Welcome back to the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit. Over the next few weeks, we will be rolling out cheat sheets with analysis, essays and the classic Top 10 Lists that Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For, a compendium of 10 Top 10 lists that no fantasy owner should be without. We’ll continue that today with Alex’s offering of the Top 10 source of Cheap Steals.

This is all these players do – steal bases. They can’t hit for an extremely high average, have no power, but they will steal bases. Who are they?

We know the Chone Figgins, Willy Taveras and Denard Span types will rack up the steals, but none of them will come cheap. So, we’re going to focus on players who will likely be late-round bargains who can help you win this category.

1. Michael Bourn, OF, Houston Astros – Projected 40-50 steals. If Bourn is to keep his starting gig in Astro-Land, he needs to improve upon his .230 batting average last year. When he does reach first base, he instantly becomes a weapon on the base path. Look for him to improve slightly and get more chances to steal. Last year he stole 42 bases, but expect him to approach 50 this year. If he struggles at the plate for an extended timeframe to open the season, I would not be surprised to see Houston look for other options. Personally, I would rather have Jason Bourne, but that is neither here nor there…

2. Carlos Gomez, OF, Minnesota Twins – Projected 30-35 steals. Gomez finds himself in the same category as Bourn. Improve or lose you job. Gomez is quite the base stealer and could some day easily steal 60, but he has trouble getting on base to do so. Last season, his on base percentage was .289, which is awful. I am sure coaches are working tirelessly on this project to find ways to get him on base. Last year he was sort of a pop out machine, so he did not even get to utilize his speed to leg out base hits. I still think Gomez is a lock for 30 steals, as he has too much talent and there is too much potential to see this guy on the Twinkies bench.

3. Jerry Owens, OF, Chicago White Sox – Projected 20-30 steals. Owens received some playing time last year with the injury of Carlos Quentin. Now, he finds himself battling for the centrefield job with DeWayne Wise. If Owens wins it he could approach 30 steals this year, but he does not do much more than steal. He won’t go yard, and he won’t drive in runs, so be careful with this one trick fantasy pony.

4. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers – Projected 25-35 steals. After Texas moved Michael Young to third base, the starting job at short belongs to the organization’s prized prospect. Andrus had over 50 steals last year at Triple-A, even after missing nearly a month with a broken hand. Elvis has some pop in his bat, but during his rookie campaign, he can only be relied upon for steals and runs. Eventually he could become a 15-20 home run guy, but we will have to see how he adjusts.

5. Coco Crisp, OF, Kansas City Royals – 20-30 steals. Crisp will get a chance to play every day in Kansas City and he is sure to improve on his part-time numbers from last year. He is a veteran who knows how to get on base and move himself to second base. He may be a sleeper this year as he gets more at bats and more chances to shine. Crisp has never been a huge steal guy, but has consistently been in the 20s.

6. Nyger Morgan, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates – Projected 20-35 steals. The Pirates are banking on Morgan to be their opening day lead-off hitter and premier base stealer. He has been inconsistent with the big league chances he has received, but there is no denying his raw speed that could be harnessed to produce big thievery numbers.

7. Juan Pierre, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers – Projected 15-25 steals. The signing of Manny Ramirez crushes the fantasy potential of Pierre this year, unless he gets traded. Without Manny, Pierre projects to steal over 40, but with him only around 20. Pierre is the last man out in a crowded Dodger outfield and there is no way anyone in their right mind would sit Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, or Man-Ram in favour of Pierre in their everyday lineup. Pierre could still be an effective source of steals if you could start him only when you know he will play. Just add another person to the growing list of Manny Ramirez haters.

8. Felipe Lopez, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks – Projected 20 steals. Last season was a bit of a write-off for Lopez, as he failed to even reach double digits in steals. But consider two numbers: (a) 44, as in the number of bases he stole just two seasons ago; and (b) .360, as in his batting average after the break last season. Combine these two and you’ve got a major comeback on your hands, one you can invest in cheaply.

