[ctorg]

I blame myself a bit.

Every time I've moved outside of New York City since 1986, the Mets have gotten bad. After growing up in the city, I moved out to the suburbs at age 16 in 1991. I came back in 1998, and then left again in 2001. I returned in 2006, and left again at the end of 2008.

Well, I'm back in the city again for 2010. In Queens even. So maybe that's what they need. Not a better training staff, not better players, not better management. They need me living in the city.

Wow, what a year. What a totally awful year for the Mets. There is little positive that came out of it. Nice new stadium, I guess.

Every year, when the Mets don't win, I try (like most fans) to come up with roster moves or other ideas that are feasible and might help them. This year I'm just at a loss. They have so many holes, I don't know where to begin that doesn't start with a few years of rebuilding, and that's not something a team with a market and payroll the size of the Mets' is allowed to do.

Reminds me a bit of that 1993 team that was supposed to be really good but sucked. Big payroll, a number of star players, but a truly awful season.

So I'm back in town, Mets. Time to get good again.

[phightin]

the mets are in a bad spot and in arguably the toughest division outside of the AL east. Unless they find the room to go out and spend again there's really little they can do besides rebuild. The things they need though I think in particular order:

1. Another very good or at least serviceable starter to take the pressure off santana. The guy's arm has to be ready to fall off with the amount they've over extended him over the past couple of seasons.

2. A better bullpen if they ever figure out how to assemble a decent one in the first place I'll be surprised.

3. An overall younger team all around time to say bye to Delgaldo, castillo, most of their outfield too.

[lawrence97]

We really need two starters, i don't think the bullpen is too much of an issue, i'd rather we spent the money on the starting pitching. John Maine and Mike Pelfrey are good 4th and 5th starter, but we really need a second ace and a good mid-rotation guy.

On the field, the infield of delgado-castillo-reyes and Wirght, if healthy, and if Wright remembers how to hit home runs again is good enough. The outfield, Beltran is superb, whilst Franceour will do, but another OF with a bit of Pop would be invaluble(Holliday?). Murphpy just looks lost out there and Martinez doesn't look mlm quality. Catchers, Martinez aside there's not much out there, and next year, if Mauer becomes avaible, it'll be tough fighting off the Yanks for him.

However, going back to the original problem, of starting pitching, this years fa looks horrible, with Rich Harden, Mark Prior and Ben Sheets (if they can stay healthy) the best options.


Unfortuantley our farm system looks a little thin, so not much help there either. if we don't get any starting pitching improvment, i can only see us challenign for a wild card this year at best

[ctorg]

I'm always hesitant to say that they need to concentrate on the bullpen, because the bullpen is more of a crapshoot than anything. Relievers are unpredictable for single seasons, outside of standout closers and such, so putting a lot of money into the bullpen is likely a waste. You kind of make some good guesses and hope it works.

The rotation definitely needs a couple of guys, and left field is wide open and in search of a nice free agent. First base seems to be Murphy's, though I have a feeling he will be on a short leash there. Beyond that, they have another guy - Ike Davis - being groomed for the position in the minors right now, so I don't see them signing a big name if they don't bring Delgado back.

But really, there are so many other plates spinning, you can bet at least a couple will drop, and there's no way, without some very good luck, that the team will be able to withstand that and be in contention. The minor leagues are desolate. Outside of Wright, Reyes, and Beltran - all of whom could go down with injury at any given time - there is nothing really impressive about the lineup.

The rotation after Santana is pretty far from good. I've always been high on Maine, but I'm starting to lose the faith now, and he will apparently continue to have injury issues. And I've always thought Pelfrey was way, way overhyped (really, all signs point to a very mediocre career for him).

[yankeesrule]

Regarding Wright, his power was expected to decline with the new stadium. I also know that they spoke about him adjusting his swing to the new stadium, going more for doubles than homers. There was a study I read before the start of the season that reviewed his home runs, and other mets, from the previous few seasons and found especially in wright that many of his were line drive types that were just clearing the wall. In the new, larger stadium with higher walls, those line drive types were hitting the wall and become doubles instead. Also gotta figure that as the rest of the lineup went down, he was either pressing or just wasn't getting decent pitches w/o any protection in the lineup. When you have guys like Sheffield, Franceur, and Murphy as Wrights protection in the lineup, hes not gonna see many nice pitches to see.