The Mets are rumored to be dipping into the aging pitcher pool again, this time they are interested in ex-Braves starter / closer / 21 year veteran John Smoltz. Yep, 31 year old Ben Sheets was apparently too much of a risk for the Mets to invest in, yet even more apparently they are willing to take a chance on Smoltz. Last year, while pitching for St. Louis and Boston (not at the same time of course) Smoltz was 3 and 8, with a 6.35 ERA and a 1.449 WHIP. If the Mets actually pull the trigger on Smoltz I have some other pitching staff additions for them.
Tom Glavine: he already has experience with the Mets and was teammates with Smoltz. Sure he didn’t pitch in 09. Sure his last game with the Mets was a bad one. But hey he won 15 games for the Mets in 06!
Greg Maddux: this will complete the Mets set of collecting ex-Brave ex-Cy Young award winners. Sure he didn’t pitch in 09, but what the heck the guy won 4 straight Cy Young awards. He’d still be the No. 2 starter on the Mets. As an added bonus he is a slick fielder.
Roger Clemens: already use to the pressure in NYC, won 7 Cy Youngs which is even more than Maddux. Sure he hasn’t pitched in 2 years. Sure the A.S. word is whispered around him, but hey the Mets can’t be too picky.
Tom Seaver: once a Met great always a Met great. Sure he’s over 60, but he’s already in the Hall of Fame as a Met! Nobody else can say that. He broadcasts some of the games now and then so he’s still around. He still appears to be in better shape than Sid Fernandez ever was. This is a slam dunk.
Cy Young: the guy won a freaking 511 games with a lifetime ERA of 2.63! He never won the Cy Young but we can’t hold that against him. Sure he hasn’t thrown a baseball in 99 years and has been dead for half those years, but this just mean the Mets can get him at a good price. Apparently that’s what counts for the Mets these days.
