Public Enemy #1

The early voting for league LVP is in and by a resounding margin the Met ownership has entered into a 2-way tie with the McCourts atop the rankings. The MLB has already freed the Dodgers of the divorcing couple which means that the Wilpons are most likely going to move well ahead in the voting by the all-star break. If you haven't heard, I'll post a link:

Met Fans Sit Down

Basically, Wilpon, in an effort to restore his (potentially wrongfully/rightfully) defamed name decided to torpedo the only part of his empire that the average citizen cares about. Let's tally the damage:

Reyes:

"He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money. He’s had everything wrong with him. He won’t get it."

So now if the Mets want to TRADE Reyes, they no longer have the trading power of even feigning a desire to retain their talented SS.

Beltran:

"We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on that one series [his 2004 postseason with the Astros]. He’s sixty-five to seventy per cent of what he was."

Another player we were HOPING to trade this season who we can now expect 30-35% less for. Thanks Fred, I can see how you became a business tycoon. Play the cards as far from your chest as possible right?

Wright:

"He’s pressing. A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar."

Come to the Mets, ownership can't wait to throw you under the bus. You think that any top talent wants to take a deal with this TOXIC ownership duo? Sure, the Mets can still pay for talent... oh wait... we don't have money anymore either? Well I guess perhaps treating your best players better might have been financial advice that Fred needed his buddy Madoff for.

Add to this the message to the fans. Hey kids! We don't have any superstars... go watch the Yankees. I suppose, in his defense, not many kids read the New Yorker.

The Mets (By way of Ike Davis):

"Good hitter. Shitty team—good hitter."

Awesome, hey... I just wanted to conclude my diatribe by saying that everyone not named Ike is a scum sucking loser with no right to play baseball. Way to rally the troops.

Let's see... lower the trade value of the two best trade chips Alderson has to work with, alienate the face of your franchise and insult the team. What's next, getting rid of all the team's training equipment? When does Terry Collins whip out the nude cardboard cut-out and start removing pieces with every win?

Mr. Springer, a knowledgeable Met fan put his rose glasses on and sees positives to the situation. He thinks that the ownership is long over-due for telling the players publicly that they don't value them. He sees this as potentially inspiring. So I'll take his inspiration and look at the positives.

The Dodgers don't have an Owner, perhaps we can just TRADE the Wilpons away.

In Short:

DUMP THE WILPONS

SAVE REYES

Keeping the Pace

With the Mets on a roll it seems like a good time to do some math to see what they are on Pace for. I mean, if everyone can stay relatively healthy... Note, these stats are just simple projections based on their production so far vs. how many at bats I think they COULD reach.

Jose Reyes, SS: 94/6/35/35/47 - Jose is on pace to have a good year with plenty of stolen bases and runs scored. However I was expecting more. It seemed to me that Reyes' projections would be better. He's really having a great early season and the numbers are merely GOOD. With Bay back in the lineup and with Murphy settling in for support, I'd expect the pace numbers to go up.

Daniel Murphy, 2B: 67/10/77/38/10 - I think I, Daniel Murphy and most Met fans will sign up for those numbers from Murphy. They aren't blow me away numbers, but they're solid numbers from a 2B. I won't go so far as to say that Murphy could exceed them, but I will say that he is capable of this kind of production.

David Wright, 3B: 116/32/97/77/32 - A 30/30 season? Gee... when you look at the fact David is a career hitter nearly 50 points higher then he's at, this production seems insane. Can he get these numbers? Sure. Can he exceed them? Maybe? You know... if Wright continues to hit well with Bay in the lineup and improves his batting average back to where it's usually sat, he could have TREMENDOUS numbers.

Carlos Beltran, RF: 85/20/66/39/0 - Beltran will steal a base. It's tough with basic mathematical projections to deal with someone who just hasn't tried something yet. Imagine if I were to project 0 HRs from Justin Morneau? Beltran's numbers are pretty solid but I think the RBI numbers should be a touch higher and if the knee flares up... everything could be much lower.

