Read: Outfielders Who are Still Available
In a column for ESPN.com, Jerry Crasnick takes a look at the large number of free agents who are still looking for work in MLB, such as outfielders Barry Bonds and Shannon Stewart.
…let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that the Mets ended up trading Ryan Church in a deal for Johan Santana, as Michael Silverman alluded to in this morning’s Boston Herald, then who will play right field for the Mets…
…it better not be bonds…nor stewart, who has one of the worst arms i have ever seen, especially if he had to play from right…
The following free-agent outfielders are also available: Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Kenny Lofton, Kevin Mench, Trot Nixon, Reggie Sanders, Sammy Sosa, Brad Wilkerson, Preston Wilson and Alex Escobar
…yes, thee Alex Escobar…jeez, could you imagine…anyways…
…i could be talked in to considering wilkerson, if for no other reason than he can also back-up first base…
However, in last 1200 at-bats, spanning three seasons, the 30–year-old Wilkerson is hitting just .230, while averaging at least one strike out per game.
…i put a lot of stock in to knowing how a player will handle New York City, especially with regards to this coming season for the Mets, who are going to be under a ton of 
pressure to win…that said, note the following:
In 130 games for the Mets last season, Shawn Green hit .291 with 30 doubles, 10 HR and 46 RBI, while playing 110 games in right and 17 games at first base.
In 243 at-bats hitting from the seventh– and eighth-slot in the batting order, Green hit .300 with a .367 OBP.
…i’m sure some fans will advocate making a trade, but such a move will be unlikely considering what will be needed in a deal for santana, which is why we’re having this discussion to start with…therefore, any replacement for church will need to be a free agent…and who better to replace church than green, the guy church was supposed to replace in the first place…
By the way, during a recent chat at ESPN.com, Keith Law had the following to say regarding the Church rumor…
“I wonder if Omar slapped himself in the head and said, “Why the hell didn’t I offer Church sooner?” He’s a fourth outfielder who’s spent a lot of time in the trainer’s room. You put that guy in the deal every time.”
…to church’s credit, it’s his defense that gets touted when people connected to the team speak about him…minaya seemed really excited about the idea of upgrading the team’s overall defense, but, who knows, that could also just be spin…
