Bullpen I think everyone agrees is solid with Rauch, Francisco, Ramirez to end games, Parnell, Acosta for the middle innings and a long man competition (add a lefty if you want a 12 man staff)

Lineup is our issue, Wright, Davis, Bay, Duda, Murphy can be above average (to varying degrees of faith) players, we are poor behind the plate, average at SS (we were spoiled by Reyes), poor in CF (though Den Dekker or Nieuwenhuis give hope)

The bullpen in 2011 fell completely apart after KRod was traded. While I like this offseason’s additions to an extent, especially Ramirez, I don’t think it’s enough to bring them from horrible to good. Of course it’s hard to predict relievers from year to year, I currently expect them to be an average bullpen overall. We’ll see, hopefully they all have good years.

In the end, I think this team sinks or swims with its rotation. Currently the rotation looks like a garbage heap to me. Anything the Mets get out of Santana this year will be gravy in my eyes. Dickey has been consistent for two years, I’ll go with the expectation of him being the best pitcher on the team once again. Niese, while I’m a huge fan of his, still has yet to show any consistency and is still prone to the ‘wheels falling off’ inning. Pelfrey gives a lot of innings that are very mediocre, so he already is a number 4/5 pitcher. Gee is another number 5 pitcher, nothing great or awful. So: an old/damaged ace, a seemingly good knuckleballer, an inconsistent/mediocre young lefty, and two mediocre number 5s. That has the look of a last place rotation.

We are going to be out of it by mid May!

We have a lock on the basement and if we should finish in 4th place they should have a parade!