The New York Mets are having a less than spectacular start to the second half of the season so far. With the line-up essentially back together with the return of the likes of Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo, there is nothing to look forward to as a saving grace. Hence the lackluster New York Mets must stir things up to create some fire. Here are five things they could do right now.
Get rid of Jason Bay. Easier said than done but I do not mean permanently. Right now he is a huge disappointment and it is hurting team morale. It is not easy seeing this hyped free agent come in and stink things up. The outfield should be Carlos Beltran in left, Angel Pagan in center and Jeff Francoeur in right. This leads me to numbers two and three.
Play Angel Pagan in Center Field. Easier said than done since Beltran is a cornerstone, or a centerstone in this case, in the outfield. His hurt knee and the extra leg attached to it are hindering his movement. The Mets could be more patient if it was not for the fact that Pagan is a great defender in center fielder. All feelings should be pushed aside in order to get more wins.
Play Jeff Francoeur. Easier said than done since Frenchy has not been lights out, but he brings energy as a young player who is not making top dollar. It is better for team chemistry to watch Francoeur play than Bay who is clearly weighed down by his heavy pockets.
Start Oliver Perez. Easier said than done since Perez has been a head case, but he should be starting. This is the time of the year that teams take chances on players that might turn things around and give them a boost. In this case Perez is loaded with talent and he is already on the team. It would be like a mid season trade for the Mets. It would be interesting to see if the time off has benefitted the southpaw. The Mets gambled with the huge contract they threw at him, why not take a chance on him now?
Call someone out. Easier said than done since there are no natural leaders in the Mets clubhouse. Mike Pelfrey has been struggling enough without needing any of Jose Reyes’ help. On July 20th, Reyes slept walked through the short Pelfrey outing, assuring a quick exit for the pitcher. Perhaps Pelfrey and the Mets could have stopped the bleeding and saved some of the bullpen without Reyes’ lack of effort. These kinds of performances should not be acceptable.
The New York Mets are not good enough to make the playoffs on talent alone. They need to really make a push and these five moves would certainly help them do that.
