Mets No Better Than 2008

The Mets and Oliver Perez have agreed to a three year, $36 million deal.

Ollie is lefty, only 27, and proved he can pitch in New York.   That’s a solid signing.

My question to Mets fans is:  Is this team any better than 2008?

Now that Ollie is back, here’s a similar to what lineup you can expect to see every 5th day.  Ready?

SS Reyes
CF Beltran
1B Delgado
3B Wright
LF  Evans
2B  Martinez
RF Church
C Castro
P Perez

Impressed?  That was the lineup they started on September 28th when Shea closed down.

Want to swap Martinez for Luis Castillo?  Great!   You say Murphy/Tatis/Pagan/Random Dude is better than Evans?  Great!

Does this team actually seem any better?

How about this rotation?  Santana, Perez, Maine, Pelfrey and your choice of Pedro or a random guy from the Nationals.   It’s the same team.

2008 had an all-star closer.   2009 will have an all-star closer.

It looks like the Mets think last year’s team was good enough except for the bullpen.  Hopefully J.J. Putz and K-Rod won’t blow thirty games like last year’s crew did.  To be fair to Omar, maybe if they didn’t blow 5 of those games you have a much different season.

If you look back to Opening Day 2008 and Willie’s boys, they basically started the same offense that they did on closing day – just swap the LF and C for different names with similar abilities.

One last thought about the lineup because I can’t ignore it and don’t know why the Mets do.   I’m just going to swap in one name.  I’m not going to run any stats.  I’m not going to worry about lefty-righty.  I’m just going to replace one name.  Tell me if you’d be willing to go to war with this?

In the Daily News, Adam Rubin has the payroll at about $135 million.  The Wilpon Cap is rumored to be at $160 million.   Hmmm, there’s an extra $25 million there.  I wonder what kind of player you could get with that kind of change?

New York Sports Examiner
www.metspolice.com