Sleeper ... Jeff Francoeur: Francoeur is a breakout candidate numbers-wise, but he also qualifies as a sleeper because he could be had with a late-round pick or a $1 bid in most drafts at this point.
Bust ... Francisco Rodriguez: If someone is seeing the pre-declining K-Rod and picking him among the elite closers, those Fantasy owners will be left very disappointed. He can still be good, but he is no longer great in our book.
Breakout ... John Maine: You will still be able to get Maine late, perhaps after Draft Day in mixed leagues altogether because the injury risk is dragging him down, so we still have to clarify this breakout pick as more of a sleeper than anything (obviously this guy didn’t see his first two outings this spring…) - link
So who can accurately predict this team? Can anybody? The pitching staff is full of question marks, as is the defense. No one knows quite yet who is the center fielder, who is the first baseman (probably Daniel Murphy, with prospect Ike Davis waiting in the wings), and exactly why Luis Castillo is still employed.
Despite all that, I can't help but be cautiously optimistic about this team, no matter what.
I'll hope for health throughout the organization, for the young pitchers to step up, and maybe the Mets can shock the world and compete for a playoff spot now that the bulls-eye is off their back and nothing much is expected of them. - link
Perhaps after Johan Santana Jose Reyes is the most important player on the Mets. A healthy Jose Reyes whether he is our leadoff hitter or batting 3rd for a couple of months into the season. Reyes must stay healthy and must grow up this year. I’m not talking about the handshakes or celebrations, I like those and I hope Jose brings the celebrations back in 2010. What I don’t want to see from Jose Reyes is the sulking, pouting player we see at times when things are not going the way he wants them to go. In the last game Reyes played at Citi Field he thought he hit a home-run but it went off the wall and instead of running hard for a triple he did a home-run trot that only resulted in a double. Jose at times has also not run out ground balls as hard as he should and that cannot happen in 2010. He’s got major league experience and he’s a veteran on this team, he needs to act like one. I think Jose has started his maturation process as evident by his willingness to bat 3rd if Jerry Manuel wants him to. I remember last year Reyes did not seem so receptive to the idea of not leading off and he let the media know that but so far he has told reporters that he has no problem with not leading off, he just wants to win. - link
Fernando Martinez probably doesn’t have much future in left field for the Mets, so the team will start evaluating him in center.
Jason Bay is signed through at least 2013, with a vesting option for a fifth season, blocking Martinez from taking his natural position anytime soon. In center, Carlos Beltran is signed only through 2011.
“The one thing I was impressed with Fernando last year was he did a play a decent center field last year when we were forced to play him out there,” Jerry Manuel said. “I think center field is probably easier because everything is right in front of you.”
The 21-year-old Martinez arrived at spring training last year regarded as the crown jewel of the farm system, but his stock dropped after hitting .176 in 29 games for the Mets in 2009. His season was curtailed by a torn medial meniscus of the right knee. - link
Mets grew up a lot the moment Jason Bay walked through the clubhouse door yesterday. Don’t underestimate what Bay is going to bring to this team. They finally have a veteran everyday player who possesses common sense. He gets it — in New York it’s all about production and accountability. Just like it is in Boston.
Listening to Bay talk in the first-base dugout, I suddenly thought I was in Tampa, talking to Derek Jeter and not on this side of Florida. Too often, veteran players come to the Mets and establish a bad vibe.
Essentially, the Mets traded Carlos Delgado for Bay. While Delgado could be charming to his teammates and with the media when he wanted to be, he always seemed to be on the defensive. He loved to answer a question with a question. With Bay, there is no agenda, he just answers the question. And he’s a solid teammate. - link
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