9. Julio Lugo, SS, Boston Red Sox – Projected 20 steals. After missing a huge chunk of 2008 thanks to a quad injury, Lugo has to compete to regain his starting shortstop job. So far, he looks like he’s up to the task, and if he can wrestle the gig back from Jed Lowrie, that projected steal total will look very conservative.

10. Randy Winn, OF, San Francisco Giants – Projected 20 steals. Okay, so he’s not exactly tearing the cover off the ball this spring, but that’s all the more reason he will once again fly slightly below the radar on draft day. But when you look up at season’s end and see another quality line from Winn, you’ll wonder why you constantly ignore him on draft day.

BY TIM McLEOD AND ROTOROB

And we’re off! With the release of our catcher rankings, the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit is officially launched. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be issuing a complete set of cheat sheets with analysis, essays, columns and our destined-to-be-classic Top 10 Lists That Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For. As a special treat, we’ll also be unveiling the most comprehensive keeper list ever compiled. Seriously.

By the way, Brandon Inge is not listed here, but rather is on our 3B list. If he were listed here, he’d be No. 18.

2009 Catcher Rankings

1. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves: McCann’s tremendous bounce back season in 2008 lands him in the top spot among backstops. He’s a real workhorse who hits for power and average and even added a little bit of speed to the mix last season. Oh ya, and he just turned 25 last month, meaning there’s plenty of upside. Expect to use a fifth round pick to land McCann, currently representing U.S.A. at the WBC.

2. Russell Martin, Los Angeles Dodgers: Martin is another young, multi-talented catcher who sees a lot of action behind the plate. And I mean a lot. Despite making 11 appearances at third base, this Canadian kid still caught 149 games. I’m starting to wonder if the workload is getting to him (he slugged 100 points less after the break), and how big a concern this should be heading into 2009. Martin has upside, but he was unable to build on his huge sophomore campaign, although the major increase in patience bodes well for his ability to develop into a .300 hitter.

3. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins: Mauer, hardly the old man on the list at age 25, bounced back from an injury-plagued down season in 2007 to set career highs in runs and RBI. He did an amazing job of cutting his strikeouts, while his plate discipline went to a completely different stratosphere. As a catcher who not only helped lead one of the top offenses in the AL and who finished fourth in the AL MVP race, Mauer is a major fantasy stud, capable of vaulting back to the top of this list by season’s end.

4. Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs: Rarely do you see a hyped rookie catcher, once handed the keys to the kingdom, who actually makes a seamless transition. Such was Soto, who combined power, patience and a fine batting average into a season worthy of earning kudos as the 2008 RotoRob Fantasy Rookie of the Year. He’s plying his trade for Puerto Rico at the WBC and then will look to build on his big freshman effort with the Cubs.

5. Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians: How can a guy who missed half the season, was extremely unproductive, saw his power completely evaporate, experienced a decline in his strike zone judgment for the second straight season and have the dubious distinction of being our 2008 RotoRob Fantasy Flop of the Year make our top five at catcher? Simple. V-Mart was coming off a 2007 season in which he launched a career-best 25 homers and had his customary .300+ BA, so we’re willing to give him a mulligan for 2008. He’s healthy and committed to returning to the elite (as evidenced by his turning down a chance to play for Venezuela at the WBC), so don’t let Martinez fall too far off your radar on draft day. He’s an excellent candidate to win another RotoRob Award in 2009 as the Comeback Player of the Year.

6. Mike Napoli, Los Angeles Angels: Despite an increasing strikeout rate, Napoli emerged as a serious offensive threat, spanking 20 dingers as a part-time backstop. Two years ago, he was nothing more than an injury waiver wire pickup, but now Napoli is a legitimate fantasy backstop. Do note that he’s dealing with a wonky right shoulder this spring after off-season surgery, so that’s going to slow him down, at least defensively, for now. But because of his potent bat, look for him to see time at DH on occasion when he’s not behind the dish.

7. Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates: Doumit’s power keeps developing and as he enters his prime, it’s seems reasonable to think he’s capable of clouting 20 to 25 dingers this year, assuming he remains healthy – something that hasn’t always been easy for him. Still, Doumit took a huge step forward in 2008, doing a fantastic job of making better contact. Small wonder he made our Wire Troll NL All-Wire Team. The Pirates are convinced he’s for real, committing to a long-term deal with Doumit; you should consider doing the same for your team in a keeper league.

