___________

Sunday, April 4, 2010

It's Just Spring Training...the Real Season Starts Tomorrow!


So we promised a preview at every position by Opening Day and here we are on the eve of the Mets' opener and we've only gone through two positions. All I can say is, don't worry about our blog, this is just Spring Training! These posts don't even count yet!

Hey, if it's good for the Mets, it's good for us, and yes, maybe the Mets didn't have the greatest spring statistically, but don't overlook the fact that everything that's happened so far this year means nothing yet. The Mets haven't even played a game in Citi Field now that it's been re-Metsified!

The Mets finished the spring with a .271 batting average good for 20th overall in the majors. Sure, 20th may sound bad, but guess who ranks at 21 and 22?-our hated rivals the Yankees and Phillies, that's who.

Pitching-wise, the Mets also ranked 20th in the majors in ERA with a 5.19 team ERA this Spring. Look below the Mets on the list and you'll see the Yankees with their perennially excellent pitching staff that includes CC Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, and newcomer Javier Vazquez. Keep going and you'll find the young, hip, pick of the Mariners with King Felix, Cliff Lee, and Erik Bedard.

Do we think the Yankees are going to finish in the bottom 10 of the majors this year? No! Why? Spring stats mean nothing! The Mets are ready to start the season against the Marlins tomorrow and this is a new beginning. Losing on the last day of the season is in the past as is the injury-plagued 2009.

The Mets have added weapons like Jason Bay, Mike Jacobs, and Rod Barajas to their starting lineup which will give a lot of the powerful pop that the team lacked last year. The Mets pitching is ready for a bounce-back year top to bottom. KRod is coming off an off year and is ready to get back to the same form he had just 2 short years ago when he set the record for saves in a season. Johan should be his usual self after off-season surgery that should put him back into those discussions of being the best pitcher in the game. Jeff Francoeur and David Wright are young players with unlimited potential and now playing together in a lineup with more protection, there is no doubt they can be superstars again. Pelfrey, Ollie, and Maine have all shown flashes of greatness in the past and there is real potential there. These guys will determine how this season goes, and are poised for huge comeback seasons. Finally, while the injury bug is not totally gone, we are definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with Jose Reyes expected back to the team within a couple weeks and Beltran still on track to come back by the end of April.

Sure, you can look at the Spring Training stats of 2010 and not be excited for the season to start, but just wait until the first week in May when the Mets are a few games over .500 and ready to explode with a lineup and rotation that's the same or better than the one that was picked by many to win it all last year in the preseason. Regardless of the missteps of the Spring or the broken promises of our blog, there's one thing that will always be true - there will be plenty of Mets KoolAid to sip starting tomorrow - so get a glass and get pumped for baseball in 2010!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment