Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Mets are "diligently monitoring" the market for left-handed hitting outfielders. Crasnick names Rick Ankiel, Johnny Damon, Kosuke Fukudome, Raul Ibanez and Juan Pierre in his report, although it's not clear if they are actually talking to those specific players. For what it's worth, the Mets have at least been linked to Ankiel in the past. There's a surplus among free agent hitters right now, so with spring training rapidly approaching, there's a good chance the Mets will get someone at a bargain rate.