It's the Hot Stove season once again! For the 29 teams not the current World Champions, it's time to regroup and work out a plan to rise to the top of the mountain next year.
No need to relive the past two seasons for the Mets, we both know how it turned out—two September failures.
Anyway, time to move onto the 2009 season, in which the New York Mets will have a new home. Good-bye Shea Stadium. Hello Citi Field!
As far as the product on the field, there are a bunch of changes that are needed.
Obviously, the bullpen needs to be addressed.
Current free agents also would have to still be-resigned or replaced. Here are a few suggestions I think would be good for the Mets.
Sign Kerry Wood
The popular reliever to sign is Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez, at least if you ask the mainstream fan.
However, at age 27, and coming off a 62-save season, Rodriguez worries me a bit.
His peripherals have all dropped dramatically in recent years, and could end up a prime candidate for the Robbie Alomar syndrome Mets fans have experience all too much in the early part of this century.
I think Wood, while still obviously a risk, would come cheaper then Rodriguez, and hopefully continue upon the success he had last year as a closer in Chicago. He handled the rowdy Wrigley Field crowd, so I don't think New York would scare him.
Wood would be a change for the Mets, who are used to predominantly left handed closers in their history (Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco, Randy Myers, John Franco, Billy Wagner). Which brings us to the estimated contract it would take—3 years/$35 million.
Sign Jeremy Affeldt
After a successful run in Cincinnati and Kansas City, Affeldt would be a nice addition to the Mets' bullpen.
A one-time swing-man between the pen and the rotation, Affeldt should be able to provide some much needed innings, and not just be more of a situational lefty like the present left-handers Scott Schoenweis and Pedro Feliciano provide.
Affeldt has no big-city experience, but being brought in as a complimentary piece rather then to be "the man," should allow Affeldt to hopefully be okay in New York. Estimated contract—3 years/$17.5 million.
Sign Juan Rivera
Manny Ramirez you say? Mark Texieria? Yes, they would be nice, but I don't think either one is realistic.
Signing Rivera would give the Mets a lot of flexibility, and a combination in the corner OF of David Murphy, Endy Chavez, Fernando Tatis, Juan Rivera and Ryan Church should give the Mets enough production to avoid the offensive struggles they had at times in the middle to bottom of the lineup the last two years. Estimated contract—2 years/$9 million.
Re-Sign Oliver Perez
Yes, they will have to overpay, but why not bring back Ollie?
His 0.31 ERA last year against the divisional rival Phillies is as good a reason as any. Ollie is frustrating for sure, because "he's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get" the rest of the year. But in a big game, I'd take him over most pitchers not named Johan Santana.
Unfortunately, dealing with Scott Boras won't be easy, and the Mets will likely have to give on the fourth year. Estimated contract
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