8. Chris Iannetta, Colorado Rockies: Yet another member of our coveted Wire Troll NL All-Wire Team, Iannetta, like Napoli, showed tremendous power in a limited role. He broke through with an extremely productive season, showing fantastic on-base skills as well as power. In fact, among NL backstops who had at least 300 at bats, Iannetta ranked second in OPS. He’s arrived and is plenty young enough to improve.

9. Bengie Molina, San Francisco Giants: So what if Molina is the slowest MLB player alive, just slightly faster than Ted Williams’ frozen head? The Giants rode him last season, and he responded with personal bests in many key categories, enjoying a tremendously productive year. Molina has pretty decent pop for a catcher and his strike zone judgment bounced back after a couple down years in that regard, but I do worry about the fact that he’ll be 35 this summer, and his body doesn’t exactly scream “in it for the long haul” to me.

10. Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles: Because of his tremendous power/average combo, Wieters is one of the most anticipated catching prospects to come along in many years. And if you’re thinking that just because he’s a rook, you can sleep on him in your draft this spring, think again. We’ve seen him going in the 10th round, so don’t let Wieters slide. There is some question about whether he’ll be the full-time starter right from the get-go, but no one doubts that the job will be his soon. Baltimore certainly has cleared the catching decks for him, shifting 2005 first rounder Brandon Snyder to a corner infield slot (although injuries were a part of that plan, too) and shipping incumbent Ramon Hernandez to Cincy.

11. A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox: Another veteran catcher who’s getting a wee bit long in the tooth, Pierzynski still managed to impress us enough in 2008 to record his third 150-hit season. For now, he remains a productive backstop.

12. Jorge Posada, New York Yankees: Posada struggled badly last season, endured two trips to the DL and finally had his season end early thanks to shoulder surgery. He’ll slide this year as a result (you can get him in the 18th round of some drafts we’ve been involved with), but don’t sleep on him too long – reports on this Yankee leader’s shoulder have been extremely positive this spring.

13. Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay Rays: Despite an early-season injury, Navarro set a career high in games played, responding with the finest offensive season of his career. There’s still plenty of upside here, and I could see him turning into that long-promised .300-hitting catcher, but I wonder what impact losing in arbitration to the Rays will have on the youngster.

14. Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland Indians: Pop quiz: who led all AL catchers in home runs last season? In any other season, V-Mart or Posada would be good guesses, even Hernandez. But in 2008, it was Shoppach’s 21 dingers that led the way. Cleveland’s “backup” catcher just keeps getting better and better. He’s a productive bat who made some strides in improving his patience at the plate last year. With Martinez expected to see plenty of action at first base and DH, don’t worry about Shoppach not getting enough at bats to be a very useful fantasy asset.

15. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals: One of the best defensive catchers in the biz, Molina’s offensive game has been developing nicely as well the past couple of seasons. His strike zone judgment is so strong, leading me to believe that there’s definitely room for further improvement here. In fact, I spent plenty of time last season wondering why he was so underappreciated as a fantasy asset. I still don’t have a good answer.

16. Chris Snyder, Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona’s intense starting catcher tied his career high in games played, experiencing yet another season of offensive growth in 2008. He’s not much of a contact hitter, upping both his walk and strikeout rates – so if you’re looking for a .300 hitting catcher, Snyder’s not your man. But he’s primed for a big-time power breakout, and it wouldn’t shock me if he approached 25 home runs this year.

17. Ramon Hernandez, Cincinnati Reds: Hernandez’s power bounced back a bit last season, but don’t be looking for him to put up any more 20-dinger years, especially now that he’s in Cincy, which is actually a tougher HR park than Camden (at least in 2008). He’s been in slow decline for a couple of years, and I expect that to continue this season. Expect something to the tune of .260 with a home run total in the low teens. Honestly, Hernandez strikes me as a fantasy catcher that is very close to falling off the map. He’ll offer the Reds more offense from the catcher position than they’ve had in recent years, but that’s not saying much.

