This post can also be found on the blog created by the radio station that I work at -- WCBN's Maize & Blog -- which does a great job of covering both Michigan and National sports. Check it out if you have a chance.

With the GM meetings underway in Orlando, Rumor Season 2007-2008 has officially begun! And what better way to begin Rumor Season ’07-’08 than with the WCBN Top 10 Free Agent List and predictions as to where all of these players will end up? Let us begin with the free agents:

1. Alex Rodriguez: Obviously A-Rod is the crown jewel of the free agent class – he’s the guy for teams who think they’re “one player away,” and he is the only profitable man who costs upwards of $300 million for teams who are trying to raise themselves out of relative obscurity. A-Rod is still in his prime, at only 32 years old, and is coming off a season in which he hit .314, while leading the AL with 54 HRs and carrying the Yankees from the bottom of the scrapheap in mid-May to the top of the Wild Card race by September. So who is not trying to get this guy? Well, there are some owners who actually do have a cap on what they’re willing to give to one player (rumors indicate that the Angels are unwilling to give more than 17% of their salary budget to one player), and some GMs simply aren’t allowed spend $30 million a season total. With that having been said, there are plenty of teams who are in the running….

Contenders: Angels, Dodgers, Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Yankees?

Where does that leave us? Well, all of these teams have issues when it comes to signing A-Rod. While they have a team that could win now and have a vacancy both at 3B and the spot in the order that protects Vladdy, the Angels apparently don’t have the money; the Dodgers have Andy LaRoche coming up to play 3B, nobody knows how much money they have to spend this offseason, the relationship between Joe Torre and A-Rod is probably overstated, and Scott Boras and the Dodgers simply don’t get along; the Giants are getting rid of Bonds’ contract, but that’ll probably account for half of A-Rod’s, and they are more than one player away – way more – and the buzz has been that they are shopping frontline starters like Tim Lincecum, Noah Lowry, or Matt Cain to try and get hitting in the trade market; the Cubs aren’t going to get sold, and Aramis Ramirez is just fine at 3B at Wrigley; the Red Sox Nation hates A-Rod, and Mike Lowell looks as though he’s going to re-sign with the BoSox; the Tigers just acquired Edgar Renteria, so they may have their hitting situation dealt with, and there hasn’t been too much talk coming out of Detroit about A-Rod, but given their good working relationship with Boras, they’re hard to ignore; the Mets might be the most interesting team on this list, because they have plenty of money, a new ballpark opening up in 2009, their own TV station, and, in short, the resources to make this $350 million investment an extremely profitable one – with that having been said, Jose Reyes and David Wright comprise possibly the best left side of the infield in baseball, and moving Wright, who’s now a gold-glove 3B to 1B or 2B could be disastrous from both the team’s defensive standpoint and Wright’s mental standpoint – plus, the Mets then must decide to not go after Luis Castillo or shop Carlos Delgado, while ensuring the ownership that A-Rod won’t ruin the chemistry on a very affable team – sounds like a tough sell; finally, the Yankees are still in this thing. Reports out of New York last week are that A-Rod would still be open to signing with New York, and while Hank Steinbrenner made it very clear that A-Rod wouldn’t be welcomed back to Yankee Stadium, can we really trust that the Yankees won’t be involved in the negotiations over the best free agent since, well, A-Rod at age 25?

Prediction: In a battle between teams trying to woo A-Rod to Hollywood, the team that actually plays in LA wins out… A-Rod to the Dodgers.

2. Torii Hunter: This defensive stalwart will be patrolling CF somewhere next year, the question is whether it will be in Minnesota or elsewhere. The Twins have internally discussed making a play to resign Hunter while potentially unloading Johan Santana for a huge source of young talent, but before we get crazy, lets discuss the contenders….

Contenders: Twins, Rangers, White Sox, Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, Astros

I sincerely believe that many more teams can pop into this discussion, because very few teams are actually settled at CF, and the consensus among MLB GMs at the meetings in Orlando has been that Torii Hunter is head and shoulders above Andruw Jones in the CF pool. With that having been said, the buzz is all about the Rangers and how they’re ready to spend on Hunter.

