According to ESPN 1050, the Mets are thinking about Jarrod Washburn.

Now I’m not sure exactly what they’re thinking about Jarrod Washburn. Maybe they’re thinking, “hey, would you look at that, Jarrod Washburn has really put together a respectable, if unspectacular, Major League career.” Or maybe they’re thinking that he looks a little like Kiefer Sutherland.

If they’re thinking he’d be a nice fit for their team in 2010, as the ESPN 1050 item suggests, color me unenthused.

Washburn has been, pretty consistently, among the most fly-ball heavy pitchers in the Majors. This worked out extremely well for him while he was with the Mariners last season, since they were fielding an outstanding outfield defense behind him.

This would, presumably, not work out as well for the Mets, assuming Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur can’t cover the ground that Franklin Gutierrez and Ichiro Suzuki do. Spoiler alert: They can’t.

Is Washburn the worst pitcher in the world? Far from it. He’s a guy. He’s just not particularly good either, and he’s 35, and he’s coming off two straight seasons shortened by injury.

And I’m not certain he’s much of an upgrade over any number of guys they already have in house.

Sam Borden wrote a nice column for SNY.tv about what Johan Santana’s 25-pitch bullpen session means, and the optimism it brings to Mets and their fans. He writes:

There is still nothing more pleasing for the Mets fan than seeing Santana back healthy. Nothing more pleasing than seeing their star with a smile on his face.

At the absolute minimum, he’s something exquisite to watch every fifth day, a distraction from the frustrations of losing. At the absolute pinnacle, he’s the lynchpin of a miracle run.

Right now, he’s just possibility. Optimism. Hope. That might seem crazy to some people, and maybe it is. But at the end of a long, hard winter, six minutes can feel like so much more.

I’m with Sam. And there’s something about Santana that seems to bring out the liveliest language.

When I think about the Mets’ offseason and outlook for 2010, I am gloomy. When I think about Santana pitching, I am happy. He makes me excited to watch baseball again.