giancarlo but they are also relying on fairly older players like Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco to be every day players and I don’t know if that is realistic. The Marlins will push Adeiny Hechavarria to the big leagues. They acquired him in the major Toronto swap, and he is known for his defense but can his bat hang in the bigs? The pitching really is where this team is going to get killed. Mike Redmond is going to have to be very creative with how he manages this staff. Ricky Nolasco is their most reliable starter and he’s well, Ricky Nolasco. Steve Cishek is a nice reliever, and while I do not think he’s a true closer – he’s still going to win the Marlins a lot of close games. Overall though, it’s hard to imagine this being anything more than 72 wins for the Marlins.

Philadelphia Phillies: I have been a big critic of Ruben Amaro Jr’s, and until I actually his roster do something, I always will be. For all the jokes the Mets outfield get, the Phillies aren’t really that much better (if at all). The Phillies are going all in again with their aging core of Rollins, Utley and Howard. They added Michael Young who is coming off a horrendous 2012 for Texas. Young is expected to be their full time 3B, and he hasn’t done that since 2010, and he wasn’t very good at it. Their lineup has name recognition, there’s no denying that. However, if Howard and Utley are not MVP candidates, then their lineup doesn’t scare me one bit. The rotation conversation of course starts and ends with Hamels, Halladay and Lee. You know, for all the talk about them being the best rotation ever, they sure haven’t done anything to prove it. This team hasn’t won a World Series with Halladay and Lee together, and I don’t think they ever will. The reason I am picking them fourth has less to do with my faith in the Mets and more in a sense that I think Philadelphia will sell if things do not look promising. They gave us a glimpse of it last year, and I think if they can get some young talent back, we could see a key veteran on the move.

New York Mets: Today as I write this, the Mets announced about two hours ago that Johan Santana likely will miss the entire season. I have to be honest here. That doesn’t change a thing. It really doesn’t  When Mets fans thought about Santana in 2013 it always started with “if healthy.” The Mets are full of players who are at a point in their careers where it is now or never. Players like Duda, Parnell and even Ike need to show that they can put together an entire season with quality performance. Many people will suggest that the offense is the key, but I disagree. I think it’s the bullpen. I think the Mets have enough talent to hang with most anybody in the NL if they play to their potential. I think the bullpen is what will make or break that. Is Bobby Parnell ready to take a step toward becoming a big league closer? Can Scott Atchison rebound from his injury and be the guy we hoped Ramon Ramirez would be? Then of course there is all the youth in the bullpen – what will we see from them? The most unpredictable aspect of a major league roster in my opinion is the major difference maker for the 2013 Mets.

Washington Nationals: Obviously I like taking risks with my predictions. The Nationals are clearly the favorite, so what fun is it to pick them? Look, you can’t deny their talent. But, I can question whether or not everything will go their way. There really isn’t anything wrong with their lineup to be honest. I think they have a nice mixture of power, some speed, and players who continue to rise like Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper. The rotation is lead by Stephen Strasburg, but let’s not forget Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez brings the Nationals a reliable starter, while Strasburg gives them a fragile starter. I still firmly believe Strasburg will not have a long career – and while I agree with the Nationals handling of Strasburg last year, I think it will haunt them. Dan Haren, Jordan Zimmerman and Ross Detwiler are a big reason for this team’s expected success. When the Nats signed Rafael Soriano, I was pretty critical of it. I don’t like how they tossed their young closer Drew Storen aside after a rough playoff outing. I think they will regret that decision because I do not believe Rafael Soriano is a big game closer, and Storen could be one day.

Atlanta Braves: There is a lot of pressure on this team to prove that getting to the playoffs is only a piece of the puzzle, and not the only goal. When you look at the Braves infield, it’s not very impressive. Obviously McCann is one of the best catchers in the game, but if Freddie Freeman doesn’t take his game to the next level, McCann may be the only run producer in the entire infield. The outfield is obviously the major strength of this lineup. The Upton brothers will likely have more fun than any two players in the sport, and if Jason Heyward who is still just 23 years old can take a step toward being a top offensive player, this outfield will be one of the best in baseball for sure. Their rotation is still lead by Tim Hudson who never seems to age, but really the ace of this staff is Kris Medlen. The Braves have a lot of faith in Medlen, and if he can take the top spot in this rotation they could be really dangerous. The rest of the rotation has good but not great talent. Paul Maholm has averaged 30 starts a year since 2006. That’s not very easy in reality. Their bullpen is obviously their strength. They have the best relief pitcher in the game not named Mariano (Craig Kimbrel), and they have as good of a lights out 7^th-8^th inning combo as you can get with Eric O’Flaherty and Jonny Venters, plus Jordan Walden joins the bullpen which just adds to the amazing depth they have.

Projected Standings

XtreemIcon: Nationals, Braves, Mets, Phillies, Marlins
Jessep: Braves, Nationals, Mets, Phillies, Marlins
Joe D: Nationals, Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins

Top Sleeper

XtreemIcon: Denard Span, Washington
Jessep: Marlon Byrd, NY Mets
Joe D: Drew Storen, Washington

Top Rookie

XtreemIcon: Zack Wheeler, NY Mets
Jessep: Travis d’Arnaud, NY Mets
Joe D: Zack Wheeler, NY Mets

Top Pitcher

XtreemIcon: Stephen Strasburg, Washington
Jessep: Kris Medlen, Atlanta
Joe D: Stephen Strasburg, Washington

Top Hitter

XtreemIcon: Bryce Harper, Washington
Jessep: Ike Davis, NY Mets
Joe D: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami

To turn attention away from Mike Piazza and the Hall of Fame vote for just a minute, let’s discuss the future Mike Piazza, or so we hope.

The Mets acquired Travis d’Arnaud, their catcher of the future, in the trade that sent R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays.

