Why Do Mets Fans Want Luis Castillo Gone for 2010? Forgive and Forget?

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The Hot Stove is in full baking mode this week and there is much talk about the Mets being interested in Orlando Hudson, Marco Scutaro, and possibly Mark De Rosa.

There are many holes that the Mets need to fill before Spring Training ,but I do not think that second base is one of them.

They need pitching first and foremost, an upgrade at catcher and first base, and an everyday power-hitting left fielder.

I admit this time last year I was one of the first fans to say "Luis Castillo does not belong here, eat his contract and move on please."

My thoughts of Castillo have changed for the better, when i'm wrong I admit it, he made me a believer.

Castillo reported to Spring Training last February more than 15 pounds lighter and was the most energetic and happy his teammates had ever seen him.

All signs pointed to Castillo being a brand new man who would prove that he is the valuable player that Mets fans needed but did not get in 2008.

Many fans, including myself, felt the hype was not earned and the Mets made yet another foolish acquisition with a large contract.

Unfortunately, what Castillo will be most remembered for during the 2009 season are two bad moments—the dropped pop up against the Yankees and the fall down the dugout steps.

While both of those incidents were embarrassing, and in the case of the dropped pop up, very costly, combined they do not wipe away the positive contributions that Castillo made during the 2009 season.

I do think that if he had things to do over again, there is no way he would miss that pop up, he took responsibility and was a man about it to the media.  No excuses, his words were "this loss is not on the team, its on me."

The thing that stands out with Castillo with my memory is that he is one of the few every day players who avoided the Disabled List. Even though he was given several games off to rest his balky legs, he was a fixture at second base and that should not be overlooked by management or fans.

He did prove himself to be a great hitter, batting over .300 much of the season, and he also showed most of the time why he had won Gold Glove Awards while he was with the Minnesota Twins.

Castillo does have a substantial contract in place with the Mets and if they did move him, money would be a large consideration that many fans feel is worthwhile to improve the team going forward.

Omar Minaya is looking at all options for improving the team, and no reasonable deal should be dismissed, but let's take care of the glaring problems first, Castillo deserves another year to show that 2009 was not a fluke.

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