2) Sign Jason Bay. I know I'm against the big splash but I don't really consider him in that category, the one that will win over angry fans newspapers. He's a good solid .900 OPS guy who could easily bat 5th in this lineup. At 5-years $80 million, sign him today.
3) Sign a good pitcher to a short contract. I like Joel Piniero but I wouldn't give him 4 years. Even 3 year contracts can seem like forever (see Perez, Oliver). I really like the idea of Jason Marquis as a hometown (nice, Jewish) boy makes good story. Give him 2 years at 10 million per (that's what Randy Wolf got per year) and maybe a club option for 2012. There are several good pitchers scheduled to hit the market after this season. Even if Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee sign extensions, Brandon Webb, Josh Beckett, Matt Cain and Javier Vazquez could be available maybe as early as July for Webb.
4) Hope. If Santana is healthy and they import a serviceable number two, only one of Pelfrey, Maine and Perez needs to step up to make it a solid trio at the top of the rotation. I think they have to put Perez in the rotation as the 5th starter. He has too much ability and too much money coming to him to just give up on him. Maybe he's like a worse Bret Saberhagen. Instead of one good year, one bad year he does one good, two bad.
5) Don't give Bengie Molina three years. I'd want him for one maybe two but he's a free swinger who doesn't get on base enough. Other catchers can nearly equate his production without standing in the doorway for Josh Thole.
6) Give up on giving up on Luis Castillo. A year ago at this time the Mets passed Orlando Hudson because they didn't want to dump Castillo. Then the guy has a great year reaching base -- getting on 38.7% of the time (though his dropped popup is one of the more infamous plays in Mets history) and they want to dump him as if he's Tiger Woods and they're a sponsor. (Note: I hate jokes like that when people on a completely different topic throw in a jab or weak analogy just to seem like they're hip to what's happening in the world. I only did it to prove how stupid and cheesy it is to do that.). Let the guy bat second behind a healthy Reyes and in front of a healthy Beltran and he'll be the least of our worries. I hate Castillo too but Master Bates convinced me the upgrade from him to Hudson is so small it doesn't even rank among the Mets top 5 priorities.
7) Let Daniel Murphy play first and bat 8th. He was horribly miscast last year as a run producer. He should hit line drives and get on base. He was learning a new position as well and seemed to show flashes. I do not want Carlos Delgado back striking out all the time and I don't want to make a long term commitment to someone else because Ike Davis is supposedly the real deal and coming in 2011.
2010 Mets lineup
Jose Reyes
Luis Castillo
Carlos Beltran
David Wright
Jason Bay
Jeff Francouer
Bengie Molina
Daniel Murphy
Starting Rotation
Johan Santana
Jason Marquis
Mike Pelfrey
John Maine
Oliver Perez
Bullpen
Frankie Rodriguez
Bobby Parnell
Pedro Feliciano
Sean Green
Brian Stokes
8 comments:
Sprinkle in Kelvim Escobar(could always work in the bullpen) and Chin Ming Wang and you have injury insurance and competition, which is healthy. Otherwise, I'm on board with this.
I don't like the idea of any long term deals this off-season. I think next years class is better, I am not sold on anyone this year. Bay for 5 years is way too much. I like all 1-2 year deals as well. I would like to see Sheets, Nady, Molina and even Delgado signed for 1 year (maybe with options for Sheets). Then i would love or them to trade for Harang. The Reds are looking to dump some payroll so he won't cost much in the way of prospects and is signed for this year at 12M with an option for next year. I think getting out of Great America Ballpark will help him alot. You have 3 guys on the top who can be aces. They just signed some Japanese reliever who they think can be a set-up guys (though I would rather have gone after Dotel)
I agree on Castillo, just keep him at this point. If they do trade him they will have to eat salary and they will wind up signing O Hudson to a contract that is too long and for too much money anyway. Then they will be in the same situation with him in a year or two as they are with Castillo
The team you listed will be a 4th place team.
But I agree with jleary... may just have to plan for 2011 at this point.
Just read the Post article discussing the 2011 class. I saw wait for that as well. How awesome would it be to get Joe Mauer??
Daniel Murphy belongs nowhere near a major league ball park unless he bought a ticket. Bring back Delgado for 1 year at 5 million.
cant beleive I agree with "anonymous" but you need Delgado simply as a credible lefty bat to break up your proposed very righty middle of the order.
The murphy experiment should be over, he's not a good enough hitter to make up for the fact that he cant play any position well ... or even adequately.
I don't mind signing bay, I think he'll be a decent fit. I would prefer not signing him for 5 years, but how else are the mets gooing to attract a free agent. The organization is viewed as disfunctional.
I'd rather sign sheets, or bedard or Wang, then give marquis or pineiro $30 million over 3 years. Then I have felixibiilty for the 2011 free agent group
MB, I have to disagree with you. Though I am not a Murphy fan and dont think he should be the starting 1B. He actually played the position rather well last year toward the end of the year
Delgado is done. Stick a fork in him.
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