The 2011 Season Started Today

Yes, boys and girls, many think that the Mets will pack it in once the Braves and Phillies series is over this week.

That's not true... the packing has already begun.

Here's some of "highlights" Mets fans will have to look forward to before next spring:

1. The Mets released SP Ramon Ortiz today from the Buffalo roster. This is just the beginning of the releases of minor leaguers that have no future in the organization. Look for names like Brian Bruney, Adam Pettyjohn, Russ Adams, Andy Green, Eddie Kunz, Ryan Coultras, J R House, Val Pasccuchi, Jose Coronado, John Maine, Sal Aguillar, Tyler Howe, Jason Pridie, and Derrick Ellison to follow.

2. Multiple players will be put quietly on waivers this month, in hopes of some team claiming them and giving the Mets an opportunity to work a deal forgetting rid of them. Some names you might hear are Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, Alex Cora, Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana, Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco, Jeff Francoeur, and Francisco Rodriquez.  There could be up to six slots on the 25-man squad that would open up, for the likes of people like Jose De La Torre, Dillon Gee, Ryota Igarashi, Nick Evans, Ruben Tejada, and Fernando Martinez.

3. All the best of Binghamton...  Mike Antonini, Josh Stinson, Manual Alvarez, Josh Satin, Mike Nickeas, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Sean Ratliff, will finish the season in Buffalo.

4. Come September... your Mets rotation will be Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Jenrry Mejia, Jon Niese, and R.A. Dickey.

5. The pen will have De La Torre and Igarsashi added to whomever is left their after the waivers game.

6. There will be no rush to bring back OF Jason Bay. The Mets will take their time with this concussion and it's not like he was having a great season anyway. It will give the Mets an opportunity to showcase Francouer during the waivers August month, and to play people like Chris Carter and Jesus Feliciano, who both might make it next season as a 4th or 5th outfielder.

7. Mike Hessman will remain a Met for the rest of the season, and David Wright will be given additional time off to rest.

8. The Mets will end the season with solid projected players at first base (Ike Davis), second base (Tejada), SS (Jose Reyes), 3B (David Wright), backup catcher (Josh Thole), left field (Bay), center (Beltran), right field (Angel Pagan), utility player Daniel Murphy, and pitchers Santana, Niese, Rodriquez,  Dickey, Mejia, Pelfrey, Takahashi, and Bobby Parnell. That's 17 players on next year's 25-man squad.

9. Depending upon how the August trading period goes, the Mets will eventually DFA John Maine, Perez, Cora, and Castillo. Cora will be DFA'd before he reaches his option number and none of this will result in any great salary savings for 2011; however, it will free up slots for more $400,000/yr. minimum players to offset the current New York Knicks - like situation.

10. The Mets will enter the 2010-2011 free agent market, looking for an upgrade in the outfield, a starting catcher, and, of course, better pitching. They will make a strong play for OF Carl Crawford, and, if he is signs, will dealPagan for either a catcher or a pitching prospect. Other than that, 2011 will be another year that the Mets need under their belt to clear salary, which will give then a better "bottom line" value in today's market.

11. There will be no management changes because 2011 will be the last year of the Wilpons. Decreased attendance and revenues from promotional items, plus intense pressure from the press and community, will cause the Wilpons to sell to the highest bidder, before the 2012 season.

12. And guess what?  New ownership and management will declare a period or returning the Mets to dominance (two WS victories since 1962) and the next rebuilding will begin.