Beltran Trade Closes Another Mets Chapter

Carlos Beltran is headed to San Francisco. He'll do well there and I wish him the best, but his departure is the end of a particular era in Mets history. And come to think about it, it signals the start of another.

With the signing of Beltran 7 years ago, the Mets became relevant players again. He opened the door for some signings of other players like Carlos Delgado and Pedro Martinez. He was the start of the Mets attempt to buy a championship team.

There's no arguing that Beltran is the best center fielder to ever put on a Mets uniform, but you'd also be hard pressed to find as unloveable a superstar. One pitch will define his career as a Met for those who lived through it. Younger and future fans will look back on his stats and see just how amazing his career was, but those who saw it firsthand will be plagued with what could have been.

The Beltran trade is also the official beginning of the Sandy Alderson era. The name, Omar Minaya, is now officially forgotten as the bulk of his players have now left the Big Apple. So Alderson is establishing himself at the helm of this Mets franchise. No one said the Mets would be able to get the prospect they wanted, but Alderson did. Gone are the days of overpaying for mediocre players or not thinking about long term implications when making a mid-season trade. Here come the days of sound, rational thinking with a goal in mind.

Those days haven't been seen here in a while, and  I welcome them.

I wish Beltran success and I have a lingering feeling we are going to see him go on a tare a la his short stint with the Astros. Don't fret Mets fans. We must not sacrifice the future on the alter of the immediate. Words Minaya never understood, but Alderson appears to live by.

The Seesaw Mets

This team is like riding on a seesaw. When something goes up, anothing thing must go down. A 6 game win streak must be followed by losing 8 out of 10. A slew of injuries unleashes an unexpected offensive onslaught from no-name players. The return of injured sluggers brings on horrendous pitching. The hope of a Wild Card hunt is followed up by a dose of the full reality that the 2011 Mets are all but finished.

The series against the Marlins showed just how much of a roller coaster ride this team is. Pelfrey's awful performance was matched with Wright's triumphant return and game winning theatrics. Then horrible pitching was teamed with a great offensive output only to lead to back to back losses.

This is the way the rest of the season will go. A few highs followed by a few lows followed by...you get the picture. Beltran is about to go and I wouldn't be surprised if a few others will join him before August rolls around.

It signals the end of a meaningful season, but the hope is that the seesaw swings back the other way.

Should the Mets Resign Beltran?

The first half of the season is over. The Mets are surprisingly above .500 and remain an interesting team to watch despite everything they've gone through. Think about it. The Mets have basically lost what many expected to be their four best players in Reyes, Wright, Davis and Santana. Jason Bay still underwhelms and the rag tag infield of minor leaguers is holding their own with a few daily errors thrown in for good measure.

But possibly the biggest surprise is Carlos Beltran. As the iron man of the Mets, Beltran has played virtually every game and showed that his legs are fine and his bat is still valuable. Beltran leads the Mets in every category that Jose Reyes doesn't. Beltran leads the team in homers, doubles, and RBIs and is virtually the only power threat in the Mets light hitting lineup.

While it was a foregone conclusion when the season began that Beltran would be traded by the end of July, the Mets quasi-competitive position makes that prediction a bit fuzzier. With Davis, Wright and Reyes still out for at least the next two weeks, the Mets can't trade Beltran and still be competitive. In fact, I think this begs the question should the Mets resign Beltran?

Money is a big issue for the ball club, but can the Mets get Beltran to sign a 2 year contract with an option for a third based on certain performance levels? If so, I think it might be the right move.

The Mets do not have an heir apparent for Beltran. Fernando Martinez was that guy, but he's proven to be more injury prone than Moises Alou. Duda is not the answer. Nick Evans isn't either. Jason Pridie is not an every day player. So the Mets would have to look at signing a free agent replacement if they wanted to maintain Beltran-like production from right field.

