Posts Tagged 2011 New York Mets

Let’s Go Mets in 2011 and with that spirit I give you my 2011 New York Mets predictions.

First off, the 2011 NY Mets are under new management and a new coaching staff. This is good news. The ownership is still the same, though the financial situation of the ownership is certainly not. These are obvious pluses and minuses going into the season. Gotta love new management and the coaching change is certainly welcome. The trouble the owner Wilpon is in is the predominant question in the air surrounding the team. In my mind the Dodgers owner situation, pending legal preceding determining percentage ownership of the team with his ex, pails in comparison to the whole Bernie Madoff victims lawsuit situation the Mets owner finds himself in. The fact is he is one of the few people who actually profited from the scheme, and though he definitely could have been oblivious to the whole thing, the fact remains the people who lost money have hired expensive lawyers to get back some of what they lost from anyone who profited. Hopefully, these off the field distractions will not make a difference on the field, but really that is just being hopeful, because in this day and age the questions surrounding the uncertainty of the team’s future are going to be ever-present.

Secondly, the product on the field for the 2011 New York Mets is much improved potentially and hopefully much healthier. Carlos Beltran is back, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez is gone, enough said for most Mets fans. Disappointingly, Johan Santana is going to be out most or all of the season following arm surgery. David Wright looks ready to go and Ike Davis has had some experience now so he should improve upon his middle-of-the-lineup bat that will be vital for RBI’s. Jose Reyes is in a contract year so I doubt he will get hurt this year so expect big numbers from him once he gets going. The pitching staff has some guys looking for bounce back years and a few surprises from last year. It should be enough to keep us in games and could really be pretty good if Johan Santana comes back and everyone drops a spot in the rotation. Our bullpen has to be our surprise strength this year because for us to compete, we can not be blowing up in the bullpen like we did last night against the Washington Nationals.

Lastly, our competition this year is very, very good. A lot of people have been quietly talking about the Florida Marlins this year as a sleeper. The Washington Nationals could be slightly improved, but will still have trouble against every other team in the division. The Atlanta Braves are a popular pick with their solid lineup and above average pitching. Finally, the Philadelphia Phillies have what some have deemed the best starting rotation in history…please they have Joe Blanton in that rotation. However, if none of their arms fall off this season their top four pitchers are insanely talented and have at one point in their career been the best pitcher in baseball. By pure talent alone I would rank the teams: Phillies, Braves, Mets, Marlins and Nationals. I think that is a fair evaluation, but the gap between the Mets, Marlins and Nationals is a lot closer than the gap between the Braves and Mets…or so the ‘so-called experts’ would like you to believe. I dunno, I hope the Mets obviously win the division, catch lightning in a bottle and just click on all cylinders.

With all that said, I feel the mets who are right this second, 4 wins and 5 losses and currently in a tied ballgame, 4-4, against the Colorado Rockies in the top of the 8th inning could be potentially a surprise team. We can win some close games and get timely hitting all season long – we are way overdue for this – and get some better than expected pitching all season long and win 90 games, make the playoffs and it would be a great season. I hope my 2011 New York Mets prediction of 90 wins and 72 losses is right on the money, but we have to be clicking on all cylinders to make this happen. Let’s Go Mets!.