18. Jeff Clement, Seattle Mariners: He’s a tremendous power prospect, but Clement struggled to show it as a rook and clearly needs to develop a more patient approach at the plate. He’s going to get a chance to be the starting catcher, but note that Seattle is also preparing to employ him as the backup at first base and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. I suppose it is as long as Clement qualifies at catcher, and the team finds ways to get him more at bats. Gauging Clement’s long-term home on the diamond, however, is trickier business. We already identified Adam Moore as a serious threat to Clement’s claim as the catcher of the future in Seattle, and that’s something to consider in a keeper league.

19. Kurt Suzuki, Oakland Athletics: Suzuki proved to be a real workhorse in his first full season in the majors, although he wasn’t able to develop his power at all. There’s still time to see if some of his doubles will turn into homers, but I have my doubts. What concerns me more was his less patient approach in 2008 – something that won’t be tolerated in Oakland. Suzuki was scorching mid-season, making for a great pickup, but he really faded down the stretch (perhaps because of the huge workload?). Suzuki’s role as the starting catcher is unchallenged for now, but 2009 could be a very important season for determining whether or not he’s a useful long-term asset.

20. Jesus Flores, Washington Nationals: Flores took over as the starting catcher, getting the bulk of the work behind the plate for the Nats last season. I’d like to him develop more patience, because as is, he could be limited from a batting average perspective. Still, there’s enough gap power, productivity and upside potential here to warrant grabbing Flores in the 20th round.

21. Gerald Laird, Detroit Tigers: Laird rebounded from an awful 2007 season, but that only added to Texas’ catching depth. The Rangers helped clear this logjam by dealing him to Detroit this offseason, and so far, the Tigers are thrilled with their acquisition.

22. John Baker, Florida Marlins: Baker came out of nowhere last season, showing pop and patience after an extremely long apprenticeship in the minors. Yes, he’s quite inexperienced, but he spent the offseason improving his ability to shut down the running game – something that will stead him well in his quest to remain a starter.

23. Ivan Rodriguez, FA: I-Rod’s power continued to decline, but at least his overall game looked like it had bounced back to an extent last season. But then, he arrived in the Big Apple and his extra-base pop completed disappeared. We thought Boston or the Mets might be interested, but neither of those options panned out. There was even word Texas wanted to bring him back (assuming it could deal away one of its trio of great young catchers), where Pudge could be a mentor and back up whoever won the starting job. But Rodriguez still wants to play five days a week, so forget about that plan. Finally, there is the ongoing rumour that Florida will bring him back, and if that happens, obviously Baker won’t be as valuable.

24. Taylor Teagarden/Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Texas Rangers: This duo earns a single entry as the winner of the job will be ranked right here. To add to the confusion, young Max Ramirez is another talented young backstop for Texas. Teagarden has played the fewest big league games, but he may very well be the best of the trio. Saltalamacchia, the youngest, has been knocking on the door for a while now, but his offensive development stalled last season. We considered him a must-own when he was recalled last season, but it didn’t work out so well for Salty. Many expect him to break camp as the starter and hold the job initially, and his big start to the spring has done nothing to alter that opinion.

25. Miguel Olivo, Kansas City Royals: Olivo was more or less in a job share with John Buck last season, but despite his low contact rates, the Dominican showed a better stick than he had in 2007 with the Fish. He got off to a strong start, making him an early-season wire target for AL-only owners, and although his BA slipped dramatically in June and July, he’s expected to be the main man behind the plate in KC this season. Do note that Buck will continue to fight Olivo for PT all season long, so this is far from a settled situation.

Others to Consider

26. Kenji Johjima, Seattle Mariners
27. Jason Kendall, Milwaukee Brewers
28. Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia Phillies
29. Rod Barajas, Toronto Blue Jays
30. Paul Lo Duca, F/A

Cheat Sheet Archives

2008 Preseason

Starting Pitchers
Relief Pitchers
Outfielders

2007

Third basemen
Shortstops
Second basemen
First basemen
Prospects

2007 Preseason

Catchers

Spring Training is officially underway, and all is right with the world again. That means it’s time for us to step up our baseball coverage, starting with the completion of our free agent report. Miss a section? Here you go:

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX.

