The Magic 8-Ball Predicts The 2012 Mets Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  No, it's not the day the Victoria's Secret catalog arrives at your doorstep.  (Speaking of which, I haven't gotten mine yet...the mail here is slower than Steve Trachsel with a man on first.)  No, my friends.  It's the most wonderful time of the year because Mets baseball is back!

Of course, after three consecutive losing seasons and the rapid improvement of the Nationals and Marlins, Mets fans might not be looking forward to this season as much as they would have had the team been, you know, good.

But the start of the baseball season is never the time to despair, no matter how the team looks on paper.  Everyone is tied for first.  No one is in a slump.  And Jason Bay hasn't struck out yet.  Things are good in Flushing!

This year, as the Mets celebrate their 50th anniversary season, everything old is new again.  From the return of Banner Day to the departure of the black drop shadow on the team's jerseys, the Mets are taking pride in their past.  At Studious Metsimus, we like to take pride in our past as well, so we've decided to bring back your friend and mine, the Magic 8-Ball, to make its predictions for the 2012 season.  As always, I'll ask it a question and it will provide me with an answer, or prediction if you will.  Let us begin!


It's good to see you again, Magic 8-Ball.  Now when we've done this in the past, your predictions haven't exactly been as accurate we expected them to be.  Are you confident that your predictions for the Mets will be correct this time?

I see.  Actually, I have no idea what that means.  Anyway, let's move on.  How many starts do you see Johan Santana making this year?

Really?  That's very optimistic of you, considering Santana hasn't thrown a pitch in a regular season game in 19 months.

I thought you were supposed to be confident about your answers.  You can't flip-flop just because I questioned your decision.  No one will be able to confide in your predictions.

Never mind.  Let's move on.  Let's talk about Santana's rotation mate, Mike Pelfrey.

Do you have a problem with Mike Pelfrey?  He's due to have a big year, as he always does well in even-numbered years.

Good.  That's a better attitude to have.  I don't want to hear you badmouthing Pelfrey.  We're Mets fans here and we're supposed to think positively about our favorite team.  I also expect him to do well this year.

So much for the positive attitude.  Okay, let's move away from the pitchers and talk about the hitters.  Which hitter do you think will be a pleasant surprise in the Mets' lineup?

Really?  But you've never liked Bay.  Are you talking landmark as in a return to the 30 HR, 100 RBI season the Mets expected from him when they signed him?

Then what are you referring to?  What will Bay do that will make this a "landmark season", as you referred to it?

Forget I asked anything about Bay.  Since I get the feeling what answer I'm going to get if I ask a question about David Wright, I'll move on to the two big lefties in the batting order.  What do you think the Mets will get out of Ike Davis and Lucas Duda?

You're just a barrel of laughs, aren't you?

Fine.  Let's talk about the Mets' manager, Terry Collins.  Last year, he took a team of unproven kids and underachieving veterans and had them around .500 for most of the season.  In fact, right before the two-thirds mark of the season, the Mets were 55-51 and were still hanging on to slim hopes for the wild card.  What do you think he needs to do to improve upon last season's record?

Are you saying that because you think Wright will injure Davis again, thus preventing the Mets' first baseman from having his expected breakout season?

It's not contagious, you know.

Okay, enough with the jokes and putdowns!  Let me just ask you one final question and then we can go our separate ways.  It's the usual question I save for last, so you should already be formulating an answer for me before I ask it.  What do you think will...

Wow.  How did you know it was a two-part question, that I was going to ask you what the Mets' final record would be and where they'd place in the division?

Sigh.  On that note, we'd like to wish all of you a very merry baseball season.  Try to keep your hopes up for the 2012 season, no matter what you hear from soon-to-be out-of-work Magic 8-Balls.  (Hmm, I wonder if I kept the receipt for this one...)

Enjoy the season, and as always... LET'S GO METS!!


The Magic 8-Ball has made predictions before.  To see what it said before each of the previous two seasons, please click on the links below:
2011 Magic 8-Ball Predictions 
2010 Magic 8-Ball Predictions

Joey's Small Bites: Fearless Forecast For The 2012 Mets

Hey, everyone!  This is Joey Beartran.  After nearly six long months of waiting, the 2012 season is almost upon us.  Are you ready for some baseball?

I hope you’re looking forward to the 2012 season as much as I am.  What do you mean, no?  Surely, there must be something you’re looking forward to seeing the Mets accomplish in 2012?  Still no?

Aren’t you looking forward to the return of Banner Day?  What about the induction of John Franco into the Mets Hall of Fame?  (And no, before you ask, there is no truth to the rumor that Franco will come out of the bullpen during that game to pitch to Lance Berkman in a tight spot.)

Well, I’m certainly looking forward to the 2012 season.  In addition to all the new menu items at Citi Field, (buttermilk-marinated fried chicken with gooey mac and cheese and cornbread?  Yes, please!) the 2012 season has plenty of storylines worth talking about.

Will Johan Santana return to form after missing the entire 2011 season?  How will Ruben Tejada perform at shortstop after replacing one of the most popular players in Mets history?  Is Andres Torres this decade’s Rey Sanchez, merely holding a spot warm until Kirk Nieuwenhuis is ready to take over as the Mets’ everyday centerfielder?  Will the Mets score some runs for R.A. Dickey before he’s forced to write a book about his lack of run support?  And is this the year the Mets finally pitch that first no-hitter?

I don’t need a Magic 8 Ball like my colleague has used in the past to predict the outcome of the Mets season.  Instead, I’ll just consult with my baseball cognoscenti to come up with my predictions for the 2012 Mets.  Baseball predictions are never an exact science, but just like Carlos Beltran’s health, I feel 85% confident that my predictions will become reality for the Mets in 2012.  So what are we waiting for?  Let’s get this prediction party started!

My crystal ball atop a replica of Shea Stadium will help me forecast the Mets' future.

In their 51^st season of existence and third ballpark, a Met will finally hit three home runs in a home game.  This will finally put an end to Gary Cohen and Howie Rose talking about how no Met has ever swatted three longballs at home.  However, they will probably move on to discussing how no right-handed batter has ever collected five hits for the Mets in a home game.  For the record, six Mets have five-hit games at home, all at Shea Stadium.  Four of them swung from the left side of the plate (John Milner, Rusty Staub, Dave Magadan and Carlos Delgado) and the other two were switch hitters (Wally Backman and Jose Reyes).  You can look it up!

