I’ll buy into this Bronson Arroyo stuff when I see it. Honestly, at this point, I’ve been burned via hope throughout the last few offseasons and I don’t think I’ve seen anything that has made me believe that the administration will change their tune right now. Chris Young would have been a nice role-player, but the Mets seem to expect him to play a starting role next year…and I’m not too excited about that. I’m preparing myself for another few months of hunting down players near the bargain bin — so on the topic of starting pitching, there’s a guy that the Mets have not been connected to just yet…but they might be down the line.

If he doesn’t re-sign with the Cubs, Scott Baker would be a Sandy Alderson-esque move in terms of adding players who are seeking short-term deals to try and re-establish their worth. Baker made only three starts in 2013, with the Cubs, after recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He was a solid pitcher in Minnesota, with a 4.15 ERA over 958.0 innings, and an overall record of 63-48. He was in the middle of his best year in 2011, with a 3.15 ERA through 21 starts.

Baker seems to make more sense for the Mets because I am already anticipating an excuse from the front office based on the fact that we have young starting pitching knocking on the door. Carlos Torres might find himself on the Mets as a long reliever/spot starter, so the rotation is still not set in stone. Wheeler, Niese, and Gee will fill the first three spots and I’ll happily give the fourth to Mejia — so the fifth can be given to Scott Baker as a quick fix in the meantime. The Mets don’t seem to plan to contend in 2014, so Baker could end up being a nice innings-eater to help smooth the transition to Rafael Montero or Noah Syndergaard.