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3/4/15: Great news for the Mets and their rotation as ace pitcher Matt Harvey is tentatively scheduled to get his first pithing action in a long time on March 6th. He will be taking the mound against the Detroit Tigers in the Grapefruit League and that will be his first game since August 24, 2013. He missed the last month of the 2013 season and all of 2014 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Harvey wanted to try to pitch late last season, but the Mets were wise enough to prevent him from doing that, preferring to save him until the 2015 season.

2/25/15: It was just a couple of years ago that the Washington Nationals broke through and were tearing through the National League, certain that they were going to the World Series. It was ace pitcher Steven Strasburg return season and the Nats put him on an innings-count. They shelved him at the end of the season and did not make it past the second round of the playoffs. The Mets have not learned from that. Instead of pushing back Matt Harvey's debut, they are following the Nats lead. As they say, those that do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. At least they are going to limit his innings early in the year, which is a smart move.

2/18/15: The New York Mets, fairly quietly, have amassed one of the better pitching rotations in all of baseball. Actually, they have so many quality pitchers that trading one or more may happen just to fill other spots. The team is saying that they will keep all of their starters, which includes Matt Harvey, Zach Wheeler, Dillon Gee, Bartolo Colon, Jacob deGrom and Jon Niese. That is one too many for a standard rotation, so Gee may end up being a very expensive reliever. Of course, a team cannot have too much starting pitching, so the Mets may end up actually keeping them all in case of injury to one of their own, or be willing to sell when another team is desperate for a starter.

2/11/15: There is a lot of optimism in New York these days about the upcoming Mets season. The team has a great deal of depth in the pitching rotation. They should get ace Matt Harvey back soon and left Jon Niese says he is pitching with no pain. Additionally, the Phillies are rebuilding. So are the Braves. The Marlins are always a mystery, though the Washington Nationals look pretty good after signing Max Scherzer. In any case, the Mets themselves believe they are on track for a playoff run this season. If all the chips fall into place, there is no reason to think that is not possible.

1/21/15: The Mets are going to be an interesting team to watch this season. They have done a great job of developing some young talent, particularly in the pitching department, over the past couple of years, though have been able to fly under the radar for the most part. Some of that is due to Matt Harvey's Tommy John injury and missing last year and some of it is due to the team being overshadowed by everyone else. Third baseman David Wright seems to have the right attitude and fully expects the Mets to make the playoffs this season - which is entirely possible.

11/19/14: The Mets have done a pretty solid job in developing some top end pitching talent in recent years and got a little validation for that last week when right-hander Jacob deGrom was awarded the National League Rookie of the Year. He beat out Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton and Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong for the honor. Along with deGrom, the Mets should have a pretty tough rotation in the future with Zach Wheeler and Matt Harvey (when he returns from injury). deGrom started 22 games with a 2.69 ERA and 144 strikeouts versus only 43 walks in 140 2/3 innings.

11/12/14: Everyone could see that Mets third baseman David Wright was not right this past season. He hit career lows with only eight home runs and a meager .693 OPS in 134 games. He was shelved at the end of the season due to a bruised rotator cuff (shoulder). Wright is making "marked improvement" on the injury, which is good news for the Mets. He has avoided surgery so far, and if this continues, may be able to resume some baseball activities in December. The hope is that they can get this taken care of completely in the offseason and give Wright a full spring training.

10/29/14: The Mets have taken a largely organic path to rebuilding their team. They have more than a few young and strong arms that have or are coming out of their farm system - and that does not even include Matt Harvey, who missed all of the 2014 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. At some point, however, it makes sense to add an accomplished veteran that contribute. So it seems logical that the Mets are interested in Colorado Rockies outfielder Micheal Cuddyer. Cuddyer won the batting trophy in 2013 but was injured much of this past season. Still, and at 36 years old, he can hit. That would be a nice addition if he can stay healthy.

10/15/14: The Mets were not terrible at the plate this past season, but they were hardly a Murderers' Row either. Instead, they were merely average. They fired hitting coach Dave Hudgens in May, then named Lamar Johnson as his replacement with Luis Natera as the assistant hitting coach. They fired those two after the season ended. The team may be looking at Kevin Long to take the position. Long was just fired by the Yankees after serving as their hitting coach for eight years. There is no rush to get a new coach, but, with several jobs available, the Mets may be wise to get their guy sooner rather than later.

