It may be too early to start considering whether or not the Mets should pick up the team option for 2009 on Carlos Delgado for next season… or maybe not…
The post Willie Randolph era has proved to be a lift for many of the current Mets, but nobody has lifted their production more than first baseman Carlos Delgado. All he has managed to do is hit .325 since Jerry Manuel has taken over, and all of a sudden he has once again become one of the most feared sluggers in the Mets lineup.
After this season, the Mets must decide if they are willing to roll the dice one more time on Delgado by picking up the team option and letting him play one more season for the Mets in 2009 for a very reasonable $12 million dollars. (The option could be worth as much as $16 million if he wins the MVP) The alternative would be to pay him a $4 million dollars buyout sum and give Carlos Delgado his shot at one more free agent contract.
The bottom line is that it would cost the Mets only $8 million to have Delgado back at first base.
The only internal options for the Mets at first base would be promoting Mike Carp who is mired in a prolonged slump after a hot start to the season. Another option would be to play Nick Evans at first base everyday and hope for 20 homeruns. The best option expected to hit the free agent market would be Mark Teixeira. Of course that would also mean doling out $20 million dollars a year for 8-9 years for a total contract worth $160-$180 million dollars for a powerful slugger with no speed and average range at first base.
Some say that eventually Nick Evans may become a 30+ homerun guy, but that is at least two years away.
I say, pick up that option, or better yet, offer Carlos Delgado a new $12 million dollar contract with another $12 million dollar option for 2010. It would cover our bets at first base and still keep Delgado in contract-push mode for at least another season. By then Nick Evans will be able to resume his rightful place as the everyday first baseman for the New York Mets.
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What do you think the Mets should do when the time comes? The Mets are having Johan Santana Bobblehead Day on September 7th. I think it’s pretty odd that the bobblehead looks more like Carlos Delgado than it does Santana. Don’t you think?? Maybe the Mets originally planned to use these for Carlos Delgado Bobblehead Day and then decided to use them for Santana instead after we traded for him… I think this is further proof that the Mets better pick up that option on Carlos Delgado so that CitiField doesn’t get cursed or something… If we don’t sign Delgado, people will be referring to the “Curse of Delgado” for years and years to come. Don’t let it happen Omar! |
