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The Reds yesterday signed Fred Lewis to a one-year deal worth $900,000. This is a great signing for the Reds, but it will force the Mets to turn their attention elsewhere.

The NL Central defending champion Reds will sport an outfield comprised of the young stud Jay Bruce in right, exciting Drew Stubbs in center and fiery Jonny Gomes in left.

Stubbs and Gomes both bat right-handed, so Lewis should find a decent number of at-bats against tough righties. Also, Gomes doesn’t exactly run well, so Lewis would be a valuable late-inning replacement in the field or on the basepaths.

The Reds also signed Jeremy Hermida to compete for the fourth outfielder job, but he will likely be relegated to more of an insurance policy now that the Reds brought in Lewis.

So with Lewis off the table, the Mets must search for another viable fourth outfielder option. Surprisingly, there are still some valuable pieces out there with a little over a month until spring training begins.

Of the bunch, a few names stand out. Laynce Nix served as the fourth outfielder for the Reds last season. He hit a solid .291 in 97 games and has played all three outfield positions over the course of his career.

He would be a relatively cheap option, but he has been known to be slightly injury prone.

Another option would be the veteran Randy Winn. The former All-Star is a shell of his former self and must realize that there is no opportunity for him to start out there. If he accepts the role of a switch-hitting fourth outfielder/pinch hitter, he could still benefit a team. He would also serve as a strong veteran presence on a team with some volatile personalities.

I’ve mentioned Reed Johnson already as a possibility. He may move into the forefront now that Lewis is off the market. Since the Mets right now basically don’t have a bench, it is hard to tell whether they need a right-handed or left-handed bat. Johnson would be a productive right-handed bat, and he too can play anywhere in the outfield.

Scott Podsednik will probably hold out for a chance to start. Scott Hairston had an awful year last season, but could rebound. He reminds me of Reed Johnson, a guy who can play good defense, bats right-handed and won’t wow anyone with his bat.

Lastings Milledge would be an interesting possibility. But how would he respond to a bench role? I think it would be wise to stay away from this headache.

So the options are still out there for the Mets, but they may have to act sooner rather than later to get the guy they want.

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As we approach the 2011 season, it seems as though several teams in the NL East have significantly improved this offseason.

The Phillies brought back Cliff Lee to set up one of the best pitching staffs, at least on paper, in recent history.

The Braves added Dan Uggla to solidify the middle of their order.

The Nationals signed Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche, and Rick Ankiel in an attempt to improve their offense.

Even the Marlins made some moves, trading for All-Star utility man Omar Infante and signing Javier Vazquez as well as John Buck.

And then there’s the Mets.

We signed D.J. Carrasco and Taylor Bucholz for the bullpen and Chris Capuano for the back end of the rotation. Ronny Paulino will be a nice right-hand hitting complement to Josh Thole.

But that’s about it thus far. Looking at the moves by the other teams, it would appear that the Mets have been left in the dust.

However, the Mets must be looked at as a team of potential.

Many things must click this year, but if each player plays up to his potential, there’s no reason why this team cannot compete for the NL East crown or, at the very least, the Wild Card.

Here are some of the possible stat lines for some of our core players. I’m not saying that if the players reach these milestones the Mets will automatically win. But if they play to their potential, who knows what this team could accomplish?

All these numbers are hypothetical, but I tried to be as realistic as possible based on track record and potential. Baseball is more than just numbers, but you have to start somewhere.

It’s safe to say that it is basically impossible that each player will have a career year in 2011. But if they play together and pick up each other’s slack, this could be a dangerous team.

Ike Davis: .275 BA, 23 HR, 80 RBI

Jose Reyes: .290 BA, 15 HR, 65 RBI, 60 SB

David Wright: .305 BA, 25 HR, 110 RBI, 20 SB

Carlos Beltran: .280 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI

Jason Bay: .270 BA, 25 HR, 90 RBI

Angel Pagan: .285 BA, 10 HR, 70 RBI, 30 SB

Mike Pelfrey: 17-10, 3.25 ERA

Jon Niese: 15-11, 3.50 ERA

R.A. Dickey: 15-8, 2.90 ERA

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The Mets just signed Chris Capuano and Taylor Bucholz to add some more depth to the pitching rotation. Both of these are solid signings and may pay off in big ways.

Capuano is only a few years removed from an 18-win season, and Bucholz has shown he can be a valuable seventh, or even eighth inning reliever.