10/8/14: The Mets are on the proverbial golf course right now rather than playing meaningful October baseball. But that does not mean that baseball operations have ceased. The team, last Thursday, announced that they fired hitting coach Lamar Johnson and assistant hitting coach Luis Natera. The Mets were middle of the pack in most hitting categories, so while there is room for improvement, it is not like they were awful. The rest of the coaching staff is expected to return, but this could mean that Wally Backman will get the full time promotion to the Major League team.

10/1/14: The Mets are certainly a developing team, one that has a real chance to challenge the Nationals, Braves and Marlins in future years. The season is finished for this year's version of the team, but there are certainly positive signs of life. Star third baseman David Wright is expected to be a part of that future. The Mets shut him down with shoulder soreness on September 9th, but have now discovered that he has ligament damage. The hope now is that a strengthening program for six weeks will help. If not, then he may have to undergo surgery in the offseason.

9/24/14: The Mets are doing a pretty good job of debunking the media theories that Wally Backman is not welcome at the big league level. Backman got the call up to join the team as a coach for the final nine games of the season and may get a full time job with the Mets next year. Backman has managed the Mets' triple-A team in Las Vegas for the past two years, culminating in two league titles and one Manager of the Year award. He has never coached in the Majors until now, but could be Terry Collins replacement sometime in the future.

9/17/14: Several media outlets have reported, or at least speculated, that the Mets have something against Wally Backman, and that is why he is the manager of their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas rather than with the big league team. Well, those thoughts should be laid to rest, at least temporarily. The Mets have Backman coming up to the Bigs for the final nine games of the season, after the Las Vegas 51's season is over. Incidentally, Backman's 51's won their second straight division title in the Pacific Coast League, so Backman is showing that he can manage a team.

8/28/14: The biggest news out of Mets camp is that they put the elderly Bartolo Colon on revocable waivers. Colon has been a big help to the team, but he is in his 40's and has a big price tag. The hope, obviously, is that someone would claim him and the Mets could work out a trade. In other news, the Mets are looking very smart these days by dealing first baseman Ike Davis (who has since been average in Pittsburgh) and going with Lucas Duda. Duda has been great over the past month and seems to have the position sewed up. The 26 home runs he has is pretty nice as well.

8/21/14: Mets ace Matt Harvey is less than one year removed from Tommy John surgery. He has just started throwing again, and, if the medical history of every other player who has undergone the same procedure tells us anything, he is still a long way from being able to pitch competitively. That is not stopping him from trying. He boasted on a radio interview that he was hitting mid-90's already. While it may be tempting, Mets manager Terry Collins is having none of it. He is putting a halt to Harvey's push to get back on the field.

8/14/14: Take heart, Mets fans, take heart. There are only about six more weeks in the season. More importantly, the NFL season is almost hear and there will be plenty of chances to drive to New Jersey to see either the Jets or the Giants. In the meantime, the Mets season is continuing, but possibly without rookie right handed pitcher Jacob deGrom is having his right shoulder examined. deGrom is having a delightful first season. He has posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.226 WHIP and 94 Ks over 100 innings. He is almost certain to go on the 15 day DL, but the Mets may want to shut him down for the season and protect him for next year.

8/7/14: The Mets front office seemed to take last week off, like they were completely ignoring the trade deadline. The team had been rumored in a few discussions, but nothing of note came of it. It would be a monumental comeback for the Mets to make the playoffs this season, and that seems to be understood among the organization and fans. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Mets could be a strong contender in the NL East next season, especially after a year of MLB development for young guys. Also, Matt Harvey threw off a mound last week, the first time since having Tommy John surgery in the offseason.