Prediction: I don’t see Hunter failing prey to the same predator that doomed A-Rod and every other batter that has signed with Texas – you simply don’t win there. Hunter has always been a winner in Minnesota on small payroll squads, and he’ll want to continue that trend with a team that has a deep pitching staff and the potential to go back to the World Series for the second time in four years… Torii to the White Sox.

3. Mike Lowell: Oh boy, is this guy good. He plays solid defense, hits the heck out of the ball, and just won a world series. His numbers, however, were way better at Fenway, and some question how he’ll hit in pitcher-friendly parks.

Contenders: Red Sox, Yankees

The Red Sox apparently are very confident that they’ll bring back both Schilling and Lowell… well Schilling signed, and Lowell will probably be next.

Prediction: Lowell to the Red Sox

4-6: The Yankees Trio: Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte: All of these guys have different stories, but they will all end up returning to the Yankees. Posada will spark a huge bidding war between the crosstown rivals from New York who both need catchers, but in the end he’ll just be using the Mets to drive up the price on the Yankees, who will bite the bullet and give Posada the 4th year (or “DH year” basically) he wants at around $13 million per season. Rivera has all of the bargaining power in the world, with Torre gone and the only other viable closer option on the market being the enigmatic Francisco Cordero. Rivera’s heart is in New York though, and with the negotiations recently starting between Rivera and the Yanks (3 years, $39 million reportedly was the opening offer), I can’t imagine they end without his signature next to the X. As for Pettitte, I just don’t see him retiring when he still has enough in the tank, and with the Yankees pitching stuff in desperate need of a veteran anchor for their starting staff (Wang, Hughes, Joba, and Kennedy don’t exactly scream experience), they’ll throw a huge one-year deal at Pettitte, and he’ll stay.

7. Barry Bonds: The name should say enough – steroids, media, clubhouse poison, and oh yeah, the best bat in the major leagues when healthy… that’s a big if, especially for NL clubs. Lets get right to the contenders, and please remember, given the lack of questions that Bonds answers even when he’s on a team, this is purely speculation based on who can afford him, handle him, and needs him.

Contenders: Padres, Athletics, Rangers, Angels, Yankees, Cardinals

All of the squads mentioned are very interesting, and all have one very glaring need: a power threat. The Padres lead the list because, even though they are in the NL, they have a young clubhouse which would be forced to respect Barry Bonds, and they are quite possibly the team that best fits the “one hitter away” category (Peavy and Young aren’t exactly going to fight the Padres ownership on getting Bonds). The A’s allow Barry to keep his home, play DH, and potentially take some fans with him on a team with a deep pitching staff and a gaping hole at cleanup. The Rangers are always looking to spend, the Angels and Yankees need someone with power in their lineup, and as for the Cardinals, well Tony La Russa can handle anyone, and the Cardinals don’t exactly field a lineup filled with sluggers.

Prediction: Barry goes where it makes the most sense, as Billy Beane swallows his pride and goes for it all in 2008… Barry to the Atheltics

8. Carlos Silva: Yes, Carlos Silva is the 8th best free agent on the market, and no, it’s not because he’s better than Aaron Rowand or the slew of Japanese imports coming into the majors this offseason. It’s because he’s a starting pitcher, and a perfectly mediocre one in the mold of last year’s Gil Meche or Jeff Suppan, and therefore he’ll receive interest from EVERYONE.

Contenders: Everyone

Who doesn’t need a starting pitcher who will eat innings and give you an ERA under 5?

Prediction: (No bias here, I promise) Unlike the Dodgers and a bunch of other teams who plan on bidding for starting pitching, the Mets have zero prospects and a ton of cash to play with after “the collapse.” With names like A.J. Burnett, Scott Kazmir, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Noah Lowry, and oh yeah, Johan Santana, out there, teams with prospects are not going to go as crazy over Carlos Silva as the Mets will. The Mets will need to replace Glavine when he walks to go to the Braves, and Silva is their guy. Silva to the Mets.

9-10. Aaron Rowand and Andruw Jones: And yes, the order of those names was done with a purpose. Aaron Rowand is a much better player than Andruw Jones, even though Scott Boras might get Jones more money because of the value of his name and the player he used to be. Jones looked lethargic in CF this year (he had no business winning a gold glove), struck out more than Randy Johnson would have if he played 162 games, and let his team fade away in September. As for where these guys go, refer to the contenders list on Torii Hunter… everyone needs a CF, it’s just a question of how it all sorts itself out.

Predictions: Now that the Dodgers have signed A-Rod (in this fantasy world that is), they’ll need to keep Juan Pierre at CF. The Braves work hard to replace Jones, and will wind up settling on a guy who impressed everyone in the NL East last year. Rowand to the Braves. As for Andruw Jones, Scott Boras will manage to start a bidding war between the Astros and Rangers. The team with more money wins, because it’s Boras. Jones to the Rangers.

There you have it folks. Trade Rumors are to come in next week’s edition of Rumor Season ’07-’08.

Pedro Martinez has just been replaced by former catcher (and defensive standout) Joe Hietpas after 5 innings in the Florida St. League game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Brevard County Manatees. Martinez went 5, giving up 2 runs (neither were earned) on 2 hits and 1 walk. Pedro struck out 4 on the night, with the final one coming against his last batter.

In the top of the 5th, after a leadoff singles consecutive errors by SS Emmanuel Garcia allowed Brevard County to score a run and put runners on 1st and 2nd. After a sacrifice moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Pedro uncorked a wild pitch allowing the 2nd unearned run of the inning to score. However, Pedro then buckled down with a runner on 3rd and 1 out, inducing a ground ball and finishing up the night with a strikeout as he left the game up 4-2.

Well, we won't really know what this means until we hear from Pedro about how he felt, but you have to be encouraged by this performance as a fan. He's improved with every start and looks like he's almost ready to test himself agaisnt real hitters. You'd think that he'll go again this weekend in AA or AAA, and then come up during the Mets big road trip, potentially in Atlanta. What I liked most about this start has to be the two timely strikeouts -- in the 3rd with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs, Pedro got the K, and then again in the 5th Pedro got the K when he needed it. Perhaps this is a sign that when Pedro knows he needs to make a big pitch he can still reach back and do it. Talk about a midseason acquisition... but don't worry, I'm knocking on wood -- I'll believe it when I see it.

According to Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports.com, the Mets are on the verge of acquiring Jeff Conine from the Reds to replace Damion Easley as the Mets' right-handed utility player.

Well, this is the safe move, certainly. Conine is a steady bat from the right side who can play multiple positions and slot into most spots in the lineup if necessary (I believe when the Reds were in town he was even batting 3rd when Griffey took a day off against Perez, a lefty). Plus, the Mets are giving up next to nothing (2 Class-A players) to get Conine, so it's not a bad move. And honestly, after my knock of Omar Minaya for bringing in Luis Castillo and not playing Ruben Gotay, how can we really trust my opinion on these moves anyways? But...

I think there was a better move out there. And no, it wasn't Mike Piazza, although he is my favorite player ever (I'll have to discuss my love for Mike and my famous "3 most hated people in sports" list another time) and I would've been overjoyed to watch him in any capacity again at Shea Stadium. But Mike, unfortunately, is only useful to the Mets if he decides that he's cool with being a pinch-hitter because if you thought people enjoyed running on Mike before, then watching Mike catch now would be like putting Johnny Damon behind the plate. The move to make, however, was Craig Monroe -- the OF from Detroit who was recently designated for assignment. Monroe was a tremendous power threat from the plate last year who couldn't seem to make contact this year, but he is an athletic kid with a quick bat that can certainly crush lefties and has a ceiling high enough to make me think that if the Mets were struck with injuries he could fill in with the necessary experience to get the job done. Again, I am not saying that Omar made a bad move, just that there was a better one out there.

