I’m happy with the result. There are no players on the market that warrant top prospects in return. But management doesn’t seem to have the same reason for dropping out. From that quote I get the feeling the Mets think they are too far out of the race.

What bothers me is not what the Mets are doing but how they think. If earlier in the season they thought making a trade could make them a playoff team, why aren’t they making the trade? Why are they waiting till the team is out of the race? Last season they did the same thing. I understand you don’t want to give up prospects, but that is half the reason you have them. It would be nice to develop every player in your system, but that is not realistic or smart. Not every prospect turns into a top player,

Minaya seems to be too scared to make a move and looks for any excuse not to. He seems to be haunted by the Scott Kazmir trade more than Steve Phillips is. I’m, sorry. Right now it worked out, but I don’t want a GM that seems to be incapable of making a deadline deal. Contending teams make them all the time, look at the Phillies and the Cliff Lee trade last season.

Another thing: the Mets don’t want to change their coaching staff because they believe they can win with these guys…but they don’t want to make a trade because they don’t think they’re in the race?

I am ok with not acquiring a player, I just don’t like the mindset management has. Honestly it is more fuel to the fire that if the Mets can’t turn things around and make the playoffs it is time to clean house. Met fans are tired of the same show and the same results. The only way people are going to start believing again is if the stench from the 2007 collapse is finally removed. That starts with management and hopefully will trickle down to the field.

I still believe the Mets are going so snap out of this slump. It is ridiculous to believe that they will continue to hit .190 the rest of the season. Still there is the fear that by the time the Mets figure it out, they’ll be too far out of a playoff spot for it to make a difference.

Unfortunately there are no difference makers on the trade market. It seems like the Mets targets are an eight-inning guy and a reliable starter. I really doubt with the players on the market, that either addition will guarantee them a playoff spot.

Alright well what about a coaching change? I don’t think that is a great option either. The last time the Mets fired a manager mid-season it was to promote Manuel, and now there are questions about him. The team did perform better under him than under Willie Randolph, but that was due to poor chemistry with Randolph than top-notch managing from Manuel. The players did not like Willie Randolph, and switching to Manuel helped make the players happy. The players still like Manuel, bringing in a new manager won’t help much.

Perhaps firing the batting coach? That is probably the best course of action. Not that Howard Johnson has done a bad job, but sometimes the players need a different voice to get out of a slump. The Mets best option would be to promote Lamar Johnson, their minor league hitting coach, someone I don’t see as an upgrade over Johnson. If the Mets continue to struggle at home, fine I can see a move being made out of panic to get back in the race, and it could work, but please don’t extend the guy.

If the Mets miss the playoffs, the best move would be to clean house. Management has had a lot of time and financial backing to make a consistent and dominant team. It is possible Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, and Bobby Valentine will be available to take over as manager at the end of the season. The opportunity to land one of those guys is too big to pass up. Manuel has done wonders for motivating his players, but he handles in-game situations poorly. Cleaning house makes the team more appealing. These new managers will have the opportunity to bring in a GM of their choice and hire the assistant coaches of their choice.

If they replace these guys mid-season, I fear the team will make the same mistake of extending the interim manager if they simply compete down the stretch. Unless they think the team will do better under someone else, it is better to replace the guy after the season to have more options open to them. No more stop-gaps, we need a good manager and GM to lead this core to the playoffs again.

If they can go on an incredible run and make the playoffs, then fine I was wrong. But if not, it has been too many years of the same results and it is time for a change. Just wait till the end of the season to make the move, as very little good can come of it mid-season, and at the very least, let’s give these guys the chance to prove us wrong.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

So what is wrong with this Mets team?

Despite popular belief, not a lot. It is easy to freak-out right now. The bats are cold, K-Rod is anything but lockdown, and Pelfrey has stunk to the tune of a 6+ ERA since his stellar start to the season.

Even with all of these problems, the Mets will be fine. It has been 5 games since the All-Star break. The Mets have lost four of those and haven’t looked good doing it, even struggling to get their one win this road trip. The biggest problem: the bats. But that is something that won’t remain a problem for long. The Mets have too many All-Star players to let this slide continue.

Reyes has finally returned from injury and if all goes well he should add a spark. Beltran is working his way back and when he gets into a groove can carry this team. More importantly, when he proves he can play everyday, Francoeur will finally be shown the bench. I like Francoeur and think he has been a terrific fielder, but when you have an OBP below .300 you are a detriment to your team. Ike Davis looks to be heating up, and Bay has to start hitting eventually. Even through this tumultuous season for Bay, he has gotten on a few hot streaks.

As you can see, even though the bats are struggling this road trip, there is no reason to believe that will continue. They are in transition right now with players returning from injury, and some regulars cooling down. It has been horrible timing, but there are 162 games in a regular season for a reason.

What worries me more is Pelfrey, Takahashi and K-Rod. Pelfrey has gotten worse and worse each outing. It is not that he doesn’t have good stuff, but like last season he has lost confidence. I could easily see this spiraling down in a situation like last season. If Dan Warthen and Jerry Manual want to prove they are good at their jobs they will find a way to fix this. Manuel is awful at managing in-game situations, but his strength is supposed to be motivating his players…well let’s see it.

Takahashi has shown us he cannot handle a starting job. He does not have good enough stuff to make mistakes. He needs to go in the bullpen where he can pitch 1-3 innings. Unfortunately there is no one ready to take his spot outside of a trade, and if all the Mets need is a fifth starter, it is not worth giving up good prospects to get it. I have faith the Mets will find a solution to this problem, I just hope they are smart enough to not give up the farm.

