Bengie Signs With Frisco, No Need For Mets Fans To Grieve(ance)

Bengie Molina, the modern day Juan Gonzales, toyed with the Mets since the beginning of December, has signed a one year $4.5M contract to return to the Giants.

I have spent this evening, after returning from coaching my daughter's (metsfan04) basketball team, catching up on Mets news. I have read many accounts that the "Mets blew it" by not signing Molina. I have read that Molina didn't sign with the Mets because of the Beltran fiasco of last week.

I have another point of view. GOOD! I didn't want Molina. I think he is too old, and this team needs to get younger. I think Molina only had the Mets in the conversation to raise his value. I think when the Mets did outbid SF, although not by much, I think Molina got all he could, and returned where he wanted to be. Not because of Beltran, the years, or any of that. He might have been scared off by GHMP, er Citi Field, but I doubt it. I think it came down that he didn't want to play for the Mets unless their offer blew everyone out of the water.

Nothing against Molina, I would have loved him five years ago, but I have never felt he was the man for the Mets. I agree with my partner in crime, Long Island Met Fan, that Dioner Navarro would be a real good acquisition for the Mets, but doesn't seem possible now. So, metsfan73's choice for the starting catcher for '10???? Yorvit Torrealba.

Other than acquiring Navarro, I feel he is the best choice. It would be a great form of irony to sign him after the grievance filed a couple of years ago, but wouldn't it be great? Imagine if Torrealba came here, and put up a great (for Torrealba) year, to prove Omar and the Mets wrong when he failed his physical a few years ago? That would be classic NY!

So, metsfan73 is officially putting his hat in the ring for the Mets to sign Yorvit. He is not only the youngest (31) catcher available, but he would also be the best bridge to Josh Thole, who is not yet ready for Prime Time.

If it were up to you, who would be your choice to don the tools of ignorance for the Mets this year?

In other news, the Mets signed three of their four remaining arbitration eligible players: Jeff Francoeur, Sean Green, and Pedro Feliciano. The only remaining arbitration eligible player left un-signed is Angel Pagan, who is sitting in the cat bird seat with the surgery to Carlos Beltran.

Also, according to MLB Trade Rumors , the Mets are very interested in both John Smoltz and Ben Sheets. Sheets, who according to scouts was throwing about 92 MPH, looks like he did before arm injuries derailed his career. It is expected that Sheets will sign a contract similar to Brad Penny's one-year, $7.5MM pact with the Cardinals.