Daniel Murphy will break the single season club record for doubles.  Prior to 2012, only six Met hitters had ever accumulated 40 doubles in a season and all of them were either right-handed batters or switch hitters.  Murphy will become the first left-handed swinger to eclipse the 40 double mark (John Olerud is the current single season leader with 39 in 1999) and will then double his pleasure by surpassing one-season wonder Bernard Gilkey, who set the franchise record with 44 two-baggers in 1996.  Gilkey might have surpassed his mark in 1997, but was never the same after being hit in the head by a fly ball during a close encounter at Shea Stadium.

It's keep your eye on the ball, Bernard.  Not keep your head on it.

Jonathon Niese will make the National League All-Star team.  He will also become only the tenth pitcher in team history (after Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez, David Cone, Al Leiter, Pedro Martinez and Johan Santana) and fifth southpaw (Matlack, Koosman, Leiter and Santana were the others) to strike out 200 batters in a single season.  As a result, his new nose will be voted team MVP.

Jason Bay will have his finest season as a Met, hitting .270 with 21 HR and 80 RBI.  Of course, astute fans will realize that these were the exact numbers produced by Jeff Kent in 1993 and will continue to be upset at Bay for not living up to his contract and for reminding them of Kent.  The sensitive Bay responds by promising a Rico Brogna-type season in 2013, wisely remembering that Brogna was actually liked at Shea Stadium despite producing Kent-like numbers during his one full season in New York (.289, 22 HR, 76 RBI in 1995).

Frank Francisco will go 20-for-20 in saves by early July, but when a shocking exposé reveals that he is actually Armando Benitez’s second cousin, once removed, the pressure of having to perform like his family member will cause Francisco to wilt in the summer heat.  Francisco will indeed pitch like Benitez, protecting a few three-run ninth inning leads against the non-contending Pirates and Astros, before blowing saves against the contending Phillies and Marlins to eliminate any hopes of the Mets claiming the second wild card spot.

After spending most of the season below .500, Terry Collins motivates the team by telling them he will end his unintentional tribute to Steve Urkel by not wearing his uniform pants so high, but only if the team can finish the season with a .500 record.  The team responds with a hot streak in September to pull to within one game of .500 entering the season finale in Miami.  But after an unexpected pep talk from his cousin Armando, Frank Francisco blows the save in the team’s final game, resulting in an 80-82 final record (and clinching a playoff berth for the Marlins).  Collins is then seen giving Benitez an undisclosed amount of money after the game, thanking him for his surprise appearance.

Well, that’s it for my 2012 predictions.  Which ones will come true?  Which ones will you wish you had thought of first?  For that, we’ll have to wait until October 3, when the Mets’ 50^th anniversary season comes to a close.  But one thing’s for sure.  The Mets will be a fun team to watch in 2012.

Over the past three seasons, the Mets have gone from being an overpriced team of underachievers to a young team playing above its collective head.  They might not be ready to compete in the National League East yet, but Terry Collins will make sure that all 25 players on the roster give their best effort on the field, with or without the help of Armando Benitez. 

Before long, the Mets will be Amazin’ again.  But for now, ya gotta believe that the team is headed in the right direction, even if that direction is temporarily keeping them near the bottom of the NL East.  So try not to pay too much attention to the standings and enjoy one game at a time.  Somewhere along the way, the Mets will give you a reason to smile.  I’m 85% sure of that.

Joey's Soapbox: Las Vegas Gives The Mets No Respect

Last night, I wrote a special Valentine's Day piece on why I love the Mets.  Apparently, Las Vegas oddsmakers don't feel the same love.  Allow me to explain.

This morning, as I was reading the morning paper in bed (see photo below), I was pawing my way through the sports section when I happened upon America's Line, the section where the point spreads and odds are listed.

In addition to the lines for tonight's games, the 2012 World Series odds were also listed for each team.  Now I'm a realist, so just as I don't expect Jason Bay to become the second consecutive Mets' batting champion or Mike Pelfrey to toss the team's first no-hitter, I also didn't expect the Mets to be near the top of the World Series odds list.

I saw the safe bets on top (Phillies, Yankees, Angels, Rangers) and was surprised to see that six of the top seven teams called the American League home, despite the fact that the NL has won four of the last six Fall Classics.  But the one thing I didn't see was the Mets.

I finally did find them, but not until I saw the names of the 23 teams ahead of them.

That's right.  That bold-faced name you see near the bottom of the list is our beloved team.  Now the thing that upsets me is not that at 80-1 odds, the Mets rank 24th out of 30 teams.  It's far more than that.

First, the only National League teams with longer odds than the Mets to win the World Series are the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and Houston Astros.  The Pirates hold the all-time record in sports for most consecutive losing seasons, with 19.  The Padres have finished higher than third place in the NL West only seven times in their 43 years of existence.  And the Astros are coming off their worst season (56-106) in franchise history.

Second, the other teams in the NL East not only have more favorable odds to win the World Series, they're far more favorable.  The Phillies (4-1 odds) are no surprise here.  The Braves (20-1 odds) came within one choke job of repeating as wild card winners in 2011.  The Marlins (also 20-1) apparently still had money left over after fattening the wallets of Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle, giving some of it to the Las Vegas oddsmakers to "earn" their high ranking.  And the Washington Nationals, a team that is still seeking its first winning season since saying au revoir to Montreal, is at 25-1.  Somewhere in the next time zone, you'll find the Mets at 80-1.  No respect.

But if you think the Washington Nationals ranking so much higher than the Mets is the ultimate lack of respect, you've got another "think" coming.

The Kansas City Royals, whose sole finish above third place over the past 22 seasons came in 1995, when they finished four games UNDER .500, rank higher the Mets.  But the one team that caught my eye is ranked even higher than the Royals.  That team is the Chicago Cubs.  The same Chicago Cubs team that hasn't won a World Series since 1908, the year Jamie Moyer was just getting the courage to ask his sweetheart to the prom.  At 35-1 odds, the oddsmakers believe the Cubs are more than twice as likely to win the World Series than the Mets.

The Mets haven't won the World Series since 1986, the same year a film called Back To School was released.  Perhaps you might remember it.  It starred an actor/comedian who knew a thing or two about not getting any respect.

 I respect a man who proudly wears the Mets' racing pinstripes.

Rodney Dangerfield made a living on not getting respect.  Now it looks as if the Mets are following in his footsteps.  In Back To School, Dangerfield's character comforted his son, who had just told him about his C average, by saying "A, B, C, you're in the top three, what's the difference?"

For the Mets, there is a difference.  They can forget about the top three.  They're not even in the top TWENTY-three, as far as World Series odds are concerned.

