Captain Kirk Should Keep Jason at Bay

The Mets have had their fair share of injuries so far this season. None has been more of an impact to the team, the overall roster and the fanbase as when Jason Bay went down with a fractured rib. Why? It cleared the way for Kirk Nieuwenhuis (or Captain Kirk as I refer to him) to stay in Queens.


Capt Kirk was supposed to be groomed for the leadoff role and center field position in the minors this season after the team sent him back to AAA at the end of Spring Training. Instead, he was called back up when Andres Torres went down and impressed everyone.


He has a .310 AVG, two Home Runs and 12 RBI. More importantly, he has a .383 OBP. He just finds a way to get on and finds a way to extend innings for the team. He has 35 hits and 13 walks in 33 games. He has scored 18 runs.


When he gets on, he makes it count. Fans have embraced him and it is no coincidence that the team has done very well since his call up. When Bay went down, it was a no-brainer; he had to stay up with the Mets. Since Torres has returned, Capt Kirk has been getting comfortable in that number two spot in the order and making himself at home quite nicely in left field.


No one has missed Bay. The Mets are hopeful he will be ready to start a rehab assignment as early as next week. This brings up a tough question: should Bay ride the bench as the fourth outfielder when he comes back?


Bay is batting .240 with just 15 games played. He is in his third year of a four year contract that has been plagued with injury and nonproductive plate appearances. If anyone could use a change of scenery, it's him.


Trouble is that his contract is so big the Mets would not be able to move it. And to sit someone making all that money in place of a younger and better hitter, would be nearly insane.


A platoon may knock Capt Kirk out of rhythm and prevent Bay from getting his stride too. Therefore, it would be worse for both players. So we have arrived at a stalemate. What is more important; the value of a contract wasting away on the bench or the health of a young team?


It's easy to say the player with the big contract has to play. It's harder to have to guts to sit him. In this case, it very well may be better for all involved right now to sit him and let Capt Kirk start when Bay does return healthy.


While it may not be the best choice for their wallets, the Mets must realize it is the best option. Bay has not done well here and is not going to either. He has not shown any signs of turning it around to make that contract remotely justifiable.


Therefore, they have to just suck it up and come to the realization that they bought an over-priced lemon that will have to sit in the garage while they take the inexpensive newer model out for a spin. Such is the way of the Mets.


In the end, giving Capt Kirk that chance and showing him that support and faith, would be far more value to the team in the long run. It would boost his confidence and give him a chance to work on the facets of his game that need the most improvement at the major league level.


This could be more beneficial and pay off for the next decade as opposed to having him ride the pine or shattering his confidence by sending him back down to AAA for a player only expected to stay around another year after this one.


If the Mets wanted to make a statement and a commitment to their youth movement, their fans and the league that they are sticking with the younger players. they must choose Capt Kirk over Jason Bay when the time for decisions is upon is.


Hopefully, for all of our sake, they make the right decision.

New York Mets: Foresight is 20/20

When fans talk about the Mets, usually one thing comes to mind lately: youth. With the exception of David Wright, none of the starting fielders played on this team the last time they made a playoff push. It's a different team entirely.

Many think they are not built to win with their personnel as it currently is. Many think that they have to wait until the talent in their farm system has matured at the MLB level to see the fruits of the struggles from recent times properly harvested.

While names like Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Jeurys Familia are on the way in a few years, this current band of Metropolitans are not going down without a proper fight. They may seem inexperienced and young, but this is a team that believes in itself even when no one else does. That may go a long way.

When those highly-touted names do finally arrive in Queens, it will be they who are young and inexperienced. It is this year's current batch of youngsters that will be heavily relied upon to help in their acclamation to the league.

Therefore, it is important to remember that with every win, every loss, every big strikeout, every botched double-play attempt, these kids are learning how to become better and more successful. That can and will only prove to better serve the most revered rookies on the cusp of emerging down the road.

In the meantime, this group of over-matched newcomers will remain naive enough to believe that they can compete in the league this year and next year. They will continue to play with grit, determination and heart.

They will leave everything on the field and hope that it pays off. They have a quiet patience and a growing confidence that matches their esteemed coach, Terry Collins. They have taken on his personality.

This team that has  been assembled for the sole purpose of saving the Wilpons money may, in the long run, make the Wiplons money as they continue to win and continue to compete unnoticed outside of New York.

They will continue to prove the naysayers wrong and be a team that no one saw coming. Then, everyone will claim that they believed all along. But the players in the dugout will know the truth.

Years from now when we are talking about our Harveys' and Wheelers' we will all claim the youth from this season as a crucial part of their success.

Then, and only then, will we know what GM Sandy Alderson really was trying to accomplish. We see struggling youth, but he and the Mets see success being forged through adversity. Perhaps we ought to follow his lead.

Mourning the Blacksheep

Every family has a member that is slightly odd. One that doesn't quite fit in. The Mets family is no different. From the day he first took the mound in a Mets uniform, Mike Pelfrey seemed a little odd. Teammates noticed it. Media members noticed it. Fans noticed it.

He seemed to have a love/hate relationship with those fans. He has been a player the fans have loved to hate; the perfect object to spew all of their fanhood frustrations upon. Over the past few years, fans have called radio shows to complain about every start, posted repeatedly on message boards of how much he "sucks" and booed mercilessly with every pitch.

He has been the focus of all our deepest venting. How strange is it, then, that when he went down to injury last week that those same fans and media members now refer to him as "irreplaceable"? Since the inevitable departure of Ollie Perez at the beginning of Spring Training last season, Mike Pelfrey has been the lone symbol to the fans of everything they don't like about this franchise.

Last season, they had the chance to trade him and avoid the pay raise he would be due this past offseason. Instead, they kept him and paid him the extra money to avoid arbitration. As a direct result, they have nothing to show for losing him to season ending surgery and a possible free agency looming when he recovers. Pelfrey may have thrown his last pitch as a New York Met.

That fact has sunken into the collective conscience of the fans and they are certainly taking the loss with sadness and grieving. With a career ERA of 4.36 and a 50-54 record, it's hard to imagine why. Has he had a good start to this season? Yes.  Does that warrant a period of mourning by the Mets family? Not really.

The fact is he is the player that Mets fans rip on for being hit or miss but those same fans will never allow a fan of another team to speak ill of him. They think "he may be a black sheep in this family, but he's our black sheep!". They stand by him through thick and thin. That is what fans do.

Now that he is on the mend, they finally realize his value; he eats up innings. He's had four consecutive seasons with 184 or more innings pitched. Two of them for more than 200 innings pitched. Now that the oddball in the family is on his way to the hospital, we all stop to consider what role he played in this family. He was the one that was always there; rain or shine, blowout or close game.

