Adam Rubin of ESPN New York does a great job of doing a position by position analysis on the Mets to begin the new year. It’s definitely worth a read.
Some of the parts I found the most interesting came at shortstop where Rubin wrote discussed the possibility of trading Reyes,
If Alderson is adamant about not wanting to give players in their late 20s deals of five, six or seven years, then perhaps it’s worth trading Reyes before July 31 if the Mets are out of the race, as would be prudent with Carlos Beltran. However, Alderson maintains he does not have hard and fast rules — dogma, in his Ivy League vernacular — so do not write off the re-signing of the 27-year-old Reyes just yet.
He also gives some insight regarding the bench and the backup outfielders situation,
In the outfield, Lucas Duda (.202, 4 HR, 13 RBIs in September) impressed scouts after a late-season call-up and may have the best résumé, but Collins has indicated Duda is best served playing at Buffalo unless he will be a starter. The Mets may very well still sign a free-agent backup outfielder. For now, ex-Twin Jason Pridie may be the best choice already with the organization. Pridie, who is adept at playing center field, was tormented by a persistent right hamstring strain and missed 103 games last season with Buffalo. He is out of options and also would need to clear waivers to be sent to the minors. Former top prospect Fernando Martinez should have been a viable option by now, but Martinez has not demonstrated any ability to stay healthy.
Originally drafted by the Rays in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft, Pridie showed some flashes in his September callup last season with the Mets, but has struggled at times in his minor league career. He has good speed, very little power, and has batted a very inconsistent .276 in a nine-year minor league career.
