Looking back on the season as it is, and the possible free agents that the Mets could’ve signed, I figured it may be best to look at 4 pitchers and 6 hitters that the Mets didn’t sign, and in a few days I’ll do a free agents the Mets did sign recap.

Pitchers

John Lackey – A very rough start to the season, but Lackey has rebounded somewhat. Lackey is 7-3 but has allowed 93 hits in 81 innings, walking 35 and striking out 44 putting up a 4.54 ERA. Lackey has only has one walk-free outing, and that was on June 11th. He has only K’d more then 3 in a game 5 times, with 6 being his season high. If Lackey would’ve been signed, then LF would’ve been filled from within or with a much cheaper player then Jason Bay.

Randy Wolf – Although Wolf has had some tough luck, he is 4-6 with a 5.31 ERA. He has struck out 49, but walked 39 and  allowed 88 hits. Essentially, he’s a bend-not-break pitcher, and he’s spent most of his season bending, with only 4 QS in his 13 outings.

Joel Pineiro – After walking 27 all of last year in 214 innings, Pineiro already has 21 walks in 84 innings. He’s been striking out more batters, but his 4.56 ERA says that when contact is being made, its being sent far. 11 HR allowed all last year, 9 up to this point. Also has given up 9 runs in 2 starts this year.

Jason Marquis – Currently on the DL, but that is probably a good thing. Jason went 8.1 innings, giving up 20 runs and allowing him to hold his 0-3 record and his 20.52 ERA closely. Signing him would’ve just been more money the Mets couldn’t have spent to replace him.

Hitters

Bengie Molina – After a torrid start where he was hitting well over .400, Molina has calmed down, hitting .261 with 3 home runs and 16 RBI. Uncharacteristically, however Bengie has walked 12 times to his 16 strikeouts. He also had a DL stint so far, and has only thrown out 19% of runners. Looking like a good idea to not sign him in retrospect.

Matt Holliday – The 120 Million Dollar Man is putting up decent numbers, but nothing near his worth hitting .295 with 6 HR and 25 RBI with 6 steals. With Albert Pujols hitting in front of Holliday, one would expect those numbers to be much higher but Holliday isn’t putting up the numbers

Garrett Atkins – .216/1/9 is his BA/HR/RBI slash line. He has since lost his starting position as the Orioles 1B to a combination of Rhyne Hughes/Ty Wigginton.

Johnny Damon – .280/3/18/4 is his BA/HR/RBI/SB slash, and nothing here says he is worth more then his 1 yr/8 million dollar deal, but it was to be expected once he was moved out of Yankee Stadium and that short RF porch his home run production would plummet.

Adam LaRoche – .250/7/36 is his BA/HR/RBI slash line. A notoriously slow starter, his average to above-average defense makes these stats tolerable until he decides its the 2nd half of the year and goes bonkers.

Chone Figgins – .228/0/16/13 is his BA/HR/RBI/SB line. Chone is a usually strong BA producer, but has been used at 2B and has not been able to consistently hit. He is still walking at a healthy pace, but it can’t offset the fact that he isn’t hitting the ball well.

It is always easier to look back on a situation and say the best decisions were made as an organization, but the Mets did not bite on any of these players who were grossly overpaid and have reaped the benefits of having some financial freedom going into next year to fill key positions that may be opening, or to cut ties with other positions that may be financially prudent (Castillo-release, anyone?). By not making snap-decisions, the Mets have produced an over .500 team without adding a plethora of marquee-type free agents.