Jason Bay, LF: 118/24/71/47/0 - Okay... so Bay's small sample size skews the numbers and they look all sorts of strange. We're working with what we have. If Bay continued on this pace the Flushing Faithful would likely issue a pardon to Bay for 2010.

Ike Davis, 1B: 89/28/124/83/0 - So... the stolen base numbers are accurate. Could Ike be that good? I think he could be BETTER. I mean, I think Ike has the power to lead the team in homers so that 28 could easily be eclipsed by something on the brighter side of 35. The other numbers reflect Ike's improved discipline at the plate, which is hard to deny.

Angel Pagan, CF: 46/7/39/59/26 - I have to believe that Angel is better than this, but at the same time... I can't predict EVERYONE to have a good year. So if I can get those big years I've already listed above, I'd suffer with a diminished Pagan... at least until we promote Captain Kirk.

Josh Thole, C: 22/0/50/29/0 - Another victim of a slow start, Thole has proven to still be a clutch hitter and is learning to adjust to pitchers now that he's a known quantity. I would imagine that he'll exceed these numbers easily even losing additional playing time to Paulino's bat.

Maximum Value

Different hitters are better suited for different spots in the lineup. As Terry Collins tries out various variations, I just wanted to see where the Mets might be MAXIMIZING the value of their players.

David Wright, 3B: Wright cannot lead off. He's a touch too strike-out prone to be a pure OBP guy. Though... if you look at him hitting second it's not so bad. He's fast and usually sees at least 3 pitches in an at-bat. Frankly, we all know that Wright is made for the 3rd spot. He's fast and hits a ton, but he's become as free swinging as a #4 hitter. This means that if not for Wright's legs... he'd probably be moved back to the #5 spot. (Max Value: 2nd/3rd/4th/5th)

Jose Reyes, SS: Reyes is a GREAT lead off hitter, but is that the "BEST" spot for him on the Mets? Well... yeah, it is. He could hit second, but nobody on the team is going to be better at moving on the bases and he's not the most disciplined swinger. Though I will say that Jose COULD be a #3 hitter (on the right team). Imagine if Boston could get Crawford and Ellsbury to hit. Carl and Jose hit similarly, if the Mets had Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury on the roster... yeah... I'd have to hit Reyes 3rd. (Max Value: 1st/3rd)

Carlos Beltran, RF: Beltran's legs are not what they used to be but he's still not Ike Davis on the base-paths. Beltran can't lead off and his power and so-so average don't lend themselves to the #2 spot. You could still hit Carlos 3rd (The Mets might want to try it) and the 4th spot still works to utilize his mix of talents, but what about late in the order. What about putting Carlos BEHIND Bay and Davis? It doesn't hurt a ton to have Carlos bat 5th or 6th, but maximum value isn't there. (Max Value: 3rd/4th)

Ike Davis, 1B: Davis has the speed to NEVER hit above 4th in a lineup. That's okay because he's got the power and hitting skill to hit 4th or 5th. Hitting Davis any earlier cripples your speed on the base-paths and hitting him later than 6th wastes his power. I don't really think it matters WHERE among 4, 5 & 6 you put Ike, but I think you HAVE to put him there. (Max Value: 4th/5th/6th)

Jason Bay, LF: When Jason Bay returns we could potentially think of him as a mix of power and speed. It's not lead-off speed, but he can swipe a bag if he gets into the right situation. Bay, like Wright is a bit of a free swinger and a touch streaky. Unlike Wright, his speed doesn't force him to the front of the lineup. His power (as a Met) doesn't lend itself to the clean-up role either. Bay would fit nicely in most roles from #5-#7. (Max Value: 5th/6th/7th)

Angel Pagan, CF: Angel is mired in an AWFUL slump, but let us pretend he's the Angel we know and love. THAT Angel Pagan is designed to hit in the lead-off spot or 2nd in the lineup. He's got the speed and bat to make those roles work. Terry Collins keeps throwing Angel into the middle of the lineup... I don't see it. Angel is not a good #5/#6 hitter. He's got some power, but demoting him to that spot is dumb. If he's not hitting for average in the front of the lineup, put him in the 7th or 8th spot until he comes around. (Max Value: 1st/2nd)