7/31/14: The Mets are certainly in a rebuilding mode (again) but they have seen some nice progress from some of their younger players. Because it is a rebuild, it may seem like some or most of the veterans on the team are just place holders to fill out a roster. At the same time, the Mets have gotten pretty good production out of Daisuke Matsuzaka. It was only a few years ago that the Boston Red Sox paid an exorbitant sum to get him from Japan, only to find he did not work out too well. This year, he has a 3.87 ERA in both starts and relief appearances, and has held opposing batters to a .202 average. He is headed to the DL with elbow inflammation now, and let's just hope he does not require Tommy John surgery.

7/24/14: The Mets made a tough decision a couple months ago when they sent Travis d'Arnaud back to the minors. He struggled through the first part of the season and needed to get his groove back. A quick trip to AAA Las Vegas seems to have done the trick. In Las Vegas, he hit .436 with six home runs and eight doubles (15 games). In his 17 games since coming back, he is hitting .318 with three homers, five doubles and 12 RBIs. This is the production that the Mets expected from him and hope to get well into the future.

7/17/14: While the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals battle it out for the NL East lead, it is good to see that the Mets are not throwing in the towel. David Wright is back in the lineup after missing time (not on the DL) to an injury. He actually had a great defensive play to rob Donovan Solano last week while the Mets were enjoying a 7-2 home stand. It looks like the team is using this year the right way. Developing young talent and chemistry for the future. And the future looks pretty good, as ace Matt Harvey should be back next season, which could disrupt the NL East power rankings in New York's favor.

7/10/14: Well this is not turning out as planned. The Mets' star third baseman, David Wright, was taken out of the line up well over a week ago with discomfort in his shoulder. The thought was that it was minor irritation and would clear up in a couple of days. The Mets opted against putting him on the disabled list, which would require being out for 15 days at the minimum. But Wright has not returned and so the Mets have been playing with a lost roster spot. It is a good thing that the All-Star Game and break are coming this weekend, which will give Wright a few extra free days of rest and rehab, without costing a roster spot.

7/3/14: The Mets seemed to have dodged a bullet over the weekend when it was determined that star third baseman David Wright has a bruised rotator cuff and will not need to go on the disabled list. He missed both games on Friday and Saturday with the shoulder problem, but an MRI back in New York. Wright is playing well, but not up to his normal standards. He is hitting .277 and only has six home runs on the season. The Mets are six games out of the NL East lead, and look like they may be sellers at the trade deadline rather than buyers.

6/26/14: Just a couple weeks ago the Mets sent catcher Travis d'Arnaud back to the minors. They were not happy with his (lack of) offensive production and thought it best that he hone those skills in Triple-A Las Vegas rather than in the major leagues. It is paying off. In his first 11 games, d'Arnaud hit a whopping .432 with six home runs, six doubles and 15 RBIs. Both Las Vegas and the Pacific Coast League are considered hitter friendly, but this goes beyond that. No one expects that kind of production to be sustained, but it could get him back to the Mets sooner rather than later.

6/19/14: Maybe 40 is the new 30. Bobby Abreu added credence to that slogan last Friday by smacking four hits with two RBIs and two runs scored, as the Mets beat the San Diego Padres 6-2. Abreu was a late addition for the team. He was cut at the end of spring training by the Phillies, who may have thought he was too old or past his prime. He is having an outstanding year and batting well over .300. It should also be noted that 41 year old Bartolo Colon earned the win by pitching 7.1 innings and allowing only two runs. Incidentally, the Phillies are in last place in the NL East.

6/12/14: The Mets called up catcher Travis d'Arnaud from AAA Las Vegas late last year with the hopes that he would be their longterm solution at the position. He had the job coming out of spring training, but has struggled in the big leagues. The team demoted him back to Las Vegas over the weekend, and it sounds like he may be there for some time. The Mets concede that he is still learning the game, and that this may be a chance to make him a better player for the life of his career. At the same time, at least he gets to go to Las Vegas and not some other minor league towns.

6/6/14: The Mets got on the national media radar last week, but, with it being the Mets, it was not for achievements on the field. Well, at least not by their players. Curtis Jackson, better known as rapper 50 Cent, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a game last week. The throwing motion itself was a travesty and the ball ended up well down the first base line - nowhere near the pitcher. Jackson later said that he is not a professional pitcher, as if there was anyone on earth who thought that he was one.

