It’s very apparent that we are not going to have a shortage of opinions about what direction the Mets should head after the season. Yesterday ESPN’s Jayson Stark talked about the need to rebuild, while SNY’s Ted Berg took a more conservative approach. I am more in the camp of Ted Berg than Stark, but I believe the Mets can’t rebuild and, if they do, they will lose another generation of fans. How do I know? Because I grew up one and saw what happened in the nineties.

The Mets aren’t known for short rebuilding periods. They lost an entire generation between 1991 and 1996 while they tried to figure things out. Of course, Generation K set the franchise back, but they didn’t make any attempt to foray into the free agent market after the failed “worst team money can buy”. Remember, back then the 86′ World Series was still fresh in people’s mind. They currently have a new expensive stadium and fans still smarting from back to back collapses. There is only so many look backs at 86’ and 69’ you can do. The fans want new memories to savor. If you lost a generation back then can’t you see some of the long time stalwarts finally saying enough? Can this team justify being cheap when season tickets require a second mortgage and people have more entertainment options than ever. Honestly, Mets fans are not going to sit back and watch Nick Evans, Daniel Murphy, and Josh Thole develop while the Yankees win another one, or more, World Series. They will enjoy those players develop as complementary pieces on a contending team. That is why you need a hybrid solution in between Stark and Berg. Remember, you have Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez in their prime. You rebuild and you just wasted their last remaining superstar years. Also, Jose Reyes and David Wright will be knocking on the door of 30 when the cycle turns. What a shame that two of the best homegrown positional players will spend their early prime playing for absolutely nothing. This team had a chance to rebuild in 2004 and they chose a quick fix. Now have to see it through.

You need to give your core another two years, save money on your bench by giving young players a shot, and add two to three complementary players to the mix. Regardless of the type of team you build it’s going to be a prerequisite to bring in a cleanup hitter, #2 starter, and a quality setup man. Since the Wilpon’s have made it abundantly clear they have financial health this should be attainable. Right? If so you can take Berg’s plan and add the pieces needed to contend next season. All you have to do is spend money intelligently. It’s exactly what the Yankees are doing this year. If you don’t see progress over the next 2 -3 years than you make the decision to trade your core and let them have a last hurrah helping some team win a title as a complementary piece.

It’s too soon to give up on this group, but ownership needs to understand the window of opportunity before them and seize the chance to save their brand from being damaged further. What a shame it would be to let a rash of injuries close the door on this era of Mets baseball. It’s not time to rebuild. You need to retool with a combination of superstars, youth, and complementary veterans. You have the first two, but you have to commit to the third, and final, piece.

Tags: Daniel Murphy, ESPN, Generation K, Jayson Stark, Josh Thole, New York Mets, Nick Evans, SNY, Ted Berg