Philadelphia Phillies

The defending World Champions had great balance in 2008, with a powerful lineup, a great bullpen and a fine rotation. This is a team that’s been on the rise for a couple of years now, but can they defend? Well, with a mere four free agents to deal with this offseason, they were more or less guaranteed to return virtually intact.

Pat Burrell, OF: This consistent slugger won’t help you in batting average, and his strike zone judgment slipped after a career best showing in 2007, probably explaining his slight reduction in numbers. Still, Pat the Bat draws a ton of walks, topping the century mark in each of the past two seasons. Philly opted not to bring him back, signing Raul Ibanez instead. Burrell, meanwhile, switched leagues and has gone to the team Philly took out in the Series – Tampa Bay. How ironic will it be if these two teams meet in the Series again and Burrell proves to be the difference?

Tom Gordon, RHP: Flash has been in decline for four years now, and last season ended early thanks to elbow surgery that will likely translate into a late start this year. The Phils let him walk, and Arizona swooped in, becoming the eighth team to stitch Gordon’s name on its uniform. We shouldn’t expect much – hell, the dude’s old enough that his son was drafted last year, but Arizona’s late inning situation is a land full of possibilities given the amount of question marks. So don’t be shocked if Gordon actually emerges with some value. Or not.

Jamie Moyer, LHP: If Gordon is old, what does that make Moyer? Yet, unlike Gordon, who has been sliding for a few years, Moyer is coming off his finest season as a Phillie, making me wonder just when the hell this dude will slow down. Obviously the Phillies don’t think it will be anytime soon, re-signing him for two years. The lefty with the timeless changeup really cut down on the long balls allowed last season, and that made a huge difference.

Rudy Seanez, LHP: Another aging arm, Seanez was cut from the Dodgers during the pre-season and wound up having a pretty good season with the Phils. He walked too many, struck out too few, got hurt, yet enjoyed decent bottle line results. Seanez always seems like such a long shot to make whatever team he’s battling for a job with, but it wouldn’t shock me if he lands yet another gig somewhere. However, to date, he’s not getting any bites this offseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Sixteen straight losing seasons and counting; an offense that was middling at best (and that’s being extremely generous) and a pitching staff that was horrendous. This team has its work cut out for itself. Again. Something positive: The Buccos had just four free agents to deal with, yet they let every single one leave, but that could be addition by subtraction as each of them were aging veterans. So if nothing else, the Pirates should be younger in 2009.

Chris Gomez, 3B: Although he enjoyed a fine start to the season, his chances – and play – deteriorated badly in the second half when he barely hit .200. His extra-base pop was almost non-existent, leaving him as a very unproductive utility player. Signed by the O’s, Gomez will try to win a job in B-More, but with Ty Wigginton there, it’s going to be tough.

Jason Michaels, OF: Another veteran bench player the Pirates let walk, Michaels started the season with the Indians, but was so bad, they had to DFA him. Dealt to the Pirates, he was better, but that’s not saying much. He simply doesn’t get on base often enough to be useful, strikes out too often, and his power is slipping. Now with Houston, he’ll add bench strength to the Astros, but won’t be of any use for fantasy purposes unless half the team eats some bad crawfish.

Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B: Yet another veteran backup Pittsburgh allowed to leave, Mientkiewicz saw plenty of action with the Pirates last year, but as we discussed last season, with no power to speak of, he’s not roster-worthy. The Dodgers have given him a shot as a non-roster player, but the best case scenario is he beats out Hector Luna and Luis Maza for a back-up corner infielder gig.

Luis Rivas, SS: What’s this? Another backup the Pirates parted ways with? Are you sensing a trend? Rivas was awful in the first half, earning the non-fantasy factor stamp from us, but shockingly, he was even worse in the second half, recording a 454 OPS after the break. Somehow, the Cubs were interested enough to sign Rivas to a minor league deal, where he’ll compete for the second utility infielder job, something I expect will stead him with zero fantasy value yet again.

