The Mets Need to Avoid the Big Mistake

Every year I get a little nervous around the trading deadline worried that the Mets will reprise some of their past disasters with a panic trade that doesn't help the present but ruins the future.
Rumors have swirled that the Mets are contemplating another such move as we approach this year's deadline.

1) I don't care how disappointed Mets fans are with him, Carlos Beltran is really good and should not be traded for anyone; not Manny Ramirez (who is a rental) nor Matt Holliday (who is a Coors Field creation, at least to some degree). Any trade including Beltran would be a disaster.

2) Fernando Martinez is only 19. If the Mets need a corner outfielder, he's it. Maybe not this year, but for 10 to 15 years to come. Any trade including Martinez would be a disaster.

3) Believe what you see, not what you think. No one with half a brain could make an argument that corner outfielders are a bigger weakness than bullpen for this team. With Tatis playing so well, Endy filling in capably and Church coming back sometime (we hope!) a knee-jerk reaction for a corner outfield replacement would be a mistake.

4) If the Mets are going to make a trade, they'd need to add a reliever, but any reliever worth getting would come at too high a cost. The Mets traded 4 players including their top 3 pitching prospects for Johan Santana, so they really can't afford to part with 2 more. Completely gutting your farm system spirals a team into a vicious cycle of bad trades and bad free agent signings trying to plug holes that were made with ill-conceived decisions in the first place.

The bottom line is this: I still don't believe in this team, this year, because of the bad bullpen and lack of clutch hitting (until recently) so I'm unwilling to push all the chips in the middle to give this club a chance.

But with Wright, Reyes and Beltran soon to be joined by Fernando Martinez and with Johan, Maine, Pelfrey and Perez (who must be resigned!) anchoring the starting rotation, this team could be great for years to come, if only Omar Minaya has the patience to let it happen.