The Mets seem to be in a bit of an awkward situation at this point in the season. They're currently 14-18 in the standings, good for last place in the NL East, a game back of the Washington Nationals. They've had some injuries here and there, but nothing absolutely unbearable like we've seen in the past. The general diagnosis at this point is that the Mets have talent, but they haven't gotten the consistent starting pitching they need in order to be successful. As a result, rumors have begun to fly about almost every major part of the major league roster. That includes Carlos Beltran, Francisco Rodriguez, Johan Santana, and even David Wright and, of course, Jose Reyes. The latter two guys seem to hold the most value on the market, and for good reason. I find it hard to believe David Wright will be traded, mostly because the status of his contract. The Mets hold control over him for another 2 seasons, so there is still a good chance to build a good team around him while he's still under his current contract. The story is different for Jose Reyes.

Reyes is going to be a free agent at season's end barring an unlikely extension. The question for Reyes is, will the season expire with him manning shortstop for the Mets, or another major league club? Many people believe there will come a point where the Mets will have no choice but to trade him. With the way the new front office operates, most people don't think Reyes will get an offer from the Mets similar to the long term contract he may draw on the open market, ballooning to a value as high as the one Carl Crawford received from the Boston Red Sox, and that's a fair point. But consider this. At this juncture in the 2011 season, according to FanGraphs, Reyes has been the 7th most valuable player in all of baseball, 1st among shortstops (a list including Mets-slayer Troy Tulowitzki) by a fairly large margin considering we're only about 5 weeks into the season. He has been absolutely unreal to be quite honest. He's on pace to hit about 15 triples in addition to over 50 doubles. In case you were wondering, both those totals would have led the major leagues in 2010. The triples total would've also led in 2009. Not in 2008 however, since Jose Reyes himself hit 19 that year. The long and short of it is this. Jose Reyes is really freaking good.

Quite frankly, with all due respect to Ike Davis, Jose Reyes has been the bright spot on the Mets roster so far this season. When healthy, his combination of tangible production and overall excitement is something no other baseball player on the planet earth can match. And no, I don't think I'm exaggerating. Back in 2006, when he was healthy, hitting his stride as a baseball player, and the Mets as a team were having their most successful season of the decade while coming inches away from the franchise's 5th pennant, Reyes was widely considered the most exciting player in all of baseball. While he isn't playing for that same team, right now, he's playing like that same Jose Reyes. He may not put up the same totals for various reasons (team is more conservative about stealing bases/team behind him isn't as good so he won't score the same amount of runs or get the same number of plate appearances) but the player we're watching now is every bit as good as that player from 2006. Why on earth would any team be stupid enough to trade a guy like this way? He's a completely unique player who can never be replaced. Not really. 

No player is without their question marks going forward, Jose Reyes is included. It's one of the reasons guys like Mets GM Sandy Alderson would want to refrain from doling out long term contracts in general, not just to players like Reyes. And when I say players like Reyes, I mean players with a history of injury problems and a guy who relies heavily on his speed to produce as a major league baseball player, and I think both concerns are fair. Let's start with the injury history. At least for now, Reyes is healthy. We don't know if the injuries will crop up again, but I will say this. I think that his injuries have been grossly mishandled in the past by people like Omar Minaya. In 2009 when Reyes missed 126 games, he should've immediately been placed on the disabled list when the injury first cropped up. However, he was kept around for several weeks while the Mets hoped he'd be able to get better and stay off the DL. The Mets current regime has shown very emphatically that when a player on their roster shows the smallest signs of injury that they will be placed on the DL immediately in order to reduce the risk of any further injury. I think this philosophy will work wonders for Reyes going forward should he remain with the franchise. And as far as him aging badly goes, does anyone really think he'd be absolutely nothing without his speed? Is he not a smart baseball player with a fantastic attitude? He makes good contact at the plate and he's learning to be more patient and draw walks. He'd also still be an above average major league shortstop. In no way am I saying he's going to be the same player at 35 as he will be at 28 or 29, but he'll still be a good major leaguer. And even paying him an average of $18+ million a season during a contract, he'd still offer a surplus in value in the early years of the contract that could make up for his decreasing value later ala Carlos Beltran (though so far this season Beltran's been very good). 

