Bill Madden of the Daily News suggests the Mets go after second-tier free agents rather than the marquee players who will demand large contracts. While I agree with Madden that the Mets should pursue second-tier position players, I disagree with the Mets pursuing second-tier pitchers. The Mets need to sign the best free agent pitcher, John Lackey, or make a trade for one of the best pitchers in the game, Roy Halladay. A team can get production from a cheaper alternative at left field, but when it comes to pitching, cheaper alternatives don’t always add up to the production of an ace-like pitcher. 

If the Mets settle on both second-tier position players and pitchers, they’ll remain at mediocrity in 2010. Their rotation is full of question marks after Johan Santana. Will free agent pitchers like Jason Marquis, Randy Wolf or Joel Pineiro be any better than current Met starters John Maine, Mike Pelfrey or Oliver Perez? 

Left fielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay are going to be expensive and will hinder the Mets from spending money elsewhere. When I looked over the Mets options at left field, Marlon Byrd seemed the best fit for the team. The left field free agent class is deep compared to other positions. After Holliday and Bay, the there are steady players like Byrd, Johnny Damon and Marcus Thames, among others.

Financially, it’s not certain where the team stands. The Mets are said to be targeting marquee free agents but when it comes down to it, will they be able to afford them? If they can, Lackey should be target number one. After Lackey, they can look to Marlon Byrd or Marcus Thames in left field and also take a peak at another starter like Jason Marquis or Joel Pineiro. 

If Lackey is not an option, the Mets should strongly consider putting together a package for Roy Halladay. Halladay has recently said he won’t be signing with the Blue Jays after 2010, making it more likely he’ll be traded. 

The addition of Lackey or Halladay will make this team an instant playoff contender. The addition of Marquis or Pineiro will make this team marginally better.

Here is why the Mets should sign John Lackey.

Here are some rumors going around about the Mets as of November 12, 2009.

The New York Post suggests Omar Minaya has met with Scott Boras to talk about free agent left fielder Matt Holliday. Boras is pushing Teixeira-like salary figures for Holliday. Read the article

The Mets have a lot of needs and left field is where they’ll begin. A big bat in left will go a long way making it easier for the Mets to go with lower priced players at other positions. Holliday’s contract will be big but it would be worth it for the Mets. Other teams may get involved in the bid and drive the price up and the Mets out of the discussion.

SI reports the Mets are interested in free agent pitcher Joel Pineiro.

Pineiro picked the right time to have a decent season after he had some really bad years from ’04-’08. In ’09, Pineiro went 15-12 with a 3.49 ERA. That’s his lowest ERA since 2002 (14-7, 3.24 ERA). The Mets should remain cautious that he can take another nosedive in 2010.

The Mets will be players in the signings of Chone Figgins and Orlando Hudson and are looking to trade Luis Castillo. Read the article

The Mets would love to have either Figgins or Hudson but have nowhere to put them. In order to open second base for one of the two, the Mets would have to find a trading partner for Luis Castillo. Figgins can play anywhere on the field and would be a great addition to the Mets. He’s the type of player that can make things happen and fuel the top of a lineup. The versatile Figgins in Queens would be a great signing by Minaya.

There’s no better words to the ears of Met fans than “it’s the offseason” after a horrific 2009 season that ended with a World Series matchup between the two teams they hate the most. The Mets figure to be in the market for a marquee left fielder and the free agent class has some good ones to offer starting at the top. Matt Holliday, who may be the biggest name on the market, leads the left field class along with Jason Bay.

Left fielders the Mets should concern themselves with:
Johnny Damon – Signing Damon would allow Reyes to bat third and gives the Mets a pesky leadoff hitter. It deepens the Mets lineup, allowing Wright to bat fourth and Beltran to bat fifth.
Marcus Thames – Thames has some pop in his bat and could provide power batting sixth in the Mets lineup.
Marlon Byrd – Byrd had his best year in 2009 hitting 20 home runs and driving in 89. He’s on the second tier and would be a cost effective option at left field.

Left fielders the Mets should make a run for:
Matt Holliday - Holliday is the the premiere name in the 2010 free agent class and is expecting Mark Teixeira-like figures. Pairing him with Wright would make a fearsome middle of the order. Holliday may be better suited in the National League but he’ll get offers from teams all around the league.
Jason Bay – Bay had a big year in Boston and would do wonders in the Mets lineup and locker room. He would be a terror in the middle of the Mets lineup. Bay is going to want a big contract after the season he had in 2009. He had 36 home runs and drove in 119. Boston will be players in the chase for Holliday and Bay and will most likely sign one of them.
Carl Crawford - The Rays have an option on Crawford in 2010 but if they don’t pick it up the Mets should make a play for him. He’ll get less attention than Holliday and Bay and would team with Reyes to make the Mets an all out basestealing team. Reyes and Crawford batting would make the Mets’ three, four and five hitters better.

Dark Horse candidates:
Rick Ankiel – Ankiel had a down year in 2009 compared to ’08 but could make a resurgence with a new team. I won’t call him a center fielder by trade because he was once a pitcher. Defensively, the switch from center to left wouldn’t be an issue. 
Hideki Matsui – The World Series MVP may not be headed back to the Bronx although he would like to. The team in Queens will take a look to see if his knees can handle the everyday grind in the outfield.
Xavier Nady – Nady was with the Mets in 2006 but was playing right field. He’s a veteran and a career .280 hitter. He’d be a nice option behind the upper echelon of left fielders.

The Mets left fielder in 2010 will be:
Marlon Byrd – Holliday and Bay will sign for megabucks elsewhere and the Rays will pick up Crawford’s option. Byrd has put together decent numbers the last three seasons and could break out in 2010 with the Mets.

Free agent Matt Holliday is singing Sinatra’s “New York, New York”. Rumors are swirling that his top two choices for free agency are the Yankees and Mets. Ken Davidoff of Newsday first broke the news.

You can never count the Yankees out during free agency, as we saw that this past offseason, but even the Yankees have a spending limit.

As for the Mets, Holliday would make sense. If the Mets plan on opening their wallet, Holliday would be the best free agent to go after.

Several sources suggest Holliday is looking for a seven-year deal worth around $150 million.