Even before Carlos Delgado flew to New York for an MRI and was diagnosed with an impingement in his hip, Mets fans had plenty of reason to be concerned about their veteran first baseman. Delgado’s .258 AVG, 24 homers, and 87 RBI in ‘07 were the lowest totals of his career as a regular player in the major leagues. You have to go back to the 1995 season in which Delgado appeared in just 37 games for the Blue Jays to find a less productive offensive year for the formerly-feared slugger.

Not only did Delgado’s bat look slow last season, his pitch recognition deteriorated to the point where he seemed to be guessing on every swing. And while the prideful veteran supposedly spent the offseason rehabbing from surgery and concentrating on adjustments he can make at the plate this season, early returns this spring have not been encouraging. I’m no scout, but during a spring training contest last week even I could recognize Delgado’s hideous check swing on a breaking ball in the dirt as a sign that 2008 seems destined to resemble 2007 far more closely than 2006 (.265 | 38 HR | 114 RBI).

If I’m wrong, and Delgado is able to return to form, the Mets are nearly assured of a monster season. But if I’m right, and Delgado can no longer suitably protect David Wright and Carlos Beltran in the order, it creates a crippling chain reaction to this lineup. If the Mets are forced to bat Moises Alou fifth as they did toward the end of last season, it stacks lefties Delgado, Ryan Church, and Brian Schneider at the bottom of the order. Moreover, when Alou misses time due to injury, as he surely will, it leaves the heart of the order completely exposed.

So what’s a GM to do? Well, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard criticism that the Met roster is too left-handed this season. Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise that these early bumps and bruises are forcing the team to think hard about potentially bringing in some right-handed reinforcements.

On his blog for ESPN, Buster Olney writes that the Mets “need to add someone who could play first base on a regular basis, if necessary, and there are no shortage of interesting candidates.” Olney lists Nick Johnson, Scott Hatteberg, Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, and Kevin Millar as possible targets. Of that group, I would heartily endorse the acquisition of Millar, and Buster agrees. Writes Olney:

Millar might be, in the big picture, the best possible fit. If necessary, he could play every day: He was in the lineup for 140 games last year, accumulating a .354 on-base percentage and 17 homers. The Orioles might actually welcome a deal, in the midst of a rebuilding mode, and would not drive a hard bargain the way that Washington might. If Delgado is OK to play but needs more rest, Millar could be a platoon player. He hit eight of his 17 homers in 140 at-bats against left-handers. And there is another reason why Millar might be perfect for the Mets — when he’s playing, he is renowned as one of the great clubhouse guys in baseball, someone who can draw together disparate factions of any team. He is known as someone who can help a team prepare to play on a daily basis, because of his high energy. While Delgado and Carlos Beltran are two guys who aren’t really drawn to the role of dealing with the media, Millar thrives in that role, which would be great help to David Wright.

Perhaps I’m biased as someone who lived in Boston from 2000-2005, but Millar would seem to be a perfect fit for this team. His defense, while subpar, is no worse than that of Delgado, and he can also play a little bit in the outfield. He still has some thump in his bat, particularly against left-handers, and most importantly, he would be an invaluable addition to a clubhouse that was rumored to be fractured at points during last season.

During 2003 and 2004 seasons, a lot of ink was dedicated to the impact Millar had on the room upon his arrival in Boston. He is an up-beat and jovial loud-mouth whose affable personality endears him to teammates of all cultures and classes. During his tenure with the Sox he was embraced by guys like Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez as well as guys like Curt Schilling and Jason Varitek. He was widely credited with pulling all corners of the clubhouse together. He is the anti-Paul Lo Duca. The anti-Julio Franco. And he just happens to fill a major need on this Mets ball club.

So think it over, Omar. HSNY gives you our stamp of approval. Cowboy Up!