5/29/14: Just add another person who is not pleased with Dodgers' superstar Yasiel Puig, as Mets' reliever Carlos Torres threw his hat on that pile. Speaking on a sports show for MLB Network Radio, Torres criticized the media's fascination with Puig and even Puig's outfielding technique. This is getting to be old hat after almost a full year of Puig bashing. To Puig's credit, he flat out says that he is not trying to offend anyone and that baseball is entertainment. Perhaps the Mets, as an organization, should consider that, especially since they are not entertaining their fans with another struggling season.

5/22/14: The Mets had an offensive onslaught last week against the Yankees (at new Yankee Stadium) and many thought they were breaking out of their season-long offensive slump. Of course, they returned to Citi Field and the bats stopped working. So once again, the team is complaining about the stadium. Perhaps the alleys are too deep, and that is open for debate. At the same time, it is the same field that their opponents must play on and it is more likely that the team is not constructed to play small ball to take advantage of the pitcher friendly confines.

5/15/14: The Mets are not doing well in the win column this season and are two games under 500 as the season nears the one quarter mark. Fortunately, the NL East is a bit down this season and the Mets are only three games out of first place. 2014 may not be the year the team makes it to the postseason, but 2015 could be a breakout campaign. In preparation to next season, the Mets got good news that staff ace Matt Harvey has taken the next step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He expanded his throwing distance from 90 to 120 feet last week and hopes to begin throwing off of a mound on June 10.

5/8/14: If you grade the Mets, thus far in the 2014 season, based solely on how they are doing in the NL East, then they would get a 'C'. If you look at the National League as a whole, then they deserve a 'B'. Maybe a 'B+'. The Mets are hanging tough and have a better record than four of the five teams in the NL Central (it would be 5 of 6, but Houston moved to the AL a couple of years ago). In any case, the Mets have not accepted the prediction that they are an 'also ran' team, and continue to rack up wins in the best division in baseball.

5/1/14: Just on month ago, it looked like the sky was falling on the Atlanta Braves' season even before it got started. Not one, but two pitchers suffered severe elbow injuries and had to be shelved so they could have Tommy John surgery and the year long rehab that goes with it. Funny thing, though, the Braves have had some of the best pitching in all of baseball through the young season. They have been good enough to again take control of the NL East early on, and have a three game lead on both the Mets and Nationals. They started out hot last season, and took that early dominance all the way to the division title. Deja vu?

5/1/14: It is good to see that Mets' ace Matt Harvey off-field life is not suffering from his Tommy John surgery rehab. Harvey, reportedly likes to take in brunch then goes shopping for suits on Sundays. He pushed hard to rehab in New York City rather than at the Mets' spring training facility in St. Lucie, Florida - perhaps the clothing scene is not as good in Florida. Of course, the Mets would probably think that the most fashionable ensemble that Harvey could don would be a uniform, but that is out of the question for another year. In any case, the Mets are holding up well and are tied for second in the NL East.

4/24/14: This is an interesting item out of New York. Apparently, the Secret Service was prepared to shoot Mr. Met several years ago. It all stems from then President Bill Clinton coming to Shea Stadium. The person who was in the Mr. Met mascot costume wanted to meet the President, but the Secret Service had other plans. He was told that he could do his normal routine, but that they were ready to shoot him if he got too close to the President. Nothing happened on that day, thankfully, but it does show how vigilant the protection is around the U.S. President at any given time.

4/17/14: The Mets' Curtis Granderson got into a bit of a confrontation last week in Anaheim as an Angles fan reached over and touched him after the outfielder chased a foul ball. Granderson was visibly upset and had a few choice words for the fan in question. There was a time, not too long ago, when a player may have ignored this type of interaction or physical touch. However, after a few years of fans running on to the field of play and 21 years after the Monica Seles stabbing, players are very cautious and protective. They have every right to be so, especially considering their personal safety may be at risk.