Beltran is a doubles machine which is a perfect fit for Citi Field. If Davis were healthy and Wright was in the lineup, I would bet that Beltran's numbers would see an increase as he would be getting some better pitches to hit. I don't believe the Mets would be able to get a better replacement on the free agent market or in their farm system so if the dollars can work out, why not sign Beltran?

Of course Scott Boras is his agent so that might be reason enough why a deal couldn't be made, but even if they can't sign Beltran, they can't trade him either. Nothing they would get in return would be worth it, and the team needs his bat to remain competitive.

I think Mets fandom has succeeded in the "don't trade Reyes" efforts. It's time to move our focus to Carlos Beltran. Possibly the most underappreciated Mets player of all time.

The Mets Trading Perdicament

At the beginning of this year it was a given that the Mets would be ready for a trading bonanza come mid-July in an effort to get some value back for those expiring contracts. The picture is a bit muddier now that the Mets are overachieving and consistently find themselves floating around .500, just within reach of Wild Card dreams.

While there is much baseball to be played before the July trading deadline, the idea of the Mets unloading talent and payroll is becoming less appealing to Mets fans. Injuries have depleted the roster as it is and we have been pleasantly surprised to see those players we were ready to trade at the drop of a hat have now become the best performers on the team.

For the sake of this post I'm going to leave Jose Reyes out of it. At this point, there's no way the Mets are trading this guy in the midst of an MVP season. Just not going to happen.

But the two other popular names in trade conversation, Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodgriguez, are now less likely to be traded in my estimation. Let's start with Beltran. He's leading the team in home runs, RBIs, and trades off every other week with Jose Reyes in leading in doubles too. If you look at the Mets lineup, he is the only thing the Mets have that even comes close to being a home run threat. If the Mets were to trade him at this point, there would be a crater in the middle of the lineup and the Mets may set the record for longest game streak without a home run.

With Bay being Bay, Davis out potentially for the season and Wright struggling to come back, the Mets can't trade Beltran. Who would replace him? Jason Pridie? Fernando Martinez? Egads! Scott Hairston? All of those options are serious downgrades from a Beltran who is having a great year. And what would the Mets get back for Beltran? Perhaps some minor league talent? Maybe a struggling middle reliever? The return for Beltran won't be much as he's simply a rental player for a few months. The Mets would be better off keeping Beltran, providing the fan base with a notable player performing at the top of his game who can potentially help win some ball games down the stretch.

So what if he leaves for free agency? The biggest thing Beltran can provide the Mets is payroll space, not minor league talent. The same goes for KRod. He's easily the best closer in the NL this year even with his recent blown saves. If you get rid of KRod, do you really think the Mets ability to close out games will improve? We know how Parnell gets. Izzy is inconsistent. Don't think Beato is ready for that role.

The vesting option for KRod is a concern for the Mets and that might be the sole reason they trade him, but if the Mets are anywhere near a Wild Card race ditching KRod would be detrimental even though he makes me incredibly nervous every time he takes the mound.

Ultimately the Mets will do what they think is best. I just hope that a chance at some entertaining, pennant related baseball and fan interest weighs into their equation.

It should.

Mets Are a Mess

Financial issues aside, the 2011 Mets are well on their way to trumping the debacle of 2010 and 2009 in stellar fashion. From injuries to idiocy, the Mets can't seem to get anything to go their way.

Look at what has happened and it's only May 10th:

• Chris Young looks to be surprise ace of the staff only to need season ending surgery.
• Top pitching prospect, Jenrry Mejia, starts season in minors with hopes of mid-season call up only to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Murphy and lose an entire season to injury.
• Sign nemesis, Willie Harris, to bolster bench but find he should stay firmly seated on the pines due to lack of ability to hit the ball and ineptitude on the base paths.
• Angel Pagan is named heir apparent to Carlos Beltran in center field but starts the season buried in a slump. Then gets injured to have questions of toughness reemerge. 
• Jason Bay can't start the season, but comes back and reminds Mets fans why we didn't miss him much last year.
• Bobby Parnell returns from great finish last year but can't seem to get anyone out. Heads to only place where Mets pitchers thrive: the disabled list.
• Scott Hairston is signed to provide pinch hitting help. Instead we're pinching ourselves every time he steps to the plate in the hopes that we'll wake up from his nightmare of a swing.
• Comeback player, RA Dickey, returns only to make Mets fans wonder if last season's performance was merely just a dream. His knuckleball looks like a junior high fastball.
• The best and most consistent players are Jose Reyes & Carlos Beltran. The two players the Mets will refuse to have return next year.