But why can’t the future be right now?

d’Arnaud said he’s ready to play and recovered from a knee injury that ended his minor league season early last year.

All indications point to d’Arnaud starting the 2013 campaign in the minors. That’s fine, but there’s no need to extend his stay just so he can get “seasoning.”

The Mets likely want to have him start in the minors in order to delay his eventual free agency as well as adjust to his new surroundings. If he spends the first 20 days of this season in the minors, his free-agent clock will start in 2014, rather than this year.

But once that day passes, I’d really like to see the 24-year-old catching prospect in the Majors.

The best way to gain experience in the big leagues is to actually play in the big leagues. I’m all about making sure a prospect is ready, but from everything I’ve read on d’Arnaud, he’s ready.

Especially if the team won’t be too competitive this season, I’d rather see d’Arnaud struggle to find his way so that he’s ready for 2014, when the team has more financial flexibility to improve the roster.

But who knows? Maybe the kid bursts onto the scene and takes positive strides this season. We won’t ever know unless he’s given the chance.

The Mets are also weary of starting d’Arnaud in the bigs right away because the organization wants the catcher to develop chemistry with top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.

Well, just like I believe d’Arnaud should be in the bigs as soon as possible, that’s how I feel about Wheeler. Give the young guys a shot, and they can develop chemistry together at Citi Field, rather than Las Vegas.

So the plan should be to let them both spend the necessary 20 days in the minors for free agency purposes, and then once they’re available, bring them up in May.

If the organization doesn’t have the money to bring in star players, at least it can give the fans a feel for what they have to look forward to in the coming seasons.

No offense to John Buck, but he’s not exactly a guy who fills up a stadium. But d’Arnaud playing regularly on the other hand may get the fanbase excited.

The sooner d’Arnaud and Wheeler crack the roster, the sooner the Mets will reveal their long-term identity.

MLB.com’s Marty Noble wrote a piece that the Mets should try to make a push to acquire Miami Marlins budding superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Stanton is just 23 years old and has shown mammoth power in just three professional seasons.

But hold on, the Marlins have already traded the rest of their star players. Why would the team part ways with its only young power bat?

Well, Stanton is a hot commodity right now, and the Marlins are in a position in which they certainly won’t be competitive (at least on paper) for the next few seasons.

So from the Marlins’ standpoint, building around the young slugger will make for a competitive team when Stanton enters his prime.

If he were to be traded, however, the Marlins would demand a package of a number of stellar prospects as well as cash. But as of now, we can only gauge on how many prospects or how much money it would take to get a deal done.

Obviously, all 30 teams would salivate at the chance to acquire Stanton at the right price, since he’d first be eligible for salary arbitration after the 2013 season.

From the Mets point of view, if a deal can somehow be worked out, I’d say do it.

Not too often does a young power hitter become available before he’s eligible for free agency. Of course though, it would take a hefty package to acquire Stanton.

The Mets have a surplus (albeit small) of young pitching prospects including Zack Wheeler, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Collin McHugh or the newly-acquired Noah Syndergaard. Matt Harvey can even be thrown in that mix as a young pitcher in the organization.

Naturally, if the Marlins ask for three or more of these prospects, the Mets should shy away. But for two – maybe one of Wheeler or Harvey and one of Mejia, Familia, McHugh or Syndergaard – and cash (though the Mets don’t have much), a deal would make sense at least for the Mets.

Likely it would take at least three of these pitching prospects and maybe a few offensive prospects to get a deal done. If the Marlins’ demands are through the roof, maybe it’s best to stay away.

If Stanton does become available, we know the Evil Empire would be involved. Stanton could easily hit 50 home runs playing in Yankee Stadium.

But based on the power he’s shown, even the cavernous Citi Field would be no match for Stanton.

At this point, it’s just wishful thinking. But who knows? The Mets and Marlins have made deals in the past, so can they agree on one more?

Mike Olt

Just in case you haven’t noticed, the Mets signed David Wright to an eight-year contract extension.

Also a friendly reminder, David Wright is a third baseman.

The Mets also have a guy named Ike Davis, who despite a slow start in 2012 managed to club 32 home runs.

Davis plays first base and is just 25 years old just so you know.

Of course, as Mets fan, you know all this information through and through. But the real question is why the Mets would even remotely consider trading R.A. Dickey to the Rangers for a package centered around prospect Mike Olt.

Olt is a power hitting third base prospect who is also a solid defender at the hot corner. He’s played 212 games at third since being drafted by the Rangers in the first round in 2010, and he’s only made 32 errors – not bad at all.

Though he’s said to strikeout a lot, he’s displayed a good power bat from the right side, which the Mets desperately need.

Sounds like a good prospect to get back for Dickey, right?

Wrong, in so many ways.

Why on earth would the Mets want a young third baseman after signing Wright for eight more years? And after a strong second half showing by Davis, Olt, who has only played 13 career minor league games at first base, would not make sense at first either.

Olt played three games in right field in the minor leagues last year and two games after being called up to the Rangers.

What’s with Sandy Alderson thinking he can turn infielders into full-time outfielders, since that’s the only position Olt would play on the Mets as of now?

There were rumors that the Mets were interested in Mark Reynolds, a corner infielder, as an outfielder before he signed with the Indians.

Of course, the Mets could trade Davis for an outfielder and insert Olt at first, but what’s the point of having an unproven commodity trying to replace 32 dingers?

If the Mets were to make a deal with the Royals based around Wil Myers – an actual outfielder – a Dickey deal would have made sense, but the Royals flipped Myers to the Rays in the James Shields trade.

A Dickey trade still does make sense, but the Mets need to get back pieces in which they don’t have – either a catcher or an outfielder.

Olt may turn into a great Major Leaguer, but unless the Mets involve a third team to take Olt, a trade with the Rangers just doesn’t make sense for the Amazin’s.

