I know I’m gonna get the crap flamed out of me for saying this, but I think in a way you have to consider Bobby Abreu a candidate. He’s a left handed RF, and sure he’s not much of a #3 hitter anymore, but he’d be an awesome #7 or #8 hitter or even a #2 if Castillo walks. If the Mets could convince him to come over and hit that low in the order, it would be quite a fit. First, the Mets could use another lefty to keep the lineup balanced, and second, I’d almost prefer a guy who walks a ton and never Ks and sees a ton of pitches over a guy who Ks 120-140 times a year. He also has a nice arm and a decent glove (although we know about his wall-phobia), and we wouldn’t have to make anyone play out of position.

If you give him three years and maybe like $25 milion, you can move him to LF in 2009 and start Gomez in RF (assuming he’s still around). He still gives you just enough pop and plenty of OBP to justify that. And then in 2010, he’ll basically be what Shawn Green was in 2007, and will have to compete with Fernando Martinez for his job.

The thing that this team missed this year that no one EVER talks about is Jose Valentin in the bottom of the order. Valentin’s 2006 was probably the best season the Mets ever had out of a #8 hitter. He really did everything you could have asked. Sure he Ked a bit more than you want, and his contact rate wasn’t through the roof, but he gave you good veteran ABs and excellent RBI and power production. You’re not getting those RBIs from LoDuca (minus September 07) or Green or Chavez, and your not getting the quality veteran ABs from Milledge, and your not really getting either from Gomez. Jose Valentin very quietly made the Mets lineup exponentially more dangerous. Having Bobby Abreu at the bottom of the order could do the same, or if you can’t retain Castillo you could have him hit #2 to take pitches for Reyes and then put the ball in play after Reyes is already on second.

When you think about it, Abreu would just be a slight upgrade over Green. He still has a bit more pop, has a better contact and BB rate, and a slightly better glove. Plus you wouldn’t have to deal with moving a good all around CF to move to RF, or with the tons of Ks you’d get with some of the big power bats out there.

So if you can go and scalp your farm for Johan Santana or trade a couple prospects for Joe Blanton and it would take Lastings Milledge (and more of course) to do so, this is probably more reasonable than a lot of the options being discussed. But its completely unnecessary unless you’re dealing Milledge for pitching. Pitching must come first.

Seriously though, the one thing that bothered me about the Alou signing was that we had to give up a first round pick, because he was an “A” list player. I assume that Jones and Dunn will both be the same. I’m tired of giving up our first rounders for flawed players. There is a reason why the Braves aren’t even making a minor effort to resign Jones, and I’ll be it’s not all about the money.