5 belated holiday gifts NY Mets fans will gladly accept from David Stearns

5) A center fielder not named Tyrone Taylor

Finally, we’re asking for the belated gift of a Tyrone Taylor alternative. Don’t run to the store and pick up a Jose Siri level player, though. Go big! Get Luis Robert Jr. before he goes somewhere else. Robert has his flaws and yet the match with the Mets only needing to commit to him for one year at the most makes him way too perfect.

Robert would, if nothing else, give the Mets speed and defense in center field. He’s actually the exact type of player the Mets have employed at the position even in down years like he has been too accustomed to having. The trouble here is agreeing on how much salary the Chicago White Sox will eat and convincing the Mets to part with enough in a trade to win his rights.

Beyond Robert, many of the other trade options are missing something or purely speculative. We know the Mets love defense in center field. Could they reunite with Harrison Bader? He had the kind of year where he’d probably cost them two years and over $20 million easily. It doesn’t seem to fit into what they’re doing this offseason.

Taylor as the Opening Day center fielder only works if the Mets deliver in a big way everywhere else. They should have some sort of a backup plan. This might be one of the greatest challenges as it has routinely not worked out.