Omar Gets It Right
I admit that I was a bit down on the Mets after their 70-92 performance last season, which followed collapses to close the 2007 and 2008 seasons and a loss to an inferior team in the 2006 NLCS.
But after an eventful offseason, there is reason for optimism. The 2010 Mets are going to be serious contenders. Thanks to GM Omar Minaya, they are clearly a championship-caliber team.
Minaya solidified the Mets' outstanding bench by bringing back Alex Cora and Fernando Tatis. He signed Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco to play catcher, providing the Mets with a solid one-two punch behind the plate. He brought in Gary Matthews Jr. and Mike Jacobs, each of whom looks poised to play key roles for the Mets.
Omar did not overlook the pitching staff either. The starting rotation returns intact, which is bad news for the rest of the NL - not to mention the Mets' interleague opponents. In the bullpen, Kelvim Escobar appears ready to pick up right where he left off in Anaheim, while Ryota Igarashi and Hisanori Takahashi will add to the Mets' legacy of selecting Japan's most talented baseball players.
Perhaps Minaya's best move is the one he did not make - bringing back Bobby Valentine. Recognizing that it is impossible to return to the past, and that one must go forward rather than backward, the Mets come back to Queens with Jerry Manuel back in the dugout.
All of this, along with today's sunny skies and warm air, portend a fine season in 2010.
posted on 4/01/2010