Daniel Murphy, 2B: Murphy has SOME speed but can't lead-off. Daniel can hit 2nd but really... he's not a front of the lineup guy. Terry Collins moved Angel out of the 2-hole and has tried Murphy out there. The issue is that Murphy is FAR better suited to hitting 6th or 7th than Angel. He's more of an RBI hitter than an OBP hitter so it makes sense for Murphy to be there to protect the back of the core.

Josh Thole, C: Josh Thole proved yesterday that he could be a #2 hitter ala Paul LoDuca. He has patience and can slap singles and put wood on the bat when he needs to. He's not fast but he does have considerable value in the #2 hole. In fact, Thole's BEST value might be there. Though he doesn't hurt you hitting 7th or 8th. Hitting 7th or 8th he's merely an annoying slap hitter in the latter part of a lineup. (Max Value: 2nd/7th/8th)

Willie Harris, LF: I REALLY see Willie Harris as ONLY an alternate but if he's playing there is one spot he's clearly best suited for. Harris is an ideal #2 hitter. He looks at pitches and can hit with people on base. In fact if Harris could not hit second based on value, I'd probably bat the pitcher 8th and him 9th. (Max Value: 2nd)

Brad Emaus, 2B: Emaus is supposed to be an OBP machine. He's supposed to make good contact too. He's also supposed to be a better fielder than Daniel Murphy. Can you tell I'm not an Emaus fan? Anyway, Emaus if he hit as advertised would make sense hitting 2nd or 8th. in the 2-hole he can see extra pitches and get on base for the core of the lineup. In the 8th spot he should at least be good for clearing the pitchers spot. I'm pretty sold on the Mets returning Emaus to Toronto before the end of May. (Max Value: 2nd/8th)

Met Lineup vs. RHP
1. Jose Reyes, SS (S)
2. Angel Pagan, CF (S)
3. Carlos Beltran, RF (S)
4. David Wright, 3B (R)
5. Ike Davis, 1B (L)
6. Jason Bay, LF (R)
7. Daniel Murphy, 2B (L)
8. Josh Thole, C (L)

Met Lineup vs. LHP
1. Jose Reyes, SS (S)
2. Angel Pagan, CF (S)
3. David Wright, 3B (R)
4. Carlos Beltran, RF (S)
5. Ike Davis, 1B (L)
6. Jason Bay, LF (R)
7. Josh Thole, C (L)
8. Brad Emaus, 2B (R)

Up This Week:

25 Other Things: 25 Things that might distract you from the foibles of the Met's 25 MLB players.

Generation K 2.0: Mejia, Harvey, Familia, Holt and others look to be what Isringhausen never was.

Bay It Ain't So: With Bay potentially back, let's start the micro-scope on his Met career.

Minority Report: Who has deflated my hopes and dreams?

You Might Want To Check That Out

When your "Check Engine" light pops up, what do you do? Are you like my sister and I? Do you ignore it until something actually seems wrong? Do you take it to a garage and have the work on it? Do you break out the jacks and take a look on your own? It's usually a good idea to check these things out. Before my father blows his own gasket, NO, my car is fine. I thought it would be a good thing to take a quick check on the Mets. Sure the car has only been on the road for two weeks but lets see how she's holding up.

Checking Your Oil

"Hey Dad, why do we check the oil?"

"Well son... do you remember how the engine in your first car cracked in half and burned out?"

"Yeah."

"That's why."

"Oh..."

For this analogy, what is the oil if the Met team is the car? Well a team's engine is powered by pistons and most cars have 4, 6 or 8. Most baseball teams have 5, and we call them starters. The goal is to keep these starters healthy so they can make 30+ starts a year and pitch 6-7 innings a game. You keep the starters healthy by giving them breaks and protecting them with relievers.

