METS 2B HOLE

Being a Met fan, and having a blog, I will take the time now to speak about an issue that has come up in the wake of the recent batch of injuries that the New York Mets have encountered. With a Rangers 5-4 loss at the Garden today I can officially say it is truly baseball season, The transition period is tough but when both MSG team are done I am ready to go full speed ahead into the month of May in baseball. Now my take on the Jose Valentin injury and who I want to replace him:

Here is why I would like Jorge Cantu to be the new second baseman for the New York Metropolitans. Not only is he in the mold of a typical Omar player who has the potential to be a star but since the Devil Rays have a lot of money invested in Akinori Iwamura (or as he is referred to by my brother "letters from iwamura) at third, B.J. Upton is going to be their second baseman. They love Ben Zobrist at short and with Elijah Dukes, Rocco Baldelli, Delmon Young and Carl Crawford as their OFs and DH, and the former met Ty Wiggington at first base, there is no room for cantu. It has been made clear, when he did not make the 25 man roster on opening day,that the rays do not believe cantu has a future in Tampa Bay and if the mets were to give up a mid AA prospect or low level AAA prospect, perhaps Willie Collazo or Jon Adkins I think they could pry Cantu. The Rays need all the pitching help they can get and I would even be willing to part with a guy like Jason Vargas, Kevin Mulvey or Deolis Guerra to get a guy with the "potential" of Cantu who is just 25. Remember while Cantu looked lost at the plate last year he had 14 homers with 62 rbi's compared to the 37 yr old valentin who had a great year hitting 18 homers and 62 rbi's. Cantu hit 28 homers and 117 rbi's the season before last and batted .286 as well ans you do not just hit 30 and 100 in a baseball season and fall off the map. The guy has talent and putting him in a lineup with reyes, Loduca, Beltran, Delgado, Wright, Alou and Green would make the Mets the best hitting team in the league. Not to mention he only had 13 errors last year meaning he would not be a defensive liability.

If not Cantu then I think Mark Derosa might not be a bad attempt, although the Cubs did invest 13 million in him this summer. Derosa would fit because the club has Ryan Theriot who can play 2B or SS and also has Cezar Isturis who is a better fielder than Derosa as well. I would also consider Brandon Phillips since they need to find a place for Josh Hamilton everyday and would move Ryan Freel to second base keeping encarnacion at third and making Ken Griffey Jr. happy by moving him back to center field flanked by Adam Dunn and hamilton, but it might take a bit more to get Phillips. Expect the Mets to make a move because even if valentin was not hurt it is a position that the Mets have no good talent at in the minors and have aging hitters like Easley and Valentin on the team.

NBA- Spurs better not make the NBA Finals for the NBA's sake as they are that boring to watch, great execution and a big boost stealing one on the road at US Airways, Lebron was not superb but good enough against the Nets. I think Lebron is mature enough to win this series, but if J. Kidd is anything like he was in the first round, this is going at least six and potentially a game seven at the Quicken Loans. (By the way still the best stat line in the NBA playoffs this year, and yes better than Nash's 23 assists or Stoudemire's 27 points and 21 rebounds was Jason Kidd in game three of the first round at Continential: 16 points, 16 rebounds 19 assists) And imagine how much better the Lakers would have been in the next 4 years if they had dealt Bynum for Kidd. Bulls will rebound, but it might not matter as Detroit is hitting on all cylinders at the right time, kudos to flip for having them ready this year. GS will beat Utah in 5 games or less, not even a remote question in my mind and picture this: Golden State vs. San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals: We have already seen GS against another "run and gun" team in the Mavs so the Warriors vs. the Suns will be more of the same except Baron Davis will expose Steve Nash's defense but will not be able to handle him defensivley either potentially setting up the first time a PG gets 35 assists in a game. Warriors vs. Spurs would be opposites attracting, and it would answer the defining question of the NBA is it better to play a slow half court offense (see Spurs, Pistons, Bulls) or is it better to run and gun your way to victory: (Suns, Mavs, Warriors)

more coming this week, but nothign until thursday FINALS TIME!! enjoy the blog