All that and I didn't even mention a year without Johan Santana, Hu's horrendousness, Pelfrey's problems and Wright's strikeout epidemic.

This team will have some win streaks, but are they enough to counter balance the depths of despair this team plummets to on a weekly basis. A .500 ball club in July has a chance for the Wild Card, but I question whether we'll ever see .500 in 2011.

Fixing the Mets for 2011 in Three Moves

Welcome to the off season. It's time for every Mets Lifer to take on the honorary role of being an armchair GM. We'll hear a new rumor every week about who the new GM or manager will be. Trade rumors will pick up after the playoffs. And it will generally be a long 6 months before regular baseball activity picks up again.

Whomever the new GM will be, they're going to have their hands full. Lots of decisions to be made, budgets to be balanced, and reputation to be restored. But I honestly believe the 2011 Mets can be fixed in just three moves. They're not easy moves. They may not be achievable. But three moves is all it will take.

Of course there are a few caveats that have to occur in order for these three moves to have their full effect. The assumption is that the Mets keep Carlos Beltran for the final year of his contract, they sign an extension to Reyes so they keep him at shortstop, and finally (save the best for last) K-Rod is able to pitch in 2011...assuming he's not in prison.

If this is the case, here are the three moves the Mets have to make to return to respectablity:

1. Get a #1 pitcher
I've been preaching this point for at least 3 off seasons now. In fact, I'd been shouting about the need for Roy Halladay specifically, but alas my cries have fallen on deaf (and dumb) ears. Johan Santana is still a great pitcher. I think we all know that, but he still needs another solid, reliable arm to support him. I'm not talking about Javier Vazquez either. He'd be a nice addition, but the Mets desperately need the likes of a Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez or Josh Johnson. Someone to partner with Santana and then allows guys like Pelfrey, Dickey and Niese to take their deserved role as supplements to the staff. Not marquee pitchers as they've been forced to be. This is the toughest achievement of the three moves, but it's the most important. If the Mets start the season with the same rotation as they've had this year, the Mets won't make the improvements they need to be competitive. Why? See #2.

2. Get a reliable 8th inning guy
Bobby Parnell may turn into a solid reliever for years to come, but I highly doubt that it starts next year. He's got heat on his fastball, but his pitches lack movement and he has no supplementary pitches that are effective. If he can develop a Wagner-esque slide to go with his fastball, then he's ready for prime time. Until that occurs, Parnell needs to start the season in the minors. The Mets biggest vacancy in the bullpen was the revolving door that became the 8th inning. Is it Takahashi? Could be. I know it's definitely not Feliciano or Dessens or Green or any other arm that currently resides in the pen. Whether the Mets have to secure someone via trade or free agency or turn Takahashi into that guy, they need to enter 2011 with a firm understanding of who will be pitching in that 8th inning. If the Mets add a #1 starter to partner with Santana, we'll see the bullpen cut down on their innings pitched and be in a better position to help down the stretch should a pennant race occur. Without an 8th inning guy, it won't matter who the closer is because we'll continue to struggle to reach that 9th inning while wearing down arms and psyches trying to figure out who that person should be.

