Kuzul

Earlier this week, during baseball’s Winter Meetings, super agent Scott Boras categorized the New York Mets as a team that is normally in the “steaks section,” but now find themselves in the “fruits and nuts category a lot.”

Any Mets fan will admit there are plenty of nuts running around the organization at the moment.

It’s far too late to claim that fans want a contender—they’re dying for one.

In the wake of Jose Reyes signing with the newly-christened Miami Marlins, the only thing the Mets can do is shop around in the bargain bin and find any way to keep butts in the seats while their better prospects develop.

General manager Sandy Alderson, completely unwilling (and rightfully so) to concede anything, including the upcoming 2012 season, hopes to build a long-term contender no later than 2014. And with prospects like Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Jenrry Mejia, Matt Harvey and Brandon Nimmo in the fold, that just might be possible.

Yes, they should trade David Wright, but that’s an article for another day.

But with the farm system still unable to bear Major League-ready fruit, can the Mets actually find a way to compete within the NL East—a division which is arguably the best in baseball?

After several days of inactivity, Alderson finally made a flurry of moves, trading Angel Pagan to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Andres Torres and reliever Ramon Ramirez, and signing relievers Frank Francisco (two-years, $12 million) and Jon Rauch (one-year, $3.5 million).

Ramirez, Rauch and Francisco give manager Terry Collins plenty of arms to choose from in Spring Training.

Francisco, 32, went 1-4 with a 3.55 ERA and had 17 saves in 54 relief appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays last season. Rauch, 33, is a good match for the Mets, finishing 2011 5-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 53 relief appearances. He missed the remainder of the season after being sidelined September 4 with torn cartilage in his right knee. Ramirez, 30, went 3-3 with a 2.62 ERA in 66 relief appearances for the San Francisco Giants last season.

In adding Torres, Alderson took a page out of the Moneyball Handbook, hoping that the Torres of 2010 will reemerge. He hit just .221 with four home runs and a .312 OBP last season, but two seasons ago, Torres was a monster.

Although he produced a ho-hum slash line of .268/.343/.479, he was tied with the Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista with a 6.8 WAR. Defensively, he posted a revised zone rating of 96 percent, first among centerfielders.

While Torres might be a slight upgrade, especially defensively, over Pagan, and the addition of three relievers gives Collins more flexibility to sort out the bullpen, Alderson didn’t add any actually wins to the Mets roster.

Once again, the Mets bullpen is going to be a trial-by-error system—everyone will have a chance to fill a role until they begin to show imperfections, at which time, hopefully, Collins will make a change.

Last season, the Mets bullpen ranked 15th in the NL in both BAA (.267) and ERA (4.33).

The Mets will enter 2012 with a team of retreads and returning players, like first baseman Ike Davis and starting pitcher Johan Santana. Unless Alderson puts the hammer down and trades a player like David Wright, the next few seasons will be highlighted by continual futility and failure.

Will the Philadelphia Phillies finally start to show their age? Will expectations become too much for the completely revamped Miami Marlins? The Atlanta Braves missed the playoffs only because of a nightmare September collapse; will they recover or enter a free fall not unlike the Mets’?

Heck, even the Washington Nationals, who are expected to break camp with stud Bryce Harper, have a brighter future than the Mets.

So what can Alderson, Collins and the Mets actually do?

For now…nothing.

If Alderson is unwilling to concede the season and start making serious trades, there isn’t much to be done. Yes, the Mets have reportedly been shopping young players like reliever Bobby Parnell and starting pitcher Jon Niese, but Alderson didn’t seem very willing to actually pull the trigger, and it’s unclear exactly what the market’s interest was.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Mets will make any aggressive moves between now and the start of Spring Training, but it seems that, once again, Mets fans will be looking at another season of disappointment.

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The Winter Meetings just ended this week and as expected, Brian Cashman made zero significant moves other than bringing back their own free agents. The Yankees may be interested in Yu Darvish and Yoenis Cespedes, but as of right now, they have not made any moves.

