After watching some real baseball, including Manny being Manny (still would take him in left field in a New York minute) is everyone as excited as I am?  Just that darn fifth starter thing seems to keep bothering me……so El Duque throws as softball speed and Big Pelf does not appear to be mentally tough enough to survive NY.  Now what?

I did love what we saw of Mr Niese this year, but lets not put all our eggs in one basket.  I am almost at the point where I wish we took a flyer on the large Mr Colon (not looking to bad for Red Sox).  So I ask this question to the readers out there?  Who can we take on as a Dr Peterson project and maybe catch fools gold.  First name that comes to mind for me is Anthony Reyes.  Once a top prospect for the Cardinals, he does not have a rotation spot and he is their version of Mike Pelfrey.  Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes.  Any other ideas?

PS – Looked like the Brewers had about 8 starters that could pitch in the majors, but with late injuries that number is dropping quickly.

PS2 – With Maine pitching lights out and word leaking out that a long term deal could be coming forth, I think that the growing feeling amongst us diehards is that we are watching the last year of Perez.  A young lefty, Scott Boras, and Maine as a priority (rumors have it that this does not sit well with him) do not add up to Citi Field.

Well spring training is about half way done and some things are becoming very clear to us diehards…..

Johan Santana is good, very very good. Forget the spring training stats, they mean nothing to a pitcher like him. What makes Mets fans giddy is his presence on the mound, his incredible stuff, his work ethic, and his slider that is on its way to becoming a great third pitch and possibly increasing the strikeouts!

Angel Pagan will make this team – barring an unforeseen trade (every Met fan I talk to has agreed….we don’t want a Kevin Millar, nor a Coco Crisp) for a solid righthanded bat who can play OF and 1B (Nady, Bay etc) we want Pagan out in left with Endy until Alou comes back. Yes Alou takes longer to heal than predicted and yes he is brittle, but we have to be optimistic. If the All Star break comes around and he can not be counted on (or Delgado continues to slide) we will need to add a power bat at the deadline….but that time is not here.

Pagan will make this team! Pagan brings two key things that all Mets fans love. First, he came from our organization and many still feel he is “home grown”…although his path to the majors has been “unique”. Second, he brings energy and hustle! Today was a perfect example when he dropped a flawless bunt down the third base line and beat out the throw by Glaus. Pagan then stole second base on Molina (one of the better arms in the NL) and we were reminded that he stole 62 bases in one minor league season. Finally, he scored a typical NL run on a fly ball that was dropped by Barton of the Cards. Those runs win games!

We need to be searching for a first baseman during the entire season. Not only is Alou a question mark, Delgado has done nothing since his return to calm down our nerves. It appears that he can not get around on the inside fastball of a great high school pitcher at this point and everyone knows it. He will get pounded inside all year. Furthermore, his defense is still a liability, below average at best. Today he dropped a routine throw to first from Reyes. We can live with that if he hits like Mr Pujols, but not when he struggles to put balls in play this spring.

Pitching will carry the offense. Pedro looks healthy, Johan looks like a Cy Young winner, Maine looks like he is maturing as a pitcher and will improve on a solid season, Perez will look to build on a solid year with his nasty stuff and remember…this is his contract year (Mr Boras as an agent). Having to figure out the fifth starter (El Duque is finally throwing a baseball and Big Pelf appears to be making progress) is a nice problem to have. Most teams are trying to figure out there third and fourth starters.

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.