Mets Left Field Options 2010

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.

Has Johnny Damon Earned a New Contract?

Johnny Damon is having his best season as a Yankee and has picked a good time to do so.  In the final year of his contract, Damon would like to return to the Yankees after 2009 but the Yankees have an abundance of outfielders including several good young ones.  Damon’s success in 2009 is making the Yankees’ decision of whether to retain him a tough one.  Batting second in the order, he is hitting for power and taking advantage of the new Yankee Staidum’s right field power alley. 

Damon has just as much power as Hideki Matsui, who will also be a free agent after the season.  Matsui has been strictly the Yankees DH this season and although he has played well, his injured knee limits his outfield abilities.  I don’t see the Yankees resigning Matsui just to DH.  At least Damon gives the Yankees some options.  He can basically play all of the outfield positions.  The DH in the Yankees lineup can be anyone, especially now that some of their stars are aging.  Damon can still play the outfield well and he still runs well too.  The knock on him is his throwing arm.

Damon on a one year term makes sense for the Yankees.  I’d rather see the Yankees re-sign Damon than Xavier Nady.  The 2010 free agent outfield class has a few big names including Matt Holliday, but Damon has proven he can play in New York and would be a better option than most of the potential free agents.  Giving Damon anything more than a year is questionable but maybe he won’t want to re-sign for just one year.  In that case, I’d have to think the Yankees will move on without him and look elsewhere.  If Damon really wants to remain in pinstripes, he’ll take what the Yankees offer him.