I'll take the contrarian view just to liven it up around here. I say Sandy comes home with the same crummy team. Discuss!

looking that way

I think you would liven it up more by saying he will sign Greinke and Hamilton, because we all know he really isn't going to do anything before Thursday

It really would be a bitter pill to swallow seeing as we were basically promised a lot of changes this offseason

no rule that says trades can't be made after the meetings are over.

I'm doubling down - another do nothing day for Sandy! Discuss.

For what it's worth, from Rubin's Mets Blog:

"Ryan Ludwick reportedly will return to the Cincinnati Reds for two years, $14 million.

Ludwick was on the Mets' radar, since they desperately need righty-hitting outfield bats. So why did the Mets not go to that level of bidding?

One team insider said that price is too steep for that caliber of player, and it's almost fortunate the Mets do not have money to spend if that's the market price. Another team insider said that was Ludwick's price to remain in Cincinnati and it would have been higher to head to New York.

So where do the Mets go from here for outfield help?

A team insider said piecing together two righty-hitting outfielders from the free-agent market is doable, although the dwindling list includes few names: Scott Hairston, Cody Ross, Jeff Baker, Austin Kearns, Reed Johnson and Matt Diaz among them. The Mets insider added there are trades available for the Mets to accept that would yield similar talent."

So $7 million is too steep for an everyday, right handed outfielder with pop? Super.

What happened to the deferred Bay money?

Ryan Ludwick was a better fit in Cincinnatti, Fred Wilpon is instructing Sandy Alderson to spend as little as he can this offseason.

He may be, I'm more disturbed by the statement that $7 million is too much. The guy hit .275/26/80 last season.

"no rule that says trades can't be made after the meetings are over."

And then it'll turn into "well all the non-tenders are coming up soon" and then "this is good, Sandy wants to evaluate in the 1st half and has allowed himself flexibility for the deadline", and then "lets wait and see what they do in the offseason before we judge them" and then back to "no rule that says trades can't be made after the meetings are over"...and on...and on...and on the cycle goes.

So we can't sign Ludwick, and what's left is to either sign or trade for guys approx 2 levels of talent below that.

SWELL

Just do nothing. Have an outfield of Baxter, Kirk and Duda. May as well.

"One team insider said that price is too steep for that caliber of player, and it's almost fortunate the Mets do not have money to spend if that's the market price. Another team insider said that was Ludwick's price to remain in Cincinnati and it would have been higher to head to New York."

Why not beleive the second insider?

Could have something to do with the ball park he moved to. You're better off looking at his career numbers.

"One team insider said that price is too steep for that caliber of player, and it's almost fortunate the Mets do not have money to spend if that's the market price."

That's disturbing. So what will they spend then? We continue to be in this murky territory where we have absolutely no clue exactly what money is available and it's hugely frustrating. So are we really only able to go for bottom of the barrel again, because they were certainly making it seem like we'd be able to afford mid-level this offseason.

On that list mentioned - NONE of those names outside of Cody Ross and MAYBE Hairston are acceptable to be playing every day.

Even those guys are a stretch when you think about how badly we need a legit middle of the order bat.

Ludwick would be an improvement over what we have, but I don't think he comes close to 2012 numbers at Citi

They just signed DW. They are BROKE! Sandy is really an embarassment to NY. Constant LIAR and Wilpon puppet. Lets all accept that the OVERPAID group of FA people are BRAIN DEAD and that this IS the team we will go into 2013 with. They will pull a Jose Reyes with RA Dickey. Ride him for the season to sell some tickets and let him walk. I am so disgusted with this team. I wish I could just stop being a Met fan but unfortunately its is in my blood! I will however for the 2nd year in a row NOT purchase my 4 season tickets. I went to 2 games last year after giving up my seats because a friend gave me his ticktes. I REFUSE to financially support a team with such a POOR leadership in place. Totally lost touch with its fan base and baseball direction. It REALLY is a joke the names that the Mets are linked up with as possible signings. This is a BIG market team! SELL WILPON DO NY A FAVOR AND GO AWAY AND TAKE YOUR POOL BOY SANDY WITH YOU!!! Selig is another phony who should be all over the Mets like he was the Dodgers! Nice to be a rich kid with powerful friends! No that I got that off my chest! LOL

He hit 10 HRs away from Cincinnati in 202 ABs. That's still a 25 HR pace and he hit for a higher BA and OBP on the road.

So he'll continue to improve at age 34 moving to a pitchers park? Who is he Barry Bonds? BTW, he also got to play a bunch of games at Houston and Chicago which I'm sure helped. Why do think their was speculation that he would be willing to take less to stay in Cincy?

Maybe he likes Cincinnati. His 162 game average for his career is 25 HRs in 542 ABs, he doesn't need to improve, just maintain status quo.

If you're content with the outfielders we have that's just fine, but stop pretending he would not have better than anything we have.