get a Closer, Set up man, Lefty reliever and OF Righty Bat

I think 2B stays the same but they get a IF backup that can step in if he stinks again or gets hurt………no one is going to take him for 3 yrs but i could be proven wrong

I am fine with Schneider and Castro , they just need to stay healthy and bat 8th

1. SS Reyes
2. 2B Hudson
3. 3B Wright
4. CF Beltran
5. 1B Delgado
6. RF Church
7. LF Murphy/Tatis
8. C Schneider/Castro

1. Santana
2. Pelfrey
3. Maine
4. Vazquez
5. Brad Penny

Brian Stokes or Bobby Parnell – Long Reliever
Duaner Sanchez – Right-handed middle reliever
Pedro Feliciano – Lefty Specialist
Joe Smith – Righty Specialist
Joe Beimel – 7th Inning Set-Up
Huston Street – 8th Inning Set-Up
K-Rod – Closer

Bench: Castro, Easley, Chavez, Pagan & Tatis (or Murphy depending on who you consider starter). The Mets have to cut ties with Marlon Anderson.

1) Send Castillo + 8 million to White Sox for Javier Vazquez.

In the Mets eyes, they were going to gave to pay Castillo out 15 million in a buyout anyway. But it’s like they got to save seven million. So instead of Vazquez deal looking like 2 years/23 million, it really only looks like 2 years/16 million which is a lot better. From the White Sox perspective, they’re saving 13 million. Another team may be willing to take him if the White Sox sent paid for like 4 million, so it’s really like getting Castillo on a 3 year/6 million deal which isn’t that bad.

Than sign Brad Penny to an incentive laden one year deal with a team option for a second. Guarantee him 6 million. He’s been a good pitcher in the past. He wouldn’t be a bad 5 pitcher. If they wanted to go more safe, sign Odalis Perez who will not require losing a pick. He might want more than one year though. Follow up this move by trading a package of Heilman, Evans and possibly another mid-level prospect to the Rockies for Huston Street. Follow up this move by looking for someone to take Schoenweis off our hands for little. If they Mets were able to get Mota’s 3.2 million out of here last season, they can do it again with Schoenweis who’s not coming off the worst year statistically.

Sign Orlando Hudson a 4 year/46 million contract. The market will rise his value. He’ll get more than 10 million per season, but I don’t believe he’ll get 5 years. Not without taking a lower dollar amount at least. Than sign Francisco Rodriguez to a 4 year/52 million contract. They will (and have) started negotiating from a three year deal and are working there way up. Perhaps the Mets will get lucky and no one else will come in. The Mets will eventually have to give in when someone else like Texas splashes in with a 3 year/43 million offer. K-Rod wants to pitch here so if the Mets are willing to work something out than everyone will be happy. After this move, sign Joe Beimel to a 3 year/12 million contract. That seems to be the going rate for a good left-handed reliever. Dennys Reyes is the same age and has been similarly effective over the past three seasons, so his name will be out there too. As will Will Ohman. Less reliable but lesser year options are Rhodes & Shouse. Without Wagner or Schoenweis, the Mets would be down to one left-handed reliever. Feliciano was over worked last season. It’s possible he may be traded. If the Mets don’t acquire Street though, signing Juan Cruz or David Weathers should be considered.

We’ve thought Omar would do a lot of things he wouldn’t do. And he’s done a lot of things we wouldn’t do. I really would have loved for him to revamp the bullpen after the collapse. But he chose not to. When he did that prior to the ’06 season, there was a much higher level of success. I do see some a platoon of Murphy and Tatis. It’s not like the Phillies will have much better things going on with Geoff Jenkins and an OF like Jay Payton. I’d like for them to explore the idea of Manny, Dunn or Ibanez, but I understand it’s unlikely because of their priorities. The White Sox aren’t going to take Castillo for Vazquez unless the Mets eat half of his contract. And honestly, I really wouldn’t have a problem with that. Because if the Mets were to buyout Castillo, they’d only save like 3 million at most. Vazquez is only on 2 years which looks more attractive than the year total Ollie, Garland or Wolf will be seeking. A more likely scenario would be a swap of Schoenweis and Vazquez.

The some other prospects for Molina may be a lot. The Giants have rumored to want Daniel Murphy or Bobby Parnell. Neither one is worth parting with for Molina. Nor Ramon Hernandez from the O’s. Or Olivo from KC. I like both of those players, but neither one is vital. Most teams don’t have good hitting catchers. Schneider and Castro are only signed through one more season. Vazquez has never had less than 11 wins, 32 starts, 198 IP or 150 K’s in the previous nine seasons. Nor higher than a 4.42 ERA in the NL. So the Mets would see him more as a 4 pitcher than a 5. They’d likely have to sign another SP (i.e. Odalis Perez) to a one or two year deal in preparation of Niese. Or they may just turn the role over to Niese. They don’t have the chips they’d be willing to part with to get Jackson or Sonnastine. They could trade Heilman, but it’ll take more. And it’s likely they’ll circle a trade around him for a set up man like Huston Street. It’s probably cost the Mets Ryan Church or Jon Niese. Or at the very least Murphy or Parnell.

Heilman had a horrible year. I see potential in him. But not as a Met. And if as a Met, not as a member of the bullpen. He’s against being in the bullpen. He’s miserable. He knows he’s being screwed out of money being a reliever. All he’s asking for is an opportunity. The Mets can bring in a set up man of much higher quality if they just explore for the right trade. If Minaya shows initiative, we’ll all be happy. Those are the things that separate average GM’s from good ones. According to the Wilpon’s sometimes though, mediocrity is an adequate consolation.