No excuses in NY!

Series of Team Overviews for 2008; New York Mets

Last season the Mets entered play with 17 games left and a divisional lead on the Philadelphia Phillies that stood at 7 games. During the final 17 games though, the Mets would end up having one of the greatest collapses in baseball history. Not only did they lose six of seven games during their final home stand but they also, in the process, lost their divisional lead to the Phillies and the NL Wild Card to the Rockies who leap frogged them after a one game playoff victory against the Padres en route to a NL Title.

With 2007 demise behind them, the Mets head into 2008 with lots of fuel for success. So the Mets final year of playing at the dreadful Shea Stadium venue, should be exciting as they have everything to prove and most definitely everything to lose. In fact, you can almost guarantee that another non-playoff season will mean plenty of change, starting with manager, Willie Randolph.

The good news for the Mets though, and their fans, is this team is GREAT on paper and should not only compete and win the division but should also be considered the front runners to represent the National League against the best of a very dominant AL in the 2008 World Series. I would almost think this team has stronger odds to win the Series in Vegas than their New York counterparts, the Yankees (I just checked and I'm right, Mets 4-1, Yanks 5-1).

The reason for behind all this fan fare and expectations among baseball media and/or Vegas odds makers for the Mets in 2008 is all the talent that floods the clubhouse each and everyday. The Mets have two of the best young players in the game today with shortstop Jose Reyes and third baseman David Wright. Reyes is the prototypical leadoff bat that can hit for average, aggrevate opposing pitchers and catchers on the base paths with 60+ steals yearly and score over 120 runs while hitting a few HR's. Wright not only slugs HR's at 30+ clips but he can also steal 20+ bases and potentially lead the league in RBI's and average... then you add another tremendous veteran talent in outfielder Carlos Beltran who has had 30/30 seasons and commonly scores and knocks in 100 runs yearly and you have a deadly offensive core.

From the mound, leading the charge is Johan Santana (recently acquired from the Minnesota Twins). Santana is considered by many to be the best pitcher in the game today and after him you have Pedro Martinez, who might be the best pitcher over the last decade in the majors... both should and could (if healthy) win 15-20 games with low ERA's. Then closing, is hard throwing lefty, Billy Wagner who is never an easy at bat!

Those six players listed above make up an excellent core that will cause havoc for all opposing teams and push New York to great success in 2008.

As for the rest of the team, rounding out the roster offensively are aging first baseman Carlos Delgado, second baseman Luis Castillo and outfielders Moises Alou and Ryan Church with some spot starts mixed in by players like Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley and Endy Chavez. Catching duties will be split between Ramon Castro and Brian Schneider. Behind Santana and Martinez, the Mets will count on second year pitcher John Maine, veteran Orlando Hernandez and lefty Oliver Perez. Also getting looks will be Jason Vargas and rookie Mike Pelfrey. The bullpen, which is one of the strongest in the game has Pedro Feliciano, Matt Wise, Ambrioux Burgos, Joe Smith, Duaner Sanchez (returning from injury), Aaron Heilman and Wagner.

Projected Lineup:
1. Jose Reyes, SS
2. Luis Castillo, 2b
3. David Wright, 3b
4. Carlos Beltran, CF
5. Carlos Delgado, 1b
6. Moises Alou, LF
7. Ryan Church, RF
8. Brian Schneider, C

Final Five:

1. Fantasy Value: What's not to like about this roster of talent... we have four players that should steal over 20 bases in Reyes (likely to go over 60), Castillo, Beltran and Wright... we have an entire lineup with maybe the exception of Delgado and Schneider that should and could hit over .300 and another four players that are capable of 20+ but in the HR department with Wright, Beltran, Delgado and Alou. Even the bench has depth for deeper NL only leagues as Marlon Anderson, Endy Chavez and Damion Easley can all put up decent numbers. With pitching you have the best name on the planet in Santana, you have another ace that could be a bargain due to recent injury concerns in Pedro Martinez and then you have two great young arms with Maine and Oliver Perez. The bullpen is deeper than the bench and has a top 10 closer in Wagner! Figure it out, draft some Mets!

2. Most likely to be traded: I'll go with Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. I know he is great in the post season but the Mets have highly touted prospect Mike Pelfrey banging on the door and a great bullpen that could keep El Duque from sticking around there.

3. Break out player in 2008: I have two choices, one is Mike Pelfrey as I think he can win 10-12 games if he has an opportunity to start for part of the year and the other is Ryan Church who was acquired for Milledge. Ultimately I think Milledge has more upside but Church is a solid player that last season hit over .270 with 15 HR's and 70 RBI's in just 470 at bats. Imagine another 100 at bats and playing everyday and you might have 20 bombs and 85+ RBI's... we'll see.

4. Farm Top Five: The name most often mentioned and asked for in trade talks has been outfielder Fernando Martinez. The Mets were lucky enough to hold onto him during the Santana trade discussions and should reap the benefits in a couple of years. Behind Martinez is first baseman Brett Harper, pitchers John Niese and Deolis Guerra (another great name to hold onto from trade talks) and lastly, infielder, Anderson Hernandez.

5. 2008 Record Prediction: 97-65, 1st in NL East