How Can the New York Mets Finish the 2009 Offseason?

Omar Minaya has been re-tooling the NY Mets for the 2009 campaign. His order of business was to rebuild a beleaguered bullpen by addition by subtraction and one free-agent closer. Keep building the rotation around Johan Santana, plus Mike Pelfrey and John Maine and to sure up the the outfield and infield.

Here is what the Mets have done this offseason:

Additions
Subtractions

Date		Transaction
1/23/09		Signed OF Rob Mackowiak, who had been with the Reds, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.
1/22/09		Signed INF Alex Cora, who had been with the Red Sox, to a one-year contract. Signed RHP Freddy Garcia, who had been with the Tigers, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.
1/18/09		Invited 1B Michel Abreu to Spring Training. Invited C Josh Thole to Spring Training. Invited LHP Michael Antonini to Spring Training. Invited OF Fernando Martinez to Spring Training. Invited RHP Dillon Gee to Spring Training. Invited RHP Esmailin Caridad to Spring Training. Invited SS Jose Coronado to Spring Training. Signed C Omir Santos, who had been with the Orioles, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.
		Signed LHP Casey Fossum, who had been with the Tigers, to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.
1/15/09		Re-signed 2B Argenis Reyes* to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.
1/12/09		Signed RHP Tim Redding to a one-year contract. Signed LHP Tom Martin to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

Date		Transaction
12/12/08		Acquired RHP Connor Robertson from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for LHP Scott Schoeneweis. Non-tendered RHP Ambiorix Burgos and INF Argenis Reyes*.
12/11/08		Selected RHP Rocky Cherry from the Baltimore Orioles and RHP Darren O'Day from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the Rule 5 Draft.
12/10/08		Signed RHP Francisco Rodriguez to a three-year contract. Acquired RHP J.J. Putz, RHP Sean Green and OF Jeremy Reed from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Aaron Heilman, OF Endy Chavez, LHP Jason Vargas, INF Mike Carp, OF Ezequiel Carrera and RHP Maikel Cleto.
12/3/08		Re-signed LHP Adam Bostick, RHP Nelson Figueroa and INF Andy Green to Minor League contracts and invited them to Spring Training. Signed C Rene Rivera to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

*Re-signed at a later date

2009 Mets Roster:

Active Roster
	Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	30 Rocky Cherry	R/R	6-5	225	08/19/79
	25 Pedro Feliciano	L/L	5-10	190	08/25/76
	48 Sean Green	R/R	6-6	235	04/20/79
	35 Brandon Knight	L/R	6-0	195	10/01/75
	40 Eddie Kunz	R/R	6-5	265	04/08/86
	33 John Maine	R/R	6-4	200	05/08/81
	32 Carlos Muniz	R/R	6-1	190	03/12/81
	49 Jonathon Niese	L/L	6-4	215	10/27/86
	36 Darren O'Day	R/R	6-4	225	10/22/82
	39 Bobby Parnell	R/R	6-4	200	09/08/84
	34 Mike Pelfrey	R/R	6-7	230	01/14/84
	22 J.J. Putz	R/R	6-5	250	02/22/77
	44 Tim Redding	R/R	5-11	225	02/12/78
	29 Connor Robertson	R/R	6-2	220	09/10/81
	75 Francisco Rodriguez	R/R	6-0	195	01/07/82
	50 Duaner Sanchez	R/R	6-2	210	10/14/79
	57 Johan Santana	L/L	6-0	210	03/13/79
	43 Brian Stokes	R/R	6-1	210	09/07/79
	13 Billy Wagner	L/L	5-11	205	07/25/71
	Catchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	4 Robinson Cancel	R/R	6-0	190	05/04/76
	11 Ramon Castro	R/R	6-3	260	03/01/76
	23 Brian Schneider	L/R	6-1	195	11/26/76
	Infielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	1 Luis Castillo	S/R	5-11	190	09/12/75
	12 Alex Cora	L/R	6-0	200	10/18/75
	21 Carlos Delgado	L/R	6-3	265	06/25/72
	7 Jose Reyes	S/R	6-1	200	06/11/83
	5 David Wright	R/R	6-0	215	12/20/82
	Outfielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
	9 Marlon Anderson	L/R	5-11	200	01/06/74
	15 Carlos Beltran	S/R	6-1	205	04/24/77
	19 Ryan Church	L/L	6-1	190	10/14/78
	6 Nick Evans	R/R	6-3	210	01/30/86
	28 Daniel Murphy	L/R	6-3	210	04/01/85
	16 Angel Pagan	S/R	6-2	195	07/02/81
	18 Jeremy Reed	L/L	6-0	200	06/15/81
	3 Cory Sullivan	L/L	6-0	180	08/20/79
	17 Fernando Tatis	R/R	5-11	195	01/01/75

How Can you finish the 2009 Offseason, here are a couple of solution solvers:

1) Sign Manny Ramirez- (Pipe Dream) Listen...I would love the Mets to sign him, but I don't see it. The Mets have a plethora of young guys that don't match the offensive machine he is, but...the Mets do have Sullivan, Reed, Pagan, plus Murphy and Tatis . That's a lot of guys for one position. Sorry Manny!

2) Sign Oliver Perez - We need Ollie back in the rotation to compliment Johan, give him three years, $38 million and throw in a car, LOL!

3) Sign Pedro Martinez - Give him another shot to prove himself in a lesser role maybe Long Man, could not hurt.. Also it will bring Pedro back with Manny!

4) Sign Joe Beimel - Mets need another left-hander in the bullpen. The Mets really have only Pedro Feliciano on the left side. Wagner looks like a total loss for the season but imagine if he every did come back for the playoffs. Nasty Boys Two: Wagner, K-Rod, Putz...

What the Mets have to find out in spring training is:

1) Is Luis Castillo ready to become the second basemen the Mets signed to a four-year deal or will someone like Alex Cora to take the spot light. Don't forget Murphy played some 2B and you have Marlon Anderson..

2) Is there anybody that will step up out of Sullivan, Reed, Pagan, and a couple of others? Like I said it will determine the bench and role players in the outfield. Figuring that Murphy and Tatis are the regulars.

3) Who will their fifth starter be? Mets have Jon Niese, Conner Robertson, Bobby Parnell, and Tim Redding and Freddie Garcia. That's why Oliver is so essential to slot behind Maine....It will set up their depth.

All in all it will be interesting to see what Omar does, but clearly he needs to fill in the blanks. Tell me what you think will happen and I will post the best ones.....

Go Mets!!!