3. Improve at second base or catcher
I doubt the Mets can improve at both, but they have to get some additional production at one of these positions. Josh Thole can hit for average, but his lack of power production leaves you two positions without a home run threat. Let's say the Mets have to keep Castillo or platoon with Tejada at second and Thole is your catcher. Between second base and catcher that's a grand total of maybe 5 home runs for a season. If you have another position player who gets injured (like a Beltran) or under performs (like a Bay) then you've got some gaping holes in your lineup. Maybe Daniel Murphy will return and become the Pete Rose type of player everyone dreams he will be (unlikely). Then you might have your solution at second base. Also it's not like there are a ton of power hitting catchers out there that you can just grab up. You don't want to pick up a Varitek or Pudge who are aging, one year rentals either. So I think your move has to be to get some extra pop at second base. Maybe a Ty Wiggington can return? I'm not sure, but there has to be some additional RBI/HR production from one of these two positions.

If the Mets can make these moves, I honestly think we'll see a significant improvement in 2011. Of course I'm assuming the Mets remain healthy and we don't see players regular production magically disappear (a la Jason Bay).

Here's to a long and interesting off season.

Reader Reaction to Trading Beltran Would Be Stupid

I've had a few fellow Mets Lifers react to yesterday's post on Trading Beltran Would Be Stupid. Some disagree, but the majority of people are in agreement that Beltran is primed for a monster year.

One excellent point was made that I neglected to add to my argument for keeping Beltran. I got one email from a Mets fan that said:

However, one more wrinkle needs to be added to your argument of not trading Beltran. We all agree do not trade him in 2011– HOWEVER, the Mets absolutely cannot get suckered into another 4 year deal beginning in 2012. As soon as next year is over, let him hit the open market and become someone else’s problem. 

A typical Mets scenario would be the top brass to think he’s back because of a strong 2011 and reward him with a new deal. 

That is spot on. Typical Mets would see Beltran have a good year and then lock him up for 4 more. The Mets have to approach Beltran as a simple stop gap solution and then be ready to move on after the 2011 season. Anything else would just be stupid.

Trading Beltran Would Be Stupid

The Mets are always good for a stupid deal every other year. Or maybe every year for that matter. But the dumbest move of this coming off season would be to trade Carlos Beltran.

Carlos Beltran is entering the coveted walk year of his contract and is at a pivotal point in his career where he has the opportunity to get one more decent contract before he gets put out to pasture. If there was ever a year that Beltran would be motivated, focused and totally in shape, it's next season.

We've even seen flashes of this over the last week or so as Beltran's slowly gotten into the baseball swing of things and is swinging the bat, running and covering ground in the outfield like he used to. Now he will never have the same jump on the ball like he used to wearing that mammoth brace, and I do believe that Angel Pagan should be the starting center fielder, but Beltran can contribute next year.

Plus who do the Mets have to replace him? Do they honestly believe they can upgrade from Beltran via a trade? Fernando Martinez is not exactly knocking our socks off. If Beltran goes you've got a choice between Chris Carter, Nick Evans, Lucas Duda, FMart or trying to trade/sign someone.

The only possible reason I'd trade Beltran is if I knew I was going to lock up Carl Crawford via free agency. However, I think the Mets money would be better spent on starting pitching, namely a #1 starter, than on another outfielder. There are also greater needs at second base or catcher than in center.

If the Mets trade Beltran, I predict he'll hit 29 home runs and drive in just over 100 RBIs for whomever he's traded to. And what will we get in return? Sure it frees up cap space, but you will have a gaping hole in your lineup unless you shell out more money for superior talent.

Don't Short Sell David Wright

With the Mets now playing Triple A talent on a regular basis, it's time to do what every Mets Lifer does best: play armchair GM. Who should the Mets trade? What talent should the Met hold onto? And who on earth can we trick into taking Oliver Perez?

And of course it's time the annual "break up the core" discussion to begin. Trade Reyes. Trade Beltran. Trade Wright. No stone should be unturned and the Mets should listen to every offer that's out there, but we shouldn't be so quick to be rid of David Wright.

Wright is having a pretty good season right now batting .292 and is on pace for about 28 home runs and 100+ RBI. Some of his numbers are below his career averages and his MVP-esque years in 2007 and 2008. The thing to remember about Wright is he excelled in those '07 and '08 campaigns because of the other bats in the lineup he had around him. Pitchers had to deal with Delgado and Beltran when they were still threats in the lineup.

