Marty Noble does it well in dismissing the notion that the Mets can’t or won’t hot homeruns in Citi Field.

How many people have expertise about Citi Field? I believe the Mets were spooked by the field last season. Perhaps if Carlos Delgado had remained available and hit two or three more to the bridge beyond the seats in right-center field, Citi would have been tamed a bit and not developed any mystique. The place is bigger than some parks, but it’s a fair park. Sluggers hit home runs in fair parks.

Ralph Kiner, who knows a thing or two about home run-hitting and pitcher-friendly parks — Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, where he played, was so big that the batting cage was left on the field in left-center — doesn’t consider Citi’s size insurmountable. I’m sure Adam Dunn and Mark Reynolds don’t either. Reynolds might hit it out of the place if he plays one more series there.

If Luis Castillo can reach the second deck, David Wright can hit 12 home runs there. I wouldn’t been stunned if Wright, Bay, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Francoeur combine for 50-55 at home.

Like all the injuries, David Wright’s power drop-off was an aberration. Beltran and Jose Reyes have got to be ok, though, for the offense to be ok.

This is the hand that the Mets are forced to play. The ambiguity of the season-long injuries to Beltran and Reyes leave a big uncertainty in the future of the Mets. There just wasn’t any way around it in the ability of the Mets to plan over either the shot term or the long haul.

If Minaya is able to bring in more talent that improves the club, the big questions next month will be about the health of Beltran and Reyes. It is with these two – and not in the uncertainty of the rotation – does the season success depend on. The Mets just won’t be able to win without Beltran and Reyes in the line-up everyday.

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And stiffed the print media in the meantime. They all had to wait on Mike Francesa of WFAN to announce the Jason Bay signing on his show yesterday after teasing everyone with it 24 hours before. It was only after Francesa’s announcement were any of them able verify it. With as nasty as writers have been toward Minaya, who can blame him for wanting to pull one over on them.

I include myself in that list, too. That dithering I talked about a week ago, turned out to be the proper amount of patience on behalf of Minaya. He didn’t bid against himself or out kick the market. Most importantly, he improved the ballclub.

All the while, he took alot of pressure off the Mets. The perception of a dysfunctional organization is lessened this morning. With most news indicating that Bengie Molina will eventually be signed, Minaya will be able to focus on other free agents or trades that he’s done his homework on.

With John Lackey gone, Minaya had to get the best player available to improve the line-up. While some may argue that Matt Holliday would have been a better fit, Bay will be a solid addition to the middle of the line-up.

Minaya’s not done either.

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A few days ago, I wrote of a need for a “hard pivot” in the Mets’ off-season efforts. With some subtlety, some are suggesting just that - and to Matt Holliday.

Scott Boras represents Holliday and, unlike many clubs, is known to have a good working relationship with the Mets. Carlos Betran’s deal is over after 2111 when he will be 34. David Wright will be 28. Jose Reyes will be 27. Holliday will be just 31. Even with a down year this year, I cannot see either Reyes or Wright being moved and thus will be under considerable contracts.

If the Mets have a blueprint that still includes Fernando Martinez, he can be the Mets centerfielder of the future. Martinez also will represent a left-handed bat. Two righthanded in Weight and Holliday. two lefthanded in Reyes and Martinez.

I think the Wilpons know that they will have to spend money to protect their investment. So in this event Holliday fits the template. And along with a starter, say Joel Piniero, can make the club relevant for next season.

Few people know what wishes Holliday has given to Boras. Holliday is from Oklahoma may truely want to remain in St. Louis. Boras could be just finding someone to play to get as much money from the Cardinals as he can. And the big elephant in the room remains Albert Puhols. Will the tight-fisted Bill DeWitt pay enough for them both?

Minaya and the Wilpons have had many negotiations with the slippery Boras and may be able to read him to some extent. But Boras also may not want to burn a club that has signed his players before. Nonetheless, Boras is getting what he wants in drawing the Mets – a club that pays top dollar for top talent – into the picture.

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I sorta think so. Mike Silva tells Molina to take it or leave it.

With Bay, I suspect it’s that he really does not want to play in NY. He probably went into the off-season hoping the Red Sox would make a strong bid to resign him or that his hometown Mariners would come calling. If the rumor that Milton Bradley is going to Seattle is true, I doubt they would want to add another 30 year-old outfielder. Bay and his agent are waiting for someone else – anyone – to enter the bidding. Making a counter proposal to Minaya means the Mets are the only suitors.

I agree with Silva in that it’s his agent trying to get more money from the Mets.

