Reports are swirling about the Mets settling for second tier players. The ideal plan would be to sign Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, attempt to acquire Roy Halladay from Toronto, and then shore up the catching position, bullpen, and first base with second tier players. Any other big market team (see Yankees and Red Sox) would behave in such a way after a 90 loss season. These are Jeff Wilpon’s New York Mets and, despite big market real estate, they never cease to amaze you with their second rate thinking. I do believe all hope is not lost even if Halladay, Holliday, and Bay are out of reach. They may be able to put an acceptable plan B together if Carlos Delgado proves he has recovered from hip surgery and can provide the Mets with at least a 2007 type of season.

If Delgado proves healthy in Puerto Rico I would take a flier on him. He is about as close to a “value” cleanup hitter you will find in this weak free agent market. The next move I would make is call up Rays GM Andrew Friedman and free Carl Crawford from Tampa. Regardless of what Tampa St. Pete writer Joe Smith says we continue to believe Crawford will be traded. The Mets could put together a deal centered on 2-3 of their top prospects and use the savings on first base to sign Crawford to an extension. It would then be acceptable to round out the roster with “value shopping” and sign second tier pitchers for the rotation and bullpen.

I realize this plan will not sit well with the fan base. I also don’t see season ticket sales getting a jump because of Carl Crawford, but it does improve the team from their current state. Regardless of whom Omar Minaya brings in it will require Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and Santana to return to form. If they don’t then 2010 will probably look a whole lot like 2009.

Still Waiting To Hear Crawford Rumor Debunked

The venom lobbied at NYBD last weekend has certainly calmed down. I noticed that we still haven’t seen anyone debunk our report of Carl Crawford not signing an extension with Tampa. Joe Smith, who I believe libeled this site by calling our report false instead of just disagreeing with it, continues to provide canned quotes from Rays GM Andrew Friedman. NYBD contributors Frank Russo (who wrote the piece) and Jed Weisberger (who writes for MILB.com) stood by the report as well. Time will only tell if our Crawford story comes to pass, but in the meantime it would be nice to know that the mainstream, although rightfully threatened by independent media, would not resort to inciting a fan base to attack a report that is unpopular. It’s no secret that the best reporting comes from the proverbial “back door” where people are more open and honest. Are we going to get Nook LaLoosh quotes out of Mr. Smith to debunk future reports? Call us what you want, but to call us liars is plan unprofessional.

To hear me talk about this, as well as other hot stove news, with Howard Megdal of SNY click here.

Tags: Andrew Friedman, Carl Crawford, Carlos Delgado, Jason Bay, Jeff Wilpon, Joe Smith, Matt Holliday, New York Mets, Omar Minaya, Roy Halladay, St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Bay Rays