I checked out Ken Davidoff's latest column for Newsday yesterday, which was advice to Omar Minaya for how to improve the team next year. 

For the most part, the column is good, with praise for keepng Willie Randolph and some of Minaya's minor trades and dealings, the only one two under issue being Luis Castillo and Moises Alou.  However, his advice for how to improve the team is...flawed to say the least.

Much like my recent Steve Phillips rant, this one is more of a trashing o####uy that really has no idea what the hell he is talking about.

Let's see his advice to improve the Mets:

Trade Aaron Heilman, Lastings Milledge, Kevin Mulvey and a lower-level prospect to the A's for Dan Haren.

What the hell? 

Okay, first off, Davidoff rightly tells Minaya he's got no chance for Johan Santana.  However, he forgets to tell him that he's got no chance to scoring Haren either.

Haren is a legitimate top of the rotation starter that is signed for a very affordable amount of money, $4 million in 2008, $5.5 million in 2009 and $6.75 million (team option) in 2010.  He is also not going to be had for this package.  It's not enough.

Heilman is a okay setup man and Milledge can be a superstar.  But Mulvey is merely a decent starting pitching prospect, maybe a Number Two or Three, more likely a Number Four, and unless the Mets are including Fernando Martinez or Carlos Gomez as the lower level prospect, this package isn't near enough.

Beane is likely going to look for a package similar to what the Twins are asking for Santana, three prospects near ready to play full time.  There are several teams that could easily beat the Mets' offer, notably the Rangers and Mariners, who could offer better prospects than the Mets ever could. 

Sorry Ken.

I'll detail Haren's price in a future On The Block.