Time To Get Creative

I have no idea what to think about this offseason. I certainly don't know what the Mets are going to do. I don't have much of a read on what's possible, beyond what metsblog tells me at least, and I'm really not quite sure what I think should be done.

The Mets are in an interesting spot. I don't agree with the alarmists who predict a 4th-place finish next year and a near future full of mediocrity; some people are stupid, and with no moves we return a very good team next year, which will hopefully be pretty pissed about what happened at the end of this year. We've got a solid foundation.

Let us not be mistaken, however: that doesn't mean we don't need to make moves. Once again, Atlanta's always in the rear-view and Philly will be formidable; nothing will be easy in '08. And I think it's definitely true in this day and age that part of getting a team to play with fire is generating the right buzz to spark that fire. A lot of the right buzz can be generated with the right offseason moves - look no further than the 2006 season, where the Mets came in hungry after adding Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado, and Duaner Sanchez to a team that had won 83 games the year before.

So, it's on you Omar. Know what I'm sayin'? Time to get creative.

Johan Santana might be out of our reach, or is he? Word on the street is the Twins need hitting and are willing to part with pitching. We might not have the prospects to get it done, but what if we send our three best prospects (Milledge, Humber, Pelfrey...apparently the Twins have some interest in Carlos Gomez as well) along with Carlos Delgado - of whose salary we would pay a significant chunk - in exchange for Santana?

He might have more value than we think

Is it likely? Probably not. Could it happen? Sure. Carlos Delgado looks a lot better on an AL team right now, maybe he pushes that deal over the top.

Supposedly the Padres are willing to trade Jake Peavy. God knows why they'd shop a cheap ace in the middle of his contract, but hey, that's their problem. The Yankees offered Melky Cabrera and Phil Hughes, which is laughable considering the fact that L Millz, RBIs aside, posted similar numbers in just 59 games (7 HR, 29 RBI, .272 avg. versus 8, 73, .273 for Cabrera) to what the Melk man put up for the full year.

Lastings Milledge already has a few cool nicknames. And a rap album. Melky Cabrera has a stupid first name, and an even dumber nickname. With no rap album. Suck on that, John Sterling.

Phil Hughes might be more highly regarded than Mike Pelfrey, but the extent of his big league work has so far been just as disappointing without being much more, well, extensive. And how would San Diego feel about getting two pitchers who may be a notch below Hughes (Humber/Pelfrey) but still have similar upside in addition to Milledge and a proven major leaguer. Heilman? I'm just speculating here.

We can trade with the Twins and not get Santana. Like I said, the Twins like Carlos Gomez, and apparently stud youngsters Kevin Slowey and Matt Garza are available. The Indians are open to trading embattled lefty with good stuff Cliff Lee (hmmm...where has that idea worked out before), while embattled righty with good stuff (5-15 with a 5.72 ERA last year, but he's highly regarded for a reason I guess) Edwin Jackson is also apparently available from the Devil Rays...sorry, the Rays. Speaking of the Rays, maybe, in looking for some semblance of buzz in the Tropicana Dome, they want an all expenses paid two years of Carlos Delgado, plus prospects, for, well, you know who I'm talking about. And, mystifyingly, apparently he's available too.

This guy - you might remember him - who we included in a stupid trade a few years back, but could apparently have back for the right price.

Or we could always just re-up Lo Duca and Castillo, grab a couple of arms for the bullpen, (the Nats like Kevin Mulvey and I like Jon Rauch) sign Carlos Silva, Livan Hernandez, or someone else to throw 200 innings out of the rotation, and go to work. I'd be okay with that. David Wright is going to hit at least one big home run off of Brad Lidge next year, so screw you Phillies fans.

We shouldn't sign A Rod. There, I said it. We don't need him and we can not only succeed but get much better without him. Let's forget about moving David Wright, committing $300 million, and get on with it. There are other battles we can fight, and don't come at me with that "losing attitude" crap. We don't need A Rod.

There's an offseason full of other potential options on the table, though. Time to get creative.

(Images courtesy blog.nj.com, thecrockedpot.com, tampabay.rays.mlb.com)