4/10/14: First off, congratulations to the Mets' Daniel Murphy and his wife for the birth of their son. Murphy took a few days off to be with his wife for the birth, as is allowed by the collective bargaining agreement for paternity leave. Unfortunately, in another case of sports being too important to some people, Murphy was criticized for taking time off. Among those commenting were prominent sports radio host Mike Francesa and former NFL player Boomer Esiason. Esiason apologized with a heart-felt contrition. To his credit, Murphy has not lashed out at his critics. Additionally, he has played in over 300 games over the last two season. He can take a couple of days off for his child.

4/3/14: Mets' closer Bobby Parnell blew a save in the opener on Monday night and complained of tightness in his right forearm after the game. It was more than just tightness, as tests revealed a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right elbow. He may require surgery and could miss time. The team wasted no time in calling up veteran Kyle Farnsworth from the minors. This is the same injury that prompted Jeremy Hefner to undergo Tommy John surgery last August. Mets' ace Matt Harvey is already out for the year after Tommy John surgery and the Mets just do not need more blows to their pitching staff.

3/27/14: The injury woes for the Atlanta Braves have been well documented in recent weeks, as both Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy (pitchers) are out for the season with elbow injures that require Tommy John surgery. The Mets are not immune to pitching injuries either. Ace Matt Harvey is likely done for the year following his own Tommy John surgery and projected opening day starter John Niese has his own issues. The Mets are now expected to use Dillon Gee as their opening day starter. That game is on March 31 against the Washington Nationals. If Gee does not get the start, then it is likely the Mets would turn to veteran Bartolo Colon.

3/20/14: The Mets are already dealing with not having staff ace Matt Harvey for the season, and now the news may have gotten worse. Starter Jon Niese was pulled from Sunday's spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals with a hyperextended elbow. The good news is that it is in the back of the elbow and not the UCL. A UCL tear usually involves Tommy John surgery. He first injured his arm 10 days earlier in an intrasquad game. It is unlikely that he will be able to make the opening day game, where he was scheduled to start. If not, then Bartolo Colon or Dillon Gee could get the nod.

3/13/14: Good news from the New York Mets side this week as pitcher Jon Niese has been cleared to play again. Niese showed some shoulder soreness at the end of February. He was sent back to New York for scans, but the MRI did not reveal any structural damage. He did throw two pain free innings in an intrasquad game last Thursday. If all goes well and Niese continues to throw without any discomfort, then he is slated to open the season for the Mets on March 31 against the Washington Nationals. Niese pitched 143 innings last season with 105 strikeouts and a 3.71 ERA.

3/6/14: Finally, some very good pitching news for the Mets. Yes, it is great that Matt Harvey made his first throws, but he will be rehabbing from Tommy John surgery all season and is not likely to play in 2014. However, closer Bobby Parnell faced batters for the first time since July 30 and reported no pain or issues with his neck. He had surgery in September to repair a herniated disk in his neck and it looks like he will be completely ready by Opening Day. He is also expected to make his spring training debut later this week in a 'B' game.

2/27/14: Baby steps are needed when coming back from major surgery and Mets' ace Matt Harvey is making his first baby steps of any notice. Harvey threw a baseball for the first time last week, the first time since undergoing Tommy John Surgery for his elbow. Pitchers who undergo the surgery essentially miss two years. One year to recover from the surgery and another to get their strength and command back. Years ago, this was a career-ending procedure. Now, it is a two year inconvenience. Harvey will probably not pitch for the Mets this season, but he is on his way back to being the ace pitcher that he showed he could be before the injury.

2/20/14: A brief story from the "Nice Files" this week for the Mets. The team announced that they would wear an honorary patch for long-time announcer Ralph Kiner during the 2014 season. Kiner passed away earlier in the month and was in the Mets broadcast booth for over 50 years. Prior to being a broadcaster, Kiner had a great career in Pittsburgh where he was one of the best sluggers of his day. The patch features a radio microphone, Kiner's name and his life years of 1922 to 2014. A very classy and touching tribute for a man that gave over 60 years of his life to the game.

2/13/14: The Mets had struck gold last season with rookie ace pitcher Matt Harvey. He started the All-Star Game last season and was likely on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year Award until he suffered a major injury and had to have Tommy John surgery. That surgery occurred in October, and now that just about four months have passed, he is about to start throwing again. It is very unlikely that Harvey will pitch in the Majors this season as he recovers. It is at least good news that he has had no setbacks so far and hopefully will resume his promising career in 2015.

