2008 MLB Regular Season

Trade Partner: Texas Rangers

With Moises Alou out until May and Carlos Delgado having hip problems, the Mets are even more desperate for a 1B / OF than they were when camp opened a few weeks ago.

Add in the fact that Olmedo Saenz can’t play in games due to visa issues, Brady Clark is not exactly tearing up opposing pitching, and Michel Abreu’s bat speed can be clocked with a sun dial, and it’s clear that the answer will have to come from outside the organization.

Enter the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers are in dire need of pitching — particularly bullpen help. Their closer is a combination of Eddie Guardado and C.J. Wilson (who?), and they have Frankie Francisco, Joaquin Benoit, Josh Rupe, and John Rheinecker as the leading candidates to fill out the rest of the ‘pen.

So it’s obvious that Texas needs to go outside their organization to find more experienced and proven arms for their bullpen. What they have a surplus of happens to be righthanded-hitting outfielders and first basemen. Huh.

Their outfield is oversaturated, with the projected starters looking to be Milton Bradley, Josh Hamilton, and Marlon Byrd, and rookie David Murphy pressing all three for playing time. They also have Kevin Mench in camp, as well as Frank Catalonotto. First base will likely be shared between Catalanotto and Ben Broussard, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia getting some time there as well, considering that Gerald Laird remains their best defensive catcher.

Three players not yet mentioned include Jason Botts, Nelson Cruz, Chris Shelton — all are righthanded hitters, all have played both the outfield and first base, and none are in the Rangers’ plans.

Looking at the Rangers’ bullpen, it would seem that they’d be only too happy to surrender one of those three in return for a veteran reliever such as Scott Schoeneweis or Jorge Sosa — dontcha think? All the pundits have been wondering where in the world the Mets would be able to unload The Show, but apparently Arlington did not occur to anyone.

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