It's hard to argue with Mets General Manager Omar Minaya's overall track record, from revamping the bullpen with two All Star caliber closers, to landing Johan Santana when the team was in dire need of an ace; for the most part when the Mets have needed him to step up, he's been clutch.
But even Omar admits the contract for second baseman Luis Castillo was a mistake. And in a buyer's market where teams are getting a lot better bang for their buck, the $18 million still tied up in Luis Castillo continues to cost the Mets in more ways than one.
Even before the economy started knocking zeroes off the checks going to all non-Yankees targeted baseball players, Castillo was overpaid; his $6 million salary was commensurate with young All Stars like Chase Utley and Brandon Phillips, his productivity was not.
In this year's recessed economy, however, the deal looks all the more reckless as the money being directed to baseball's middle class has shrunk to the point of looking like, well, a Luis Castillo power binge; which is to say basically non-existent.
Consider two comparables: David Eckstein, who was the Mets other second base target the year of the Castillo gaffe, was signed by the Padres for a cool $850,000. And Marcus Giles, a player who, like Luis, was All Star caliber a few years ago before falling off the map of relevancy due to injury and lethargic play. He just signed a minor league deal with, who else, the Phillies to place-hold for Utley at the start of the year. That's two players with similar risk-reward ratios to Castillo signed for under $1million, at one year apiece, versus a comittment to the 32-year old Castillo for three years and $18 million. D'oh!
Now throw in losing Derek Lowe to the divisional rival Braves for underbidding, and the likelihood of impact bats like Manny Ramirez and Adam Dunn signing at a huge discount, and that money wasted yesterday is now doubly squandered by the Mets losing out on the sales of today.
The Mets have improved this offseason, but the Braves have improved as well. And while the Phillies have stayed put, their status quo left them with a World Series last season. Alas, if only the Mets had a little more money to play with they could have possibly distinguished themselves from the rest of the division.
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As is, Castillo could still redeem himself, and the Mets could make the playoffs, but if he doesn't, and the Mets fall short, his signing could prove to be the equivalent of Minaya pulling a Bill Buckner: sure we know he's a good guy with a solid track record of success, but he'll only be remembered for the one tragic bonehead mistake that cost his team a World Series.
