Sherman On The Mets

Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to Mets GM Omar Minaya yesterday, gaining insight on the team’s plans for the second half.

• If Ryan Church is able to return (the Mets are cautiously optimistic), the Mets will focus on a righty-hitting left fielder.  Raul Ibanez is a lefty, while the prospect price on Matt Holliday and Xavier Nady seems prohibitive.  I assume the same applies to Jason Bay.  Sherman has mentioned Austin Kearns in the past; he could make sense.
• The price on Brian Fuentes and similar relievers is also apparently too high.  Minaya might prefer not to further deplete the farm system.
• The Mets could elect to solve their problems from within – Minaya suggested Jon Niese and Fernando Martinez could be in the bigs next month. 
• Minaya’s recent history of midseason acquisitions – Luis Castillo and Jeff Conine in ’07, Orlando Hernandez, Shawn Green, Guillermo Mota, Roberto Hernandez, and Oliver Perez in ’06.  Over his career, Minaya has dealt often with Indians GM Mark Shapiro.