Look at what Wright has had around him the past two seasons...pretty much nobody. Beltran is a shadow of his former self. Ike Davis, while he hits massive home runs, is still just a rookie. Bay is as threatening as a baby kitten. And for the rest of the year, Wright will be flanked by the likes of Luca Duda, Nick Evans, Chris Carter and Josh Thole.

Wright has had his struggles in clutch situations and he's become exceptionally streaky. There's no denying that, but his body of work is still a great value to the Mets. He's trying to be the leader in the clubhouse. He's the one guy that's out there day in and day out even while his other stars have faded around him.

Wright will never be Albert Pujols. He'll never be an Alex Rodriguez type of talent. That's what we expected of him. We all bought into the hope and hype that this guy would be arguable one of the greatest Mets we've ever seen. But if he's not the greatest Met, he's still a really good player. He's probably the best guy to every play third base for this organization.

I'm fairly confident that if Bay turns things around next year and Beltran is inspired by the thoughts of a contract year and provides some other threats in the Mets lineup, we will see David Wright return to those '07 and '08 numbers.

But if that doesn't happen. He's an island unto himself in that lineup.

Already Looking Forward to 2011 Mets

The hope of success in 2010 is gone. You can watch the Mets games if you enjoy pain and disappointment, but I'm already thinking about 2011.

For some reason, I think 2011 has the potential to be interesting. Sure, that's what every Mets fan says about the next season, but for once the cards might fall in the Mets favor. The Mets have some truly awful contracts on the books next year, but even with those abysmal deals there's a silver lining.

First off it's a contract year for Beltran & KRod. Beltran will be playing for his last major payday and nothing is a motivator like the almighty dollar. Having an awful comeback in 2010, I believe Beltran will have a big year as he woos the Mets and other teams into giving him a few more dollars and years to add to his quiver. KRod has been lights out of late. In 2011 he'll put his personal issues to rest and like Beltran be on a quest for another big time paycheck.

Secondly, it's Jason Bay's second year. In 2005, Carlos Beltran was awful. He did nothing for most of the year after coming from small markets in Kansas City and Houston the year before. In 2006, Beltran broke out in a major way and we got to see the player we hoped we'd have. I honestly believe the same will come true for Jason Bay. Playing in New York is a major adjustment. Concussion aside, Bay will be ready in 2011. He's a guy that works hard and plays hard, and his sophomore season should be a significant improvement.

Lastly, the kids are going to grow up. Jon Niese is turning into a really solid middle of the rotation pitcher. Ike Davis will have been through his rookie slumps and be ready to start the season as the everyday first baseman. Tejada will play winter ball and develop his swing. Who knows what Kirk Nieuwenhuis will do if given the chance to perform?

All of this and I haven't mentioned Johan Santana, David Wright or Jose Reyes. Sure there are negatives like what's the deal with Mike Pelfrey, what do you do with Oliver Perez/John Maine, and how do you solve a problem like Luis Castillo? But for now there's hope. It's something to look forward to.

One Run Games Are Mets Kryptonite

The Mets are 14-22 in one run games this year. That's 36 games decided by a single run. Sunday was no exception. The Mets battled back against arguably the best pitcher in the National League in Roy Halladay but leave Philly with nothing to show for it.

When the Phils knocked out Dickey with a 6-2 lead I could have sworn that was it. Halladay would cruise to victory. But like the Mets often do, they teased you enough to keep you interested only to ultimately come up short in the end.

The Mets record in one run games is a microcosm of their season and the last few years. They can't seem to get that one big hit when they need it. And in the 7th inning when Beltran came up with runners on 1st and 2nd I was actually hoping they'd pinch hit for him because Beltran looks as bad as Castillo at the plate.

Another road series loss. Another series loss to the NL East. Another disappointing weekend of Mets baseball.

Welcome back to the feelings of 2009. Until the Mets can find players that are able to have some semblance of clutchness, we're going to see a lot more of these 1 run losses.