Next: We’ll hop aboard the Main Line and head to St. Louis to check in on the Cardinals.

Oh, baby! Spring Training games start Wednesday – meaning that in less than 24 hours, we’re going to be checking out boxscores. It doesn’t get any sweeter than that. Well, except checking out boxscores while being hand-fed Twinkies by scantily-clad 18-year-old ladies, of course.

Our previous installments:

American League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII , IX and X.

National League Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX.

New York Mets

Given a second straight September meltdown that cost them a post-season berth, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the Mets actually improved in 2008 (albeit, by a single win). Really, the bottom line here is that the Mets were a mediocre team other than July and August when they went on a 36-19 run. The team’s “disastrous” September (13-12) was no different than the club’s record in April and was in fact better than how they fared in May and June.

Still, it’s time for the Mets to wipe all that away and focus on the future, which means the christening of a brand new stadium – Citi Field – and hopefully, with it, a new era.

The team may certainly have a different look this season, as manager Jerry Manuel — about to begin his first full season in charge of the Mets — is considering some major tinkering to the lineup. Luis Castillo may shift to the top of the order, with Jose Reyes dropping to the three-hole and Carlos Beltran moving up to the second spot. Carlos Delgado would slide up to cleanup, while David Wright would drop from third to fifth.

Hmmm…taking one of the best leadoff hitters in the game and shifting him? Uh, okay.

But the Mets are looking for a big recovery from Castillo after he sucked in his first season with the team. He’s dropped 17 pounds and the expectations for a major recovery are large – enough so that I’m reconsidering my plan to dump his sorry ass this spring.

Another change in the lineup could occur in left field, where Daniel Murphy is being pegged as the new starter, a move that would certainly cut into the value of Ryan Church.

Offense was the Mets’ calling card last season, as they ranked second in runs and steals. Beltran has been sliding for a couple of seasons, but remains a force in centrefield, and may see a bump in value batting out of the two-hole. Expect more runs, but less RBI. Reyes rebounded after an off year in 2007, but had his lowest stolen base total since he’s been a full-time player.

The pitching was middling as best last season, ranking seventh in WHIP. In fairness, other than Pedro Martinez – who looked toast – the starting rotation was pretty good; the bullpen, however, was the bane of the Mets’ existence in 2008. That’s a situation that has been addressed in a big way with the signing of Francisco Rodriguez and the acquisition of J.J. Putz.

With 11 free agents this offseason, the Mets had plenty to deal with as they attempt to take the next step and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Fortunately, the offense was barely affected, with just one key bench player among the free agent class; the pitching free agents, however, included two members of the rotation.

Free Agents

Moises Alou, OF: One of the most injury-prone players of his generation, Alou was limited to 15 games thanks to calf and hamstring problems, the latter of which ultimately necessitated season-ending surgery in July, just the highlight of a season filled with injuries to Met outfielders. He remains unsigned, but it’s possible Philadelphia or Toronto (looking for a temporary replacement for Vernon Wells) may come calling.

Tony Armas, Jr., RHP: Armas never looked worse than he did last season during his brief time with the Mets, but at Triple-A, he showed great control and posted strong hit rates, hinting at the pitcher who was once a top prospect in the Expo system. But the fact is, he hasn’t been useful since early in 2006, and as usual, injuries derailed him that season. Anyways, the Mets must have liked what they saw of Armas in the minors, and re-signed him to a minor league deal. You never know when all of a sudden everything will click for a pitcher, but the fact that he is experiencing Visa problems for the second straight spring doesn’t bode well for him to enjoy any success in 2009.

Luis Ayala, RHP: Ayala started the season in Washington, but was too hittable in a set-up role. Dealt to the Mets in August, he was slightly better, and did have some value down the stretch when he took over the closer role after Billy Wagner got hurt and Aaron Heilman failed. With the Mets’ big bullpen additions, Ayala was no longer needed, and he’s landed in Minnesota.

