John Smoltz, Mets

As Ben Sheets heads to the west coast, the Mets will turn their attention to other starting pitchers. Sheets agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with Oakland Tuesday leaving one less pitcher on the market for the Mets to pick up.

A few pitchers still remain on the market, but the Mets are focusing on one of the oldest pitchers, if not the oldest pitcher available; 42-year old John Smoltz. The NY Daily News cites that the Mets have been actively talking with the veteran’s reps and have intentions of using him as a starter.

What did they see in Smoltz last year that tells them he can be productive in 2010? He went 3-8 with a 6.35 ERA for the Red Sox and Cardinals combined in 2009. He can break down at any time and the Mets don’t need a 42-year old starting pitcher. They need someone younger and more reliable and one guy left out there that fits that bill is Jon Garland.

Garland’s stats may have come down the last two years, but he still eats innings. He has recorded over 190 innings in each season since 2002 and he’s 12 years younger than Smoltz. If Garland works out well, he could help the Mets for several seasons. How many years does Smoltz have left and how confident are we that Smoltz will pitch better than Garland in 2010?

Signing Smoltz over Garland or another free agent pitcher, like Jarrod Washburn, isn’t the right move for the Mets. Free agent pitchers haven’t chosen the Mets this winter and if other free agents don’t want to come to New York and Smoltz is the only one that does, then they might as well add the body and at least try to add some depth to their rotation.