The real question for Sandy Alderson is this. Is it worth giving Jose Reyes the long term contract? Like I said before, Reyes could warrant a contract as large as the one Carl Crawford received from the Red Sox, a 7-year, $126 million contract. Now whether or not the Wilpons could actually sign Reyes to this contract could put a damper on this whole discussion. I believe they'll be able to due to the large sum of money coming off the books this winter in addition to the new minority ownership coming into play shortly. So assuming Alderson has the means to do so, would he pull the trigger? The Mets GM is not one to make gut decisions on such things. He's going to go to the data he has and make a decision based on that. He'll talk to all of his scouts, consult all of his statisticians and doctors at his disposal and make an educated decision. When it comes down to it, the question Alderson will answer is this, just like he probably does with every other player he decides to sign or not. Will Reyes add more value to the team over the course of that contract than what the Mets are going to be paying him in dollars and cents? If that answer is yes, the Mets will hang on to him. We've heard Alderson say in the past he knows the fans love homegrown talent and it is a factor he considers. Why would he not try to keep one of the best around at his position if he's worth it and homegrown? Spoiler alert: he WOULD keep him. 

I have no doubt that if the time comes and Jose Reyes is forced to put on an Angels, Reds, or Giants uniform, it's going to be a bleak day in Mets history. I just hope it never does. 

I've heard a lot about the Mets trading Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran by the All-Star break. While trading Beltran makes sense to me, trading Reyes does not. I'm not the GM though, so it doesn't really matter. This is Sandy Alderson's team and if he wants to rebuild it, he can.

The Mets are struggling right now and there is no doubt about that. They are tied for the second worst record in the league, are six games below .500 and are in last place in the NL East. But when I watch the Mets play I don't see a bad team. I see a team that is in almost every game they play, no matter who they are facing. They've had a couple of games when they've gotten blown out, but that happens.

When Angel Pagan comes back, this line-up can go toe-to-toe with any line-up in baseball. It has a nice mix of speed, power, and contact hitters, and they can put a lot of runs on the board. Unfortunately, the Mets haven't had their whole line-up healthy and playing yet this season. But with Pagan coming back soon, we'll be able to see it in full swing, no pun intended.

The main problem with this team is pitching. They have two our their key members of the bullpen on the DL right now in Bobby Parnell and Pedro Beato, and one of the best pitchers in baseball, Johan Santana, set to come off the DL in late June, early July. It may not seem like a big deal to get 13 or 14 starts from him this season, but when he comes back it will make the whole rotation better.

So what if the Mets are in the Wild Card hunt when Johan comes back? Is it so impossible to think? What if they start winning these one run and two run games and put together another winning streak? Is it possible that the Mets might look to add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline?

Maybe Mark Buehrle from the Chicago White Sox if they fall far enough out of it? Not a lot of big names out there that could be available, but they could add someone to improve their rotation. Maybe they'll look to improve their bullpen by adding Heath Bell or Matt Capps? A power hitter for the bench would also be nice. It's still hard to tell who will be available, but there should be some players out there that can help the Mets.

So let's say their line-up is 100% healthy, Johan comes back into the rotation, they move Chris Capuano to the bullpen, and they trade for, let's say… Heath Bell. Welcome back to New York.

Line-Up:

1. Jose Reyes
2. Angel Pagan
3. David Wright
4. Carlos Beltran
5. Ike Davis
6. Jason Bay
7. Daniel Murphy
8. Josh Thole

Rotation:

1. Johan Santana
2. Mike Pelfrey
3. R.A. Dickey
4. Jon Niese
5. Chris Young

Bullpen:

• Francisco Rodriguez
• Heath Bell
• Jason Isringhausen
• Bobby Parnell
• Pedro Beato
• Chris Capuano
• Dillon Gee

That's a pretty nice looking team right there. Question is, will it be good enough to win enough games to get that Wild Card spot.