Damion Easley, 2B: Can you believe it’s now been almost six years since the Tigers released Easley, eating over $14 million in salary in the process? He’s been a part-time player since, but at the age of 39, is still hanging around. In fact, when Castillo was so awful last season, Easley saw more action than normal down the stretch, resulting in 85 hits – his highest total since 2001. Easley no longer has any power, but drew interest from Arizona earlier this offseason. However, he remains without a job, and we know the Mets won’t be asking him back – they’ve moved on by signing Alex Cora to take over Easley’s role.

Orlando Hernandez, RHP: Hernandez’s 2008 season was a disaster as he got a late start to the season because of foot surgery – something that concerned us early in the year when we wondered if he’d be healthy at all. Well, we were bang on, as the injury never healed sufficiently for him to take the mound, and then he opted for season-ending surgery in August to remove a bunion on his big right toe. While his strikeout rate slipped and his command was weak in 2007, Hernandez has always been a consistent winner (lifetime 90-65 mark), so you’d think someone would bite. He’s willing to continue his career as a reliever, but there’s been no interest in him at all.

Pedro Martinez, RHP: Well, Martinez was healthier last year than he was in 2007. There, now that I’ve said something good about his 2008, I can take the gloves off. The dude was simply shelled and his shoulder problems resurfaced in September, keeping him winless for the remainder of the season. This former Expo great wanted to re-sign with the Mets, but that isn’t expected to happen. Instead, Martinez will use the WBC as a platform to try to generate interest as he seeks a 2009 contract.

Ramon Martinez, 2B: Thanks to injuries and ineffective at Triple-A last season, I wondered whether this vet was done altogether. He wound up in the Met system and after a September call-up, he actually saw some time as the starting second baseman in New York. And although he hit decently, this spoke more to Castillo’s ineffectiveness rather than Martinez’s prowess. At any rate, the Mets liked what they saw enough to re-sign him to a minor league deal, but I expect him to again spend plenty of his time at Triple-A.

Trot Nixon, OF: Since his career year in 2003, Nixon’s slugging percentage has dropped five straight seasons, and after last season’s debacle – hernia surgery limited him to a mere 35 less-than-impressive at bats – he looks old before his time. Nixon started the season in the Arizona system and hit well at Triple-A, but was dealt to the Mets when they were dealing with a rash of OF injuries. Of course, he soon joined that mess, getting hurt himself. The Brewers have signed Nixon and he’ll compete for the final outfield spot in Milwaukee. He probably has an edge for the job because he’s a lefty, but man, has his career ever gone downhill steadily.

Oliver Perez, LHP: Perez was unable to consolidate his great 2007 rebound season, setting a career high in walks in 2008 while also experiencing a decline in his K rate. The upshot of his inconsistency was one-third less wins (just 10 after a career-best 15 in 2007). Regardless, the Mets re-signed him for three years and $36 million, a deal that could be awful if Perez starts to revert to his 2006 form. However, it could be a steal if the work that Johan Santana is doing with him to make him a more consistent pitcher pays off. The Mets need Perez to return to the 15-win range for them to have a shot at the playoffs; with one of the best lefties in the game in Perez’s corner, there’s a good chance that may happen. I’m issuing a sleeper alert on this still-just-27-year-old southpaw.

Ricardo Rincon, LHP: Rincon missed most of the 2007 season because of Tommy John surgery, and he worked his way back by pitching in the Mexican League this season before the Mets gave him a look. He earned a September call-up and pitched well in limited action. He’s still a free agent, however, and at the age of 38, looks just about done.

Matt Wise, RHP: When the Mets signed him last offseason, we actually thought this was a wise move. Unfortunately, an arm injury delayed the start of his season, and when he returned, he was far too hittable, suggesting that he wasn’t quite 100 per cent. Sure enough, after just eight appearances, the shoulder started acting up, ultimately leading him to shut it down for the season in August. He’s still a free agent, and will likely remain as such until it’s clear he’s healthy.

Next: We’ll drive 100 miles down the Jersey Turnpike and the I-95 to Philadelphia, to check in the offseason happenings of the World Champion Phillies.