Though he seemed to only be consistent through inconsistency, he was, in fact, there for his starts. Whether those starts were something left to be desired or not, is a different story. There in was where his trade value laid last season. Many fans were calling for his head on the trade block.

Now that he is injured and may never pitch for them again, it is evident that the fans had a soft spot in their hearts for him after all. He may have been the hand-licking, shrink-seeing square peg that was left chained up in the basement and let out occasionally, but dammit, he was OURS.

Let this be a lesson to us as fans. Let's appreciate these athletes while we have them on our team. You never know when we'll overpay for one, fail to trade them at the opportune time and see them go down to season ending injury never to pitch for us again.

As we mourn the season loss of Big Pelf, remember, it could be worse; we could sign Ollie again.

Mets are Chipper About Jones

In fifty years of history, the New York Mets have had many chances to develop rivalries and players to hate. One of the most hated among fans in recent memory is Larry Jones of the Atlanta Braves. He is better known by his nickname "Chipper".

After an announcement that he will retire at the end of this season, the Mets have decided to pay respect to his career and accomplishments in September by honoring him in some type of currently unplanned ceremony. Many fans are up in arms over this issue and rightfully so.

Why would a team honor their biggest rival in front of their own fans? It may be a nice gesture to pat homage to a potential hall of fame candidate, but it hardly seems appropriate in this case. After all, did the Braves honor Mike Piazza a few years ago when he reached his milestone for most home runs by a catcher?

Of course not! And why not? Because a handful of those home runs were memorable in key situations against those Braves. Chipper Jones has 48 home runs, 154 RBI and countless big hits against the Mets in his tenure. Is that something that deserves to be celebrated by the Mets?

This is a man who has made a career feasting on Mets pitching so much so that he named his own child "Shea" because he liked playing in the Mets former home so much. And this is what the Mets wish to honor? Coming from the Mets, it sends a very distorted message.

I can understand if the Braves wanted to pay respect to him and decided to do it when they play the Mets late in the season in Atlanta. I can understand if the Braves did that and showed a ton of highlights versus the Mets. None of those are the case here. The Mets have volunteered to do this in front of their own fans.

It is another example of just how out of touch ownership is with their fanbase. It is a sad state that the team and the sport in general finds itself in. The team has clearly shown their desire to make the publicly correct action over the internally correct one.

They have to be thinking of their reputation in this instance. There can be no other reason. Does ownership honestly think paying an opposing player respect in front of their fans is going to be well received?  The truth is that no one can really be sure, but it speaks to how the league has developed more unity over the past fifty years.

Would the Red Sox have shown respect to Lou Gehrig? Would the Yankees have honored Ted Williams? Would the Cubs have paid tribute to Stan Musial? No, no and no. As far as teams go, the general mindset has certainly changed between organizations over the decades. That change is the direct result of players being more friendly to one another.

There are fellow countrymen that choose to work out with each other in the off season before reporting to Spring Training to work with their team. Some players pass on secrets, grips for new pitches, hitting tips and much more.  Major League Baseball  is a collection of players with common interests these days. This may be attributed more to the development of free agency, but it presents a problem.

After all, would Tom Seaver or Bob Gibson have taught trade secrets to another pitcher in their day? No way! There was an overall loyalty to your team then. These days that loyalty is to individuals that have common bonds. The difference is staggering and it has led to this: a team honoring their worst rival.

There's nothing wrong with showing respect the old fashioned way and just pitch around him in a key spot or tip your cap to him after a play. No spectacle, no tribute, no ceremony needed for that. Most of all, Chipper Jones would know he had the respect of those that really mattered to him: the opposing players.

Will the real Mike Pelfrey please step up

The success of the Mets rotation this season will depend on health. First, there is Johan Santana. We all know he is recovering from surgery and that the process will still take some time. Though he is showing tremendous strides this spring, he still will be treated carefully as the season progresses.

Other starters like Jon Niese, Dillon Gee and R.A. Dickey will have to not only stay healthy, but stay consistent. If they do that, it will most likely come down to one man: Mike Pelfrey.

His 2010 was a sign of progress, as he posted a 3.66 ERA in 204 Innings Pitched. More importantly, he only gave up 12 home runs. The following season (last year) he digressed. While allowing 21 home runs in 193 Innings Pitched, he posted a 4.74 ERA.

The question with the former Mets first round draft pick, is which Mike Pelfrey will we see in 2012? The answer to that will go a long way to seeing how successful this team overall can be. In his very first start of Spring Training, he allowed four runs in 2.2 IP.

Those runs came primarily on two homers from St Louis Cardinals bats. He settled down to last 4.1 IP, and would have had a respectable line had he not allowed those long balls. While it's true that results like this are not particularly important this time of year, it can be used as a gauge to measure his progress in the offseason.

He used his cutter and changeup as opposed to his sinker. The results were mediocre. His sinker was crushed for the most part when he did go to it.

With all this said, the Mets will be looking very closely at Pelfrey this month to see if he has made any significant adjustments to his arsenal in order to move on from last seasons' debacle.

If this start was any indication, he hasn't.

New York Mets Spring Training: 10 Players to Watch - Part Two

In the first portion of this three part series, we examined three starting pitchers that need to be monitored closely this month. For the second part, we take a look at four more players. They will be divided into two bullpen pitchers and two bench players.


4) Bobby Parnell- Last season, Parnell was supposed to be the closer of the future. He had to share the job of ending games with Jason Isringhausen after the team traded K-Rod in July. He still may have the triple digit fastball to get the job done, but the 2011 season proved that he lacks the edge a closer so desperately needs.

With six blown saves in twelve chances last season, Parnell showed he doesn't have the metal to be the dominant closer. The team brought in two pitchers (one will be discussed in a minute) to try and fill that very big void. So what happens to Parnell? It will depend on how manager Terry Collins decides to use him.

If he platoons him with Jon Rauch as the setup man in the eight inning, it will most likely be when Rauch fills in for the new closer Frank Francisco in the ninth, when Rauch needs a rest or when the match up favors Parnell and the Mets. Otherwise, his 3.64 ERA, 60 hits and 29 runs in 59 innings pitched earned him a shared role this season again.


5) Frankie Francisco- The new acquisition to fill the ninth inning role left behind from the departure of Francisco Rodriguez is aptly named Frankie Frank. With the same name twice, the Mets hope he is twice as good as their options in the second half last season. Francisco had 17 saves last season in 21 opportunities for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011.

