Recent Moves
I'm glad the Mets resigned Valentin. If they eventually sign some superior second baseman, Valentin is an excellent utility guy. That said, most of the 2B on the market aren't much better than the man with the mustache. I like the idea of signing a decent platoon partner for Valentin (who sucks from the right side of the plate). If Tony Graffanino is available for a reasonable price, I'd be all over that. The rest of the guys on the market (Aurilia, Loretta, Grudz) probably won't sign unless they're going to play every day.

I'm less thrilled about giving El Duque $12 million for the next 2 years. I'm not convinced he has another 2 years in the tank. It looks like this is going to be an expensive market, so I guess Omar's just making a defensive move to make sure the team has some options.

I like the trade with the Padres. I'm not sure what the Mets see in Jon Adkins, but Ben Johnson is a solid 4th outfielder, and can probably be used in an effective platoon with Green in right field. Heath Bell could wind up having some solid years for the Padres, but he's had some bad moments with the Mets and was never really going to be given much of a chance.

Interesting note on Ben Johnson from the 2005 Prospectus:
"It was July 2000 and Kevin Towers was talking to one of his closest friends in the game, Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty, about a deadline deal. The Cards settled on getting catcher Carlos Hernandez and infielder Nate Tebbs. The Padres would take Heathcliff Slocumb in the deal, plus a minor leaguer. Towers asked for one of two low-minors hitters: Ben Johnson… or Albert Pujols. Jocketty thought it over, then said he'd rather keep Pujols. The rest is history."