On a side note, big kudos to the bullpen who were in total lockdown for a change, but yet again one massively bad inning from a starting pitcher ruins what should have been a good baseball game.

Jason Bay is LOST

Call him Jack Shephard. Call him Hurley. Call him Sawyer, Freckles, Locke, Jin , Henry Gale or Desmond for all I care. It all leads to the same conclusion. Jason Bay is utterly lost.

Bay is causing Mets fans to flashback to the first year Beltran joined the ballclub. Big paycheck coming off a huge season, only to struggle for 6 months in New York. Flashforward to 2010 and Jason Bay is doomed to repeat history.

The big power bat signing of the offseason has fewer home runs than a rookie first baseman who didn't even play for most of April. His bat is no longer a threat and it leaves those batting in front of him unprotected. It's not even that Bay has had a tough stretch or that he's hitting the ball well but getting out. Bay just looks completely baffled at the plate for the better part of the last three months.

I was one who thought it was just a funk that Bay would find his way out of, but it seems less likely that Bay is going to come anywhere close to the 30 home run, 100 RBI player that we all thought he would be.

There may come a time when Angel Pagan and Jeff Francoeur may look like the better options to play in left.

Dark Cloud or Sunny Outlook for the Mets?

Welcome to the All Star break. Last year at this time the Mets were on a roll winning 8 straight heading into the All Star game. This year the Mets limp into the break (both literally and figuratively) but find themselves only 4 games out of the top spot in the NL East.

I want to be positive about this team's performance so far, but part of me is waiting for the dark cloud to settle in. 2010 has been a surprise for me based on the moves the Mets did or didn't make during the off season, the fact that two starting pitchers have done absolutely nothing this year, and Jason Bay looks like Jeromy Burnitz at the plate.

So there are two sides to the Mets outlook for the future. Let's take a look at the top issues from both perspectives.

Starting Pitching
Sunny Outlook: Dickey has become a legit #4 starter. Niese is fantastic. Santana is a second half guy. Perez is banished to the minors.

Dark Cloud: Pelfrey is plummeting. Mets missed out on Cliff Lee. No way Dickey can sustain this level of play. Omar is going to bring up Perez if Dickey falters.

Jason Bay
Sunny Outlook: His second half can't get any worse than the first half!
Dark Cloud: He's this year's David Wright of 2009.

NL East Standings
Sunny Outlook: Mets are only 4 games back. Phils are hurt. Atlanta can't be this dominant all season.
Dark Cloud: 11 game West coast road trip to start the second half will bury the Mets.

Carlos Beltran
Sunny Outlook: Beltran is back this week!
Dark Cloud: Beltran won't return to be the Beltran of yesteryear, and he'll cause issues with Pagan and Francoeur platooning.

Jose Reyes
Sunny Outlook: Reyes has been the comeback player of the year so far.
Dark Cloud: Reyes' injury will hamper him for the next month or so.

Bullpen
Sunny Outlook: We have K-Rod.
Dark Cloud: We have Pray Rod.

Mets Pull a Berzerker Barrage on Tigers

I can't remember the last time I saw an offensive onslaught like the Mets put on last night. It seemed that every time the 1-4 batters got up, I was totally confident there was going to be another hit. The Mets hit with no one on. The Mets hit with runners in scoring position. It was a berzerker barrage of hits. Those who have ever played Marvel vs. Capcom know what I'm talking about.

This was a great game to back home to. Mets had lost 2 out of 3 to the Yanks but came out to show that it was merely a blip on the radar. When the Mets are at home, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Speaking of forces, Angel Pagan is about to force Carlos Beltran into obscurity. Pagan flirted with a cycle last night when just hours before he was being peppered with questions about Beltran's return to center field in a few weeks. If I was Pagan I would have responded, "Carlos who?"

This team is rolling right now from the batting perspective, but the pitching will need to continue to improve to effect this team's playoff chanes.

Are the Mets the Unluckiest Team in Baseball?

I offer as proof:

Sign the best closer in baseball who just set the record for most saves in a season only to have him lose velocity, control and effectiveness in the next two seasons.

Build a top notch ballpark only to have trouble filling the seats because of the pitiful decline of the team.

An unbelievable season of injuries is follow by a season of secret surgeries, pitching head cases, borrowed players from Mexico and sporadic injuries throughout the lineup.

David Wright recovers from his power drought in '09 only to have Jason Bay fall into home run poverty in '10.

Johan Santana has more games where he left the mound leading only to lose than he has total wins with the Mets.

Mets try to make room for Daniel Murphy on the team by moving him to second base only to have him blow his knee trying to play second base.

The 8th inning man the Mets signed is nowhere to be seen and so there's a revolving door of arms throwing the 8th inning this season.

The best starting pitching prospect is in the bullpen and currently can't leave because of a lack of bullpen talent.

Some of the most expensive salaries on the Mets roster have yet to perform at a minor league level this season (Beltran/Perez).

Mets make a miracle run from worst to first in a week only to plummet back to worst in another seven days.

Mets Questions for the Rest of May

Like the series finale of LOST, I want some questions answered from the Mets. The end of May is within sight and it's time for the Mets to own up and put some answers out there instead of this perpetual state of limbo that seems to be surrounding this club. By June 1, I want these questions answered:

1. Is Jerry Manuel going to finish the season as Mets manager?
Either get rid of him now or tell us he's finishing the season. The whole "will he be fired?" act will wear out quickly. Can him. Can Warthen. Can Minaya if you want as well. Or just tell they're staying so we can focus on question #2.

2. How do you solve a problem like Oliver Perez?
I'm not questioning whether he will improve because I'm fairly certain he won't. Why on earth would you put this guy in the bullpen? Do we really need a left hander who can walk people and not throw hard to come in from the pen? What value does he add there? He doesn't want to work it out in Triple A? Can we cut him? Trade him? He's worthless to the team in the bullpen so put a plan together to cut him lose or turn him into a corner outfielder.

3. Where will starting pitching help come from?
I have zero confidence in John Maine. There's no way R.A. Dickey is a season long solution for pitching help. Will Mejia be coming back to the bigs as a starter? Is Takahashi a permanent fixture in the rotation? Can we trade Murphy or Franceour for some pitching help? Throw us a bone here.

4. Is Jose Reyes fixable?
Is this the new Jose Reyes? Is the old Reyes gone? Can we leave him as the leadoff hitter? If he doesn't improve, can you really have a Jeff Franceour-lite in the leadoff spot?

5. Will we ever see Carlos Beltran again?
Are we talking July? August? September?

The Mets Can Compete for the NL East If...

Ron Darling was on WFAN this morning and predicted that the Mets will win "at best" 86 games this season. Not exactly the vote of confidence one would hope for, but at least Darling is a realist. It seems everyone who is an expert is predicting the Mets to finish the 2010 season with about 80 or so wins.

Well, let's look at the glass half full and see what it's going to take for the Mets to win the NL East:

1. Oliver Perez and Mike Pelfrey win 15 games: If both of these guys can pitch like they did two years ago, the Mets will find themselves in an unfathomable situation of having multiple reliable starters not named Johan Santana. Likelihood of this happening = 4%.
2. David Wright competes for NL MVP: If Wright is in contention for an MVP award come September, he'll have to have numbers that look like an average around .315, 30 home runs, 110 RBIs, and 90 runs scored. If Wright puts up those numbers, the Mets will win at least 15 more games than they did last season if not more just on Wright's bat alone. Likelihood of this happening: 20%
3. The bullpen blows less than 12 games: The last time this happened for the Mets I think Gerald Ford was in office. This would take a miraculous turnaround with Escobar getting healthy and performing up to par, Feliciano not being overworked before June, Nieve/Figueroa/Parnell becoming decent bullpen contributors and KRod being the KRod of old. Likelihood of this happening = 1%
4. Jose Reyes becomes a patient hitter: Jose Reyes is an offensive threat without even swinging the bat. If he can show patience at the plate, increase his walks total by 20%, look to hit the ball in the gaps instead of over the fence, and be aggressive on the base paths the Mets will score more runs than the majority of NL teams out there. Likelihood of this happening = 15%
5. Stay healthy: Every season has players that go on the disabled list, but if the Mets can keep their core players healthy and consistent, they have a chance to compete. All I ask is that Wright, Bay, Reyes, Santana, Pelfrey, Beltran (when he gets back) & KRod stay off the disabled list for an entire season. Likelihood of this happening: 20%
6. Beltran comes back at 100%: A middle of the lineup that includes Wright, Beltran and Bay is as formidable a threesome as you'll find in the National League. Pair that with a Reyes/Pagan tandem in front and you have big inning potential every 3 innings. But what will the Beltran that comes back off of rehab look like? Likelihood of this happening: 50%.

