[EmpireWF]

If I was a baseball god, here's what I would do with the Mets this off-season. Trying to be realistic...

1. Fire Ricky Henderson. I'm not blaming him but Jose Reyes' second half was horrible. Henderson was hired at the all-star break. Let Willie Randolph hire a replacement and rearrange (if he chooses) his coaching staff. Keep Howard Johnson as hitting coach. Sandy Alomar Sr. is 3rd base coach and Jerry Manuel is bench coach. I repeat, let Willie handle his coaching staff.

2. Cut Guillermo Mota. The guy was awful in 2007 and his head is gone as a reliever. He has one year left on his deal, eat the money. He must be cut.

3. Re-sign catcher Paul Lo Duca to a two year deal worth $10-12 million. Bring back Ramon Castro (2-3 years at $3-4 million per) as well to back him up.

4. Sign Luis Castillo. A three year deal worth about $15 million should be enough.

5. Enforce club option and bring back Moises Alou to play left field.

6. Sign outfielder Aaron Rowand (try to stick to four years, $45 million) to play right field.

6. Sign reliever Scott Linebrink to a two or three year deal.

7. Say goodbye: Shawn Green and Aaron Sele. Welcome back: Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, Jorge Sosa, Endy Chaves and Oliver Perez.

8. Trade Lastings Milledge as the feature of a package to Oakland for SP Joe Blanton.

9. Look into dealing Aaron Heilman and a prospect or two for a great bullpen arm. Just not sure who.


Under my plan...

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Aaron Rowand
C Paul Lo Duca

Bench: IF Damion Easley, UTI Marlon Anderson, C Ramon Castro, OF Endy Chavez, OF Carlos Gomez, IF Ruben Gotay

Rotation: Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Joe Blanton, Orlando Hernandez, Oliver Perez

(As for guys like Pelfrey and Humber, and Kevin Mulvey. El Duque never makes it through a full season. Even have Humber or Pelfrey throw out of the pen so they could help the big league club.)

Bullpen: Billy Wagner, Aaron Heilman, Scott Linebrink, Jorge Sosa, Pedro Feliciano, Duaner Sanchez.

On paper, that's a damn good ball club.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

If I was a baseball god, here's what I would do with the Mets this off-season. Trying to be realistic...

1. Fire Ricky Henderson. I'm not blaming him but Jose Reyes' second half was horrible. Henderson was hired at the all-star break. Let Willie Randolph hire a replacement and rearrange (if he chooses) his coaching staff. Keep Howard Johnson as hitting coach. Sandy Alomar Sr. is 3rd base coach and Jerry Manuel is bench coach. I repeat, let Willie handle his coaching staff.

2. Cut Guillermo Mota. The guy was awful in 2007 and his head is gone as a reliever. He has one year left on his deal, eat the money. He must be cut.

3. Re-sign catcher Paul Lo Duca to a two year deal worth $10-12 million. Bring back Ramon Castro (2-3 years at $3-4 million per) as well to back him up.

4. Sign Luis Castillo. A three year deal worth about $15 million should be enough.

5. Enforce club option and bring back Moises Alou to play left field.

6. Sign outfielder Aaron Rowand (try to stick to four years, $45 million) to play right field.

6. Sign reliever Scott Linebrink to a two or three year deal.

7. Say goodbye: Shawn Green and Aaron Sele. Welcome back: Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, Jorge Sosa, Endy Chaves and Oliver Perez.

8. Trade Lastings Milledge as the feature of a package to Oakland for SP Joe Blanton.

9. Look into dealing Aaron Heilman and a prospect or two for a great bullpen arm. Just not sure who.


Under my plan...

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
RF Aaron Rowand
C Paul Lo Duca

Bench: IF Damion Easley, UTI Marlon Anderson, C Ramon Castro, OF Endy Chavez, OF Carlos Gomez, IF Ruben Gotay

Rotation: Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Joe Blanton, Orlando Hernandez, Oliver Perez

(As for guys like Pelfrey and Humber, and Kevin Mulvey. El Duque never makes it through a full season. Even have Humber or Pelfrey throw out of the pen so they could help the big league club.)

Bullpen: Billy Wagner, Aaron Heilman, Scott Linebrink, Jorge Sosa, Pedro Feliciano, Duaner Sanchez.

On paper, that's a damn good ball club.

I agree with most of your moves. Here's where I don't:

1. If you're going to sign Aaron Rowand, he has to play centerfield. He's a much better center fielder than Beltran.

2. You have to get rid of El Duque. That's 2 years in a row he failed to take the mound as a starter when it counted. You just can't count on him.

3. Not sure Castillo will be re-signed. Supposedly, he was a negative influence on Reyes. He was a moper. Let Easley play there.

4. I would say goodbye to LoDuca. Let Castro be the main guy, and sign a servicable backup like a Molina brother.

5. I also think they need to obtain a starter that'll give you 200 innings. Easier said than done, I know.

[EmpireWF]

I don't think Castro can be a starter. He's a great back-up (perhaps the best in the game) but on a day-to-day basis, his warts come out.

Castillo a bad influence on Reyes? First time I've heard that mentioned. All I know is Castillo is a gamer who gives it his all and produces.

The Mets DEFINITELY need a 200 innings guy, which is where a guy like a Blanton fits in. Replacing the innings from Glavine will be tough.

[Lefty Noob]

Blanton over Sanata a preference, or just because it'd be a less costly deal to make?

[EmpireWF]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Blanton over Sanata a preference, or just because it'd be a less costly deal to make?

I just think Blanton is more likely to be on the block than Santana. And if Santana is available, I don't think the Mets have what it takes to get him.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

I just think Blanton is more likely to be on the block than Santana. And if Santana is available, I don't think the Mets have what it takes to get him.

Ah, I see, gotcha. Yeah, Minnesota's gonna want to break the bank for Santana. What about Willis, any interest in him still?

[EmpireWF]

I've soured on Willis. I just don't see him having the kind of success he did early on. One interesting note on him brought up by SNY's Ron Darling (this was during the last week of the season), Willis has gotten much bigger. He's grown and he still uses that unique pitching wind-up, but he can't get the whole way around like he did as a rookie. May be nothing, but I wouldn't give up much to get Willis.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

I've soured on Willis. I just don't see him having the kind of success he did early on. One interesting note on him brought up by SNY's Ron Darling (this was during the last week of the season), Willis has gotten much bigger. He's grown and he still uses that unique pitching wind-up, but he can't get the whole way around like he did as a rookie. May be nothing, but I wouldn't give up much to get Willis.

Willis had a 5.17 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. I wouldn't touch him.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

Willis had a 5.17 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. I wouldn't touch him.

Well, that's either a pitcher on the decline or an anomaly.

Either way, I'm sure his value's never been lower. Might be a good time to take a flier and hope it was a fluke.

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, that's either a pitcher on the decline or an anomaly.

Either way, I'm sure his value's never been lower. Might be a good time to take a flier and hope it was a fluke.

It also doesnt help that the marlins had no offensive backing for him..

[simple simon]

will Pedro ever play a full season again ?

[EmpireWF]

Originally Posted by simple simon

will Pedro ever play a full season again ?

What's the concern for Pedro? His health is fine entering his final year.