The 2011-2012 offseason was dominated by first basemen, such as Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, but the New York Yankees already have Mark Teixeira and had no need for either of them.

The Yankees need pitching to push them over the top to legitimate World Series contenders, and the 2012-2013 free agent class is full of great starting pitchers. The Yankees also have other important needs, such as right field and the left side of the infield.

This class of free agents is loaded, and Brian Cashman would be smart to take advantage of this fact and go out and make at least one huge deal. Let’s see who they will be targeting in the next offseason.

It may be a little early, but we all love predictions, so let’s look ahead at next offseason targets for the New York Yankees.

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Mets fans have been running to message boards for the last two weeks to vent their frustration with Mets ownership and the approach the organization has taken in the Jose Reyes “sweepstakes”.

Most fans demand that the organization do whatever it takes to keep Reyes at Citi Field while other fans don’t see Reyes as a part of the future. To those fans, Reyes is a symbol of an era in the team’s history that is infamous for underachieving and monumental collapse. It’s hard to disagree with those fans.

Reyes supporters see him as the premier leadoff hitter in baseball. A player who brings the type of explosiveness and energy to a lineup that simply cannot be replaced. It’s hard to disagree with those fans, too.

The real question Mets fans must ask themselves is: Does re-signing Jose Reyes improve our chances of winning a World Series? I do not believe that it will.

Now before I am attacked by the Reyes supporters, give me a few minutes to explain. My call for Mets ownership to let Reyes go is not without a plan in place. Re-signing Jose Reyes for say, five years $100 million would tie up $20 million a year in a player that has not helped take this team to the next level since he’s been here.

Since Reyes came on the scene in 2003, the Mets have made the playoffs just once. Just one playoff appearance in eight seasons. Reyes is commanding an average salary of $20 million. Albert Pujols will most likely land a contract that pays him between $24-25 million a season. Pujols has played with the Cardinals for 10 years and delivered seven playoff appearances, three trips to the World Series, and two rings. It makes a hell of a lot more sense for the Cardinals to hold on to their premier player then it does for the Mets to hold on to Reyes.

Now you may be saying that it isn’t fair to compare the two. I say that they are most definitely comparable. They are both going to command superstar salaries. Salaries that will effect the teams flexibility to upgrade other areas of the team for years to come. It is up to the Mets to walk away from the negotiation table and move on from Jose.

If Jose had a resume that was even HALF of Pujols’ I would re-think my stance, but it isn’t remotely close. I will never deny that Reyes is a fun player to watch but Mets fans need much more than a dancing bear. Mets fans need a winner and the numbers just don’t support a case for Reyes in that department.

Earlier I said that I would not suggest cutting Reyes loose without a plan. The plan is as such. Letting Reyes walk will net the Mets two solid draft picks. The value of those picks could change with a new CBA agreement but nonetheless the picks will most certainly put the Mets in slot where two serviceable prospects can be obtained.

Go into next season with all intentions of moving David Wright at the deadline. Wright has been a good soldier but his resume is the same as Reyes’. As a Mets fan, you love to hear Wright being quoted that he wants to be part of the solution but the bottom line is that the Mets are in a transitional phase. A transition that will not be complete until Wright is nearing the end of his prime.

With the way that Wright’s contract shakes out, the Mets will probably only be able to grab one decent prospect from a desperate team at the deadline. Similar to what they received for Carlos Beltran from the Giants.

So now you have just received three prospects for two underachieving athletes. Not so bad.

Next up is Johan Santana. If Johan comes back healthy and effective, believe me I understand that this is one giant IF, the Mets need to do whatever it takes to move him for a prospect or two. Yes, they will probably have to eat a large portion of his contract, but as was the case with Beltran the more money you eat the better prospect you will get in return.

Now we are up to four prospects for two underachieving athletes and one that has just had rotten luck since joining the team.

Team those four prospects with Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Matt Harvey, Wilmer Flores, Juan Lagares, and Jenrry Mejia. That is one impressive farm system. A farm system that can produce the type of players that will most certainly contend for a World Series in the near future. Plus, add in the draft pick they have this season as well as the one they’ll receive for what is most certain to be a trying 2012 season and the Mets are on their way.

