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Pitchers and catchers are almost here, just 10 days away, and it looks as if the Mets are content on going into the camp with the roster as is. That is not to say they will not make any last minute pick ups or trades before the season starts but at this moment, it seems as if this will be our 2010 New York Mets.

My suggestion to Omar Minaya, or whoever is making the decisions these days, is go out and sign Felipe Lopez.

Lopez, a switch hitter with good speed, is a career .269 hitter. He won his first and only Silver Slugger Award in 2005 while playing short stop for the Reds, hitting 23 homeruns, driving in 81 runs, stealing 15 bases, with a .291 batting average, by far the best offensive year of his career.

Lopez is coming off two good years at the plate, where he batted .283 with a .343 on base percentage in 2008, and in  2009 batted .310 with a .383 on base percentage. Lopez was equally as good from both sides of the plate last season hitting .320 vs. left handers (147 at bats) and .306 vs. right handers (457 at bats)

To view Felipe Lopez player card click here.

However, its not only his hitting skills that make me believe Lopez is a perfect fit for the Mets. Its is his versatility and his above average defensive skills which have me wondering why he isn’t a Met already.

Lopez has played games at second base, short stop, third base, left field, and right field through out his career. Over the last two seasons he logged 245 games at second base and played in over 400 games at short stop since 2005. In 2008 while splitting the season between the Cardinals and Nationals, Lopez played 17 games (16 Lf 1 Rf) in the outfield, 13 at short stop, 13 at third base, and 101 at second base.

It has been obvious, the last two off seasons, most Mets fans wanted to see Orlando Hudson added to this club. With Hudson now off the board and signing to the Twins on a one year deal, I see the only way left to improve the interior defense of the Mets, is to sign the versatile Felipe Lopez.

The defensive upgrade that Lopez brings over Luis Castillo can also assist this pitching staff a great deal . Especially, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine. I understand that adding Lopez could leave Castillo as a $6 million dollar pinch runner, but if defense and pitching is truely what the Front Office was looking to improve Lopez is the way to go.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter at vcMETSFAN28

Related articles by Zemanta

• 2010: The Season of “IF” (Second Base) (hotfootblog.com)
• Nobody Wants Luis Castillo (hotfootblog.com)
• How Good Of a Fit Would Felipe Lopez Be For the Mariners? (bleacherreport.com)

Part I

Part II

“Sports may well represent the most fertile ground for social media communication, enabling fans to connect with not only their favorite teams and athletes, but with other fans as well. This panel discussion and Q&A session features the various perspectives of the athlete, league official, and blogger to discuss how social media is shaking the foundation of the sports world.”

In five games, Fernando has gone 6-18, with two home runs, three RBI, and three runs.

Nelson Figueroa pitched a complete game three hitter, giving up just one run and striking out eight, earlier in the series.

If you recall Boston had set the market for middle infielders in the ’06-’07 off-season. Julio Lugo signed a 4 year, $36 million deal with a vesting option for an additional $9 million making the contract a possible 5 year, $45 million deal. That was craziness.

“IF” Omar Minaya had been patient, as he has been the past two off-seasons, Castillo would not have received a four year, $24 million dollar deal. The unfortunate truth is that market value for average type players was just starting to drop in the ‘07-‘08 off-season, after Castillo signed.

Omar signed Castillo relatively early that off season. Shortly after, it was apparent that Minaya could have played the waiting game and Castillo could have been resigned for less money and years. The Mets made a similar offer — as Castillo’s deal — to David Eckstein early in the ’07-’08 off-season. Eckstein declined that offer which turned out to be a bad decision on his part, as he’s made a third of what the Mets offered in total since.

What I’m trying to point out is that, in my opinion, the disdain for Luis Castillo among Met fans derives from his contract, not his value as a player.

