Mets sign OF Chris Young and Curtis Granderson....Hopefully the first of a few moves aimed at building a better lineup

 As we head into the 2014 baseball season, the main question facing NY
Met's GM Sandy Alderson is how are they going to upgrade the offense?
Their first "major" move was the signing of former All Star Outfielder
Chris Young  to a one year
$7.25 Million dollar contract. The 30 year old Young is coming off a sub par year with the Oakland A's. Although he seems
to have plateaued as a player, Young does bring power, speed,and a good
glove to the outfield. He is good for 20-25 HR's, 20 SB's and 30 plus
doubles if playing full time. I think that the fact that it is only a one year deal makes it worth the risk. Along with Juan Lagares and Curtis Granderson, the Mets would have an excellent defensive outfield. With the price
for established starting position players exceeding 10 mil a year, Young may prove to be a bargain. Let us hold judgment to see

what else the Mets do to improve their lineup. As you can see by the numbers below The Mets need some more sticks. Based on career numbers, one can assume that
Young will help improve the outfield power production while contributing on the base-paths and defense. However, I don't think this was the type of signing
that most Met's fans were hoping for. With outfielders like Curtis Granderson, Nelson Cruz, and Jacoby Ellsbury still available, Met fans were hoping
to land a proven performer and not one of the usual suspects that we have become accustomed to the last 4 years.
What makes things especially frustrating is when the crosstown Yankees go out and sign a Brian McCann, or The Cardinal address their weakness at SS by signing Jhonny Peralta for four years.
While I don't want the team to spend money frivolously on free agents, the teams hierarchy has to realized the market for these players, and that there is no such thing as a risk free signing.
We must take chances on players that have a proven track record preferably under the age of 32. When you look at the 2013 tables below, you see a real deficiency at a number of positions and places in the lineup. Lets look at each position/place and figure out what
we need to do.

Update Alert: Mets Sign Curtis Granderson to 4 year 60 Million dollar deal....

Well this helps to add more power to the middle of the lineup. While Curtis strikes out a ton, he also can get on via the walk and he brings a well rounded athletic package to spacious CitiField. He should be able to take advantage of the power alleys to hit some doubles and triples while still hitting 25+ Hr's. A much needed addition.

Catcher

I think a realistic forecast would have Met's catchers improving in both Avg., OBP., with slugging a big question mark. With the loss of John Buck via trade, the team can only hope that Travis d'Arnaud hit .260-.275 with some extra base power.
Anthony Recker can expect a slight increase of plate appearances, and may be able to crack double digit HR's after hitting 6 in only 135 AB's. The Mets need to add a veteran starter to compete with Recker in Spring Training.
The .219/.288/.366 slash line just wasn't good enough.

First Base

OBP was the lone bright spot for the team last year. Ike Davis regressed to the point of now being thought as needing a change of scenery. A sub .400 Slugging percentage from a corner infield spot is not acceptable at the Major League level. What do The Mets do? This is probably Sandy's toughest challenge. Do they give Ike one more year? Remember Mike Jacobs? What about Lucas Duda? He has a very similar skill set as Davis. Power, walks, and a low BA. If money were no object, could the Mets sign a guy like Nelson Cruz to play First Base? I am willing to give Ike Davis one more year.

Second Base

To trade or not to trade? That is the question. Daniel Murphy had a very solid 2013. He is solid in the clubhouse and is a "gamer" who cares about the game. He is a very streaky hitter who winds up with adequate numbers offensively. He has above average power (40 doubles and 10-15 hr's), has improved tremendously in the field while working hard at turning the double play but he lacks instinct. His aggressiveness on the basepaths will occasionally have him run into outs. He has actually become very adept at stealing bases where he had a surprising total of 23. Eric Young could be an option if they decide to trade Murphy.

Short Stop

This is an area that must be addressed. If The Mets don't go out and trade for a SS, then Ruben Tejada must have a bounce back year. The numbers .215/.285/.276 are ugly.