Heading into this offseason, Sandy Alderson was bound to make some changes to the Mets’ roster.

Even with a limited supply of funds, how long can a team deal with mediocrity before making a change?

That same limited supply of funds virtually made it hard to think the Mets would pursue free agents, so Alderson came out and said that he’d be creative in exploring trade possibilities.

We’re only in late November, and already it seems the Mets are changing their course. ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin recently reported that Mets don’t expect to be making trades and will instead sign free agents.

So basically Alderson made one claim, now he’s making another claim, and by the time the Winter Meetings roll around, there may be a completely different story.

Pretty confusing, huh?

Luckily, it’s not even December yet, and the Mets right now are solely focused on contract negotiations with David Wright and R.A. Dickey. And rightfully so, since they are two huge pieces to the puzzle, even if that puzzle means trading one or both for younger talent.

So if Alderson sticks to his guns this times and says he will pursue free agents, let’s see who he might be talking about.

The Mets seem content heading into the season with a starting pitching rotation of Dickey (assuming he’s here), Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee. They may bring in a few insurance arms, but that’s looking pretty set.

As for the infield, Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada and Wright (assuming he’s here) are likely the starters.

The bullpen this year will probably be a combination of what we have (Bobby Parnell, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Josh Edgin) and some cheap options that the Mets hope can produce.

So likely we’ve been saying all along, the Mets will look for help in the outfield and at catcher. And preferably, the Mets seek a right-handed hitter at both those positions.

At catcher, the really only viable options that the Mets can afford are Kelly Shoppach, Miguel Olivo or Chris Snyder. Mike Napoli is way out of their price range, and the rest of the crop of catchers has seen better days.

In terms of outfielders, Scott Hairston is looking more and more like a possibility to return, especially now that B.J. Upton signed with the Braves. It’s not like the Mets were in on Upton, but now the market for right-handed hitting outfielders may pick up.

An intriguing name could be Matt Diaz as part of a left or right field platoon with Mike Baxter. Diaz crushes left-handed pitching and especially Mets’ lefties over the years.

Ryan Raburn or Juan Rivera would come cheap and could also be platoon partners.

The bigger names in the outfield like Cody Ross and Delmon Young (more of a DH anyway) are likely seeking multi-year deals, and the Mets are likely to stay away there.

No one really knows how the rest of this offseason will play out. It would be nice as fans to have some sort of clear path on the direction of the team, but I guess that’s just the nature of the business these days.

The first priority is to take care of the Wright and Dickey situations, however they might play out, and then worry about the rest of the roster.

Every year they’re fighting for a World Series crown. If they don’t make it, they go out and spend millions of dollars to bring in players who will help the franchise achieve its goal of a championship.

And if it doesn’t work that year, they’ll repeat the process until they get it right.

On this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for a variety of things including a great family, friends and for the most part my health (I’m currently recovering from a torn Achilles tendon).

But I’m also thankful for the Mets.

It’s always interesting with the Mets. When they have money, they’ll sign Jason Bay, and like now when they don’t have money, they’ll sit back and hope their prospects develop.

Unlike the Evil Empire, that’s the nature of baseball. Teams go through streaks of being great and being bad depending on their finances and how their prospects shape up.

The Mets have been in a down swing since really 2009. Many will say the losing began when Carlos Beltran sat there and watched strike three go by in Game 7 of the NLCS.

But remember, the Mets were a great team for five months in 2007 before the collapse and even played very good baseball in 2008 before another late season swoon.

Despite the losing, I, as well as many of you reading this, have stuck by my team. I’m thankful that the team makes it interesting. That’s why it’s so much fun to follow them.

And that’s why it’s going to be incredible when (hopefully not “if”) the Mets win the World Series. I wasn’t around for 1986, and 2000 was a great run that came up short.

Keep making it interesting, Mets. But if so, lower ticket prices!

So the inevitable has occurred, albeit much later than originally expected: Jason Bay is no longer a New York Met.

I’m sure there is much joy about this decision in Mets nation and rightfully so. The Bay signing will go down as the worst free agent contract in Mets history.

That said, I’m wishing Bay the best of luck in resurrecting his career with another team, preferably in the American League.

I’ll be the first to admit that Bay’s time in New York was downright terrible. He played in less than 60 percent of the team’s games in the past three seasons, and he hit just .234 with 26 home runs and 124 RBI during that time.

However, it would be unfair to say that Bay merely gave up and collected his lucrative paycheck.

The reason Bay was constantly hurt was because he constantly put his body on the line defensively. On the plays he got hurt, there was really no reason for Bay to even be close to those balls, yet he hustled all the time in the outfield.

Of course, paying $16 million for a defensive specialist in the outfield is ludicrous, so once Bay continued to show that he was inept at the plate, his release was just a matter of time.

Everyone in the organization admired Bay for his work ethic despite the poor results. Unfortunately, this is a results-oriented business, so Bay had to go.

In the one time I met Bay at the Mets’ 2010 Holiday Party, you could see and hear his tone that he truly wanted to improve and make an impact on this team, and that was only after his first poor season.

Some players will just shrug off a slump and not let it affect them, but Bay was different in that regard.

You almost have to feel bad for the guy, since it looked like he forgot how to hit. Here’s a guy who was a Rookie of the Year and three-time All-Star. You don’t just forget how to hit with that sort of resume.

Maybe the pressure of playing in New York got to him, or maybe the injuries really messed him up more than we all originally thought.

Either way, I admire Bay for realizing that his time in New York was finished even with one year remaining on his contract. It was a mutual decision for the Mets and Bay to part ways.

He could have been stubborn and looked to the fact that he signed a four-year contract and that’s where he would be for those four years, regardless of the lack of production.

But instead, Bay did the right thing for the team.

