Didn't they acquire one of these cheaper options by signing Kelvim Escobar?

I liked the Escobar signing. The point is there were very inexpensive options to improve at 2B, C, SP, and they all signed last week.

I think LaRoche should count too.

The Mets eschewed intelligent moves.

Hey, it's not all bad for the Mets -- they hired Mookie Wilson and Bob Melvin!

I enjoy the National League. The rich teams remain kinda dumb.

Escobar will likely be in the 'pen.

The Mets would have paid more just by adding another bidder to the mix. Also, the Madoff business shows they're easy marks.

Was it about a month ago Megdal was telling Met fans to knock off the negativity? Nice that his head has finally been removed from the sand.

The point is there were very inexpensive options to improve at 2B, C, SP, and they all signed last week.

Maybe. The Mets can't be the only team signing cheap players though, there are only so many roster spots. Also, if more teams are interested in a given player, the player may cease to be cheap.

There have been reports that the Mets are close to their maximum budget. Bedard's contract calls for $7 million in supposedly reachable incentives. $8.5 million might not fit in their budget after the rest of their moves.

I liked the Escobar signing. The point is there were very inexpensive options to improve at 2B, C, SP, and they all signed last week.

and as #3 says, LaRoche should count.

Also, there were other options all along, but Omar would apparently never ever consider trying to acquire someone like, say Kelly Shoppach...

also, at the same time Omar was desperately trying to trade for Delgado (after having failed to sign him as a FA the year before), a 23 year old former 1st pick in the country, coming off a 43 game .227/.272/.407 line in Texas was a throw-in to an SP swap.

It would never ever have occurred to Omar that the 23 year old could have been the solution he was looking for.

I honestly think he lost Flores, not because he didn't realize he was unprotected (A theory floated at the time - the Rule eligibility rules had just changed- that year some players would would have been draft-able under the old rules no longer were)- but because Omar couldn't conceive of any situation where HE (Omar), would have Rule 5 drafted Flores out of A Ball and actually held onto him throughout the year- therefore he figured that putting him on the 40 man roster was a waste- no one was going to draft him, and on the off chance they did- he'd be offered back before 25 man rosters were set...

Was it about a month ago Megdal was telling Met fans to knock off the negativity? Nice that his head has finally been removed from the sand.

Well, no. I wrote that assuming certain doom, and relentlessly booing players was a mistake, in my view. There was no column with the theme, "The Mets are awesome from top to bottom! Citi Field: Love it or leave it!" Big difference.

The way the Mets offseason is going, I expect the next announcement will be that they hire Isiah Thomas as the new GM.

Didn't the Mets come really close to signing Torrealba a couple years ago but backed out suddenly? If so, Yorvit may still be sore enough at Omar to consider signing with them again.

also, at the same time Omar was desperately trying to trade for Delgado (after having failed to sign him as a FA the year before), a 23 year old former 1st pick in the country, coming off a 43 game .227/.272/.407 line in Texas was a throw-in to an SP swap.

Let's not forget that Adrian Gonzalez was first offered to the Mets for Armando Benitez, but the Mets passed because the Marlins wanted the Mets to pay Benitez's salary for the remainder of the season. So the Mets traded Benitez to the Yankees for basically nothing. How did that work out for you Fred? Do you think it really saved you money in the long run? Penny-wise, pound foolish, as always with the Mets.

I'm assuming that Erik Bedard was smart enough not to sign with any NL team, because even walking into the visiting dugout at Citi would have caused his left arm to burst into flames.

What is the proper response in the unlikely event that I - now pushing 50 - ever for the first time hear the word "eschew" uttered out loud?

Let's not forget that Adrian Gonzalez was first offered to the Mets for Armando Benitez, but the Mets passed because the Marlins wanted the Mets to pay Benitez's salary for the remainder of the season. So the Mets traded Benitez to the Yankees for basically nothing. How did that work out for you Fred? Do you think it really saved you money in the long run? Penny-wise, pound foolish, as always with the Mets.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to hate on the Wilpons and this isn't one of them. Gonzalez's performance was less than overwhelming up to that point. He is something of a late-bloomer.

By my calculations the Mets have been willing to spend something over $42 million on acquiring players this offseason. Is anyone satisfied with the results in this extraordinary buyers' market?

The late bloomer had a line of .312/.382/.486/868 in 516 at bats in A ball as a 19 year old, a .266/.344/.437/781 in 508 ABs in AA as a 20 year old, /304/.364/.457/821 in 457 ABs in AAA at 22, and .338/.399/.561/960 in 328ABs in AAA at 23. At any reasonable price he would have been an excellent pickup, particulary considering that the Mets had given the bulk of their 1B ABs that year to Doug Mientkiewicz. It was the year after they had stuck Piazza out there for 68 games. They were starving for any kind of promise at the position.

What is the proper response in the unlikely event that I - now pushing 50 - ever for the first time hear the word "eschew" uttered out loud?

"Gesundheit," of course.

(You set 'em up, I'll...)

The late bloomer had a line of... It was the year after they had stuck Piazza out there for 68 games. They were starving for any kind of promise at the position.

Exactly

They could have had him for very little, he was offered to them...
They could have had Bay for very little he was...
Oh that's right they had him too.

Grated they weren't the only ones to miss on Bay
But: The Expos missed because... that's right OMAR
The Mutts mised and

the Padres traded him for Brian Effing Giles

The year before the Mutts got him he'd hit .315/.409/.488 between the Midwest League and the FSL
(Midwest League average: .258/.331/.383, FSL average: .253/.331/.365)
He was hitting .290/.383/.477 in AA (league .263/.334/.399) for the Mutts when they traded him for pocket lint.

Yes he developed more than one would expect, but still dumping a young guy who can handily outhit AA is a tad risky? Maybe?

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to hate on the Wilpons and this isn't one of them. Gonzalez's performance was less than overwhelming up to that point. He is something of a late-bloomer.

Not to pile on, but whatever Gonzalez's merits as a prospect at the time, he was clearly better than the prospects they received from the Yankees. Whenever the Mets have fallen out of the race and had an opportunity to trade veterans, they have all to often used that as an opportunity to save money, rather than to acquire prospects. When you combine that approach with their continual surrender in the draft, it's no wonder the Mets farm system has been subpar forever.

Well, no. I wrote that assuming certain doom, and relentlessly booing players was a mistake, in my view. There was no column with the theme, "The Mets are awesome from top to bottom! Citi Field: Love it or leave it!" Big difference.

I walked by the SNY Studio yesterday, and I'm pretty sure that's the Mets' marketing slogan this year.

By my calculations the Mets have been willing to spend something over $42 million on acquiring players this offseason. Is anyone satisfied with the results in this extraordinary buyers' market?

Totally wishcasting, but that would get you Lackey, plus another starter (Garland or Pineiro or Marquis) plus LaRoche plus Torrealba. If Feliciano counts, then I'd reup him but let Francouer, Maine and Sean Green go. Then I'd sign Damon, take a chance on Nady, add another outfielder for the league minimum, and bring in Kelly Johnson just because I like him. That's about 42-45.