He shared the role with Jon Rauch last season. Therefore, sharing it again this season with the same pitcher but for another team should not be that different. His comfort level should be solid entering this year for that reason alone. Normally, when a player enters a new clubhouse, there will be a period of adjustment. In this case, he will see at least one familiar face.

The issue to watch with him in March will be his health. He has missed 94 games in the past three years, including last season. He has not pitched a full season in a very long time. The Mets coaching staff will be trying to get him better conditioned to prepare to handle a full-time closer role as healthy as possible.


6) Josh Satin- Last September, the Mets and their fans were enamored with the arrival of Josh Satin. It was almost a Lee Mazzilli-esque type scenario in that Satin was embraced immediately. The trouble is that he did not do too well in that debut. The former minor league player of the year hit .200 with five hits, three RBI and one double in 15 games.

Hardly impressive. Still, it was just a small sample of his ability. He did well in the field and started to pick it up offensively at the end of his stint. This season, he is expected by many to make the team as a bench player when they break from Spring Training. If he has a bad month, he very well may not make the cut.

If he has a great showing, he can solidify himself on the roster and perhaps compete for a starter spot later in the season. With all that said, Satin is a players capable of fielding multiple positions and is the type of player Terry Collins cherishes.

The main question with him this month will be how he has matured as a hitter. Will that experience last season help his confidence or hurt it? Time will tell but we will find out in the next few weeks.


7) Kirk Neiuwenhuis- After a shoulder injury shut him down last season in Triple-A, Neiuwenhuis is healthy and eager to prove he is ready to live up to the comparisons to Jim Edmonds. That is not too unfair of a comparison. He has tremendous athleticism and range in the field to go with solid gap power at the plate.

The problem is that unless Andres Torres falters in Spring Training and he explodes onto the scene, he will most likely begin the year in Buffalo. Reserve outfielder Scott Hairston is still battling his oblique injury, but even if Haiston misses time, Neiuwenhuis will not be a backup.

The team wants him to get used to playing full-time as he will most likely have that role at some point in Queens. Therefore, Triple-A makes the most sense. The future is not too far off, however. We could be talking about him this time next year as the starting CF.

His only job this March will be to make the Mets decision that more difficult.




****Look for the final part tomorrow****

New York Mets Spring Training: 10 Players to Watch - Part Three

In the first two parts of this series, we looked at three starting pitchers in part one, two bullpen pitchers and two bench players that could stand out this month as the team prepares for the season in part two. In the final installment, we wrap up the list of ten players with three position players to keep an eye on as Spring Training develops.


8) Ruben Tejada- The biggest story in this past offseason was the Mets inability to re-sign Jose Reyes and his eventual signing with the Miami Marlins. This vacancy at the SS position has paved the way for Ruben Tejada to make his mark in the majors. In a platoon situation at second and a fill in role at short last season,

Tejada had a .284 AVG in 96 games. He scored 31 runs and drove in 36 RBI in that limited time. As a full-time starter, he will have some big shoes to fill. While he will not be looked upon to replace the production that Reyes had at the top of the order, he will be relied on to get on base and make things happen offensively while flashing a reliable glove defensively.

The pressure to replace Reyes will be enormous. How he responds to it may very well determine not only his season but the Mets season as well. That adjustment to being the best Ruben Tejada he can be as opposed to giving his best Jose Reyes impersonation begins in Spring Training.


9) Daniel Murphy- The merry-go-round that was second base last season ended up with Daniel Murphy as the starter, but spun again when Murphy went down to season ending injury in August. While Justin Turner and Ruben Tejada filled in admirably, the job belonged solely to Murphy when he was healthy and will again this season. The reason? His offensive potential is too great to waste on the bench.

In 109 games before his injury last year, he hit a .320 AVG and drove in 49 RBI while scoring 49 runs. He has to start. In the A.L., he would be a DH. On the Mets, he is their starting second baseman. He spent the offseason working hard on his defense with former Mets great and coach Tim Teufel.

There are some players that have started out as suspect defenders and have improved enough in the field to emerge as complete players. Murphy has to hope he can be another one if he is to have any staying power in the majors.

The key to look for this March will be his health. Particularly when turning double plays and making close plays at second base. If he can master his footing and fielding techniques, he should be just fine there. In order to avoid further injury at that position, he needs to master these things.


10) Ike Davis- Until this past weekend, the big reason to watch Ike Davis this spring would have been to see how he has recovered from his ankle injury. However, since Davis has been diagnosed with Valley Fever, there is another reason to monitor him.

As the month goes on, the team needs to keep close watch over his stamina. Valley Fever mimics Lyme Disease which has the side effect of extremely low energy. One such case of this was seen a few years ago in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization with their promising youngster Conor Jackson. He was never the same player. That was an extreme case, though.

We should have a better handle on how sever or mild Ike Davis' condition will be as the weeks go by. All accounts are that he is moving around fine, so the ankle injury is a distant memory, but this Valley Fever report has to be treated very seriously by the team because it could have terrible consequences if they don't.


All in all, the New York Mets have a team that is far more solid than most will give them credit for. If healthy, they can make some noise in a strong division. These ten players are a major key to that opportunity.

If they have the Spring Training the team needs and make the adjustments that are necessary for their success, this scenario can be possible. It all depends on how these players come together as a team. That starts on an individual level. The journey toward that ultimate goal begins with Spring Training.

New York Mets Spring Training: 10 Players to Watch - Part One

The New York Mets are on the cusp of beginning their Spring Training schedule. With this time of year, comes many questions about some of the players we will be watching. In this three part series, we will attempt to answer some of those questions.

In part one, we will look at three specific starting pitchers that fans and media alike will be focusing their attention on. In part two, we will examine two bullpen pitchers and two bench players that will be in the spotlight this month. Finally, in part three, we will put three key position players under the microscope.


1. Johan Santana-  After more than a year and a half, the Mets ace is nearly ready to step back into filling the role they acquired and paid him for. All reports point to a return in his velocity and his trademark change-up being as nasty as ever.

The two major questions everyone will be waiting with baited breath to see answers for are his health and his stamina. These questions are actually tied in together with one another. Every Mets fan knows he has a tremendous wealth of talent to draw from now that he has shown the capability to throw at maximum velocity again. The problem is can he stay healthy.

He missed the final month of the 2010 season and all of last year due to his shoulder injury. Santana must spend this month reconditioning himself to build his stamina. However, he must do this at a slower pace than normal pitchers do in order to preserve his health.

If he rushes himself now, he will be running on empty by the end of the season or worse, hurry his body into another injury. With his return also must come a renewal for the team to preach patience.


