New York Mets...Next Year...

[NSL]

As a Mets fan, it pains me to see what this season has become. What's worse, is that there really is no one to blame. The team has lost 4 of their top 5 line-up spots to injury, and traded their 6th spot guy from Opening Day, for a guy that has been the most productive since the trade. They've also lost their top 3 starting pitchers, as well as their main set-up man to injury. Let's not also count the injuries to Brian Schneider, and almost every regular bench guy (Sheffield, Pagan, and others). Here's my question...

Do all these injuries make the team better for next year?

In a sick way, all of these guys are getting extended off-seasons, healing up, and getting fresh for next season, where they'll be healthy from Day 1, and able to produce like they usually do/did. This also allows all of next year's bench to receive valuable playing time. Pagan has given a spark to the line-up, and may even be in the argument to start in LF next year. Santos may be reason enough to trade Schneider if they feel he can play everyday, and the bullpen and minor league system have all had plenty of time to rack up innings, and get to know the batters they'll be facing.

Maybe it's just me being a die-hard, but I'd like to think that the shit that hit the fan this season, will pay off for next year...

 

[Cowboyfromhell]

I will put all my prejudices aside, as a Philadelphia sports fan, and look at the Mets problem objectively.
I think their number one problem is that they have an old team. The right side of their infield would have been stellar 6 years ago. Delgado, while still a force in the middle of the line up, is not the force he was to be reckoned with a few short years ago. And Luis Castillo, one of the only Mets not to visit the DL, is not the speedster he once was. It looks bad that they took his contract, which is on the big side, to make Santana happy.
I'm not sure why but David Wrights power numbers disapeared this year. 8 home runs last I checked. He killed me in my one fantasy league this year. He is still a stud but the lack of power from a power position scares me. Is it the new ballpark? The lack of Delgado? Reyes being hurt also killed the Mets. He is also a stud. The outfield, other than Beltran, doesn't scare anyone. And Carlos isn't what he once was and injuries have plaqued him this year. The pitching could be better. Oliver Perez should be sent far away. Terrible contract, the Mets were bidding against themselves. And I never liked the Santana trade. It sapped the Mets of any prospects they had, ones they sorely needed this year with all the injuries. Plus the Twins seem to have a track record of trading stars at the right time. I heard reports at the time of the trade that they were concerned about his elbow holding up for the length of the contract he wanted. They felt he might get a couple of good years in and then have elbow problems. And looke what surgery he had this week? Twenty percent of pitchers who have bone spurs removed from their throwing elbow go on to have Tommy John surgery within a year of the bone spur surgery (ESPN report). I'd clean house. Gm to the manager, get some youth.