2/6/14: The Mets continue to remake their roster this offseason and are still not set on their relievers and possible closer. The team signed veteran Kyle Farnsworth - a big, bruising pitcher who has always been able to throw the fireball but has struggled with other pitches - to a minor league contract. However, the team is willing to take on additional salary obligations in order to secure a full time closer. The team was interested in Fernando Rodney a few weeks ago, and may still want him. Other possibilities include Keven Gregg, Ryan Madson, and Joel Hanrahan.

1/30/14: Teams in New York seem to love the limelight, and often seem to create unnecessary drama to stay in the headlines. The Mets have been reportedly trying to trade first baseman Ike Davis for months, but nothing has come of those efforts yet. Now, Davis' father is saying the Mets butchered the trade process by saying how much they wanted to get rid of the player. That may be true. There are several teams that want a first baseman (the Brewers and Pirates come to mind), but they will likely be happy to wait out the Mets for a while longer to drive down the price.

1/23/14: The Mets are taking a page from the St. Louis Cardinals by learning that too much pitching depth is not enough pitching depth. New York signed lefty John Lannan to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Lannan was with the Phillies last season but struggled in 14 starts, posting a 5.33 ERA. He did have leg injuries that required surgery, and may be much better when healthy. If nothing else, it gives the Mets an experienced option in the minors who can be called up and contribute. Besides, all teams want left handed starters, so this should be seen as a good depth move.

1/16/14: The Mets have been on the fast track to nowhere for close to a decade now. It almost seems like the hangover from being eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 never left. But better days seem on the way in Queens. New York has done a pretty good job of acquiring and developing talent for the past several years. Some new faces may add some excitement to the team in 2014, including Ivan Wilson and Casey Meisner. Pitcher Zach Wheeler should be full time this season as well. They may be a year or two away, but look out for the Mets in the near future.

1/9/14: The Mets are looking for an upgrade at shortstop over current shortstop Ruben Tejada. They have been in contact with Steven Drew throughout the winter, but there is no offer yet. Reportedly, the Mets do not want to sign him to anything more than a three year deal, and he obviously wants longer term. There has not been much interest in Drew because he has draft pick compensation attached to him, so anyone that signs him will give up a first round pick. It is seeming more likely that Drew may return to Boston rather than strike it rich with another team as a free agent.

1/2/14: There is always a lot of speculation in the offseason for any sport, but especially baseball. Once again, the biggest rumors lie around the Mets and their (inevitable) trade of first baseman Ike Davis. The Brewers and Pirates have been mentioned prominently, but Baltimore may have the lead in the negotiations. The Mets, reportedly, have asked Baltimore for minor league left hander Eduardo Rodriguez, but were turned down. Lefty prospects are always in demand, so it is not a mystery why Baltimore would refuse such an offer. In the meantime, the Brewers and Pirates both need a first baseman.

12/26/13: This is a bit tongue in cheek, but apparently the Mets have a Santa Curse in line with the Madden Curse. It seems that whoever wears the Santa costume at Christmastime will not have long to be with the team or will suffer in some way soon after. Past Santas include Kris Benson (traded and wife may have committed criminal acts), David Wright (injury), and R.A. Dickey (Tommy John injury). There are other too and while it may be coincidence, it is a lot of coincidence. Incidentally, this year's Santa? Second baseman Daniel Murphy who may be run out of town by upset fans anyhow.

12/19/13: The Mets added Curtis Granderson and Chris Young to bolster their outfield a couple of weeks ago, but they were not finished with their offseason shopping. During the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, the Mets signed veteran starting pitcher Bartolo Colon to a two year, $20 million deal. Colon had a wonderful career resurgence in Oakland over the past two years. Despite his age, he has shown that he can still pitch effectively, and the Mets have to hope that he can help fill the void with ace Matt Harvey likely out for 2014 with Tommy John injury.

