No other team in Major League Baseball has suffered more disappointment over the past three seasons than the New York Mets. Just think back to how those years have ended and it’s easy to understand the urgency facing this organization as they head into the off-season.
In 2006 they were one hit away from the World Series before ultimately falling to St. Louis in game seven of the NLCS. That was followed by the greatest collapse in the history of baseball, as they blew a seven-and-a-half game lead, with 17 to play at the end of the 2007 season.
This past September was a repeat of last year. This time it saw them build a three-and-a-half game lead after five-and-a-half months of baseball—before collapsing again.
Both years they were officially eliminated from playoff contention on the season’s final day.
What’s at stake as they move forward is bigger than simple wins and losses—it’s this group’s legacy. How will they be remembered? As chokers and underachievers who failed to get over the hump? Or will they finally prove their naysayers wrong and realize their World Series expectations?
To say that the New York Mets stand at a crossroads would be an understatement. They sit directly on the brink of being considered a success or a failure.
Staring down the barrel of the most important off-season in club history, Omar Minaya, fresh off a four-year contract extension, with the full support of ownership, has been given opportunity to finish the job he started.
With so much on the line, Met fans can only hope that the off season wish list sitting on Minaya’s desk looks something like this:
Sign K-Rod – With Billy Wagner’s Tommy John surgery expected to keep him out until at least August, the first priority for New York is to find a new closer. Lucky enough for them, the best one in the business just happens to be a free agent.
Francisco Rodriguez seems like the perfect fit, assuming K-Rod is OK with leaving southern California for the pressure cooker of New York. An offer in the range of five to six years and $75-$100 million will probably be necessary, but at 26-years-old this kid is worth every penny and Omar Minaya knows it.
If Rodriguez is gun shy about coming to New York, or if the Mets view his demands as too lucrative of an option, then they will immediately turn to Brian Fuentes. With three 30-save seasons on his resume, Fuentes enters free agency off a career-best 2.73 ERA season.
As is normally the case, money will be the biggest deciding factor on who will ultimately jog out of Citi Field’s new bullpen door, with the Mets ahead in the ninth, in 2009 and beyond.
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about 1 month ago
I completely agree with everything you said. we should get k-rod(best closer available), sheets(an ace that wont cost a lot of money), ibanez (a good veteran bat) and hudson(a good overall player). you should fax this to Omar,.lol great post!!!!
from about 1 month ago
Glad you liked it Matt...thanks for the read!
about 1 month ago
Very well done. You obviously know your Mets and baseball in general. Your article is way better than the more than 15 I've read in the last few days...anticipating a great Hot Stove Winter for the Mets. Keep writing.
Robert D. Shelton
from about 1 month ago
Thank you Robert...I appreciate the kind words.
about 1 month ago
Great work! I love this and you make some good points.
P.S. Change the name in the poll to "Fransisco Rodriguez." You must have accidentally put Fernando.
from about 1 month ago
Glad you liked it Noel...thanks for the heads up on the post.
about 1 month ago
Very good, and detailed article!
The number one thing for the Mets is probably Closer, rotation, and left field, in that order. I don't know if K-Rod is the best man for the job, but that's a debate that will be argued over until either the Mets sign him or he goes somewhere else. And second base is also a position that definitely needs to be looked at. It would be awesome if they could unload Castillo on someone!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Henry...I don't know who would be stupid enough to take Castillo, but I'm sure Minaya is working his magic. You're right, K-Rod is debatable, but when you look at him compared to all of the other options, including Fuentes, it's not really close. Plus he's young. I also can't really buy into the decrease in velocity arguement because he broke the save record, you know? The Mets always leek stuff as soon as they think their desired player might cost too much, just to cover their backs. Think back to A-Rod (and his laundry list of demands) and Vlad (and his back problems) now it's K-Rod (and his velocity). There may be some red flags here, but, in my opinion, he's totally worth 4-5 years and $75-$90 million....heck didn't they give Wager $50 million? Anyway, thanks for reading the article, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
about 1 month ago
Yeah, I wouldn't worry about K-Rod's velocity, and the Wilpons do have the open checkbook for this year. I'd be perfectly happy with him as our closer, and the best of all worlds would probably be this: bring in a new second baseman, get K-Rod and Derek Lowe, re-sign Ollie Perez, and pick up a utility outfielder that can play any position, so Murphy and Tatis can platoon in Left.
It would be fun to see K-Rod (and all his antics, the crazy motion...throwing his arms in the air after a save) on Citi Field in the home opener!
about 1 month ago
Your right on about the Mets needing at least one more bullpen guy to go with the closer. While I don't think Chad Cordero should be relied upon as the only reliever signed (besides a closer), I do think it is a great idea to sign him to and see what he can do. Many teams build a good bullpen out of guys tossed on the scrap heap because they were injured or other reasons.
As for K-Rod, it would be a bad idea to give him a 5 or 6 year deal for 15 million a year. I would't give any closer that long of a deal, they're too unpredictable and that would tie up a lot of money for the future. The good news is they won't have to give him that kind of a deal. With the way the closer's market is playing out in the Mets favor the most they will have to give him is probably four years. I'm not sold on K-Rod, but if they could sign him to a 3-year deal or less that would be nice.
Sheets is very interesting in that no one has really talked about him at all this offseason, it could be quite a steal for the Mets if he would come at a decent price.
Pitching is the priority.
about 1 month ago
we should sign
k rod to a 4 year contract worth 60 million
orlando hudson to a 3 year contract worth 39 million
jason varitek to a 2 year contract worth 25 million
Jon garland to a 2 year contract worth 20 million
trade aaron heilman, scott schoeneweis, and luis castillo to tampa bay for edwin jackson and andy sonnanstine
about 1 month ago
Mets are planning to meet with representatives of both K-Rod and Fuentes!
This could be the beginning of our new closer! I hope it works out.
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