I understand that most fans won’t agree with this approach and that’s fair but stop and ask yourself this question first: Do you honestly believe that holding on to Jose Reyes is the key to winning a championship?

For those of you that say yes, I beg you to try and remember the past eight seasons and come back to me then. For those of you that say no, I thank you for shedding the New York sports fan mentality and getting on board with the road to recovery. It may be a long road, but as Mets fans; do we know any other one?   

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I hate to write this article, but Chipper Jones will be 40 years old during the first month of the 2012 season. That means it’s time to take a look at five guys the Atlanta Braves could bring in to replace one of their all-time great players, a player with a World Series ring, MVP Award and batting title.

Chipper has said he will return for 2012, and has a $7 million club option for 2013 that would become automatic if he plays 123 games in 2012. Since the Braves have limited options right now, there’s a good chance he reaches that number of games if he can stay fairly healthy.

It’s also worth noting that he is still 385 hits away from 3,000 after picking up 125 in 2011, so there’s a chance he tries to stick it out through 2014 to reach the magic number of 3,000. Since it’s unknown how much he would have in the tank at that point in his career, I’m looking at guys that would replace him following the 2012 or 2013 seasons.

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Most non-Mets fans take a look at the Mets starting lineup and aside from Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran you can hear a resounding “Who?”.  I say to those baseball fans: Take a closer look. There is a player in that lineup that can help David Wright resemble the player he once was. He is the reigning NL rookie of the month, Justin Turner. 

Turner has been a spark plug for the Mets offense and has contributed to their recent surge in the National League despite missing two of their biggest bats, David Wright and Ike Davis. The Mets have won 8-of-12 and although players like Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada and Angel Pagan have been terrific, it is Turner that has really stepped up. Turner has driven in 23 runs in just under a month and has helped cushion the loss of Wright and Davis.

Although Turner’s offensive production has been a godsend, his recent success can serve as a wake-up call to Mets third baseman David Wright. In no way am I suggesting that Turner should take Wright’s job once David is healthy. What I am suggesting is that Wright break down Turner’s success and learn from it. Some of you may be thinking: Are you insane? Why should David Wright break down a 26-year-old rookie’s one month of success? I’ll tell you why.

Turner has had 12 hits to left, 12 to center, and 15 to right this season, clearly using all sides of the field to drive in runs. Remind you of anyone? If you guessed pre-pull happy David Wright, then we’re both on the same page. From 2006 through 2009 Wright had 47, 53, 39, and 46 hits to the opposite field. Last season saw that total drop to a career low 26. Mets fans have witnessed Wright go from one of the best two strike hitters who uses the whole field to a dead pull hitter that set a career high for strikeouts last season.

I disagree with Fred Wilpon that David Wright is not a superstar. I do agree that he has not played like one in a very long time. The key to Wright’s return to prominence is not to hit more home runs and conquer the Great Wall of Flushing in right field. His return to success will come when he realizes that he has to go back to being the player who had the makings of a superstar.

The success of a 26-year-old rookie may be just what this franchise needed.

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Typically, in the game of baseball, there are positions that are expected to generate a lot of offense, and some that are more defensive-oriented with little power threat.

In general, the latter positions are usually second base, shortstop, center field and catcher. But the corner infield and outfield positions have historically produced higher offensive numbers. But, so far in 2011, one position has neglected that precedent—third base.

Some examples for this power outage are injury-related, some are due to aging athletes playing past their prime, and some are just anomalies. But whatever the reason, many teams around baseball have had poor power numbers from their hot corner patrols.

Case in point: Last season, Major League third basemen combined to hit .263 with 567 home runs, to go along with a .418 slugging percentage. In 2009, they totaled 588 home runs, and slugged at a .421 mark.

But so far in 2011, third baseman have hit just 146 home runs (just five more than ML second basemen), with a .245 batting average and a .368 slugging percentage.

