Since the new Baseball season is quickly aprroaching, I thought it would be neat to have a discussion topic here in the general area. Feel free to talk about your favorite team and express your thoughts as the season progresses. Most of us are pretty opened minded here, except when it comes to the skankees. Yama, please make this a sticky.

Play ball!!

Hmm, as it stands this is the 2006 Mets:

1) Reyes - SS
2) Beltran - CF
3) Wright - 3B
4) Delgado - 1B
5) Floyd - LF
6) LoDuca - C
7) Diaz - RF
8) Hernandez - 2B

I think it looks pretty good, the only question could be the 7-8. Hopefully Hernandez produces during Spring Training and gets not only the spot, but does well at it. We need a second baseman and I would love to fill the void with home grown talent, he was supposed to be very good, but we didn't see much of him last year. So, let's say he fills in 2B. Then Milledge comes up, if all goes as planned, June or so and takes over in RF. That'd be killer, hopefully he can pull a Wright.

Starting Pitching:

1) Pedro
2) T-Glav "indatass" ;)
3) Benson
4) Trachsel
5) Zambrano

Zambrano is spotty, but for a five guy? We'll see, all in all it looks nice though - especially with how Glavine finished the second half of last year.

Bullpen:

Wagner
Heilman
Padilla
Bradford
Sanchez
Bell

It looks good,Wagner, Heilman and Padilla I've seen much of and am confident with. Bradford and Sanchez, I've heard they were both average... their records show that as well, both look better than some of what we had last year though. Then you have Bell, I don't even know what to say. He was brilliant one game, not the next. Got a pitch worked on, came back and was brilliant, much like so, then slaked some. We'll see, I'd rather have had Seo - but yeah, Bell's value isn't quite as high for trading.

Bench:

Franco
Castro
Woodward
Redman
Nady
Chavez

If the bench had a rating I'd say the Mets would be #1. In so many ways it's overlooked, but it's so important - it wins game after game, we've been to them Hatch. The top three I know about, we had two of them last year and saw another beat us - they were brilliant. Redman beat Looper, not hard to do, but he looked decent as well. More of a defensive sub if anything, but happy to have. Chavez, hahahaha. Nady, we'll see. Not thinking he'll be on the bench, but insetad platooning with Diaz. Either way, one of the two will be on the bench and that feels good.

Overall this is the best team, on paper, we've had since '86 - I love my 1999 Mets but this one may have just outdone it. Can't wait for March, it'll definately be an important one.

I definately wanted Diaz starting in RF, as you can see by my little roster above. This may not be too far off, this article is nothing but positive words for our probable right fielder.

Diaz making strong case in winter ball
Prospect may graduate from last year's part-time outfield role

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ ... p&c_id=nym

Until Milledge is ready, I think Diaz is a pretty good option in right field. Besides, with Delgado, Wright, and Beltran, they dont need Diaz to put up huge numbers. He just needs to stay healthy and play some defense.

We ALL know Mets are gonna flop in October.

A Yankee fan already putting us in October baseball? Damn, you must really think were good. And just imagine what we did to the Yankees the past two years with less, heh... June can't come fast enough.

That was obviously a glitch in the Matrix. I swear everytime we play the Mets, our pitchers are either hurt, or just not playing good baseball. WTFUXX

On paper it looks like it's a good year to be a Mets fan. I think of all the team we seem to have imporoved the most followed closely by the Toronto Blue Jays. They, not the Red Sox, might prove to be the Yankees toughest challenge this season although I wouldn't count out Boston if they find a competent CF and leadoff man. They have some good prospects like pitcher Jonathan Paplebon, infielder Andy Marte, and outfielder David Murphy. They have a catching prospect named Kelly Shoppach that can be used in a trade since Varitek isn't going anywhere and I feel they greatly improved their bullpen with Mota and Tavarez.

I also feel the Mets need another reliable starter and call me crazy but I think it would be a good idea to sign Jeff Weaver. He'll come cheap and is an innings eater. I like Bradford and Padilla in the pen. I don't know much about Sanchez but I hear he's ok, and Heilman and Wagner are a strong setup-closer combo. Just image Heilman's changeup in the 8th followed by that 98 mph Wagner fastball in the 9th. Looper blew alot of games next year and it cost the Mets dearly. I give Omar all the credit in the world for finding what we need and getting it. Hell take advantage of the money we got because we needed a top of the line closer. There is also a very good chance Milledge will make his best David wright immpression this season meaning AAA by June and big leagues by July. I think this will be an exciting year

I honestly don't even want baseball to start. For what to see a butchered team again. Forget it, get the Marlins out of here, I don't want to go through this same garbage again, this ripping out the fans heart for the second time.

I'll still follow baseball but I won't be emotionally involved at all.

Man I feel for you but let'sput a positive swing on this. Your team does have some sick prospects and weirder things have happened. I don't think they'll do good mostly bc the players aren't ready but I think they have a better chance them some teams out there simply due to potential. Maybe they'll all be David Wright's. From a prospects tandpoint that team is sick.