Conflicted

Here we are once again and the Mets are jockeying for draft position. This topic has been tossed around in the comment section of the site and normally if my team is out of it, I'm pulling for as many losses as possible. Last year, I was all about the Mets folding after it was clear they were out of it so they can take advantage of a solid upcoming draft class with players that could definitely help the Mets. However, this year is different. This Met team, despite most people saying they were no better than a .500 club, has been an utter disappointment for me. I look up and down the NL East and compare talent and the Mets should have had just a good of chance as any to be right in the Wild Card mix right now. Sure they contended into September and some people may be content with that and say this year is a stepping stone, but I disagree.

The Mets are teetering on .500 and finishing under .500 would be an disaster. After the upgrades they made and only being marginally improved in the win/loss columns would be a very bad thing. Let's not forget the goal of team is to create an atmosphere and a team people want to play for. Finishing under .500 is not going to help that and while you may tell me who cares about four wins either way, I think there is a big difference and I do believe it affects the player's mentally. 83-79 is worlds better then 79-83. However, with the Mets guaranteed to attack some big names and a horrible draft last year, it is imperative they hold onto their first round pick since that will most likely be the only pick that extracts some immediate value for a farm system that is hurting.

Rank Team          W   L    W%
1 Kansas City     52  99  .344 
2 Pittsburgh      62  90  .408 
3 Colorado        62  89  .411 
4 Tampa Bay       64  89  .418 
5 Seattle         66  86  .434 
6 Detroit         67  85  .441 
7 LA Dodgers      67  84  .444 
8 Arizona         69  83  .454 
9 Baltimore       70  81  .464
10 Cincinnati     70  81  .464 
11 San Francisco  71  80  .472 
12 Chicago Cubs   74  78  .487
13 Toronto        74  77  .492 
14 Texas          75  77  .493 
15 Milwaukee      75  76  .497
16 NY Mets        75  76  .497 
17 San Diego      76  75  .503 
18 Washington     77  75  .507
19 Minnesota      77  74  .510

Right now, the Mets are tied with Milwaukee for the 15th worst record and could easily slide all the way to 19th by the time the season is over. If the Mets fail to finish in the top 15, you can kiss their first, second, and possibly third round pick goodbye due to the holes they need to fill. Finishing in the top 15 guarantees their first pick remains in their hands no matter who they sign since a team cannot give up a top 15 pick for compensation. Mike Pelfrey was a great pick and a great arm, but the Mets have had impact prospects with not much depth behind them and when you take a look at the Braves franchise, you realize how important depth is. Those first, second, and third round picks are a necessity to get some talent and if the Mets have another bad draft, the ripple effect could be ugly. It is not a great situation the Mets have placed themselves in and winning could be detrimental to their future and losing could be detrimental to they psyche and their ability to get some talent in here next season to help out.

* * *

Omar and me. I saw the brains behind the Mets walking on 47th and Park Avenue today. No real story here. I did not give him my hotel key and tell him to meet me later or beg him for a job, I just saw him.

Pinella is available but the Mets are not interested.

"Fred has nothing but the highest regard for Lou, but this time he's not in the market for him," a high-placed Mets source said. "He's very happy with the job Willie's done and he's sticking with him."

Was he watching the same games all of us were watching? Anyway, there are 'sources' that say he is content with sitting out a year to take over the helm of the New York Yankees.

I will say this though. This situation could be comparable to the Beltran and Cameron situation. The Mets already had a capable centerfielder and could have just brought in a right fielder, but Beltran was just too good to pass up. You had to shake things up to do what was best for the team. Now, the Mets feel they have a good manager but we all know Willie cannot hold Pinella's jock. Pinella, while I am not of the mind that he is a savior or a better option than some others since he comes at a heft price, should be seen as a similar situation to the Mets front office.

Alfsono Soriano does not like all the rumors getting thrown around and Tom Hicks is too dumb to help his own team out. Combine Soriano's constant complaining about not wanting to shift to the outfield with Hick's desire to rape everyone for Soriano, looks like he will stay around.

The Rangers wouldn't mind trading Soriano for pitching if they could get a front-line starting pitcher in return. But club officials don't see that happening. Most signs point toward Soriano returning to the Rangers, unless a team such as the New York Mets is willing to overpay for his offense.

Overpay? I think the Rangers should be desperate enough to overpay for pitching, not the other way around. You can buy bats, but buying good pitching is tough.

Also, I know some think that it is his right to not want to move, but lets fact facts. The Rangers need outfielders and have a ton of infielders. If he really wanted to help field the best Ranger team, shouldn’t he move? Shouldn’t he value winning above all?

General manager Omar Minaya said that right-handed pitchers Aaron Heilman and Heath Bell, first baseman Mike Jacobs and outfield prospect Lastings Milledge likely will play winter ball. Minaya also indicated that pitcher Victor Zambrano will pitch in his native Venezuela, as he customarily does.

"It seems like no matter what I do, it goes wrong," Looper said, "Everybody goes through it at some point in their career. You've just got to keep battling."

You suck Looper.

Mike Jacobs has looked solid at first and has as sweet a stroke as I've seen since I got that hooker in Vegas.

Randolph said he may have Mike Jacobs catch before the end of this year.

The manager said, "If he's not in the mix at first base [next year], he could be in the mix as a guy who would be kind of an all-purpose kind of guy."

GM Omar Minaya said the Mets are looking at Jacobs as a first baseman. Jacobs will play winter ball in Venezuela and primarily will play first base there.

While he is not highly regarded due to his perceived lack of position which has held Victor Diaz back in terms of being put in the upper echelon of prospects, he can rake. He will not be confused with a gold glover and a good first baseman probably gets that tough dig on the near dazzling David Wright play last night, but he has looked like he can play that position and looks athletic enough to get better.

Hopefully Aaron gets a rewarded with a huge role and possibly the closer's role if the Mets cannot land a big time closer.

Aaron Heilman worked two scoreless innings Tuesday, continuing his incredible second half. Since the All-Star break, Heilman has an 0.84 ERA, allowing three earned runs in 321/3 innings.

Among NL pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched in the second half, Heilman has the third-best ERA behind Milwaukee's Derrick Turnbow (0.38) and Philadelphia's Billy Wagner (0.65).

Looper is not that guy who will shut teams down but Heilman could be that guy. In relief he has 58.1 innings thrown, a 1.10 WHIP, one homer allowed, a 2.47 ERA, and a 10.34 K/9 and has just been stellar. I post his stats in relief all the time because they are great to check out and make me happy in these dartk times. Dude is good.