15 days -- in a baseball season, that can be an eternity. Heck, in a baseball season, that's just enough time for the Cardinals to come back from a near double-digit deficit in the NL Central. Well, before last night's victory combined with a Braves and Phillies loss, it had been 15 days since the last day when that trio of joyous events took place. On August 3rd, the Mets and Orlando Hernandez beat Carlos Zambrano with patience and a big fly from Ramon Castro (believe it or not, the Mets had a healthy catcher on the roster -- that's how long ago this was). Mota got the win (this was so long ago that -- brace yourself -- Mota had a sub-5 ERA), aided by the Mets 4-run ninth courtesy of Carlos Delgado and friends, and the Mets were able to scoreboard watch at night as the Braves lost 9-2 in Colorado, despite a Mark Teixeira blast, and Philly dropped a 2-1 decision to the Brew Crew.

It was about time gentlemen. Good win last night, lets keep the ball rolling today.

As I prepare to return to Ann Arbor on Thursday, AAAA will be up and running for the remainder of the stretch run, so get geared up for what promises to be a crazy August and September.

Update: I dug a little deeper -- that trio of events has happened probably even fewer times than you'd think... after researching every day of June and July, "the joyous trio" (Mets win, Braves lose, Phillies lose), happened a total of twice in June (Saturday, June 23rd, when Paul Lo Duca went nuts and his replacement, Ramon Castro came around to score on a David Wright 9th inning bloop to score the game's only run, and Friday, June 8th, when Jorge Sosa pulled to 6-1 with a 3-0 win over the Tigers, which would prove to be the Mets only win in a 10-game early June stretch which I'm sure we all remember, but choose to forget), and ONCE in July (Saturday, July 7th, when the Mets won that crazy 17 inning marathon against the Astros with a little help from the glove of Carlos Beltran). Now remember, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all 3 teams always play, so this is not a product of a lack of opportunities. Plus, given that they are divisional foes, when they play series' against each other, all that's required for "the joyous trio" to take place is a win by the Mets against one of those teams combined with a loss by the team not involved in the matchup (that never happened, even when the Mets took 3 of 4 from Philly). But hey, believe it or not, on 2 of those 3 "joyous" occassions in June and July, there was another event which brought a smile to my face -- although given the current state of New York it seems like the Yankees probably just decided not to try on June 23rd and July 7th to cut us fans some slack. Lets just hope for some more "joy" as the Mets take the field today against Manny Acta's Nats -- keep on building on that lead boys, and I'll be a happy fan.

With the game tied 5-5 tonight and Jose Reyes on 3rd base, David Wright hit a foul ball along the right field line that was caught. As Reyes sprinted home, the home plate umpire slowly rotated behind the catcher, giving him the least optimal view of the plate, and when Miguel Olivo tagged Jose Reyes on the shoulder, the umpire was unable to see Reyes' hand clearly touch home plate prior to the tag. Much to the dismay of Reyes and the Shea faithful, Reyes was called out and the game remained tied, only to see that tie evaporate in the next half inning when Aaron Heilman decided to give up the easiest 2 runs in the history of baseball (we'll get to the top of the 8th in a bit).

Yes, WIllie Randolph did come out to argue the call, but went back to the dugout after being told that Olivo tagged Reyes on the shoulder. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but this team looks dead. This is not the exciting team of last year who won close games and finished their exciting comebacks with heart and determination. This is the team that sits with a 3-2 lead and doesn't tack on a run, only to see that lead disappear in the 9th. Think back to the Carlos Zambrano - Michael Barrett fight, when the Cubs were a team in disarray. Now, granted, the Mets are a first-place team without in-clubhouse feuding, but they just lost a heart-breaking series to their rivals at home after a miracle catch stunted the Mets comeback plans on Thursday afternoon and their star closer blew only his second game of the year last night. That oh so (un)comfortable lead in the NL East is dissolving little-by-little everyday, and the Mets are in danger of letting a season that started out so promising slip away. And when Reyes was called out on a play that should've given the Mets a lead, Willie should've pulled a Lou Piniella to wake this team up out of the coma that might prematurely end their season. The Cubs' success after Piniella's blow-up has been well-documented, and the Mets needed a similar riling from their so-called fearless leader. Willie should've been in that umpire's face, arguing until he turned different shades of purple. Willie shouldn't have left the field with the fans upset about a bad call -- he should've left the field after getting his money's worth, with the crowd applauding his dedication and anger at that call. The team should NOT have gone out onto the field feeling bad for themselves, which they did as they surrendered the tie they had just earned in the next half-inning -- the team should've gone out onto the field with a purpose -- win this one for Willie! That's what teams do for managers that stick up for them when things aren't going their way -- that's what the good teams do, at least. Willie should've been in the clubhouse a long time ago -- just ask the Cubs.