2. Jon Niese- In 2011, Niese emerged as a fan favorite and a future star in the rotation. He posted two consecutive seasons with at least 150 inning pitched and 130 strikeouts. In addition, he reached double digits in wins for the first time in his young career last season with 11.

While many spent the last few weeks talking about his new nose, the more prudent thing to take notice of this month will be his ability to settle into the rotation with high expectations. He is looked upon by some as the second best pitcher on the staff behind Santana.

This may be an unfair distinction to be placed on a 25 year old entering just his third full season in the majors, but it is an important distinction nonetheless. How will he embrace that pressure? How he answers that question will go a long way into seeing what type of pitcher he has become and what type he will develop into for the next several years.


3. Matt Harvey- The biggest name on the mound in Port St Lucie this month without a doubt will be Matt Harvey. The former first round draft pick has already impressed the big league hitters with his fastball. Many have even suggested he may be ready to break Spring Training with the big club.

The truth is, he is just about there, but could benefit from the extra year of seasoning in Triple-A for the sake of maturity. The numbers between Single-A and Double-A were very different. While he started 14 games, had a 2.37 ERA and struck out 92 batters in St Lucie, he struggled at the next level in Binghamton. He had 12 starts, a 4.52 ERA and 64 strikeouts.

The big issue was walks between the two levels. In his first 14 games, he walked 24. In two fewer starts in Double-A, he walked 23. While he has impressed early on, facing live MLB hitters has shown how far he still has to go. A few days ago, he posted a 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K and 0 R. That last part of the line is the most important, though. He gave up zero runs.

It was just a sampling of things and it wasn't even in a real game, but it was promising. He allowed four runners in just an inning and two-thirds. He needs to gain in-game experience versus skilled hitters that will not get fooled by a mediocre breaking pitch or blown out by a the predictable fastball.

He must develop the mental part of his game. How to attack a hitter and set them up for the putout. That killer instinct will serve him extremely well in the majors. It's the difference between a top tier, complete pitcher and a one season wonder.


****Look for Part Two tomorrow****

MLB Playoff format changes: How it actually helps the New York Mets

As of Thursday, the office of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was still hammering out the details to expand the current playoff format. The plan is to expand it by one extra wild card team for a total of ten playoff teams (three division winners and two wild card winners).

If this happens (more like when), it will make a big change in the balance of each division. Take last season for example. Had this format been in place, both the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox would've been in the playoffs.

There would've been no such collapse of historic magnitude to speak of. Terry Francona would still have a job and the Red Sox could still eat fried chicken and drink beer in the clubhouse. Let's go back further.

Had this format been instituted in 2007, our beloved New York Mets would've been in the playoffs. Who knows how far they could have gone that year? They ended on such a low note but had they gotten into the playoffs, they might have found a renewed energy. We will never know.

Returning to present day, our Mets are entering a season where the Phillies are heavy favorites in the division. The Braves are highly thought of as a potential playoff contender and the new look, new name Miami Marlins are capable of being another contender.

The Washington Nationals, led by Mets great Davey Johnson, can potentially be an x-factor. Then, there is our Mets. We all are aware of their roster changes. The stories of what they did or didn't do over the past few months have been well overly written.

Thanks to everyone's not so favorite commissioner of a professional sport, all of these teams will be vying for not just one division title, but one of two possible wild card spots.

With a very weak N.L. West and a thinner than usual N.L. Central, there is a chance the N.L. East will be the most competitive division in all of baseball, netting as many as three of the five available playoff spots.

If this scenario pans out, the Mets will not need to shock the world by taking the division outright. They may not even stun a division rival by overtaking them for second place. All they really need is to sit in third place with a better record than the second place team in the other divisions, in other words, the fifth best record.

Impossible? Not really. With a healthy Johan Santana returning, a decent to good rotation, a quality bullpen and a solid and consistent offense this team can accomplish more than most will expect them to.

If they make a conscience effort to rally behind the concept that just getting into the playoffs and then anything can happen, they could very well succeed.

If they realize that a fifth best record is all they need, they can get to that mark. They must shoot for the stars and settle for the clouds. In other words, they have to make their goal be lofty enough that they can still finish well if they don't get to what the desired goal is.

They should set their sights on first place and be happy to settle into third with the fifth best record. That would make them a playoff team.  From there, who knows? We have seen example after example, time and time again what happens when a hot team gets into the postseason.

If the season were to transpire in the particular way the Mets need it to, that extra playoff spot could make the Mets a very dangerous team.

New York Mets: Underdog persona isn't right

This week in Port St Lucie, New York Mets COO Jeff Wilpon handed out orange shirts with the "Underdog U" symbol in blue on them. While many fans and media thought it was considerate and a good rally cry for a highly underestimated team, some players did not embrace it too well. One such player was David Wright.

Wright said "I don't really like using the whole Underdog thing. I don't really like playing that card. I think it's just a way to remind everybody in here that the outside expectations aren't the expectations that we have for ourselves".

I tend to agree with him. More importantly, this is wrong on a much bigger level. Is Wright accurate in his statement? Yes. The expectations outside of the immediate team is a bleak one. Apart from a small faction of overly optimistic fans, the vast majority of Mets fans believe this season will be a total wash.

This is why the players really don't pay much attention to the media and fan chat boards. They must remain focused on the task at hand. There is a bigger issue at work here, however.

These shirts were given out by management. What does it say to the players that the management that got the organization in so much debt that they had to let Jose Reyes walk and cut payroll down under the $100 million mark perceives them as underdogs?

It is this same management that put them in this predicament in the first place. Had they not been foolish with their money, they never would have been in the situation. Now they have embraced being the less fortunate ones and expect their players to do the same?

They should be telling the players they believe in the roster they have without conjuring up some rally cry gimmick. It should be enough to let the players recognize the task at hand and go from there without a word from Mets brass either way on the subject.

Let Terry Collins make the season beginning rally speech and slogan. That's his job. He's the manager. Jeff Wilpon, as COO, your job is to try to help get the team out of debt. Period. Stop trying to be the source of inspiration for a team that is already disgruntled with the hand that you have dealt them.

If this team is a collection of underdogs, it's because of the Mets ownership. The bank doesn't tell the family they just foreclosed on that they should be thankful they are homeless because, after all, now they get to enjoy the fresh outdoor air.

As the source of grief, you don't try to put a positive spin on things out of guilt  or whatever intention you decide to blame it on this week. Have some common sense and let the players play and the coach give the rally cry.

You just write the checks and make sure they don't bounce. Maybe if they did that in the first place, this team wouldn't be underdogs.