We can take a look at some individual performances to truly get to the bottom of this head scratcher. For instance, two of the game’s brightest third baseman over the past five or six seasons have been sidelined much of the year with injuries.

The Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman has appeared in just eight games in 2011, and none since injuring himself on April 9. Zimmerman has been on the 15-day disabled list ever since, suffering from a torn abdominal muscle. He is currently on a rehab assignment, but no definitive timetable has been established for his return to the lineup.

Mets’ third baseman, and good friend of Zimmerman’s, David Wright is also sidelined on the disabled list. Wright suffered a stress fracture in his back while making a defensive play against the Astros on April 19. A month later, he was placed on the disabled list, and is now expected to be sidelined until some point in July.

The Rays’ Evan Longoria played the first two games of the season, and then missed a month due to an oblique injury. Since his return on May 3, Longoria has just four home runs and a .244 batting average. He endured a span of 56 at-bats without a long ball earlier this year, and just hasn’t been able to find a groove at the plate so far.

There are some third baseman that are overall healthy, but just haven’t produced to their precedent standards.

For instance, Cubs’ third baseman Aramis Ramirez has averaged 28 home runs per season from 2001-2010. So far in 2011, he has three—and he hit his second and third each with the last 10 days. He does have a respectable .288 batting average on the season, but so far his offensive stats resemble more of a middle infielder than a third baseman.

Scott Rolen has just two home runs so far in 2011 and a .245 batting average. He missed about 19 games for the Reds earlier this year with a neck injury, but at 36 years of age, Rolen’s days as an offensive threat could be close to over.

Similarly, Chipper Jones could be nearing the end as well. He has just six home runs on the year, and his slugging percentage is 100 points lower than his career mark.

After a 23-home run campaign in 2010, the Brewers’ Casey McGehee has struggled much of 2011. He has just four home runs on the year to go along with a paltry .227 batting average.

There are also some teams that don’t currently have a legitimate, typical third baseman. The Florida Marlins, for instance, have used a combination of Emilio Bonifacio, Wes Helms and Greg Dobbs to man the hot corner. And though they are all professional hitters, none of them have the proven ability to smash 20-plus home runs on a consistent basis.

The same holds true for the Angels (Alberto Callaspo), Indians (Jack Hannahan), Diamondbacks (Ryan Roberts) and the Royals (Wilson Betemit).

The Toronto Blue Jays are a team worth highlighting. They have the game’s best home run hitter over the last season and a half playing right field, when he has spent much time at third base in his career.

Jose Bautista hit an MLB-best 54 home runs a year ago, and is once again leading the world in big flies with 20. And though he’s played over 350 games at third base, the Jays are content in letting Jayson Nix and Edwin Encarnacion (who have combined to hit six home runs all year) waste away at third base.

Of course, not every Major League third baseman is having a poor season. Adrian Beltre is certainly proving his worth to the Texas Rangers, who signed him to a blockbuster five-year, $80 million contract this past winter. Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Youkilis and Placido Polanco all have quality seasons so far in 2011.

There may be a shift coming in Major League Baseball. Several perennial third base All-Stars are now past their primes and have shown serious decline in offensive production. A new generation of hot corner patrol is on it’s way (witness Mike Moustakas’ debut for the Kansas City Royals Friday night).

Bottom line, if the All-Star game was today, who would you choose to be play third base for either league? The choices this year seem to be awfully thin…perhaps the thinnest the game has seen in the last decade.

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As the MLB trade deadline approaches every year, rumors swirl about what big names will be on the move.

I barely even remembered Alex Rodriguez almost ended up with the Boston Red Sox back in 2003 before the MLBPA shot it down. Can you imagine how differently things could have turned out around the league?

It’s fun to look back on trades and think about “what could have been” after seeing how some of the prospects turned out a few years down the road. So many teams make trades that look horrible in the long run (see: Pittsburgh Pirates), but there are just as many cases where trades fall through that would have been great for those teams.

The following 10 trades were all at one point in time in the works before being declined or falling apart—and they all could have reshaped MLB as we know it.

Here are 10 trades that almost happened (but never did).

