Hopefully it can get done. But we need to get a platoon partner for Overbay because he CANNOT hit lefties. Which would probably mean goodbye to Murphy, which is too bad.

And I wouldn’t sign O-Dog. I’d rather trade for Uggla or sign Polanco for cheap.

I actually like the idea of Polanco if he could be had for a reasonable price. Dan Uggla would be a horrible choice. Infield defense was a major issue this year, and he would be a downgrade over castillo, and thats hard to do.

Note: Evans would be the guy to platoon with Overbay in this hypothetical situation, right? The guy that crushed lefties in the minors but then rode the bench in the final month of the season because… um… I don’t know? He was busy curing cancer with Socks!?

On a related note, September sucked.

as long as Omar remembers to get another 2B

it’s part of larger plan that is designed to get rid of sinkholes on the team and replace those holes (RF, LF, 1B, 2B, C) with average or better production, while also adding at one of those positions an excellent hitter. Overbay against RHP for his career is around .850 and last year he was better than .900. With the right platoon partner 1b goes from a weakness to a strength. I find Castillo less objectionable than some, but removing him from the team removes a serious collapse candidate, something we need to do to improve our chances of contending in 2010.

Overbay is due $7 million versus $6 million per year for two years for Castillo, so this is essentially swapping the contract of a decent player whose one weakness can be hidden, for a below average player who may well become useless during the life of his contract—in 2010. It clears Castillo entirely off the books for 2011, and given that no one would, today, bid much of anything for Castillo’s 2011 that’s a damned good thing. Some of the success of this deal will depend on who we find to play 2B. Any rumors out there?

This is a solid deal for us if it can get done. I’d throw a C prospect in the mix if need be.

Equals “an anonymous scout said…”

Someone on metsblog is citing a rumor out of Toronto that this might turn into a 4-way deal:

Mets get: Snyder (catcher from DBacks)
Jays get:Bradley
Cubs get: Castillo
D-Backs get: Overbay

Reyes
Hudson
Wright
Holliday
Beltran
F-Core
Murph/Overbay
Molina/Barajas/Olivo/Santos
P (Santana, Lackey, Wolf, Pelfrey, Maine/Ollie)

Is if we could toss in Ollie and his contract.

Milton Bradley to be traded for the Parker Brothers

and figured out the best way to help the club in 2010 is not so much to chase stars but rather to eliminate weaknesses?

If Beltran, Reyes, Wright, and Santana put it back together again in 2010 (and if they can’t then nothing Omar does will matter) then curing Catcher, 2b, 1b, one OF spot, and one rotation spot by getting league average production at each with some upside might just be the answer.

’Course, curing RF involved Francoeur, so maybe a “nevermind” is in order.

but is anybody honestly that excited about some big trade that the end result is getting a mediocre defensive 1B who has posted anywhere from a .310 to a .360 wOBA in the last 3 years, and opening up space to make a lateral move (okay, its a sliiiiiiiiiight upgrade) at second base where we will probably overpay (I could honestly see the Mets giving Hudson the same 4 year deal they gave Luis, essentially rewinding Luis contract back to awfulness)?

without overpaying with prospects, overpaying free agents (in terms of years, cash or draft picks), or breaking the budget.

He’s very different now than what he was prior to 2008. If that’s your rotation upgrade you have Johan, Pelfrey, and three guys who are solid bets to be below average. Don’t sell Maine short, either. He’s a good bet to have 120-150 innings of 4.50 or lower in him for 2010, and with a very thin rotation that could be very important.

That’s what MLB Trade Rumors is forecasting. 6/100 for Holliday, 3/30 for Wolf, and 1/? for Penny. That’s an offseason I could live with as long as we also upgrade Catcher and at least one of 1B or 2B. If Overbay + ODog replace Castillo that adds a little over 40 million total to the payroll. If I’m the Wilpons I do it—hell, after the fiasco of the first year in a brand new, taxpayer gift of a ballpark, I’d be happy to do it and happy I haven’t been lynched yet.

Depending on cost I’d rather sign Jason Marquis than Penny. If Maine puts up 125 innings with an ERA of 4.50 and Figgy fills in around the edges that’s a rotation with a very respectable chance of being average or above top to bottom.

Please.