With 32 games left in this roller coaster season, the Mets have to address some key points this off-season.
The Oliver Perez situation must be resolved, and the only resolution I can see is that he is removed, one way or another, from this team. Perez has had two consecutive poor, injury riddled seasons, and this makes his trade value less than a pet rock. The Mets need to release him. Period. I understand that no one, especially the "frugal" Wilpon's want to eat $12M, but it is costing them so much more having him on the team, where he will not see any action. The Mets are prone to never admit fault or poor decisions, but there is no escaping the Perez Fiasco. I will not kill the Mets for signing him to the three year $36M contract; to do so would prove hypocritical. I thought he would bounce back to the 2006-2007 OP. I too was wrong.
Luis Castillo. There might be a trade partner out there, but would most likely require the Mets to pick up a large portion of his $6M salary for 2011. Castillo has been hammered not only by me, but by the media. One thing I will always respect Castillo for was the way he handled himself with the media after dropping the ARod pop-up last year. He stuck around and answered everyone's questions. He is a smart ball player, but his skills have eroded. Once a solid defender, he has little range, and does not pivot well on the double play any more. This does not mean that Ruben Tejada is ready to be the everyday 2B; Tejada makes Rey Ordonez look like a solid Major League hitter. Tejada has talent, but he has to a least hit around .220 to make carrying him on the team acceptable. Hitting well below the Mendoza line isn't going to cut it. The Mets might try and see what possible Free Agents or trades are available at the 2B position for 2011 until Tejada can prove he can hit Major League pitching.
Jeff Francoeur. He's a goner. I will not back down. He can play for me any day. The fans have absolute disdain for Francoeur. He has been getting on base more frequently and hitting better of late, but an OBP of less than .300 isn't going to cut it. He is second to none in his RF play, but with how poorly most of the Mets have hit this year, Francoeur becomes the whipping boy. If everyone else was hitting, his low average wouldn't be an issue. I still love the guy and demeanor, but that won't be enough to have the Mets tender him a contract. I hope everyone out there remembers this when some scrub like Fernando Martinez is patrolling RF with a lower average, and less HR's.
Lastly, Jose Reyes. The Mets have a team option for 2011. I don't see how they can't pick up the option. Many have been on Reyes' case too. Yes he has been injured a bit the last two seasons, but when he is on, there isn't a more electric player in the game. I keep reading and hearing people saying Jose should be traded, but the type of player he is, great speed, good defense, great arm, some power, lead-off hitter, steals bases, manufactures runs, etc. - where are you going to get all that in one player? His talents aren't easily replace. The Mets could replace Wright easier than Reyes. The Mets should not only pick up his option, but look to extend him maybe two more years. I wouldn't extend him longer due to injury issues the last two years, but lets not forget, he is only 27.
I will not pretend to know all the answers, but these are the four key points the Mets must address this off-season. There is no easy fix, and the Wilpon's can keep reciting the same old untruthful mantra that 'there are no financial issues with the Mets', but truth be told, no one expects them to make any splash in the upcoming Free Agent market, so they must look to make better by purging some of the mistakes they've made. I won't be easy, and I can honestly say I am not expecting much, but the two biggest players that must be addressed and removed are Castillo and Perez. Then they need to lock up Jose.
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