As everyone knows, the games are played on the field, not on paper.  It's too bad my paper felt the need to play a game with me.  I'm telling you, the Mets just get no respect.  Even Rodney Dangerfield would feel sorry for us.

Joey's Soapbox (of Chocolates): My Mets Valentine

Greetings, everyone!  This is Joey Beartran.  How has everyone been celebrating their Valentine's Day?  As you can see, I got a heart-shaped box of Mets chocolates today, which got me thinking.  What is it that I love the most about the Mets?  And why is it so great to be a Mets fan?

I hope you're ready, because I'm about to get on my soapbox.  But today will be a little different, as today will be a loving rant on my fav'rit team.

It's not easy being a Mets fan.  Whereas fans of other teams get to root for players like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton or Justin Verlander, we got to cheer to our heart's content whenever Jason Bay doesn't strike out or Mike Pelfrey holds an opposing batter to a single.  Anyone can root for a superstar when he does what he's supposed to do.  But as Mets fans, we have different things to root for.  And we take pride in doing so.  Except for maybe Cubs fans, who are used to rooting for anything positive, like Alfonso Soriano not tripping over his shoelaces when chasing after a fly ball, we come up with new and exciting things to be happy for.  Try topping that, Derek Jeter fans!

Speaking of Derek Jeter, the team for which he plays for considers it a failure if they don't win the World Series every year.  From 1996-2000, they won four championships, but because they didn't win in 1997, there was a flaw in their dynasty.  A .300 hitter can fail seven out of ten times, but try being a Yankee.  One championship over the past 11 seasons (which is one fewer than the Red Sox and Cardinals have won over the same time period) is considered a major disappointment.  That's something I love about being a Mets fan.  We rarely ever have such lofty expectations.  It's easy to be a frontrunner.  It takes a real fan to root for a team like the Mets.  And when the Mets do capture our hearts with a memorable season, it makes it all the more special.

The Mets have character.  They also have characters.  Over the past 50 seasons, we've seen Choo Choo, Marvelous Marv, the Glider, the Stork, Tugger, Mookie, Doc, the Straw Man, Turk, Jason Phillips' goggles and Don Aase.  Why Don Aase?  Because I like to say Aase.  Can another team claim so many characters?  Methinks not.  Being a Mets fan is always fun, even when the team on the field is not.

Finally, every once in a while, we get to see something truly special.  As Mets fans, we've seen the Miracle of 1969, Ya Gotta Believe, Lee Mazzilli's pants, Hendu Can Do, the Hotfoot, Jesse Orosco's flying glove and the Grand Slam Single.  "Every once in a while" still doesn't include a league MVP or a no-hitter, but hey, if Anthony Young could win a game, then anything is possible.

Today is Valentine's Day.  It's a day people show their love for each other with cards, gifts, etc.  The greatest loves in my life wear orange and blue.  And nothing will ever cause my love for them to waver.  They may break my heart sometimes, they may collapse every once in a while (or twice in a  while, or three times if you count 1998), and they may give Oliver Perez $36 million to suck more than Dracula at a blood bank, but they're my team.  And nothing will ever make that change.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some chocolates that I have to take care of.  Don't forget to tell that special person or team you love exactly how you feel about them.  Even if that person is Mel Rojas.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!  And as always, let's go Mets!!!

What Do Jeremy Lin And Jon Niese Have In Common?

What do Knicks' starting point guard Jeremy Lin and Mets' starting pitcher Jonathon Niese have in common?  Let's see.  They're not the same age, as Lin was born in 1988 and Niese's mom got over her pregnancy on the night the Mets won the 1986 World Series.  They're also not the same height, as Niese is one inch taller than Lin.  Jeremy Lin is a righty, while Jonathon Niese is a lefty.  Okay, so what do they have in common then?

The answer is NOTHING!  But they should have something in common, even though the Mets aren't exactly doing anything about it.

Earlier today, Madison Square Garden and other sporting goods stores started selling Jeremy Lin jerseys.  This comes after Lin's recent stretch of excellence in which he's carried the Knicks to four consecutive wins, including Friday night's game against the Lakers.  Let me remind you that these four straight victories are the only four games Lin has started for the Knicks.  But despite the tiny résumé, Lin is now having his jersey sold at the Garden.

There is no truth to the rumor that the Knicks will retire No. 17 for their floor captain before the Mets retire No. 17 for their first captain.  Of course, that could always change.

That brings us to Jonathon Niese.  Niese will be entering his fifth season as a Met, his third as a regular member of the starting rotation.  He is one of only six players left on the Mets who played for the team at Shea Stadium (the others being David Wright, Mike Pelfrey, Johan Santana, Bobby Parnell and Daniel Murphy).

Niese made his final start for the Mets in 2011 on August 23 before missing the rest of the season with an injured ribcage.  At the time of his injury, Niese was leading the team in wins (11 - tied with Dillon Gee) and strikeouts (138).  Eventually, he was surpassed in wins by Gee and strikeouts by Chris Capuano, but still finished second on the team in both categories.

Although Niese is only 25, he is already 43th on the Mets' all-time wins list and 39th in strikeouts.  With a healthy season in 2012, Niese could jump into the top 25 in both categories.  He's already in the top ten in strikeouts per nine innings, as his 7.6 K/9 IP is the eighth best ratio in franchise history, ahead of such stars as Tom Seaver (7.5 K/9 IP) and Johan Santana (7.4 K/9 IP).  He's also improved every year in strikeout to walk ratio, from 1.38 K/BB in 2008 to a career-best 3.14 K/BB in 2011.

And of course, on the individual game front, Niese came within one Chris Denorfia double of pitching a perfect game in 2010.  Perhaps had he retired Denorfia, we would have had Jonathon Niese No. 49 jerseys printed up immediately.  But alas, he did not.  We're still waiting for those No. 49 jerseys.

Since Jason Bay became a Met in 2010, I've seen No. 44 jerseys and T-shirts for sale at Citi Field.  The one place I haven't seen them is on the backs of Mets fans.  Meanwhile, Justin Turner, a player who wasn't even a homegrown Met, had his No. 2 T-shirt for sale at Citi Field.  Even Sandy Koufax, who never played for the Mets, and whose 9-10 career mark as a Brooklyn Dodger (the same record Jonathon Niese had for the Mets in 2010) was less than extraordinary, had a replica jersey for sale at Citi Field last year.

Do you think Fred Wilpon wears these to bed at night?

Jose Reyes is gone.  So are Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran and Angel Pagan.  All four players had their merchandise for sale at Citi Field in 2011.  With their departures, there will now be some real estate available at the Team Stores.

It's time for Jonathon Niese No. 49 apparel to go on sale at Citi Field.  If Knicks fans can proudly wear No. 17 Jeremy Lin jerseys after only four starts, why can't Mets fans do the same for Niese, a homegrown player who's been with the team since 2008?  Lin and Niese need something in common, don't you think?

Joey's Soapbox: The Calm Before The Storm

Have you noticed that I’ve stayed silent about the Mets in 2012?  Ihaven’t climbed on my soapbox in over a month.  Why haven’t I gone on achicken nacho-fueled rant in some time?   The answer is simple, really.

Shhhh.  Be vewwy, vewwy quiet.  The Wilpons are hunting wabbits.  Or at least it seems as if that's what they're doing.

Things have been very quiet around Citi Field this offseason.  Otherthan a brief flurry of activity at the Winter Meetings to solidify thebullpen and the continuation of the OWS movement (Operation Whittling Salary) by replacingAngel Pagan with Andres Torres, the Mets have not added many players tothe team that succeeded in furthering the tradition of fourth placefinishes in Flushing.

Instead, they’re going by the time honoredtradition (and by time honored, I mean since 2009) of adding playersfrom within.  These players are the ones coming off injury-shortenedseasons or seasons in which they didn’t take the field in a game at all.

Every player scheduled to start in the infield in 2012 did not playfull seasons in New York.  First baseman Ike Davis missed the rest ofthe season after playing footsie with David Wright at Coors Field inMay.  Second baseman Daniel Murphy might have competed with Jose Reyesfor the National League batting title had he not been spiked whiletrying to lay a tag on the Braves' Jose Constanza.  Third basemanDavid Wright injured his back against the Astros and missed two months. At least shortstop Ruben Tejada didn’t get hurt.  But he did start the2011 season fielding grounders hit by minor leaguers in Buffalo.

The starting rotation is also counting on the walking wounded from 2011to make a triumphant return in 2012.  The last time Johan Santanapitched in a major league game, the Texas Rangers were still in searchof their first American League pennant.  Jonathon Niese is alsoattempting to pitch an entire season without checking in to the DLHotel.  Both pitchers expect to be on the mound during the Mets’ firsthomestand in April.

With David Wright entering the final guaranteed year of the contract hesigned an eternity ago (2006 is an eternity to Mets fans such as myselfwho have memories, however faint, of a time when the team was alegitimate contender), he should have a bounceback campaign in 2012. Maybe.

Daniel Murphy could resume doubling opponents to death (Murphy hit 28 doubles in only 391 at-bats before suffering his season-ending injury), assuminghis defense at second base doesn’t send him back to the bench.

And what about Jason Bay?  (Thought I had forgotten about him, didn’tyou?)  The walls at Citi Field have been lowered and moved in.  But howwill that help him on the road, where he hit .215 with only seven doubles, six homers and 28 RBI in 2011?  In addition, with Reyes (39 steals) and Pagan (32 steals) gone,is Bay going to have the added responsibility of being one of the topbase stealers on the team?  He’s quietly reached double digits insteals in each of his two seasons as a Met.  Who else is going to stealbases on the team besides David Wright (13 steals in 2011) and AndresTorres (19 steals as a Giant in 2011)?

Is this a celebration for a two-run homer or a double steal?  In 2012, it could be both.

Despite all the injuries that have beset the Mets since they movedacross the parking lot to Citi Field, they’ve still managed to win atleast 70 games in each of the last three seasons and have averaged 78wins over the last two campaigns.  That may not seem like much, butthink of all the walk-off losses created by the shaky bullpen, theballs that clanged off the former Great Wall of Flushing instead ofgoing over it, not to mention all the (you know it’s coming) INJURIES! Surely, this team can find a way to add four wins to what they’veaveraged over the past two years, right?  If they do, that would givethem 82 wins.  And what does 82 wins give you?  A WINNING RECORD!

It may be easier said than done, but why can’t the 2012 Mets win 82games?  Sure, it seems as if every team in the National League Eastimproved by leaps and bounds.  But remember that just seven years ago,the Washington Nationals played in an über-competitive NL East.  TheBraves won their 14^th consecutive division title with 90wins.  The Phillies and Mets were up-and-coming teams who were on theirway to becoming the rivals they were over the next three seasons.  Eventhe Marlins finished with a winning record and were just two yearsremoved from their second World Series championship.  Despite all theintense competition in the division, the little team that could inWashington still managed to win 81 games.

It’s not impossible for the Mets to finish with a winning record in2012.  They just have to be consistent and play the game.  All teams gothrough their share of injuries and cold streaks.  But it’s the goodteams that find a way to overcome those obstacles.  Right now, the Metsare not a great team.  They don’t have the personnel to pose alegitimate threat to the Phillies in the NL East.  But why can’t theybe a good team?

Eighty-two wins.  That’s all the Mets need to be a winning team.  The2005 Mets won 83 games after finishing with losing records in each oftheir previous three seasons.  The following year, they were one winaway from the World Series.  This year’s Mets are also coming off threeconsecutive losing campaigns.  I’m not crazy enough to assume thatwinning 82 games this year will push the Mets near a pennant in 2013. But it would be a step in the right direction.

There are many question marks surrounding the 2012 Mets.  Will theinfield be able to stay together for a full season without succumbingto the injury bug?  Will Jason Bay realize that it’s okay to hit a ballover the wall every once in a while?  Will Ruben Tejada, Lucas Duda andDillon Gee - all members of the 2011 Buffalo Bisons’ Opening Day roster - be able to continuetheir development now that they’re assured a spot on this year’s majorleague roster?  And then there’s the Johan Santana question…

All teams have question marks.  Although the front office was mostlyquiet this offseason, some questions have been answered, particularlyin the bullpen.  Now it’s up to the players to provide the otheranswers, or else the quiet offseason will lead to a quiet summer atCiti Field.  Oh, well.  At least the line for chicken nachos won't be very long if that happens.

Pat Burrell Retires: Who Will Be The New Met Killer?

There have been many players in history who have had good careers but turned it up a notch whenever they played the Mets.  For example, former Giants pitcher Mike Krukow had a decent career in the major leagues, going 124-117 in 14 seasons.  However, against the Mets, he pitched like Cy Young, going 22-7.  Krukow did not defeat any other team in the National League more than 13 times.  And who can forget the quiet dominance of PSSST (otherwise known as the Pitching School of Smiley, Smith and Tomlin)?

