FanNation - The Republic of Sport

 "We don't feel like we have to do a deal for a pitcher," Minaya said Monday at the Opryland Hotel. "That being said, we are going to try to improve ourselves."

Omar. Please tell me you don't mean that. Please tell me thats double-talk designed to cast a vail over your plans to overhaul our hideous rotation. Please tell me you're burning up the phones for a top starter.

Why don't you start acting like Omar from The Wire? The Robin Hood of..the..hood...pilfering the bad guys of their prized assets and making a name for himself as a shrewd, ruthless businessman.

Right now Pedro Martinez is our vaunted Ace. Thats completely unacceptable. He is still recovering from a devastating surgery. He will never be Pedro the Ace again. He is a decent option at number 2. El Duque takes 2 months off in the season for injuries. Or to rest his old bones. John Maine was a solid number 3 or 4 this season, his first full time gig. But hes not that good. Oliver Perez? Please. The guy walks more batters than Rick Ankiel did.

And then what? Mike Pelfrey or Phil Humber? Other teams don't want these guys, and you want them competing for our 5th spot in the rotation? Do you remember that they competed for the 5th spot last year as well? How did that pan out? Not very well.

This rotation is a complete mess Omar. Not only is the current lineup of pitchers sub-par, but you have the task of replacing Tom Glavine. And no - not replacing his talent. You have to replace his 200+ innings. You have to replace his consistency and his health. The man never got hurt. What are you going to do?

I know its not easy. I know pitching talent is hard to find. And I know you dont want to give up on our farm and ship guys out recklessly. But the time is now. Our lineup is set and we need 3 things on this team:

1. Livan Hernandez. Laugh if you want. But all he does is take the ball and work like a horse, with a decent ERA to boot. He adequately replaces an aging Tom Glavine.

2. An Ace. I don't care where you find it Omar. And it can't be named Joe Blanton, the Bobby Jones of the 21st century. It has to be a solid leader of a rotation for years to come. I don't get paid to do your job. Just do it.

3. A set-up man. We may have one in Duaner Sanchez but I wouldn't rely on that. Heilman proved he can't be consistent. And neither Pelfrey or Humber can stay away from walks enough to perform set-up duty. We need new blood there.

Thats all I ask. Its not easy. But I dont pay $7+ for a beer and out my backside for tickets so that I can watch Los Mets flop around on the diamond like a bunch of baby seals. I expect a winner. Get it done.