Footprints in the Snow: New York Mets

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2009.

See this kid? That's right -- he's crying. Do you know who caused this? That's right: you, New York Mets. You did this to him not once, but twice, losing the final game of the season at Shea Stadium with a sizable division lead in September and your destiny in your hands.

Only bad people make children cry. And if you do fail for a third season in a row, this child will wind up spending more money on extensive therapy than you did signing Luis Castillo. Heck, with this wig on, it may already be too late. But maybe not. So here's what you -- the Mets -- can do to make sure that this child grows up to lead a somewhat normal life.

Who may leave?
SP Oliver Perez (Type A free agent)
LF Moises Alou (Type B free agent)
RP Luis Ayala (Type B free agent)
SP Tony Armas (free agent)
2B Damion Easley (free agent)
SP Orlando Hernandez (free agent)
SP Pedro Martinez (free agent)
2B Ramon Martinez (free agent)
RF Trot Nixon (free agent)
RP Ricardo Rincon (free agent)

What do they need?
The Mets had 29 blown saves last season. That was third behind Seattle and St. Louis. But a mere number doesn't tell the whole story. This team blew gut-wrenching saves -- seven wins for Johan Santana alone -- with the final nail in the coffin being two gopher balls from Scott Schoeneweis and Luis Ayala during that final game of the season. So is it any secret that priority No. 1 is the bullpen? And it's not just closer with Billy Wagner out for the entire 2009 season, priority No. 1 should be the entire bullpen.

Who should they get?
Throwing buckets of cash at Francisco Rodriguez isn't going to wipe clean all the flaws in a Mets bullpen littered with lefties who can't pitch to righties and righties who can't pitch to lefties. They need pitchers who can pitch an entire inning no matter who is up to bat. Free agent Juan Cruz fits that bill. Frank Francisco is another pitcher who would fit what the Mets need if the Rangers were willing to trade him. There are other possibilities out there, such as free agent Joe Beimel and free agent closer Brian Fuentes, that the Mets would be wise to look at.

Of course, the bullpen isn't the only place that needs fixing. If Perez and agent Scott Boras price themselves out of New York, Derek Lowe becomes a must get for the Mets to fill out the middle of the rotation. Also, the bottom of the order lost a lot of production in the past two seasons, and could use an upgrade. Castillo is someone who needs to be moved for another bad contract so that Daniel Murphy can move to second base, and if that bad contract coming back isn't a left fielder (like Jose Guillen), perhaps the Mets should think seriously about moving away from the periphery and towards the forefront of a big trade.

Who will they get?
This is where it gets scary, because I'm sure the Mets are looking at all of the options above. But let's eliminate one right away: Matt Holliday ain't walkin' through that door, specifically because t~~he Rockies would want a major leaguer in return~~ he's going to Oakland.

Offseason Storylines

Mets | 2008 Finish: 89-73, second place in NL East
FanHouse Take: "The bullpen has to be revamped. Doesn't really matter how, doesn't really matter who. When you blow 200 saves and you reside in the same division as Brad Lidge, there's no good reason or excuse to come back with the same group in 2009." (Read Post)

Michael Cohen, Getty Images

Athletics | 2008 Finish: 75-86, third place in AL West
FanHouse Take: "With [Matt] Holliday in the fold and with an obvious focus on 2009, why not give him somebody to drive in? Now there's no reason for the A's not to look at free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal" (Read Post)

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Angels | 2008 Finish: 100-62, AL West champions
FanHouse Take: "Owner Arte Moreno is willing to spend big to keep his team in the hunt, but even his pockets have a limit ... right? Is he willing to break the bank to retain his own blue-chip free agents, [Mark] Teixeira and Francisco Rodriguez, and throw his hat in the CC Sabathia sweepstakes?" (Read Post)

Elise Amendola, AP

Astros | 2008 Finish: 86-75, third place in NL Central
FanHouse Take: "The deadliest combination for a middling baseball team is the combination of a year in which the team overachieves and has a GM bad enough not to recognize that his team isn't as good as they played. ... I think they have a real recipe for disaster on their hands this offseason." (Read Post)

Harry How, Getty Images

Blue Jays | 2008 Finish: 86-76, fourth place in AL East
FanHouse Take: "In this crossroad season for the Blue Jays, it's time to show the type of commitment they have. If their move isn't made now, the Rays, Yanks, and Sox may make sure that there will never be a move." (Read Post)

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Braves | 2008 Finish: 86-76, fourth place in AL East
FanHouse Take: "Atlanta has never been a win-now-at-any-cost type of team, and it shouldn't suddenly become one; but the Braves have a loaded farm system and no major league pitching." (Read Post)

Mike Zarrilli, Getty Images

Brewers | 2008 Finish: 90-72, NL wild card
FanHouse Take: "The important thing for the Brewers and their fans to remember is that they're going to be in good shape next year. ... They've still got a great offense, they've still got Yovani Gallardo and Manny Parra, and hey, Eric Gagne's gone!" (Read Post)

Nick Laham, Getty Images

Cardinals | 2008 Finish: 86-76, third place in NL Central
FanHouse Take: "The Cards won 86 games last year and hit their Pythagorean record right on the head. That means that while they can make a couple of moves and maybe catch up to the top of the division, they have to be the right moves." (Read Post)

Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

Giants | 2008 Finish: 72-90, fourth place in NL West
FanHouse Take: "The Giants need to build around the young starting pitching and allow their farm system to develop. Signing two to three free agent infielders with power would make the team as competitive as it needs to be in 2009." (Read Post)

Ben Margot, AP

Indians | 2008 Finish: 81-81, third place in AL Central
FanHouse Take: "In the end, it will probably be another relatively quiet offseason in Cleveland. ... A team with the Indians' resources is rarely going to make a big splash in free agency. And that's probably the right move, even if you end up looking bad when things don't work out." (Read Post)

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

In terms of the others, there's reasons for none of the above to happen. Lowe prefers Boston. Fuentes and K-Rod are expensive. The Rangers may make Francisco their closer instead of trading him. Cruz and Beimel might want to go somewhere else. And who in their right mind would want Castillo? This is where Omar Minaya likes to talk about being "creative." The problem is that Omar's kind of creativity usually leads to signing guys like Alou, Hernandez, and Julio Franco. Or former Expos. That's where Javier Vazquez comes in. The White Sox are supposedly looking to wheel him, and the Mets are supposedly interested. Seeing that Vazquez is one of those former Expos that Minaya craves, I'd be shocked if this didn't happen, maybe even for Castillo if Minaya can somehow catch Kenny Williams in a moment of extreme weakness (or find pictures of him sharing trade secrets with Ron Santo).

But the bullpen has to be revamped. Doesn't really matter how, doesn't really matter who. When you blow 200 saves and you reside in the same division as Brad Lidge, there's no good reason or excuse to come back with the same group in 2009. Minaya would do well not to find himself of being in the position of every kid who comes home to his mother and is scolded with, " ... I gave you one simple thing to do, how could you not do it?" Because playing the part of Mom will be the the Wilpons if this same cast of characters helps flush a third straight season down the drain.