2011 MLB Preview: New York Mets

9 Innings Blog will be bringing you previews of every Major League Baseball team for the next 30 days, in accordance with our "30 teams in 30 days" series. Today, we will give you the 2011 preview of the New York Mess, I mean…Mets.

The Mets are trying hard to bounce back from two less-than-stellar seasons in Queens. Maybe there’s a miracle for the Mets this season.

The Mets had another rough year in 2010, finishing fourth in the National League East division, just 10 games above the Nationals. The Mets were 79-83, but their record overshadows their great start to the season.

The Mets were, in fact, clicking on all cylinders. Mike Pelfrey was emerging as an ace. He started the season with a 4-0 record and an ERA of 0.69 before he began to cool down, finishing the season with a 15-9 record and a 3.66 ERA. Pelfrey was great and the Mets were doing pretty well heading into the deep summer months of July and August. They were in a close race for the NL Wildcard, just one and a half games behind Atlanta.

Then, the bad luck hit.

New York started out by dropping 2 of 3 from Atlanta to push them back a bit in the Wildcard, and they never recovered. K-Rod tore a thumb ligament punching his father-in-law; Jason Bay suffered a concussion and never bounced back; Johna Santana’s season ended in September with rotator cuff surgery. He is due back for a midseason summer return.

This offseason was a busy one for the Mets. The Wilpons fired GM Omar Minaya and replaced him with Moneyball star Sandy Alderson. Alderson then fired Jerry Manuel and replaced him with Terry Collins. They also signed pitchers Chris Capuano, Taylor Buchholz, Jason Isringhausen, Tim Byrdak and Chris Young.

New York then moved on from John Maine, Sean Green, Chris Carter and as of recently, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo.

The Wilpons are suffering the side effects from the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme.

The Mets, on paper, look like they have a good team—if everyone is healthy. They have no chance in the NL East, especially if Johan is going to be out for half the year. This is not the Mets’ year.

Key Addition: Chris Young, RHP

Breakout Player: Josh Thole, CA

Prediction: Fourth NL East

Starters

CA: Josh Thole
1B: Ike Davis
2B: Brad Emaus
3B: David Wright
SS: Jose Reyes
OF: Angel Pagan
OF: Scott Hairston
OF: Jason Bay

Pitching Rotation

SP: Mike Pelfrey
SP: Jon Niese
SP: Chris Young
SP: R.A. Dickey
SP: Chris Capuano

RP: Pedro Beato
RP: Taylor Buchholz
RP: Tim Byrdak
RP: D.J. Carrasco
RP: Jason Isringhausen
RP: Bobby Parnell
CP: Francisco Rodriguez

Bench

CA: Mike Nickeas
INF: Chin-lung Hu
INF: Daniel Murphy
OF: Nick Evans
OF: Willie Harris

Top Prospects

1) Jenrry Mejia, RHP
2) Wilmer Flores, SS
3) Matt Harvey, RHP
4) Cesar Puello, OF
5) Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF