Why Jason Bay's Departure Puts More Pressure on the Mets

When I first heard the news, I literally shouted "Alleluia." Jason Bay and the Mets have reached an agreement and he is officially an unrestricted free agent which basically guarantees that he'll have an MVP season next year wherever he lands.

All kidding aside, this move is a great one and I'm surprised Sandy Alderson and the Mets were able to make it. But what they may not realize is that this puts more pressure on them than if Bay was still on the team.

Like Oliver Perez and other failed signings before him, Jason Bay was the lighting rod for Mets aggravation. He was signed by Omar Minaya and never came close to even half of what the Mets expected of him. Regardless of what other players were doing or not doing, you could always count on blaming Jason Bay for something.

But that last remnant of the former GM regime is gone. The onus is now all on Alderson.

The central antagonist on the Mets will no longer be there to take the blame. Now the Mets and Alderson have to make their own moves to correct the situation in which they find themselves. At least with Bay, the Mets had a solid defender in one of the corner spots. Now all three outfield positions need filling. Duda should not be a lock to continue in right field. Hairston probably won't be resigned and isn't an everyday player anyway. Then you have the laundry list of young players that aren't quite ready for prime time in Baxter, Kirk, Valdespin, etc.

So where do the Mets go from here? Filling one starting outfield position is tough for any team, but filling three is bordering on impossible. The Mets will fill those spots, but the question remains how much of an upgrade will those fill-ins be?

2014 was supposed to be the year the Mets would make their moves. Bay would be off the books as would Santana. Now that Bay has exited early, does that give the Mets room to make moves in 2013? Only time will tell, but they'll have to look in the mirror to find someone to blame.

Even a Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut: Jason Bay Homers

Like the fat kid who somehow manages a home run in kick ball, the Mets bench exploded last night when Jason Bay not only homered, but managed to squeek out a single as well.

With the home run, Jason Bay now has as many extra base hits as Matt Harvey since the All Star break.

The crazy part is whenver Bay does something good there's a thought that creeps into your mind. You start wondering, will this be the hit that breaks him out of this funk?

But no. Even blind squirrels find nuts every once in a while. Bay just happened to have a lucky day where he found two. Color me a sinic but I've been thinking these same thoughts for the last 3 seasons. I'm sure you have to.

So let's just celebrate Bay's game for what it is. Like Haley's comet, these days appear every once in a while. Today we'll be back to our regularly scheduled program.

But man can that Harvey did hit...he pitches pretty good too.

The Quandry that is the Mets Outfield Situation

I'd write about another episode of the BLOWpen, but that story is as tired as the plot lines for NCIS. Let's focus on playing armchair GM, shall we?

Sure the bullpen is horrendous. There are questions with starting pitching, but the recent attention of the Mets blogosphere has been on the outfield. The Mets currently have the professional equivalent of the Bad News Bears out there. You've got you're ridiculously underperforming star (Bay), the speedster who can't really hit (Torres), the kid with the big mouth (Valdespin), the hometown boy you want to cheer for (Baxter) and the guy who either hits a home run or strikes out (Hairston). 

Forget Bad News Bears. That's the casting call for Major League 4. 

Because none of this motley crew is performing at an exceptional rate, Mets fans are longing for the days of Duda and Kirk who are currently relinquished to Triple A.

How soon we forget?

Honestly, the current rag tag crew is performing at a higher level than Duda and Kirk (except for Jason Bay of course). Valdespin is not going to hit a clutch 3-run homer every time at bat. He strikes out a lot, but not as much a Kirk who was getting eaten up on high fastballs like shrimp at a buffet. 

Duda just looked lost. the last month or so in the majors, but the fact still remains that he was in the top 3 on the team in HRs & RBI before he went down.

Baxter is a multi-position player who probably shouldn't be an every day guy, but should certainly be on a team at the major league level for his pinch hitting alone.

Hairston is Hairston. You know what you get.

Torres is, as we thought, and older version of Angel Pagan. 

And Bay...just needs to crawl under a rock..and stay there...for a while.

Where am I going with this? The fact of the matter is that regardless of who we think deserves to be starting or who needs to be sent down, the Mets still need an entirely new outfield.

Valdespin is too rough to be a starter yet, but honestly he and Baxter are the best options for the future which isn't saying much. Your corner outfielders are supposed to provide you with power and the Mets have had a drought in that aspect for several years now.

There are kids in the minor that show promise and potential, but I'm far from ready to bank my hopes on Duda & Kirk. I was ridiculously high on Kirk at the start of the season, but given enough at bats I was able to see, like most NL pitchers, there are serious holes in his game at the plate.

The point is there is no easy fix and with Bay's contract still looming for another year, it's hard to see the Mets making significant moves to right what's wrong in the outfield.

Return of Jason Bay is a Conundrum for Mets

I've been looking for an excuse to use conundrum in a title and now I've found it. Jason Bay is the ultimate conundrum. The highest paid everyday player who produces the least. What do you do with him? Throw the "right-handed bat" argument out the window because it's stupid. These are professionals and if you're paid enough you should be able to hit lefties and righties.

As Jason Bay returns to the Mets tonight it opens up a bit of a Pandora's box with regards to the Mets outfield situation. Big Bucks Bay is going to play. You don't sign him for that money to have him ride the bench. A platoon is possible but even that causes issues.

Right now Kirk is not the same player he was in April. He's got growing pains and we all should have expected it, but with the Mets current skid and a huge series against the division leaders you have to think Terry Collins wants to put his best players out there.

All of a sudden the Mets have a very crowded outfield. Besides Kirk and Bay, you have Torres, Hairston, Duda, and Valdespin. Valdespin shouldn't be in the bigs unless he's going to play regularly. Torres is your only stolen base option except for maybe the aforementioned Valdespin. Duda has been your everyday right fielder since opening day, but Scott Hairston is potentially the best right handed bat you have after Wright.

Against lefties do you have Torres, Hairston & Bay and then against righties you have Valdespin, Kirk and Duda? It's possible but swapping out your entire outfield every other day seems idiotic.

If Bay produces....sorry I had to stop laughing...ok IF he produces, he'll play everyday and I expect Kirk & Torres to platoon. If Bay doesn't produce (and by produce I mean bat above .250), then the questions will start flying and Terry Collins will have to spin a wheel to figure out who to play each day.

Too many options is normally a good problem, but not when most of them are mediocre. A rejuvenated Bay would be a huge lift for the Mets and even allow them to avoid any trade talks for another hitter.

But how likely is that to happen?

All Mets Fans Want is a Consistent Jason Bay

Can I get a clear answer on this one? Is Jason Bay the awful player we know and hate from the last few seasons? Or is he just a marginal player that can do some good things once and a while? I actually am resolved to the fact that he's a bad investment and won't produce, but at the very least I want...no, I need...Jason Bay to be consistent.

Bay has more ups and downs than Alec Baldwin. Against Philly he hits a home run in the first inning to give the Mets a 3-0 lead, but then a few innings later with the bases loaded he grounds into a double play. Last night, he looks like he can't get a hit in a backyard game of wiffle ball and then he pounds another home run just after he robs a home run.

We know what we get from David Wright. He'll be on a streak for 3 weeks and then won't get a hit for 2 weeks only to follow that with another hot streak. Why can't we get any consistency from Jason Bay? It's baffling.

Currently, he has more home runs than he had through the middle of May last year, but his hitting isn't exactly a strong point in the lineup. The only consistent element Bay brings is his defense. While the Mets have question marks throughout their defense, Bay is the one guy who you know will the ball correctly and give you a solid outing in the field.

However, I would gladly trade an error or two in the field for a few more RBI's from Bay in the middle of that Mets lineup. I don't think we'll see a consistent Bay, but there will be a consistent outcry from Mets fandom should we suffer through yet another torturous year of Bay's offensive ineptness.

What the Series with the Phillies Has Taught Mets Fans

Taking 2 out of the 3 from the Phillies in Philadelphia during any of the last 5 seasons would be an accomplishment. The fact that the Mets did it this year with this roster and the expectations that come with it make it even more incredible.

A sweep was within reach, but there was a sense throughout Sunday's game that this was not a win the Mets were meant to have. But even so there are some things that were revealed during this weekend series that I think we as Mets fans have to pay attention to:

1. You evidently don't need a pinky to play baseball - David Wright never could throw very well to first base so ignore that aspect. Rattling off 5 hits in two games including a home run...I'll take it, pinky or not.
2. RA Dickey is the Mets best pitcher - It's almost heresy to say this with Santana in the rotation, but 13 consecutive quality starts makes the case for me. You're always in the game when RA is on the mound.
3. Pelfrey is still Pelfrey - Yes, he got out of a bunch of jams. Yes, he only gave up one earned run. Yes, he got the Phils to ground out a lot. But if you can tell me that you comfortable watch and enjoy Pelfrey on the mound...you're crazy. He's a slightly less insane version of Oliver Perez, but he can't hit.
4. The bullpen is the key to the Mets season - Barring any more freak injuries, if the Mets can stay healthy their season may very well rest on the arms in the bullpen. Friday and Saturday showed how they have some quality arms who can hold a lead. Sunday on the other hand showed how if one thing goes wrong it can unravel faster than a Kardashian marriage. 
5. Jason Bay is needed more for defense than offense - I don't care that he hit a monstrous home run this weekend. Bay is still a nightmare at the plate. However, his glove in the outfield is the best asset he has. You saw this with Scott Hairston as our secondary option roaming around in left field. There were at least two plays that Hairston botched which led to runs that Bay would have potentially made. Is that really enough to keep Bay in the lineup? That's debatable.

So it's on to Atlanta. Brutal scheduling. If the Mets take 2 out of 3 in Atlanta, I think it would be more shocking than what happened this weekend in Philly.

A Typical and Untypical Opening Mets Weekend

The Mets have completed their first series of the season and have done so in both a typical and untypical fashion. What do I mean? Take a look:

Typical: Santana gets minimal run support while pitching masterfully.
Untypical: Bullpen holds a 1-0 lead including a 1-2-3 9th inning.

Typical: Jason Bay stinks.
Untypical: Jason Bay actually got an RBI.

Typical: Mets find a way to turn an almost no-hitter into a 4 run inning and threaten losing the game.
Untypical: Bullpen holds for a 3rd straight day.

Typical: David Wright is on a hot streak.
Untypical: Ruben Tejada has a 4 hit day and makes Mets fans wonder who played SS last season.

Typical: Mets starting pitching gives up multiple homers during the series.
Untypical: Mets hit more homes at Citi Field than opponent.

Typical: Mets bring in closer during close games.
Untypical: Francisco, who was atrocious during spring training, looks more like Rivera than Rivera on opening weekend.

Typical: Daniel Murphy is hitting.
Untypical: Lucas Duda is crushing.

Typical: Mets win opening day.
Untypical: Mets sweep the Braves.

It's only April, but no team needed a good start like the Mets. It puts fans in the seats, exceeds expectations and gives confidence to a young squad. Possibly the most impressive performance for me was not that Niese through 6 no-hit innings, but Bobby Parnell pitching really well in the game on Saturday.

The bullpen being consistent will be a huge asset this year as long as the starting pitching can keep the run totals at or below 3. The Mets will hit this year, but pitching will make or break their success.

Jason Bay is the new Oliver Perez

Next spring, Jason Bay is likely to be the most disliked Mets player. Chances are he already is, but with this season being a wash his ineptitude is being overlooked as we long for football to start.

Yes, I'm writing a bash Jason Bay post the day after he had a 3 hit game. Here's why. It's the first good thing he's done in about 30 games. Tell me that's worth the check he's getting. To me Jason Bay is the new Oliver Perez. You want to compare him with Luis Castillo? I'm fine with that too, although that's a bit insulting to Castillo who at least was close to hitting .300 on one leg. Bay can only dream about .300 and he's got two healthy knees.

I would argue that Jason Bay doesn't even deserve to be in the starting lineup. Entering last night he was batting .230. That's your highest paid hitter in the lineup. Lucas Duda who's had almost half as many at bats as bay is potentially going to pass him in home run totals for the year. Nick Evans who was batting .180 for most of the season is now 50 points ahead of Bay's average and crushing him in slugging and OPS.

If Ike Davis returns to his old production and Duda continues to grow and Evans shows for the next month that he can be a legit hitter, why would we let Jason Bay take one of their spots in the lineup? Bay's had two years to prove that his slump is just a fluke. 730 days later, Bay still stinks. I'm done. Enough is enough.

Put him in a platoon with Evans if you want to. Don't talk to me about his fielding. We aren't paying him to win a gold glove. The hope was he'd hit some home runs and drive in 100 RBI. He's a good clubhouse guy and he can remain one with his rear firmly planted on the bench.

Money does not equal talent. Salary does not dictate who should play. Performance does. And Bay is the complete opposite of a player who is performing. Sit him down.

Why Do We Root for Jason Bay?

Mets players are quickly vilified for their horrendous performance. More players have been run out of town by Mets fandom then managers fired by Steinbrehenner.

But why do I find myself rooting for Jason Bay?

He's been awful. To say he's under performed would be like Mount Everest a bump in the road. Yet every game I'm watching him and just hoping he's going to break out. He's been playing much better of late, but would a 15 home run season really be a success?

Luis Castillo was still batting around .300 when we were ready to send him out to pasture. Armando Benitez was 2nd in the NL in saves when we couldn't wait to get rid of him. Why is that Jason Bay still has the hopes of Mets fans?

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he plays hard, but that will only get you so far. The other part is that he doesn't make stupid mistakes. No Murphy-esque base running blunders. No Tejada moments in the field. He's not a Franceour free swinger at the plate. And he's doesn't run his mouth.

So for now we want this good guy to have a happy ending. But our patience does ware thin. I have a feeling we'll give him a pass again this season as the Mets fate is pretty much decided, but a slow April in 2012 will find Jason Bay in Jeromy Burnitz's company in the minds of the Mets faithful.

For Mets No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

This is the mantra for the New York Mets: No good deed goes unpunished.

You're on track to compete for NL MVP, hitting over .340 and the catalyst for your team. Injure your hamstring...twice.(Reyes)

After a season out for a knee injury it's a breakout year where you're playing everyday. You're in the top 10 in batting and the team's best hitter with runners in scoring position. Now you injure the same knee that forced you to miss an entire season. (Murphy)

You are the most overpaid player on the team who can't deliver. You finally have a breakout game reaching base 5 times and scoring 3 runs. Without your bat, this team isn't even in this game. But all that is forgotten because you don't have bullpen that can close a door, never mind a game. (Bay)

With a patchwork lineup and your All Star 3B forced to play shortstop you find your self down 3 runs only to claw your way back to tie. A bloop single to start an inning and walked batter in front of your team's archnemesis player forces you to pitch to the one guy who always kills you. Game over. (6-5 Braves win)

You trade away the most expensive pitcher on the club to make sure his option for next year doesn't vest leaving you without a closer, but with 3 solid options to rotate through. The most reliable option chokes. The rising stud can't handle the pressure. The 3rd guy...well..he's up next. (Izzy, Parnell, Beato)

You are a candidate for manager of the year. After a 5-13 start, you brink the club back from the brink to make them competitive in a wild card hunt. A 5 game winning streak is followed up by losing 5 out of 6, sending you back under .500 and you lose your only two hitters batting over .300 for potentially the rest of the year.Welcome to the Mets, Terry Collins.

Painful Game of Chutes and Ladders

As a father of three young boys, my house possesses the torturous game that is Chutes & Ladders. It's the game that never ends. Just when you think you're close to winning, an unlucky spin forces you to fall farther than you thought was possible.

That is what the 2011 Mets are doing to us as fans.

They have carried us up ladders with the hope that this new plateau would become a path to further heights only to drop us down chutes that sink us back to the brink of obscurity. The Mets now sit 3 games under .500 and have erased everything great that happened on this road trip. Just a week ago the Mets had the opportunity to sweep Atlanta, go over .500 and head home against sub .500 American League clubs to build on their momentum.

That blown save and balk-off loss may have been the turning point. The devastation of that loss has turned into a spiral downward capped off by last night's loss. Gee has been terrific, but was horrible last night walking 6 batters and giving up 4 earned runs. Even with that performance the Mets had plenty of opportunities as they loaded the bases on 2 separate occasions but were unable to get a hit in either case.

The only good news is that Jason Bay finally got an extra base hit after 90 plate appearances. He even got 2! Just in time Jason. Another chute is about to open and send to meaningless games in July.

Jason Bay Needs a Shrink

There is something wrong with Jason Bay. Something very, very wrong. While in a previous post someone commented that Bay is our real life version of Pedro Cerrano ("bats are afraid"), I honestly think it has less to do with hardware and more to do with the wiring in his head.

Please save all concussion jokes until the end, but Bay needs some help. His struggles are not about mechanics or needing more time in the cage. It is all about mental toughness. He's on an 0 for 20 streak right now and Bay is one step away from reaching Oliver Perez territory as far as his esteem among the Mets fan base. He is quite literally the worst left fielder in the National League.

To put this in perspective, Willie Harris is one home run and 2 RBI away from matching Bay's production. Ruben Tejada who couldn't break the Mendoza line last year looks like Stan Musial compared to Bay. Bay's performance has us longing for the power bats of Corey Sullivan and Jeremy Reed of the 2009 Mets.

Send Bay to a psychiatrist. Have him curl up in the fetal position on their coach and talk about how he's not loved enough or why his bat is betraying his trust. I don't care if they use voodoo, hypnotism or hold a seance. Something has to be done before Bay digs himself into the hole of the hated where Mets fans buried Ollie P, Castillo, Guillermo Mota and Armando Benitez.

Bay seems like a nice guy, but at this point I don't care. Something has to be done and riding the pines for an extended spell might be the best thing for the Mets to consider.

The Unexpectables

Last night's win against the Astros is a more improbable Mets victory than one might think. Yes, it is the Astros who aren't exactly a fearsome team, but the Mets had not come back to win like this in quite some time.

They haven't won a game when being down by 4 runs since early last year and the way they were able to come back is even more surprising. First, Jason Bay showed some power (finally!) to put the Mets on the board. Then the BLOWpen of April, has disappeared as the relievers went into lock down mode after Dillon Gee gave up four runs in 5 innings.

Add that to the just called-up Fernando Martinez appearing out of oblivion to hit a monster 2-run pinch hit home run. And finally Mr. Anti-Clutch, David Wright, pulls teed up changeup over the left field wall with two outs to put the Mets ahead.

To top it all off, Jason Pridie, who was mired in an 0-15 slump, added an insurance run in the top of the 9th. Of course, K-Rod tried to make things exciting but ultimately notched the save.

This is one of the most unexpected wins of the season. Is it a fluke or are the Mets turning the corner with yet another 3-game win streak. Not to be overly dramatic, but this afternoon's game should give us some answers. Dickey is on the mound and he's been just dreadful. Can Dickey ride this high and master his knuckleball? Will the Mets give the starting pitchers some run support for a 4th straight game?

As the Mets inch closer to .500, it's easy to start getting excited about this teams overerachievement. But part of me is waiting for that 6 game losing streak lurking around the corner.

Mets Version of Shock and Awe

You want shock? How about seeing Jason Bay actually playing a game for the Mets?

You want awe? How about a Mets starting pitcher lasting until the 7th inning?

You want shock? What about an offensive explosion leading to 9 runs in one game?

You want awe? How about seeing the bullpen not blow a lead?

Thursday night was the Mets version of shock and awe. Sure it came in desperation as the Mets spiral their way to obscurity before Easter even hops onto the calendar, but a 9 run output and solid starting pitching performance is something for any Mets fan to treasure. Because you don't know when you'll see it again.

When you look at the Mets lineup on paper with Jason Bay in the middle of it, it does make a difference. The output on the field is another story, but if Bay can stay healthy you should see that help Davis & Pagan as they'll be batting in more comfortable spots in the lineup with the backup support that they need.

The Astros are not a good baseball team so I can't put too much into the Mets finally winning a game. The DBacks come to town tonight and we'll see if last night was an apparition or if the Mets are finally going to play decent baseball.

Could the Mets Be Better Than You Think?

The short answer to the question in the title is "yes." The key word in the title is "could."

The Mets could be better than one would expect this year. This is not a whimsical could where you say "the Mets could be better if the Phillies lose all of their starters to injury" or something like that. It's a realistic could that's reliant on a few factors that have the potential to play out.

There are two players that play key roles in this scenario and they're people you may have already forgotten about: Chris Young & Chris Capuano. The lefty & righty starters have already looked sharp this spring. If they can return to the players they once were and stay healthy, the Mets would have the most underrated starting rotations in the NL. This assumes Pelfrey and Dickey repeats their performance from last year, and Niese continues to grow but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Sure the news of Jason Bay potentially on the disabled list doesn't help the Mets efforts to be better, but it's not like it hurts them either. Look at where the Mets were last year before Jason Bay went on the DL.  Bay was abysmal. Hard to say that he helped the team at all and yet the team was competitive up until the West Coast trip after the All Star break. The fact that the Mets plummeted after Bay got injured is a fallacy of false cause. Bay's departure had no impact. Even if he was healthy, it would have no bearing on the Mets outcome.

A Jason Bay that is back to his old self would certainly help the Mets cause, but I think we've come to the realization that he's not the player we hoped he'd be. Lucas Duda is turning out to be an interesting young player and Pagan's growth partnered with Beltran's return are significant improvements even without Bay.

The final reason there's hope for a competitive year is the surprise of the bullpen. KRod is not the same closer of old, but the amount of arms the Mets have acquired this spring is shocking to me. I figured they'd be desperate to make a move for some bullpen help, but so far there appears to be enough decent bullpen arms to make things work. That's not to say they won't have their struggles, but it's not as dire a situation as one might think.

I'm not concluding that the Mets will make the playoffs this year. I'm simply saying there's hope for some interesting baseball. Call it spring fever or an anxiousness to have baseball return, but things could be way worse for the Mets than they are...financial situations not considered.

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.

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.

Last Night's Mets Win in 100 Characters

Santana stellar.
Ike homers.
Bay awakes.
Mets victorious.
Halleluia.
Saturday repeat?

This Feels Like the 2009 Mets

Injuries. Under-performing superstars. A mid-season change in right field. Erratic bullpen. Absence of timely hitting. Unwinnable road trips.

Are we stuck in 2009? Because that's what it's starting to feel like.

After last year's All Star Break concluded with the Mets on an unbelievable 10 game winning streak they started their road to perdition that mercifully ended with a near basement dwelling position in the NL East. This past April, May and June we were led to believe that the 2009 Mets were a mere apparition. But now it appears the ghosts of '09 may be coming back to haunt us.

The lack of life in this team is palpable, and Mets Lifers everywhere have little confidence the Mets will end this West coast swing with even winning 1 more game. The Mets may very well return home over 8 games behind the front running Braves and flirting with the .500 mark.

How far has this team fallen from being 11 games over .500 and within a half game of first place just two weeks ago? The Mets need some hope. Will that hope come in a rearranging of the lineup? Fat chance. Will that hope come in the form of a new starting pitcher? Not sure if that's enough. Will that hope come with Jason Bay's revival? Don't think we can wait that long.

Hope comes in the form of a single letter: W. W's are what the Mets need and they need them desperately. A sweep of the Dodgers is a pipe dream. Winning 3 out of 4 is a pipe dream. For now a 2-2 series split would be a heaven sent blessing. But the Mets cannot get swept in LA.

If they do you might as well sweep this season under the rug.

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.