Never let it be said the Mets are only concerned with peddling shirts no one wants ; over the past two days, they’ve inked former Red GM Wayne Krivsky to augment the super talent that is Omar Minaya, signed backup backstop Chris Coste, and re-upped with utility IF Alex Cora. It’s the third of those transactions the New York Daily News’ Jesse Spector finds most questionable, scoffing, “either their financial picture isn™t as bleak as has been presented, or the Mets just spent $1.5 million too much to fill a roster spot that demanded a minimum-salary player.”

Cora is a versatile infielder, a disciplined hitter, a solid clubhouse presence and a savvy guy with the media. And the Mets are insane for making this deal.

The last time that Cora played triple-digit games in a season was 2004 with the Dodgers. He has a .313 career on-base percentage, is 34 years old and coming off surgery on both of his thumbs. He™s hit one home run in the last two seasons combined and has an OPS+ of 70 for the last four seasons.

The Mets have switch-hitters at Cora™s two natural positions of shortstop and second base, so it™s not as if he™s going to be up for a platoon. If he has 308 plate appearances as he did this year, it will mean that another season in Flushing has been spoiled by injuries.