Report Card: Relief for Mets, but not from 2 collapses

Mets Manager Jerry Manuel (Getty Images)

By Max J. Dickstein

The Mets made a relatively small ripple in the free-agent market this winter, but they made it in the right place.

By revamping their season-killing bullpen with some thrifty acquisitions, the team removed the handicap that has aided two straight September collapses.

But their instability-tinged hesitation to pursue expensive free-agent solutions in other areas (e.g., starter Derek Lowe or left fielder Manny Ramirez) leaves the team flawed but still competitive in the NL East.

First base: B

Lefty slugger Carlos Delgado’s fiery finish to the second half last season kept the Mets going late in games by batting runners home. Such a tear is probably too much to expect of the 36-year-old Delgado in consecutive seasons, but if one Met has earned the right to toil without scrutiny, it is the man who stands at 30th all-time with 469 career home runs.

Second base: C-

Somehow, the Mets and Luis Castillo meet again at second base. Will Castillo bat leadoff, second, eighth? Will the 33-year-old manage to play 100 games? Is his his $25 million, four-year contract an immovable albatross? We’ll see. The fact is that the Mets are hoping for a pleasant surprise from a slow, sore-bodied slap hitter at second. And there is no long-term backup plan in place.

Shortstop: A-

The Mets need more than a fantasy baseball-friendly dynamo at short. Leadoff man Jose Reyes, 25, is a unique talent, but he can’t afford to cut short his development before he becomes a complete player and team leader.

Patience at the plate will boost his average above .300 again; a focused attitude will boost the Mets.Third base: A

David Wright continues to anchor the Mets’ infield, stopping shots to the hot corner with his golden glove, then driving Mets runs home. He tied a franchise record with 124 RBIs last season and, at 26, is only likely to improve. Despite his gaudy RBI total, Wright needs to improve his hitting with runners in scoring position. (He hit .243 in this category last year.)

Catcher: C

The post-Mike Piazza Mets continue to fill a key position with borderline players. Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro will hold some runners but add little in the way of zest to the end of the Mets’ batting order.

Left field: C

Studious hitter and improving defender Daniel Murphy won the starting job in left ahead of journeyman Fernando Tatis, but that could change if the former infielder stagnates, confirming fears that he is a less-than-everyday talent. Murphy, who turns 24 on Wednesday, is hitting .356 this spring with 12 RBIs and two triples.

Center field: A

Carlos Beltran, who turns 32 next month, should again provide about 30 home runs, 110 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Beltran’s unstinting excellence at the plate and his fine defense are especially valuable, considering the Mets’ instability at the outfield corners.

Right field: C+

Ryan Church blazed into 2008 before a series of concussions rendered him merely average for much of the season. His defensive prowess and left-side power, glimpsed last year, are not necessarily returning assets. Church has gone deep just once in 52 at-bats this spring.

Starting pitching: B-

With Johan Santana as an anchor, the Mets may have misjudged the abilities of their other returning starters. Overburdened Mike Pelfrey, overweight Oliver Perez, overanalytical John Maine and over-the-hill No. 5 starter Livan Hernandez may combine for a swollen ERA that taxes the middle relievers.

Middle relief: B-

The Mets revamped their bullpen over the winter, casting off longtime objects of scorn such as Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoeneweis. The new mix is less lefty-heavy (Pedro Feliciano is the only southpaw), and features the promise of newcomers Sean Green and Bobby Parnell. Acquired from the Mariners, J.J. Putz has a problematic elbow that has hindered his control. But if Putz stands up, he will be a dynamic setup man for the Mets’ new closer.

Closer: A-

Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets’ $37 million insurance policy, set a record with 67 saves in Anaheim last season. K-Rod’s presence will sharply reduce the astounding 29 blown saves in 72 chances that the Mets suffered last year.

Manager: B+

Jerry Manuel’s task — make this patchwork roster into a winner — may be just as unenviable as his situation last June 17. And yet when the first-year Mets bench coach replaced fired manager Willie Randolph, Manuel drove a moribund, second-place group to the brink of the postseason. In that sense, the Mets’ second consecutive final-day failure was less bitter than that of 2007, when a season-long front-runner foundered in September. Unless Manuel can again earn the team’s focus, their sordid history will handicap the Mets. Even in the NL’s highest-parity division, Manuel inspires confidence that he can manage the Mets’ fragility when September comes. If he can finally get the Mets back on track, as they were in the 2006 NLCS, the 55-year-old skipper will be welcome to stick around.

Intangibles: D

Early hope reigns for the Mets each season, even after consecutive September collapses. But until the franchise can shrug off its penchant for harsh disappointment by winning the NL East or a wild-card postseason entry, the franchise will become increasingly mired in self-loathing.

Fans: A

Fans of the city's No. 2 team never have it easy in that regard, but the indignation of the the past two seasons does't seem to have caused fans to throw up their arms and give up. Resiliency is an essential quality for fans of the team from Queens. Extra credit to Mets fans for taking the high road when Yankees fans bludgeon them with the 26-titles-to-two business.

Stadium: A

The reviews are in, and Citi Field looks like it's a hit. For a competitive, big-market team, Shea Stadium was an inadequate home for too long. Hopefully, the Mets' classy new home will be an additional boon this season for the Amazin's.

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