I hope Bay gets another chance somewhere, even if it’s on a minor-league deal. Let’s be honest, at age 34 he’ll never regain the form of his Pittsburgh and Boston days. But maybe he can be a productive pinch hitter and fourth outfielder.

So to reiterate, I was thoroughly disgusted by Bay’s on-field performance these past three seasons, and he was enormous financial drain. But as a man, I admire Bay for not giving up sooner than he did.

I hope Mets fans can agree with this.

Born in Brooklyn on October 13, 1926, Edward Frederick Joseph Yost was signed as a 17 year old straight out of high school by Washington. After serving his country in World War II the following year, Yost returned stateside and was immediately put on the Senators roster. He never played in the minors.

He was nicknamed ‘The Walking Man’ for his uncanny propensity to draw walks. He was regarded to be the best lead-off hitter of his day as well as one of the best defensive third baseman in the league. Over the course of his 16 year career, Yost walked 1,614 times. Eight times he topped 100 walks in a season. At the time of his retirement, only Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mel Ott had drawn more bases on balls. His greatest total was 151 in 1956. That season his batting average was a meek .231, but he offset that was a .412 OBP.

His best offensive season was 1950 where he matched a .440 on-base percentage with a career high .295 batting average. “Because I could draw walks, pitchers treated me like I was a .400 hitter,” Eddie once commented. An opposing manager, in an effort to motivate his staff, began charging his pitchers $25 every time they walked Eddie. This practice was short lived when his staff complained of being in debt hundreds of dollars to the manager. Senators owner Clark Griffith stated, “I wouldn’t trade Yost for Mantle straight up.” Casey Stengel, who managed the Yankee dynasty throughout the 50’s, wanted desperately to add Yost to his roster. Baseball historian Phil Wood said, “He reached the point where the umps said if Eddie didn’t swing at the pitch, they wouldn’t call it a strike.”

In addition to reaching base via the walk, Yost also set the major league record of the most HR’s to lead-off a game with 28, a record that stood until Bobby Bonds in the 1970’s.

In addition to living up to his nickname of The Walking Man, Eddie also led AL third basemen in put-outs 8 times, double plays 7 times, assists 3 times and fielding percentage twice.

From August 30, 1949 to May 11, 1955. Eddie played in 829 consecutive games, 8^th longest streak in history.

In December 1958, Washington decided to part ways with their Yost after 14 seasons. They needed to make room for a young rookie named Harmon Killebrew and Eddie was traded to the Tigers. That following season, his first year with Detroit, Yost hit a career high 21 HR’s and led the AL in Runs, OBP and walks.

After 2 seasons with Detroit, Yost was picked up in the expansion draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He became the first batter in Angels history.

He retired in 1962 with a mediocre .254 career batting average, 683 RBI’s but an impressive .394 OBP. He returned back east where he became a third base coach for Washington and their manager Mickey Vernon. When Vernon was replaced, the Senators’ new manager requested Yost to stay on board. That new manager was named Gil Hodges.

When Hodges accepted a managerial job in New York, he brought Eddie with him. Yost served as Mets 3b coach from 1968-1975.

Eddie believed in small ball before small ball was cool. He realized the importance of reaching base and playing solid defense. This mantra fit in well with the Mets of that time who were heavy on pitching but light on offense. Yost was influential in the defensive development of Mets infielders, especially Wayne Garrett and Buddy Harrelson, the latter who tried to emulate Yost. Eddie realized the Mets hitting was anemic and he’d frequently wave runners around 3^rd, trying to scratch out every run possible.

Eddie played in the majors 16 years, mostly with the hapless Senators, and never even came close to a post-season. It was during his time as Mets coach when, in 1969, he received what every player dreams of: A World Series ring.

During his playing days, Eddie enjoyed repairing antique clocks. In the 1950’s, he became the player rep for the AL and spoke before Congress on Baseball’s anti-trust. He also fought hard to increase the minimum salary and player pensions. During the off-season he attended NYU where he earned a Masters Degree in Physical Education.

His final at-bat came July 28^th, 1962 when he was used as a pinch hitter. As one would expect, Eddie drew a walk.

It was great to see Scott Hairston hit a home run yesterday to reach the 20-home run plateau in a Mets victory on the final day of the season.

Hairston was a consistent performer this season as he set a new career-high in games played with 134.

He hit extremely well against left-handed pitching so he earned time as a platoon player, but based on the Mets lackluster offense, Hairston found himself in the lineup often regardless of the opposing pitcher.

As the Mets begin their search for outfield help, where does Hairston fit in the mix?

Yes, he had a nice season, but he’s really not an everyday player at this point in his career. He will be 33 next May, and his .239/.281/.457 line against right-handers in 188 at-bats isn’t too impressive.

He would definitely be a cheap option, since it seems the Mets won’t be pursuing B.J. Upton, Michael Bourn or Shane Victorino (who would even want Victorino anyway?).

But he’s not an everyday center fielder, which is really what the Mets needs.

Here’s a scenario to consider. The problem is Jason Bay will be on this team Opening Day and will be given every chance to succeed (or fail miserably). The team still appears to have hope for Lucas Duda as well.

It seems as though Bay and Duda will platoon in left field to start the season. If the Mets do decide to bring back Hairston as a platoon player, maybe a Hairston/Mike Baxter platoon in right field could work. Baxter isn’t exactly Roberto Clemente in right field, but he can be a decent complimentary player if given the chance. Before he made that stellar catch in Johan Santana’s no-hitter, he was hitting well and playing great defense.

Of course, having two platoons going on in the outfield with basically the same cast of characters may not be considered a he upgrade. But if everyone involved understands their roles and the Mets somehow bring in a good center fielder, maybe it all can work.

