DNL's Plan for the 2007 Mets
| 16
|
by user DNL
I think -- not sure, but I think -- I'm finally over the NLCS.
And even if I'm not, it's time to look toward the 2007 New York Mets. If I were Omar Minaya, here's what I'd do. (Hopefully, other ArmchairGMs will, well, play Armchair GM with their favorite team, too.)
Go With What We've Got
My first rule would be simply: Be willing to stand pat (mostly). Re-ink El Duque, Stache, and Chad Bradford. I'd also take Guillermo Mota at a 50-game discount. As for Tom Glavine, keep him if you can, but if not, replace him with Mark Mulder or someone similar.
That means giving Lastings Milledge a chance in the outfield. If the price is right, I'd bring back Cliff Floyd. The only player who has to go is Shawn Green -- he simply can't handle right field any more, and won't displace Carlos Delgado at first.
Plug Holes; Don't Rebuild the Bathtub
I'd take Barry Zito at $70 million over five years. Really. But I don't see much value in most other pitchers. The Mets have plenty of "good-enough" arms to get them to the playoffs, and after that, the luck factor and (hopefully) return of Pedro will be more important than free agent signings. Quite simply, one can't buy a victory in the playoffs no matter how hard you try.
In the same vein, the Mets need to lend a more critical eye to the term "holes." Stache can't hit lefties; he should platoon and be the primary lefty bat off the bench. Endy Chavez is a good 4th outfielder, but he shouldn't start regularly. That means if the Mets decide to go with Lastings Milledge in the outfield -- and I think they should -- they need to ride him out for a full year.
The other corner OF position should be a good defensive role player who you can plug into the #2 or #6 hole. I'd take a low slugging percentage guy if he gave me a strong (.360+) OBP, or I'd take a .335/.475 guy. I don't want Alfonso Soriano. Dave Roberts or Trot Nixon (if healthy) would be good. And again, I'd take Floyd back.
Results
That gives me the following lineup:
- Jose Reyes, SS
- Paul Lo Duca, C or TBD, LF
- Carlos Beltran, CF
- Carlos Delgado, 1B
- David Wright, 3B
- TBD, LF
- Jose Valentin, 2B platooned with TBD, 2B
- Lastings Milledge, RF
The rotation is a bit more difficult.
- Barry Zito or "Young Gun Lotto"
- Tom Glavine/Mark Mulder
- Orlando Hernandez
- John Maine
- Oliver Perez
Young Gun Lotto simply means that Brian Bannister, Mike Pelfrey, and maybe Phillip Humber fight it out for the spot. Dave Williams, if retained (and he should be) is also in the mix.
Bullpen pretty much stays the same. While I think Aaron Heilman would be a good starter, I don't think the Mets are in a position to trade him.
When Pedro returns, he'll take the place of whomever is injured. Someone will be. Probably El Duque.
Conclusion
This Mets team won't blow away the NL East. But it probably doesn't have to. But they will be good enough to compete for the division and the wild card. Not favorites, but clear contenders. Because of happenstance, injuries, and the like, is there reason to try and do more? Probably not.
