Here at the LoHud Mets Blog, we get letters. (To send us letters, email lohudmets@gmail.com.) Needless to say, it is our youngest readers who are most concerned with the future of the team, which means that our Beltran prospect mail tends to skew younger. Little Jonny P., age 4, writes:

I happen to be a huge fan of Erlin. His strikeout rates have been solid at every level, his stuff grades out at a bit above average, and his command is simply impeccable. Basically, while lots of people want Dillon Gee to be Rick Reed (but his peripherals make it clear that Gee isn’t), this guy has been Bret Saberhagen in the minors. (Actually, his command has been better than Saberhagen’s was in the minors by far.)

The one worry with Erlin is his size- at just 6’ even, will his frame hold up over 10-12 seasons? Again, note Saberhagen, just 6’1”, who didn’t throw 200 innings in any season after age 25. Was that an unholy early workload, his size, or both?

That alone makes me feel like a Mike Minor, 6’4” (or in Keith Hernandez scouting terms, “Who’s that tall drink of water?”), would be the better long-term bet. But if Erlin centered a Beltran-to-the-Rangers deal, I’d be just fine with it.

I rate this potential Beltran Booty “Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreasonably good return.”