YOU have to get up pretty early in the morning to see the Mets playing as they are capable. At noon yesterday, with the Mets at a break-even .500, Josh Beckett couldn’t get the sleepers out of his eyes before the early birds who have been killing earthworms for most of 93 games touched the Marlin starter for seven runs on the way to a 10-5 victory.
It was a beautiful day to just enjoy a third consecutive win and not think about the dark big picture, which made the Mets’ best patrons the groups of happy day-campers in the upper decks. Most of them were blissfully unaware of the scouts below charting Al Leiter getting by without his “A” cutter, staying out of the big inning as only smart and competitive 36-year-old pitchers can, and further begging the question of the day:
With the trading deadline approaching, should the Mets send Al to day camp? You know, get him out of the house to a contender for a prospect or two, then try to bring him back when he becomes a free agent this winter?
The Mets seem to be realizing it is not worth the risk. Talks toward a new deal, recessed when Leiter lost three straight, have resumed, the Mets’ and the Red Sox’ best offers due to converge before July 31 at a crossroads for Leiter, Steve Phillips and Fred Wilpon.
“I have told [agent] Alan Hendricks to not inform me of anything until he has something done,” said Leiter. “I don’t want to deal with it.
“I want to keep winning and stop the talk of dismantling the ballclub. We have a couple weeks to win a lot of games and eliminate that talk.
“It has been a great five years. Even as frustrating and upsetting as this year has been, I would rather be wearing a Met uniform than any other uniform. Period.”
Three months in Boston wouldn’t be long enough to get Leiter elected mayor. Like most old people, he doesn’t like the idea of change. Wouldn’t it be the best of both worlds to sublet for a ring, then sign a new lease?
“I have pitched in four World Series,” Leiter said. “To come home Sunday early enough to see my kids to bed and do something fun Monday morning before going to the park, that’s the best of my worlds, not to be thinking about the logistics of having to pick up.”
He has the best nighttime earned run average in the National League, 2.03, pretty good for an old person, and his 2.95 overall average indicates he can still get by without an afternoon nap. The only NL pitchers doing better per game are aging wonders Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, fair indication how Leiter will still be earning an eight-figure salary at age 38, the second guaranteed year (plus an option) that the Mets are discussing.
Unless a contender offers something exciting that could be playing here by next year, it’s not worth running the risk of the rental. The Mets have one starter, Pedro Astacio, under contract for next season and Maddux or Glavine, both also free agents-to-be, aren’t going to take their money anyway, likely leaving no available comparable value to this organization for Leiter’s arm and face.
“He is proud to be a Met, a guy who continues to spread the gospel of the Mets,” said Bobby Valentine. “We have let too many of our Mets get away and consequently haven’t had that many guys who play out their career as a Met and go into their afterlife happy about that experience.”
Leiter wants to be here. He would be hard to replace. He is pitching as well as ever. Sign him up.