As you've heard the Mets have LOTS of relievers right now. Francisco Rodriguez, Bobby Parnell, Taylor Buchholz, Jason Isringhausen, Pedro Beato, Tim Byrdak, D.J. Carasco and Ryota Iggarashi make up an 8 man bull-pen. The issue is that our starters, well.. Pelfrey and Niese... have been burning up too quickly and this has left the bullpen taxed.

The day off helps but I expect another oil swap in the next three days.

Testing The Shocks

Actually, the Mets have been pretty good in this department. Beltran is healthy, Reyes is healthy, Pagan is healthy and I haven't heard Luis Castillo complain about an injury for almost a blessed month (might have to do with him not playing on any one's team). The Mets have more than a few guys who you worry about their legs and their overall leg health. For now... all is quiet and quiet is good.

Replacing Break Pads

The key to defensive driving is your breaking. The Met breaks need work. They have lost at least two or three games because of sloppy defense and mental lapses. The odd thing is that I can't blame any of it on Daniel Murphy. That means that the Mets are getting gaffes from some of the surer hands in the field. (Well... one was Duda, but you get the point.) Terry Collins is supposed to be "Old School" and I hope that means he can get the Mets to be a little better about the basic defensive fundamentals.

Secret Weapon

Do we have a secret weapon in our arsenal. Can we push the "Go Go" button and flash from last to first on the supernatural chemical power of illegal engine enhancements? Ask Manny Ramirez.

Actually the Mets DO have some not-so-secret weapons they could try:

Jason Bay - Not the secret weapon I'd necessarily bank a season of success on, but he's better than Willie Harris or Scott Hairston. Jason Bay should provide and offensive boost to the lineup when he returns later this month. The key will be, seeing how much power and production he ACTUALLY provides. 2010 numbers will NOT cut it with me, the Mets or the Major Leagues.

Johan Santana - Santana will not be back until June (at the earliest) and that means that he's not a quick fix by any stretch. HOWEVER... if the Mets are still close in June/July then they have a pretty good "Go Go" button to press. The key will be that Santana is too valuable to hurt if 2011 is only a dream. They may want to save their Ace for 2012 and I can't blame them if they'd want to.

Jenrry Mejia - Mejia has only pitched 1 game this season but 6 innings without giving up a run is a pretty good sign. Only 3 hits, 2 walks and 6 K's are also pretty good signs. Mejia is going to come up for the Mets in 2011. The question is, WHEN? The Mets will NOT bring him up for a spot start. Not with Dillon Gee around and pitching pretty well. The Mets will wait until he's ready to hold down a job for keeps. I love the idea of bringing up Mejia when Santana returns. It takes the pressure off both of them and that would be nice.

Matt Harney - The people at MmlB are not going to be happy with me. They only read the blog when I beg them, so I'll just avoid doing that today. Matt Harvey is so far from the majors he doesn't have a head-shot with a team cap. Yet after two FLAWLESS starts in the minors (racking up 17 K's in A+) he looks like he's a pretty good "Fast Track" Candidate. He's 22, pitched in college, has great stuff and is blowing away the talented bats in advanced A. Even the conservative Minor League evaluator would project Harvey to move up to AA in 2011. Might this mean that he could see the Majors in 2011? YES, it might. This isn't Sandy Alderson's M.O. but you have to imagine that if Harvey has this level of success in Binghamton, the Mets will have to think about how close his major league future might be.

Do Mets Fans NEED Reasons To Drink?

Alcoholism is generally a bad thing so please drink responsibly or not at all. Drinking and being a Met fan will sometimes lead to friends and family worrying about your worsening depression and inevitable suicide. Sure... you've learned by being a fan that the Mets are prone to give back every lead they are given, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. It doesn't mean that you seek refuge in the forgetting power of alcohol, a substance designed to poison your brain cells... to death.

Yet, show me a baseball game without a drunken fan (I happen to be including little league in this) and I'll show you a game that isn't REALLY a baseball game. In fact... you are pobably watching cricket or polo.

