Kuzul

If you’re a Mets fan, you are familiar with heartache. The very term “Mets fan” is synonymous with pain. This trade deadline has brought us too many moments of agony to rehash, but there are several that stick out in the collective memory of the fan of the Mets. These trades are the lemon juice in a cut type of transaction. They were the ones that really stung.

In the spirit of the MLB trade deadline winding down tomorrow at 4pm, I decided to take a look back at some of the worst mistakes the Mets have made in the trade market. It is not a fun task to undertake, but it is a necessary one. How else can we learn for our future if we do not examine the mistakes of the past?

Warning: to read this list, it takes a real fan, one that has courage and can remain realistic. This is not for the faint of heart. If you have heart trouble, please consult with a physician before reading this list, as the results of it may very well cause a stroke. It almost caused me one just compiling it.

5. Oliver Perez-

It’s been just about four years since Duaner Sanchez had that taxi cab accident. The ripples of that incident are still felt to this day in the Mets fan base. Why? The Mets acquired two pitchers on July 31st of that 2006 season. One was Roberto Hernandez and the other was the infamous and often documented Oliver Perez. What did they give up for them? Xavier Nady.

Okay, not a tremendous loss, but consider this: last season, the Mets and their fans were discussing the need for an outfielder that has power, so they go out and spend big money on Jason Bay. Bay still hasn’t “adjusted,” so they still need a power hitter in the outfield. Nady had two seasons of 20 and 25 home runs respectively during the time we’ve watched Oliver Perez struggle game after game.

Nady was hurt for a majority of last season and is struggling this season, but during the first few seasons after that trade, the Mets could have used him. Not to mention, the cut ties with Roberto Hernandez after that season. He did a solid job for them in ’05 and that part of ’06. They have had bullpen issues every season since. Then they cut ties with Sanchez eventually anyway. So the only remnants that remain from that day and that accident are Oliver Perez and his multiple seasons of an ERA over 6.00.

4. Scott Kazmir–

I remember this day like it was yesterday. Most older fans will say that a little later on too. But for now, allow me to set this situation up for you. Two seasons before that taxi cab accident that eventually brought us Ollie, there was another accident of sorts. An accident of impulse. On July 31, 2004, the New York Mets traded their highest scouted prospect, Scott Kazmir to the Tampa Bay (then Devil) Rays for Victor Zambrano. Not Carlos Zambrano, but Victor. Why? Because he had mild success against the Yankees.

Many fans have held this move much higher than # 4 for years, but looking at the overall numbers, it belongs here. The main problem is the word “potential.” Kazmir was exuding potential. Everyone deemed him the “next” Roger Clemens, only without the juice. He is a big lefty that throws hard. He wowed all of the scouts and opponents as well.

After the trade, he was a big part of helping Tampa Bay get to the World Series in ’08, helping many Mets fans cringe, though the Phillies won it, causing the fans here to cringe even more. Kazmir has been often injured and often struggling. He is not the pitcher that everyone has envisioned with a career 4.12 ERA. He is not the unhittable, but he is younger than Oliver Perez.

So, therefore, conventional wisdom would suggest that he could still turn it around with the right pitching coach. Though I am not so sure the Mets have that right now. What really made this so bad, was that Zambrano was often injured in his time with the Mets and sported a 4.45 ERA. You compare the numbers. I’d still take Kazmir.

3. Lenny Dykstra–

The day that Lenny Dykstra was traded was a terrible day in the Mets franchise history. No one seems to mention this trade, but it was awful. Lenny Dykstra AND Roger McDowell (the inventor of the hot foot) both were traded to a division rival, the Phillies. In June of 1989, the Mets moved two of their most beloved heroes of the ’86 Championship team and Dykstra eventually helped bring the Phillies to the World Series in ’93 while endearing himself to their fan base as he did with ours.

McDowell went on to Los Angeles eventually and continued success for several more seasons. What did the Mets get in return? Juan Samuel. The same Juan Samuel who sported a .228 AVG and was traded away just a few months later. So the Mets received nothing for these two warriors, Dykstra and McDowell, and they went on to help other teams to success. Another great front office move.

2. Nolan Ryan-

The name is equivalent to greatness and perfection. He was unarguably the greatest pitcher to ever pitch and he was a Mets player for a few short years of their early existence. On December 10, 1971, he was traded with a few other inconsequential players for Jum Fregosi. Who? The guy who managed in Philly and Toronto? Yeah, that guy. The guy who had a career AVG of .233 and only played 146 games with the Mets before being sold, not traded, to Texas? Yes, that Jim Fregosi.

So we received a forgettable player, who’s only real accomplishment was being an average manager, in exchange for the greatest pitcher of all-time. Don’t believe me, the numbers speak volumes, 5,714 strikeouts and 7 no hitters, the Mets still have none and he leads MLB history in both of those while being a Hall of Fame inductee since ’99. The Mets certainly pulled the trigger there, didn’t they?

1. Two words: “The franchise”. Tom “Terrific” Seaver –

He was simply put, the greatest Mets pitcher in the history of the team. Then, they traded him due to a dispute with management. That day is still referred to as the “midnight massacre”. It occurred on June, 15th 1977. The same day, the Mets traded Dave “King Kong” Kingman to San Diego.

