Whoever comes through these gates will be effective. I know it.

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

Sorry it’s been so long. I have’t forgotten about my metsies. Business picked up all over the place and I just couldn’t write for a minute. Either way I’m back and pumped. My enthusiasm in the Spring is always off the charts but now it’s even greater because of the PECOTA ratings that were updated. Mets, 77-85. Bullocks I say. But that’s for another column on another day. For now I’ll keep my optimism to just one part of the team. The Bullpen.

That’s right, the worn down, beleaguered bullpen.
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Next stop! Playoffs!

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

Well, here we are. Spring Training. Gone is the stench of September. Away went the distaste of the way things ended. Evaporating into the air are the fumes of a pretty woeful off-season. Washing away onto a shore far far away is the Mike Jacobs signing. Elbowing it’s way into bad Mets lore is the horriffic Carlos Beltran knee surgery. It’s time for peace. It’s time for serenity. It is time, for Spring Training.

No other period in sports reeks of optimism like Spring Training Baseball. Even within NFL camps you know a team is going to be shitty. With baseball, somehow, we are all led to believe that our team can actually be good this year. It’s a long season. I don’t know anyone who actually says we got a World Series team here. But most people, most people say hey, we might have shot this year. Baseball is back boys and girls. Smell the grass. Feel the warmth of that Sun. It feels good doesn’t it?
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We need 2007 Ollie not 2009 Ollie.

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

It’s obvious the Mets 2010 plan is to make pretend 2009 didn’t happen and to hope the injured return to form. Plainly obvious in fact. The addition of Jason Bay notwithstanding the Mets did nothing to improve the 2009 roster. In fact, some would say it is slightly worse. But I’m not going to focus on that. Like coaches and managers say all the time, I am only going to worry about my guys that are here. So today, I take a extra long look at Oliver Perez.

Today’s NY TIMES article about Ollie made me start to think. I wonder if Oliver Perez will actually meet expectations this year?
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Newest Met, Jason Bay.

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

SOMETHING HAPPENED. BAY HAS ACCEPTED THE TERMS OF A 4 YEAR DEAL WORTH A LITTLE OVER 16MM A SEASON. DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

AGAIN METS SIGN BAY, PENDING PHYSICAL!

Ok after the jump I will link some Jason Bay stats and maybe a highlight video. This guy plays baseball the right way so get behind your team this was a very good signing. Let’s hope those shoulders pass that physical.

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Troy is looking for a home, heard he ain't asking for much....

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

Troy Glaus. Kelvin Escobar. These are the only two names that interest me and fall within the category of low risk, high reward. (Updated, Escobar signed a minor league deal with the Mets). I look at a guy like Troy Glaus and I see a big right handed bat who can play first and third but not everyday. I see Glaus forming a perfect platoon with young Daniel Murphy at first. Not necessarily hitting Glaus against lefties only but getting Troy 300-400 ab’s or so I think we can benefit from that. At a low rate no less.

Escobar missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury but in 2008 posted 18 wins for the Al West Champion Angels. He has tremendous stuff when healthy and signing him to a minor league deal is a huge bargain for the Mets if he can contribute. Let’s just hope he is as healthy as he says he is because he can break camp as the #2 guy for sure.

These are the type of deals that seperate division winners from basement winners. You get a guy like Glaus, coming off a year in which he had 29 at-bats due to injury and you sign him for peanuts and he pays you in golden nuggets. The non-tendered list that came down Friday has other interesting players on it, our own Michael Ganci is stumping for Ryan Garko.
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Coming to town?

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

It appears, through various reports including Mike Francesca at the WFAN 660 that the Mets are going to offer Jason Bay a 5-year contract. So they are choosing to go with Bay over Holliday. I guess to avoid a bidding war. Bay seems like he is ready to sign if the years and money is right. No matter what Boras says. holliday seems more like a struggle and will cost another year and probably a couple million more a year. I prefer Holliday but Bay is solid. In the same report it seems the Mets are also offering Molina a 2 year deal. Whatever.

I am confused too Omar.

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

I don’t know where to begin. Twitter is both a gift and a curse. I’ve read more rumors and followed more stories in the past 24 hours than I have the entire year. It’s crazy out there folks. At one point I thought the Mets had acquired Pat Burrell. In another instant I thought the Mets had a deal in place to get Halladay. Last night I checked my phone and there was a tweet saying the Mets offered Lackey a contract.

Of course none of the above came to fruition and thank god Burrell ain’t a Metropolitan but these Winter Meetings have had my head spinning.

I’d like Omar to leave these meeting with 3 things accomplished. One, trade Luis Castillo. Two, sign or acquire at least 2 pitchers. Three, finalize whatever crazy idea he seems to have for the catcher position. I think Holliday, this early in the game, is a waste of time and effort.

Boras is angling to get him in a bidding war with the Mets, Red Sox and Cardinals. And I don’t think the Cardinals are interested anymore.
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Yes Orlando, God will answer your desire to be a Met this time around.

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

I’m just getting antsy but I can’t believe Minaya hasn’t moved Luis Castillo yet. I understand trades are alot more comlicated than the swapping of a player or two, I mean I ‘m not naive. It’s not like MLB 2K9. But with Castillo’s comeback year it would seem to me he should be relatively easy to move. I also wonder why Los Angeles doesn’t want to re-sign Orlando Hudson. They think less of him than everyone else for some reason.

I have a good feeling the Mets will swoop in and sign Hudson. But not if they don’t trade Castillo soon. My gut feeling is Omar will move Castillo during the Winter Meetings and have an offer out to O-dog soon thereafter. I just hope it’s nothing silly like a 4-5 year deal.

Assuming he gets about 4MM a year, Omar’s offer should be a 2 year 8MM deal and if he has to a club option worth about the same. Orlando Hudson is a fine baseball player. His offensive numbers in a good lineup are very nice. It’s really his glove that we would be paying for.
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Matt Holliday wants Santa Claus to bring him a big contract. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

Santa, I think I’ve been through enough this year. I don’t think I am asking for too much this off-season, in fact I will only bother you for one thing and one thing only. I’ll let Omar Minaya get the rest. But I expect you to deliver on this one request. I cannot tolerate Daniel Murphy leading the team in Home Runs. I don’t think our RBI leader should only have 76 RBI’s.

Santa, all I want for Christmas is, Matt Holliday.

It’d be nice to have a power hitting left fielder for a change. It seems like it’s been forever. I can’t even remember having a power hitting left fielder. Kevin Mitchell? Kevin McReynolds? Cleon Jones????! I seriously think that is it. So sad. Sometimes I wonder what the hell am I a Met fan for.
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How many game winning hits will Omir hit in 2010?

BY ANTHONY LAFAMAN
STACHE WRITER

It’s a dream to have a catcher that can impact the offense. Unfortunately there aren’t many of them that can. Most catchers are under .300 in career batting average, don’t have much pop in thier bat and are slow. This doesn’t mean they are not important to a club. It’s quite the opposite. They are paramount, they play a huge role in the clubs ability to win, day in and day out. But finding a Victor Martinez or Joe Mauer doesn’t happen easily. This is why I was for, giving up anything the Indians wanted in return for Martinez. Currently the Mets catcher position is up in the air but I ask the real question.

Do the Mets REALLY need a catcher?

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