According to a New York Post article, Carlos Beltran is lobbying for the Mets to bring back Carlos Delgado. Delgado, meanwhile, has announced he will play Winter Ball to allow scouts and agents to evaluate him after he had surgery and was out most of the season. He is a free agent and is a big question mark for the Mets.

The Daily News is reporting that the Mets are looking hard at trying to obtain Chone Figgins or Orlando Hudson and unloading Luis Castillo.

The National League Golden Glove winners have been announced and not a single Met made the list. The Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman beat out his childhood friend David Wright for third base. Nobody else was healthy enough to be considered really. Here is the complete list.

The following Mets have filed for free agency: Elmer Dessens, Alex Cora, Carlos Delgado, Ramon Martinez, J.J. Putz, Brian Schneider and Gary Sheffield.

Fernando Tatis is the remaining eligible player yet to file.

You probably won’t see most of these players with the Mets again next season.

The Mets decided not to pick up the $9.1 million option for Putz. That’s a good decision, because he’s always wanted to be a closer anyway and it’s just too much money to spend on a setup man.

Schneider and Sheffield are definitely gone. Schneider was a good signal caller but just has no pop in his bat any more and the Mets need an offensive catcher. Sheffield is too injury prone and will do better with an American League club who can use him as a DH.

The likeliest player to return is Cora. He served as an everyday player with all of the injuries to the Mets’ core, but he is essentially a good backup. Hopefully, his thumbs will heal in time for Spring Training. If he doesn’t get picked up in free agency, it’s a good shot you’ll see him again in a Mets uniform.

Martinez could end up competing in Spring Training but ultimately returning to Triple-A.

That leaves the biggest question of all. Whither Delgado? If the Mets can make a move to get a solid offensive outfielder, then the need for Delgado would greatly diminish.

Daniel Murphy still needs work but could serve as an everyday first baseman if needed. Another problem with Murphy is his hitting. He started strong but was exposed as being a .260 batter once he started playing every day. He needs to improve in this area in addition to the Mets getting a bigger bat elsewhere.

The general manager meetings in Chicago end today and there has been a lot of talk about the Mets looking into acquiring a heavy hitter and some pitching.

The New York Post reports that Omar Minaya spoke with super-agent Scott Boras for 45 minutes yesterday about outfielder Matt Holliday, whom Boras is calling a franchise player worth close to the amount Mark Teixeira got from the Yankees. The Mets, who need a starting catcher, also are reportedly trying to acquire Bengie Molina or Chris Snyder from the Diamondbacks.

However, The Daily News reported that the Mets most likely aren’t in the market for Grade A+ free agents, settling instead for second-tier talent.

The proposed three-way deal to send Luis Castillo to the Cubs, Milton Bradley to Blue Jays and Lyle Overbay to the Mets doesn’t seem to be going anywhere now. The Mets should try to make some kind of trade to deal Castillo since his stock is so high from a solid 2009 season.  That is, as long as it’s not a similar deal that gave an aging, fragile player like Castillo a four-year contract with the Mets.

The Mets today announced that shortstop Jose Reyes will undergo surgery to clean up scar tissue around the accessory hamstring tendon behind the right knee (semi tendinosis tendon). He will not require surgery for the separate hamstring muscle tear in his right leg which he suffered in late September while working out for his return to baseball.

Mets Medical Director Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital for Surgery in Manhattan has directed that the surgery be performed by Dr. Daniel E. Cooper – the leading expert in the country in the surgical treatment of the chronically torn semi tendinosis tendon in athletes. Cooper, affiliated with The Carrell Clinic and based in Dallas, is the head team physician for the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars. Cooper trained under Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

The date of the surgery is yet to be determined. Reyes is expected to fully recover and be ready for Spring Training.

The New York Mets today announced that Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and First Base Coach Luis Alicea will not be returning for the 2010 season. Alomar Sr. will be offered another position within the organization.

