5 Excuses the New York Mets Are Starting 2012 with

With the 2012 season rapidly approaching, the New York Mets are one of baseball's great mysteries. Although the payroll is lower than it has been in a decade and the organization finds itself playing "Moneyball," they are also getting back fully healthy players like Johan Santana and Ike Davis, who the Mets desperately missed in 2011.

That being said, the Mets are still projected by numerous sources to finish last in the NL East.  For a team that won 77 games last year and is only getting healthier, the prediction seems a little harsh.  But on further insight, here are the five excuses the Mets are beginning 2012 with that could hurt their playoff chances.

Jose Reyes Is Gone

Due to their low-budget 2012 offseason, the Mets saw All-Star and 2011 batting champion Jose Reyes leave for the warm weather and huge contract the newly dubbed Miami Marlins offered him.

A true catalyst for the Mets the past few seasons, and an incredible base-stealing threat, Reyes is in a league of his own when it comes to physical tools.  His replacement, Ruben Tejada, is an impressive fielder, but he's nowhere near the speed threat or caliber of contact hitter that Reyes was for New York.

Without Reyes, the Mets will definitely need to rely more on their power hitters in 2012, but this is a serious blow to a franchise that used to buy any free agent they wanted.

Largest Season-to-Season Payroll Drop in MLB History

At the start of the 2012 season, the New York Mets' payroll will be $91 million, a 37 percent drop-off from their spending in 2011.  For the first time since 2002, the sum of the Mets' salaries will be less than $100 million.

Additionally, the Mets lost an overwhelming $70 million last year.

While this can be seen as a positive because the Mets are spending smarter and no longer paying Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo, it can also be viewed as a slap in the face to a franchise that only a few years ago had the second-highest payroll in baseball.

Their inability to spend already cost them Jose Reyes, but will it cost them David Wright further down the road?

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries

While it's been reported that Johan Santana is looking smooth and feeling healthy, and Ike Davis' failed physical was a small lung issue, it's hard not to wonder if the injury bug is anxiously awaiting to bite the Mets again this season.

After being riddled by injuries for the past five years (Delgado, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Murphy, Davis, etc.), the Mets finally thought that 2012 would be their year to remain healthy. While nothing has gone wrong yet, the franchise still fears for the worst with their vulnerable superstars.

If Santana is unable to start Opening Day, it could be the beginning of a long, downward spiral.

The 2012 NL East Is Arguably the Best Division in Baseball

The Miami Marlins acquired Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and Jose Reyes.

The Phillies re-signed Jimmy Rollins, acquired Jim Thome and Jonathan Papelbon and still boast the best starting rotation in Major League Baseball.

The Braves helped themselves by trading struggling starter Derek Lowe to make room for their young talent and have one of the best bullpens in the game.

The Nationals have their duo of first-overall picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper ready to take the baseball world by storm, and they also acquired Edwin Jackson, Brad Lidge and Gio Gonzalez.

Bad news for the Mets, whose biggest move was Frank Francisco. But hopefully the returns of Santana and Davis will be enough to stay relevant in the NL East.

A Majority of the Payroll Invested in Struggling Players

Sixty-five percent of the 2012 payroll will be spent on three players (Wright, Bay, Santana) and 35 percent on the other 22 men on the roster.

But what did that 65 percent get for them last season? Bay hit a lowly .245 with 12 home runs, Wright hit .254 with 14 home runs in an injury-plagued season and Santana missed the entire 2011 campaign with shoulder surgery.

In order for the Mets to succeed in 2012, they will need their big-name players to earn their pay and boast the numbers they were expected to when they were signed to their massive contracts.