How Valuable Is David Wright To The Mets?

If you're asking me, I'd say not very. But then again, I'm not the biggest David Wright fan.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports tweeted that a baseball executive said, "The Mets won’t trade him [Wright]. He’s more valuable to them than he would be to any other team."

While the Mets, and many Mets fans, still view Wright as a star, I have the feeling that the rest of the league probably sees him as just an ordinary player.

The Mets need at least one "star" on the team is order to give the fans a reason to go to the ballpark. Stars are hard to come by these days at Citi Field, and when you have a team made up of mostly Triple-A players, an average player such as Wright becomes a star.

At this point, with the loss of Jose Reyes to the Marlins, Wright is probably only valuable in the fact that he is the only thing that will probably help generate money for the team.

If the Mets highly value Wright as a player, we must not have been watching the same player for the past three years.

Wright has struggled tremendously the past few seasons, and the 2011 season is arguably his worst as a professional.

I've heard all of the excuses...he never got over getting hit in the head by Matt Cain, Citi Field dimensions are wreaking havoc on his approach at the plate, Howard Johnson screwed him up, maybe his dog died...blah, blah, blah.

When will it be acceptable to just admit that Wright is an average player?

Mets Lose Out In Rule 5 Draft

Today's Rule 5 Draft was pretty uneventful for the Mets. They made no selections and lost Rhiner Cruz to the Astros.  I have to be honest with you, I have never even heard of Cruz, but supposedly the reliever can hit triple digits.

According to Mets.com, "A hard-throwing reliever whose fastball has been clocked in the triple digits in the Dominican this winter, Cruz posted a 3.89 ERA over two levels last season, striking out 69 batters and walking 45 in 71 2/3 innings."

The Mets also lost Luis Rojas and Hector Alvarez.

Manager Terry Collins didn't even bother to stick around for today's Draft after Cruz was selected by Houston (The Astros had the first pick).

With Rule 5 Draft picks, those selected by a team must remain on that team's active roster or disabled list for an entire season, or they must be returned to their original team.

In Cruz's case, the Astros can send him back to the Mets, but it will cost New York $25,000.  With the Mets saving their pennies these days, they're probably fine with not getting him back. But let's be real, Cruz will probably be making his way back to New York at some point this season.

How does one become eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft? This is how:

Any unprotected player who signed at age 19 or older and has been in his current organization for at least four years, or who signed at age 18 or younger and has been in his organization for at least five years, is eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Some recent Rule 5 Draft picks by the Mets include Pedro Beato and Brad Emaus.

Mets Do Some Wheelin' And Dealin', Trade Pagan

According to Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio, Jon Rauch and the Mets have agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million plus performance bonuses. This is all assuming he passes his physical.

Rauch was 5-4 with a 4.85 ERA last season with the Blue Jays.

Steve Popper has reported that the Mets and Giants have agreed to the following deal: Angel Pagan to the Giants for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday reported that the Mets have also signed a two-year deal with Frank Francisco. According to Davidoff, Francisco will serve as the team's closer and Rauch will be the set-up man. According to Adam Ruben, Francisco's two-year deal is worth $12 million.

Realistic Approach On Free Agency For The New York Mets - StartingPitching

Much like with the free agent hitters, the Mets do not have the financial wherewithal to bring in the top free agent pitchers.

What will happen, much akin to last year’s process with Chris Capuano and Chris Young, is that Sandy Alderson will look for the high upside guys, no matter their risk. With questions surrounding everyone in the Mets starting rotation outside of R.A Dickey, the Mets will try to add as much depth as possible.

Here are some guys I think they Mets could and should go after:

-          Erik Bedard

• While Bedard’s price will most likely place him outside of the Mets range, on a one year, incentive laden contract, the Mets may have the money he is looking for. The reason Bedard is not cashing in like the C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrles of the world is not lack of success, but rather lack of durability. In 951 innings in the American League, he has a 3.70 ERA and 3.65 FIP, while Buehrle has a career 3.88 ERA and 4.13 FIP. The difference is Buehrle is a lock for 200+ innings and 10+ wins and Bedard is a lock for the DL and that is why Buehrle will fetch around $45 million and Bedard will be lucky to get $5 million. If the Mets could sign Bedard to the type of deal Capuano signed last year, with low guarantees starting around two or three million with incentives up to seven million, this could be a match. After all, this off-season Capuano turned a one year deal for $1.5M guaranteed into a two year deal for $10 million guaranteed, so Sandy can always use that as a reference point.

Jose Reyes Taking His Talents To South Beach

Jose Reyes agreed to sign with the Miami Marlins for six years, $106 million.

He chased the money.

I don't blame the Mets ownership. I don't blame Sandy Alderson. At the end of the day, Reyes had complete control over the situation. If he really wanted to stay in New York, he would have. Instead, he went where the money is. That's baseball.

The Mets never made an offer to Reyes. They had to have known early on that they had no chance of re-signing Reyes. I have no problem with the team for not making an offer. Why waste anybody's time, and why bother making an offer that will be guaranteed to be rejected.

I know Mets fans are depressed, but get over it. It's not the end of the world. Life will go on. Remember, the Mets have won nothing, NOTHING, with Reyes during his nine years here.

Also, I don't know about you, but I'll be glad that I'll no longer have to hold my breath every time Reyes runs around the bases wondering if his hamstring is going to explode.

While Mets fans are quick to hand over the World Series trophy to the Marlins on this deal alone, take a step back and remember that they've won nothing yet. In fact, they're already losers with those new uniforms.