Finally, I'll rant about one of WIllie's managerial decisions. And no, it's not the Luis Castillo-Carlos Beltran swap, because I understand the need to go for the tie there and then rather than trying to get another guy on base for David Wright. What I don't understand for the life of me is why Aaron Heilman was left in the game to face De Aza. This guy is a .340 hitter with a big open stance from the left side. And believe it or not, rookie hitters usually haven't faced lefty specialists in the minor leagues because they get promoted too quickly. Pedro Feliciano should've been in that game and Miguel Cabrera shouldn't have stepped into the box until the top of the 9th in a tie game. Horrendous game tonight; I'm disgusted right now. I didn't get much sleep last night after the Wagner meltdown, and I can't imagine I'll get too much tonight. Goodnight to those of you who can stomach 3 losses in a row like that. I envy you.

The Mets begin a three-game series tonight at Shea Stadium against the Braves (the fluctuating pitching matchups were documented below), in what could be a statement series for either team. 

Mike Vaccaro, one of my favorite writers, in his column for the Post this morning, does a great job describing some of the intangibles that should come into play this week.  Last year was supposed to be this grand changing of the guard -- the younger, fresher, and more exciting Mets rolled through 2006 pulling ahead of the Braves by 15 games at this time last year.  Most importantly perhaps was the way the Mets dismantled the Braves head-to-head, even sweeping a series in Turner Cemetery, where all Mets teams go to die.  This year, the Mets still have the youth with Reyes and Wright, and they're still in first place, but doesn't it seem eerily similar to the 14 years before 2006 when the fans were conditioned to losing?  It still seems like it was yesterday that Armando Benitez blew two saves in a week in 2001 when the Mets had a chance to pull to within two games of the Braves (and I will admit to crying in the stands for one of those games).  I'm still trying to will away a return to those days, and the best cure for those feelings would be winning this series.  We don't have to go into all of the moves the Braves made on July 31st - -they've ben well-documented, and yes, they improved more than the Mets did.  But a win on July 31st is worth a total of 0 wins in the paper -- unless the Braves happen to roll into Shea and win a couple games.  It's time to return to the days where the Mets could come to work at Shea and expect to win everyday -- and that time is now.

Let's go Mets!

P.S. I'll be at the game tonight with my 11-1 record to root on the boys.

On Wednesday, Brian Lawrence is set to start a 7:10 game against John Smoltz in the 2nd game of a critical 3-game set against the Mets' long-time division rival Atlanta Braves.  Now, in case you forgot, let me refresh your memory on who pitched for the Mets over the past week and when they pitched:

Wednesday: Ollie Perez (W vs. Brewers)

Thursday: Brian Lawrence (W vs. Brewers)

Friday: Orlando Hernandez (W vs. Cubs)

Saturday: John Maine (L vs. Cubs)

Now, if the Mets series against the Braves were a 3-game set starting Monday, they would have no flexibility whatsoever -- they would have to start Ollie, Lawrence, and El Duque because they'd be the only guys on 4 days rest.  At the same time, if the Mets were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates or some other relatively insignificant opponent, they'd probably still keep the rotation in order.  And I understand that Maine is supposed to be better on 5 days rest because his fastball apparently has more life, but Maine on 4 days rest has to be better than Lawrence under any and all circumstances.  Obviously what I am recommending is starting Ollie Tuesday (as they are), El Duque Wednesday (on 4 days rest after Sat., Sun., Mon. and Tues.), and Maine Thursday in what could be a rubber game (on 4 days rest after Sun., Mon., Tues. and Wed.). 