Maybe I'm just kidding myself and I'm in denial that this season is over and the Mets are going to have to trade my favorite players away. Maybe after the deadline Reyes, Beltran, Pelfrey, Rodriguez, Young, Capuano, and Izzy will all be gone. But hey, everyone else is talking about dismantling this team, why not try to just make it better?

While many people are being cautiously optimistic about the Mets, as well as saying they expect the Mets to win more than the widely-predicted 74 wins, I can't help but feel that this may in some way be a Half a Season for the Mets. With the financial uncertainty looming and the Wilpons' inability to find a minority-owner so far, I have a bad feeling that July 20th through July 31st could be longest days for Mets fans in recent memory. 

Three questions lurk in our minds:

• Will Jose Reyes be here in 2012?
• Will Carlos Beltran be a Met in August?
• Is Johan Santana close to a return?

Those really are the big questions Mets fans have to worry about right now because once we have the answers to those questions we will know the direction this team is officially headed in. One thing to keep in mind is if we are contending still come July. If the Mets are in the hunt for the Wild Card at least, then Sandy Alderson has an extremely tough decision to make. He can risk losing Reyes to Free Agency, or he can trade him to land prospects in return. He can trade Carlos Beltran to provide a little financial flexibility this season, but if the ballclub is contending there's much less reason to trade Carlos than Reyes. He's an expiring contract anyway and you won't get as much in return. And finally, would the club risk Santana's health to reach the playoffs this year, or shut him down so he is 100% for 2012? 

In the end, I think those answers come down to Finances and what would be best for the team down the stretch. That seems to have been Alderson's direction since the day he walked through our doors and I am perfectly fine with that. However I also believe that if the Mets are contending in July, if Santana is still on track for an early-August return, and if Beltran is playing well, that Alderson may consider trying to trade for an expiring contract, maybe a player who can provide an extra boost for the Mets down the stretch. Maybe the thought of "proving all the doubters wrong" will get the best of him, and showing that he picked the right manager to lead this ballclub to the Playoffs, something very few expect possible. You can't deny that thought will run through his mind as he evaluates this team and what is more important to the fans and the owners. 

Unfortunately, Alderson also understands that if we make the playoffs and are eliminated immediately, the fans will expect even more in 2012. So if Reyes wasn't in our future and we had a young unproven Right Fielder, it would definitely be harder to improve this team and accomplish even more. Thats why I still believe that even if we are right in the hunt for the Wild Card some late-July, Jose Reyes, if not in our long-term plans, will be traded for prospects, assuming the right deal is there. If no legitimate offers come rolling in then obviously Alderson will pull Reyes back and hope we can reach the playoffs. However if the right deal is on the table, I think Alderson will pull the trigger, reinforcing his stance on 'financial flexibility' and, of course, 'Moneyball'. 

With Spring Training 2011 underway and the potential roster starting to take form, I thought it would be nice to take a look back at the guys who were which the team last season, and won't be here this year. 

Two guys who we are use to seeing every year down in PSL, Pedro Feliciano and John Maine, are no longer here. Feliciano signed a two-year deal with the New York Yankees, and Maine agreed to a minor-league contract with the Colorado Rockies. Maine spent the last five seasons in a Mets uniform, while Feliciano has never worn a different jersey other than the Mets (not counting WBC) during his major league career that started back in 2002. I have fond memories of the both of them and wish them luck in the upcoming season. 

There are others who will not be joining the Mets in 2011; Hisanori Takahashi (Angels), Sean Green (Brewers), Raul Valdes (Cardinals), Rod Barajas (Dodgers), Henry Blanco (Diamondbacks), Mike Hessman (Orix Buffaloes, Japan), Fernando Tatis (free agent), Fernando Nieve (Pirates) Chris Carter (Rays), Jeff Francoeur (Royals) and Alex Cora (Nationals). I know I'm probably forgetting a few others, but these are all the players I can't of right now. 

For me, and probably most other Mets fan, we will miss Feliciano the most out of these guys. He played here for eight seasons and was one of the best non-closer relief pitchers in Mets history. 

I feel bad for Maine because of all the injuries he had to deal with and I always liked the guy. He was always very hard on himself (almost to a depressing point), and he was always looking for ways to improve. 

