New York Mets: 5 Mets Who Need to Overachieve for New York to Contend

With much publicity surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets have the opportunity to sneak up on the perennial division winners and catch them off guard, assuming certain players on their roster step up and rebound from tough, even dismal 2010 seasons.

With that in mind, here is a list of those five players that the Mets most need to overachieve this season.

Jose Reyes

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - APRIL 01: Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets hits a fly ball during opening day against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium on April 1, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

In what may be his final season as a New York Met, shortstop Jose Reyes is one of the keys, if not the key to the team’s success this season.

Last season, Reyes batted .282 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI in 133 games with the team. He also finished with 30 stolen bases.

When Reyes gets on base, he usually finds a way to swipe a bag and score. But the key to that statement is, “When Reyes gets on base.”

Reyes will need to remain healthy and be successful at the plate if the Mets plan on topping the red-hot Phillies and Braves. If the Mets fall too far back early on in the season, look for Reyes’ name to come up in trade talks.

Mike Pelfrey

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: Mike Pelfrey #34 of the New York Mets pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers on September 28, 2010 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Last season, Mike Pelfrey got off to a torrid start, posting a 10-1 record in the first half of the season before finishing the season 15-9 with a 3.66 ERA in 204 innings pitched.

The Mets will need to see the Pelfrey of early 2010 if they want to match up strongly with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and the rest of the NL East.

After his first three starts this season, Pelfrey is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA, six strikeouts and nine walks. In his start against the Phillies on April 6, Pelfrey couldn’t throw strikes and had a hard time keeping the Phillies from scoring, allowing seven runs, six earned, in two innings of work.

Pelfrey will need to regroup and return to form quickly, as Johan Santana is still months away from his return to the team. When he returns, assuming Pelfrey can turn his season around, the Mets will get a much-needed boost to their rotation

Jason Bay

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PHOENIX - JULY 20: Jason Bay #44 of the New York Mets reacts after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of Major League Baseball game at Chase Field on July 20, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Gett

Jason Bay, who began 2011 on the disabled list with a strained rib-cage muscle, will need to have a monstrous season for the Mets. Although the team does not consider Bay’s injury serious, his missing bat is a severe loss for the Mets lineup, even after a subpar 2010 at best.

If Bay can get his swing back, something he was clearly missing in 2010 after hitting only six home runs, driving in 47 runs and finishing with a .259 batting average, the Mets should be in good shape.

The three-time All-Star and ’09 Silver Slugger Award winner needs to work on his plate discipline before he can return to his Pittsburgh Pirate form for the Mets.

Once he does, however, watch for Bay to be a force in the NL East.

Francisco Rodriguez

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PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 03: Pitcher Francisco Rodriguez #75 of the New York Mets throws against the St. Louis Cardinals at Digital Domain Park on March 3, 2011 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

“K-Rod,” arguably the most dominant closer in all of baseball from 2002-2008, had an average 2010 season, a season which was highlighted by a brawl with his girlfriend’s father in which he tore a ligament in his thumb.

He appeared in 53 games for the Mets last season, ending with a 4-2 record and 25 saves and a 2.20 ERA.

Thus far, Rodriguez already has one blown save in five games, but is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. After blowing less than 10 saves in each of the past two seasons, “K-Rod,” a four-time All-Star and a World Series champion, will need to be effective again this season coming out of the Mets bullpen.

Rodriguez can also serve as a veteran of this year’s Mets bullpen as well.

Ike Davis

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 05: Ike Davis #29 of the New York Mets watches the flight of his two run home run in the 8th inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 5, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Carlos Beltran’s high-powered, home run-hitting days are over, and Mets first baseman Ike Davis is likely the best candidate outside of David Wright to post numbers that the Mets expected Beltran to put up when they signed him.

Davis hit 19 home runs in 147 games with the Mets last season, a season which saw him end with a .264 average, a .791 OPS and the hearts of many Mets fans. Davis has already gone deep and driven in 11 runs through 13 games this season.

Look for Davis to have another breakout year this season.

If David Wright can put up similar numbers to those he put up last season, he won’t need to overachieve in 2011. The Mets should be able to ride the bats of Wright, Thole and Davis to make a run in the ever-tough NL East.