Key Additions:
Jason Bay (OF)
Kelvim Escobar (SP)
Chris Coste (C)
Gary Mathews Jr. (OF)
Key Departures:
Brian Schneider (C)
Brian Stokes (RP)
J.J. Putz
The best thing I can say about this team right now is that no one has gotten hurt. Yet. The past three seasons in Flushing have definitely been ones to forget. 2007 and 2008 both featured late season meltdowns that Mets fans have become all to accustomed to in their history. 2009 spared Mets fans of having to pay much attention to their team in the month of September as the team was mired in fourth place following an unnatural and unlucky series of injuries to key players. Omar Minaya had a few... shall we say interesting incidents in front of the press following the embarrassing dismissal of Vice President of Player Development Tony Bernazard.
Entering 2010 the Mets have added only one big piece to the 40-man roster going into Spring Training. Minaya signed outfielder Jason Bay to a four year, $66 million dollar contract in order to bolster a Mets team that was last in the National League in home runs as a team last season. Minaya did nothing to improve a very questionable starting rotation passing on the top free agent pitchers on the free agent market in John Lackey and Joel Pineiro. The genius that is Omar also decided not to upgrade on Omir Santos behind the plate. According to Buster Olney et. al. they say he should be in the minor leagues. Bengie Molina did not want to sign with the Mets and returned to San Francisco and Yorvit Torrealba signed with the San Diego Padres. If I were to give the Mets an offseason grade I would give them a C. Signing Bay is the only thing that keeps them from a D.
So my expectations for the 2010 Mets are not that high. And perhaps after the past three seasons I should have learned for them not to be. Hopefully for them Carlos Beltran returns healthy from his surgery and all of their injured stars are able to produce. I am putting them at a third place finish in the NL East going into Spring Training under the assumption that they will be able to hit, but their starting pitching will hold them back. It'll be interesting to see what Kelvim Escobar can offer the Mets following a two-year long absence from the game due to injury. In 2007 Escobar was 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA in 195.2 innings pitched. I do not think the Mets are expecting that level of form, but perhaps something close to that.
Projected Starting Nine
1. Jose Reyes (SS)
2. Luis Castillo (2B)
3. David Wright (3B)
4. Jason Bay (LF)
5. Carlos Beltran (CF)
6. Jeff Francouer (RF)
7. Daniel Murphy (1B)
8. Omir Santos (C)
9. Johan Santana (P)
Projected Starting Rotation
1. Johan Santana
2. Mike Pelfrey
3. John Maine
4. Oliver Perez
5. Kelvim Escobar
Best Reliever: Bobby Parnell
Closer: Francisco Rodriguez
Predicted Finish: 3rd in the NL East
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