Are the Mets for Real?

As a Mets fan my entire life, it has been a tough journey along the way. When I was just turning three years old, the Mets won the 1986 World Series. Being raised a Mets fan, this would be the benchmark I would work off of in the future. My parents were both Mets fans, so of course I was paraded around in all sorts of 80's era Mets little clothes. Living through the middle years was the worst, especially watching the team that got scorched in the Series by the Yankees. Living in Buffalo now makes it even harder, since most people in this town think they can just decide to be Yanks fans for the fun of it.

This year has been different though. Mets fans can feel it...the playoffs are coming.

Now this is where a debate arises. Most would say with a 12 game lead in the surprisingly poor NL East would guarantee the playoffs at this point (barring a colossal breakdown, knock on wood). The question is whether or not the Mets are built for the long haul.

First we will look at the internal workings of the team:

Offense: Sure, there have been days the bats are quiet, but for the most part the Mets have been rolling all year. Three players (David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado) have above 20 HR at the halfway point. Jose Reyes leads the league in runs and steals, and Jose Valentin has been a revelation this year, holding up the end of the order. Hitting shouldn't be an issue in the playoffs.

Defense: Fielding has been another fairly bright spot for the Mets this year. From a catching standpoint, Paul Lo Duca has been an improvement from Mike Piazza. Jose Reyes' errors at SS have dropped significantly from last year, and Valentin has been solid at second. Cliff Floyd and Xavier Nady's play has been spotty in the outfield, but there are some players on the bench that can hold it down. Which leads me to...

Bench: The bench players for the Mets this year have been phenomenal this year. Endy Chavez has not only been outstanding in the OF, but his bat has come through in though spots. Julio Franco has not only been a team leader/player coach, but his play backs it up.

Pitching: Ahhh, everyone points to pitching as the piece that could be the downfall of the Mets in the playoffs. The four Mets pitchers who have had solid jobs so far this season have been Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, and Steve Trachsel. When you look at these gentlemen, you would think the team is set...three years ago. The truth is, all four pitchers are getting old, and are injury prone. Pedro has already hit the DL, Glavine has slowed down a touch from his incredible start to the year, and El Duque has been off some days. On the other hand, all three are used to the big game. Even if they slow down by the end of the season, they will be ready for the playoffs, guaranteed. Granted, that fifth spot in the rotation needs to be sealed up...the Mets need another pitcher. I don't even need to say anything about the bullpen, a unit that has been solid throughout the year.

Trades?

Trade rumors are heating up this time of year, and many are talking about the Mets seeking out a pitcher. Among these names are Dontrelle Willis, Livan Hernandez, Barry Zito, and even Greg Maddux. Let's analyze the possibilities:

Dontrelle Willis: Getting ahold of this young gun would not only give the Mets a solid boost into the playoffs, but if they could secure him he could be another piece to add to the young foundation of this team. It seems that it will cost the team Lastings Milledge, however, a possibility I am not sure about. Is a proven starting pitcher worth the cost of your top prospect, not to mention a prospect that is being compared to Willie Mays? (See Scott Kazmir). I believe at this point it could be...as much as it hurts to say it, unless Omar Minaya can work out another deal.

Livan Hernandez: This could be the one pitcher that the Mets could get without giving up Milledge. Mike Pelfrey, the Mets young pitching prospect, could be packaged with a guy like Aaron Heilman. Livan would slide in perfectly to that number three spot, right before his half brother El Duque. This is the one trade that I think will definitely go down. Now if only we could throw in Milledge and have Soriano come over too....hmmm, I'm getting greedy.

Barry Zito: I don't see the Mets searching out Zito, as it has been thought for a year now that they will seek him out in free agency at the end of the season. However, if other teams are putting the pressure on to get him, the Mets might have to pull the trigger.

Greg Maddux: Ok, let's be for real here. Not going to happen. As much as Mets fans salivate over Glavine and Maddux pitching back to back giving a final F you to the Braves, he is too old. This team needs to find a guy that will last through the years after Pedro and Tommy G retire.

The Playoffs:

If and when the Mets get there, they have a few questions to face:

Q: Will this team stay healthy?
A: For the most part, yes. It is mostly a young team. The only guys I am worried about are Delgado and Pedro. Hopefully those guys can take their time on the DL and be fresh for October.

Q: Can the Mets match up against the Cardinals and Astros?
A: Are you serious? Of course they can. The Mets have better hitters from top to bottom (notice I said from top to bottom, I'm not forgetting about Albert Pujols). And they will most likely have home field advantage.

Q: Can the Mets beat the AL contender if they get to the World Series?
A: At this point I am saying no to that. After going 3-6 against the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Yankees (including getting swept by the Sox), it looks like this team has some serious work to do. The Red Sox look like they are ready, and I would love to see a rematch of the 86 series during the 20th anniversary of the win. Now, if the Mets pick up another pitcher, things change a little bit.

This team is still finding its identity, and all the work will hopefully culminate right around September.

More to come...