cheap FAs for Mets to consider

[Vic Sage]

slim pickings, eh?

[u:1n0dt0an]SPers:[/u:1n0dt0an]
Paul Maholm
Tsuyoshi Wada
Erik Bedard
Joel Pineiro
Rich Harden
Jason Marquis
Jeff Francis
Aaron Harang
Kevin Millwood
Dontrelle Willis
Aaron Cook
Andrew Brackman
Ben Sheets
Chris Young
Jamey Wright
Jon Garland
Brad Penny
Rodrigo Lopez
Vicente Padilla
Zach Duke
Tim Wakefield
Brandon Webb

[u:1n0dt0an]RPers:[/u:1n0dt0an]
Francisco Rodriguez
Kerry Wood
Francisco Cordero
LaTroy Hawkins
Takashi Saito
Chad Qualls
Brad Lidge
Frank Francisco
Joel Zumaya
Mike Gonzalez
Jon Rauch
Octavio Dotel
Dan Wheeler
Arthur Rhodes
Mike MacDougal
Luis Ayala
Shawn Camp
George Sherrill
Jason Isringhausen
John Grabow
Fernando Rodney
David Aardsma
Michael Wuertz
J.C. Romero
Scott Linebrink
Miguel Batista
Trever Miller
Damaso Marte
Juan Cruz
Ramon Ortiz
Sergio Mitre
Todd Coffey
Chad Durbin
Horacio Ramirez

[u:1n0dt0an]CFers:[/u:1n0dt0an]
Coco Crisp
Cody Ross
Juan Pierre
Rick Ankiel
Scott Hairston
Nate McLouth
Corey Patterson

[u:1n0dt0an]2b/ss:[/u:1n0dt0an]
Wilson Betemit
Ronny Cedeno
Alex Gonzalez
Rafael Furcal
Nick Punto
Yuniesky Betancourt
Mark DeRosa
Carlos Guillen
Edgar Renteria
Aaron Miles
Willie Harris
Craig Counsell
Omar Vizquel
Orlando Cabrera
Jose Lopez
Alex Cora
Cesar Izturis

[u:1n0dt0an]C:[/u:1n0dt0an]
Jorge Posada
Kelly Shoppach
Ramon Castro
Ivan Rodriguez
Jason Varitek
Josh Bard
Chris Snyder
J.R. Towles
Jason Kendall

[metirish]

What we need, backup catcher, bullpen arms/closer utility infield guys?

I should add with apparently very little to spend, ten to fifteen million.

[seawolf17]

Don't know that I'm interested in any of those offensive options, but there are a lot of arms there I'd take a flyer on.

[Fman99]

BOOOO

[Vic Sage]

for $15m and under, could we get

SP - Jeff Francis
RP - Frank Francisco, Octovio Dotel
OF - Cody Ross
C - Chris Snyder
UT - Orlando Cabrera

[smg58]

I like Jose Lopez as a 2B option. He started getting his power stroke back late last year, he would be a defensive upgrade over our current options, he's only 28, and he was one of the best players at the position as recently as 2009.

I don't think you'll improve over Pelfrey or Pagan at a comparable salary. It shouldn't be too hard to find decent bullpen help, though.

I'd be more inclined to sign prospective reserves to minor-league deals and have them compete with people like Valdespin and F-Mart for roster spots than guarantee money to this year's Alex Cora. (Especially if that person is Alex Cora.)

[Edgy MD]

Starting pitcher... do you look a for a major league contract guy for Gee to back up, or a coupla decent major league veteran-minor league contract guys to back up Gee (et al.)?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Jon Heyman says that the Mets are one of five teams in on Mark Buehrle.

Sandy Alderson says that's not true.

[HahnSolo]

Vic Sage wrote: for $15m and under, could we get SP - Jeff Francis RP - Frank Francisco, Octovio Dotel OF - Cody Ross C - Chris Snyder UT - Orlando Cabrera

Just the thought of that would make Gary Cohen moist.

[DocTee]

Joel Piniero worth a looksee.

Josh Willingham not listed but a defiinite candidate, no?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Willingham's being bid on right now, with the Rays purportedly heading the pack. Coming off a not-likely-to-repeat-that career year, he won't come as cheaply as he's worth. Also... we've got 1-2 of those under contract.

Shoppach and a host of damaged-goods/misfit-toys guys with high ceilings for pen/rotation (Chris Young, Aardsma, Coffey, etc.) suit me just fine.

[smg58]

I could be enticed into giving Young another incentive-laden look.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Like any of this is gonna matter. Now me, I'd go after Tim Wakefield and after that, a bunch of midgets. Channel Bill Veeck. Have Jeff Wilpon sit in that booth near the Shake Shack where fans can "dunk him into the pool" by hitting the target. Maybe slip a piranha into the pool once in a while. But never more than one piranha. Otherwise, Jeff'll catch on eventually. Turn the infield running paths into a moat when Miami visits. I'm talkin' like high tide moatness. That'll sell some tickets!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I could sign on for a Nothing But Knucklers freakshow thing.

(And when I say, "sign on," I mean, "watch half-amused from my seat on the couch.")

[Vic Sage]

DocTee wrote: Joel Piniero worth a looksee. Josh Willingham not listed but a defiinite candidate, no?

i didn't list him cuz i was thinking more of guys who could play CF.
and i didn't list Buerhle and other upper tier SPers, cuz i don't think we can afford them.