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

Ben Sheets appears to be headed to Oakland, yup, as far away from Citi Field as possible. That’s Oakland, a team, that does things on the cheap.

I can’t say how serious the Mets were, but they couldn’t have been that intent on getting.

Who’s left?

Jon Garland, John Smoltz, Jarrod Washburn and Chien-Ming Wang. Garland and Washburn are starters, and could pass as No. 5s, but didn’t we open the offseason thinking the Mets needed a No. 2?

Wang won’t be available until May and Smoltz would go to the pen.

The Mets are also looking at bringing back Fernando Tatis to platoon with Daniel Murphy at first base.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010

Published reports have the Met serious about pitching, and have contacted Ben Sheets. They also have interest in former Yankee Chien-Ming Wang, who is coming off shoulder surgery and won’t be available until May 1. The team is also reported to be interested in John Smoltz and Jon Garland.

The word is very encouraging about Wang, who has been throwing pain free for seven weeks. Because of the abundance of off-days in April, the Mets can afford to wait until Wang is ready.

Sheets, who missed all of last season following surgery, is also throwing without difficulty. Reports are he could go for $8 million for one year.

I like the idea of Smoltz for the bullpen and buying time for Wang.

Register your top choice in a new poll.

Elsewhere, the Mets are considering adding the often-injured Chad Tracy as well as bringing back Fernando Tatis. The Mets are also looking at bringing back Carlos Delgado, who has played winter ball mostly as a DH, which doesn’t answer the basic question about his durability.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010

Questions, questions ....

1) Who are the fifth starter candidates?
A: Jon Niese is from the organization. It could also be Oliver Perez or John Maine if the Mets should add another arm. Joel Pineiro and Jon Garland are still out there, but they are also linked to other teams. There’s no guarantee the Mets will bring in somebody else.

2) Where is Johan Santana?
A: Santana is coming off surgery. The Mets are saying he’ll be ready, but they said the same thing about John Maine last spring.

3) What is Jose Reyes status?
A: Reyes says he feels good, but he hasn’t tested that hamstring in game-type conditions. And, how much speed has he lost?

4) Did David Wright find his home run stroke over the winter?
A: Maybe it was Citi Field, maybe not. But, Wright did not hit with power last season. That has to change if the Mets are to do anything.

5) Carlos Beltran is how many weeks away?
A: Originally, they said 12 weeks. He won’t be ready by spring training to do baseball activities, but maybe they’ll have a better timetable by then.

6) What’s the catching situation look like?
A: The Mets have plenty of reserve catchers, but not a No. 1. They hope it will be Bengie Molina. They really don’t want to rush Josh Thole to the majors.

7) Who is the real Mike Pelfrey?
A: Pelfrey appeared on the verge of breaking out in 2008, but regressed last season. It’s about time he gets to the next level.

Where does the coin land?
A: Will Coinflip Perez show consistency beyond being inconsistent? He’s also coming off surgery. The reports are he’s working hard, but he’s worked hard before with no results.

9) What are the bullpen roles?
A: They could change if they sign John Smoltz. I’d rather have him in a set-up role than Kelvim Escobar. That way I could also drop Bobby Parnell down to a lower pressure slot.

10) What kind of camp will Jerry Manuel run?
A: Lax or clamp down? There were injuries last season, but the team also played fundamentally poor baseball and that’s his responsibility.

Posted under Commentary/2010, Mets Commentary

Who’s remaining in the free-agent pitching market isn’t good, and it seems as if the Mets are thinking who they currently have is better.

The Cubs want Ben Sheets and appear willing to spend the $12 million or so it would take to get him. He’s good when he’s healthy, worth the coin, but there’s no guarantees he’ll hold up. Ditto with Mark Mulder, who’s talking with Milwaukee.

The Mets waited for the market to come back to them on Joel Pineiro and the pricing might well have. So has the competition to get him: Los Angeles, St. Louis and Washington are linked to him as well as the Mets. Washington also has interest in Doug Davis. Can’t imagine the Nationals getting both, but what if?

That leaves us Jon Garland, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, John Smoltz, Mike Hampton (been there done that), and Chien-Ming Wang.

There are flaws with all of them, just there are flaws with the Mets rotation, which now has four arms, three of them coming off surgery (Santana, Perez, Maine). They’ll liable to get Garland as their No. 5 and call it an offseason.

Posted under Commentary/2010, Mets Commentary

I had a Poll request over the weekend as to whom should the Mets target to improve their pitching. There are some decent arms, and some risks out there. There’s nobody, however, that cries out, “Sign me, sign me.”

Here’s the main names on the list: Joel Pineiro, Jon Garland, Doug Davis, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Ben Sheets, Chien-Ming Wang and Erik Bedard.

The Mets are talking with Smoltz and still are considering Pineiro.

So, who do you want?

Post your comments here and vote in the poll.

Posted under Commentary/2010, Mets Commentary

The Mets are interested in bolstering their rotation. Better late than never. Among the names left in the market are Joel Pineiro, Jon Garland, Doug Davis, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Ben Sheets, Chien-Ming Wang and Erik Bedard.

The Mets are talking with Smoltz which does nothing in terms of making them younger, but if he’s on – at this stage he’s a four or five – he could be valuable. He did pitch well down the stretch last year. Yeah, I’d like a young stud, but there aren’t any out there.

Sheets, Wang and Bedard, coming off injuries, represent the biggest risk.

Posted under Mets News, Mets News & Features/2010

Spring training is still six weeks away and the Mets have done nothing to remedy the holes in their rotation. However, they quenched their thirst for right-handed power with the acquisitions of Jason Bay over the holidays and Jeff Francoeur. The team is still optimistic David Wright will regain his power stroke.

However, the Mets, save Carlos Beltran, are void of any significant power from the left side, which is why there’s this interest in bringing back Carlos Delgado.

Let’s assume Delgado signs. There’s still questions in the rotation. Would signing Jon Garland or Joel Pineiro boost your confidence level in this team?

Posted under Commentary/2010, Mets Commentary

I hope everybody had a happy and safe holiday. I enjoyed spending time with my family. I don’t get out here that often, so the time is special.

I wrote several days ago it was time for the Mets to take a “take it or leave it” approach with Jason Bay. With his agent, Joe Urban, talking to the Red Sox and stonewalling the Mets, it’s obvious where Bay’s heart lies.

BAY: End the fantasy.

It has come to that with Bay. It’s time to cut the fantasy with him.

He doesn’t want to play for the Mets, but would be willing to for five years and not four. I’m not deluded into thinking Bay is any different from any other free agent. He’s following the money.

The Red Sox don’t want to go over the $170 million luxury tax marker, so Urbon will have to be creative in backloading the deal. I would have to think the Red Sox would rather have Bay in their batting order over Mike Cameron (making him a fourth outfielder).

But, what about your heroes? Who’s going to play left field for them? They should be thinking hard about this because it should have been obvious to them Bay was a longshot.
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Posted under Commentary/2009, Mets Commentary