As for Seaver, he posted a 2.57 ERA with the Mets in 12 seasons that included an attempt at making peace with them in ’83. He had 2,541 total strikeouts and 198 wins with the team. He, too, is a Hall of Fame member as of ’92. He led the Mets to glory and unexpected, miraculous success in both ’69 and ’73. He was the captain and leader of the Mets for more than a decade. After leaving the Mets, he, too, had a no hit game. He was a legend that deserved better from this team.

Perhaps the lack of perfect games or no hitters from this franchise is actually just the baseball gods getting them back for trading away so many legends. The old saying goes, the baseball gods giveth and they taketh away. In a more realistic way, the baseball gods giveth and the Mets front office taketh away.

Let’s hope that they do something this season to turn that around on this trade deadline. But knowing the history, they probably will not. In fact, all we really can hope for is that they don’t mess up too badly and trade away another future hall of fame inductee or world series winner.

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Everything is silent on the New York Mets’ front right now—a calm if you will.

This time next week, however, will not be so quiet. The fans, writers, and media are all waiting with bated breath in anticipation of the direction this team will decide to go in.

As everyone knows by now, this Saturday at 4pm EST the MLB trade deadline ends. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Mets are currently at a “wait and see ” point in the process.

While the Mets wait, the fans see a lot happening. The many pitchers that have been examined over the past month or more in anticipation of the deadline are dwindling down to a few unlikely options.

Let’s take a brief look at them.

First there was Cliff Lee.

The bloggers debated him for weeks and every website seemed to be running Lee stories. He was being considered, then the talks stalled and he went to Texas. Still, I expect that discussion to be revisited in the offseason when he becomes a free agent.

Then there was Dan Haren .

Arizona never officially discussed him with anyone associated with the team, except for a phone call or two of inquiries. But the bloggers discussed him at great length.

He’s gone now too, off to sunny California where he got hurt in his first start with the Angels.

There is also the controversial Carlos Zambrano .

He demanded out of Chicago this time last month. Now just yesterday, he is trying to make amends and stay in the Windy City. Most fans here may be thankful for that, but still another name is off the board.

Jake Peavy had been mentioned, and I wrote an article on him as an option.

He wasn’t interested in staying with the White Sox if they were going to be rebuilding. Since then, he became injured and had to shut down for the season—maybe longer.

Speaking of Chicago, Ted Lilly is still out there, but when last rumored, the Mets weren’t interested because they felt his loss in velocity was a red flag. So he will go somewhere else and help another team succeed most likely.

They also weren’t interested in paying Cleveland too much for Fausto Carmona . He had been doing well on a struggling team and the trade rumor winds swirled early on this, but died down as quickly as they were built up.

Then there’s Roy Oswalt , who, when last rumored, may be landing in Philly without the defending NL champs even giving up Jayson Werth . Wouldn’t that be wonderful as a Mets fan, going into Philly and face Halladay and Oswalt with the offense still intact?

As the potential options of a trade deadline that had fans so hyped over the past few weeks begin to drop like flies, we have to consider another option: Nothing.

Nothing can be an option. In fact, it has been this team’s option for the past few years. Despite hot seats and losing streaks, they remain idle year after year.

I hate to say it, but this year may very well be the same old thing. If that happens this season though, I think the real storm will strike.

It is already brewing off in the distance. The calm before the trade deadline storm is awaiting the right time to unleash its fury upon the Mets .

How will it be perceived? Will that storm be a result of Omar splashing into the trade waters? Will it be a response to more silence?

Either way, it is coming. If the Mets remain silent, the ramifications of that decision may very well cost several coaches their jobs. The only ones then that would be safe will be, of course, the Wilpons , Omar Minaya, and Jerry Manuel.

Perhaps that is the root of the problem though.

The Wilpons refuse to see that Minaya is not the right guy for this team in that position. He would be a wonderful scout or head of scouting, or even an assistant GM. But as the main man with the plan he withers away faster than an ice cream cone in a heat wave.

I will not re-examine this, but suffice it to say he lacks the aggressiveness needed to be in this market.

If the Wilpons keep him, they will most likely let him keep his managerial choice, Jerry Manuel. That sets us up for a repeat of all of this terrible outlook, miscommunication, and indecision for next year too.

That would be most unfortunate. While the insightful and knowledgeable fan base recognizes the real problems, the ones who can fix it, do not. It is like being at a hospital where the doctor wants to put a band aid on an open wound. While the family yells “stitch it up”, the doctor scratches his head and shrugs his shoulders unaware of the massive blood that is being lost during his indecision.

This is the Mets ownership, and the team is bleeding. It needs stitches, not a band aid! Stitch it up!

If ownership doesn’t, the indecision will most certainly be fatal to someone’s tenure and the team’s season. The storm that the indecision creates will most certainly be brutal enough to leave this team crippled and helpless in its wake. It’s coming and very soon.

Until then, enjoy the silence. It won’t last much longer.

If you’d like to read more of my work, please visit www.metsgazette.com, where this was originally posted.

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As reported yesterday, the Mets are shopping Jeff Francoeur.