As of this moment, it looks like Andres Torres is long gone, leaving Kirk Nieuwenhuis as the only somewhat-MLB-ready candidate to take over in center. It’s looking like Jordany Valdespin will be looked at as solely an infielder from now on.

This team has so many needs and not enough funds to fill all those needs, so as Sandy Alderson has been saying, the team needs to be creative. Maybe they can pull off a trade with the Red Sox for Jacoby Ellsbury or (more of a long-shot) Justin Upton. But for now, we need to be thinking of cost-effective options that can get the job done.

Duda/Bay and Hairston/Baxter platoons are certainly not ideal, but if they can all settle into their platoon roles and the Mets bring in a new center fielder, maybe it can all work out.

Hairston may not be the sole solution to be an everyday corner outfielder, but he can be part of the overall solution, especially if the Mets can improve in other areas.

Ike Davis lost his childhood friend to Ewing’s Sarcoma a few years ago, so he has joined with the charitable organization Solving Kids’ Cancer in his friend’s memory.

On Sept. 9 at City Winery in Manhattan, Solving Kids’ Cancer hosted the second annual “A Night with Ike Davis” to raise money for the cancer research. About half the Mets team showed up in support of Ike and to attend a charity concert by country singer Lee Brice.

The players all agreed that they were honored that Ike asked them to be a part of the event and can tell how dedicated he is to this cause, especially after losing a friend.

Below are a few photos from the event:

All content and photos courtesy of metroBASEBALL Magazine, a quarterly magazine serving the NY metro area.

Joe Mauer at Fenway Park (Photo by Jim Mancari)

The Minnesota Twins places All-Star catcher Joe Mauer on revocable trade waivers earlier this week, and, not too surprisingly, no team put a claim in for him.

The 29-year-old is due $23 million per season through 2018, so team’s likely balked at that salary.

I heard some reports that the Mets should have gone after Mauer if the Twins were willing to work out a deal. I know it’s slightly after the fact (at least until the offseason), but let’s dissect this trade possibility.

Yes, Mauer isn’t exactly his former self and projects more as a first baseman than a catcher, but the guy is producing this year at a .312 clip with eight home runs and 68 RBI, which earned him his fifth All-Star selection.

The Mets are desperately seeking offensive production from the catcher’s spot, and Mauer would be an instant upgrade. Kelly Shoppach has looked OK offensively, but Shoppach is not Mauer, end of story.

The problem here is that in order to keep Mauer healthy, he needs to either play first base or DH. Obviously DH is not an option in the NL, so it would have to be first base.

Ike Davis is currently the Mets first baseman. He struggled out of the gate early, but his power numbers have been just as expected. Are we already willing to give up on Ike in favor of a catcher who is more of a first baseman?

Let’s say though the Mets can trade Ike for some outfield help. In fact, let’s say that Ike is included in a deal for Mauer that also nets the Mets Josh Willingham. The “Hammer” is signed for $14 million over the next two seasons, but he’ll also be 34 to begin next season.

However, the whole purpose in trading for Mauer would be to add him to a lineup that includes Ike Davis. So instead the Mets would have to dig into their prospects for a deal.

Think back to winter 2008 when the Mets and Twins made a trade for Johan Santana. The Twins acquired four prospects: Phil Humber, Carlos Gomez, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. Humber pitched a perfect game but for the White Sox, Gomez is now on the Brewers, Mulvey is gone from the Twins system and Guerra may have a shot to be a decent pitcher for the Twins.

If the Mets start throwing around names like Wilmer Flores, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Collin McHugh (obviously Zack Wheeler is untouchable), the Twins may get skeptical based on the results of the other trade. But that’s the whole point of rolling the dice on prospects; some don’t pan out.

I’m not a general manger (maybe just an arm-chair GM), but if somehow the Mets could have worked out a deal for Mauer and Willingham, the team would be in good shape maybe just for next year, but beyond that it would be a gamble. Here’s what a lineup would look like, assuming no other big moves were made:

Tejada SS, Murphy 2B, Mauer C, Wright 3B, Davis 1B, Willingham LF, Duda RF, CF (either Hairston, Nieuwenhuis, den Dekker, B.J. Upton perhaps).

This would be a pretty good team, but I just don’t see it happening. Actually to answer the title question, I don’t want it to happen. If the Twins were going to ask for mid-level prospects just to get something back for Mauer, then maybe. But Mauer is locked up for six more years, so the Twins would have to be blown away by an offer for this to work. They aren’t going to trade their only superstar just for the sake of making a deal.

So instead, expect something a little more like this for next season:

Tejads SS, Murphy 2B, Wright 3B, Davis 1B, Hairston/Baxter RF, Duda/Bay LF, Shoppach/Thole C, CF (Nieuwenhuis or den Dekker).

GM Sandy Alderson said the team would be creative in the trade market perhaps. The free agent market will be weak this offseason (except for Josh Hamilton, fat chance Mets fans!), so trades will be the only way to improve this team.

Again, if the Mets and Twins can work out a trade for Mauer and even throw in Willingham in which the Mets assume the contracts (another big if) rather than mortgaging the farm system, I guess it could work. But that’s living in a fantasy world.

The safe bet: Stay away from Mauer and explore other options.

It’s a fact: Every team experiences some sort of injuries over the course of a 162-game season.

For some reason however, it always seems the Mets are plagued with the injury bug more so than other teams.

This year was no different, as Mike Pelfrey went down early, Ruben Tejada missed time and now Johan Santana has been shut down.

But an injury that was overlooked in the big picture that has had a crippling effect has been Dillon Gee’s blood clot right before the All-Star break.

Gee was just 6-7 with a 4.10 ERA in 17 starts, so you may be asking how this injury was so detrimental. But look at his game logs, and you’ll see how vital he was to the Mets’ first half success.

In those 17 starts, Gee tallied 12 quality starts. The Mets however only won six of those games, proving the offense and bullpen were of course futile.