Reasons to Drink: David Wright - Sure... Wright is a bastion of good hitting that keeps the Mets in the least bit relevant, but that doesn't mean he isn't frustrating. Break out the tequila and pour a round.

• Drinking for every K would be bad for your liver. Instead drink any time that David has an AB without a K, Hit, BB or RBI.
• Pour yourself a fruity cocktail when Mr. Wright extends his tongue to "balance" or whatever reason he has for sticking it out.
• Drink a shot if you hear someone praise Wright's defense. He's about to commit an error.

Reasons to Drink: Carlos Beltran - People know that Carlos is not high on my list of Mets. He is supposed to be a good player and he's been okay this year so maybe I should cut him a break. I'm not going to, but maybe I should.

• Drink a shot whenever the camera focuses on Beltran's media-crazed knee.
• Drink a shot when people talk about Beltran's expiring contract and trade value.
• Pour yourself a tall glass of something awful if someone speaks whistfully about Carlos' cursed Mets career.

Reasons to Drink: Jose Reyes - I love Jose and want him to stay but I also get frustrated by the guy. (Note... he's not a kid, unless I am.)

• Time for a drink when Jose hits a homer. Celebrate it because he usually follows up displays of power by popping up for two weeks.
• Drink a shot when the camera pans to Jose smiling like a happy Buddhist in the dugout.
• Start that beer-bong going when Jose starts one of his epic 19 part handshakes. Start a second if you finish that one before Jose finishes his handshake.
  

Reasons to Drink: The Broadcast Booth - Click on the image above to link to a wonderful blog post on a Gary, Keith and Ron drinking game that inspired me to write this.

In Case You Missed It

Reasons Not To Drink:

• Liver Disease
• Car Accidents
• Drunk Dialing
• "Friends" Markers and Your Face
• Remembering the Little Things (Like your name)
• Coordination
• Calories
• Fights With Inanimate Objects
• And For Mets Fans... False Hope
  

Below Knee!

I'm sitting here in Port St. Lucie with the lower 3/4's of Carlos Beltran's right leg. The upper 50% of which has been the cause for much consternation amongst Met fans. Carlos was not available for comment, but while I have his knee's attention, I thought I'd ask it some questions. The following, is an interview (through an interpreter) between me and the Mets right fielders knee joint.

Phlavio: Thank you for taking some time out from your busy schedule of teasing and taunting Met fans to meet with me.

Knee: No problem, I just had a cortisone shot, so forgive me if I seem a bit groggy.

Phlavio: How long have you and Carlos been working together?

Knee: Three months short of 34 years. For May and June of 1977 I was fairly confident I could make it as a solo career.

Phlavio: When did you and Carlos start having problems?

Knee: We'd argue on and off from time to time, but I decided to put my cap down in 2009.

Phlavio: What was the issue?

Knee: You know, I'm young for a knee, but I've taken so much abuse. I just wanted a chance to live the high-life. Not play second fiddle to Carlos' hitting and fielding.

Phlavio: So you sabotaged his baseball career for a turn in the spot-light?

Knee: I wouldn't use those words.

Phlavio: How would you phrase it?

Knee: I decided to become more outspoken about my needs.

Phlavio: How has that worked out?

Knee: Honestly the attention was great at first, but now I feel like I've become a bit of a scape goat. Everyone pointing fingers at me, Castillo and Perez for the decline of the Mets. Is it wrong for collection of tendons, bones and muscles to speak their mind at the expense of a baseball player and his team?

Phlavio: In my opinion... Yes.

Knee: Well, sorry.

Phlavio: Have you and Beltran come to an agreement?

Knee: We're in negotiations but I think that I still deserve at least 50% of the focus through the 2011 season.

Phlavio: What about after baseball?

Knee: We're thinking of auditioning to play Spider Man on Broadway.

Phlavio: Break a leg! Sorry, poor choice of words.