In the early '90s, the Pirates' trio of John Smiley, Zane Smith and Randy Tomlin were mediocre to poor against all other teams that didn't have blue and orange in their color scheme, but they morphed into Greg Maddux (the all-time leader in wins against the Mets) whenever New York came to town.

Smiley, Smith and Tomlin combined to go 223-237 over their major league careers against teams that didn't have Mr. Met as their mascot.  Of course, against the Mets, they were 33-19.  Tomlin was the big surprise of the trio.  Against the Mets, he was a perfect 9-0 in five years in the majors.  He won a grand total of 21 games against everyone else (against 31 losses).

As far as hitters go, all I have to say is "La-a-a-a-rry" and you know which Met nemesis I'm referring to.

That brings us to Pat Burrell.  In 12 years in the major leagues, Burrell was a decent power hitter, slugging 292 career home runs.  However, against the Mets, Burrell was Babe Ruth.  The former Phillie played exactly one full season's worth of games against the Mets, batting against them in 162 games.  In those games, Burrell socked 42 HR.  His second-favorite team to homer against was the Florida Marlins, but he only took them deep 26 times.

Earlier this week, Pat Burrell retired from baseball at the age of 35.  Although there is now one less Met killer to worry about, that doesn't mean there aren't any others waiting in the wings to take over for Burrell.  Here are the candidates that the Mets and their fans should worry about:

Corey Hart

The Bernie Brewer lookalike has never been more than a decent hitter in the major leagues, batting .277 in eight seasons.  However, against the Mets, Hart is a .317 career hitter.  Although he has only started 28 games versus the Mets, Hart has scored and driven in nearly a run per game (24 runs, 23 RBI), while launching six home runs.  Hart suffered from various nagging injuries in 2011, but in 2010, he torched the Mets for four homers and 12 RBI in only seven games, which included a walk-off homer and a six-RBI game.

Troy Tulowitzki

The Mets should count their stars that Tulowitzki plays in the NL West.  In 30 games, Tulo has bludgeoned Mets' pitching for a .328 average, six doubles, two triples and seven home runs.  His slugging percentage against the Mets (.595) is nearly 100 points higher than his career mark (.505).  And of course, despite playing half his games in the Mile High City, it was at spacious Citi Field that Tulowitzki hit four home runs in four games in 2011.  He supplied the bat while his teammates brought their brooms, sweeping the four-game series in New York.

Josh Johnson

It's a good thing Johnson is an annual candidate for the disabled list, or else his record against the Mets would be far scarier than it is.  In 14 starts versus New York, Johnson is 8-1 with a 2.68 ERA.  As hard as it is for the Mets to score against Johnson, they find it even harder to take him deep.  In 87⅓ innings against New York, Johnson has allowed a mere three home runs.  Therefore, it should come as no surprise that no other team in the National League has lost to Johnson more than the Mets have.  Just imagine how bad it could be if Johnson had more than 48 career victories.

Cole Hamels

Wait, what?  Hamels is 3-10 against the Mets in his major league career.  How could he possibly be a Met killer?  It's simple, really.  He's due.  And if he's not, he'll find other ways to kill us.  In 2010, when he realized he couldn't beat the Mets with his arm, he decided to break our hearts with his bat.  His sixth-inning single against R.A. Dickey prevented the knuckleballer from recording the first no-hitter in franchise history.  Dickey had to settle for a complete game one-hit shutout.  One year later, another Hamels-Dickey matchup took place.  This time, Dickey took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Shane Victorino broke it up with a one-out double.  Of course, Dickey received no credit for his yeoman-like effort in the 2-1 Mets victory because Hamels matched zeroes with him.  Hamels might be an ass, but he always finds a way to kill the Mets, even in games where he takes the loss.

Jason Bay

As an opponent, he was a Met killer, banging out 16 extra-base hits, including 8 HR, in 32 games.  He also averaged nearly an RBI per game, driving in 29 runs against the Mets.  Now that he's on the team, he's finding new ways to be a Met killer.  It took Bay 32 games to hit 8 HR AGAINST the Mets.  It took him 113 games to hit 8 HR FOR the Mets.  Let's put it this way.  In two seasons, Jason Bay is still three home runs short of Richard Hidalgo's career total as a Met, and Hidalgo only played 86 games in New York.  Bay killed the Mets as an opponent.  He's doing the same thing as a Met.

Fred Wilpon

Duh.  He's the biggest Met killer of them all.  He won't sell the team.  He won't break his souvenir Sandy Koufax piggy bank to improve the team.  Basically, he's like Rachel Phelps, only worse.  For those who are not into classic cinema, Phelps was the fictional owner of the Cleveland Indians in the film Major League.  Wanting to move the team from Cleveland to Miami, she decided to put the worst players on the field so that fans wouldn't come out to see them.  Why is Wilpon worse than Rachel Phelps?  Because he's making the team worse but instead of moving to Miami, he just allowed his shortstop to relocate there.  Of course, if he could move the team to 55 Sullivan Place in Brooklyn, that would be a different story.


Pat Burrell will no longer be terrorizing the Mets and their fans, choosing to retire rather than continuing to feast on Mets' pitching.  But that doesn't mean the Mets won't have new people to fear.

The new Met killer might come from another division or might come from within the National League East.  He might be a player who finds interesting ways to break our hearts or he might be a player breaking our hearts from within.  He might even be president of the Sandy Koufax fan club.

Regardless, as long as the Mets take the field, there will always be someone out there who will not do much against other teams, but will use the Mets as his own personal chew toy.  That's the nature of the beast.  It's a shame that beast can't suit up for the Mets every once in a while to feast on another team for a change.

Jason Bay's Struggles Seem Awfully Familiar

When Jason Bay became a Met prior to the 2010 season, he was coming off a tremendous season in Boston.  Bay was an All-Star in his final season with the Red Sox, hitting .267 with 36 HR and 119 RBI.  He also won his first Silver Slugger Award and finished seventh in the AL MVP vote.  Perhaps his greatest victory that year was getting the Mets to give him a four-year, $66 million contract to become their new leftfielder.

Since signing the free agent deal, Bay has been a tremendous disappointment.  In 2010, he struggled from Day One.  He hit one home run in his first 44 games and had only hit five more by the All-Star Break.  After the break, Bay went homerless in the team's first ten games and then gave himself a noogie on the left field fence at Dodger Stadium.  He was diagnosed with a concussion and spent the rest of the season on the disabled list.  His final numbers in his first season as a Met (.259 batting average, .347 on-base percentage, 6 HR, 47 RBI in 95 games) left many to wonder if this was a fluke season or a sign of things to come.