Don't Sleep on Beato in the Rotation

By: Frank Gray
The New York Mets have had their pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training a few days ago. As the roster gets molded into Opening Day shape, Terry Collins has several decisions to make. Among them is the starting rotation.

With reports of Johan Santana's health being better than originally expected,  the starting five look pretty much set. They would include Santana, R.A. Dickey, Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee.

With Niese becoming a valid starter and Dickey posting one quality start after another, this would hardly be referred to as Johan and the four rain-outs this year. Can anyone argue that Gee hasn't earned a chance to be the number five pitcher out of the gate this season?

A 13-6 record with a 4.43 ERA at a young age of 25 last season shows what a tremendous upside he has. The question with him will be now that the league has adjusted to him, what will he tweak in his game to counter that?

Mike Pelfrey was handed the "ace" title last season in the absence of Santana and sputtered in the spotlight. With Santana returning, could he find the 2010 season stats (15-9, 3.66 ERA) again or will he continue to develop into the headcase bust that we saw last year?

There is one x-factor in all of this, however. His name is Pedro Beato. Pitching coach Dan Warthen is high on him as a potential starter. Should Santana not be ready at the beginning of the season, need a rest between starts or not be the Santana we all know or if the team needs a starter for a double header, Beato could emerge as the guy right now.

They do have Chris Schwinden for that option as well and later in the season the temptation will be swelling over to call up Jeurys Familia or Matt Harvey to take on that role. Beato makes the most sense, though.

As Warthen points out, he has four solid pitches and at 6' 4" he has the size to be a powerful presence on the mound. He has proven he can pitch at the MLB level. His stats last season, when the team had to reserve a roster spot for him due to the Rule 5 draft rules, were very respectable.

He posted a 4.30 ERA in 67 innings pitched to go with 39 strikeouts in his 60 appearances. The question would be his endurance. If he were to start on a consistent basis, would he run out of gas halfway through the game or can he last into the latter innings?

He may very well begin the season in AAA to groom him as a spot starter/long reliever. The team can afford to do this now that his contract is under their control.

With that said, the rotation can be in good shape if healthy. That, however, will be the issue.

Meet Sandy Alderson the Stand-Up Comedian, media not laughing

The New York Mets are just days away from having their pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training on February 20th. They will be packing up their supplies, gear and personnel and driving to Port St Lucie, Florida.

The road trip for the team from New York will take a few days and we can expect updates from several members of the team as the February 20th deadline draws near.  One of those Mets has already started. Mets GM Sandy Alderson has become a recent addition to the world of Twitter. You can follow him here.

He has only been tweeting for a few days, but is already stirring up some reactions form fans and media alike. His first few tweets poked fun at the Mets finances.

On February 9th, he said "Big fundraiser tonight for gas money. Also exploring PAC contribution".

Two days later, he tweeted "Prepping for trip. Bought four like-new tires at chop shop across from Citi. He threw in free wiper fluid. Better than the Wheeler deal!".

The next day, he made fun of Jose Reyes and himself by tweeting "Inspired by Jose & Joba, got a haircut for charity, but MLB Network wasn't interested".

On Sunday, he continued to make light of the Mets finances when he posted "Will have to drive carefully on trip; Mets only reimburse for gas at a downhill rate. Will try to coast all the way to FL".

While fans have loved these pokes at the team and the lighter side of their hard-nose GM, the media have reacted with less levity as they reported these tweets as if they were news.

Call it a boring patch of the off-season or an excuse to write something about the Mets not financially related, but the media has a way of not being able to take a joke too well.

After all, it was this same media that over-reacted to R.A. Dickey being reminded of his contract when he decided to climb a mountain for charity. It was this same media that over analyzed every single rumor over the past few months.

It was this same media that painstakingly posted every boring word of each legal document released over the past few months in regards to the Madoff lawsuit.

They lack a soft side, a funny bone. They don't respond with emotion as the fans do. They embrace the journalistic side of every scenario with the sole purpose of reporting the story.

Sandy Alderson discovering twitter and poking fun at himself, his former player and the financial status of his bosses is NOT  news unless Fred Wilpon releases a statement saying Alderson will be fined or punished for said statements.

This is the same Mets ownership that endured Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel for several years.The bigger story here is that the Mets brass isn't overreacting to this and letting it go for now. Perhaps the media needs to take a lesson from them in this case.

Not everything is news worthy and reportable. Try to relax and enjoy the laughable moments the team you cover provides without ruining it with your straight-line analysis.

After all the Mets fans and this media have been through over the past few seasons, we could all use a laugh.

Frank Gray - Mets Search Should be over for Lefty Bat

The New York Mets are reportedly searching for a left-handed bat for their outfield. They have Lucas Duda (lefty), Jason Bay (righty), Andres Torres (switch) and Scott Hairston (righty) already in the fold. Rumors have pointed toward names like Rick Ankiel and Raul Ibanez.

While Ankiel has recently signed with the Washington Nationals and Ibanez, among others, is still available, the obvious answer to this void is already in their system. His name is Matt Den Dekker. Between Port St Lucie and Binghamton, he hit 17 home runs last season.

He drove in 68 RBI and had 24 stolen bases. It's apparent that he has not hit in AAA yet, but he has improved his game from level to level. He will start in AAA to begin this year and eventually earn a spot in Queens at some point this season. They are looking for a dirt cheap veteran.

With that comes an injury prone player that may possibly end up getting hurt early and being replaced by a minor league player eventually anyway. Why not just skip this step. The Mets need to trust their farm system now. Give them a chance.

Perhaps they can make due with what they have until the All-Star break and then change things up a bit and call up Den Dekker. He would then add a fresh energy and enthusiasm to the roster. This is a player that has all the tools to be a success in the majors. The Mets need to let him.

Why waste the money on a bat that will only be around for a year or be utilized for half of the games in the season when they can simply promote one of their own who may most likely be ready for the show.

It makes more sense to save the funds for someone down the road when they need one player to boost their roster into a possible playoff push.

Matt Den Dekker can be that role player off the bench and backing up the starters with spot starts and late inning defense. The Mets merely have to give him the opportunity.

Frank Gray - Daniel Murphy: A little faith can go a long way



Photo by Mack Ade

The New York Mets have searched for a second baseman for two years. That includes the final year of Luis Castillo's tenure in Queens. They have tried Justin Turner, Chin Lung Hu, Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy among others. Of these players, Tejada and Murphy stood out. Turner has becomes a fan favorite as well.