Third Base

David Wright had a solid season but needs help in the lineup and has to stay healthy. He is now 31 and has missed at least 50 games in two of the last three years. Injuries may start to be a concern.Top hitting prospect Wilmer Flores played thru injuries during his call up while Wright was on the DL and The Mets must find a way to get him some at bats

Outfield

Curtis Granderson signing for 4/60M, essentially replaces the production that Marlon Byrd gave the Mets in 2013. He has a solid glove, runs well and offers a decent walk rate. High K's are a concern so I think The teams next big bat acquisition should be an under 125 strikeout a year guy . Eric Young (NL SB leader) was a pleasant surprise with the glove in left field. His speed gave the Mets an added dimension. Granderson, Young, Lagares and Chris Young would give the Mets a very good defensive outfield. My choice would be to call the Dodgers and see what they would want for a guy like Matt Kemp.

Starting Staff

Jonathan Niese, Dillon Gee, and Zach Wheeler are a solid threesome. The farm may offer help with either top pitching prospects Rafael Montero (Who has pitched with success at AAA) or Noah Syndergaard (Considered the better prospect but with only 11 AA starts). Last years back end of the rotation signing of Shaun Marcum was a bust and they need to find someone to log 200 innings. Let's hope they go after an established (think Bronson Arroyo or Bartolo Colon) healthy starter and not the crap shoot of a pitcher coming off injury.

Update....Mets sign Bartolo Colon to a two year/20 Million dollar deal!

Well the Mets just changed the perception of the team with this move. Adding a pitcher that finished 6th in the Cy Young voting makes the team relevant again. While they still have two huge holes to fill (Shortstop and the bullpen) at least they didn't stop with the Granderson signing. They have a acquired a pitcher that  pounds the plate with his fastball and can give you a chance to win every time out. Switching leagues and not having to face the DH should help Colon continue to have success. Now of course he doesn't come without risks. A 2012 PED suspension and the fact that he is overweight and 41 years old will scare some fans. All we need is for him to stay healthy. 

Bullpen

Before his season ended with neck surgery, Bobby Parnell showed some maturity as a closer and the hopes are that he return in 2014 as a legitimate end of game option. The loss of veteran LaTroy Hawkins must be filled. Vic Black, acquired in the Marlon Byrd trade may be a late inning option. Former prospects Jeurys Familia, and Jenry Mejia are recovering from surgeries and may be ready to help in either the bullpen or as a fifth starter. The Mets would do well to find another established veteran closer to join forces with Parnell. How about opening the wallets for a guy like Grant Balfour or Fernando Rodney?

Bench

With the non tender of Justin Turner and Omar Quintanilla, you could expect Josh Satin and Wilmer Flores to step into utility roles. Zach Lutz is also a candidate to make the team as a back up infielder. Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Matt Den Dekker are very good defensive outfielders who may stick depending on if the Mets deal a Lagares. 

 

2013 New York Mets Hitting Stats by Position

Split           G GS   PA   AB   R   H  2B 3B HR RBI SB CS  BB  SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS   
as C             162  658  593  60 130  21  0 22  84  1  2  51 160 .219 .288 .366 .654  
as 1B            162  694  582  77 136  33  0 15  59  8  3 102 171 .234 .353 .368 .721  
as 2B            162  729  689  91 195  40  5 15  81 18  3  33 100 .283 .316 .421 .736  
as 3B            162  716  634  81 184  35  6 20  80 17  4  71 130 .290 .365 .459 .824  
as SS            162  653  586  49 126  23  2  3  40  5  1  55 105 .215 .285 .276 .561  
as LF            162  730  639  83 155  32  5 14  51 37  8  75 137 .243 .327 .374 .701  
as CF            162  680  632  58 140  29  6 13  66 12  6  35 165 .222 .267 .348 .615  
as RF            162  705  640  78 160  31  7 23  92  9  6  49 182 .250 .308 .428 .736  
as DH             10   43   41   4  11   2  0  1   5  1  0   2  13 .268 .302 .390 .693  
as P             152  337  296  11  34   6  1  0  15  3  0  12 140 .115 .155 .142 .297   
as PH            137  263  228  27  47  11  0  4  20  1  1  27  82 .206 .300 .307 .607 

2013 New York Mets Hitting Stats by Place in Batting Order

 Split        G GS   PA   AB   R   H  2B  3B  HR RBI SB CS  BB  SO   BA  OBP  SLG    OPS 
Batting 1st   186 18  754  686  81 160  34  5  4  46 43  8  54 132 .233 .293 .315 .608  
Batting 2nd   204 18  735  681  86 190  43  6 13  76 15  4  44 114 .279 .324 .417 .741  
Batting 3rd   182 18  719  650  83 183  35  6 24  77 22  3  62 130 .282 .348 .465 .812  
Batting 4th   191 18  705  621  83 156  32  3 22  80  8  4  69 180 .251 .332 .419 .751  
Batting 5th   219 18  692  600  79 139  27  4 19  80  7  5  80 163 .232 .327 .385 .712    
Batting 6th   234 18  681  605  64 124  19  1 22  72  5  6  61 177 .205 .286 .349 .634  
Batting 7th   210 18  660  590  55 168  35  3 18  84  6  5  54 146 .285 .347 .446 .792  
Batting 8th   214 18  644  577  51 109  20  2  4  45  4  0  55 127 .189 .262 .251 .513  
Batting 9th   705 18  617  549  37  89  18  2  4  33  4  0  33 215 .162 .216 .224 .440  

Bat1-2non-P   352 36 1489 1367 167 350  77 11 17 122 58 12  98 246 .256 .308 .366 .674     
Bat3-6non-P   714 72 2793 2473 309 602 113 14 87 309 42 18 272 649 .243 .324 .406 .730 
Bat7-9non-P   608 37 1588 1423 130 332  67  6 26 147 14  5 130 349 .233 .301 .344 .645  

Met's Search for Power...

The Mets need more power. I have been asking ever since Carlos Delgado left…Where is the beef? From 2005 thru 2009, The NYMets averaged 790 runs and 89.25 wins while finishing 6^th, 4^th, 5^th & 7^th in Home runs. Then from 2009 thru 2012 the Mets averaged 674 runs and 75 wins while finishing 16^th, 13^th, 13^th & 11^th in homeruns. You need about 90 Hr’s from your number 3, 4, and 5 hitters. Wright and Davis should get you 50-60. I think Kelly Shoppach offers power in a platoon role behind the plate. I think inexpensive power can be had with the likes of Jonny Gomes and Scott Hairston. For Center Field I like Chris Young from Oakland for the Mets. He is coming off a down year and has some pop. I don't know what he would cost them. What do you think? 
Here are the team hitting stats by position in the lineup.

Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
Batting 1st	196	18	748	678	94	175	34	2	9	47	14	9	59	144	.258	.323	.354	.677	240	10	6	4	0	1	10	.316	94	90
Batting 2nd	206	18	724	670	86	194	41	5	4	66	11	5	39	120	.290	.331	.384	.715	257	16	6	2	7	1	10	.344	104	101
Batting 3rd	172	18	710	626	87	179	39	3	20	86	14	9	76	122	.286	.363	.454	.817	284	20	3	0	5	14	5	.325	132	102
Batting 4th	215	18	693	614	92	162	41	0	38	109	8	3	69	155	.264	.338	.516	.854	317	15	3	0	7	3	4	.290	141	108
Batting 5th	207	18	681	616	74	152	29	4	15	79	7	2	59	141	.247	.316	.380	.696	234	11	4	0	2	4	4	.297	98	85
Batting 6th	235	18	660	588	67	127	26	2	22	79	9	5	62	153	.216	.294	.379	.674	223	9	5	1	4	3	10	.252	91	82
Batting 7th	220	18	639	572	56	141	32	3	17	70	7	4	53	130	.247	.315	.402	.717	230	6	5	6	2	1	3	.290	104	102
Batting 8th	232	18	629	563	47	127	23	2	6	51	3	0	53	120	.226	.299	.306	.605	172	19	7	4	2	13	5	.276	74	80
Batting 9th	702	18	607	523	47	100	21	0	8	38	6	1	33	165	.191	.243	.277	.520	145	12	3	47	1	3	6	.262	49	89

ENTER TO WIN A MLB JOHAN SANTANA NO HITTER DVD

The Baseball Analyst is holding a contest for a chance at winning one of five available MLB Johan Santana No Hitter DVD's. Entries must be received no later than July 30, 2012 11pm EST. The five winning entries will be judged by myself and my co-writers, Anthony C Wayne and Steve Chilcott. Winners will be announced by Thursday August 2nd, 2012 by 11pm est. The format is simple. Tell me your greatest Mets memory. The five winning entries will be published one per day starting on Tuesday July 24, 2012 on TheBaseballAnalyst.Com website. Entries must be emailed to riccardino@aol.com . Also, I ask that if you haven't liked my facebook page, now is as good a time as any! Haha....Lets Go Mets!!!!

On June 1, 2012 at Flushing’s Citi Field, ace Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in franchise history when he blanked the St. Louis Cardinals and shocked Mets fans on a magical, unforgettable night. Featuring close calls, gutty pitches and terrific defense, this Friday night thriller takes a prominent place as one of the greatest moments in Mets history.  And, on July 10, Major League Baseball Productions and A+E Networks Home Entertainment will anoint it as such when they release BASEBALL’S GREATEST GAMES: NEW YORK METS FIRST NO-HITTER.  A must-have for Mets fans everywhere, it will be available at Mets.com, and will be in stores, including the Mets Team Store, beginning July 10 for $12.95 Msrp.

Coming off a season lost to shoulder injury, Santana would throw the most breathless of games in the 8,020th regular season game in the history of the Mets. Ironically, the franchise known for its all-time roster of pitching greats had never recorded a no-hitter.  One-hitters filled the Club’s history books, and the 35 oh-so-close gems spun by familiar legends were wrapped up in one historic start from Santana. Back in 1962 at the Polo Grounds, Al Jackson tossed the Mets first one-hitter. In 1970 over a span of 28 days, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Gary Gentry each held the opposition to one hit.  The list of one-hit wonders would go on: Dwight Gooden and David Cone, Terry Leach’s 10-inning one-hitter and Steve Trachsel’s two one-hitters in the same year. Fifty years of tantalizingly close performances – making Santana’s achievement all the more gratifying.

Re-live all the excitement of Santana’s 8-strikeout tour de force with this classic game on DVD. Direct from the Major League Baseball archives, this extraordinary television broadcast includes the historic and masterful pitching performance of Santana, an unforgettable baseball game 50 years in the making. A special audio feature allows fans to watch the television broadcast and listen to the Mets Radio Network announcers in English or Spanish!

Niese, Mets Edge Bucs 3-1, take Series to go Four Games Over .500

The New York Mets continue to surprise most preseason pundits by winning another road series and climbing back to four games over the .500 mark. Every time this team seems headed towards an extended losing skid, one of the starting pitchers comes up big and tosses a gem. With Johan bouncing back, R.A. pitching like a front of the rotation starter, and Jon Niese, in the role of the up and coming lefty, The Mets have been able to keep the skids at bay. The theme this year has been quality starts, and Jon Niese tossed his sixth quality start in his ninth game, winning for the first time since April 14th. The win follows R.A. Dickey's strong start and continues to keep the club within wild card striking distance. The team now boasts the NL batting average leader in Wright (.399) and win leader in Dickey (6). While the team ranks near the bottom in almost every slugging category, (except doubles where they lead the league with 83), they have been able to scratch out enough runs to win games in which their starters pitch well. This is mostly due to their ability to draw walks and hit with men in scoring position. They have been especially effective with RISP and two outs. The question will be how long they can continue to win without the long ball. I think they sorely need Jason Bay's right handed power bat. While nowhere near the slugger he was before signing with the team, Jason's three HR's in 50 ab's would be a pace the team would love for him to continue. Who the odd man out is when he returns remains to be seen. Some have been calling for Ike Davis' return to the minor leagues. I for one think that Ike has been putting much better swings on the ball, and feel it is just a matter of time before he breaks out. However, you simply can't keep a guy with a .150 batting average in your starting lineup. Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson need to have some serious discussions over the roster. When Thole, Tejada, and Bay are all ready to return, The Mets will have some interesting roster moves to make. Both Mike Baxter and Ronnie Cedeno have been excelling in their roles, and you have to wonder whose position on the team may be in jeopardy. In the meantime, Let's Go Mets!

