K-Rod’s mugshot. (via @M11sanman)

Looking ahead to the offseason, I have totaled up the numbers of the contracts for players that are on the books for next season. The most interesting part of it is the fact that it only takes seven players for the Mets to exceed the $100 million mark.

Johan Santana: $22.5 million

Carlos Beltran: $18.5 million

Jason Bay: $16 million

David Wright: $14 million

Oliver Perez: $12 million

Francisco Rodriguez: $11.5 million

Luis Castillo: $6 million

The Mets total payroll for 2010 was only about $126 million!

Not only is this a starting point for the offseason, but the Mets still have to figure out what to do with four key players in Jose Reyes ($11 million club option, $500,000 buyout), Pedro Feliciano (FA), Angel Pagan (Arb. Eligible), and Mike Pelfrey (Arb. Eligible).

Whether it be Omar Minaya or a new general manager, they are going to have the huge task of finding ways to remove some of these high-priced veteran players that should not be on the team (Perez, Castillo, etc).

The Mets can choose to non-tender Jeff Francoeur, as he earned $5 million in 2010 in arbitration and will again be arbitration eligible this year. John Maine’s $3.3 million will almost certainly be off the books next season as well. The Mets also still owe $1 million to Gary Matthews Jr. in 2011.

It’s quite simple. The Mets have their work cut out for them this offseason. Fans are demanding changes and something will need to be done.

Submitted by Dave Rosado

Well, the day has finally arrived: Opening Day. I don’t even remember the last time the Mets played a game that mattered (we all know nothing after July really did last year), so today’s game was that much sweeter. Here are a few random thoughts I had during today’s Mets win over the Marlins:

• Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God BASEBALL’S BACK.
• That out there was what Johan Santana pitches like when he’s not sharp. Unreal. What a great pitcher who’s a joy to watch.
• The “new” Mets contributed in a big way today. Welcome to New York, guys!
• Is there anybody in baseball that needed a first at-bat homer more than David Wright?
• We all know the Marlins can do two things: 1) Hit the baseball (well, usually), and 2) Play some god-awful defense. I mean… wow.
• The Mets FINALLY beat Josh Johnson.
• Did anybody else’s heart stop when the Mets failed to score with the bases loaded and less than 2 out? Again?
• It was good to see Francisco Rodriguez out on the mound and looking sharp after the trying episode with his brother back home. I hope everyone involved in the accident recovers fully.
• The Mets own Opening Day.

So, baseball’s back folks, and it’s about damn time. Any thoughts you’d like to share on today’s game and the team in general? Don’t hesitate to post them in the comments.

From Adam Rubin…

Francisco Rodriguez was taken my ambulance to a Boston hospital after the game to get checked out, in obvious discomfort from back spasms that struck him while running pregame.

“I’ve never experienced some pain like the way that I have right now,” K-Rod said. “I’ve been struggling even to walk. Tomorrow is another day. We’ll see how my body responds for tomorrow.

“The first time I had that,” he continued. “It came out of nowhere. I was getting my running in. I stopped in the middle of the way because I felt my back tighten up on me. I came in here to get some treatment. The chiropractor tried to make some adjustments, and it made it a lot worse. It got to the point that I was on the table for like an hour and I couldn’t even move. It’s been a really tough day.

“We’ll see how the back responds tomorrow,” he said. “Otherwise we’ll get some shot or whatever will make it a lot better, because right now it’s real painful.”

Said Jerry Manuel: “We were all sitting here and there was a crowd of people standing around. I said, ‘What’s going on?’ They said it was Frankie, so we’ll see where he is tomorrow. He was kind of trying to right himself on the table.”

via NY Post

BOSTON — There was a wild scene outside the Mets’ clubhouse after tonight’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox when closer Frankie Rodriguez collapsed from back spasms and required medical attention.

Rodriguez suffered the back spasms — the first of his career, he said — while running in pregame warmups and was unavailable to pitch the ninth inning.

The Mets gave K-Rod muscle relaxers, but he collapsed shortly after trying to leave the clubhouse on his power. Rodriguez started weeping from the pain after being helped into a golf cart, and a stretcher and EMTs were called to the scene.

Team officials then closed the gate in front of Rodriguez, preventing reporters for further observing the scene.