Another Minaya head-scratcher

Minaya made another one of his strange trades, once again trading an outfielder he previously traded for. This time he traded Ryan Church. The last time it was Xavier Nady. It makes you wonder how well he's scouting players he's trading for. In return for Church, the Mets acquired Jeff Francoeur. Let's see how long he's with the Mets before Minaya trades him.

Francoeur is five years younger than Church and has a better arm, but what's the real reason Minaya dumped Church? We might never know.

No Mets minor leaguer among the best

Baseball America has published their midseason list of the best Minor League players. Not one is in the Mets farm season. That's why it's so important for the Mets to trade one of their veterans for a few very good prospects.

The hockey Rangers recently did that, trading Scott Gomez for Montreal's top prospect and three other players. The Mets need to do the same thing.

No July 4th celebration for Mets fans

As the Mets slide continues, there's no reason to celebrate on this July 4th. The likelihood that the Mets will win the pennant is low. Many blame the team's decline on injuries, but it's more than that. It's also poor player selection. Castillo is no longer a top-notch second baseman, Perez is an overrated pitcher — at least by Minaya, and neither Santos nor Schneider is an All-Star-caliber catcher. Worse, the farm system is not one of the better ones. So, if you're a Mets fan, forget about the team today and go somewhere and enjoy some real fireworks.

Mets miseries continue

Baseball America just released its list of the best and worst Minor League teams. One Mets team was listed: Buffalo. It was ranked as the second worst team in Minor League baseball. Overall, the Mets farm system is ranked 17th.

Yesterday, the Mets lost again with Santana on the mound. The whole team is falling apart. Sure, some players are injured, but Santana isn't. And Minaya seems unsure about what to do. There's nobody in the minors he can call up who'll make a difference, and a trade would appear to be an act of desperation, especially if he gives up some good prospects for a second-line player. Minaya's backed himself into a corner and, right now, is just sitting in it.

In last night's lineup, Fernando Martinez was again in the starting lineup. Why? Despite his lone hit, he's hitting .186.

Minaya should follow Sather's lead

Mets fans, there's hope. All Minaya has to do is follow the lead of Rangers GM Glen Sather who just dumped his largest contract (five years left on a deal signed in 2007 for seven years and $51.5 million) by trading 29-year-old Scott Gomez to Montreal for three players, including the Canadians #1 prospect and their #11 prospect.

So who can the Mets trade? Castillo? He has no trade value. Reyes? I'd trade him but I doubt Minaya would? Putz? I'd trade him for prospects. Perez? Sure, but who wants him? It's amazing how few veterans on the team have trade value. Maybe the Mets can get a few good prospects for Pelfrey.

Mets management making poor decisions

If the Mets had just about any other owner, I'd have some hope that he would undo the damage that Minaya has done to the Mets; however, the Mets have one of the worst owners in sports, so I'm not optimistic.

I can't believe that Fernando Martinez is still on the Mets roster. He's hitting .169, yet he was in the starting lineup yesterday against the Yankees. Why? In Buffalo, Cory Sullivan is hitting .279. More important, he has four seasons of Major League experience. In 927 Big League at-bats he's averaged .279; yet Sullivan remains on the Bisons roster while Martinez is roaming center field for the Mets. Why?

Given the Mets need for another right-handed bat, it puzzles me that they didn't make a serious attempt to get Mark DeRosa. St. Louis got him for a reliever and a player to be named later.

Yesterday, the Mets were so bad they made Chien-Ming Wang look good. His successful outing against the Mets lowered his ERA for this season to 10.06.

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Some sportswriters were raving about Oliver Perez's rehab outing yesterday. He pitched well, but he was pitching for the Brooklyn Cyclones. I take his performance in that outing as seriously as I take the fact that Fernando Martinez got a single in four at-bats yesterday. Doesn't prove anything.

Newsday writer nails the Mets

Newsday writer Wallace Matthews has written one of the best pieces I've read about the Mets in a long time. Here's a sample:

"The Wilpons and Minaya have let down this team and this town, not by not spending enough money, but by wasting the money they did spend."

You can read his whole article here.

After yesterday's loss to the Yankees, I've come to the conclusion that this is going to be a loooooooong season.

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If anything positive happened in the Mets system, it was that Ike Davis continues to hit well in Double-A. Yesterday, he went 2-4. His two doubles upped his average to .438. Unfortunately, teammate Brad Holt couldn't make it through the first inning. Who's teaching the Mets minor leaguers how to pitch?

Starting rotation not off to good start

Aside from Johan Santana and Livan Hernandez, the Mets starting rotation needs to be revamped. Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez all appear to lack the mental makeup needed.

Unfortunately, Mets management has failed to develop a farm system capable of producing quality starters. Aside from Pelfrey, Scott Kazmir, whom the Mets gave away, and Brian Bannister, who has a .500 record with KC this season, the Mets starting rotation has been primarily made of pitchers acquired from other teams.

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In the Gulf Coast League, newly-drafted catcher had the best game of his short Mets career. Nelfi Zapata went 3-3, drove in two runs, and threw out a runner trying to steal second. In that game, the starting center fielder for the GCL Nationals was Lastings Milledge, who walked twice.