The Good..The Bad...The Ugly.....

Well The Mets have won six games and lost only three. I think that most Mets fans have embraced this good start and are slowly getting behind this team.
The Good...
The starting pitching has been fantastic. The staff is 4-2, with not one stinker yet. Johan Santana could easily be 2-0, but his presence provides the emotional boost that only a staff ace could. R.A. Dickey is another leader, and continues to develop into a Phil Niekro type knuckle baller. Jon Niese is doing everything he can to justify his new contract and is now 2-0. He is a lefty with considerable talent and it seems like he is maturing right before our eyes. We have to take a wait and see approach to the back end of the rotation, and keep our fingers crossed that Dillon Gee can continue to develop after an outstanding rookie campaign. He won 13 in 26 starts last year, so why would you expect less than a 15 win season? Just saying! Think this dude knows how to pitch. Mike Pelfrey seems to be getting his stuff together again. He's making people swing and miss which is usually not his m.o. Bullpen has been a plus overall. Francisco has been outstanding and Rauch a great setup man.
The Bad..
The middle of the lineup needs to start producing more consistently. Ike Davis, Jason Bay, and Lucas Duda need to provide extra base hits with some consistency. Team Speed wen on the DL with Torres.
The Ugly....
The Defense at second base, right field, and behind the plate need to make the easy plays. The relief pitching needs to lower their collective WHIP. Walking hitters is a recipe for disaster. Many Acosta, Ramon Ramirez, and Miguel Batista have given up 13 walks in 10 2/3 innings. Not good.

Overall I think The Mets are still on track to come close to my pre season predictions.

Yes, I have been drinking the Koolaid..My 2012 Met's Performance Predictions...

Offense will not be a problem for this team....
Won loss record 85-77
Starting Lineup
Andre Torress .255 8HR 44RBI good 4th OF..
Daniel Murphy .306 18HR  75RBI
Lucas Duda .280 34HR 98RBI
David Wright .292 25HR 105RBI
Ike Davis .293 33HR 105RBI
Jason Bay .272 25HR 86RBI
Josh Thole .285 8HR 65RBI
Ruben Tejada .275 5HR 55RBI
Starting Pitching
Johan Santana 12 wins 8 losses
R.A. Dickey 18 wins 10 losses
Jon Niese 14 wins 9 losses
Mike Pelfrey 16 wins 12 losses
Dillon Gee 14 wins 10 losses
Bullpen
Francisco 25 saves
J Rauch 12 saves
B. Parnell 10 Saves

One small step for Fred..(and company)...one giant step for The New York Mets

So the financial clouds that have hovered over the New York Mets like a plague, have finally lifted and are slowly drifting out to Flushing Bay. News of the team's financial settlement in the Bernie Madoff/Irving Picard Ponzi mess, bodes well for the future of our beloved franchise. Wilpon haters will have to swallow their pride and reluctantly accept that the team will remain in the control of the former lefthander from Brooklyn's Lafayette High School. I ask that fans give this guy a break. If you look at the body of work one thing stands out: the man has been willing to spend money and I think he wants to win. The Mets were at the top of the NL Salary hierarchy for a number of years since Fred Wilpon has gained majority control of the team. I understand that 1986 is ancient history, but the fact remains that he was one of the owners of that team so he does wear a championship ring. I believe in my heart that he wants to win another one and with the storm clouds dissipating, the team can finally look to sunnier days. I feel that the management team of Sandy Alderson, Paul DePodesta, and J.P. Ricciardi, given the future resources that will become available to them, will be able to build a team capable of competing for a World Series Title. I think The Team will continue to focus on developing young talent (especially concentrating on pitching), but now will be able to supplement that talent with a key free agent acquisition or two. I would expect a return to playoff contention as early as 2013, with 2014 being the target year to become a legitimate World Series contender. It's easy to gang up on current ownership and bash them to no end, but hindsight  (in reviewing performance) is always 20-20. I remember how excited Mets' fans were when we signed Johan Santana, thinking that move would surely put the 2008 Mets over the top. Or how about when Sports Illustrated picked the 2009 Mets to win the World Series (after Omar traded for J.J. Putz and signed Krod to a free agent deal), thinking that we shortened games to 7 innings with a potentially lights out bullpen. Sure us fans have all the answers. Lets get behind this team and see if current management can make the moves to put us over the top. I for one, continue to choose to see the glass as half full. 1969.....1973....and 1986......faith when all is lost...it's what being a Met's fan is all about.