Throw out his first three starts of the season (even though he threw a seven-inning gem against the Braves in his second start), and Gee threw quality starts in 11 of his final 14 games.

What more can you ask of your fifth starter?

Gee’s record was not indicative of how he performed this season. It’s a shame that he went on the disabled when he did, because he was just coming off a stellar eight-inning, one-run outing against the Cubs right before the break.

While the outlandish two-out RBI stats played a role in carrying the Mets during the first half, it really was the starting pitching that kept the Mets relevant. R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana and Jon Niese did the heavy lifting, but Gee was right there being a consistent anchor.

SNY showed a stat last night that Mets’ starting pitchers’ ERA so far in the second half is 4.74. This obviously has played a role in the team’s downfall.

It’s curious that the Mets didn’t immediately give Matt Harvey the chance to fill Gee’s spot in the rotation while the team still had a fleeting chance. Harvey has looked great in the bigs so far and would have almost certainly done a better job than Miguel Batista and Jeremy Hefner.

Either way, what’s done is done, and now we all just hope for the speedy recovery of Gee. Though he won’t return this season, Gee is making good progress.

Considering that the Mets have other pressing needs (mainly the outfield and the bullpen), expect the starting rotation to look something like this: R.A. Dickey, a healthy and well-rested Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee. Based on track record, Santana will likely get hurt at some point, which then opens the door for Zack Wheeler.

This is actually a decent rotation when everyone is performing up to par. Now if the team can only hit a little…

During last night’s ESPN telecast of the Mets victory over the Braves, the announcers mentioned that the Mets have several “building blocks” but also several “question marks.”

At this point, the question marks far outweigh the building blocks, which is why the team has had moments of mediocrity this season.

There is still a month and half to play, but barring a miracle, the Mets would be wise to start turning their focus to next season.

I’ve compiled a breakdown of who fits the bill of a “building block” and who fits into the category of “question marks.”

BUILDING BLOCKS

David Wright: Yes, he’s in a bit of a cold streak, but even with that streak, he’s still hitting .320. The Mets must lock him up this offseason to a long-term deal. It would be painful watching him suit up for another team if a deal can’t be worked out. If the Sandy Alderson regime is remembered for doing anything, it better be renewing Wright’s contract.

R.A. Dickey: It’s strange to classify a 37-year-old as a building block, but Dickey fits the bill. He’s a legitimate Cy Young contender this year. He may have an occasionally poor start, but he’s been consistent, which is exactly what the Mets need.

Ruben Tejada: Both offensively and defensively, Tejada has been a diamond in the rough. He’s definitely a player the Mets will look to build around.

Ike Davis: Forget the slow start for a minute. Ike has great power potential and is still growing as a player. Hopefully, experiencing his early season slump will motivate him to never allow himself to go through that kind of stretch again.

Jon Niese: Not only is Niese locked up to a contract anyway, but he’s also begun to show his potential. He’ll put together a string of great starts and then look lost in other starts. He needs to be consistent like Dickey, and he’ll be a mainstay in the rotation.

Daniel Murphy: Murph has really silenced the critics who said he would be a butcher defensively. He’s been a solid fielder — not necessarily a Gold Glover, but a more than capable defender. Despite a midseason slump, he’s swinging the bat like the Murphy we know. Definitely a building block, but more of a role player.

Jordany Valdespin: The only way we are going to see what he can do is to see him everyday. Frankly, I’d like to see more of him in center field. He has the tools, but he now just needs the drive.

Lucas Duda: For some reason, I have a good feeling about Duda. He probably felt somewhat embarrassed being sent down after being with the big club for a year. Even if he turns into an Adam Dunn-type player, that wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Dunn strikes out a ton and hits for a low average, but he consistently hits home runs, drives in runs and draws walks.

Matt Harvey: A few very good starts from the youngster, but of course he gets no run support. He’ll likely be the fourth or fifth starter for next season.

Dillon Gee: Hoping for a swift recovery for Gee. He has turned himself into a capable back-of-the-rotation option.

Mike Baxter and Josh Edgin: I’d love to see these two guys with the team next year. Baxter is a solid fourth outfielder/pinch hitting option, and other than a few poor outings, Edgin has been a reliable reliever.

This is actually a significant amount of building blocks. Of course, many are nice role players, but you still need them to form a team. Now onto the question marks.

QUESTION MARKS

Johan Santana: Did the no-hitter negatively affect him? Probably not, but of course everybody points to that 134-pitch performance as the reason for his ineffectiveness. Maybe with Dickey stepping up this year, much of the pressure will be off Santana to be the staff ace. Still, the Mets need Santana to be consistently effective. They’re paying him a lot of money right now to be a sub-.500 pitcher. Big question mark.

Jason Bay: It’s looking like Bay is going to be on the roster next season, Mets fans, so get used to it. Maybe he’ll figure it out, maybe he won’t, but he’ll be given every chance to success (or fail). Maybe a Bay/Baxter platoon in left field, or even a Bay/Valdespin platoon would work. There has to be some sort of cutoff point though for Bay. If he’s hitting .150 by the All-Star break next year, it really is time to cut ties — and even that timeframe is being generous.

Bobby Parnell: Consistency, consistency, consistency. Parnell has the stuff to be a closer in this league, but he lacks consistency, which has been his downfall this season. The Mets will need him to be one of their main contributors next year out of the bullpen, so hopefully he can figure out how to be consistent.

The rest of the bullpen: Once again, expect much turnover in the Mets bullpen. I wouldn’t mind seeing Frank Francisco back, but not as the closer. Maybe through the trade, the Mets can bring in a legitimate closer. Don’t know who, but if money is again going to be tight, trades may be the only option. Maybe we’ll see Jenrry Mejia in next year’s bullpen. Even Manny Acosta has looked decent since being recalled. But again, the bullpen is a major question mark for this team.