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It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

The Mets were supposed to play the first half of the season, find themselves far out of contention, and start trading off players.

Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran were supposed to be traded because the Mets simply had no reason to hold onto them. After all, why resign players for big money when there are so many reasons to start a rebuilding process?

Contending teams pick apart the basement dwellers for spare parts. That’s how baseball works.

But now the Mets find themselves at the .500 mark (22-22) for the first time since they were 4-4 on April 9.

Even with Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Johan Santana on the DL, and a roster comprised mostly of Buffalo Bisons, this Mets team finds ways to win baseball games.

This Mets team comes from behind, wins games in spite of poor pitching, and isn’t intimidated by seemingly superior teams.

Even Mets fans have to feel comfortable when guys like Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy come to the plate with runners in scoring position and the game on the line.

Last night, the Mets got a go-ahead solo home run from Murphy and a two-out RBI double from Turner as the Mets took the Subway Series opener against the Yankees, 2-1.

It’s not the high-priced talent making the difference; it’s the youngsters taking advantage of the opportunities provided to them by injuries.

If this inspiring play continues, Sandy Alderson may have to rethink his plans for this season.

With their farm system in need of an overhaul and an inability to spend big money, Alderson was faced with a difficult task: Trading off his popular players for an infusion of prospects, and hoping that an already disillusioned fanbase keeps showing up to games afterwards.

But will Alderson still trade Reyes or Beltran or Francisco Rodriguez if the Mets are actually contending?

Given the team’s performance over the last few weeks, it’s not unreasonable to think a Wild Card berth might be in their future. Heck, even the division isn’t out of reach.

The Phillies, despite their powerhouse rotation, isn’t without their flaws; the Florida Marlins are playing their best baseball in years, but always seem to fade down the stretch and they just placed Josh Johnson on the 15-day DL; and the Atlanta Braves have been up and down all season.

Can the Mets take advantage at this point in the season and make a quick push up the standings?

They’re only five games out of first place and three and a half in the Wild Card standings.

For now, the Mets are contenders.

If it’s the same (or even better) when the trade deadline rolls around, will Alderson still shop his players or will be convince the Wilpons that opening their wallets to resign Reyes or allow K-Rod’s $17.5 million option for 2012 to vest is a good idea?

Watching guys like Turner and Jason Pridie come up from the minors and have a positive impact on the team makes you think that perhaps the Mets would be successful if they gave more of their prospects a chance to play.

And they do have promising pitchers like Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia making their way towards the major leagues.

There are reasons for optimism within Mets Land.

But just like it would be a good idea to keep this team together if they’re contending, the opposite is true.

The Mets are winning games without their best players, meaning that it’s possible to put a winning product on the field even without their All-Stars.

Wright would fetch the highest haul of prospects in a trade since he’s under team control through 2012.

The Mets can win without Wright. They’re 3-1 since Wright landed on the DL.

Could it be Wright, and not Reyes, who gets traded this season?

No matter what the standings say, Alderson has some tough decisions to make.

He can ignore the Mets’ record and still trade off his most valuable pieces to build a winner for the future, not keep one for the short-term.

He can spend what little money the Mets have and keep this group together, letting the chips fall where they may, and Reyes and Beltran walk away at the end of the season.

Who would’ve guessed that the more the Mets win, the more likely the might lose in other ways?

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There’s a good feeling in the air when it comes to the Toronto Blue Jays.  Despite their sub-.500 record, most fans are enthusiastic.  The Rogers Centre has had some good crowds, especially for a roof-closed April.  And the Jays have played some fairly exciting baseball. 

At this point, there have only been five games where the Jays haven’t won or at least brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.

There’s much ado about how GM Alex Anthopoulos is deftly handling the team.  SI.com’s Jon Heyman has ranked the trading of Vernon Wells and the re-signing of Jose Bautista as the two most significant moves of the baseball offseason.  AA is also receiving kudos for a rapid turnaround of the farm system and assembling a strong bullpen that has had to work more than any other team.

On the field, fans are treated to the Blue Jays newfound affinity for the stolen base, especially from center fielder Rajai Davis, who is turning walks into triples. 

