It's Time To Play General Manager! New York Mets' Winter Checklist, 1-5

Playing general manager is one of the greatest joys of being a sports fan.  How else can you spend tens of millions of dollars that aren't yours, however you see fit, with no repercussions? 

Wait, you mean that's what Omar Minaya does every year?  Must be nice.

My g.m. hat is now securely on my head, so let's get cracking on the off-season plan for your New York Mets.  Here's my top five priorities for the winter, with priorities 6-10 coming tomorrow.

Priority Number One:  Find a player who is the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse.  People often forget that when Derek Jeter was winning all those World Series titles, there were players like Paul O'Neil, Joe Girardi, and Scott Brosius there as well.  They allowed Jeter to lead in his own way, and exhibited the fire and ball-to-the-wall style of play you expect from the leaders of your club. 

The Mets do not have those type of players surrounding David Wright and Jose Reyes.  Carlos Delgado has reluctantly taken on the roll of being a clubhouse voice, and Carlos Beltran is just not the type of guy to be an extremely vocal, in-your-face type of leader.  Wright and Reyes are both only 25 years old.  Was Derek Jeter ready to be the unquestioned leader of a veteran-laden clubhouse at 25 years of age?  Maybe, but I doubt it.

The past two years have shown us that Wright, and especially Reyes, are not ready to be the leaders of the team, and the same can be said for Delgado, Beltran, and even Johan Santana.  So a strong clubhouse voice must be found.  And quickly.

The Move:  Cut ties with Ramon Castro, and seriously pursue Jason Varitek.  Yes, Varitek only hit .220 this season, the lowest average of his career.  Yes, his skills have diminished a little.  If that's your argument to this point, save it.  In case you weren't watching, Mr. Castro wasn't too much better behind the plate this season.

Since I'm playing general manager, this is how I present this move:  This guy walks into the clubhouse, and is immediately the unquestioned leader of the team without even saying a word.  The intangibles he brings to the clubhouse and pitching staff far outweigh his offensive shortcomings.  This team has been dieing for a definitive voice in the clubhouse, and there is no better player to do it than the best leader in the game not playing shortstop for the Yankees.  

The culture of this team needs to be changed, and it can be done without trading a core player easily.  Does Varitek want to leave Boston?  Do they want to go in another direction?  We'll have to wait and see, but I'll sacrifice offense at the catcher position in a heartbeat to have Brian Schneider and Jason Varitek - two of the best game-callers in the league - sharing the catching duties.  Age is a concern for both, but a one-year deal with an option for a second would be well worth it.

Priority Number Two:  Establish the closer before any other bullpen move is made. 

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