Who are the core players for this team ?

If the Mets continue to be a 4th place team, with a winning percentage under .500, or even, just barely over .500, I strongly feel that the Mets should be sellers, between now and the deadline. Omar should listen to all offers, for all players, because in a prior blog at our site, Frank Cashen admitted that Joe McDonald, of the Cardinals, called him one day asking if Cashen would trade Neil Allen. When Cashen replied, why, McDonald said he would talk about Mex (Keith Hernandez), so, you never know what will be offered. It's Omar's job to listen to all offers.

However, common sense dictates that some players are "core players" the Mets expect to build around for 2009, 2010, and so forth, and unless overwhelmed with an offer, core players are not expected to be traded.

So, who should these core players be ? In general, younger, more athletic, less injury prone, and obviously, talented enough to want to retain for many years.

John Maine, righty starter, 05/08/81 (age 27)
Mike Pelfrey, righty starter, 01/14/84 (age 24)
Johan Santana, lefty starter, 03/13/79 (age 29)
Joe Smith, righty reliever, 03/22/84 (age 24)
Jose Reyes, shortstop, 06/11/83 (age 25)
David Wright, third base, 12/20/82 (age 25)
Carlos Beltran, center field, 04/24/77 (age 31)

These seven players, unless Omar is blown away with a trade offer, should be retained as the nucleus of the 2008, and 2009 Mets.

Ryan Church, right fielder, 10/14/78 (age 29) has been terrific, so far this season, when healthy. Church is currently on the disabled list, recovering from his second concussion this season. Sports fans have seen many athletes, more frequently in football and hockey, retire early, or never be the same player again, after one or more concussions. Because he is currently disabled, and his future an uncertainty, I did not include him as a core player, because his health and career are a risk.

I would love to see some of the older players, if offered a decent trade proposal, be traded to contenders for talent that can improve the AA, AAA, and major league rosters to help in 2009, and beyond.