With the departure of Jose Reyes, the Mets will be filling the void at short stop with Tejada. That leaves Turner and Murphy to pick up the slack at second base. Last season, Murphy impressed with his bat (.320 AVG, 6 HR and 49 RBI) but not his glove (10 errors). The exact opposite can be said for Turner (.260 AVG, 4 HR and 51 RBI). Both were counted on to fill in for multiple positions.

There have been reports that the Mets will be sticking with Murphy as the starter, there has been a collective cry of outage from the fanbase for the most part.  This begs an important question. Why? Did he make far too many errors and a few base-running blunders last season? Sure. Is he the first to do so while playing multiple positions? Absolutely not!

There have been examples of players that started off their careers on a bad note in the field and settled into their roles to become solid players. One example was written over the weekend by Mack's Mets friend and Mets360 blogger Brian Joura. He compares Murphy to Lou Piniella early in his playing career. It's astounding how similar the numbers are.

He committed seven errors in his first full season, while Murphy had 10. He had a .290 AVG with 22 HR and 302 hits in his first 300 games. When compared to Murphy during that same stretch, it's a difference of one hit, two points in the AVG and two home runs in 11 fewer at bats for Murphy. Piniella was a one time All-Star and a Rookie of the Year award winner that played 18 seasons and had a career .291 AVG. For me, however, Sweet Lou is a gauge of Murphy's minimum potential.

Another higher benchmark may be Ryan Sandberg. Believe it or not, Sandberg's numbers through his first 300 games are nearly identical to Daniel Murphy. Through Sandberg's first two full seasons, he played three different position and had 25 errors. That is not a typo.

He had just 15 HR, 102 RBI and a .265 AVG in 314 games combined between the two seasons. As everyone knows, the following year, he won the MVP award and went on to a Hall of Fame career. By comparison, Murphy has had 20 HR, 129 RBI and a .292 AVG in 313 games.

Am I saying Murphy is destined for this greatness? Not at all. But I am saying he is capable settling into his role as a second baseman and using his bat to outweigh his glove. Like Sandberg, Murphy's glove will come around. Will he win a Gold Glove nine times like Ryan Sandberg? Probably not, but the point is he could become a reliable fielder as well.

The Cubs and their fans gave Sandberg a chance. They showed faith in him and he made that faith pay off. The Mets and our fans need to do the same with Murphy. He is more than capable of taking the reigns of the second base position for the next decade if they show him faith now.

He may not develop into a Hall of Fame candidate like Ryan Sandberg, but he may be better than Lou Piniella in his playing days. Only time will tell, but the Mets need to show dedication to him in order to give him that chance to blossom into his potential. If they do, he may make that faith in him pay off ten fold for the organization.

Frank Gray - The New York Mets Can Learn From the Giants Super Bowl Run

The New York Giants have made an improbable run toward the playoffs this season. When they got into the playoffs, they extended that momentum even further into a Super Bowl bid. It wasn't easy, though. They began the season picked by almost every expert to finish last or near to last in their division.

Another team (the Philadelphia Eagles) in their division had made a flurry of offseason moves, including signing the Giants biggest free agent Steve Smith, and grabbed the attention span of football fans everywhere.

Still, another team in their division (the Dallas Cowboys) who were the defending division winners the previous season were returning with a renewed focus and energy to make good on their previous success.

As for the Giants, themselves, they had lost key free agents and were wondering how and where the replacements would come from. There were questions of chemistry and an unsettling changing of the guard taking place throughout the organization. They spent money on role players as opposed to the big names.

Then, when they began to practice, that's when everything really turned for the worse. Their top cornerback Terrell Thomas went down with a season ending injury. That was followed by a string of several other injuries to the roster. The Giants were a team in despair; injured, mismatched and lacking motivation.

They only had two things going for them. One was a coach the players would run through a wall for in Tom Coughlin. Two, their long-time locker room leader, and face of the franchise, Eli Manning. Then something miraculous happened. They found their stride. The rest has brought them to where they are today, two weeks away from playing in their fifth Super Bowl.

You may be asking yourself  "That's great for them but this is a Mets site so what does this has to do with the Mets?" The answer to that is very simple: with just weeks before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, the Mets are in a very similar place at this point of the offseason as the Giants were just before their season began.

Think about the staggering similarities. The Mets lost their key free agent. Everyone has spent the offseason pining over the departure of Jose Reyes.  Whether it was the right move by the Mets or not will be determined by hindsight. For now, let's all agree that it has the potential to hurt them this year if no one steps up to fill the void.

Next, the Mets are picked to be last or next to last in the division for this upcoming season. Here's why. The Miami Marlins made a series of splashes (pardon the pun) in the offseason that have put them in the headlines and become the media darlings. One such move includes signing the Mets big free agent Jose Reyes.

Another team, the Philadelphia Phillies, are the defending division champions and have an equally strong team returning with a renewed focus and determination to make good on their previous success. That's not even mentioning the Washington Nationals or the Atlanta Braves offseason stories into the mix.

As for the Mets, themselves, they are a team entering the season replacing their roster losses with role players as opposed to big names. They are wondering where the production will come from to adequately replace the voids left behind.

They have a question of chemistry and an unsettling changing of the guard taking place within their clubhouse. There are questions of health across the board for this roster as well. In particular, Johan Santana and Ike Davis seem to have their names mentioned often in that discussion over the past few months. They are a team in despair; injured, mismatched and lacking motivation.

They only have two things keeping them afloat from last season. One is a manager the players would run through a wall for in Terry Collins (funny how he has the same initials as Tom Coughlin, isn't it?). Two, their long-time locker room leader and face of the franchise David Wright.

Much like the Giants, something magical could happen in the season for the Mets too. Everything fell into place for the underestimated and overlooked Giants team. The Mets are underestimated and overlooked too. Why can't they find their stride.

After all, the games are won on the field, not on paper. If they were the Giants would never be where they are right now and the Mets can draw motivation and solace from that fact. They have to play the games. They have to perform to their capabilities and see where it takes them.

If they leave it all out on the field, they will have made another New York miracle storied season by this time next year.



(Personal note: I write about the New York Giants full time @ Big Giants Boom)

Frank Gray - Andres Torres, We Hardly Knew You.

The New York Mets traded Angel Pagan last month to the San Francisco Giants for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez. At the time, it seemed like the centerfielder position was set. Last week rumors came out that the Mets were interested in free agent Cody Ross.

While reports this week point to Ross agreeing to terms with the Boston Red Sox, it still begs a question: where does Torres stand? It's obvious that the Mets are interested in a back up plan for that outfield position. Perhaps it's due to his injuries last season or his low AVG of .221 as a direct result of those injuries.

The Mets have said Torres is healthy, so why, then, consider another option?  Maybe they don't believe in him as much as they are admitting or maybe they aren't divulging all of the news on his health. Either way, there's something there that has yet to be revealed.

If he is healthy, he could perform admirably. Looking at his stats prior to his 2011, he hit .268, 16 home runs and had 26 stolen bases in 2010. Those are comparable to Angel Pagan's stats in that season, .290, 11 home runs and 37 stolen bases.

While it's certainly true that Pagan had the better year then, Torres wasn't too shabby. In fact, when considering he did it from the leadoff spot, those stats are inviting to a team that has a tremendous void at the top of their lineup.

Many fans may disagree and want to see the Mets go after another option. After all, they only have Jason Bay, Lucas Duda and Scott Hairston to go with Torres on the Major League roster. I believe that would be a mistake.

As opposed to Pagan, Torres is the type of player that clubhouses embrace. When he was healthy and productive in 2010, he was not just a spark in the San Francisco Giants lineup, but an important key in the playoff push and their eventual World Series victory. The fans there loved him.

Most Giants chat boards were filled last month with upset fans ranting over the trade. He was embraced in the community as well as the clubhouse. Isn't that the type of player a younger team should take a chance on having on board?

Rather than calling for the Mets to exhaust every minimally talented outfield option, perhaps it would be wiser for us to accept that Andres Torres is the option and embrace him as our opening day leadoff hitter and starting centerfielder. He might just surprise us.

Frank Gray - Piazza wants to be a Met in Cooperstown

The New York Mets have one Hall of Famer. His name is Tom Seaver. This time next year, that may change. Mike Piazza will be eligible next season for the tremendous honor. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball. He amassed 427 homer runs and 1,335 RBI in his career.

Of those years, he spent half of his career (eight seasons) with the New York Mets. In that time, he accumulated 220 home runs, 655 RBI and 1,028 hits. All of these rank first among Mets catchers in team history. His home runs rank second and RBI rank third all-time in Mets lore.

He spent more time with the Mets than with any other team. It's hardly a far gone conclusion that when he  enters the Hall of Fame, that he will do so as a Mets player, though. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and won Rookie of the Year honors with them.

He made six of his twelve All-Star appearances as a Dodger. As a member of the Dodgers, he made the playoffs twice, the same number as with the Mets. He reached the World Series with the Mets, though. It seems apparent that he should wear a Mets logo going into the Hall, but the Hall of Fame members have a funny way of deciding who wears what hat.

For example, it was a no-brainer decision that Mets great Gary Carter should enter the Hall as a Mets player, but they put him in the defunct Montreal Expos logo (a massive mistake they have yet to admit). If he had his way, he would've been a Met. Now it appears the same scenario has arisen with Piazza.

He went on record saying he "will wear a Mets hat" to Cooperstown.  There's just one issue to that. He doesn't have the chance to choose. Unfortunately, the Hall of Fame gets that distinction. If the Mets have a bad reputation or the Dodgers need a good headline, they'll choose L.A. despite the stats. They have a tendency to favor the original teams the given player started with. If that were to happen, it would be a travesty.

With the All-Star game coming to Citi Field in 2013 and the resurgence of the Mets farm system giving way to a competitive, young ball club at the major league level very soon, it could be a time for renewal for the Mets as an organization.

The addition of another Mets player into the Hall of Fame could be an enormous boost for the franchise at just the right time. If only the Hall gets it right. If Piazza has his way, they will.

Frank Gray - Mets Must Avoid the Jose Reyes Syndrome with Wright

This past week David Wright went on Sirius XM as a guest of the Cliff Floyd/Mike Ferrin Show (I didn't even know they had one). During the show Wright was asked an obvious question: how he feels about the potential of being traded. His response?

"It's going to be a pain. I saw Jose Reyes everyday had to answer questions about trade rumors and what was going to happen to him. Frankly, it would be nice to not have to go through that but I'm going to do my best to answer those questions hopefully in spring training and not everyday have to answer to this rumor or that rumor. But I understand the business side of it. I understand what happens with players in my situation. I'm expecting it to, I guess, be some sort of issue."

This is a very telling quote. Wright knows from the experience of Jose Reyes how this team currently treats its' stars. The case of Reyes was a bit different, as he was clearly waiting for his payday (and who can blame him?), but Wright makes a valid point.

The fact is that the Mets caused Reyes to go through that barrage of questions every day. Wright is expecting them to do the same to him. And he's not looking forward to it. In fact, he is expecting it to get to him. Here's a guy that was so shaken by a new stadium that his power numbers dropped dramatically. Can you imagine how he will struggle this season amid trade rumors?

If the Mets love David Wright as much as they say they need to spare him this torture. It was just in May that Fred Wilpon said of Wright  he is "A really good kid, a very good player. Not a superstar." At face value that sounds like an insult, but it's not. Wilpon likes him. He says Wright is a good player and a really good kid. Does an owner that hates or is ripping his player normally say that?

If they like him, they may want to keep him. Mets GM Sandy Alderson twice has figuratively thrown him to the wolves already. Once in August when the Mets placed him on waivers and once last month when they put his name on the trading block.

Both times Alderson quickly retracted him. One can argue it was simply to gauge the interest in him from other teams. That is understandable, but how does that effect his psyche? Unlike Reyes, who was far too often injured, Wright is a player to build around.

Here is a player that has given his all for this team. He has played through pain, injury and bad years just to sacrifice for the greater good of the New York Mets. He loves this team. There is no doubt. He is a leader on and off the field. Both in the clubhouse and in the community. He is a rare breed that never gets in trouble and projects a good image of the team. What would the Mets gain by breaching that relationship?

The truth is they would alienate him like they did Reyes and Carlos Beltran. If the Mets do like him as much as they say, they need to show him their full support. They have to offer him the security that he needs and show a public interest in him.

There are three ways to do that. One, they have to stop putting his name out there and tell the league he is untouchable. Included in that would be the media. The Mets need to make a statement that he is not going anywhere. That would be such a tremendous boost to Wright that he may play inspired just based on that.

Two, they have to pick up his option. This helps the Mets because it keeps Wright around and shows him they want him, while allowing them time to negotiate a favorable long-term deal. It helps Wright by letting him know he is wanted here.

Three, they have to sign him to an extension next year. This secures his services for  many more years to come and allows him to be content and comfortable in his place in Queens. A comfortable Wright is a productive Wright. His stats speak to that.

The alternative to this is, of course, letting him squirm and become disgruntled. That makes for a unproductive player that will not get them the value they seek in the trade market. Then, they are stuck paying him millions of dollars for Jason Bay-like production and they end up letting him walk without getting anything in return for their decade-long investment.

Who wants that? The Mets know they have to do the right thing here. They know what the right thing is as well. They were not in a position to avoid that scenario with Jose Reyes. They will be able to avoid it with Wright. If they start now.

Ignorance can be bliss for the Mets brass

The New York Mets are a team that is in transition. The only problem is that everyone knows it except them. Off the field, they added a financial consultant this week, but claim this is not an indication of a pending bankruptcy or sale.

On the field, they are just as oblivious. While teams around them in the division continue to get better, they make small, under-the-radar type moves to "tweak" their roster slightly. It's almost as if they feel their team is just a set up pitcher or two away from glory.

They added depth in the bench this past week by re-signing Scott Hairston and adding Ronny Cedeno. They made a big trade last month when they dealt Angel Pagan for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez. In addition to this, they added free agents Jon Rauch and Frankie Francisco all in an attempt to secure that bullpen.

Depending on the report you believe, Johan Santana may or may not be ready anywhere between Spring Training and  the All-Star game. Ike Davis is returning healthy. along with Daniel Murphy and David Wright. This trio could be potent. In fact, the offense with them, Lucas Duda and an improved Jason Bay could score some more runs this year since the Mets brought the fences in a little more over this off-season.

With all of this, the Mets must be banking on a resurgence of health and improved play from their embattled roster and, therefore, must feel they don't need to make a big splash to improve things. With Sandy Alderson rebuilding the farm system and working with such limited funds, it falls on the executive administration to recognize that this team is in rebuilding mode.

If that is the case, they need to be doing more than trading a disgruntled outfielder like Pagan or refuse to re-sign a spark plug player like Jose Reyes. They need to admit they are rebuilding and trade other key pieces to their roster.

Players like Mike Pelfrey, R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Daniel Murphy and David Wright are all players they have to dangle to other teams. They all have trade value and can get some good talent back for the club right now. The fact that they are not interested in dealing any of these players says that they want this team to be competitive this year. There's a very fine line there.

If they want a competitive team this year, they need to spend on more than a Scott Hairston or a Jeremy Hefner. They need to go after a Ryan Madsen or a Coco Crisp. They have to spend money on talent. Otherwise, they are publicly admitting they think they are "good enough". If that's the case, this Mets brass is delusional.

A team that finished 25 games behind the Phillies needs more than Ronny Cedeno. They need more than a healthy Ike Davis too. They need to be deep and talented at every position. That's not the case here. This roster still has holes on the depth chart.

If the Mets brass truly believes they are a healthy Johan Santana away from contention, then a baseball I.Q. test may be required. That and a senility test. Either way, they have to know they are not close to a pennant. If that is the truth, why not just admit they are rebuilding and go full force into that plan?

If they do that, the fans would respect them a little more for their honesty. Also, they would be in a better position to build their system up for the future based on the players they would be giving up. It would force them to use younger players that may be ready for the Majors as well.

Their main fear for not doing this would have to be that they think it will lose fans and cause seats to be even more empty. Last time I checked, an average Mets game last year had a few thousand empty seats. That really will not be as much of a factor as they think.

In the end, the Mets seem deliriously blissful to be digging in the bargain basement bin for their next bench or bullpen option. After all, they must be a lot closer to the playoffs than the rest of us think.

Three holiday wishes for the New York Mets

As the holidays are just a few days away, I got to thinking about what I would wish for as a Mets fan. I believe that's a trick question, though. This past season saw another visit to the injury ward for the Mets roster and the reemergence of the inept medical staff. In addition, the past season saw embarrassing headline after embarrassing headline.

In the offseason, it actually got worse. With the departure of Jose Reyes and free agent after free agent going to other teams without the Mets even considering them, Mets fans grew impatient. Last week, when the Mets finally made some moves, it was not really embraced by the fans as a whole. While many fans were happy to see the departure of Angel Pagan, many others were questioning the trade overall. The Mets actually won that trade, though. Time will tell on how good Andres Torres will be this season, but Ramon Ramirez was the centerpiece for a deal to strengthen their bullpen. Then, add Jon Rauch and Frankie Francisco to what they already have (Tim Byrdak, Pedro Beato and Bobby Parnell)and the Mets have solidified their biggest weakness. Most fans really haven't realized this. Most of them see that the team has lost Reyes and think that their offense will be bad because of it.


This is not going to be the case.

The offense will be fine. The combination of a change in dimensions and the returned health of Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy and David Wright will more than make up for what the new leadoff hitter will lack. With last season now a thing of the past and the offseason seemingly all but over as far as the Mets are concerned, we move onto 2012.

I have three wishes for the Mets for the upcoming year.

One, I would wish for a full and healthy recovery for Johan Santana. I don't care when in 2012 he returns as long as he returns to his full velocity and capabilities. The Johan Santana that we all know he is capable of being would do wonders for this starting rotation, the younger pitchers in the dugout and the bullpen's durability down the line this season.

Two, I would like the Mets to finally and publicly show the love to David Wright that he deserves. Let's face it. No matter how well the Mets do or don't do this upcoming season, this is a team building for the future. Every Mets fan knows that David Wright lives and breathes New York Mets baseball and has since he was young. His story is legendary within Mets lure. While the teams he has been on have not been the most successful, he is still a marketable image for the team and an excellent example to young players of what they should try to be on and off the field. Why let his contract talks stay on hold this season and risk losing another homegrown talent? The Mets need to sign him to one of those career long type of contracts. This ownership has been highly critical of him and the relentless rumors of trade possibilities have to be getting to him. He needs security to be happy and successful in Queens.

Finally, it is my wish that the Mets would resist the temptation of bringing up their young stud pitchers (Harvey, Familia, Wheeler, etc) too soon. By bringing any of them up this season at any point, they risk the proper development of the talent they have invested in. They have to use patience. As hard as it is to hear for fans, if we see any of them this year, it would be a bad move down the road. Even a September call up can be dangerous to the psyche and confidence if any of them get rocked in the big leagues.

With New Years Day just around the corner, I also have a resolution to add to these holiday wishes. I will resolve to be a more patient and rational fan this year. If all of these wishes come true, it will be an easy task to fulfill, but if just one of these wishes goes awry, it could become increasingly difficult to be patient. But I will try my hardest.

If you, as a fan, had Sandy Alderson's ear for a minute and could tell him what you would like to see the Mets do in 2012, what would you say? What would your wish be? What about your Mets resolution? Tis the season for wishing. Let's see how many come to fruition next season.