As most other Mets fans do, I hold my breath anxiously when I hear that anything is wrong with Carlos Delgado. How can one help but feel that we are walking on eggshells when he already has flown north for a MRI on his hip? Was last year a fluke or is his body breaking down……we may not know the answer, however the Mets will be left with two options: 1. Keep there fingers crossed and go after a big name via trade or free agency next off season (only huge 1B out there will be Mark Texiera who will command huge money and will probably stay in Atlanta) or 2. Bring someone in this year that can replace an injured Delgado/be the solution at 1B next year.

I somehow feel that option two will be the safer and cheaper way to go. There are several teams in the NL that have a log jam at first base and or outfield. There are a couple of others who have there top prospects blocked by players on contracts. What makes it much more interesting is that most of these players are right handed, which we appear to need in our lineup desperately. Here are some off the top of my head….

Pittsburgh: Steven Pearce is the top prospect after 3B/C Neil Walker and CF McCutchen. However, there is no room in the OF with both Bay and Nady locked in the corners. Larouche has 1B locked down as well. Word out of Pitt has it that the Bucs are looking to move Bay or Nady, to make room for Pearce. Bay, Nady and Pearce are right handed.

Brewers: Well the brewers drafted Mr Fielder when they had the human K machine (Sexson) around and we see how that worked out. It did not stop them when they drafted Matt Laporta (a right handed slugger who is major league ready now), another first baseman. With Braun already moved to the outfield, Hart looking like he is here to stay, and Cameron signed in center, there are no positions open. We can safely assume that Prince will be occupying 1B for sometime to come. Would the Mets take a gamble on a top flight prospect with nowhere to play. Not our traditional method of operation, but one that I would love to see. We have seen that Mets fans embrace the young player (Wright, Reyes etc). Yes Laporta is not “home grown” but he would grow up as a Met and would be taken right in.

Nationals: With Nick Johnson finally healthy and the Nats having several hundred outfielders on there roster (or so it seems) they have a problem. Johnson is signed and wants to play. Last year’s project, Dimitri Young, shocked baseball by staying healthy and hitting…..all year. The Nats have already hinted that one must go to keep everyone happy. We have already shown that the two teams are not afraid to make a deal?

Well, these were just off the top of my head, I am sure that there are more. Will be in touch my friend, hope it helps. The key point is that I and every Mets fan I know do not want to go into the season with our fingers crossed unless Delgado gets on the field now and starts ripping the ball. We can not have another year like last year and then blame it on injuries. He does have a team option for next year, however it seems a forgone conclusion that it will not be utilized already. We might as well start trying to figure out first base now.