Catcher: It’s time the Mets got some offensive production from the catcher’s position. It would be one thing is Josh Thole was leading the league in throwing out runners, but he isn’t. Here’s another spot where maybe a trade comes into play.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis: Kirk had the inside track to being the 2013 Mets starting center fielder, but then he fell flat. His strikeout pace was ridiculous. Like Duda, maybe getting sent down will light a fire under him for next season. He’s hurt now, so spring training will be big for him. He’s fantastic defensively, but he needs to get his swing in order.

Zack Wheeler: Only put on the question mark list since it will be a much-debated question about how the Mets will utilize him. It’s super unlikely that he makes a start this September. Maybe the Mets bring him up midseason next year like they did with Harvey this year. If there is a competition for the fifth starter, he’ll likely be in it. Best bet though, start the season in the minors. If the team isn’t going to be significantly improved, there’s no point in rushing Wheeler.

So there you have it. At a quick glance, it seems there are more building blocks that questions marks. The problem is that the magnitude of the question marks (Santana, Bay, bullpen) far outweighs that of the building blocks.

Patience might be the only answer to deal with the question marks.

The idea has been beaten to death: The Mets bullpen is the worst in baseball and has been the major reason for the team’s skid to open the second half.

But looking a little deeper, it may not totally be the bullpen’s fault. In fact, the pen, mainly Jon Rauch, Josh Edgin and even Manny Acosta since being recalled, has actually been somewhat decent recently.

Granted, the bullpen certainly has contributed to the second-half slide, but the offense is just as culpable.

The Mets have played 24 games since the All-Star break and are just 7-17 in those games. Only 10 times in those 24 games have the Mets scored at least five runs, and the team actually wound up losing five of those 10 games.

It seems that the clutch two-out RBI hitting that the Mets were known for during the first half has simply disappeared. Maybe it’s fatigue or maybe it’s just a loss of the fire that was so evident in the first half.

Of the nine positions in the Mets lineup, two are basically automatic outs with another very close. Jason Bay of course does nothing, and the pitcher’s spot rarely contributes (which is expected). Andres Torres goes through periods of being extremely cold as well, but he at least has some speed.

Jordany Valdespin has cooled down significantly, and production from the catcher’s position has been hard to come by.

More troubling though has been David Wright. Not too long ago, Wright was near the top of the NL in hitting at around .350. However, in just a few short weeks, he’s now hovering near the .320 mark.

At this point in the season, it really takes a lengthy slump to drop 30 points in one’s batting average, and that’s what Wright’s going through. His strikeouts are also way up.

So again, there’s no doubting that the Mets bullpen is a major weakness. But it’s unfair moving forward to thrust the whole blame of the second half skid just upon the pen. The offense has been just as bad during this stretch if not worse.

Updated Post 8/9

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Terry Collins said he no longer plans to use R.A. Dickey on short rest through the remainder of the season.

Collins intends to use Jeremy Hefner in the rotation if he needs to give a starting pitcher extra rest, but will continue to use Dickey in his normal turn through the rotation.

Updated Post 8/3

Terry Collins told reporters before the game that he does not intend to use R.A. Dickey on short rest through the next couple turns in the rotation because of how the schedule works out with off days. But he did say they will likely be making that adjustment soon to give the other pitchers five days rest instead of four and using Dickey to fill in the gaps.

Collins said he won’t give any starters more than five days rest and it that were to happen, then that pitcher could just get skipped in the rotation and be used out of the bullpen temporarily.

Looks like they are going through with this…

Updated by HoJo

Original Post 8/2

Before yesterday’s game, Mets manager Terry Collins announced that he would be using R.A. Dickey on short rest at some point during the remainder of the season.

He didn’t say exactly when, but he said it would happen.

The idea of pitching Dickey on short rest came about based on his great success this year, his ability to bounce back quickly between starts and the fact that the Mets have had injuries to their starting rotation.

Collins finally gave in to all the speculation. Let’s see how short rest will affect Dickey, as he attempts to become the first Mets pitcher since Frank Viola in 1990 to win 20 games.

What do we all think of Collins’ decision to start Dickey on short rest?

There are of course pros and cons to each side. Short rest would give Dickey more starts in his quest for 20 wins as well as give injury-prone pitchers Chris Young and Johan Santana (when he returns from the disabled list) extra rest between starts.

However, he would also have an increased workload — something, even at age 37, that he hasn’t experienced in the big leagues.

I’m a proponent of short rest for Dickey. He’s having a miracle season, and I’d like to see him get the opportunity to compete for a Cy Young. The more times he’s out there, the better chance he’ll have to rack up victories.

Before we completely give up on the season, the Mets are a hot streak away from getting right back in the race. With Dickey going every fourth day, it increases the team’s chances of winning.

I’m interested to see how this plays out. As long as the team is able notice signs of fatigue before they affect Dickey long-term, short rest it is!

Please voice your thoughts below.

MATT HARVEY: Getting comfortable in his new Mets attire. He’ll be wearing uniform No. 33 tonight.

As the Mets continue sinking faster than the Titanic, all eyes will be on Matt Harvey tonight in Arizona as he makes his highly anticipated Major League debut.

The 23-year-old is likely feeling tons of pressure to be the savior of the franchise based on how the team has gone through its annual post All-Star break collapse.

But Harvey has to just take a deep breath and take it one step at a time.

We as fans certainly want a change, and seeing Harvey will be a nice change of pace. Terry Collins and the organization also want change.

However, no one is asking Harvey to save the franchise right from his first pitch. There will guaranteed be struggles along the way, but it will be good to see how he handles them at the big league level.

I’ve always been a proponent of giving the prospects a chance, especially if the big league club is falling apart. Harvey is 23 years old and has 46 starts in the minors, in which he’s 20-10.

