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The Mets should not enter the bidding for Alex Rodriguez this offseason, no matter what anyone says.

No. No, no, no, no, no, no. It's just not a good idea.

And it's not because of his supposed tendency to choke in the playoffs or his overblown egocentrism or his "24 and 1" reputation. Frankly, he's the best player in the game right now and the best player of his generation. Bar none. He'll likely break Barry Bonds' home-run record* with whatever team he next signs with and he'll certainly be a valuable player for the foreseeable future.

He simply doesn't make any sense for the Mets.

I think a good amount of the talk I've seen in reports around the city is just one last attempt to cash in on the sensationalism that surrounds A-Rod and inevitably sells papers. Because if you look at those articles, you'll find no concrete evidence that suggests the Mets are actually considering something so monumentally silly.

A-Rod's going to cost money. Big money. The type of money that could easily pay for a solid starter, a strong reliever, a starting catcher and a starting second baseman. Those are all things the Mets need right now. You know what they don't need? A shortstop or a third baseman -- the two spots A-Rod is qualified to play. Those positions are filled by a pair of young All-Stars, if you haven't noticed.

Sure, there's talk about moving either Jose Reyes or David Wright to second base to accommodate A-Rod. Wright has even said he'd switch positions. But just because Wright says it's OK doesn't mean the Mets should do it. After all, the team must remember what happened when it moved Reyes to second to make room for Kaz Matsui -- he struggled both in the field and at the plate and spent much of the season banged up.

Maybe Wright could handle the switch, but it's not like a double-play pivot is something innate to all baseball players. And though Wright is a consummate professional, he's still young enough for struggles in the field to affect his game offensively. That's not something the Mets -- or their fans -- should want to risk.

And don't come at me with the "trade Reyes" talk. Shouldn't happen. There has not been a worse time in the past five years to trade the Prince of Thieves. After his late-season swoon and questions about his attitude involving The Collapse, Reyes is at the low point of his value. It's a simple matter of economics, and one I've reiterated on any number of occasions. You don't sell low and buy high. It's bad business, no matter what your field. And that's exactly what the Mets would be doing if they traded Reyes to make room for A-Rod.

Finally, what no one seems to be writing about is how little sense the Mets make for A-Rod. Why would a guy who's been thrown in front of the proverbial bus by the New York fans and media on numerous occasions be so eager to continue playing under that scrutiny? If he were going to keep playing in Gotham, he almost certainly would have done so with the team that could give him the most money and the most exposure: the one that plays in the Bronx.

So I'll make this the last time I rap on this matter until there's anything more definite on the supposed pursuit. I guess the reason it bothers me so much is that deep down, there's some part of me that badly wants to see what A-Rod looks like in a Mets uniform. As a fan of the team, I can't help it. After all -- and like I said -- he's the best player of his generation. But from every reasonable standpoint, it's not something I can justify.