Critcism of the Mets ventured to the absurd this morning when John Harper – a fellow who should know better – suggested the Mets missed Tony Bernazard. In a strange, sort of need his agressive way…way.
Bart Hubbuch was more subtle in calling Minaya “blindly optimistic.” What in the wide, wide world of sports do they expect? That Omar be “hysterically pessimistic?”

The press corps had their Minaya meltdown this summer and are looking for the Baker Act option.

Nonsense.

This most clear assessment of conditions on the ground came from another Harper column earlier this week when he correctly observed that the Mets were never in the running for anybody. They want to be playing in October and do not want to be part of a bad situation.

With this set of cards, the smart play is first realize there is indeed a core of top players already on the roster and that there’s a fair pool of free aganet talent to mine to improve the club.

In the mean time, the Mets realize that they are a target rich environment for bad press.

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One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The Post’s Bart Hubbach reports that the Met’s will be “taking advantage” of the list that became available this weekend when they were cut loose by their clubs.

Good. Some much needed depth and power can be had from the group that includes Jonny Gomes, Jack Cust, Ryan Garko and Garrett Atkins. Amongst pitchers, Hubbach reports that relievers Clay Condrey, Mike MacDougal and Matt Capps could interest the Mets.

I’d look for the Cubs to go after of of these to compete for the closer role. They need someone to close games badly. Getting one of the other two would benefit the Mets’ bullpen.

I’d take any of the others whom can play first and the outfield.

Overall it will be much easier for Minaya to bring in two from this group than it will be to get one of the big three – Holliday, Bay or Lackey. Some reports have the Mariners have entered the bidding and Bay has been quoted as saying he would love to play near his Canadian home.

At the very least, the thought that the Mets were going to take advantage of the heft that was removed from their payrol last year. The Wilpons have told the basball people to they can improve the club via free agency.

But to really put themselves back into the conversation – which in New York is crucial – they will have to sign one of the big three. Getting a couple of non-tendered won’t get it done for a critical media and a wounded fan base.

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It seems that the NY Post writers are advancing that as Joel Sherman’s piece yesterday said as much. Today, Post reporter Bart Hubbuch writes that the club is reviewing the staff’s protocols.

The results of that review aren’t in yet, though it’s believed that trainer Ray Ramirez and his staff remain in serious jeopardy for the tidal wave of bumps, bruises, strains and breaks.

Will the Mets quietly attempt to let the narrative advance that replacing the trainers will be the answer? Obviously the NY Post seems to be playing along. Notice that it is the Post who is advancing this and not the Daily News. It’s likely that Mets’ personnel are not talking to anyone from that paper right now after the Bernazard-Minaya-Rubin incident.

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Bart Hubbuch has a thoughtful piece to day on concerns about the manner in which the unusually high number of Mets have been utilized in the WBC. The stats that Hubburt supplies are telling:

Hubbuch is on to something and I can feel the “I really don’t like the way my guys are being used.”

Will the club be less willing next time? Yes. Especially with Mexico and Venezuela I think. But the Mets have alot of Latin players on their roster now and the nationalistic identity of baseball is stronger there than it is in the US. It will be hard to tell Johan Santana no in three years and the political considerations are potentialy messy with the strained relationship between the US and Venezuela.

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