How much more “seasoning” could the guy have needed? He’s excelled at every level so far and earned his chance to start tonight. It’s not like this is his first start coming out of college.

Harvey isn’t exactly Stephen Strasburg, who only needed a few tune-up starts before making his big league debut. But he’s still got plenty of talent on the mound.

Growing pains are what make big league players better. Sure, it stinks to get sent back to the minors after being called up (like we just saw with Lucas Duda), but hopefully it further ignites a fire under that player to get back to the bigs.

Who knows? Maybe Harvey will impress so much that he remains in the rotation the rest of the season and begins next year as one of the five Mets’ starters.

But it’s way too early to be thinking about that. Let’s see how he does tonight.

What I’m hoping doesn’t happen is that once Johan Santana is eligible to return from the disabled list, Harvey gets immediately sent down. A handful of starts is not enough to see what the kid is made of.

Jeremy Hefner’s been just OK, so I would much rather see Harvey work through his problems as a starter and Hefner in the bullpen or the minors.

Much luck to Harvey as he begins his big league career. Let’s not give up hope just yet, Mets fans. Remember what happened last year with the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Some Notes On Matt Havey

MATT HARVEY: Will make his major league debut tonight. Harvey, 23,was 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA (45 earned runs/110.0 innings) and ranks third in the International League with 112 strikeouts in 20 starts for Buffalo this year. He was named to the International League All-Star team and tossed two scoreless and hitless innings with two strikeouts in the Triple-A All-Star Game, earning MiLB.com Top Star honors for his performance.

FIRST-ROUND STARTS: Matt Harvey, who was the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft will become the 10th pitcher selected in the first-round by the Mets to start a game for the club. The others and the year they were drafted are: Les Rohr (1965), Jon Matlack (1967), Randy Sterling (1969), Tim Leary (1979), Dwight Gooden (1982), Paul Wilson (1994), Aaron Heilman (2001), Philip Humber (2004) and Mike Pelfrey (2005). Two other Mets’ first-round picks, Billy Traber (2000) and Scott Kazmir (2002), started games in the majors, but not for New York.

Everywhere you look, baseball analysts and fans alike are saying the Mets will need a significant bullpen upgrade in order to make a playoff push.

Though Sandy Alderson brought in Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez, it may take a different cast of characters to get the job done consistently in the late innings.

Yes, the starting pitching has been terrific, but especially down the stretch, the Mets need to be able to close out wins—something that they’ve had trouble with all season.

It’s easy to say the Mets need a bullpen upgrade, but it’s a tougher task to think how they will acquire one of these arms.

There are a few decent options available, some of whom will have a higher price tag than others.

The Houston Astros will likely float relievers Brandon Lyon and Brett Myers on the market. The Astros have been rebuilding for a few years, so the team will certainly be looking for young prospects in return.

Huston Street is also an intriguing option, especially since he can slide into the closer’s role. Francisco showed some improvement before his recent placing on the disabled list, but Street is a proven commodity in the ninth inning.

Street and Mets bench coach Bob Geren apparently don’t have a great relationship from their days with the Oakland A’s, but he still can be a good fit. However, the Padres may have a high asking price for the All-Star.

Brad Lidge, who was recently designated for assignment by the Nationals, would come cheap, but there’s a reason he’d be cheap: He’s injury-prone and has been ineffective. I think the Mets would be better off staying away from Lidge.

There are likely a few other options out there, but what would the Mets be willing to give up to acquire one or more of these available arms?

Frankly, if teams start asking for one of the Mets high-profile starting pitching prospects, the Mets should look elsewhere. Promoting Jenrry Mejia would be a better option than losing part of the future.

It’s going to be a tough call for Alderson and company, especially since more teams will consider themselves “contenders” based on the new wild card spot.

So would you rather part ways with a few top prospects to make an immediate playoff run or move forward with what we have in order to save the team’s future?

Feel free to list some possible trade proposals or other bullpen targets the Mets should explore.

The Mets desperately needed that win and came through in huge fashion by clubbing four home runs. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are coming off being swept by the San Francisco Giants without scoring a run in the series.

Former Met starter Chris Capuano will take the hill tonight for the Dodgers. After a decent year in New York last year, Capuano is off to a 9-2 start with a 2.60 ERA for the Dodgers.

Is this the same Capuano the Mets had last year who was 11-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 31 starts?

It sure is, yet this year’s Capuano has pitched more efficiently, limiting his pitch counts which has allowed him to go deeper into games and qualify for wins.

Capuano was actually a present surprise for last year’s Mets. Yes, he finished under .500, but to make 31 starts a year removed from Tommy John surgery is pretty impressive.

He kept his team in the game, but once again, the high pitch counts hurt him. It seemed as though he was always throwing his 100th pitch sometime in the fifth inning. Naturally, it would have been unwise to push him past his limits based on his injury history.

I thought the Mets would have been players this offseason to re-sign Capuano. They had Johan Santana coming back, as well as R.A. Dickey, Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee. Capuano could have served as a spot starter and long reliever. Once Pelfrey went down, Capuano could have slid back into the rotation.

However, the 33-year-old’s price tag was way too high for that sort of swingman role, so the Dodgers took a gamble on him, signing the lefty to a two-year, $10 million deal. Let’s just say $10 million for Capuano was not exactly on the Mets top priority list this offseason.

I’m glad Capuano is experiencing success. He seemed like a hard-working guy and a good teammate while he was here, and it’s a great story that he’s been able to overcome injury.

That being said, I’d like to see the Mets put up another 17 runs today—this time at the expense of Capuano. The team needs to put together consistent offensive performances, and tonight’s a great way to start.

So good luck the rest of the way to Capuano, but hopefully he enters his next start with a 9-3 record.