Power!

One day after Carlos Beltran's three home run barrage, The New York Mets flexed their collective biceps with a late game come from behind display of power. This has really been the biggest difference in the successful playoff caliber teams of 2006-2008, and the dismal impotent version of the past two years. For the first time in over a year, The Mets were able to overcome a four run deficit, when trailing after the 7th inning. The Mets suddenly have some middle of the order beef with a resurgent Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Ike Davis and if Jason Bay could ever break out, I say watch out NL East!.

The Forgotten Met....F-Mart's Time is Now..

Still only 22, Fernando Martinez has seen his stock slide to the point that fans seemed indifferent at the news that their once "hot prospect" had been called up to the big club. With the injury to Ike Davis, the Mets could have called up first baseman Nick Evans, but instead have chosen to call up of Fernando Martinez, who could be primed to steal AB's from back up outfielders Willy Harris and Scott Hairston. Fmart, as he is known, was ranked the 30th best prospect in all of baseball as recently as 2009. With good health I expect him to shine and possibly work his way into the outfield rotation.

R.Ace in the hole...Dickey a leader of men with words and actions

The once beleagered New York Mets found a way to win their sixth straight game behind the bat of Daniel Murphy and the right arm of R.A Dickey., In winning their second road series of the year, (both in games pitched by R.A), the streaking Mets found a way to come back from two late inning defecits and a critical bad call by the third base umpire on a Jose Reyes triple attempt. While replays confirmed that Jose was safe at third, these "New Mets" used the bad call as motivation for the late inning comeback. The Mets received key contributions from back up infielders Chin-lung Hu and Justin Turner. However the biggest blow was the pinch hit homerun by Murphy, struck immediately after the blown call,  to tie the score in the eighth and his two run double that gave The Mets their final margin of victory. It's no coincidence that The Mets have been a different team since Dickey aired out himself and his teammates, asking that each player take responsibility for their poor play.

Was it Werth it? Jayson Contract shakes up the winter meetings!

Seven years and one hundred and tweny six million dollars. Let that sink in. While I realize a team with the stature of The Washington Nationals have to over pay to attract top free agent talent to DC, I just have to wonder who the second highest bidder was? And for how much? Considering that he will be 32 at the start of this deal, and that most estimates had Werth signing for around four years and sixty million dollars, I am ready to vote Scott Boras into the Baseball Hall of Fame. If Marvin Miller gets in for revolutionizing baseball salaries, and George Steinbrenner gets in for being a maverick owner, then Boras should get in for being the most successful agent in the history of Major League Baseball.

THE STATE OF THE METS ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR PATERSON

Say what you will about Governor Paterson, the man knows baseball. His New York Mets are a passion, and he is up to speed on what ails the team.

Who to keep?..that is the question!