In 2011, Bay began the second year of his Mets career in the same place where he ended his first - on the disabled list.  Bay missed the first 18 games of the season before returning from the DL on April 21.  Although he was able to remain healthy for the rest of the season, once again his production fell far short of his pre-2010 levels.  Bay hit two home runs in his first 47 games and finished the year with 12 HR and 57 RBI.  His batting average and on-base percentage were also disappointing, as he finished at .245 and .329, respectively.

Clearly, Jason Bay has not done much of anything to earn his high salary.  But this drop in production is not unique among Met hitters.  In fact, it happened before two decades ago in strikingly similar fashion.

Howard Johnson went from beloved '86 Met to three 30-30 seasons to "LOOK OUT BELOW!!"

In 1991, Howard Johnson won two legs of the National League Triple Crown, leading the league in home runs (38) and RBI (117).  He set a new franchise record with his RBI total and fell one homer short of Darryl Strawberry's single-season home run record.  He also hit .259 on the way to becoming an All-Star, winning the Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in the NL MVP vote.

One year later, HoJo had an awful first half.  At the time of the All-Star Break, Johnson was hitting .228 with 7 HR, 37 RBI, and was reaching base at a .336 clip.  After the break, he played in 15 games without hitting a home run, then was placed on the disabled list with a broken right wrist.  Johnson did not play again in 1992.

In 1993, Johnson attempted to show the Mets that he was over his injury, but instead regressed.  HoJo played in all but one of the team's first 57 games, hitting .243 with 5 HR, 22 RBI and a .353 on-base percentage.  He then missed three weeks with a viral infection, but when he returned to the lineup, he was basically an automatic out.  He played in 16 games after his DL stint ended, batting .222 (.354 OBP) and only driving in four runs (2 HR) before his season ended with another trip to the disabled list, this time with a fractured thumb.  For the season, Johnson hit .238 with 7 HR, 26 RBI and a .354 on-base percentage in 72 games.

Did you notice a similarity there?  I'll put it all together for you in case you missed it.

• Howard Johnson (1991): .259, 38 HR, 117 RBI, All-Star, Silver Slugger, top 10 MVP vote.
• Jason Bay (2009): .267, 36 HR, 119 RBI, All-Star, Silver Slugger, top 10 MVP vote.

• Johnson ('92): .223, 7 HR, 43 RBI, sidelined for the season shortly after the All-Star Break.
• Bay ('10): .259, 6 HR, 47 RBI, sidelined for the season shortly after the All-Star Break.

• Johnson ('93): .238, 7 HR, 26 RBI, spent more time on the DL with a different injury.
• Bay ('11): .245, 12 HR, 57 RBI, spent more time on the DL with a different injury.

Both Johnson and Bay had strikingly similar performances and health issues in the year following their best seasons.  Oh, and did I mention they were both 30 years of age during those great seasons?  No?  Sorry, I must have forgotten with all those other similarities I had to remember.

Jason Bay still has two years left on his gazillion dollar contract.  Fortunately for the Mets of two decades ago, Howard Johnson was a free agent following his second straight off-year in 1993, so the Mets were able to avoid a potential third consecutive poor season from HoJo.  (Johnson played two more seasons in the majors and combined to hit .205 with 17 HR and 62 RBI in 180 games for the Rockies and Cubs in 1994 and 1995 before retiring at age 34.)

It remains to be seen if Jason Bay will continue to decline the way Howard Johnson did for the Mets in the '90s.  One thing's for sure.  The Mets can't afford to have Bay suffer at the plate for a third straight season.  That's one similarity between Bay and HoJo the team and the fans could live without.

Joey's Small Bites: Mets Re-Sign Scott Hairston

Greetings and a happy new year to everyone!  This is Joey Beartran and I'm here to give you some small bites on what's going on with the Mets these days.

If you recall, last April I had the opportunity to take the field with a member of the Mets before the first Saturday night game of the season.  I was hoping to meet either Jose Reyes or Carlos Beltran since I was named after both of them.  But then I saw the starting lineup and feared I'd get Chin-lung Hu.

I didn't get to take the field with my namesakes or the man named after two body parts and a question.  Instead I got to meet the starting leftfielder for the night.  I wanted it to be Jason Bay so we could discuss the finer things in life, like Canadian bacon, poutine and Tim Horton's.

Unfortunately, Bay was on the disabled list to start the season so I got his replacement du jour.  That's right, my friends.  I got to meet Scott Hairston.

Scott Hairston was in awe that the world's preeminent bear blogger was taking the field with him.  Either that or he was checking out my colleague's wife.  (Photo by Sharon Chapman)

Hairston was very polite and seemed happy to see us keeping his position warm for him.  He even gave me a high five before we ran off the field to head for our seats.  Although he didn't do very well in the game (0-for-3, 2 Ks, HBP, one run scored), I still enjoyed my first meeting with him and rooted openly for him during the season.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I was overjoyed when word came out that the Mets had re-signed Hairston for the 2012 season.  At first, I was a little skeptical about the news.  After all, the Mets aren't signing anyone these days.  They're leaving that for the other teams in the NL East.

But then I checked Twitter and scanned through Jon Heyman's tweets and found confirmation of the news (because everything Heyman tweets is true, right?):

scott hairston will get $1.1M from mets in '12, give or take a few pennies
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 5, 2012

So one of the Mets' key bench players will be returning to Citi Field in 2012 at a bargain basement price of $1.1 million (or less than 10% of what they paid Oliver Perez not to pitch for the Mets in 2011).

Although Hairston only hit .235 last year, he excelled at producing extra-base hits.  Of his 31 hits, 16 went for extra bases (eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs), giving him a .470 slugging percentage.  In addition, Hairston picked up 24 RBI in 149 plate appearances.  His rate of one RBI every 6.2 plate appearances was better than Carlos Beltran (6.3 PA/RBI), David Wright (7.3 PA/RBI) and Lucas Duda (6.9 PA/RBI).  Jason Bay?  He drove in a run every 8.9 plate appearances in 2011 and will be paid approximately 15 times the amount Hairston will be earning in 2012.

Scott Hairston hit three of his seven home runs as a pinch-hitter in 2011, leading all Mets in that department, despite the fact that he didn't play after August 23 because of injury.  No other Met hit more than one pinch-hit homer in 2011.

The Mets didn't hit for much power in 2011.  For the second time in the three-year history of Citi Field, no Met hit more than 15 HR.  The team's leading home run hitter (Carlos Beltran) played the final two months of the season as a member of the San Francisco Giants.  Scott Hairston was one of the few players on the team who could actually hit the ball out of the ballpark with some regularity.  Therefore, I believe it's a good thing that he's returning to Citi Field in 2012, especially with the walls being lowered and moved in.

