Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and the $150M Budget

Walk with me for a minute Mets fans.

First, let's take a stroll through Citi Field. My apologies for the weather.

Look at the fences...look at the dimensions...look at the beautiful architecture.

Is this a dream? Are Mets fans really deserving of all this largess?

Now close your eyes for a moment....think of the warm Florida breezes in February and March. Think about the hiss of the fastball and the popping of the glove. The crack as bat meets ball. The infield and dugout chatter. Now picture opening day and a beautiful 2009 in this new cathedral in Queens.

They are the sweet sounds and smells of baseball.

Now think about a Mets starting rotation of:

Johan Santana
Derek Lowe
Oliver Perez
John Maine
Mike Pelfrey

How truly wonderful would that be? Could it be a reality? If so, what would it take? Think about that rotation, together, for the next 3+ years.

Can the Mets afford to add another $25M to the payroll? Didn't they have a ton of money come off the books from the $138M they spent last year?

Haven't they lost the services of Pedro Martinez and his $12M a year? Moises Alou at $7.5M a year? El Duque at $7M a year? Jorge Sosa and his $2M a year? Scott Schoeneweis and his $3.6M a year?

Sure they locked down KRod and JJ Putz, and that cost $18M a year, but is there not room for more?

Was $138M last year really the most the Mets will spend?

If you could have those 5 starters--3 power pitchers, 3 righty's and 2 lefty's, a wonderful mix of youth and prime, fastballs, slider, curveballs, changeups and sinkers, locked up for 3+ years, would you do it? Could you do it? Should you do it?

The answer is yes, and the possibility is more real than the papers would have you believe.