All hell is breaking with the Mets as we have learned that Carlos Beltran has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to relieve osteoarthritis. From reports it looks like Beltran has been working out to be in shape for spring training and started to feel pain in his knee.

The biggest story is not just the surgery but it seems Beltran did this on his own going to his own doctor, Dr Richard Stedman in Colorado. It’s unacceptable for a player to not let the team know he’s going for surgery and to make it worse, he doesn’t use the team’s physician. This just cements the feeling that the Mets players have no faith in the Mets medical staff.

Now this is not end of the world news as Beltran will be out about 3 months so for the first month of the season Angel Pagan can handle centerfield, so there is no need for the organization to make a panic move for a centerfielder.

What this does though is make you question how the organization looks at Beltran in regard to not coming to the team about his knee and using an outside doctor to perform the surgery and how does this effect Beltran to getting an extension of his contract, something he has been hinting at.

Since this news is still breaking, I’ll have some more on it tomorrow

Now that we amateur GM’s are ready to get down to business fortifying the Mets roster for 2010, the one item that is marked ESSENTIAL is The Bill James Handbook for 2010 (published by ACTA Sports). The Handbook is loaded with stats and leader boards that you would hope the front office is studying like it was the college boards.

As bad as the Mets season has been there were a few (surprise) Amazin’s who were ranked in the top 10 in some important categories for the 2009 season like Angel Pagan:

Angel Pagan-4^th in the NL for most Triples (11)

                      9^th in NL Leadoff Hitters OBP (.358)

                      4^th in NL OPS by CF’er

If Pagan had some semblance of baseball instinct and the ability to stay healthy the search for the everyday LF’er would be a moot point.

Digits like this and much more are in the Handbook. You can get your copy by going to Acta Sports or at the book store or online vendor of your choice. When you’re curled up by the hot stove this winter, your 2010 Bill James Handbook will leave you with that toasty feeling.

I see I struck a nerve with my Billy Joel comments but like I say his is not the kind of music I listen to and it’s pretty weak to plat th elast concert at Shea and be a New Yorker and give in to Phillyfans by wearing thier colors.

Speaking of Philly fans there were a lot of them in the Magic Kingdom all of them in thier new Phillies cap andnew shirts all bandwaggon jumpers.

Tons of Rays fans as you wouls suspect and many Cardinal fans but the biggest group here are the English soccer fans with Everton the team most fancy.

GTG later

Looks like the shake up we have been looking for will be internal as OP, Angel P and Jon Neise are ready to pitch in and F-Mart goes back to Buffalo and Tim Redding and Fernando Nieve go back to obscurity.

I’m sorry I’m missing Manny Being Manny in Flushing tonight and you can boo him and call him a cheat but if he were the Mets left fielder life would be a lot easier and first palce would be closer to reality than a pipe dream.

Time to cook lunch yummmmmmm sloppy joes while standing ankle deep  in mud

After offering the bidding Sunday night with a 2-year deal for around $24 million, the club has upped the offer guartanteeing the third year to make it a $36 million contract.

With Mets COO Jeff Wilpon on the trip with Omar Minaya, the Mets seemed determined to come away with a closer and Rodriguez is the best one on the market. Originally the former Angel wanted a five year contract worth about $75 million, but because the closer market was satuated, the Mets seemed willing to wait as the money dropped.

Now after two meeting with Rodriguez and agent Paul Kinzer, the price seems to be in the Mets comfort zone and by getting him so cheaply, it opens up doors for the club to revamp the entire bullpen, which was one of the worst in the National League last season.

Last season, the free agent reliever went 2-3 with a 2.24 ERA and a Major League record 62 saves.

A deal may be announced later today.