My esteemed colleague Tom Greenhalgh, in a great article, raised the question of what GM Omar Minaya could expect to get for him. He makes a very valid point, and I am in agreement entirely with him. They most likely will not get very much.

I also have been seeing many fans and bloggers protesting this inquiry on the part of Minaya. I would like to add a further question to the Mets fans: Why? As in why all of the outcry against this possibility? Because he shows heart? Because he is the type of player that other players want in the clubhouse?

Perhaps, but if a player is slumping so dramatically and so notedly as he has been, how does he not expect to be benched when the first opportunity arises for his manager to do so? Furthermore, if he has been taken aback by this decision, his heart and passion are now compromised, which could then become detriments, not bonuses.

Instead of playing with heart and passion, he may use that passion and intensity to complain in the clubhouse of his present situation. It wouldn’t be the first time a player has done it. It also wouldn’t be the first time this player has done it. See Atlanta. So, my reasoning is very simple.

Take away the fact that he is a passionate player for a second. Take away the fact that he is the type of player that plays like it means something. Just for a second, ask yourself a question. This particular player has hit .277 with 18 home runs in his year with the Mets. While he has shown solid defense, his bat has been streaky at best.

He had 46 strikeouts last season for them in just a half a season. He already has 56 this year. The Mets must have known that possibility before they acquired him. He is every bit as streaky as the player they traded away, Ryan Church.

So my question, after factoring all of that in, is are we really going to fight to hang on to a .277 hitter (and that is being generous, as he is currently batting .247 this season) with all of our heart and soul? Is his inability to come through in key situations really going to be missed?

To me, this accomplishes three things.

First, it shows that at least they are trying to be active. For all the complaining we do as fans, still, we are fans. At the end of the day, we still want what is best for the team and to see the team successful. If they make some type of move that will benefit them, in the very least, they will have pushed.

Next, it would benefit Frenchy. He would have a chance to play every day. Though he has stated that he loves New York and playing with the Mets, still, as a competitor, it must pain him to be riding the bench half of the time.

More playing time is not just welcomed, but almost a requirement for success and for any player to be and stay happy with the team he is on. Being benched, though he should have expected it with his slumps, is a shot to his ego and confidence. If a player loses that confidence, they lose their joy. If they lose that, they become miserable in their environment.

Finally, it would open up a roster spot for one of the several young players that we all have been talking about for the majority of this season—players such as Nick Evans, Chris Carter, and even eventually, a possible Fernando Martinez sighting.

It is always a gamble when playing a youngster, but if this team believes in any of these players for the future, they have to give them some playing experience and room to grow at the major league level. This may be an unwelcome inquiry for the Mets to delve into, but it is a necessary one.

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Sports are all about adjustments. In football, the quarterback must adjust the play based on what the opposing team is doing. It is the same in other sports as well. In-game adjustments at halftime and between periods are a necessity for success. Baseball is no different.

However, instead of adjusting at a half, players must make adjustments with every pitch. Management must also make adjustments—that is what the trade deadline is all about. If a team has a need, it is up to the general manager to make the proper adjustment to put his team in a better position for the second half.

The best GMs in the league are known for this. Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees, Theo Epstein of the Boston Red Sox , and Ruben Amaro of the Philadelphia Phillies all come to mind as recent examples. What do they all have in common?

They have all built World Series teams in recent years. They have all done it by using all of their resources, including midseason trades. They are all also GMs for bigger market teams. The city’s particular size and market makes a difference. It impacts the team by either hindering them or enabling them based on how much they can spend.

The New York Mets GM Omar Minaya is in a big market. However, he often makes small market transactions. He will acquire players who are past their prime such as Gary Matthews Jr, Frank Catalanotto, and Mike Jacobs (combined one home run, three RBI in 42 at bats).

He also will claim players who were waived by bad teams for terrible output. Brian Bruney is a classic example of a Minaya waivers candidate. Bruney posted an 0-2 record with a 9.64 ERA for a Washington Nationals team that is in the basement of their division at 39-50 as I am writing this article. Minaya has made cheap moves in the hopes that they pay dividends.

So far, they have not. Too often, he has not been the type of GM to make the big market midseason move. This may be attributed to his time with the Montreal Expos, before they were relocated to Washington DC. They were a prime example of a small market mentality.

They produced many great players but failed to keep them, players such as Larry Walker, Pedro Martinez, and Moises Alou . They let those type of players swim in the free-agency pool due to a small market, low budget mentality.

To be fair, Minaya does sign the big contract free agent in the offseason. He has no problem spending the Mets ‘ money in that regard. He has even done a remarkable job rebuilding the depleted farm system. With this said, he has never been the type of GM to make the midseason trade consistently. He would rather wait until after the deadline for a bargain.

Bargains almost always fail. Every small market GM searches for lightning in a bottle. A very small amount of them find it, and when they do it is fleeting. The best GMs in the league use the trade option as a weapon. It is a way of re-arming themselves for a second half playoff run. This aggressive mentality turns the teams they represent into winners.

If Minaya does not share in this aggressive mentality with this current team, they will not win. What’s more, this team is ready to win now and may be just one pitcher away from being complete, assuming Jose Reyes will get and stay healthy. If they fail to reach the playoffs due to another season of inactivity from Minaya , he deserves to go.