Bold-Italics denote question mark for 2011


C Josh Thole..Good number two hitting prospect....Contact hitter can be a plus hitter for position if he can prove to hit .290-300 with low Ks, and .350 OBP.
1B Issac Davis Shows Plus Power potential, a true defensive first baseman who should continue to improve in the field. May hit for average.
2B Luis Castillo Never got a fair shake from Mets Fans. This career .292 hitter played well for them down the stretch in 2007 and was signed to a 4 year 25 million dollar contract. Injured in 2008, arguably the team MVP in 2009 and a bench player in 2010. The Mets fan base would be glad for the team to cut bait. A perfect example of why it is so difficult to play in NY and placate the fans.
SS Jose Reyes Will 2011 be the year this dynamic, but frustrating player, put it all together and stay healthy from spring training to Halloween?
3B David Wright Incredibly streaky hitter, who has proven to not be able to carry the team alone. Needs to cut Ks by 25 percent.
LF Jason Bay Can he rebound to career norms?
CF Carlos Beltran Will his knee hold up? Will the Mets eat half of his 2011 salary and trade him for a prospect or two?
RF Angel Pagan Who will the Mets go with in 2011? Can Pagan improve on his career best year and stay healthy in back to back seasons? Or should the Mets deal him as his value is peaking right now.
SP Johan Santana-Injury Question Mark
SP Mike Pelfrey-Consistency the key here. Solid number three starter who could improve to a number two.
SP R.A. Dickey-Still a little unproven. Showed a lot of guts and poise. Sophomore Jinx for a 37 year old?
SP Jonathan Niese-Was his season ending slump the result of fatigue?
SP Jenry Mejia -Does he have the goods to be a back of the rotation starter?
LM Pat Misch-
6TH Ryota Igarasha-Will good health allow this flamethrower to regain his command?
7TH Bobby Parnell-Hard throwing righty
8TH Hisanori Takahashi-Performed well in closer role after Krod's arrest
Lefty Specialist Pedro Feliciano- Will all those games finally catch up to the durable Lefty?
Closer Krod-Injury, Criminal Charges...what else could go wrong?
Bench
1 Dillon Gee SP
2 Daniel Murphy 2B/1B
3 Chris Carter OF
4 Ruben Tejada SS/2B
5 Lucas Duda OF
6 Fernando Martinez OF
7 Nick Evans 1B/OF
8 Henry Blanco C
9 Oliver Perez LM/SP 
The big decision will be if The Mets should trade either David Wright or Jose Reyes. What would they bring back in a trade? I think The Mets biggest need is a number one starter type. Good Luck with that! The meat of the Mets order is also a concern. Where will they find the 90-100 HR's that the middle of the batting order should bring?


The Mets have a glut of 4th OF types and will no doubt trade one or two players. If Fernando Martinez has a strong winter ball season, does he vault back into the picture for the OF? Can Lucas Duda continue to progress enough to win a starting job? Will the Mets move Pagan, whose value has never been higher? Can Carlos Beltran, who is in his walk year play a full season on his surgically repaired knees?

The Mets need to add starting pitching for the front of their rotation. Carlos Zambrano (who has finished 2010 strongly) and Zach Greinke are who I would shoot for. Joakim Soria is another Royal arm that could help The Mets. Obviously, Zambrano poses a significant character risk. The Mets need to also think about catching help. Thole needs a backup. Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, and to a lesser extent Carlos Beltran, are The Mets biggest offseason headaches. Eating salary, and finding trading partners will require a creative GM who will probably have to accept someone else's headache. If Beltran is healthy and can play CF then he can be an asset, and a strong one at that. His switch hitting and power are sorely needed.

Impotent Mets Just Can't Get It Done.

Frustrating. Another wasted start and another putrid effort from the offense. A chance to go three games over .500 wasted. I am officially done thinking we have a chance this year. The Mets should now have an organizational meeting and map out a plan for 2011 and beyond. I will discuss my thoughts in the near future about which parts I would keep, and whom I would dump or move in a trade.

Mets Offense staggering thru July.