For the most part, barring a rumored Chris Young or Jeff Francis signing for further insurance and maybe looking at some left-handed relievers, the pitching staff appears to be filling out.

It is now time to turn to the bench. The starters, besides second base, seem set, and even the players in competition for second base are already in house.

The bench depends a lot on who wins the second base job. Most likely, the runner-up in the competition will stick around to be the utility infielder. But as of now, there is a void in the fourth outfielder slot.

Before he established himself as a starter last year, Angel Pagan was the epitome of a fourth outfielder. He could play all three positions and play them well. He brought great energy whenever he started and was a valuable late-inning defensive replacement.

Also, his speed made him perfect for the role. He could pinch run, steal a base and then remain in the outfield without losing that much. He was a solid contact hitter with a decent eye as well.

But now that he will be playing either right field or possibly center field this season, who will fill the role that Pagan played prior to last season?

Endy Chavez was available this offseason but signed a minor league deal to return to Texas. He has had injury troubles the last few years, but I would have liked to see him back in a Mets uniform. He can run, bunt and has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the game (remember that catch?).

A name that has popped up is Fred Lewis, currently of the Toronto Blue Jays. He saw significant action last year and played rather well. In 110 games, he hit .262 with eight HR, 17 SB and 70 runs scored.

The Blue Jays acquired speedster Rajai Davis from the Athletics this offseason and look to have a set outfield with Davis, Vernon Wells and Travis Snider. The need for a fourth outfielder in the AL is not as great as in the NL.

Lewis reminds me a lot of Pagan. He has good speed, plays good defense, has a little pop and plays better when given more opportunities.

Though the current Mets outfield should hopefully produce and not need too many days off, an injury is bound to occur. Carlos Beltran hasn’t played a full season since 2008, Jason Bay is coming off an injury and last year was Pagan’s first full season.

Lewis would be able to fill in nicely should an injury occur. However, that would only be a temporary solution, unless of course Lewis plays like a stud.

If one of the starting outfielders goes down long term, I would rather see Lucas Duda or, dare I say, Fernando Martinez get the bulk of the duty.

Fred Lewis would make a solid addition for this team and fill a very important hole for an NL ball club.

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Despite the gripes of New York Mets fans, Luis Castillo will at the very least be in spring training this season vying for the starting second base job that he once possessed.

He no longer has the range of his younger self and has also lost a step or two on the base paths.

But the one thing about Castillo to keep in mind is that he is owed a ton of money in the final year of his contract. Omar Minaya signed Castillo to a four-year deal after the 2007 season.

Part of the reason was to lock up a familiar face for Johan Santana. Santana and Castillo had been teammates, albeit briefly, in Minnesota.

What’s done is done and you can’t change the past. In my last article about shaping the Mets’ 2011 bench, I constructed the bench with the assumption that Castillo would be the starting second baseman.

Now, obviously I nor do many know what will happen during spring training and beyond this season. But since there aren’t exactly teams lining up for Castillo’s services and he is owed a good chunk of cash, maybe the Mets would best be served by letting Castillo play out the final year of his contract in a starting role.

Personally, I think Castillo should have been sent packing awhile ago. After he hit .302 two seasons ago, there must have been some team willing to trade for him, assuming the Mets paid some of his contract.

I know I’m bound to be attacked for this proposal, but the following might be a situation in which the Mets can get the most out of Castillo.

If Castillo happens to show enough to win the second base job and if he proves he at least somewhat has his legs back, the Mets should consider hitting him ninth in the order. That’s right, hit Castillo after the pitcher.

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa has had some success with this in the past, more so though because his pitchers could actually hit a little.

The Mets would do it for a different reason. Though Castillo in his prime was best suited as a No. 2 hitter, Angel Pagan has solidified that spot in the order. In my mind, hitting Castillo eighth is useless.

Despite his flaws, the man can still bunt very well and is a decent base runner. However, the idea of having him in the ninth spot wouldn’t be to move runners over. That’s the pitcher’s job.

Castillo would serve as a second leadoff man. If the pitcher makes the last out of an inning, the Mets would have Castillo, Jose Reyes and Pagan in that order. That combination of speed and bunting ability could set up the Mets with some great scoring chances. It would then be up to David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay to drive them in, which is a completely different can of worms.

Naturally, having the pitcher hit eighth would mean that the pitcher’s spot would come to the plate more often. It’s definitely a risk and something that doesn’t need to be employed every game, unless it’s working of course.