A healthy Scott Hairston will provide the Mets with a legitimate home run threat on the bench, as well as a utility player who can play in the infield and outfield when needed.  The Mets might not be big spenders this offseason, but at least they're keeping their inexpensive talent.

Jose Reyes is gone.  So is Carlos Beltran.  Maybe I should change my name from Joey Beartran to Scotty Bearston.  At least that way I know I'll have my namesake around in 2012.

Joey's Letter To Sandy Claus

Dear Sandy Claus,

You may not know me, but I know you.  I know you're the guy who spreads holiday cheer at Citi Field by giving Mets fans what they ask for when they write you a letter, so here's mine.

My name is Joey Beartran.  I've been a Mets fan all my life, from the time I was born at Shea Stadium in 2004 to Jose Reyes' final game as a Met.  In the time I've been a fan, I've seen Art Howe do nothing but make excuses for his latest loss.  I've also seen Willie Randolph take his team to within one long hit of a World Series berth and I had one eye open when he was unceremoniously axed in Anaheim.  Jerry Manuel?  I saw him do something a real gangsta would never do - laugh at every question in the post-game interview, even after gut-wrenching losses.

Last year, I met Terry Collins in person and realized he's barely taller than I am.  I also saw a man who resembled you, but his name was Sandy Alderson.  Still, he was a very nice man to talk to and I think you should hire him as one of your helpers.

Anyway, I have some things I've been wishing for.  They're things that all Mets fans would probably want as well, so I hope you read my letter and can give us what we want for the holidays.  Here goes.

I'd like Johan Santana to pitch an entire season for the Mets.  Ever since his Herculean effort in the next-to-last game at Shea Stadium in 2008, Johan has missed the entire last month of the season in every year.  Last year, he didn't pitch at all for the Mets.  I go to many Mets games and I'd like to come to the ballpark with reasonable expectations that the Mets are going to win.  Johan used to give me that feeling.  Please give me that feeling again in 2012.

Speaking of Johan, I'd also like the Mets not to say that a player is day-to-day and then have him miss two and a half months.  When David Wright was placed on the disabled list in mid-May, he was supposed to resume baseball activities in a week and a half.  Two and a half weeks later, he was told he had to stay away from baseball for another three weeks.  It took over a month from that point for Wright to return to the Mets' lineup, finally playing again in late July.  I don't even want to get into Ike Davis, whose injury caused him to be originally listed as day-to-day when his proper status should have been season-to-season.  Let's stop with those incorrect injury assessments, okay?

I'd like Jason Bay to regain his power stroke.  After hitting 36 homers and driving in 119 runs for the Red Sox in 2009, I expected him to do the same when the Mets signed him during that offseason.  In the two years since his signing, Bay's cumulative power numbers (18 HR, 104 RBI) are still short of his numbers compiled during his final season in Boston.  The fences have been moved in at Citi Field for 2012.  Let's hope Jason Bay has noticed this.

Speaking of the walls being moved in, how about sending out a memo to the rest of the team as well?  Since the Mets moved in to Citi Field three years ago, only David Wright has surpassed 20 HR in a single season (29 HR in 2010).  You can even take that a step further.  In that 2010 season, Ike Davis finished second to Wright in home runs with 19.  No other Met has hit more than 15 HR in a single season since they moved to New Ebbets Field.  (Daniel Murphy hit a team-leading 12 HR in 2009 and Carlos Beltran led the team with 15 HR in 2011.)  In 1998, Sammy Sosa hit 20 HR in the month of June alone.  Only one Met has reached that total in an entire year since Citi Field opened its doors.  Let's make it two in 2012 (but three or four would be better).

I'd like some Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.  That's not meant to be taken literally.  I meant that figuratively.  I want the Mets to show some fight in them for a change.  If a player gets knocked down by an opposing pitcher, I want a Mets pitcher to knock down an opposing hitter.  Bob Gibson did it.  Don Drysdale did it.  Both pitchers are now in the Hall of Fame.  The Mets only have one Hall of Fame pitcher, and I'm sure no one wanted to face Tom Seaver either, especially after an opposing pitcher knocked down one of his teammates.  No one is afraid of the Mets.  Make them afraid.  Make them very afraid.

I need R.A. Dickey to get some run support in 2012.  Dickey led the team in 2011 with his 3.28 ERA.  But keeping opponents' runs to a minimum didn't help his won-loss record, as R.A. went 8-13 last year.  From May 20 to the end of the season, Dickey sported an excellent 2.69 ERA.  Surely he must have had a winning record over those final 24 starts.  Unfortunately, he did not, as he went 7-8 with nine no-decisions during that stretch.  (And don't call me Shirley.)  Dickey allowed two earned runs or less in 15 of those 24 starts, but was only credited with a win in five of those starts.  Let's get R.A. the help he needs by crossing the plate a little more in his starts.

I'd like Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler to be the real deal in the minors.  The last time the Mets had several highly touted pitching prospects in the minor leagues at the same time, Generation K was born.  How did that go for the Mets?  In less time than it takes to not make Jose Reyes a formal contract offer, Generation K turned into Generation KO, as injuries and poor performances knocked out Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher and Jason Isringhausen before the Mets became legitimate contenders.  Don't rush Harvey and Wheeler to the majors until they're fully ready.  Jenrry Mejia was rushed to the majors in 2010 and what did that do for him?  You guessed it.  Injuries and poor performances.  It happened a generation ago.  Don't let it happen again with Harvey and Wheeler.  They're not to be promoted until they're ready to face major league hitters.  Period.

Last but not least, I'd like a box of chocolates.  It doesn't have to be a $106 million box of chocolates.  I'm just really hungry and want a box of chocolates.  And if it's not too much trouble, perhaps you can bring me a new Mets hoodie as well.  I've had this one since I was born and it's getting a little old.  Thanks so much.

Love and best wishes for the 2012 season,
Joey Beartran

P.S.  My Studious Metsimus colleague would also like Jonathon Niese not to be traded.  He has some weird obsession with him, one I can't explain, but who am I to argue with him?  Thanks, Sandy Claus!  Hope you read my letter!

Song Parody: "Sign" (Dedicated To Jose Reyes)

We all know what the top news story will be around Citi Field over the next few months.  All you have to do is read any of the Mets-centric blogs out there and you'll be inundated with posts about the need for the Mets to re-sign Jose Reyes.