12/12/13: On the same day that Robinson Cano hijacked the Seattle Mariners for $240 million over ten years, the Mets took another Yankee starter in a less opulent and public deal. The Mets signed Curtis Granderson to a four year contract worth $60 million. Apparently Mets' captain and third baseman David Wright texted Granderson and that may have helped bring him over to Queens from the Bronx. Next up for the Mets is determining the fate of first baseman Ike Davis. Many people expect the Mets to trade him soon, and that could come this week at the Winter Meetings.

12/5/13: The Mets are reportedly interested in acquiring free agent Nelson Cruz. Cruz was suspended for 50 games for his role in the Biogenesis scandal and just watched former Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta get over $50 million. Peralta had a 50 game suspension as well. Cruz is said to be looking for a contract in the $75 million range over four years. He turned down a $14.1 qualifying offer from the Rangers, so who ever signs Cruz will lose their first round pick next year (unless they have a top 10 pick). That seems like a lot of money for a 33 year old player coming off a suspension and did not have an extraordinary season before that.

11/28/13: It is a great time to be a decent free agent shortstop, and Jhonny Peralta is living proof, even if he was suspended 50 games last season for alleged PED use. Peralta is seeking a four or five year deal in the $56-75 million range (which is a pretty big range). That would have seemed absurd even recently, but there is a scarcity at shortstop and a couple teams have already made offers. The Mets are reportedly interested in Peralta, as are the Yankees and Orioles. Apparently, he has already received an offer for $52 million - not bad for a guy that could be tainted from his alleged PED use.

11/21/13: The Mets are looking to shore up their bullpen and apparently have interest in free agent and former Red Sox set up man Alfredo Aceves. Aceves was serviceable last season as he split time between starting and bullpen outings. He posted a .486 ERA and 24 strike outs to go with 22 walks over 37 innings. He also spent time in the minors. The Mets seem willing to give him a chance, even if they only want to offer the 32 year old pitcher a one year contract. It could be a good move for them as they try to bring in several young pitchers next season.

11/14/13: One can be forgiven if one believed that LaTroy Hawkins had retired. The bullpen pitcher is 41 years old and was stuck on the Mets last season. But Hawkins had a great season and is now considered likely to return for at least one more season. He had a .293 ERA and an impressive 55-10 strike out to walk ratio. He also save 13 games for the Mets in 2013. He is not considered an everyday closer at this point in his career, but the crafty veteran certainly can get people out and can continue to be a fine set-up man.

11/7/13: The good news for the Mets is that they have a lot of money coming off the books this offseason, making them likely to be very active in free agency. They need some rotational help, particularly a veteran arm and leader to help sooth the loss of rookie sensation Matt Harvey. Bronson Arroyo will be available after eight seasons in Cincinnati. He is good for a 3.3 ERA and 200 innings a year, so even at 36 years old, he could be a nice piece for the Mets next season. Jon Niese, Zack Wheeler, and Dillon Gee will be starters, but a little veteran help could not hurt.

10/31/13: The Mets seem to have been in rebuilding mode forever, but that may be coming to an end soon. The team has a lot of young talent expected to play in the big leagues next season such as Zach Wheeler and Jon Niese. Even with Matt Harvey out for the season with Tommy John surgery, the Mets should be a team on the rise. They may even get active in free agency and start committing big dollars to veterans. There are a lot of positions that could use an upgrade, including first and second base as well as shortstop. This will be busy winter for GM Sandy Alderson and company.

10/24/13: The Mets have struggled for so long that it may seem inconceivable that the team could be competitive next season and for a while after that. It is understood that Atlanta and Washington are the class of the NL East, but the Mets could sneak up on some people next season. Even with ace pitcher Matt Harvey likely to miss all of 2014, the team has a silo filled with great young arms starting with Zack Wheeler. They could use some some more offense, particularly in the outfield - so do not be surprised to see them go after free agents like Nelson Cruz or Robinson Cano.

10/17/13: The emergence of starting pitchers Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler seemed to be good signs for the Mets, and that still could happen. Unfortunately, Harvey will undergo Tommy John surgery and will be lost for the 2014 season. That does not mean that the Mets are necessarily out of luck next year. The team has a lot of talent in AAA ball in terms of starting pitching, not to mention that Wheeler was very good once he got called up mid-season. They may not be able to make the leap next season, but should be in great position once Harvey returns, likely in 2015.