And again, this is only a suggestion in trying to make the most out of the parts we have. If Daniel Murphy, Brad Emaus or Justin Turner wins the second base job, I would feel more comfortable batting him seventh or eighth and not ninth.

I wonder if Terry Collins has at least pondered this scenario with Castillo. Yes, it’s risky, but it can also be a way to give some value back to a former All-Star caliber player.

Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope for some Mets success in 2011.

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With the acquisition of Chin-lung Hu, let’s take a look at some bench options this year for the Mets.

Strong depth is always an important factor for success. Just look at the World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

Usually, National League teams carry 12 pitchers, so that leaves 13 spots for position players. Eight of those will be starters, so the Mets have to construct a bench made up of five players.

The first of those five will be backup catcher Ronny Paulino. Paulino will serve as a right-hand hitting complement to Josh Thole. I don’t think he will be a platoon player, but Paulino will certainly get the bulk of his at-bats against lefties.

If Luis Castillo somehow wins the starting second base job, Daniel Murphy should still have a spot on the roster. He has shown he can play a variety of positions, albeit some better than others. He can spell Ike Davis at first and maybe even do some corner outfield duty. He would serve as the primary left-handed pinch hitter off the bench.

Speaking of which, why did Mets not sign Chris Carter?

Yes he had his moments of inconsistency, but who didn’t in 2010? He was the perfect power threat off the bench, but kind of like Murphy, he didn’t really have a defensive position. He’s likely gone, so the Mets must make due without him.

The next spot should be an open competition for the utility infielder position, the role that Alex Cora used to play. Candidates are Hu, Luis Hernandez, Justin Turner and Brad Emaus.

Basically, if these players fail to win the starting second base job, the runner-up will likely stick with the big club. From what I’ve heard, Hu plays solid defense and has above average speed, so he may be the best of the bunch.

Turner and Hernandez are out of options, however, and Emaus would have to be returned to the Blue Jays if he’s not on the roster.

The Mets seem to still be in the market for a fourth outfielder. Reed Johnson is a free agent as well as Scott Podsednik. Podsednik may look for an opportunity to play everyday, but Johnson would accept his role.

With a healthy Bay, Beltran and Pagan, there won’t be too many at-bats for the fourth outfielder. That’s why it would be wise to let Lucas Duda play everyday in the minors and wait for an injury, which is bound to happen.

Come on, it’s the Mets.

Fred Lewis may also be available via trade. Internal candidate Jason Pridie has some major league experience with the Twins and might be the fallback option.

The final spot could go to Nick Evans. He would be the right-handed bench threat. He’s got a little pop and also can play several positions. Unlike Duda, Evans has now had a few cups of coffee in the bigs, and if the Mets see him more as a full-time reserve, this would be a good opportunity for him to show he can stick with the big league roster.

So, in review, a bench looking something like the following could be serviceable for the 2011 Mets: Ronny Paulino, Daniel Murphy, Chin-lung Hu, Reed Johnson and Nick Evans.

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Yesterday, I heard that the Mets would not make any moves until sometime into January. Sandy Alderson and company have decided to wait out the market rather than throwing their money at uncertainty.

Surprisingly, several good starting pitchers are still available, yet teams appear reluctant to pull the trigger.

I figured that once Cliff Lee signed, the other starters would fall like dominoes since teams in need for starting pitchers would not want to be left in the dust.

Carl Pavano and his disgusting mustache won 17 games last year. You would think someone would want to lock him up. True, he has had an interesting last few seasons, but he proved last year that he can stay healthy for an entire season.

Now, I do not want Pavano anywhere near the Mets, nor do I think they even have the money to spend on him. But as of now, he appears to be the best starting pitcher available. So similar to the situation with Lee, once Pavano is off the table, the other pitchers may go fast.

Among these are the two names we’ve heard linked to the Mets: Chris Young and Jeff Francis. Both are coming off injury years and seem to want guaranteed contracts in the $5 million range at this point. Is that too much to spend on a question mark? If the Mets weren’t financially strapped and if Johan was healthy for the start of the season, I’d say roll the dice on one of them. But taking things into account, it might be best to see if the prices come down after the new year.

If there is a team out there willing to pay $5 million for either of these players, then go for it. But it seems like other teams are thinking along the same lines as the Mets.

I wish the Mets would make more of an aggressive play for Brandon Webb. Here’s a guy who was dominant not too long ago but also had injury troubles. I wonder if he is asking for multiple years because of his impressive resume. That could be what is keeping the Mets out of the running.

