Theirs a thin line between hitting the
panic button and making a move to fix a desperate need. One can make you look like a fool for making it. The other can make you look out of touch and naive. Omar
Minaya is in a situation now where he must determine whether a big time deal would scream panic or be just what the doctor ordered.
I think the later.
Between a borderline unfair rash of injuries, a terrible June that is not yet complete, and the almost
embarrassing inability to gain ground on the limping
Phillies, it is obvious that the time has come to move your chips towards the center of the table and go for broke. I believe that a
potential tailspin has already begun at
Citi Field. It is up to
Minaya to nip it in the bud before it costs him his job. However, their is a bright spot in all of this for Omar. The move is obvious. So obvious that I am almost surprised that it has not been made yet. The
Mets need a big bat to clog up the already massive hole that was further
elongated when Carlos Beltran found himself on the disabled list earlier this week. Three players come to mind that could fit that role nicely.
1. Aubrey Huff- Baltimore- Huff is apparently unhappy in an
O's uniform and has been rumored to be on the block. He is hitting .276 with nine home runs and forty seven
rbis. His home runs and
RBI's are more than anyone on the
Mets have right now. Gary Sheffield leads the team with eight
dingers. Carlos Beltran leads the team with forty
rbis. That RBI leader is now on the growing "indisposed tally". And with the
Mets fantastic history of injury evaluation, its almost impossible to wager when Beltran's next RBI will come.
Huff is a free agent at the end of the season, so the
Mets may be able to get him on the cheep. His one weakness is his lack of defensive skills. Met fans saw this first hand last week in Baltimore when he made a Luis Castillo-like drop in the outfield. But when desperation strikes, some things must be sacrificed. Plus, baseball genius Bill
Beane says that defense in baseball doesn't matter. So who cares!
2. Nick Johnson- Not to rewrite my column from two weeks ago, but does anything right now make more sense than Nick Johnson to the
Mets? Johnson is hitting .321 with 5 home runs and 33
rbi's. The negative with him is the lack of home runs. The
Mets need a bat that can jack it. Johnson's last big power year came in 2006 when he hit 23 home runs (He missed 2007). I like that he hits for average, plays a little defense, and can drive in runs, but he strikes me as too
similer to the guys the
Mets already have. The lack of power could come from hitting in a lineup as weak as the Nationals, but does anyone think that going to the semi-cavernous
Citi Field is going to
aide Johnson's power numbers. He's a nice player who I think the
Mets should take a serious look at. He makes a lot of sense in many ways. But does he fit the
Mets main need? I'm not sure.
3. Matt Holiday- While not having a good power year (only 8 home runs),
Holliday still leads Oakland with thirty three
rbis. Two questions
arise when discussing
Holliday. Would Billy
Beane be willing to deal him (his contract expires after this season)? and How much of his success the last few years had to do with him playing in Colorado? Now, the Colorado factor is not as
prevalent as it may have been
pre-humidor, but it still exists. (.....
Un-related side note: how many years until we are saying the same thing about Yankee free agents that we have said for years about Rockies free agents. Call it the "Bronx factor"....)
Holliday's power numbers would lead you to believe that the Colorado factor plays at least a little part in his
stuggles. This move would also
severely test the power of Met
desperation. You know that
Holliday is not going to come cheep. Would the
Mets have enough confidence in
Holliday's immediate impact to give up a
treasured prospect. Personally, I don't see a deal in which Fernando Martinez is not involved. I might be inclined to go for one of the top two players on this list if that's the case. If somehow a deal without F-Mart can be worked out, I'd do it.
Holliday certainly has the most upside of any in this
trifecta of options.
Theirs a few
common threads with all of these players. They all come with fairly
significant risk. They all come with even bigger upside. They all are free to leave at the end of the year, should the gamble not yield desired results. I am, however, sure of one thing. The
Mets can not afford to stand pat and wait for players to return at a high level that will propel them into the playoffs. I'm not sure that any of these players will return at all. Given the
Mets recent medical staff history, how can you be sure of anything right now. Furthermore, how do we know that the
Mets will still be in contention by the time the core is back in the attack. Who knows if it'll even matter at that point.
The in-season job of a general manager is to recognize moves that are panic
driven and moves that are logical. Right now, their is no more logical a move for the
Mets than getting a bat. Omar
Minaya has to recognize that. Personally, I think Aubry Huff may be the best fit. He has the best numbers in terms of power and
rbi's. He can also play the outfield if Delgado comes back and is his old self.
Obviously, if your going long term, the move is
Holliday. But right now, I don't think the
Mets can afford to look long term. Too many jobs are on the line. Like it or not, this is a win now situation. The
Mets, as currently constructed, look like anything but a win now team. Its Omar
Minaya's job to fix that...and fast!
Jordan
Lauterbach