The Core

You will often hear teams refer to their "Core" players. The guys that make up the crux of their team. Sometimes, like in St. Louis, this can be one player. Sometimes, like in the Bronx, it's a group of guys that you raised from the farm yourself. Sometimes, like in Philly, you sign half of the players in your core. Once upon a time, the Mets had a core of Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Santana and Delgado. That isn't the case anymore.

The Current Core 4:

David Wright - David Wright is still the face of this franchise. When David Wright's current contract runs out... the Mets WILL re-new it. They WILL sign a long-term contract with Wright for numerous reasons and he will continue to be a member of the core. Not only is David Wright the rock of the club but he's also the rock of the lineup. He's been healthy and productive every year since he cam up. That is not a super easy thing to achieve.

Ike Davis - The next piece of the core is not Jose Reyes or Carlos Beltran OR Johan Santana. Ike Davis is the next piece of the team. His bat is respected... though a little under-valued. (Adam LaRoche... REALLY?!?) Ike Davis has a sweet glove and a steady approach... not to mention enough power to start leading this team in HRs as early as 2011. Davis will be a Met for a long time. Yes... that means we won't be getting Pujols. Does anyone really think he'd come to Queens, given his options?

Jose Reyes - Until the day he's traded or leaves via free agency, Jose is part of the Met core. Now... I already traded Jose from my fantasy keeper league (for Elvis Andrus and Carlos Santana) as part of my personal process of distancing myself from a player I love before he goes. I just don't want another Robin Ventura or Scott Gomez situation. When Reyes shows up in a Yankees or Phillies jersey in 2012, I don't want to be TOO upset.

Jonathan Niese - Pelfrey isn't super special and Johan Santana will only be with the Mets for so long... Niese, is the core pitcher we should focus on. Now... there is nothing wrong with Pelfrey or Santana or even Dickey and Young. They just aren't going to ever be the heart and soul of the New York Mets. Niese looks like he's going to get the chance in 2011 to be the heart and soul of the New York Met's rotation. For better or worse.

Hired Guns:

Jason Bay - Jason Bay was one of Omar Minaya's WORST signings. The year the Mets desperately needed pitching... he signed a streaky hitter who's biggest success came in a park with a short (extremely high) left field fence. With all of that, I can't fault Bay for anything. He plays hard and tries his best every time he plays. If he rebounds, his bat will be a big part of the success the Mets manage, but he will NEVER be part of the Met core.

Carlos Beltran - He was once part of the core. In a contract year, playing injured, coming off injuries and switching to a new position... I've moved on. I moved on during his second year on the team, but I think most people have moved on by now. The Mets are praying that Beltran can play enough and a well enough to give them some value via trade. At this point a prospect of any caliber and salary relief might be enough. If Beltran can be healthy and the Mets are winning... I still trade him at the deadline.

Johan Santana - Santana is on the Mets beyond 2011, but he doesn't look like he will be part of the Met's future success, so I am pulling this injury waiting to happen from the core player list. Like Bay, I like Santana as a person and a player, but there becomes a time where you are not part of the team's current and future success, you merely are a talented player getting a pay-check. I think Santana is at that point.

Francisco Rodriguez - No question about playing for money with K-Rod. K-Rod wants his extension to kick in and that means he needs to pitch well. If he does pitch well, he will close games and he will be a burden through 2012. If he does not, he's gone. It's really that simple. I was excited when Francisco was signed. I can't even fault Omar on the contract too much. All I can say is, THAT, is far too much to spend on ANY closer.

Future Core:

Jose Reyes - I list Reyes twice because of the chance that Jose plays well and the Mets having money (supposedly... stupid Wilpons) for 2012. I hope Jose is back, even if it means that I'll now need to over-pay to get him back on my fantasy team. Jose on the Mets, means that he is part of the core of the team. It's really as simple as that. I very much hop I can continue to call Wright and Reyes the corner-stones of the Mets beyond 2011.

Jenrry Mejia - Mejia could come up this season, he could come up next. When he does, he might be a front-line starter or a shut-down reliever. Either way, Mejia is the best hope the Mets have of answering the dynamic pitching of Philly. Though I suppose that: Edwin Jackson or Adam Wainwright could come to the Mets on long-term deals and become parts of the core... My money is on Mejia being the biggest change to the 2012 rotation.

