On the Mets beat

This year can't be over quick enough for the Mets, who do not have very fond memories of 2007. On the verge of what Omar Minaya expects to be a championship season -- of course he never specifies division, NL or World Series -- what's your New Year's resolution for the Mets?

I know, I know. Acquire Johan Santana. Besides that. Is there something that has do be done differently with the team as it is presently put together? There is a very real possibility that these are your 2008 Mets -- no Santana, no Joe Blanton and no Erik Bedard. Is this group good enough to win the NL East? I think so. But the team as a whole needs an attitude adjustment, and if they didn't learn from last year's choke job down the stretch, they never will.

Anyway, cheers!

With the Rule V draft over, the mass exodus from the Gaylord Opryland hotel is underway. The Mets selected two righthanded relievers -- Steven Register and Garry Bakker -- and you can scroll down to read more about their picks.

As for the winter meetings, GM Omar MInaya insisted that he was still alive in potential trades for "big names" even as nothing came to fruition here in Nashville. Contrary to some reports, the Mets did have interest in possibly extracting Dontrelle Willis after he was traded to the Tigers, but team officials acknowledged that opportunity is pretty much dead. Johan Santana also seems like a no-go as long as the Mets refuse to include Jose Reyes -- they won't -- and A's GM Billy Beane insisted this morning that is not actively "shopping" any of his pitchers.

So where does that leave the Mets? Next up is the team's holiday party at Shea on Tuesday, and the featured entertainment will be the two 15-game winners -- John Maine and Oliver Perez. Not sure which one is dressing up as Santa. But given the scandalous tabloid rumors about Maine this past week -- since debunked by Maine himself -- some mischevious elf might try to get him to wear the Mrs. Claus suit made famous by Anna Benson.

The Rule V info follows below:

Heard about the WFAN rumor that has the Tigers sending Dontrelle Willis and Pudge Rodriguez to the Mets as a supposed salary dump. Hmm. Not sure why Detroit would do that, after a huge trade that made them the undeniable favorites in the AL Central, but there's a lot of strange stuff flying around here in Nashville. Can't see that happening, though.

The Mets are giving it their best shot with Johan Santana and Erik Bedard, but it looks like neither pitcher will be moved before the end of these meetings tomorrow. Kind of a buzzkill with all the hype heading to Nashville, but that's how it goes at the Winter Meetings sometimes. Don't be surprised if a deal comes together later in the offseason, but the Twins and Orioles could just as easily keep their aces and try again before next year's trade deadline. The A's look like they're standing pat with Dan Haren and Joe Blanton, too.

It's a double-dose of Willie Randolph today. First up was a mid-morning chat with reporters in the media room with a lunch to follow at noon. It's going to be an interesting season for Randolph, who essentially was left in limbo by ownership for 48 hours after the Mets' catastrophic final weekend knocked them out of the playoffs. Randolph still has two years remaining on the contract extension he signed, but GM Omar Minaya wouldn't even commit to bringing him back until he twisted for a few days. For that reason, a fast start will be essential for Randolph this year, and if the Mets slip behind early, it's not crazy to think his job could be in jeopardy by the All-Star break.

Randolph downplayed talk of his job security this morning and said he wouldn't change much in the wake of the September collapse. He still considers his strength the one-on-one communication he has with his players and dismissed talk of tightening the reins this year.

I'm not sure I agree. I think it's time for Randolph to really put his stamp on the team. He put his faith in the players last season and got burned by it. His only recourse now is to be out in front, show a little more fire, and start holding guys accountable. If that means doing it in a public forum, so be it. I didn't see Carlos Delgado standing at a podium after the season having to defend his job in front of his boss, which is exactly what Randolph was forced to do during that news conference he had with Minaya. It wasn't all Randolph's fault the Mets imploded, but he took the fall for it.

Just talked to an American League scout who watched Philip Humber extensively last season and was not impressed. In fact, when his team suggested making a deal for Humber, as part of a package for one of their regular starters, this scout helped shoot it down. While Humber's curve ball is definitely a plus, he's not viewed as a top quality prospect by other clubs, and that's hurting the Mets' efforts to include him in a deal for an elite starter like the Orioles' Erik Bedard or the A's Dan Haren.

Not sure why it was reiterated again in some circles today, but the Orioles already had turned down the Mets' offer of Humber, Carlos Gomez and Aaron Heilman for Bedard. It's believed the Mets' chances would improve by swapping Mike Pelfrey for Humber, but even then, it may not be enough. The Mets appear to be out of any talks for either Haren of Joe Blanton, but they seem to have a faint pulse in ongoing discussions for Bedard.

