Infield to the future

The New York Mets have signed two of their brightest young stars and the entire left side of their infield to long-term contracts this week meaning that David Wright and Jose Reyes will be together at Shea (and the New Ballpark) until at least 2010. Keeping both players in Blue and Orange is a big step towards creating a winner for the long haul.

On Thursday it was announced that speedy leadoff hitter Jose Reyes had signed a 4-year $23.25 million contract keeping him in Flushing until at least 2010, most likely 2011 with the club option. Reyes, 23, has been in the Mets organisation since 1999 when he signed a non-drafted free agent contract and made his Major League debut June 10th, 2003 at Texas. Reyes would have arbitration eligible at the end of the year therefore the Mets saw it as a good time to lock up the All-Star shortstop long-term and Reyes had made it clear he wanted to remain in New York. As Reyes continues to develop many new fans will be able to see his great talent as he plays in a Mets uniform for the foreseeable future.

With a little less Major League experience, David Wright was signed three days after Reyes was locked up. Wright, who grew up watching the Mets' Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides and has been a lifelong Met fan, made his debut on July 21st 2004 at Montreal and got his first hit in the next game. He signed a 6-year $55 million contract keeping at the Mets' hot corner until 2013 with a club option for that year that the team has every intention of exercising. David has become the poster boy for the New Mets and is a core player in Omar Minaya's future plans for the club. He was also a starting All-Star this year and came second in the Century 21 Home Run Derby. David said of the contract: "I've always wanted to be a lifelong New York Met, and this is the first step in that direction."

As soon as we had locked up Reyes I was beginning to think Wright wouldn't be far behind and Minaya proved me right. Having both in Mets colours for the foreseeable future is great news and sends a message to everyone, fans to competitors, that 2006 is only the beginning of success for the organisation.

Omar's hand is forced

With quite a slow build up to the deadline where it seemed as if the Mets would go for a Major League starter with experience and in the early hours rumours floating of deals for Roy Oswalt and Jason Schmidt the day turned out very different as the 4PM non-waiver trade deadline passed.

At 1am yesterday morning Duaner Sanchez was riding a taxi in Miami when it was struck by a drunk driver. Details were not quickly known and therefore rumours about starting pitching deals swirled but as Omar Minaya found out the extent of the injury (separated shoulder) to one of the best pitchers in his bullpen it meant he had to go out and find someone to fill the set-up role.

Before the 4PM deadline the Mets Opening Day right fielder was headed to Pittsburgh for a reliever they could have re-signed this offseason and a left-handed starter with potential that hasn't come good in the Majors yet. Xavier Nady was shipped from the best team in the National League to the worst while Roberto Hernandez was back in the role he filled with the Mets last season and Oliver Perez headed to Norfolk, Virginia.

Then as the deadline neared ever closer metsblog.com, ESPN and CBS began reporting that Perez had been flipped with Heath Bell to San Diego for stud reliever Scott Linebrick. However as deadline passed and no confirmation came it was clear that the deal had fallen through. Details now say the Padres pulled back because they felt they weren't getting enough.

Overall without getting Linebrick and losing fan favourite Nady for only serviceable pitchers it was quite a bad day for the Mets. They were worse off than they had been when the day began but to be honest this is a deal Omar wouldn't have wanted to make but he was forced into it by the actions of a drunk driver in Miami. If Sanchez hadn't been lost (most likely for the season) then our deadline would have been very different. You cannot control freak accidents and therefore Mets fan will have to live with this deal.

Tonight Mike Pelfrey makes his 4th Major League start facing off against Scott Olsen and the young Marlins, who according to sources entered the Soriano sweepstakes late in the day but ultimately Alfonso stayed in Washington.