Fernando Martinez - Forever prospect, Fernando Martinez, just turned in an excellent spring training and was sent to AAA to build more skills and prove he can stay healthy. This young kid... with arthritis, could be the starting RF for the Mets the day that Beltran is not on the team. Now... it could be Lucas Duda or Kirk Nieuwenhuis or someone else entirely but... for now, let us assume Fernando is healthy in 2011. He is the first and best choice to succeed Beltran and if he does reach his potential... he's also going to become a core member of the team.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis - Captain Kirk has an outside chance of being an MLB CF. Why do I only give him an outside chance? Because Angel Pagan (who almost made this list) is likely going to have that position and because Kirk's defense isn't quite CF caliber. It's close and he should man CF for AAA but it's not a guarantee. It might be more likely that he winds up in a corner OF position at which point his power might look a little light.

Josh Thole - I won't deny that I value a higher batting average over additional power. I liked Olerud WAY more than Delgado and I like Thole for the same reason. I don't care if it's a single. I just want you to get a hit when you come to the plate. Josh does that. What he's adding is improved defense, better game calling and little power of his own. Sure, he's never going to sniff 20 or 30 HRs but he could become a 10 HR hitter. He also has enough pop to hit a few doubles and enough speed, that in the wacky dimensions of Citi-Field, to hit a few triples. All this adds up to a franchise catcher (in my eyes) and someone I'd place in my core.

Being in the core and being outside the core doesn't mean much. It really has most to do with a willingness for the team to trade you when the time eventually comes. Core players are harder to deal because they are the foundation you wish to build off of. The reason someone like Josh Thole makes the list while Angel Pagan doesn't is not because of the level of skill but the difficulty to replace. Here's hoping that our foundation is pretty good in 2012.

Harsh Realities

Just thought I'd treat everyone with a lovely picture of my beautiful neighborhood. If you've ever wanted the joy of living in Venice without the hassle of learning Italian, I've got the real estate deal for you. While I'm facing the harsh realities of owning a home that is worth less then the mortgage. My Mets are facing the harsh realities of starting the season without Carlos Beltran and facing a full year without Johan Santana.

We already knew that Johan was starting the season on the shelf. However when I talked about the reality of Johan not being back this season, a wiser, well known and accomplished Mets blogger (who I will not name), told me that because Johan had started a throwing program his timetable for return was pretty much good. I know my Mets and injuries are ALWAYS worse than they appear. If the Mets are out by July, maybe Johan is better off NOT coming back in 2011 and being 100% in 2012.

Carlos Beltran has had his own setbacks. Yet I think I'll point out that there is a silver lining to the Beltran saga.

Scott Hairston - Anyone remember Scott's line from 2009? .265, 17 HRs, 64 RBI...? Sound about right? Yeah... Hairston is not only a capable fielder and a clutch hitter, but he's not exceptionally old and not long removed from having a season which looked like it would keep him as a starter in the MLB. Let us add that his splits vs. lefties see a much improved BA and a much much higher slugging percentage.

Lucas Duda - Why do I list splits? Lucas Duda has impressed this spring. He's impressed Collins, he's impressed Alderson and he's impressed OTHER scouts. People are now thinking that Lucas might be more then a powerful MLB alternate/bench player. Now they see more of a starter. Duda hitting against only righties and Hairston against MOSTLY lefties is going to only inflate their lines and make them a good platoon option. Now... I think it should always be mentioned, I'm not and have never been a Beltran fan, but I'm less concerned about Carlos not being in the lineup. That's all.

This Week:

The Core: I take a look at the current core talent of the New York Mets. I'll also evaluate who should be considered for that kind of title.

Mets Futures: The team of tomorrow... Wednesday.

Off-Season Report Card: Let's evaluate how Sandy Alderson did.

The Amazing Race: Let's update ourselves on those NYM races... again.