In fact, if he does not make a move by the July 31 deadline, he should be relieved of his duties on August 1. This team has had several seasons of inactivity under his watch. Those seasons all led to late-season collapses. The last time he made a significant trade deadline move, was in 2006.

That season, they came within an out of the World Series. Is that a coincidence? I am not so sure. It is most likely that this is further evidence for an aggressive mentality in this market. The small market mentality is not a good fit in New York. The fans and media alike expect big things in a big city.

That expectation can make or break a career. Even the career of someone in management. Management is just as responsible for results as the players and coaches are. They build the team and spend the payroll on the roster. If this current payroll does not produce a playoff, it reflects on the one who assembled the roster.

That would be Omar Minaya . If he assembled it and failed to respond to its needs, he is not capable of making this team a winner. A good GM must recognize weaknesses and correct them. If he cannot be honest toward this current roster and make the proper adjustments, he is no better than a small market GM for a team out of playoff contention.

As it stands, he is the GM of a team in the largest city in the country. He needs to make the big market type of moves to help his team remain consistently contenting. If he makes a move and the player does not work out, that is a different story. Then, at least he tried to improve the team.

However, this transaction silence and inactivity in recent July trade deadlines is divisional suicide. If the Mets fail to benefit from this trade deadline and strengthen their team for the next few months and beyond, than they are a small market team.

If that is the case, then they need a new strategy because a small market team mindset does not win in New York. It rarely wins in major league baseball or sports in general for that matter. That mentality never wins in the NL East.

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The New York Mets are now crossing their fingers. It was announced late Friday night that their dynamic leadoff man, Jose Reyes, will undergo an MRI for his injured right oblique. This story was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Rubin .

There now is speculation as to his status for the remainder of the Atlanta series as well as the for upcoming All-Star Game. New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel had been batting the switch hitter from the right side of the plate to spare him more pain while allowing him to still be in the lineup. His productivity in response to this change has not been good. He is batting .250 during this past week.

This is a troubling sign, as his career average is .285. This has prompted Manuel to bat him second in the order to keep him in the lineup due to the importance of the Atlanta series, but the question will be if he can remain in the lineup throughout its entirety. As always, we will have more to report when this story develops. Until then, this is not a hopeful sign.

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The New York Mets thought they had all of their late inning troubles behind them on December 8th , 2008. That’s when they signed Francisco Rodriguez to a three year deal.

Rodriguez, known throughout the league as K-Rod, joined the team after a record- setting season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

During the ’08 season, he amassed 62 saves and became the highly sought after free agent of that off season. The Mets , who had struggled with the late game facet of their bullpen, immediately and aggressively pursued him. After joining them, he has had an interesting season and a half as the Mets closer.

He accumulated 35 saves with a 3-6 record and a 3.71 ERA last season.

Not the most impressive of lines.

He was on a badly injured team, so with this in consideration, the fans decided to give him another chance. This season, he already has four blown saves in 24 chances. The rest of his line is not too bad though. He holds a 2.57 ERA with 20 saves.

He is on pace to beat his marks from last season for sure, but he is also on pace for 10 blown saves. As we reach the halfway point of his tenure here in the closer role, what was supposed to be a sure thing is becoming more of an uncertainty. When he comes in to pitch, fans get an uneasy feeling in their gut or a sharp pain in their chest.

A closer is supposed to automatic, but he has been anything but that. If he comes close to the pace of 10 blown saves, the Mets will most likely miss the playoffs. Those 10 games are the difference between contending for the division or losing out for the wild card. The Mets need to address this issue now, before he blows too many games and costs them a chance at a playoff season.

He has seemingly lost some zip on his fastball these days. Some speculate it may be due to injury or to lack of motivation, but regardless the reason, he is not the same pitcher he was.

The stats are still on pace for his averages, but something is missing. He walks too many batters at inopportune times and gives up far too many hits in key moments.

It’s almost as if the fire isn’t there, and he tries too hard to compensate for it. When that happens, he misses in the strike zone and gets burned for it.

The team has recognized that they need to address the bullpen. They have signed veteran reliever Brian Bruney to a minor league deal with the hope that he will help the club soon.

This was not the best of moves, considering he has had a feud of words with K-Rod and an ERA of 7.64. This is high, even in today’s baseball standards. It is so high in fact that he was released by the Washington Nationals earlier this season.

This is not a great choice for chemistry or performance thus far for the Mets . The problem though, is if they get a good bullpen option to set up K-Rod in the 8th ,can they trust K-Rod in the 9th ? Especially in big games?

This seems to be on the mind of the fans in general. If the team is to get to the post season, they must have confidence in their closer, and their closer must have confidence in himself in the key moments. So far, that confidence has seemingly been shaky on both sides, but it has particularly been called in question within the fan base.

This same fan base, who had heralded him with adoration only 18 months ago, now cringes when he comes in to pitch. That is a sure sign that there is little confidence in this element of the team from its’ fans. I mention fans because they are usually a good way to gauge a player’s performance overall in a season.

If a certain player excels, they will adore him. If he struggles, they will despise him. If that player is shaky or streaky, so are the fans toward him. Thus far, this season, the fan response has been generally mixed for the most part. That is a prime example of the overall performance from K-Rod this season.

