Mets vow to spend on free agents, but how much, whom?
Photo credit: Getty Images | John Lackey is the top pitching free agent this year and the Mets might be a strong contender for his services.
Galleries
Top MLB free agents: A different spin
In a perfect world, one without payroll restrictions, the Mets could splurge on free agents to solve all of their most pressing needs. Sign John Lackey to pair with Johan Santana at the top of the rotation, get Matt Holliday for leftfield and then maybe add a Jason Marquis or Joel Piñeiro just to be sure.
Alas, the Mets are not the Yankees, who spent in excess of $400 million on three players last winter and wound up winning the World Series. And because of a finite supply of cash, general manager Omar Minaya must be more selective in deciding how to fill the Mets’ biggest holes.
Last year, it was relatively easy. With much of his daily lineup set, Minaya spent $37 million on Francisco Rodriguez to replace injured closer Billy Wagner and that pretty much ended his free-agent shopping.
But now, with unlimited free agency ready to kick off tomorrow at 12:01 a.m., Minaya must cast a wider net to see how he can repair a fractured team that went 70-92 this season. The Mets have about $30 million coming off a $140-million payroll. COO Jeff Wilpon, in a letter to season-ticket holders, has vowed to spend to improve the team.
But the question is how much — and which free agents will fit best? The Mets think the best way is to strengthen the pitching staff, which can benefit the most from spacious Citi Field. That puts Lackey at the top of the list, and with Minaya already touching base with his agent, he intends to be among the serious bidders.
By signing Lackey, who may command a $100-million deal, the Mets would immediately even the playing field with the Phillies, at least from the standpoint of the starting rotation. A Santana/Lackey combo is better than the Phillies’ top duo of Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, especially with Hamels now a cause for concern.
Is Lackey a better target than Roy Halladay? Only because the Angels’ ace would cost only money rather than a package of top prospects as well as the sizable extension that comes with trading for Halladay. Plus, if the Yankees and Red Sox get involved in the bidding for Halladay, the expectation is that they can beat whatever the Mets pony up in prospects.
Should the price soar too high for Lackey, or he chooses to go elsewhere, the Mets don’t have any other free-agent options for a No. 1-type starter. They could sign Jason Marquis, Joel Piñeiro or Randy Wolf to bolster the middle of the rotation or gamble on someone like Ben Sheets, who is coming off elbow surgery.
Then again, the Mets are loaded with middle-of-the-rotation starters, with Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine and even Jonathan Niese as Santana’s supporting cast. Three of those pitchers had season-ending surgery and Maine missed more than three months with shoulder issues.
That’s why pitching remains the priority, and if the Mets do land Lackey, that will rule out any other big-ticket signings. At that point, it’s possible they could find some cheap power with an incentive-laden contract for Carlos Delgado, trade for a catcher and pick up another cost-efficient hitter for leftfield.
As for the non-Lackey plan, that would mean one of the middle-tier starters, with a serious push for someone like Holliday or Jason Bay for instant offense. The Mets have considered Chone Figgins as a leftfield candidate in a more speed-oriented alignment, possibly splitting time with Luis Castillo at second base as well. That’s if Castillo isn’t dealt to clear room for Orlando Hudson.
With so many needs, the Mets aren’t sure how this offseason makeover will unfold over the next 10 weeks. Only how much they are willing to spend.