If the Mets could be a sleeper for Webb, that would be great. I would rather have Webb than Young or Francis. But with the clock ticking, all three of these pitchers may call somewhere else other than Citi Field home in 2011.

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OK, so this title is a bit corny, but it certainly rings true as the Mets approach the half-way point of the offseason. Spring training is a little over a months and a half away, and it appears the Mets still have much to do to gear up for the season.

That is of course unless the organization is content with the pieces they have. No offense to Sandy Alderson, but he should be spending more time exploring ways to help the team than making lame season-ticket advertisement videos. No one will be buying season tickets anyway if the team looks like it does now.

As David Wright said at last week’s holiday party, the Mets still have good players. Barring any major health issues, this is definitely true. Johan Santana is already on the shelf though, so the Mets cannot incur anymore injuries.

Part of me likes Alderson’s thinking. Why break the bank for free agent starting pitching that has a history of injury and only sign them for one year? Why not wait until you have some money to work with next year and either bring in someone who can help in the long-term or see if your prospects have developed at the major-league level?

We already know Ike Davis and Josh Thole will be given every opportunity to succeed at the highest level. Terry Collins already said that he expects Jenrry Mejia to contribute at some point this season. As of now at least, Lucas Duda and Nick Evans appear to be front-runners for bench spots, but I’d rather see them (especially Duda) play everyday in AAA.

We know Ruben Tejada will start in the minors as well. Dillon Gee is penciled into the fourth spot of the Mets rotation, so even he will be asked to elevate his game.

The Rule 5 picks (Brad Emaus and Pedro Beato) may also be thrown into major league duty this year.

So, if Alderson is content with allowing these young players to develop on the highest stage in hopes of a better future, I agree with him. That being said, if the Mets somehow find themselves competing for a divisional or wild card berth when Santana returns, I would like to see the team acquire a piece or two near the trade deadline to make that final push.

Mets teams with less talent than this one have done quite well, so there’s no reason for fans to be giving up hope in late December.

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The Mets selected Pedro Beato with their second pick in the Rule 5 Draft. He projects as a middle reliever and might be able to have an immediate impact on the roster.

Beato was actually drafted by the Mets in the 17th round in 2005 but did not sign. The following year, the Orioles selected him with the 32nd overall pick and were able to sign him.

The Mets brought in D.J. Carrasco for some bullpen help at the Winter Meetings, and they also signed Boof Bonser, but he will provide insurance at AAA. Pat Misch and Manny Acosta are still in house and will be competing for spots.

While some scouts say Beato is not quite ready for the bigs, his 2010 numbers for the AA Bowie Baysox were great. As a late-inning reliever, he was 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA and 16 saves. He also had 50 strikeouts in 59.2 innings of work.

He established himself as a two-pitch reliever, primarily using a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s.

He’s a local kid, too. He attended Xaverian High School and played for Brooklyn’s Youth Service League.

How do I know this? I actually played against him during the summer of 2005. Not to brag, but I was 2-for-3 with a double off him. He did have great stuff, though.

He has certainly matured since then and could play a role in the 2011 Mets bullpen. There are many unclaimed spots so he would have to prove himself in spring training.

As the parameters of the Rule 5 Draft indicate, he would have to be kept on the major league roster all season, or he would be offered back to Orioles, assuming he clears waivers.

The Mets wouldn’t have wasted this pick if they did not see tremendous upside with Beato. 

Hopefully he can show the Mets that he’s the real deal.

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Let me start this post off by saying that when the offseason first started, I was firmly in the camp that suggested a Beltran trade, no matter how much money the Mets had to eat of his contract.

The Mets were 48-40 at the All-Star break this year, and then Beltran returned which started the massive decline to mediocrity. I don’t want to say that these two occurrences are linked, but it makes you wonder nonetheless.

Recently, we heard the rumors about a possible Beltran trade with the Red Sox. However, now that the Sox signed speedster Carl Crawford (a great signing by the way), that likely spells the end to those rumors. In fact, the Red Sox now have four quality outfielders so they may even look to trade a Jacoby Ellsbury or J.D. Drew instead of acquiring another outfielder.

There are not many other trading partners out there willing to put their faith in a 33-year old outfielder who hasn’t played a full season since 2008.

Let’s face it: Even with a monster year this year, Beltran certainly would not have lived up to his mega contract. He was a solid player in Kansas City and had that miracle run in the playoffs for Houston which allowed him to earn his big contract.