He has been good and bad, just as the loyalties of the fans toward him have been. His streakiness must not go unnoticed, however. The fans are giving them signs to go by. They are telling the Mets that he has issues, and there is a reason to question him. The team needs to address his issues and be honest about recognizing that he has an issue. Otherwise, it will be an even longer next 18 months.

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The Major League Baseball trade deadline is just about a month away. Several teams have expressed needs and a desire to fill those needs through trades. When examining the potential for a trade, it comes down to one thing: desperation.

Many will say that a team will make a transaction based upon need, but deals are only made when a team is so desperate that it gives in to the other team’s demands.

For example, if a seller is desperate enough to get rid of a particular player, it may be willing to obtain a less talented player and pay most of its player’s contract just to unload the problem.

If a buyer is desperate enough for a certain position, it may be willing to offer multiple young players and a potential good future for the chance at present success.

One such team that will most likely be a buyer, is the New York Mets . The Mets have yet to truly determine their desperation. The needs are obvious to most fans.

They need a starting pitcher and a reliever. The right move could bring them both, however, how desperate are they?

Are they willing to part with several young and promising players as they have in seasons past? That is the essential question.

That may depend primarily on who is on the trade block. There have been several names thrown into the trade bonfire recently. The most prominent name is Cliff Lee .

With the possible exceptions of Stephen Strasburg and Armando Galarraga , he may be the most talked about pitcher in the league this season. A quick look at his recent stats may show us why.

From May 5, to now, Lee has posted a 2.39 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP. Both are far below the league averages. He currently has a 6-3 record for a Seattle Mariners team that struggles to score in his starts.

The major factor on whether or not to make the move for him depends on his impending free agency after this current season. He will command a very high salary somewhere in the neighborhood of double digit millions.

He will get it too, but there is no guarantee that whoever trades for him now has the inside track on signing him later.

Therefore, he may just essentially be a two month rental player for a contending team. The Mariners will want multiple young prospects in exchange for him. They plan to use this trade to stock up for the next several years and they want that effect to be as immediate as possible.

So the team that makes the deal will give up several top prospects and at least one current player on the major league roster for a pitcher it may not be able to resign. That is a very steep price. Is he worth it? Perhaps, but the answer really lies in the results of the expectations.

The team that makes that deal will expect him to help it get to and win the World Series. A move that costly to the team’s farm system can not end any other way to be deemed a successful gamble.

If he does not and he signs elsewhere, it would be viewed as a total failure. The Mets have been down this road before though.

In 2008, they were trading for Johan Santana who had just one season remaining on his contract. They were able to trade for him only after they worked out a long-term contract with him. Perhaps, this is what the team that trades for Lee will have to do, otherwise it could potentially be a complete waste.

Another player in the headlines is Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros . He holds a 3.55 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP. He may not be as closely monitored as Lee, but the same rules apply to him as well.

He is in high demand, so the Astros will want several prospects for him. He also may be seeking a large contract from the team that makes the move for him. He, like Lee, could be worth it for the right team in the right park for the right price.

A new name that has been emerging is Dan Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is having a below average season by his standards with a bad team. He currently holds a 4.56 ERA (career ERA is 3.69) and a 1.32 WHIP (1.19 career WHIP), but he is currently second in the National League in strikeouts with 115.

So far potential suitors are only interested in his career averages and feel that a new team can do him some good. If that is the case, Arizona will want a lot in exchange for him, maybe not as much as previously mentioned for Lee or Oswalt , but still a lot.

Then there is Fausto Carmona . He is stuck on a very bad Cleveland Indians team while in the middle of a very good year. His 3.64 ERA and 1.27 WHIP are going virtually unnoticed in Cleveland.

He is turning in a solid season for a disappointing team. He is their ace however, so they will command a high price to take Carmona off their hands.

The two Chicago teams could be potential sellers with multiple pieces to offer the trade market. However, the current hot streak that the White Sox have been riding in recent weeks may make them reluctant to sell so quickly. If they do, Jake Peavy wants to be shipped elsewhere.

He has admitted that he wants no part in a rebuilding effort and his 1.22 WHIP would be enticing to most teams in the trade market. If the White Sox do falter, then look for more stories regarding this possibility to surface by this time next month.

The Cubs, on the other hand, are in dire straits. They are desperate to unload their long-time ace Carlos Zambrano . They are so desperate in fact, that they are willing to pay the majority of the $45 million still owed to him just to entice a team to ship him out. In a new park, on a winning team, he may be useful, if he can get over his anger issues.

The Cubs may be desperate, but they are not stupid. After all, he is an ace and they will want major talent back in exchange for him. These pitchers are all wonderful choices for the most part, given the right team and atmosphere.

For the Mets, however, they need to be careful in selecting a potential trade partner and targeted player. They may not need to be so desperate as to give up the multiple prospects in their farm system that it would take to acquire one of these pitchers. All of these pitchers are or were at one time considered top tier aces on a staff.

The Mets may not need a top tier pitcher. They may be able to make a move for a second tier pitcher and give up far less while still acquiring a key component to a playoff run. When thinking of second tier pitchers that fit that mold, here are a few that come to mind.