At Studious Metsimus, we'd also like to chime in on the Jose Reyes situation.  But how could we go about doing that without sounding like every other fan with a blog?  The answer is simple, really.  We'll do it in the form of a song parody!

In the past, we've parodied Oliver Perez ("Ollie B. Gone") and Luis Castillo ("Forget Lou") after they were released from the team, so why not go the opposite route and write a parody asking the Mets to keep a player instead of bidding them a not-so-fond adieu?

So it came down to trying to find a song that would be relevant to the topic at hand.  We considered songs from various eras and genres (don't ask about the Hall & Oates parody - we're saving that one for another day) and almost chose "The Sign" by Swedish music icons Ace of Base. (What, did you think I was going to say Roxette?)

However, every time we started humming the song in our heads, we kept sticking in a "bork, bork, bork" in the chorus, which messed up the dynamic of the song.  As anyone not named Waldorf and Statler could tell you, anytime you hum a Swedish song, eventually your thoughts will turn to a certain Scandinavian culinary artist.

 Will the Mets re-sign Jose Reyes or will they "bork" things up again?

So which song did we pick to skewer now that Hall & Oates and Ace of Base were no longer in the picture?  Like Bobby Bonilla's cranial CAT scan, the choice was a no-brainer.

In 1971, the song "Signs" became a top ten hit for the Five Man Electrical Band.  It reappeared in the top ten in 1990 when Tesla covered the song.  Now it's back for a third time, in the hopes that Jose Reyes re-"signs" with the Mets.

Put on your best blue and orange karaoke clothes and get ready to jam with your fellow Mets fans.  It's time for "Sign"!


And Wilpon said,
"Long-dreaded free-agent people need not apply."
So he tucked his dreads under his do-rag
And he went in to ask him why.
Fred said, "you look like a fine shortstop
and I'd want to re-sign you.
You're a champ with a bat, but I imagine that
your days as a Met are through."

Oh!  Sign!  Sign!  Wish Jose would sign.
Put his John Hancock on the dotted line.
Do this, don't delay.
Can't you please just sign?!

And Wilpon said,
"Anybody caught hot doggin'
Will be cut on sight."
So he scaled the dugout fence and he yelled at Fred's box,
"Hey, that s**t just ain't right!
You brought in the fences for balls to fly out
And I said that I wanted in.
If Koufax was here, he'd say it to your face
Fred, go build me a winner!"

Sign!  Sign!  Wish Jose would sign.
Put his John Hancock on the dotted line.
Do this, don't delay.
Can't you please just sign?!

Now hey Mr. Wilpon, can't you read?
You must re-sign Jose and his lightning speed. 
You're on watch so you must heed
Jose is supposed to be-e-e-e....here!

But Wilpon said,
"You've got to have a four-year contract to get inside"
Ughhh!

And Wilpon said,
"Jose, you're always welcome.
Come in.  Let's discuss your pay.
Friend, you've got to understand I've no money at all
'Cause I gave it all to Jason Bay."
Jose gave Fred a blank sheet of paper
And he told him he wouldn't sign
He said "Thank you, Fred, but don't patronize me
I'll move on and do just fine."

No!  Sign!  Sign!  Now Jose won't sign.
Won't put his John Hancock on the dotted line.
Screw you, Fred and Jeff.
Could not make him sign.

Sign!  Sign!  Now Jose won't sign.
Won't put his John Hancock on the dotted line.
Screw you, Fred and Jeff.
Last place shall be thine...

Gentlemen, Move In This Wall!

At Citi Field in 2011, long fly balls came, they died and opposing teams conquered in 2011. The Mets finished with their worst home record (34-47) since 1993, hitting 50 HR at Citi Field in the process. That came after a 49 HR season in the ballpark's inaugural season and a 63 HR campaign in 2010.

All year long, Sandy Alderson heard the fans crying for the fences to be moved in to allow for more home runs by David Wright, Jason Bay, et al.  In fact, If I had a dollar for every time an announcer said "that would have been a home run at any other ballpark" after every long fly ball crashed into the Great Wall of Flushing, I'd be able to afford seats at Yankee Stadium (which I would sell on StubHub, naturally).

So what did Alderson say after witnessing his first season of Mets baseball, a season in which Carlos Beltran's 15 homers led the team in that category, despite playing the last two months of the season as a San Francisco Giant?

"Gentlemen, move in this wall!"

According to Adam Rubin at ESPNNewYork, Citi Field's dimensions will indeed change in time for the 2012 season, with some changes being significant.

The aforementioned Great Wall of Flushing, the 16 foot monstrosity in left field that has seen more dings than dingers, will not be lowered because it is a structural part of the ballpark.  However, a wall half its height (8 feet) will be erected in front of it, with all balls clearing it now being home runs instead of doubles or long outs.  That will cause for a modest reduction in distance down the left field foul line and a more significant reduction in distance in the power alley.

In addition, the MoZone area in right field will be no mo', as that area will be filled in, thus eliminating the overhang of the Pepsi Porch and allowing for more balls to leave the yard in right field.

The most significant change will be in right-center, where the deepest part of the ballpark once stood.  That area, which had been 415 feet from home plate since 2009, will now be moved in to 390 feet, a 6% decrease in depth.  The change will allow for more home runs by David Wright, who prior to 2009, was an excellent opposite field home run hitter, and will give Ike Davis the opportunity to hit balls 60 feet over the wall instead of just 35 feet past it.

Of course, the changes in Citi Field's dimensions will also mean that Mets pitchers will have to pitch differently, as the luxury of throwing a pitch where the hitter could hit a deep, but playable, fly ball will no longer be an option.  (Are you listening to me, Mike Pelfrey?)  But this change will clearly make Mets hitters breathe a sigh of relief, as they will no longer be frustrated by home run trots that turn into slow walks back to the dugout after the ball is caught near the wall.  It will also allow for free agent hitters to not automatically say "thanks, but no thanks" when the option of playing 81 games a year at Citi Field as a Met comes up.

Let's face it.  David Wright has not been the same player since Shea Stadium was renamed Parking Area B.  Jason Bay has also not lived up to his $66 million potential (a.k.a. his contract), although he does hustle and play better than expected defense.  Moving in the walls and lowering the fences should make both players' power numbers approach the levels that were expected of them.  It should also (for the front office's sake) put more fannies in the seats, as attendance at Citi Field has dropped significantly in each of its three seasons.

The fans have spoken and the Mets have answered.  Citi Field will now be a "fair" ballpark (a la Shea Stadium) as opposed to being a pitcher's park.  Let's just hope the cosmetic change to the ballpark does more good for the players dressed in the home whites than the ones in the road greys.