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If it’s about salary on the Reds’ part, there’s a match. Matt Cerrone’s take is right on:

…yes, it would be crazy creative, border-line stupid, yet potentially brilliant, if a team could send, say, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, who will cost $18 million each of the next two seasons, to the Reds for arroyo, phillips and cordero, saving the Reds $12 million this season, and $5 million next season, while replacing them with legitimate major-league talent… yes, this is far-fetched, and total mock-GM’ing, and i can’t recall the last time i saw a deal like that happen, but, the point is, the Mets and Reds fit one another’s needs, in some way, shape or form, and i would hope they discuss a way to help eachother out, because it looks like they can…

The talent is the thing. I don’t see the Reds’ doing this without inclusion of young talent from the Mets. Say Mike Pelfrey, but hopefully not Bobby Parnell. Any one or combination of the four Reds mentioned – Cordero, Phillips, Harang and Arroyo – represent the talent fit the Mets are looking for.

I remain astonished by the amount of energy Minaya is putting into moving Castillo. Is there more of a there, there under the radar about team chemistry issues? One reason Kevin Mitchell was moved in the December 1986 Kevin McReynolds deal was to remove him from Doc Gooden. Do the Mets feel the need to remove him from Jose Reyes?

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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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Some good news. And and indication that the Mets are doing somthing right came last night during the SNY broadcast in the aftermath of the bizzare press conference dealing with the firing of Omar Minaya. The networks team of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling pulled no punches in their criticism of the manner in which Minaya conducted himself.

At a time when the ballclub needs to demonstrate to fans its doing something well, its handpicked broadcast team demonstrated their independence. In no way did the team seemed measured in their response. Most importantly they showed that ownership puts any constaints on the three reporting to fans. The Cohen-Hernandez-Darling team continues to show that it one of the very best.

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Thank goodness.

I wonder if Adam Rubin was speculating on “Jerry Manual Speak” :

I kind of like the loose cannon style of Manual. But at any rate, it was a good job by Minaya to put speculation about the coaches to rest within the same news cycle.

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The BAs of the line-up are steady. Just not at the right time. A starter with and early leave might make all the difference in the game by a pitcher still not with his best stuff,Alttle meeting of the ways between the two will prove dividends. .and rescue Danial Murphy from being a scrificial lame – another Met infielder made to play another position. the club has a historical habit of going here in Gregg Jefferries, Howard Johson, Jeff Kent, etc. History tends to repeat. The only resolution will be a trade of Murphy(unliklely) or a let go of Carlos Delgado to give Murphy a position. The way a young players carreer is mananged often can overwhelm his talent. It can here, too, with the constant drama that goes on with any Murphy mistep in the OF. No way this helps his hitting.

A further trouble is that the Mets have rarely been decisive in player development until having their hand forced.They cannot let Murphy go the year with the label of being an outfiled pariah that sours on fans and kills his hitting. They’ve done this before. Nvermind what this does in the clubhouse. It is here where the Manual – Minaya realtionship will be tested. If it has too much Tony Bernazard, its too bad for all parties concerned. Its conceivable that Murphy could go to Buffalo to save his season and career.

If the Mets had done just this with Gregg Jefferries in 1989 with a Juan Samuel and a Mookie Wilson still in their prime, it could have been the Mets and not the Cubs whom won the division. Sammy at second with Mookie in center batting 1-2. Lets do this and go get the division title

Over dinner one night in St. Louis in 1989, I pressed this upon Mookie Wilson and he said it was too late for that. The next day he was traded for Jeff Mussleman from Toronto and Frankie Viola was acquired from the Twins. Wilson knew it had already been done and wanted to have a last dinner with the turds before he left.

So with Daniel Murphy the Mets cannot repeat themselves. While Jefferries was a bit of a social recluse, Murphy seems to have the support of his teammates. Hopefully they won’t let him get down as he finds himself in and out of the line-up depending on the defensive needs of the club.

Citi Field is big and Murphy might give way to Ryan Church and Jeremy Reed. Even the elevation of Fernando Martinez makes sense at a certain point. The Mets are faced with the reality that their outfield is going to have to be more athletic now. The Mets need to make sure they dont lose Murphy in the mean time.

NOTE: From my just a though category. Look for the Mets to consider giving Casey Fossum a start. He wasn’t bad last year, pretty good in the spring and frankly the best starter they had out of an abysmal Buffalo staff.

Is anyone but me shocked at how flippant the Mets seem with pitching….Darren O’Day: why bring him in at all if he’s going to be lost when the first stress is put on the roster. The Mets wasted good company time and mound time on someone they knew might pitch so little they want folks to forget about it. …….Nelson Figueroa is another story. Why burn him? Geez, it seems almost reckless.

m

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