Willie said earlier in the season that he needed to play everyone in big spots to see what he had in his players (i.e. when Burgos was put into tight situations late in the game in April, that was necessary so that Willie could see if he could depend on him as the season went on).  Well, it's not April and this is not the NL Central anymore.  The Braves destroyed the Mets on July 31st, yet the Mets have hung tough since, and now it's time for a statement series.  The Braves are not the defending NL East Champions -- the Mets are, and until someone else claims that crown, the Mets will keep it.  The Braves are 6-3 against the Mets this season, taking the only series the two teams have played at Shea thus far, and with Smoltz and Hudson going Wednesday and Thursday against Lawrence and El Duque, it looks like this series is headed in the same direction.  It's time for the Mets to buckle down and show the rest of the NL East why the Mets were the only team in the division playing in October last year, and why they'll be back again in 2007.  Willie, I'm imploring you, start John Maine -- stop pandering to your players and do what needs to be done to show the Braves why you don't win pennants on July 31st.

Update: Since Willie clearly reads AAAA, he has recently decided to make the recommended switch.  The matchups will feature Ollie-Carlyle, Hernandez-Smoltz, and Maine-Hudson.  Lets go Mets!

 

This blog is a continuation (including deadline articles, which are about to be posted) of Josee Jose Jose Jose: Mets Banter From Ann Arbor.  To read prior posts, please visit http://joseeejosejosejose.blogspot.com. 

With Pedro about to start his rehab assignment, the Mets have to nurse Jorge Sosa through 4-5 more starts until Pedro (hopefully) comes back.

On Friday night against the Nationals, Sosa surrendered 5 runs on 9 hits in 6 innings -- a very lackluster performance against the lowly Nationals. It looks like the league has figured him out yet again, as if every time he "reinvents" himself the league seems to forget how to hit a 92 mph flat fastball and a slider that seldom slides.

Pelfrey, on the other hand, let the wheels come off during one rough inning in which the pitcher got in his head by tripling with one out (if he gets him, there's 2 outs and nobody on and the inning takes on a very different look). I half expected Peterson to really push Omar and Willie to let Pelfrey stay up and get a few more starts this season because he's throwing harder again, only walked one guy (a remarkable improvement from earlier in the year), and has way more potential than Jorge Sosa.

Just food for thought until the next trade needs to be discussed....

The Mets have acquired Luis Castillo from the Twins for Double-A C Drew Butera (.231, 6, 26 combined) and Single-A OF Dustin Martin (.289, 5, 52), according to the AP report.

Given what the Mets gave up in this deal, it's really hard to seriously knock it. Considering what the Mets were looking for and what was available, this seems to be the best combination of both in a player because of the defense and steadiness of the veteran, Castillo, and the price they had to pay (two prospects not named Milledge, Gomez, Martinez, Pelfrey, Mulvey, Carp, Guerra, etc.). My main issue with this deal is Ruben Gotay, who I've loved since much earlier in the season. It's hard to not play a guy like Castillo because of the traits listed above -- he's a steadier defensive player than Gotay (although, to be honest, I haven't seen Gotay mess up too many plays outside of the double play ball against the Dodgers), and is probably a better conventional #2 hitter than Gotay (although Gotay has been driving in Reyes when asked to and given his pure offensive production, he has to be considered a plus when he's in the game, despite his defensive liabilities).