Castillo is not the best 2nd baseman in baseball, but he’s far from the worst. In 2009 Castillo hit .302 with an OBP of .387, second in the NL among 2nd basemen only to Chase Utley. His offense was better in 2009 and in spite of “The Drop,” his defense was better as well. The Mets could do far worse at the position.

From an offensive perspective, I personally think Castillo has been misused by Jerry Manuel. Some would suggest moving Castillo to the 8th spot. This is a waste of his abilities. Here’s a radical suggestion — move Castillo to the lead-off spot.

“IF” Castillo and Jose Reyes are swapped in the batting order, two things can happen; 1) Castillo can use his best offensive assets, speed and OBP, and 2) Jose Reyes will have the opportunity to drive in more runs per year since Castillo will be on base ahead of him 37% of the time, when their in the line-up together.

Right now when Reyes leads off an inning, “IF” he doesn’t steal, or at least, get to 2nd base by some means it will most likely take two hits to score him from 1st because Castillo lacks any significant power. “IF” they’re swapped in the order, Castillo will get on base as his career OBP of .377 would suggest and being a threat to steal, Reyes would see more fastballs giving Jose more opportunity to drive the ball. Castillo has enough speed to go 1st to 3rd on a single and Reyes can still steal 2nd base when he chooses to. “IF” Jose shoots the gap or pulls a ball down the line Castillo has enough speed to score from 1st. The entire batting order gets better.

Luis Castillo will be fine as the Mets 2nd baseman in 2010. Remember he has twice as many World Series rings as any other player on this current Mets roster. He’s a veteran that knows how to win, “IF” he’s used properly.

Note: Thanks to Dan Lappin for his contribution to this article.

This post was submitted by Pete Lappin.

Yesterday, Figueroa tossed a gem. One run, three hits over nine, while striking out eight, leading the Dominican Republic in a win over Puerto Rico. Figgy had a 4.19 ERA in 10 starts last season, with an ERA of 3.33 in his last four starts, as Matthew Cerrone points out. Those numbers are at least good enough for the last slot in the Mets rotation, and considering how little the Mets know about what John Maine and Oliver Perez will deliver after so long on the shelf, Figueroa happens to be more reliable than either of them.

The Mets should allow Fernando Nieve and Jon Niese to compete, but given the opportunity I think Nelson will prove to be the right man for the job.

Nelson and his family were incredibly despondent when his career with the Mets seem to be ending last season, after the team designated him for assignment. A hometown kid, Coney Island native, Nelson has close ties to the area and has expressed a fondness for playing with the Mets. When he made his Mets debut, Billy Wagner offered up his suite which was filled with friends and family of Nelson’s who could not have been more excited to watch Figgy donning the blue and orange and taking the mound for the Mets.

It’s time to give Figgy a chance to prove he can be the anchor in this Mets rotation.

It was November 20, 2006—thirty-one days removed from Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. The Mets had just replaced a broken down thirty-three year old left fielder and replaced him with a 40-year old that is about as fragile as a snowflake.

This was one of the first decisions Omar Minaya made that I second-guessed from the get-go. This was the move that started the immeasurable hatred that I have for this man as the general manager of my favorite baseball team.

Though he has made numerous questionable decisions over the past three seasons, his patience allowed him to make one outstanding trade when he pulled off a deal to acquire the best pitcher in baseball. Had it not been for the deal to bring Johan Santana to New York, I would have a hard time believing Minaya would still have a job.

Many Mets fans around 2006-2007 were enamored with Minaya because he took what was a 91-loss team and put them within one base hit from going to the World Series just two years later. All in all, what did he really do? He took over as the general manager of a New York sports franchise and sold the Wilpons on opening up their wallets to bring two top free agents to New York in 2005. Yes, Omar did do that, and those moves did turn the franchise around, but show me any front office executive that wouldn’t have said, lets go get the best available starting pitcher and best available bat on the free agent market.

