John Delcos’ New York Mets Report Featuring Mets’ commentary, analysis and news.

The Mets got some positive news when 21–year-old outfield prospect Fernando Martinez was named MVP of the Caribbean Series. They should, however, resist the temptation to say he’s ready because it was a 23-at-bat sampling in which he hit .348 with two home runs. The Mets have rushed prospects before and I don’t want to see them toy with Martinez’s confidence.

Assuming the best on Carlos Beltran, I’m sure center field will be safe with Angel Pagan and Gary Matthews Jr., in the interim, which should be a couple of months. Martinez wouldn’t get regular at-bats and would only be sent down once Beltran is ready.

I’m still thinking the prudent decision would be for him to get regular playing time in Triple-A and then make an evaluation around the All-Star break whether he should be promoted for the second half.

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Pretty basic really since there’s nothing but old news in baseball. Who’s watching today and who do you like? Enjoy this unofficial holiday.

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Just some things that have passed through my mind lately:

* If catcher is a position of mostly back-ups, I’d just as soon see what Josh Thole can do, maybe sooner than later.

* If first base is a platoon between Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis, I’d like to see what Murphy can do against left-handed pitching.

* David Wright ended last season stepping into the bucket after he was beaned. I hope he’s over that. Fear can quickly derail a career.

* I just wonder where Carlos Beltran would be had he had surgery in September.

* I’d like to see them sign John Smoltz for the bullpen, but he still wants to start. He’s worth a shot in either role. Hall of Famers deserve one more shot.

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I’m really glad Orlando Hudson has signed with Minnesota, ending all that silly talk of the Mets signing him and trading Luis Castillo. That was never going to happen. So, with nothing going on with the Mets right now - as opposed to the entire offseason - let’s open it up today to talk about the Super Bowl.

Like everybody else Sunday, I’ll be watching the Colts and Saints. I’m glad the Saints are in it, but I’ve always liked the Colts, even when they were in Baltimore and crushed my Browns in the playoffs.

Since everybody thinks this will be high scoring, watch the final be 17-14. It usually works out that way, doesn’t it?

So, if you’d like to take a break from baseball - kind of like how the Mets have this winter - let’s hear your thoughts on the Super Bowl.

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I’ve read in several places where the Mets need a swagger. Sounds nice. Would be a good thing. Where do you get it?

It’s not like there’s a market that sells the stuff. All players have confidence, otherwise they can’t be a professional athlete. But, only a few have that bubbling cockiness, that swagger, that Darryl Strawberry and Ray Knight and Keith Hernandez had with the 86 Mets.

These Mets don’t have an abundance of players with that quality. And, what brings that quality to the surface collectively is winning.

We know the Mets, as a team, don’t have a swagger, and they won’t until they win. It’s great to hear Strawberry talking about the Mets needing a swagger, but it’s all moot until they win.

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Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who appeared in only 36 games last season, has been running sprints at a Long Island training facility and said he’s ready for spring training. And, SNY was there to record the moment for posterity.

“I’ll be ready in 2010,” Reyes said. “I can do everything I did before on the field … I can’t wait to hit a triple.”

Reyes, however, still needs to test his right calf and torn torn right hamstring tendon with baseball drills on both sides of the ball.

“Last year I came back too quickly,” Reyes said. “Everything is in the past. I don’t want to think about it. Now there is no pain. That’s the key. There is nothing to worry about. Everything’s perfect.”

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Even the alumni are unhappy with what the Mets did over the winter. Darryl Strawberry, speaking at the 30th Annual Thurman Munson Awards dinner last winter, wasn’t pleased with GM Omar Minaya’s work.

“I’ll put it like this: It could’ve been better,” Strawberry said. “You could’ve put a couple more pieces into that puzzle for them. I know they signed Jason Bay, but the big loss was the (Carlos) Beltran (injury) situation.”

The Mets, believing they’ll get Beltran back sooner than later once the season starts, just used patching.

Strawberry also said the Mets needed more pitching. Minaya did nothing to upgrade their starting rotation. There’s little, if any, quality left on the pitching market. Kind of like the last scraps at a buffet table.

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Good morning folks. First off, I’d like to thank you for your well wishes yesterday. I should get back some of my test results today, but I’m feeling better this morning. So, again, thank you very much for you kindness.

Previously, I’d listed concerns of the Mets heading into spring training. One such concern was whether David Wright would regain his home run stroke. By most standards, Wright had a miserable season in 2009, and it was that way long before he took a fastball to his helmet. Wright hit .307 with a career-low 10 homers and only 72 RBI.

Wright did himself in early when he admitted the dimensions of Citi Field were getting to him. Once that became public, pitchers had their way with him from a power standpoint and gave him absolutely nothing to hit.

Wright tinkered with his swing, but an altered swing stays with a hitter, even on the road and his power numbers paled in comparison to other seasons in production away from home, too. Wright is human, and he began to press, and with injuries mounting up - without Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran - there was little protection in the order.

Wright has been working hard with hitting coach Howard Johnson, who should have done more to persuade his third baseman to not abandon the form that produced these numbers for a 162-game average: .309, 27 homers and 107 RBI.

The problem, Johnson dissected, was in waiting on the pitch, Wright waited too long. The ball would bear down on him and he couldn’t adjust. Say hello to 140 strikeouts. A career high. That Wright hit over .300 despite his high strikeout totals illustrated how unusual Wright’s season actually was.

Their off-season work has been concentrated on Wright attacking the ball more out front, being quick with his hands and driving the ball.

Which Wright will we see in 2010?

I’m willing to bet last season was an aberration and we’ll see numbers closer to his career averages rather than last year’s posting. I’ve seen how hard Wright works and believe he’s too good a hitter, too good an athlete, not to rebound.

Yes, I think Wright will be back in the saddle again.

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Hi folks …. I have not been feeling well lately and spent much of the day getting poked and prodded at the doctor. I will be back tomorrow. Thanks.

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I hope this finds everybody doing well today. Quiet on the baseball front, so let’s open it up to what’s on your mind.

I’m still waiting for the Mets to add a pitcher. I hate to say this, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Pedro Martinez is brought back. To think the Mets will look at what Martinez did with the Phillies and to think he might duplicate it this summer might be a reach. Afterall, part of his success has to be attributed to playing half a season and being strong down the stretch. More indicative would be his second World Series start.

I saw where the Royals are willing to trade Gil Meche and Brian Bannister. Meche is a lot of money for somebody who is now merely average.

I’ll have something on the remaining FA pitchers on the market this week as well as something on David Wright.

Today, for me, I’ll watch the Celtics and Lakers this afternoon. One of the great sports rivalries. Rooting interest? Celtics.

Enjoy the day.

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