Signing Ivan Rodriguez Would Upgrade Mets Offense

All winter long I have been hearing criticism about the catching situation of the New York Mets. So-called experts are saying that 32-year-old Brian Schneider is not the answer. Let's look at the numbers.

In 110 games last year Brian came to the plate 335 times. He hit .257 with 10 doubles, nine home runs, and 39 runs batted in. He walked 42 times and struck out 53. His OBP was .339, and his slugging percentage was a dismal .367. You can draw your own conclusions.

Schneider did show some power late in the season, but overall from behind the plate he was far from being productive. Yes, there were some serious injuries, including an infection that weakened him considerably, and to be fair that has to be taken into account. However, his career stats are not dramatically different.

Omar Minaya has already stated that although Brian will see the most action behind the plate this year, he will still be benched against the better left-handers out there, giving some playing time to Ramon Castro and Robinson Cancel if the Mets decide to keep three catchers on the 25-man roster.

The alternative: All-Star catcher Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez, perhaps the best catcher in the major leagues for the past 18 years.

Ivan just turned 37 in November, and according to him, he believes he has three or maybe four really good years ahead of him. He still sees himself as a No. 1 catcher, and his statistics bear him out. In 2008, between the Tigers and the Yankees, Ivan appeared in 115 games. He had 398 ABs, hitting .276 with 20 doubles, seven home runs, and 35 runs batted in. He had 23 walks and struck out 67 times.

Some will say that there is little difference between him and Schneider except that Brian is seven years younger, which is a good point. But what the numbers don't tell is that Pudge still is a far superior catcher defensively and has been known to command the respect of the pitchers he has successfully caught for the past 17 years.

Since coming to Detroit in 2004, Ivan has had 140 doubles and 62 home runs. Not too shabby. Schneider over the same period of time has had 79 doubles and 41 home runs.

Rodriguez is definitely an upgrade. More important is that when you bat him seventh or eighth in the order, he's a threat and gives protection to Ryan Church or Fernando Tatis, who would probably hit ahead of him.

Ivan has stated he has serious interest in playing for the Mets, and I believe if they are willing to trade Castro and give Rodriguez an incentive-laden, back-ended two-year deal, the Mets will get perhaps their best steal of the offseason.

Omar—you really haven't addressed the holes in the offense this offseason, especially allowing Castillo to remain on the team, let alone start, and from what we heard yesterday, maybe leading off. I know if I were Cole Hamels I would be shaking in my cleats knowing that Luis Castillo was leading off for the Mets two or three times a game.

Come on Omar, get this done. You know it will only make the team better. You know it, I know it, and every Met fan knows it as well.