Yunel Escobar is flashing the leather like no other shortstop has in years and Bautista is crushing home runs at a higher rate than last year.  He’s arguably the best player in baseball, right now.

Watchable, indeed.

Midway through May, they are now into the real meat of the season.  They’ve completed two tough road trips, with a nice slate of upcoming home games.  So, with the roof rolled back and the warm sun inspiring two 10-dollar beer purchases, the fans have been wondering, “What’s the first big splash going to be?”

The first two names to get thrown out are the biggest in next year’s free-agent pool:  Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.  Both are legit stars who will command huge dollars and would look really pretty next to Bautista in the lineup.  While the owner, Rogers, has plenty of cash, are they willing to dole out the $25 million per year to get them?

Next on the list would have to be Jose Reyes of the New York Mets.  He, too, will attract major money.  The cash-strapped Mets have a big decision to make.  Do they deal him midseason and avoid losing him for nothing?  Or, considering Carlos Beltran is coming off the books, do they offer him a contract extension?

After that, the pickings start to get slim.  There’s an aging Beltran or J.D. Drew or Jorge Posada.  Not bad, but they certainly don’t fit into Blue Jay plans.  How about Conor Jackson?  Or Cody Ross?  Not really big splashes, are they?

I suggest they go back and talk to the Mets, but not for Reyes.  Rather, the guy playing 40-feet to his right: David Wright.

The Mets would be smart to hang onto Reyes and build around him.  He’s super-talented and just entering his prime years.  To do this, the Mets are going to have to clear space somewhere else.  Beltran’s expiring contract isn’t enough and Jason Bay’s contract isn’t going anywhere.  Wright is ripe for trading.

Wright has tremendous numbers.  He’s a career .302/.382/.512 hitter.  He has averaged over 25 homers and over 100 RBI in five of the last six seasons.  He’s compiled 1,200 hits in a six-and-a-half-year career.  He’s capable of stealing 20 (30 in the Jays system) bases.  He’s a tremendous defender with two Gold Gloves.  He’s got two Silver Sluggers and five All-Star appearances.  He’s only 28 years old, and his contract is fair and affordable for the Jays.

He definitely counts as a big splash.  So, what would it take to get him?

The Mets are already rumoured to be interested in Aaron Hill.  So, let’s start there.  A healthy Hill is also an All-Star with good power and a nice defensive skill set.  He’d be a nice double-play complement for Reyes.  Also, Hill’s contract options are relatively cheap.

Clearly, Hill isn’t enough.  They Jays would have to ship a top-tier prospect or two along for the ride.  I’m thinking Eric Thames or Brad Mills, maybe both.  Jo-Jo Reyes is a piece that can be used, as well.  I know you’re thinking that’s a ridiculous proposition.  But, he’s not that bad of a pitcher and the Mets rotation is hideous.  Jo-Jo is a definite upgrade.

So, let’s say the Jays land Wright.  I know lots of you have already yelled at the screen, “What about Brett Lawrie?!”  Fair question.  The Jays are grooming him for third base.  Well, the facts are that his defensive skills will never be great and he has a weak arm.  The Blue Jays would be completely fine with moving him to left field.

Problem solved!  Uh, not really. 

What happens when Travis Snider returns?  I say put him in center field.  He’s deceptively quick and has a very strong arm.  CF is a legitimate option.

What about Rajai Davis?  Well, he’s going to have to be sacrificed.  He is absolutely magic on the basepaths and is a treat to watch.  But Snider is capable of 30 swipes, which isn’t in Davis‘ range, but still excellent. 

This makes Snider/Lawrie/Wright a much better combination than Davis/Snider/Lawrie.  Davis could even become part of the deal that brings Wright over.

David Wright would be a very big splash for the Jays.  This deal could be done straightaway,  giving the Jays enough firepower to play meaningful September baseball this year.  The top six in the Jays lineup could be Escobar/Lawrie/Bautista/Wright/Lind/Snider.  That’s fairly formidable consider all could hit 25 long balls.