For K-Rod I have no confidence in him and probably never will. Unfortunately he is our best option and while he has blown a league-leading five saves, he gets the job done more times than not. We can win with him, it just won’t be pretty.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

I think it is really tempting to say yes, but I am not sure if its the best move. Once Cliff Lee was traded to the Rangers, the trade market lacked a true ace. Sure adding a Ted Lilly or Brett Myers would allow the Mets to move Takahashi to the bullpen, but those guys are not a big improvement over any of the other Mets starters. Come playoff time, it would be hard to take Niese, Dickey, Pelfrey, or Santana out of the rotation. So does the newly acquired pitcher get the boot into the bullpen?

Minaya has done a good job holding onto his prospects the last couple of years. It is finally starting to pay off with some nice depth and big league help, but it still isn’t deep enough to give top prospects away. If they can get one of these guys for scraps, perfect they should make the move. But if the cost is Jenry Mejia, or Fernando Martinez, or even Josh Thole I am not sure it is worth it.

Standing pat, I am not sure the Mets make the playoffs. Perhaps with Beltran and Reyes healthy the Mets offense goes on a tear, but with only four spots in the playoffs and a lot of contending teams, nothing is a lock. It is tempting to make a trade to put the Mets over the top, but not at the cost of tops prospects.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

While the Mets are still on the market for a starting pitcher to add to their rotation, Beltran is a big addition to their line-up. When healthy and going right, Beltran is the kind of offensive presence that can carry a team. Even when Reyes went down last season, the Mets didn’t buckle until Beltran joined him.

Beltran can hit, hit for power, steal, field, and throw making him that rare five-tool player in baseball.

The Mets offense has been slumping and Beltran’s return should act as a shot in the arm.

The unfortunate part to his return is it happened to coincide with Reyes’s injury problem. It will be nice for Reyes to get back and allow this line-up to what it was supposed to resemble on opening-day. With the line-up set the Mets offense should return to one of the best in baseball.

The Mets need to step up their play if they are going to make the playoffs. Beltran seems to be the player that can give them that spark and get the offense untracked.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Ever since Wagner’s injury, the Mets have had problems with the ninth inning. In 2008 when he sustained the injury, the Mets were not the same and again struggled down the stretch resulting in a collapse…though only 3.5 games that time.

I distinctly remember going to the first game we found out Wagner was injured. Santana had pitched magnificently to help the Mets to a 4-1 lead over the Phillies, just to have the bullpen combine to blow the save without Wagner and ultimately lose the game.

With word that Wagner would not make it back for the 2009 season, the Mets went out to sign the best closer on the market, K-Rod, and trade for a second closer in J.J. Putz. The result: an early injury to Putz and a miserable second half for K-Rod.

While K-Rod has been better this season, he has still come out to throw some stinkers. Even when he does get the save he makes sure to make it close.

Putz has left the Mets to have a respectable season with the White Sox, and in more disappointing news, Wagner has left to the rival Braves to give them a top-notch closer.

I never understood why the Mets were so determined to ship him out last season. Aside from saving money on his salary there was no reason to. Its not like they brought in great prospects. Chris Carter was the best pick-up and after refusing to call him up earlier this season, it seems likely he will be demoted once Beltran returns.

Keeping him would have gotten two draft picks from the Braves as he was a type-a free agent. I understand there was a fear that no one would want to sign him, but it was a risk worth taking.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

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For starters the two pitchers the Mets count on to be their “stoppers” have struggled mightily. Santana and Pelfrey have been running into trouble recently and if they cannot find a way to return to form can lead to some big problems for the Mets.

The Mets were able to get past these problems on the strength of their offense and brilliant pitching from the bottom half of the rotation. Dickey, Takahashi and Niese were fantastic this past month. Dickey has lost only once since being called up and Niese has proven so valuable Minaya is refusing to trade him even if it means bring Cliff Lee to the club.

Unfortunately for the Mets both Dickey and Takahashi struggled in their last start. Perhaps Dickey can bounce back, but it was always unlikely he would be able to continue his stellar play all season. Moreover Takahashi is better suited for the bullpen. He has been great the first time through the line-up, but after that has been very hittable. In addition when he does not have pinpoint control he has struggled mightily.

The Mets better hope some of these guys figure things out, or hope the Cliff Lee trade goes through sooner rather than later, cause right now they look to be in a bit of trouble. Wright isn’t going to hit .400 forever, and Reyes and Pagan are now hurt. I know they are said to be minor injuries but Pagan was only supposed to be out a day, its been quite a bit longer. After last season I do not believe anything this team says on the medical front.

Perhaps it is a pessimistic way to look at things but the Mets rotation does not look to be in a good place.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

In the majors players do not have the luxury of working through their problems, especially in New York, because the club is expecting to win now. Growing pains are not something this Mets team wants to see, especially now that they are so close to taking over first place of the division. The Mets have shown as much, refusing to put Mejia in a tough situation. Instead Mejia has come in when the team is either winning or losing by a large margin. If the Mets needed Mejia in the majors you would expect them to use him in more important situations. If the Mets do not need him and instead want him to develop, sending him to Buffalo will be much better for him than mop-up duty in the Majors, even if it is against better competition.

It is not like the Mets do not have other options to replace Mejia in the bullpen. Right now Bobby Parnell has been pitching really well and could come up and be a great boost to the bullpen. Hell the Mets would probably be better off promoting Manny Acosta than keeping Mejia in the majors. Ultimately it makes little sense to keep Mejia in the majors, and all it is proving to be doing is affecting his confidence. The Mets have a star on their hand and they better make sure they take care of him or they could be out a potential ace.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network