The New York Mets handled the fish this weekend taking two out of three games from their division rivals. The Mets have the best record playing division opponents in 2009 and have a very impressive 17-9 record at their new home. But what do the Mets need to do to overtake the Phillies and win the division?
You have to give the Mets credit for holding their own with the injuries they have had hit them. When guys like Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran are not in the lineup, a team should suffer. The Mets have not. Strong starting pitching and a new back end of the bullpen have been keys to their success.
Even if Reyes and Beltran play healthy the rest of the season, do the Mets have what they need to make the playoffs? The short answer is possibly. They have one of if not the top ace in the game in Johan Santana. While there are question marks over the course of a season with John Maine and Mike Pelfrey, both have been solid so far and Livan Hernandez has been better then expected. K-Rod and J.J. Putz were what the doctor ordered for the eighth and ninth innings and Feliciano and Parnell have found success in their roles. So what is the concern?
Depth. The Mets do not have the depth that they need to erase the question marks for the full season. They need another set up man quality reliever that can pitch in the eighth inning to spot Putz and K-Rod. When the dog days of August come, these guys will have needed some rest. If they do not get it, it may be another September to forget.
The bench is also lacking the pop it needs to compete. Sheffield has been a better then expected role player, but beyond him, what real weapon do you have when you need a pinch hitter late in the the game? When you look at the Phillies, they have Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs, and Chris Coste all on their bench that can step out and hit a three run homerun. The Mets need at least one more guy like that.
The Mets could make 2009 their year. They need to get healthy and stay healthy, and they need two additions before the trade deadline. If they add another set up man and a solid bench player, this could be the year that our Mets return to the postseason and leave the Phillies wondering what happened in September.