Jeremy Guthrie of the Baltimore Orioles. His 1.19 WHIP is being overlooked by his record (3-9), but the truth is that he has only been shelled once in the past few months. In a pitcher’s park like Citi Field, he could be a good fit for the Mets .

Brian Bannister of the Kansas City Royals may be worth a look. His enormous ERA (5.29) and WHIP (1.48) are deceiving. He has really had only two dreadful starts in the past two months. Both of them he gave up more than seven runs, but he is averaging around three runs in the other games.

He is worth some consideration when you factor in the surroundings of Citi Field may help those stats. Also, he was drafted by the Mets and spent some time in Queens, so he is very familiar with the team, the area, and the media.

That is more than most of the previously mentioned pitchers can say. He would most likely come much cheaper too.

Finally, there is Ted Lilly of the Chicago Cubs. He has largely been overlooked this season. It is fair to say that he is having a very good season (3.28 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) despite being on a bad team, as long as the record (2-6) is not factored in. The right team could even that record out for him.

Lilly has experience with playoff-caliber teams, something that only a few of these pitchers have. Pitching in Chicago, he has experience with big media markets.

Also, with the exception of Lee, he could benefit the Mets in another way that no other pitcher here could. He is a left-handed pitcher and the Mets need a left-handed reliever.

Pedro Feliciano , at the time this article is being written, is the only lefty in the Mets bullpen. By adding Lilly, he could replace the lefty spot starter Hisanori Takahashi and send him back to the bullpen.

Thereby strengthening the rotation and the bullpen at the same time and negating the need to make two separate trades.

Only the additions of Lee or Lilly on this list could replace one lefty in the rotation for another and be so beneficial to the team. As mentioned before though, Lee would come at a much steeper price than Lilly.

There are several more players on the potential trading block, but these are all viable options and all have the ability to be a factor for a new team.

If the Mets want to be that team, they must act cautiously or suffer repeating lessons from the past. If they have the right timing for the right roster move, it could pay off for years to come and end this year with a bright present to match that bright potential future.

The question then remains, will the Mets do their homework and be patient enough to wait out a team’s desperation or will they be so desperate that they make the wrong move? The next month will tell us.

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On Tuesday, June 22, I had the privilege to journey to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. The stadium is in its’ second year in existence and it was my first time seeing it in person. I had been to the previous home of the team, Shea Stadium, a handful of times.

Like most fans, I cherished Shea Stadium and my opinion of the new stadium was that it paled in comparison to the memory of Shea. Each experience there was enchanting and I expected this trip to be nice, but not as exciting as previous ones. This experienced proved to be no less enchanting. It far exceeded any expectations I had formed prior to my visit.

For me, a fan who lives farther away from the action than most fans, the opportunity to immerse myself in the atmosphere is a rare occasion. It is, for me, comparable to a catholic journeying to the Vatican. It is an infrequent event, therefore it is an event that holds extraordinary expectations.

As I approached the stadium, it resembled, to me, a cathedral more than a baseball stadium. With this inspiration in mind, I recalled a line from the movie Bull Durham, “I believe in the church of baseball”. It was at this point that I decided that, regardless of the outcome of the day, I was in my church and I would enjoy the sermon.

I was in my element among fellow Mets brethren. It was truly a religious experience. Upon walking into the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, I was in awe. From the moment I saw the gigantic number 42 in his honor, through viewing all of the pictures, quotes and mementos of a legend, I found myself lost in the humility of greatness.

My next experience was nearly indescribable. I found myself entirely submerged into nearly 50 years of history. I was standing in the Mets museum, surrounded by artifacts and items I had only seen in pictures or television. I repeatedly had to wake myself from the hypnotic euphoria of the experience.

I found myself reliving memory after glorious memory from my childhood. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the history, it was all I could do to prevent being swept away with emotion. After touring the museum, I lost myself, and more money than I intended, in the Mets gift shop.

I have never and probably may never see so many New York Mets logos in one place in my lifetime again. Living deep in southern New Jersey, as with most of the country, Mets apparel i not readily available. I swam from aisle to aisle of collectible nostalgia and Mets inspired keepsakes.

When I finally arrived in the seat I would be residing in for the duration of the experience, I was moved. The ambiance, vantage point and overall warmth of the stadium left me dumbfounded and silent. I was captured by the atmosphere and the excitement of the live experience.

First the national anthem was belted out beautifully, followed by the ceremonial first pitch by my favorite sitcom actor, Kevin James. This was followed by two and a half solid innings, in which the Mets held an advantage. By the bottom of the third inning however, mother nature responded.

Despite a monsoon which led to a rain delay of nearly an hour, my spirits were not dampened. During the delay, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Daily Stache writer and blogger, Tom Greenhalgh. After a wonderful conversation, and a rare photo-op with Tom, the game resumed.

Despite the attempt of the opponent of the day, the Detroit Tigers, the Mets never allowed the weather to slow them down. They exploded for eight runs in that third inning that lasted more than an hour. As the game developed, so did the crowd’s interest and the player’s felt it. At one point, center fielder Angel Pagan waived to our section after fans there repeatedly called out for him.

