Sometimes you just have to face the facts. Mets fans have very little patience. The 2010 baseball season can be a success even if the Mets don’t win the World Series.
Plan B might indeed be the best way to go. There are so many holes to fill that it is unlikely to happen in just one off season. Hopefully we’ll improve, then re-evaluate our needs in order to put us over the top in 2011.
Don’t blow the whole wad this winter. Save some dollars for July if we are contending. Don’t make moves that might be regrettable in 2011 and beyond.
First and foremost we need our injured players to recover and have solid years. Then we need other guys to have comeback years. We need a couple of good signings and trades, and we need a little luck.
- Jose Reyes – the most important cog in the wheel. As he goes, so will the Mets. A BA of .290, OBP of .350, 100 runs, 65 SB
- Carlos Beltran – If healthy he will be great in CF. 25 HR and 100 RBI
- David Wright – the 2010 comeback player of the year?
- Jeff Francoeur – 25 HR
- Daniel Murphy – 40 doubles, 18 HR, and 85 RBI
- Johan Santana – 20 wins
- Trade Castillo – then sign DeRosa to play 2B and platoon with Murphy at 1B.
- Trade for pitcher – Ricky Nolasco or Roy Oswalt.
- Sign Jason Marquis or Joel Pineiro.
- Sign one of Ben Sheets, Erik Bedard, Rich Harden, or Brad Penny.
- Sign Bengie Molina, Rod Barajas, or Miguel Olivo, to a 1 year contract.
Doing most of the moves above wouldn’t cost very much.
If 60% of the above comes to fruition, we’ll improve significantly. And it wouldn’t cost very much or leave us saddled with bad contracts going forward.
A $170 million payroll guarantees nothing. And it would be especially embarrassing to finish under .500.
