Now that the Mets are 5 games out, I think it's pretty unlikely that they're going to make a miraculous comeback and win the division. So, I think the whole Kris Benson idea should be killed.
Furthermore, the Mets should start thinking about trading whatever chips they do have for some prospects. Maybe wait till the deadline to pull the trigger, but start exploring the trade market. I think we could get a lot in return for Al Leiter. Other than Johnson, he'd probably be the best available pitcher. He has the best ERA in baseball! And he's essentially a free agent at the end of the year.
And we could probably get a decent package for Hidalgo, too. Since joining the Mets, he's been great, so we should be able to get a lot more for him than we gave up. Either Oakland or L.A. could use him.