I’d love to see this happen.  What do you guys think?

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Already, the Florida Marlins are in excellent shape to make a run at the postseason for the first time since 2003. The Marlins have gotten a Cy Young worthy performance out of Josh Johnson and solid outings out of Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez, who nearly repeated his gem from 2006. Yet, they’re still waiting on Chris Volstad and Javier Vazquez to follow suit.

The bullpen has been tremendous, leading MLB in ERA (1.63) and BAA (.178), as of Saturday, they are one of two teams that has yet to blow a save this season (Dodgers). 

The starting lineup has gotten surprises from Logan Morrison, leading the team in home runs and RBIs despite now being out for the next two to three weeks with a foot injury, Gaby Sanchez, Emilio Bonifacio and even Brett Hayes.

Nevertheless, they have yet to get production from their best bats in Hanley Ramirez and Mike Stanton who are seemingly closing in on breaking out of their slumps; this makes the Marlins even scarier.

With all that said everything seems well with the Marlins but even the front office knows they are missing a piece. If you remember before the season started, the front office tried to make a splash by going after Rangers infielder Michael Young.

Such trade talks fell through mainly because Texas was asking for a lot in return for the 34-year-old and paying roughly half his salary ($16 million per season until 2013).  

Of course, the Marlins bowed out of the race, but hold on, why stop there? If the Marlins really are interested in going after Michael Young, a two-time Gold Glover, why don’t they go after a much “younger” version in Mets third baseman David Wright? 

Currently, the Marlins third baseman of future, Matt Dominguez is nursing a fractured elbow he suffered on April 1st in a Triple-A game and that has delayed his call-up to the major leagues. Many have blessed Dominguez for his Gold Glover caliber defense at third, it’s something that the Marlins love about him, but can he hit? 

In the minors, Dominguez has a .257 career batting average with 46 home runs and 219 RBI in 375 games. The Marlins want to give him the chances he can to succeed but if there is a chance to get to the World Series this season and even next season, is the team really going to the let that opportunity slip away?

Back in 2003, the Marlins had to deal their first overall draft pick Adrian Gonzalez to the Texas Rangers for Ugueth Urbina, who helped the Marlins on their way on their second World Series title in franchise history. 

In 2008, the Marlins could have pulled the trigger and traded for Manny Ramirez and potentially gone to the postseason at the cost of slugger Mike Stanton who would be a Red Sox. Yet the team knew Stanton can hit and was a physical specimen having played football in addition to baseball in high school. 

So we shouldn’t be surprised if the Marlins decide to do the unthinkable, but this time the front office needs to reward its fans and needs to show them that they are serious about making a run at the postseason and entering the new stadium with a World Series trophy. 

Considering the possibility that the Mets could be dealing Jose Reyes, Francisco Rodriguez, and Carlos Beltran during the season to rebuild means David Wright will follow and the Marlins can’t afford to let it slip by and have a Phillies or Braves team swoop in and snag him.

David Wright is signed through the 2013 season, getting paid $14 million this season, $15 million in 2012, and a $16 million team option ($1 million buyout). 

Yes, the salary numbers are awfully similar to that of Michael Young’s, but Wright is six years younger than Young (Wright is 28 years of age), and perhaps entering the prime of his career. 

The Marlins currently have shortstop Hanley Ramirez signed through 2014 and their ace pitcher Josh Johnson signed through 2013. It only makes sense for the Marlins to go after David Wright, and if they fail to make a deep run, they can always cash in via draft pick compensation or a trade which the Marlins have done with their best players throughout the years. 

If the Marlins want to make it to the postseason, let alone the World Series, they need to make a splash with the fans, and what better way than with a leader in the clubhouse, a five-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover who would cement the Fish as legitimate contenders. 

It might cost the Marlins a Gold Glove caliber infielder in Matt Dominguez, a promising everyday outfielder in Scott Cousins, and perhaps a solid infielder in Osvaldo Martinez but the Marlins owe to the fans and themselves to go after and acquire a player like David Wright and make it worth their while. 

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