Hisanori Takahashi had a very good season with the Mets and they just didn't have the money or the ability to make a better deal than the Angels did. 

Raul Valdes was always an interesting story. A guy who was barely invited to Spring Training, has a wacky delivery to the plate, and his stuff doesn't look that great. However, he was able to get hitter out and he came in and had some really nice performances for the Mets in 2010. Now he is with the Cardinals and has a chance to be a starter after Adam Wainwright went down, but as Ken Rosenthal reports a scout says he has "no out pitch, no separator." I could have told you that, and that statement would have been true last year as well. But he still got people out somehow. 

I also feel bad for Mike Hessman. The guy is a major league hitter, there is no doubt. He just doesn't have a position to play. If he was given a chance in the American League I think he would make a good DH, but apparently no one was willing to take that risk. I feel like he just got frustrated being keep in the minors all these years and just went to Japan to escape it. 

Henry Blanco was another guy who did well in his role with the Mets. He was a good back-up catcher and did what the team asked him to do. I could have seen the Mets brining him back for the 2011 season, but Ronnie Paulino, was the better choice, even if he is missing the start of the season. 

I wasn't happy with the contract that the Mets gave to Fernando Tatis for the 2010 season. Yes, he did good things for the team in 2008 and 2009, but he didn't deserve a $1.7M contract. Injuries forced him to missed most of the 2010 season, but even when he did play it wasn't pretty (.185 AVG, .254 OBP). I feel the same way about him and Maine; thanks for everything, but it's time to move on. 

Jeff Francoeur, Alex Cora, Rod Barajas and Fernando Nieve were all guys who played for the Mets in 2010 but were either traded or released during the year.

The guy who was most hard to let go, for me, was Cora. Sure he didn't play everyday and was the best player out there, but he was a leader in the clubhouse (or so we're told) and gave everything he got when he play (often playing injured).

Francoeur was a fan favorite and has all the tools to be a very solid major league player. He just didn't fit into the Mets plans, and Angel Pagan was the clear better option in right field when Carlos Beltran came back. He was traded to the Rangers were he got a chance to play in the World Series, which was great for him. In the offseason he signed a one-year deal worth $2.5M with the Royals.

Barajas was another guy who did well but he didn't fit into the Mets plans in 2011. With Josh Thole ready to take over the starting role, Barajas was just blocking him from getting some much needed playing time. He was traded to the Dodgers and was re-signed to a one-year deal in the offseason.

Nieve had some good appearances in 2009 for the Mets but 2010 just wasn't the same. He was DFA'd but the Mets in July and finished the year in AAA. He signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in the offseason and is fighting for a spot on the roster in spring Training now. 

Chris Carter signing with the Tampa Bay Rays might haven't been a big deal for most Mets fans, but he's a guy I think this team will most a lot. For me, this guy IS a baseball player. Now obviously, all these guys are baseball players, but what I mean by that is he is the type of player who lives and breathes for baseball. Everything he does is baseball. He goes out there and plays every second like it might be his last. And when he is playing in a game, he is working on becoming a better player. The nickname "The Animal" couldn't be better for him. I have a theory about baseball players. There are some guys who are just born to play baseball. They have the talent and it just comes to them. Then there are other guys who aren't born to play, but work their ass of to become baseball players. It seems to me these guys are Daniel Murphy, David Eckstein, Cora and Carter. I feel like if Carter had been on this team and had a chance to play in Spring Training he would have found a way to make the team and would have had a positive impact on the 2011 season. 

So who are you going to miss the most? I'm not going to put Feliciano in the poll because I feel like that's the obvious choice. Also, I might be missing a few guys, so I'll put an "other" option and in the comment section you can write about that player. 

Joel Sherman reports that 15 to 16 teams showed interested in Arizona Diamondbacks' outfielder Justin Upton at the GM meetings. Five of those teams showed strong interest and will continue to talk to the D'backs about Upton.

Arizona's asking price for the outfielder is said to be "ridiculously" high, according to one AL executive.

I'm just assuming the Mets were one of those teams, I highly doubt though that they are one of those five teams.

I've been reading that they want Mike Pelfrey AND Ike Davis… which is hilarious.