No Joy in Upcoming Mets Spring Training

Spring training was at one time a season of hope, joy and wonder. Those days are gone and have been replaced with discouragement, agida, and disbelief.

The last two seasons the Mets had made off season moves that gave Mets fans some hope for the coming year. The 2010 season lacks the silver lining that we had been fooled with in prior years. With pitchers and catchers reporting in just a few weeks, I personally have no excitement about the season to come.

The issues the Mets needed to deal with are still unresolved. The Mets enter 2010 with the exact same starting rotation as they did last year which delivered them a next to last place finish. Sure the Mets added a solid bat in Jason Bay, but now have an injured Carlos Beltran, a question mark at first base and a reliance on bounce back years from their star players in Wright and Reyes.

The free agents the Mets were supposedly targeting, whether you liked them or not, have been picked off by other contenders. Molina, Piniero, Halladay, Sheets, Garland, Figgins, and a laundry list of other players the Mets allegedly were focusing on are gone.

What is there to look forward to?

I love baseball. I'm a die hard Mets fan so I will be begrudgingly sucked into every Mets game, but I've lost any hope that this team can and will succeed in 2010.

The Mets are reliving their past. This team reeks of the 2003 or 1994 teams that relied on mid-level moves and the promise of player improvement to lead to success but ends up falling well short of any worthwhile goal.

I want to be wrong. I want to eat crow. But I don't think I will.

Mets Lifer is now on your iPhone

There's an app for pretty much anything these days, but now there's finally a Mets Lifer iphone app.

Built through Motherapp.com, you can now follow all the blog and Twitter updates from Mets Lifer on your iPhone. Creating the app through Motherapp.com was actually quite a breeze and it looks great.

Early reviews are still coming in, but it appears Carlos Beltran's doctors in Colorado recommend it for all those athletes seeking secretive surgeries.

You can get the Mets Lifer iPhone app by searching for "Mets Lifer" in the iTunes App Store and you can download it directly here.

The Return of the Mole

Superman got his powers from Earth's yellow sun, and it appears the Mets power can only be seen when it's in the vicinity of Carlos Beltran's mole. Carlos Beltran will be bringing his mole back to Queens and potentially be seen in tonight's lineup adding a much missed power bat in the middle of the order.

I've said it before, but because I lack original thoughts from time to time I must say it again: the Mets have missed Carlos Beltran more than any other injured every day player. He's a guy that talk radio callers like to complain about but it's undeniable that Beltran brings a stability to the Mets lineup and defense.

Beltran, with his enormous contract, may be one of the most under appreciated players in baseball. He's a doubles machine. He's smart on the base paths. Plays the best center field since Andruw Jones put on 200 pounds. But Mets fans are ready to trade him or hang him at a moments notice.

I don't expect Beltran to look like the Beltran of old right away. I expect he'll struggle for a few weeks and then turn things on at the very end of the season. But it'll be nice to see someone other than Daniel Murphy batting cleanup and give David Wright some backup both on the field and in the order.

For the guy who's never "100%" it was a welcome surprise to see him declare that he's back to full health and eager to play.