New York Mets Are Team To Beat In 2009
Improved Bullpen Should Bring End To Septermber Collapses
The Bullpen
The New York Mets are coming off two consecutive September collapses, and the biggest culpit has been the bullpen. They have been awful, especially down the stretch. No lead has been safe, and many great performances by starters have gone to waste. The Mets finally addressed the issue this off-season. They signed free-agent Francisco Rodriguez, who set the all-time single season saves record last year, to be their closer. From there, they traded for fireballer J.J.Putz to be their set-up man. Putz is a former closer who throws in the mid-to-high '90s. With these additions, the Mets should have one of the best back-of-the-bullpens in all of baseball.
The Starting Rotation
The Mets boast one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball, with four guys who all throw in the '90s. Their ace is Johan Santana, and he is arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball. If the Mets had this bullpen last year, Santana would have won over twenty games easily. Their number two starter is Mike Pelfrey, and he was a dominant starter for most of last year before fading down the stretch. Expect him to finish stronger this year, in his second full season as a starter. John Maine is their number three starter, and he has been a very good pitcher for the Mets when healthy. The Mets re-signed Oliver Perez to be their fourth starter. He has been inconsistent as a Met, but he pitches his best in big games and against good teams. The fifth spot is an open competition, and the Mets hope somebody steps up and pitches well, giving them a quality fifth starter.
The Line-Up
The Mets have a very good line-up, led by perennial MVP candidates Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and David Wright. If they stay healthy, they will all have big years. It's unrealistic to expect the same kind of year from Carlos Delgado that they got last year, but he should still be a feared left-handed slugger. Ryan Church was the Mets' best player last year before his concussion problems so, if healthy, he should have a very good season. Brain Schneider is a solid defensive catcher, but he had his problems offensively last year. If his offensive woes continue, expect back-up Ramon Castro to get more playing time this season. Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis figure to platoon in left field again. Murphy hit over .300 last year after being called up and Tatis have a very good season, with many big hits. Expect them both to have solid seasons. The Mets biggest question mark is at second base. Luis Castillo looked washed up last season. He claims however, that he has worked extremely hard in the off-season and is now healthy. He wil begin the season as the starter, but he will be on a short leash. If his struggles continue, newly acquired Alex Cora could be the starter by May.
Mets Vs. Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are the defending World Series Champions, but, on paper, they are not as good as the Mets. Philadelphia's biggest advantage over the Mets last year was their bullpen, and that edge should be nullified this year with the additions of Putz and K-Rod. The line-ups are fairly even. Both have three superstars surrounded by a decent supporting cast. The Mets have a better and deeper starting rotation, which should be that much stronger this year with the improved bullpen. The Mets now have guys who can finish the game, and ultimately, that should allow them to finish the season, and put their September collapses behind them.
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