In the sixth inning, I was graced with the presence of another fellow writer and genius, Ash Marshall of the Bleacher Report. He had been there to interview some players for a series of articles he was working on. The team, meanwhile, continued to roll. They went on to win that night 14-6, behind a 4 hit performance from Angel Pagan, who fell just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Many of the fans had left before the end of the game. The rain delay and abnormal explosion of offense in a ballpark with a pitcher friendly reputation led to a late evening for all. Still, I couldn’t help but to feel like the majority of the fans there didn’t appreciate the evening to its’ fullest.

Perhaps many of us take it for granted that the team is right there and so is their stadium. However, that realization did not escape me. As a fan who has to travel a few hours to see my team play at home, I was just humbled to be a part of the overall experience. As I left, I finally felt, as a Mets fan, that I was home for the first time since Shea was demolished.

I left vowing to return. I vowed that I would once again meet with my brethren. I would reunite with my family and relish the unity and warmth in our cathedral, our sanctuary, our home that is Citi Field. The home of our New York Mets.

To view more pics from my experience or see more of my work, go to my blog. http://nyfaninsjersey.blospot.com

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The city of Chicago has seen its share of hard times. In 1871 they had a massive fire that lasted for days. It destroyed everything in it’s wake. The city rebuilt though and once again became a prominent destination in the United States, both economically and competitively.

They have had sports teams struggle in mediocrity and succeed to the heights of their profession. Among their teams are the Bears, who have such a storied history in the NFL that it speaks for itself and the Bulls, who have won many NBA championships and were the sports dynasty of the 90’s.

Just a week ago, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, the most prized trophy in the NHL.

Both the White Sox and the Cubs have tasted success as well, although the White Sox remain the only one of the two teams to win a World Series in the past century.

These days, despite all that success, the city is preparing for another fire of sorts: a fire sale. Both of the baseball teams are mired in over-sized contracts for players and have been underachieving.

Both the Cubs and the White Sox have openly discussed the possibility of trades for several players on each of the teams.

This rebuilding stage has led to other players wanting to be traded. The uproar has, and will, create a domino effect over the next month as the trade deadline looms closer.

As these teams unload their highest paid and most attractive talent, the frenzy can benefit a contending team.

Provided that there are teams that have a savvy general manager, I believe several other MLB competitors can grow stronger from the Chicago fire sale.

If a team is close to first or second place in their division, in other words if they’re in contention, expect them to become possible buyers for the talent that Chicago has to offer.

One such team is the New York Mets. They have a few weaknesses that, despite being a few games over the .500 mark, are still noticeable. They do need another starting pitcher to go along with their two aces, Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey.

The rumor swarm is buzzing all around the internet that the Mets are in serious contract talks with the Seattle Mariners for Cliff Lee.

However, the Mariners will be asking for a lot if they’re going to send Lee to Queens. In particular, they would want the man who just last week joined a small list of Mets pitchers to throw a one hitter, Jon Niese. To many fans, that will be too much to ask. Allow me to propose another alternative.

One player that does not want to stay around for the rebuilding in Chicago is Jake Peavy . 

Lee will be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Mets are not guaranteed the chance to resign him if they pull the trigger on that trade. So they would give up Niese and others for Lee for a half of a season.

Peavy may command just as much for the White Sox, but he is still under contract for several years. If the Mets have to include Niese in any package for a top tier pitcher, than it should be a pitcher under a contract like a Jake Peavy or a Roy Oswalt . Both have recently been rumored to being open to trades to contenders like the Mets.

Personally, I think the Mets should only pull the trigger if they can keep Niese and include someone else in a trade package.

There will be many mid-level starters open to trade as the deadline nears. Starters that would cost the Mets far less and still be productive for the team now and in the next few seasons.

These major trades are the hardest to pull off. The Mets would be more prudent if they were to think of small splashes instead of major tidal waves.

With this in mind, the Cubs have expressed interest in trading several players also. Players like Ryan Theriot and Kosuke Fukodome would cost far less for the Mets to acquire.

The Mets don’t have a need in the outfield, so Fukodome would not be worth any interest, but Theriot proposes an intriguing proposition. He is currently a .289 hitter with 14 stolen bases. He has been on winning teams, so he knows what that winning experience entails and what it takes to get there.

The Mets do need another starter, but they also need another utility infielder with a solid bat. They have tried Frank Catalanotto, Mike Jacobs, and Gary Mathews Jr. among others to fill that void on the bench.

Struggling defense or cold bats have led to all of them being demoted or released. The Mets still search for a bat to contribute in that part time role.

Theriot could be just that bat, and the Mets could get him with only giving up one player. Perhaps that player would be Nick Evans. I wrote on Evans being wasted in the minors. If the Mets don’t want to promote him to the majors or even to AAA to face better pitching, then perhaps they should consider using him as trade bait.

There are several players the Mets have to choose from at the minor league level. Despite the opinion of some, the Mets are deeper than most think in the farm system. Nick Evans makes more sense, though, because he has some experience at the major league level.

The Mets have a short list of untouchables. That list includes Johan Santana, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Mike Pelfrey, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Francisco Rodriguez, Ike Davis, and Reuben Tejada.

Just about everyone else is up in the air. There are some players that no team would take off their hands. That list includes Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, and John Maine.

The Mets have to be smart when they decide to make a move. They must consider financial restraints, roster depth, minor league depth, and impact on the current team. These are all factors. They can’t over spend and be stuck with an enormous contract.

They can’t trade too many prospects and leave the cupboard bare. They can’t tinker with the current team’s chemistry and cost them the confidence and unity that they have developed in recent games. However, they need to improve on a few aspects.

If the Mets can use the desperation of teams like the White Sox and Cubs to their advantage, they may be able to improve and not over spend or give up too much.

They must act with wisdom and patience if they are to make the right move for this current team. Otherwise, by the wrong deal or inactivity, they could be burned by the Chicago fire sale.

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This season has been full of surprises for the New York Mets . They have shown dominance at home and futile efforts on the road. They have had several injuries to key players, but these injuries have also been considered a blessing to some.

They have taken advantage of injured players and their vacated roster spots. Most notably, John Maine, Oliver Perez and Carlos Beltran. They have done this by inserting hungry players to take their place—players like Angel Pagan, R. A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi .

Take Dickey and Takahashi , for example. They have combined for a 7-2 record in nine combined starts and their ERAs are 3.20 and 3.80 respectively, compared to Oliver Perez and John Maine, who are a combined 1-6. Both are also sporting an ERA over 6.00.

Granted, Dickey and Takahashi have amassed this combined record in half of the combined starts, but are still impressive nonetheless. It is an estimated eight starts for the Dickey/Takahashi duo and 16 for the Perez/Maine combination.

Still, this has been a breath of fresh air for not only the ball club, but for their fan-base as well. Another case in point would be Angel Pagan. In his time with the Mets , he has shown flashes of greatness, only to have that fire extinguished by injuries.

Now he seems as healthy as ever and also as productive as ever. In his time so far this season, he has made the most of his opportunity. Going into today’s double header, he has a .294 batting average with four home runs, four triples, 25 RBI’s and 11 stolen bases in 56 games. In other words, he is not just taking advantage of his chances, but also of the ballpark in which he is playing.

While Carlos Beltran has been ridiculed and criticized for his poor decision to have surgery nearly a month and a half before spring training, Pagan has flourished. With all this good, warm sunshine on the roster, news of rain must come. Not the rain that forced a double header today, but rather an interesting tidbit of news on the rehab front for the club.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post , Maine and Beltran are making progress. Maine is preparing to make a few starts in the minors with the AA Binghamton club.

He begins his stint with the AA team on June 13. Also, Beltran has been starting split squad games down in Port St. Lucie under the careful watch of Mets’ brass and trainers.

This is all good news for them, but not necessarily for the team. If the Mets are to continue their rise in the standings and preserve team unity, they need to keep these hungry players around as long as they can. Keep in mind, the players that are being discussed in rehab assignments are part of the old regime.

Beltran has been under the continual microscope over the past few seasons due to his repeated comments about division rivals and rivalries. His stats when healthy have been wonderful, but he is not the best clubhouse presence. Some may even call him stale air as opposed to the fresh air of the youth that has been pumped into the locker room as of late.

Maine has been scrutinized for his heart and passion, after comments in spring training and poor outings so far this season. He is considering a move to the bullpen upon his return, which shows he is thinking of the team’s needs. Still, how effective will he be if he continues to show a lack of intensity, especially in that role?

Oliver Perez has been a constant distraction in the locker room and in the media. His open refusal to be demoted to the minors to work out his problems and unproductive outings have left him ostracized by both the media and the fans. Perhaps even the players may have alienated him for his selfishness as well.

This was followed by a controversial decision by the Mets to place him on the disabled list. That move has been investigated by the MLB and has since been approved, though the transaction had odd timing. A supposed injury to a disgruntled, struggling and cancerous-to-the-clubhouse type of player is a curious move indeed.

All of these players may be nice people, as written and reported countless times by the Mets and their media affiliates, but they are not helping the team with their controversy or selfishness.

The replacements, however, are helping the team in several ways. If these players are in fact riding a hot streak in their careers and the Mets are catching lightning in a bottle, then they must be given every opportunity to succeed.

By succeeding individually, the team will succeed collectively. That is the common goal—teamwork, dedication, and energy. These present players are exhibiting those qualities. The old regime has proven one thing: They can’t stay healthy long enough to be successful enough to make a run to the World Series.

The nucleus of this team is not getting younger, and their time and prime are dwindling down, game by wasted game, season by wasted season. The Mets roster has been turned over more times than a hamburger in a frying pan these past few seasons.

While the same few players that the franchise has been built around are stuck in mediocrity, the team as a whole has either come up short or come up lame.

If they are to contend, they need passion, heart and confidence . I have previously written about this in an article entitled “Five Things the Mets Need to Seriously Contend.”

In it I wrote the following:

“The swagger I speak of is that of confidence, not so much arrogance, but a realization that you’re good and can match up with anyone. They had that once, and they need to reacquire it, or else they will be doomed to mediocrity.”

These players bring that energy and confidence to every start and every at bat. If the Mets and their fans want all of the players to bring that energy and that air of confidence, then the Mets need to hang on to players that invigorate others.

These players not only do so, but they make the team stronger, deeper, and more exciting. That is something that has been missing for a few years now.

For more of my work, check out my blog- http://nyfaninsjersey.blogspot.com

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