There is no mystery as to why The Mets are suddenly slumping. It's not the starting staff. It's not the bullpen. It's not Jerry Manuel. It's not the return of Carlos Beltran. Just look to the lineup. They are not hitting with runners in scoring position. Their .688 ops over the last 30 days is only better than the Florida Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Mets Tame Tigers! Outslug Detroit in the rain 14-6

The first three Mets jumped on Justin Verlander, then the skies opened up and the Mets poured it on the Tiger's bullpen. Jose Reyes, Angel Pagan, and David Wright went a combined 9 for 15, scoring nine runs and driving in seven. The Mets thrashed the Tigers 14-6 to rebound from back to back losses against The New York Yankees. Facing the fearsome, righty-heavy lineup that is the Tigers, and their powerful ace must have seemed like a daunting task for lefty Jonathan Niese, but the Mets got to Verlander early, scoring two runs in the first inning. They led off the third with three straight baserunners, highlighted by Jason Bay's rbi double over the head of centerfielder Austin Jackson. Thats when the rain started coming down heavy prompting the umpire to stop play.When the skies cleared and play resumed, The Mets had second and third with nobody out and Detroit had rookie Jay Sborz, making his MLB debut. Things turned ugly for Detroit as Sborz hit the first two batter he faced and the Mets put up an 8 spot in the bottom of the third. With a 10-0 lead, Niese who was lights out before the rains, struggled and allowed the Tigers to creep back into the game. He couldn't finish five, so it was up to the Mets bullpen to finish the game. Fernando Nieve, Bobby Parnell, and Ryota Igarashi pitched the final 4.1 innings of shutout relief, as the Mets improved to ten games over .500 at 40-30.
Note-Word is that Carlos Beltran will start his minor league rehab on Thursday, and could be back within three weeks. I, for one, can't wait to stick him in the middle of our lineup. I think anyone calling for him to stay away from the team are purely insane.

Mets continue road roll. Double Indians 8-4

The New York Mets continued their May/June tear, with the best record in baseball over the last 22 games going 17-5 since May 22. The offensive struggles on the road seem to be a distant nightmare, as they have scored 34 runs over their last 5 road games and scored at east 5 runs in an inning in their third straight game. Not coincidently, David Wright has 22 rbi in that span. Jonathan Niese improved to 4-2 pitching seven innings of three run ball. Angel Pagan was 3 for 5, with 3 rbi, Wright plated two, and Ike Davis, Jason Bay, and Jeff Francoeur each had 2 hits and an rbi each. The Mets will go for the sweep Thursday night with R.A Dickey facing Jake Westbrook.
Note-The Mets hit seven doubles in a game for the second time this season.

Mets Sweep Birds, Look to Scalp Indians

The New York Mets finally showed some offensive muscle on the road, smashing four homeruns, pounding 18 hits, and scoring eleven runs. Mike Pelfrey was the beneficiary of the onslaught, on a day when he didn't have his best command. Pelfrey improved to 9-1 on the year. David Wright hit two homeruns, and Chris Carter hit his second three run homerun of the weekend series. Jason Bay went 4 for 4 with a homerun and four runs scored. The Mets head to Cleveland for three games before facing the Yankees in Da Bronx.

Mets Commit Avicide! Slay Birds 3-1

The New York Mets won back to back road games for the first time since they beat the Houston Astros on July 25-26, 2009.  The Mets were 0-7-2 in their previous nine road series. Riding the arm of lefty starter Hisanori Takahashi, who pitched 7 innings of one run ball, the Mets continued a remarkable run by it's starting staff. Over the last five starts, the starters have gone 38.2 innings while giving up only 7 runs. This has given the weary bullpen some rest, and they have responded by giving up no runs over their last 8.1 innings. Jose Reyes led off the first inning with a solo HR and Jeff Francoeur added a big insurance run by smashing a laser to right field for his 7th HR of the year. Francoeur has been contributing all year, despite his very streaky offensive game. Ruben Tejada sparkled in the field on a couple of plays and showed tremendous range on an Adam Jones ground ball up the middle in the 7th inning. KRod saved his 13th by pitching a scoreless ninth.
The Mets are at their high water mark of the season, six games over .500 at 34-28.

Mets make French Soup out of Marlins!

The New York Mets completed a three game sweep of the Florida Marlins, on the strength of Jeff Francoeur's game tying three run 7th inning homerun. It was payback of sorts for The Mets who were swept by the Marlins in a four game series earlier in the year. The Mets continue to play well at home and have now won eight straight games at Citi Field.