Scratch another catcher off the list – Mike Napoli has signed a 3-year, $39M deal with the Boston Red Sox. What might this mean for the Mets?

In today’s edition of “Would you …?” we discuss the fantasy of trading R.A. Dickey to the Boston Red Sox.

As you know, the Mets could use a catcher — preferably one that can catch, throw, and hit a bit. Ideally, such a backstop would also be on the young side.

Enter Ryan Lavarnway.

If you haven’t heard of Lavarnway, here are the basic details: 6’4, 225 lbs., 25 years old, righthanded hitter who hit 32 homeruns with a .390 OBP and 1.002 OPS in the minors in 2011. That wasn’t necessarily a surprise — he led all D-1 hitters in batting and slugging as a college sophomore and set the Ivy League record for career homeruns. Lavarnway is a graduate of Yale, so he might be relatively intelligent. All scouting reports on him boast about his hard work ethic and discipline. Sounds good, right? Would you be willing to trade R.A. Dickey for someone who appears to be the next Johnny Bench — if the Red Sox would be willing to part with him? Not so fast.

So, last night I was watching Bob Costas’ “Studio 42” interview with Pedro Martinez. One of the discussion points was Pedro’s leaving Boston for the Mets, and Martinez made very clear that he wanted very much to stay in Boston, and would have passed on Omar Minaya’s 4-year offer for a 3-year deal from the Red Sox, had Larry Lucchino not “waited till the last minute” / presented the contract so late in the process (according to Pedro, it was within 15 minutes before the deadline).

I vaguely remembered this turn of events, but hearing it again — and now with the benefit of hindsight — I really have to wonder: what if Lucchino had made that 3-year offer earlier, and Pedro re-signed with the Bosox? How might that have changed the course of history for the New York Mets?

The New York Mets received crushing news when Cody Ross announced he came to an agreement to play for the big bad Boston Red Sox in 2012.

According to various rumor mills, the Mets were hot on the trail of Ross, who can play all three outfield positions and occasionally hits the ball over the fence. However, those freewheeling, big-spending Red Sox swept in and stole Ross from right under the Mets noses.

What do you think? Do you see this news as some kind of omen — a sign that the Mets are in for a difficult 2012 season? Can the Mets switch gears quickly enough to find another fourth outfielder? If so, who is left on the market that they might pursue — and can afford? Answer in the comments.

In case you haven’t heard, former Mets utilityman Bobby Valentine has been chosen by the Boston Red Sox to be their manager in 2012.

Valentine also managed the Mets at one point — if memory serves correctly, he was in the dugout the last time the Mets went to the World Series.

Personally, I’m thrilled to see Bobby V. back in MLB as a skipper, and believe he’s a good fit for Boston right now. His love for the spotlight will take pressure off the Red Sox players, and his hands-on, disciplinarian approach is the right contrast to follow the laid-back Terry Francona. The question is how long before Bobby rubs the Boston media the wrong way — a few months? a year? He’ll surely butt heads with a few of the current Bosox players; I’m betting on John Lackey to be the first to lock horns with Bobby V. But jeez louise, if Valentine could lead a team like the 2000 Mets to 94 wins and a World Series, what will he do with REAL talent? If nothing else, it will be interesting to watch.

What say you? Will you be following Bobby Valentine’s exploits in Boston? Rooting for, or against? Do you wish he was back in Flushing? Why or why not?

Carlos Beltran is starting to sound a lot like K-Rod nowadays.

He recently told the Boston Herald of his feelings toward being traded to the Red Sox.

They’re in first place. It’s a no-brainer. Boston is a great team. Like I say man, the Mets know that I have made it clear to them , I’m willing to listen if they want to trade me. All I want to be is on a team that has a chance to go to the playoffs. I know that there are a lot of teams out there having a good season.

I think we all can understand that baseball is a business but where is the loyalty with these players nowadays? Reyes is saying all of the right things as far as his feelings toward staying with the Mets while K-Rod (who is now gone) and Beltran have already put one foot (or shoddy knee) out of the door. K-Rod couldn’t out of New York fast enough — as he made crystal clear — and now Beltran is following suit.

If you were riding the Carlos Beltran – to – Boston rollercoaster on Wednesday, it’s time to get off — the Red Sox have agreed to sign Carl Crawford to a 7-year, $142M contract.

So, no need for the Bosox to acquire Beltran. Additionally, the wild fantasy of seeing Crawford play in a park built for him — Citi Field — is also squashed (not that there was ever a shred of possibility of it happening).

If you are standing, please sit down — this is big news.

OK, are you sitting securely? Hang on … the Mets … have signed …

Boof Bonser.

Go ahead, change your shorts; no doubt you lost control of all bodily systems as a result of the excitement.

In all seriousness, it’s true — the Mets have signed the former Twins prospect to a minor-league deal. Bonser showed great promise with a power arm after being acquired from the Giants with Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano in the trade for A.J. Pierzynski, but he never quite lived up to expectations and had major, reconstructive shoulder surgery that caused him to miss all of 2009. He came back with the Red Sox last year, but continued to have shoulder issues and was eventually released, then picked up by the A’s, for whom he appeared in 13 games and did not pitch well.

If Bonser is completely healthy — which is questionable — he might provide some depth in AAA. It would take a minor miracle for him to make the big club, considering his shoulder issues and the fact that he simply was not very good before the surgery.

Though, he has a very early-Mets-history kind of name … he’d fit right in with the likes of Choo Choo Coleman, Pumpsie Green, Marvelous Marv E. Throneberry, and Vinegar Bend Mizell. BTW, “Boof” is his real name, as far as I can tell. Is it me, or does “Boof Bonser” sound like a goofball character on Howdy Doody? OK, you youngins may relate better to “The Simpsons” … whatever, isn’t it difficult to take a guy seriously whose name is “Boof Bonser”?

For an interesting discussion about the seriousness of Mr. Bonser, you can listen to this podcast.

In any case, he’s ours now, so I wish him well and hope for the best.