.....okay guys I am bored and had a few Blue Moons citrus flavored. Seeing the Mets do absolutely nothing and collapse over the last two weeks has me thinking. How do we fix this team for next year and continue playing 6 full months of baseball like we did up until the All-Star break this year?
Here Are my Moves:
(1) Trade R.A. Dickey: Yup....that's right you heard me. This guy has super value being a knuckle baller that can win games and throw K's doing it. Very little good value in the free agent market for pitchers next year too. Mets can really fleece a team for him right now.
I say trade R.A. Dickey and Ronnie Cedeno (2B) to the Twins for right handed power bat Josh Willingham and relief pitcher Alex Burnett. Right here the Mets have already addressed their bullpen issues and got themselves a much needed power right hander to bat 5th behind Ike Davis.
(2) Cut Jason Bay: Release this @sshole already. Next year will be the final year of his contract and I say the Mets just eat the remaining one year and send him walking. Guy is the worst hitter in the Majors right now and has been clueless at the plate since 2010. Besides now we would have Willingham to take his place.
(3) Go With a Valdespin/Duda Platoon in Right Field: Both these guys can mash and hit in the clutch when on their game. Right now Duda is struggling and down in AAA Buffalo but Giordanni Valdespin is picking up the slack for him. Between the two of them you can get 28-35 HR's a year at that platoon position an slot either of them in the #6 hole.
(4) Re-Sign David Wright: This guy is a stud and the face of the franchise. 6 years-$92 million and put this to bed already. No reason why he shouldn't retire a Met....guy is a class act.
(5) Trade Scott Hairston Now: This guy has shown decent power and has some value. Padres could use a cheap productive bat like this and the Mets could get a potential sleeper #5 starter in return in Staten Island product Jason Marquis (who seems to be trying to re-invent himself ala Jason Isringhausen of 2011) and a solid reliever in Dale Thayer.
(6) Dip Into the Free Agent Market: There are some moderately under priced players in the free agent pool at the end of this season. You need to replace Dickey.....sign Dan Haren to a 3 year $26 contract. Plug him into the rotation as your # 2 with Dickey gone. Niese will be your #3 and Matt Harvey your #4. Jason Marquis or Dillon Gee the #5 starter with Johan as your ace.
(7) Move Mike Pelfrey to the Bullpen: Guy cannot pitch consistently as a big league starter. But still has electric stuff in bursts.....should make for a shut down middle reliever. Pelfrey, Parnell, Francisco, Thayer and Alex Burnett is a sick bullpen to me.
(8) Another Free Agent Move: Still need production form the catcher and the CF spot. Sign B.J Upton to a 3 year $27 million deal. Guy can still steal bases and play great CF. Hasn't panned out to be a superstar yet and hype on him is fading. Land him cheap Sandy Alderson. Also add a lefty reliever like J.C. Romero for $1 million for one year and get rid of that bum Tim Byrdak.
(9) Power hitting Catcher Please:Josh Thole is a great bench player and fill-in but just not an everyday MLB catcher. Mets should sign power hitting catcher Mike Napoli for 2 years $10 million total.
There problem solved. Rotation will be (1) Santana (2) Haren (3) Niese (4) Harvey (5) Marquis (or Gee or Wheeler)
Line up: (1) B.J. Upton (2) Dan Murphy (3) David Wright (4) Ike Davis (5) Josh Willingham (6) Valdespin or Duda (7) Napoli (8) Ruben Tejada (9) Pitcher
Bullpen : (1) Pelfrey (2) Parnell (3) Romero (4) Burnett (5) Thayer (6) Francisco
This is an 88-93 win team right here.