It’s a year later than anticipated, but the Mets now have a first baseman named Carlos Delgado. The Mets had made an offer to Delgado last year but he chose to sign with the Florida Marlins because they had a better chance to win. He proceeded to hit 33 home runs, drive in 115 runs, score 81 runs for the Marlins. He hit for a .301 average and had slugging and on-base percentages of .559 and .399 as a first baseman (516 at-bats), designated hitter (three at-bats) and pinch-hitter (two at-bats) in his lone season with the Marlins. Now the Marlins have traded him to the Mets. The Mets also receive $7 million dollars and send frist baseman Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit and minor league third baseman Grant Psomas to Florida.
Earlier last week the Mets had traded outfielder Mike Cameron to San Diego for first baseman-outfielder Xavier Nady. Cameron, a centerfielder by trade, played most of his time in rightfield. He’ll get to play center for the Padres. Nady will become a valuable bench player able to fill in at first, third and the outfield.
Now, Mets GM Omar Minaya is talking to free agent closer Billy Wagner about a $30 million dollar package. The sales pitch the team made the other day seems to have impressed him. Hopefully he’ll like the idea of having Delgado at first, Reyes at short, Wright at third, Floyd in left, Diaz in right and Beltran in center.
With Martinez, Glavine, Benson, Seo, and Trachsel as starters, the team is in good shape in that department. Heilman, Padilla and Bell served well as middle relief. They still need a second baseman and a catcher. Matzui hasn’t made the transition from Japan and Ramon Castro filled in admirably for Piazza but can’t be counted upon to be the everyday backstop. Ramon Hernandez and Bengie Molina are available and one of them might be tempted with the new New York Mets. The changes in orange and blue aren’t over yet.
It’s not Christmas yet and I’m looking forward to pitchers and catchers in February. Is something wrong with me?
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