Hitting Coach Howard Johnson, Pitching Coach Dan Warthen and Bullpen Coach Randy Niemann will return to Manager Jerry Manuel’s staff in the same positions next year. Third Base Coach Razor Shines and Catching Instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. will be part of the Major League staff in 2010 in yet to be determined roles.

What are your thoughts on these changes? Shines didn’t exactly live up to his name as a third-base coach, though he seemed to improve as the season went along.

It’ll be interesting to see what role they give to Alomar and who will take his place as bench coach.

The New York Mets today announced across-the-board decreases in the price of season tickets for the 2010 season at Citi Field with no increase in the price of any ticket next year.

The average ticket price on a full-season basis will drop by more than 10 percent with reductions in select locations in excess of 20 percent. Every Season Ticket Holder will see a decrease in their invoice for next season.

The price of the least expensive seat will remain at $11.

“The Mets are sensitive to the economic realities facing our fans and we have lowered our ticket prices in response to these challenging conditions,” said Dave Howard, Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “This move underscores our appreciation of our fans’ ongoing loyalty and support. We are committed to delivering exceptional service and value to our customers at Citi Field in 2010.”

Luis Castillo 2B
Cory Sullivan LF
David Wright 3B
Carlos Beltran CF
Daniel Murphy 1B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Josh Thole C
Anderson Hernandez SS
Pat Misch (1-2, 3.86 ERA) P

The Mets have not done a very good job of playing the spoiler, but they will try again against the Braves tonight and rookie Tommy Hanson, who is having an excellent year with nine wins and an ERA under 3.

FLUSHING, N.Y., September 15, 2009 – The New York Mets today released their preliminary schedule for the 2010 season. The Mets will open their 2010 season at Citi Field Monday, April 5 when they host the Florida Marlins at 1:10 p.m.

The opening homestand continues April 7-8 vs. Florida before the Washington Nationals come to Citi Field for a weekend series, April 9-11. The Mets first road trip is April 13-18 when the club travels to Colorado and St. Louis. The Mets return for a 10-game homestand April 19-28 vs. the Cubs, Braves and Dodgers.

The New York Yankees come to Citi Field May 21-23 and the Philadelphia Phillies’ first visit to New York is May 25-27.

During Interleague play, the Mets will host the Detroit Tigers June 22-24 and the Minnesota Twins June 25-27.

Starting times for Mets home games at Citi Field will be 7:10 p.m. for night games and 1:10 p.m. for day games with the exceptions of Thursday, July 29 vs. St. Louis and August 12 vs. Colorado at 12:10 p.m. The 2010 schedule is subject to change, including all Saturday and Sunday games, which are subject to Major League Baseball’s national broadcast agreements with FOX and ESPN.

The Mets will play the Yankees in the Bronx June 18-20 and round out their Interleague schedule with trips to Baltimore June 11-13 and Cleveland June 15-17.

The 2010 Mets schedule concludes with a seven-game homestand September 27-October 3 when the Milwaukee Brewers come to town for a four-game series followed by a three-game series vs. the Nationals.

Check out the preliminary schedule here: 2010 Mets Schedule

Angel Pagan CF
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Fernando Tatis 1B
Nick Evans LF
Omir Santos C
Wilson Valdez SS
Nelson Figueroa (2-4, 4.74 ERA) P

The Mets try to continue their dominance against Phillies starter Cole Hamels, who is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in two starts against the Mets this season. Hamels’ opponent, Figueroa, tries to forget about his last outing agains the Cubs when he allowed four runs. It’s Figgy’s first-ever start against the team he once played for in 2001.

Carlos Beltran is conspicuously out of the lineup after getting the day off yesterday. Jerry Manuel previously had said he would use Beltran for a couple of days and then give him a day off, but he didn’t mention anything about two days in a row.

After having won their first series since July against the Cubs, the Mets got swept by the Marlins at home. Just when you think they might have a nice little run, they not only get swept but they lose by nine runs.