The Mets remain in the mix for a Hiroki Kuroda, a National League official confirmed this morning, but that same person believed that the Japanese righthander would sign with a West Coast team, and most likely the Mariners. Also the Mets intend to meet with a number of teams later today, so general manager Omar MInaya will have a better feel of where he stands by tonight.

With the Diamondbacks and Tigers now looking to the A's for pitching as well, the Mets could be fading from contention for either Dan Haren and Joe Blanton. Minaya remains focused on Erik Bedard, but there appears to be more than a half-dozen teams involved. The Mets are under the impression that Dontrelle Willis is unavailable for anything less than a ridiculous package of prospects and do not see him as a viable option.

Anyone getting restless out there in Metsville? General manager Omar Minaya certainly did his best to lower expectations shortly after his arrival here yesterday afternoon. Seems like Minaya likes the way his team looks at the moment, even though I'm positive that Mets fans don't share that sentiment. Can this rotation win the NL East?

Pedro Martinez
John Maine
OIiver Perez
Orlando Hernandez
Mike Pelfrey

I guess it's possible, but do you really want to try? Expect some increased activity here on Day 2, but the Mets may need beyond this week to get something done. As for including Ryan Church in any deals, it seems that Minaya truly wants him in rightfield next season. Chatting with the GM in the lobby late last night, he sounded quite happy with Church. But when asked about a righthanded option off the bench, the name of Carlos Gomez never came up. Freudian slip? Could be. Stay tuned.

With general manager Omar Minaya scheduled to update the media today at 4:30 p.m., and a formal announcement of the Mets' participation in the Civil Rights Game to follow, here's what's being talked about in the lobby of the Opryland hotel to this point.

-- Last week's trade of Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider remains a hot topic. But despite the public outcry, not everyone sees it as a blunder by Minaya. One scout who covers the NL East regularly thought it was a "fair" trade for both clubs and believes the Mets are an improved team next year because of it. Really likes Church.

-- Not sure if the Mets are as desperate as some people think. One ESPN report suggested that A's GM Billy Beane would want Carlos Gomez AND Fernando Martinez in a package for Dan Haren. If that's the case, forget it. After trading Milledge last week, there's no way Minaya is sending his two best (and only) outfield prospects for one pitcher. Back in 2002, Minaya did raid the Expos' farm system for Bartolo Colon -- he sent Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee to the Indians -- but he can't be at that stage yet with the Mets. Not after missing the playoffs by one game last year.

-- I'm skeptical that Haren, Blanton or Bedard will be moved unless these prices come down. And there's little reason to think they will. None of them will be a free agent after next season, so there's no sense of urgency to move them. The A's and Orioles could just as easily wait until the All-Star break or next year at this time.

After a little de-icing and waiting for the plows to clear the runway at LaGuardia, we finally took off into the teeth of a steady snowfall this morning en route to Nashville. Winter Meetings, indeed. First impressions of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center: this place is huge.

Not skyscraper huge. More in the sense of squeezing an entire city into five distinct hotel subdivisions. The past few years, in places like Anaheim, Orlando and Dallas, the activity was fairly centralized between the lobby, an adjoining bar and the media workroom. But it's going to be a challenge tracking people down in this place.

Plenty of hotels have some sort of indoor pond or stream. This place has three different bodies of water and I'm not talking a couple of fountains. You need bridges to get across them. Initially I thought a moped or segway scooter would come in handy this week. Now I'm thinking a jet ski. See that photo to the right? They give boat tours in one of the lobbies.

Here's a neat feature for country music fans. You can choose a special wake-up call from your favorite artist, such as Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Kellie Pickler and Wynonna, to name a few. I'm not sure who any of those people are, so I'll settle for the operator. The Mets should do the same thing for their fans at their spring training hotel in Port St. Lucie. I can see having Omar Minaya's voice greeting you with, "Time to wake up! Know what I'm saying?"

... until the Mets open their 2008 Grapefruit League schedule against the Cardinals on Feb. 29 at Tradition Field. Other highlights include a visit by the world champion Red Sox on March 10 and two stopovers by Joe Torre's Dodgers on March 1 and March 5. The Mets also will play an exhibition game against the University of Michigan -- owner Fred Wilpon's alma mater -- on Feb. 26. For the full schedule click here.