Yesterday, Kerel Cooper of OnTheBlack.com asked me on Twitter, “Could the Mets do anything in terms of moves at this point to get you to the ballpark? Curious…”

It really got me thinking. The product on the field starts with the general manager. At this point, nothing about this team impresses me. Looking at it from a Phillies standpoint, nothing on this team truly intimidates me to the point where I’d be worried about my division title. So, what would get me to the ballpark? A new face in the front office.

I feel like I have been hearing the same nonsense year after year since 2006. It goes a little something like, “The Mets are on the brink, and if we sign this guy and this guy this offseason, we can get over that hump.” Well, I have been waiting to get over that hump for three seasons now and I find that my patience is running out. While I have been waiting for the Mets to get over that hump, the Phillies have gotten over that hump and have seen the World Series in back-to-back years.

Minaya seems to have a horrendous lack of understanding for depth and the farm system—and it appears he figured that out, but didn’t want to distribute that concept throughout the various nine positions and chose only to stock up in catchers this offseason.

I refuse to attend any Mets games until there is a new face running this franchise. Quite frankly, I’m tired of seeing Omar Minaya making the decisions for the team I grew up watching nearly every single night since I was eight years old.

This team hit rock bottom in Minaya’s tenure as general manager this past season—and even after two previous collapses, still ownership refuses to change the direction in which this franchise is headed. I’m sick of seeing the Moises Alou’s, the Julio Franco’s, the ridiculous 3:00am firings of managers, the asinine assistant general manager that challenges our minor leaguers to a fight, the constant disappointment put forth by the baseball team that Minaya puts together year after year.

How much more embarrassing can this franchise get with Minaya continuing to run it?

Please Mr. Wilpon. I’m begging you. Save yourself anymore embarrassment. Get rid of this guy.

Follow Gary Grund on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gargrund.

This is our manifesto.

1) Draft players over slot in the draft like every other Major League team. Build the core of the team with home grown talent. Reyes, Wright and Pelfrey are a great start, but they are getting older and the team lacks a strong young core to replace them as well as fill other holes, especially in the starting rotation.

2) Strict separation of ownership and management. Ownership is too involved in the day to day operations of the team and the acquisition of players, to the team’s detriment. Set a budget and step out of the picture unless the GM asks for additional budget.

3) Start a Fan Committee to oversee non-player personnel acquisition related decisions and allow the people who keep the team in business to have a voice in the process. We don’t need fans cluttering up the process of what players the team needs to acquire, we do want to feel that the right people are making these decisions. The Fan Committee would be responsible for things such as stadium accessories, food, special events like old timers day, who fans would like to see, who should be in the Mets Hall of Fame, and what numbers to retire.

4) Clean house in the marketing and public relations departments. Hire smart, creative people who the Fan Committee feels puts the team in the best public light. This is in your best interest and helps you. This will improve your public perception ten-fold.

5) Hire someone to oversee the medical management process and have full responsibility to make sure it is smoothly followed. The problem with your medical issues are not with Dr. Altchek and the Hospital for Special Surgery. The problem is with your team medical process and your breakdown of communication between trainers, medical management and players.

Fans: Please sign this manifesto with your comments below, and add anything you think should be included. This will be passed along to the team once we feel we have covered all our issues with the current direction of the team.

Reggie Jackson was the straw who stirred the drink, Reyes is the spark plug that starts the Mets engine. As Reyes goes, so do the Mets, and boy do they need the motivation. So many things need to go right for the Mets to win this season.

They have to hope Oliver Perez and John Maine at the very least stay healthy and pitch to their mean, not spectacular, not better than they ever have before, just to the level they were once expected to play. If they can do that, along with expecting what you’d expect from Johan Santana, and perhaps a step up from Mike Pelfrey, the Mets will suddenly be in very good shape.

If the pitching does all that, Reyes will drive the offense. His infectious energy will drive Wright, Bay, Murphy, and the rest of the lineup. It’s still early, way too early, to get too excited, but Reyes gives Mets fans a glimmer of hope and that’s something that has been sorely missing in a long, long time.