The Mets couldn’t reel in the Florida Marlins last night as they got swept by the fish for the first time since 2004. It was also the first sweep of the Mets by a National League team at Citi Field.

The Mets are hardly the spoilers the Marlins have been over the past two years, but they will get another crack at it when the two teams meet in Miami at the end of the month.

On the injury front, the New York Post is reporting Gary Sheffield could be close to returning to the field soon and don’t count Carlos Delgado out of returning to the Mets next season if his price is right and the team needs a big bat.

In totally unrelated news, the Citi Field streaker is banned from the park for life.

Angel Pagan CF
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Fernando Tatis 1B
Nick Evans LF
Omir Santos C
Anderson Hernandez SS
Bobby Parnell (3-7, 5.25 ERA) P

True to his word, Jerry Manuel is sitting Carlos Beltran tonight. He had said that he’ll probably sit Beltran at least once a week and even as much as once a series. That doesn’t mean he won’t be called in for pinch-hitting duties.

Parnell takes the mound, but he’s going to have to pitch better than his predecessors in order for the Mets not to be swept at home for the first time by a National League team. The hot Marlins hitting crew has knocked four home runs in the first two games of the series. Can Parnell put out the fire or just stoke it more?

Pat Misch did not fare nearly as well as his last outing, allowing five earned runs and two home runs. It was the second straight game in which the Mets starting pitcher allowed two home runs.

The pair Misch gave up were more devastating, however. The first one put the Mets in a four-run hole in the first inning. When you’re playing small ball to get runs like the Mets are right now, that’s a daunting hole to climb out of.

Meanwhile, Jose Reyes is hoping he can return for some winter ball in the Dominican Republic. Jerry Manuel also said there is a slight chance Carlos Delgado could make it back before the end of the season.

Manuel also talked about how the Mets’ lack of offensive power this year might change the makeup of the team in 2010, putting more emphasis on speed to accommodate the cavernous Citi Field.

Angel Pagan LF
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Carlos Beltran CF
Daniel Murphy 1B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Josh Thole C
Pat Misch (1-1, 3.25 ERA) P

Misch tries to get his second straight big league win as he faces the Marlins’ Ricky Nolasco. He allowed only two runs, but both of them were homers. Misch can’t allow that happen to a Marlins team that won last night’s game with two, two-run shots.

The lineup is the same, but the Mets hope to get more offensive production from it. Wright through Thole should prove a tougher challenge than they did last night.

Carlos Beltran came back in last night’s loss to the Marlins. He went 1-for-4 at the plate and just missed hitting a grand slam. He looked comfortable in the field, too.

His return also is giving Mets management a difficult decision in whom to send out to left field every day. Both Angel Pagan and Cory Sullivan have played well in the outfield. Pagan got the start last night and had two hits, including another triple. Sullivan has a .313 batting average in the past 11 games.

The game was pretty much over after the fifth inning. The Marlins hit two, two-run homers, and the Mets managed to eke out two of their own. By the sixth inning, the SNY-TV announcers Ron Darling, Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez had left the booth to experiment with what they called the “Silent Sixth.” There was no commentary in the entire inning, just the natural sounds of the game.

That wasn’t the only difference in the booth last night. Ten-year-old Kyle Singh of Queens got the opportunity to be the play-by-play announcer in the bottom of the third inning. Looks like the Mets are pulling out all the stops in the final month of the season.

Angel Pagan LF
Luis Castillo 2B
David Wright 3B
Carlos Beltran CF
Daniel Murphy 1B
Jeff Francoeur RF
Josh Thole C
Anderson Hernandez SS
Tim Redding (2-4, 5.70 ERA) P

The Mets hope the return of Beltran’s bat to the lineup will give them some extra offensive firepower as they take on the Florida Marlins. Just the site of Beltran’s name after Wright’s is a welcome development. He’s being thrown right into the fire as he’s batting in the cleanup spot and playing center field. He says he’s fine but only game action will tell.