HERE is what the Mets owe their fans for next season – a more interesting, competitive club that if dominoes fall right can contend. Still they cannot lose perspective that almost any moves they make within reason will still leave them with no better than the fourth-most talent in the NL East.
Thus, they need to make their maneuvers with 2005 and 2006 as much in mind as 2004. So free agents signed to multi-year pacts must be players the Mets envision still being as productive in 2006 as they are today, and any veterans obtained in trades must be players who could be turned back around in July deals for prospects if the Mets are not contenders this year.
To this end, the Mets should sign free agents Mike Cameron and Kaz Matsui, and trade for Montreal’s Livan Hernandez, Milwaukee’s Geoff Jenkins and Boston’s Scott Williamson.
A middle defense with Cameron, Matsui and Jose Reyes would be so good that it would be like making an investment in pitching, as well. After the recent misery of dropped balls and plodding play, Met fans would certainly appreciate the glove work/athleticism of that trio.
A lineup fronted by switch-hitters Matsui and Reyes followed by Mike Piazza, Cliff Floyd, Cameron, Jenkins, Jason Phillips and Ty Wigginton offers lefty-righty and speed-power diversity. To challenge for the postseason, the Mets would need health from Piazza and Floyd and some kind of rebound from Tom Glavine. Those are long shots, but not nearly as long as some of the stuff (Roger Cedeno in center, Mo Vaughn being fit) the Mets had yearned for recently.
The Mets do suddenly have an attractive farm system with their two best prospects lefty Scott Kazmir headed for High-A and third baseman David Wright for Double-A. That mimics where lefty Dontrelle Willis and third baseman Miguel Cabrera began last year before helping Florida to a title. OK, it is a reach. But these are two of the majors’ 20 best prospects, and does accentuate why the Mets must not do anything now that would detract from the 2005-06 teams. But there are ways to have a shot at the present without contaminating the future.
The Mets seem to have their hearts set on Matsui, which would mean moving their best youngster, Reyes, to second. With as large a market as there is vying for Matsui (including the Yankees), it would be a coup for Wilpon ownership to be able to land him. The Mets seemingly have already lost the stomach in the increasing bidding for Cameron. They shouldn’t. He is not a good center fielder, he is an Andruw Jones-esque, great center fielder who will hit .270 with 20 homers and 15 steals.
There is much talk that Montreal will deal Javier Vazquez. But the Expos might be able to keep the righty if they can move Hernandez’s $6 million pact. Hernandez is coming off his best year (15-10, 3.20), but his salary and history as more No. 4 workhorse starter should keep Montreal’s requests reasonable. Expos GM Omar Minaya loves Timo Perez, so maybe a Perez/Jeremy Griffiths package gets this done. If Hernandez repeats last year, the Mets would have an ace-like performer. At worst, he gives sturdy innings and as a free-agent-to-be is very tradeable in July.
The downsizing Brewers want to unload the $8.25 million left on Jenkins’ pact. Now folks will see high-strikeout, lefty-swinging Milwaukee outfielder and think Jeromy Burnitz. But Jenkins is no Miller Park creation, he has hit better, gotten on base more frequently and slugged nearly as well outside that hitter’s paradise. He is injury prone, but this is another one-year commitment that can be traded in July if necessary plus the Mets could probably get him for David Weathers (to wash some salary) and a player or two from their steep and interesting second-tier prospect group of Jason Anderson, Craig Brazell, Victor Diaz, Jeff Duncan, Danny Garcia, Mike Jacobs, Pat Strange and Kole Strayhorn.
That group also could help land Williamson. The Red Sox are favorites to sign Keith Foulke. If they do, they probably would non-tender Williamson. If Foulke goes to Boston, the Mets should swoop in and offer something (second-tier prospects) rather than Boston getting nothing via non-tender. If not, they should try landing Ugueth Urbina for a reasonable, two-year deal.
Two months into their offseason, the Mets can still act to upgrade their 2004 roster without diminishing a promising future.
