MLB Free Agents 2012: 5 Cheap Signings the New York Mets Should Make

Face it, fellow Mets fans: The 2012 season is not going to be pretty.  You shouldn't be surprised that Jose Reyes will be playing somewhere else and you shouldn't be surprised that the team didn't even bother to make him a legitimate offer.

While I personally wouldn't have offered him as many as six years based on his durability issues, you had to know someone was going to offer the NL batting champ a bundle of cash.  It just was never going to be the Mets.

While it may still be a little less than four months to Opening Day, the NL East is looking even more competitive than ever.  The Marlins, with the addition of Reyes and Heath Bell last weekend, are much improved and may not be done spending.  I love the Phillies adding Jonathan Papelbon, Jim Thome and Ty Wigginton to add to their already-loaded talent base.  The Braves are, well, the Braves and always find ways to win and can you imagine how the Nationals will be if Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg are the real deal?

Which brings me back to my Mets.  It's a nice thought to hope that the Wilpons will sell the team.  It's even more exciting to envision Mark Cuban sitting behind the Mets dugout at Citi Field rooting on his guys...but it ain't happening, so forget it!

GM Sandy Alderson has his work cut out for him at the upcoming winter meetings as well as the entire offseason.  Basically, his Christmas tree is pretty bare.  The decorations are old, the lighting is poor and the tree itself reminds you of something Charlie Brown would buy.

That being said, the team can cut and paste and fill some holes by taking chances on some free agents that are not demanding big bucks and might even be happy just to compete for a roster spot in spring training.

Chad Qualls

All teams need a reliable closer, even the hapless Mets.  Bobby Parnell and his 100 mph fastball are not the answer and I don't want to see a bullpen by committee either.

There are still a number of second-tier closers on the market but some, such as Matt Capps and Francisco Cordero, are possibly still looking for more money than the Mets might be willing to spend.

I actually thought Jonathan Broxton was a nice fit...til he wound up in Kansas City last week for a very manageable $4 million.  Guess there's less money than I really thought there was to throw around!

Chad Qualls spent last year in San Diego primarily as a setup man for closer Heath Bell.  In pitcher-friendly Petco Field, he had nice numbers: a 3.51 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

More importantly, he is a former closer for the Diamondbacks, as he had 36 saves in 2009-2010.

He's only 33 and would be sufficient for 2012.  Even if the Mets decided not to have him close, he'd still be ideal as an eighth-inning guy.

George Sherrill

Sticking with pitching, George Sherrill is another guy that could fit in nicely with the 2012 Mets.

A former closer with Baltimore, he has 56 lifetime saves and a ERA under four.

Last year with Atlanta, he was used primarily as a left-handed specialist.  His numbers were excellent as he had a 1.25 WHIP and an ERA of 3.00.

He'll be 35 next spring but we all know if you're left-handed and can still get guys out, you can pitch forever—ask Jesse Orosco or Jamie Moyer.

He also signed for slightly over $1.2 million last year, so even the Wilpons can afford that, right?

Nate McClouth

I've always liked Nate McClouth and this could be one of those low-risk/high-reward moves.

McClouth is coming off a year in which he didn't play after July 28th due to a sports hernia.  He did earn $7 million last year but the Braves did not pick up his option for 2012, thus making him a free agent.

There is interest in the Pirates bringing him back where he resided from 2005 to 2009 and was an All-Star in 2008.

He played in 81 games last year with a .344 OBP.

Not sure he can be an everyday player but he is still only 30.  He can also play a more than adequate center field and is an excellent base stealer with a career 92 percent success rate.

Would a low base salary with incentives bring him in?  It just might...

Nick Punto

Are you comfortable with Daniel Murphy as your second baseman?  We know he can hit but can it make up for his defensive shortcomings?  Also, can he stay healthy as he hasn't played a full season since 2009?

Meet Nick Punto...you always like to have guys on your team that are versatile and Nick Punto, fits the bill.

Last year he started a majority of his games at second base but also played third and shortstop.

While the Cardinals have shown interest in bringing him back, he earned a very reasonable $750,000 in  2011.

Yes, he's injured a lot but he just turned 34 and in a limited role hit .278.

An excellent defensive player and a good guy to have on the team.

Rick Ankiel

If you're not happy with my suggestion of Nate McClouth as a part time center fielder, how about Rick Ankiel?

He spent last year with the Washington Nationals and hit .239 with 37 RBI in a somewhat limited role.

He's been with four teams in the last three years (Cards, Royals, Braves and Nats), so obviously someone likes what they see to keep giving him a chance.

The left-handed-hitting Ankiel will turn 33 next summer and could also be a bat off the bunch with some pop, especially with Citi Field becoming a little more cozy for 2012.

Paul Maholm

The Yankees struck gold last season with the signings of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia.

Even picking Chris Capuano off the scrap heap worked for the Mets as he rewarded them with 11 wins and turned that into a new two-year contract with the Dodgers.

How about Paul Maholm?  Pitching for perennial loser Pittsburgh, he had only six wins but posted a respectable ERA under four and a WHIP of 1.29

He'll only be 30 years old by midseason and perhaps a change of scenery would be beneficial.

He didn't pitch after late August due to a shoulder strain but if he's possibly healthy, he's a guy you can bring into spring training and see if an incentive-laden contract will tempt him.

And hey, he's a lefty!

Mets Mess

Once you get past the Jose Reyes' and Alberto Pujols' and CJ Wilsons, there's a lot more quantity than quality out there.

None of these guys I suggested are going to help the Mets win the pennant.

In fact, if the Mets' plan is to retool and be more competitive for 2013 or even 2014, these guys will be long gone.

I've avoided suggesting the Mets look into Livan Hernandez (older than his alleged 36), Manny Ramirez (it's not 2005 anymore!), Tim Wakefield, (too old) or Erik Bedard (too brittle) when it comes to starting pitching and bench help.

A lot of things can happen between now and Opening Day.  Don't be surprised to see the Mets select at least one player in the Rule 5 draft like last year, a la Pedro Beato.

According to the New York Post, GM Sandy Alderson has a $10 million-$15 million budget to fill out the roster.

Like it or not, the Wilpons have probably given Alderson a ballpark figure of an $85 million payroll for next season.

Sad to say, this isn't Kansas City or Houston and if things are as bleak as they seem, you'll be able to get some mighty cheap seats on Stubhub at Citi Field by about Memorial Day.