When healthy, he is a five-tool player but not worth $19 million per season. For that matter, none of these guys that make $20 million a year are worth that type of money. The pay structure of the sport is getting ridiculous ($126 million for Jason Werth…Jason Werth! The guy’s had two good years).

Anyway, back to Beltran.

It looks like Beltran will be with the club in some capacity in 2011. He might remain in center field or shift over to right. Either way, we need Beltran to hit and hit consistently.

I’m not usually one to make predictions, but here’s what I see this year from Beltran.

He will play in about 130 games (naturally he will be “injured” at some point), seeing time in both center and right, unless he willingly makes the switch to right permanently.

I see him putting up similar numbers to his first year with the Mets. He’ll hit about .270 with 15-20 HR and 70+ RBI. Contract aside, these numbers could be beneficial to a Mets team that is clicking on all cylinders. But when was the last time Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Bay, Davis, etc. were all hot at the same time? The answer is not too often.

Another scenario can occur if Beltran bursts out of the gates in 2011. He can establish his trade value and depending on where the Mets stand in July, they might be able to net some talented prospects (preferably starting pitchers) from a team in search of outfield help down the stretch.

So since Beltran will likely be here, it is time for fans to stop calling for his head and rally behind him. He will be on our team, and as far as I’m concerned, that is plenty reason to cheer for him.

We won’t be seeing the Beltran of old, but hopefully an able-bodied, mildly productive Beltran shows up this year.

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The Mets are looking at Ronny Paulino to back-up Josh Thole, which would form the catching tandem for the 2011 season.

I know this post might be a little off topic with all the Hot Stove murmurings going on, but I felt that it would be a good time, in lieu of the Mets possibly signing a catcher, to remember the career of Mike Piazza.

Piazza burst onto to the scene with Los Angeles Dodgers and won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1993. He put up big numbers for the Dodgers through five full seasons.

Then on May 22, 1998, the improbable yet remarkable happened for Met fans. The Mets sent Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall and Geoff Goetz to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Piazza, who had been traded to the Marlins only a week earlier.

Todd Hundley had gone down with an injury, so the Mets desperately needed a catcher. Piazza arrived with a bang and immediately became a fan favorite.

The Mets locked him up to a seven-year, $91 million contract in 1999, which was a huge contract at the time.

In eight years with the Mets, Piazza hit .296 and clubbed 220 home runs, second on the all-time Mets list to Darryl Strawberry. He was a hero to so many Mets fans, young and old.

He wasn’t exactly a defensive wizard, especially throwing out runners, but he more than made up for that with his potent bat.

Sadly, time caught up with Piazza. His body could no longer take the beating of a catcher, so the Mets experimented with him at first base. It didn’t go so well, and after one more year behind the dish, the Mets let him walk.

He actually put up decent numbers at age 37 in his one season for the Padres. He retired as the all-time home run leader among catchers, a feat he accomplished with the Mets. His legacy will never be forgotten.

So that leads us to the question: How have the Mets went about filling Piazza’s enormous shoes?

They acquired Paul LoDuca from the Marlins before the 2006 season and he turned in an All-Star caliber season, hitting .318. He never had the power of Piazza, but he held his own at the plate and brought much needed fire to the team. But even LoDuca began his decline in 2007, signaling the end of his Mets tenure.

The Mets saw Brian Schneider as the answer at catcher and traded Lastings Milledge to acquire him and Ryan Church. Schneider was a good defensive catcher, but was a very weak hitter.

Granted, the Mets constructed their offense so that they didn’t need Schneider to produce, but after seeing Piazza for so many year, we fans grew accustomed to seeing production out of the catching position.

Ramon Castro was a good backup to Piazza and a good backup to Schneider. Omir Santos chipped in nicely in 2009, but the Mets never saw him as more of an insurance plan.

They brought in Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco for last season, and in the beginning, those deals looked great. Both guys got some big hits in big spots.

But Blanco began wearing down and Barajas hit a cold spell, forcing the Mets to promote Josh Thole. Thole is a solid contact hitter and could develop some pop.

He and Paulino would form a serviceable tandem for 2011 if they are both healthy. Paulino always seemed to get a big hit against the Mets when he played for the Marlins, so hopefully he would continue that, just against the other teams.

Piazza has been sorely missed for the past few years, but if the other position players can produce, the production of Thole/Paulino would fly under the radar.

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