Mets 2008 Season Preview (Part Two)

Happy Opening Day!! The Mets/Marlins game will be starting at 4:10 weather permitting. I'm glad that the boys aren't opening at home today, the weather in NY (and Jersey) sucks. Last night I previewed the starting 8 and the 5 pitchers in the rotation. Now I'm gonna finish up with the Bullpen and the Bench...

Bullpen. The good news... Guillermo Mota, the cancer that helped the Mets die a slow death last season, is gone. Matt Wise was impressive during Spring Training.

Is it good news? Joe Smith made the team. Aaron Heilman and Pedro Feliciano are back. Billy Wagner has changed his routine and will start to throw from a full wind-up, not from the stretch as he did in the past.

The bad news... Scott Schoeneweis is back. Duaner Sanchez is back...on the DL.

In an ideal world, the Mets have the bullpen from 2006. Remember Chad Bradford? I honestly still miss him and his ability to get hitters out in the clutch. Remember pre-car accident Sanchez? He was pretty much lights out. Heilman and Feliciano are both work-horses, but they make me nervous more than they should. Hopefully Schoeneweis will improve from last year (0-2, 5.03 ERA, 41 strike outs) and whatever Wagner has changed can keep hitters from hitting game-tying/walk-off home runs off of him. Let's look to see how long Smith stays in the Bigs this time and how well Matt Wise adjusts.

Overall Grade: an uncertain B-

Bench. I will forever love Marlon Anderson and Endy Chavez. Endy for his Catch and dedication to the team, even as a part-time player. Marlon for his pinch-hitting. Brady Clark did well in Spring Training and at the end of the season for the Padres. In 21 games he hit 306 with 6 RBI. Let's see if choosing him over Fernando Tatis pays off. The lone infield reserve is Damien Easley. I like him, but I wish they would have kept Ruben Gotay or Tatis who can play both infield and outfield positions. Meanwhile, with back-up catcher Ramon Castro on the DL, frequent Spring Training starter Raul Casanova will catch when Schneider doesn't. He's a switch hitter with a 253 average, 11 home runs and 6 RBI last year. Unless the Mets decide to stay with 3 catchers, he'll go back down to the minors as soon as Castro is eligible to come back, whenever that may be.

Overall Grade: B

Listen, the game's about to start, so I gotta go watch some pregame things and get wicked excited with Gary, Keith and Ron!!

~MissMet