And Then the Braves Won 9 More NL East Titles

The New York Metropolitans are the team to beat in the National League.

Fair enough, right? They did make it to the NLCS, one hit-to-be away from taking the pennant and demolishing the already-peaked Detroit Tigers. But thanks to a mysterious shoulder ailment (don't worry, I heard Beltran had the bat removed from his body this off-season), the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League and the World Series. They chugged tequila, we chugged Malox. Shit happens.

Here's the thing: The NY Mets are loaded with young talent and veteran leadership, both measured out to a careful balance like a chemist prepares a prescription for medicine. Two of the best young talents in the game, David Wright and Jose Reyes, will be exponentially better this year than last, having already gotten rid of their first time jitters in the playoffs. We're talking about babies in their early 20s, just learning how good they can be. Little known fact: Reyes was a hit or two away from reaching a crazy feat last year, almost becoming the second player in Major League Baseball history to hit 20 home runs, 20 doubles, 20 triples, and steal 20 bases in a year. The other? Willie Mays. Yeah. Awesome, right?

Willie May is not to be confused with Willie Mays Hayes, Wesley Snipes' character from Major League and Major League 2. In the sequel, when we join Hayes at Cleveland Indians training camp, he has just exited a limo after his entourage (easily 30 people). Rube Baker, the new catcher, asks Jake Taylor, the aging catcher, "who are they?". Taylor responds, "they are our center-fielder." Hayes, after bulking up in his off-season, had become something of a power hitter, launching bombs out of spring-training stadiums and looking like a 40/40 guy. Thing is, he had an attitude problem.

But here's Reyes in much the same situation as Hayes was in, sans the attitude: after his breakout season, he spent the winter gaining 20 lbs of muscle. He's now 6'1", 200 lbs, and in addition to stealing 80 bases this year (that's a conservative estimate), he's probably going to jack 25 or 30 homers, turn endless doubles into triples, and eventually get his legs churning like the road runner, elliptical spheres of shoe laces and quadriceps, constantly powering him around the bases while the scoreboard clinks up run after Met run, after Met run.

And Wright? We all know about his 5-toolness - he's the best Met third baseman since, well, sure, Howard Johnson. I'll give it to him. Plenty has been said about Wright already, and about Delgado's power and leadership, and about Beltran's steady and dogged determination to make himself wanted in NY. Strike out or no strike out, he has succeeded.

But you knew these things already. The stuff you don't know, though, are the reasons why the Mets are the team to beat:

Moises Alou - LF
Alou, apparently, is made out of some space-aged metal which doesn't rust or break down. He's going to get injured, which is fine. I'm OK with that, knowing we can pencil in .280, 25 homers and 80 RBI's from our 40-something left-fielder. Until Last Milledge is ready, he's our guy. And that's an upgrade from Cliff Floyd, even if Alou takes the month of April and May off, choosing to teach English is Japan somewhere.

Mike Pelfrey - P
Spring training, occasionally, provides a breeding ground for young talent to take hold. Here's hoping that Pelfrey's stellar spring (his 1.29 ERA all but guarantees that he'll start the season in the Bigs as the Mets 5th starter) carries over to a productive side-arm pitching season. With the loss of Pedro Martinez until, I don't know, fucking August, and El Duque and Tom Glavine's much publicized ages, he'll be needed.

Paul Lo Duca - C
Yes, he's old. And that's cool. There are some guys that are going to have to be looked at after the season. The sun won't shine forever, but as long as it's here then we might as well shine together. Lo Duca is solid behind the plate and in front, starting at catcher for the NL in the all-star game and hitting .318 on the year, mostly from the #2 spot. You go Reyes, Lo Duca, Wright, Beltran, Delgado. That one through five is absolutely disgusting, and Lo Duca is the glue that keeps those guys on base.

Willie Randolph - Manager
Wille just sounds good at press conferences. That's big, you know? He sounds like this is his club: he's responsible for the losses, but is quick to come across confidently, almost arrogantly (we'll call it arrogance lite) when the Mets perform well. He's put his stamp on the team, and his aggressive managerial style will benefit them in close games next fall.

El Duque - P
Even though no one know's how old he is (the over under is 46, btw), he's still got to be considered one of the best clutch pitchers in recent memory. He's won rings with the Yanks and the ChiSox, playing a key role on each staff, and he's proven time after time in the playoffs that he's the guy who gets the ball when you need a win. He was to the contemporary Yankee staffs what Andy Pettite was to the '96 and '98 clubs. Give me El Duque with a wooden leg before you give me Steve Trachsel. Seriously.

Jose Valentin will figure it out at second with Damien Easley, and right field will work itself out. There are no holes on this club, and the kids will gel with their elders - Franco, at 49, became the oldest guy to steal a base last year - and there'll be no fall collapse. You see, the only reason this didn't win it all last year was the young players didn't hit in the fall. So you add the experience to Reyes muscles, Wright's even-handedness, Beltran and Delgado's, you know, excellence, and the pitching upgrades to the bullpen (and you know they'll get an arm before the deadline), and you've got the team to beat.

As for the Phillies, I'll believe it when I see it.