A positive outlook on the spring so far.

Hello everyone. I hope you are all weathering this Mets spring training soap-opera. Everyday it's another twist in the tale of the hard luck Mets. But isn't that why we're Mets fans? Life is never easy being a Mets fan, and sometimes it's hard to have a rosy outlook on the season. Just when you think things are getting better, something bizarre happens again. Just ask Delgado and Castro, and Valentin.

I've managed to see quite a few of the spring training games and there is hope for the future of the team despite the syncs and critics. Many of the young minor league players are pulling their weight and showing they have skills too. Molina has proven to be a good catcher in a fill in role, and Cancel is also impressing. What was thought to be a gutted minor league system has a few gems hiding in the weeds. Pagan and Clark are impressive at the plate and the field. While not youngsters, they have a knack of making plays and getting on base. Somehow Alou's vacation doesn't seem so troublesome now. I believe both would be capable of holding down the outfield positions if needed. The think the lack of a right handed bat off the bench, and a backup for Delgado are the 2 biggest concerns about the offense this spring.

I'm also impressed by some of the pitchers that were brought into camp this year. What was often thought of as a weakness for the team, has the makings of a strength. There seems to be TOO MANY good arms for too few spots in the pen. Wise is looking good and should give Willie an option if Heilman needs a day off. Figeroa is looking as if he's going to win the long relief spot in the pen. Register, Stokes, Padillia, Smith, Kuntz, Sanchez, Sosa, Schoeneweis, Wise, Feliciano, Figeroa, and Heilman have all pitched well this spring. I see a trade in the making because of the extra arms in the pen. Wise, Heilman, Feliciano, Wagner, Register, Sosa, Schoeneweis and Sanchez all deserve spots. But, Register is a rule 5 drafty. Meaning, the Mets need to keep him on the roster, or send him back to Colorado. Wise is guaranteed $750,000 if he doesn't make the team. And that creates a problem. Too many arms for too few places. If the Mets could work out a trade for someone like Nady for Sosa and Schoeneweis, that would fix the outfield for the next few years, and make room for some younger arms in the pen. Wishful thinking I bet.

Starting pitching doesn't have as many issues to figure out. Wondering if El' Duque will ever pitch this spring seems to be the biggest question.

Personally, I want Pelfrey in the 5th spot. Mike has shown growth from last year, and he's young. He's more likely to give you 30-35 starts than Hernandez. With El' Duque, you're looking at 25 at best. And you never know until game time if he's going to pitch. Remember 2006? The day before the Dodger's series, he pulls a muscle. If he can't give you at least 160 innings, he shouldn't be in the rotation.

As far as the rest of the starters, can we say multiple 20 game winners? I'm going on record here and now that Santana and Maine will both win 20 games. Johan has shown he's comfortable in NY and has changed the mindset of the team. He gave up 4 runs in his last outing, but the defense didn't do him any favors either. John Maine is becoming a stud before our eyes. I've liked him from the time he came up in '06. Don't let that quiet demeanor fool you. He's downright nasty this spring. He's fine tuning his change-up and blowing fastballs by the hitters with regularity. Add in his slider, and John will become a star player on this team. Look for him to get that All-Star selection he was due last year. Pedro pitched well Sunday and shows no signs of his arm being an issue. I see 30+ starts for him this year and 15+ wins also. How cool would it be to have him also get 20 wins again? And Ollie has finally woke up this spring. After 2 awful starts, he's starting to show his dominance again. He pitched well today, and well in his previous start. The thing I've noticed is the lack of walks in the last 2 outings. That's the key for Perez. Keep the ball down, and don't get wild and fill the bases with free passes. As long as the pen doesn't get abused this year, I think 80+ wins from the starters is not a crazy goal.

Now all we need is a healthy team behind the pitchers and we can have a season to remember.