2007 Mets Season Preview

The National League East Division Champions New York Mets are heading into the 2007 season with a similar roster from last season. Throughout the off-season, there were several pitchers that the Mets missed out on, including Barry Zito and Jeff Suppan. The Mets were in severe need for an ace, with Pedro Martinez, who will be out until at least the All-Star break, coming off of surgery on his torn rotator cuff. 

First and foremost, the Mets needed to reacquire veteran Tom Glavine, who the Mets signed in 2003. Tom Glavine wasn’t the pitcher he always was when he first came to the New York Mets. Everyone wanted Glavine shipped out because he was giving up too many homeruns and wasn’t doing what was expected of him. He performed miserable in the first half of the 2005 season, but turned himself around and pitched great in the second half. In 2006, he was great. He was 15-7 with 131 strikeouts and a 3.82 Earned Run Average.

Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez are the number one and two pitchers in the Mets starting rotation heading into the season. The other youngsters that are fighting for the 3, 4, and 5 spots in the rotation are John Maine, Aaron Sele (who was recently signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training), Mike Pelfrey, Alay Soler, and Oliver Perez. There are other contestants, but chances are three of these players will be make the team as a starting pitcher.

The main necessity for the Mets for the first half of the 2007 season is successful starting pitching. The Mets need rookies, along with veterans, to step up and hold the fort for when Pedro Martinez arrives. The Doctors say that Pedro should be better than ever when he returns. His arm has been beat up over the past few seasons, especially coming off of the playoff run that ended up with a World Series win for his Boston Red Sox in 2004. Now that he has plenty of rest time and surgery, the doctors also stated that he could be throwing well into the mid-90’s, something that he struggled to do throughout his Mets career, relying on off-speed pitches. During his time with the Dodgers, Expos and Red Sox, he often threw in the high 90’s. Pedro Martinez is among the most of all active pitchers in hit batters. He is known for his fearlessness of throwing inside to batters. Many batters have charged after him after they were hit. 

The Mets, last season, had the best bullpen in the National League, 2^nd in all of baseball behind the twins. Their bullpen again looks like it should be great. There have only been some minor changes. Darren Oliver is no longer on the team’s roster, while the Mets signed Jorge Sosa, who has been an up-and-down pitcher throughout his career. Guillermo Mota was suspended 60 games without pay by MLB for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He will return, after he signed an extension with the Mets earlier this winter. Duaner Sanchez, who was great last year, said that his arm feels great and he should be ready for Spring Training. Aaron Heilman, who was also great, would like to start, but the Mets prefer using him in the bullpen. Heilman gave up the deciding homerun of the 2006 National League Championship Series to Yadier Molina.  Scott Schoeneweis was added to the Mets bullpen, signing a deal with the Mets earlier this winter. The Mets also have Pedro Feliciano returning, who was 7-2 in 60 innings pitched and had a 2.09 Earned Run Average for the 2006 season. Flamethrower Billy Wagner should be great this year as a closer after picking up 40 saves last year and 94 strikeouts.

The Mets have made some minor changes with their position players. Cliff Floyd is no longer with the team. He is now with the Chicago Cubs. Most people say he will be some kind of utility player with them, which is odd. To fill his spot on the Mets roster, the Mets signed a 1-year deal with the 40-year old veteran Moises Alou. The Mets kept 37-year old Jose Valentin, who was a surprise last season for the Mets. He was actually considering retirement following the 2005 season. The Mets also filled in an empty spot on the roster with David Newhan, who will be a utility player for the Mets after the traitor, Chris Woodward, went to the Atlanta Braves. Newhan batted .252 with 4 homers and 18 RBI in 39 games for the Orioles last season.

 The Mets re-signed postseason hero Endy Chavez to a 1 year extension. Veteran 48-year old Julio Franco is in his final year of his 2-year deal with the Mets. The Mets signed Damion Easley, who will be a reserve player. He hit .233 with 9 home runs and 28 RBI in 90 games last season. Anderson Hernandez, who started at 2^nd base on opening day last season in place of the injured Kazuo Matsui, did great in winter ball, so we’ll see what the Mets do with him. Last season he was injured and then came back, but there wasn’t much room on the roster for him. The Mets also received LF Ben Johnson in a trade. Last season he hit .250 with 4 home runs and 12 RBI in58 games. The status of outfield Lastings Milledge is not known, whether he will make the team or not. If not, he will be back up to MLB very quickly once the season begins.

Carlos Beltran and Shawn Green (who was acquired by trade at midseason last year) are returning to play in the outfield for the Mets, but don’t be surprised if you see Endy Chavez take over the starting position in right field for Shawn Green if he doesn’t play well early in the season.

At first base, Carlos Delgado, who hit 38 home runs for the mets in 2006, with 114 RBI in 144 games, should be fine after opening day, when his wife is expecting their first child. During the off-season, he had surgery on his left arm. Shortstop Jose Reyes is coming off his best season so far after he led the league in stolen bases with 64. He also had many more home runs than expected, 19. He had 17 triples, also leading the majors.

Third Baseman David Wright, who hit .311 with 26 home runs and 116 RBI, his coming off of a miserable postseason. Also, he hit only a few home runs after the all-star break, when crushed 16 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby, and also hit a home run in the All-Star Game.

            For catchers, the Mets have veteran Paul Lo Duca, who was a great fill in for long time Mike Piazza. Lo Duca hit .318 in 124 games last season. Ramon Castro is coming back to the Mets. He is a great influence in the locker room. All the Met players say he is the funniest player on the team. Last year he hit 4 homers in 40 games for the Mets.

            The Mets re-signed Manager Willie Randolph, the 18^th manager in Met history, giving him a raise and making him one of the most paid managers in Major League Baseball. This year would have been the last of a 3-year contract. The Mets and Willie Randolph agreed to a 3-year $5.45 million extension.

            The Mets’ third base coach from last year, Manny Acta, became manager of the Washington Nationals. Manny Acta was living in the same building that was hit by Cory Lidle, who was flying his plane. Manny Acta moved out of the apartment just hours before the plane crashed. The Mets re-signed pitching coach Rick Peterson, Bullpen Coach Guy Conti, Bench Coach Jerry Manuel, Batting Coach Rick Down, and Catching Instructor Tom Nieto to 3-year deals. Howard Johnson will coach First base.

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