My problem with this trade lies within the needs of the team and the overstated talent of Luis Castillo. Listen, a few years ago, this trade is a steal, but there's a reason why Castillo has only stolen 9 bases this year -- he has chronic lower body pain which hinders his running ability, and oh yeah, he got older! One might argue that Castillo isn't here to steal bases, he's supposed to move Reyes along and hit behind him in the #2 spot -- my argument isn't about Castillo's propensity to steal bases (or lack thereof), but rather his defensive range. We're supposed to assume that Castillo is going to be this terrific defensive player, but what about the balls that he should be getting to but just can't anymore that don't go down as errors? Does anyone remember the backhanded play Gotay made a couple of weeks ago or the pop-up he ran down in short right-field (we all know Shawn Green wasn't getting there) with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out against the Pirates in the Ollie Perez game? I don't think it's really a given that Castillo will really be a better defensive player than Gotay -- steadier, yes, he'll make the plays that he's supposed to make, but there's more to defense than catching balls that are hit right at you (cough, Shawn Green, cough). And I think Mets fans should all know by now that you can't just assume a player's defensive abilities (cough, Robbie Alomar, cough, Kaz Matsui, cough). And by the way, how are we supposed to know that Luis Castillo can play in New York? I know he's played in October with the Marlins, but that was Florida where they couldn't even turnout 10,000 people if the Giants were playing there this week, but that's not the point....

What bothers me the most is that hitting is really the most glaring problem on this team. You can blame Feliciano and Heilman all you want for Saturday night's crushing loss, but the Mets hitters went 5.2 innings against a rookie pitcher making his first major league start and totalled one hit. That's right -- ONE hit. The bullpen shouldn't have even been involved in that game -- that should've been an Aaron Sele game, not a Pedro Feliciano game! Ever notice how pitchers (specifically ones that throw hard for one inning) pitch a lot better, and a lot more comfortably, with bigger leads? The starting staff has been fine (outside of Sosa), it really has, and with the bats producing it changes the entire complexion of the pitching-half of the game. If Perez doesn't have to nibble on the corners in a 1-1 game against Pittsburgh in the 6th, his job is much easier. If Joe Smith didn't have to be thrown into 2-2 games all the time, he might not be so darn tired right now. The game starts with pitching, I understand that, but the best defense can be a good offense -- anyone remember how the Mets won games last year? It was by having the most dynamic, deep, and dangerous lineup in the game. I'll take the power production of Gotay over the veteran presence of Castillo on this team -- we're done with the Julio Francos of the world; I want the pop.

Now, this rant can be made obsolete if Willie just plays the hot hand and uses Castillo as a defensive replacement late in games and spells Gotay against lefties or a game where the matchup heavily favors Castillo -- given the price Omar paid for Castillo, I think Willie can afford to do that. But we all know how Willie loves his veterans, and if you want my bet, I'm pretty confident that I'll be a very angry fan come Tuesday night.

Apparently the Braves and Royals are close to agreeing to an Octavio Dotel-Kyle Davies swap.

This pisses me off to be honest -- if the price for Dotel is Kyle Davies, then he's worth the risk and the Mets should be in on this. We know he can pitch in New York, he has a lively fastball, and could be reinvigorated by coming into a pennant race. I wrote before about the Braves' lack of pitching -- well, now their bullpen has been addressed. What's next? Are they gonna be the team who steals Oswalt from the Astros? Well, I don't think even the Braves have enough chips to pull off that deal, but this is getting slightly frustrating.

My thoughts on the Castillo trade will follow....

The Braves are about to acquire Rangers 1B Mark Teixeira and RHP Ron Mahay for C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus and two pitching prospects, according to Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com.

Listen, I'm as mad about this move as anyone, but lets not lose sight of what wins games in August and September -- pitching. Last I checked, Teixiera doesn't throw a 12-6 curveball and doesn't throw a 90+ mph fastball, while the Braves are still throwing Chuck James, Buddy Carlyle, and JoJo Reyes 3 of every 5 days while relying on a frequently broken John Smoltz.

Last I checked, Mike Gonzalez was out for the season, Rafael Soriano has been losing games at a quicker pace than Armando Benitez (circa September 2001), and Bob Wickman is, well, Bob Wickman.

Last I checked, Teixiera has never hit NL pitching and has never played on a contender during a pennant race. The Mets have holes, trust me, I know, but lets not jump the gun and think that just because the Braves have added another switch-hitter that the Mets are suddenly dead in this division. If this team plays close to their expectations and they can get anything out of Pedro Martinez, they'll have made more significant acquisitions than any team in the bigs.

Here it is folks, the one you've all been waiting for -- my sleeper trade idea of July 2007 is here. I've been thinking about this one a lot, and almost called Joe and Evan on WFAN today (the phone rang about 25 times on 3 occasions and they just never picked up actually), but now you get to hear it here first. I considered a lot of factors here, and I'll list them before I give you the hole that this guy is supposed to fill, and then I'll tell you the idea.

1. Starting Pitching: In short, the Mets, for the first time in a long time, have a surplus of it. Glavine is coming around, El Duque has been pretty good, and I don't think I have to convince anyone that Maine and Perez are the real deal. Sosa can be suspect, but he has a sub-4 ERA and will never see the light of day in the playoffs ahead of the aforementioned top 4. And then there's Pedro. He says he's healthy, and who knows, but lets talk about July 31st in terms of October. Steve asked me this question today: "If (and these are 2 big conditions) Pedro comes back strong and El Duque doesn't do anything stupid right before the playoffs ('like run along the warning track?' I chimed in), who gets knocked out of the rotation?" My answer was El Duque, but that's a question for another, potentially happier time -- my point is that if we can envision a scenario in which El Duque doesn't get a start in October, is it really necessary for the Mets to give up some blue chip prospects for a rental starting pitcher? My answer: No.

2. Relief Pitching: Since the 17 inning marathon, the Mets have been nothing short of lights-out in the 'pen. It's always a need, don't get me wrong, and you can never have enough of it, but are the Mets going to outbid 10 other teams for Eric Gagne when the bullpen hasn't given up a run in a week with the exception of Mike Pelfrey's relief performance (which actually impressed me and gave me some hopes for some good Pelfrey performances in September out of the 'pen)? I don't think so.

3. Catcher: Castro for President, Lo Duca isn't going anywhere, 'nuff said.

4. First Base: Ugh, yeah, we're stuck, please start hitting Carlos.

5. Second Base: Ah, the ideas are flowing, keep reading.

6 and 7. Third Base and Shortstop: Hahahahahaha.

8. Outfield: This one is interesting, but I wouldn't do anything here either. Alou is supposed to come back, but my big problem with him is not whether he'll be healthy in a week, but rather, how can I know that he'll be healthy in 2 months? Well I can't, but what I do know is that with Chavez and Alou on this team and a healthy Gomez in September, they'll have 6, count them, 6, outfielders who can all start on most major league teams (Beltran, Green, Milledge, etc.). My idea is to carry Milledge, Alou, and Green as your starting corner outfielders. Against lefties, Willie should always start Milledge and Alou, and against righties Willie should rotate the day off so that Alou always stays fresh and Milledge gets enough at-bats. Regardless, the Mets shouldn't go unloading blue-chip pitchers for another OF who will probably be a rental and shouldn't be less of an injury-risk that the guys they have (see Jermaine Dye).

So my trade idea... now, this could contradict with some of my plans, so the team will have to adjust based on what the _________ ask for in return for __________.

The idea, to save the Mets and bring them to October with a flourish is...

BRANDON PHILLIPS.

Okay, okay, now this is really his first solid season, well, ever, but this guy was supposed to be this good from day one with Omar's Expos. Given that he's young and inexpensive right now, the Reds might demand a lot, but this guy is not just a stop-gap. This is his 6th year since coming to the majors, so he's set to become a free agent after his last year of arbitration eligibility (correct me if I'm wrong please), and the Reds need a lot more pieces than just Brandon Phillips. I'd be willing to give up Ruben Gotay (who I love, and if the Mets don't steal my genius idea, I really do hope he starts down the stretch and bats 2nd) and either Phil Humber or Kevin Mulvey, along with some B-level prospects for Phillips. Maybe I'm off on Phillips' value, but he hasn't had a big season before this one, so he's a relative risk, and the Reds are in dire need of young arms and talent. So, there it is, my big trade idea of 2007 -- something tells me I should trust Omar on this one, but take my two cents for what it's worth.

Lets go Mets!