10/10/13: The worst news the Mets could have received came in last week as star pitcher Matt Harvey will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow. Harvey will likely miss the entire 2014 season while rehabbing, as this is typically a year-long process. The Mets have some other solid young starters like Zack Wheeler, who was a condition of the Carlos Beltran trade a couple of years ago. However, Harvey is the ace and baseball fans everywhere should hope that he can come back to the form he showed this past season.

10/3/13: The Mets got a big scare last Thursday when star third baseman David Wright was hit in the back of a head with a pitch. Fortunately, Wright was able to return to the lineup for Saturday's game against the Brewers. Wright passed all of his concussion tests, but he did injure his thumb while trying to avoid the pitch. Wright had missed the previous seven weeks with a hamstring injury. He will not be getting hurt anymore this season as the regular season is over. Now Wright can get fully healthy for strong return in 2014.

9/26/13: Maybe we can chalk this one up to youth and not being very media savvy. Mets star pitcher Matt Harvey went on the Dan Patrick Show but refused to answer questions about his torn UCL that ended his season and may take out next season. Instead, he focused on Qualcomm, a telecommunication company that owns most of the patents for CDMA radio technology in cellular phones. Fans were quick to rip Harvey on social media. Harvey will learn how to handle interviews better, and one way to start is not be a stock broker on the air. Of course, what does it really matter?

9/19/13: Bobby Valentine does a lot of things that people do not understand. Certainly his players in Boston last year did not understand him - or simply chose to ignore him. But this one is more perplexing. Valentine went on New York radio last week and heavily criticized the Yankees for not being around for the city in the ten days that folled 9/11/11. He claimed his team, the Mets were there and they were the bigger heroes. There is not many things lower than begging for praise, particularly in a national tragedy. It shows the selfishness that has gotten Valentine run out of several organizations.

9/12/13: New York Mets ace pitcher Matt Harvey is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery if he can. Harvey has a torn UCL in his elbow, and the repairs and recovery could take well over a year. It is quite possibly that he misses the entire 2014 season. That would be a huge blow to the Mets who are just now showing glimpses of life in their pitching rotation of the future with their prospects. In other news, third baseman David Wright will try to come back before the end of the season. That may be an exercise in futility, but would be good for Wright and the fans.

9/4/13: Devastation in the Mets organization as it was confirmed that staff ace and rookie of the year candidate Matt Harvey has a partially torn UCL. Obviously he is out for the rest of this season, but the danger is that he may miss the entire 2014 campaign as he may need to undergo Tommy John surgery. In a great show of class, Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay reached out to Harvey with some advice. Harvey has Cy Young Award talent and his loss may really affect the Mets rebuilding efforts. The Mets have more pitching talent in the wings, but Harvey already looks special.

8/29/13: Like many other teams that are out of the playoff race, the Mets are forced with simply playing out the rest of the season and regrouping for next year. That could mean that the next crop of prospects is getting ready to be called up. The Mets have a couple more exciting pitchers in the hopper with Jacob deGrom and Raphael Montero. They also have center fielder Matt den Dekkar waiting for his chance at the big leagues. If the two pitchers follow the Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler mode, then the Mets will have a dangerous rotation for the next several years.

8/22/13: The Mets are languishing in a distant third place this season. They are eight games under .500 and about 18 games behind the NL East leading Atlanta Braves. However, Terry Collins' crew keep playing hard and keeps bringing up prospects that can be major contributors over the next several years. The latest is Wlimer Flores. He hit .321 with 15 homers and 86 RBIs at AAA Las Vegas, and was promoted to the Bigs when David Wright went down. In a small sample, he is hitting .259 with one home run and nine RBIs. He still needs polish, but is showing that he can play at the major league level, which is promising for the Mets and their fans.

8/15/13: The Mets are making a charge - sort of. They are 17.5 games behind division leader Atlanta, but they did catch and surpass the rival Phillies. They even have a chance to catch up to the Nationals, whom they trail by only two games now. Since the season is basically over except for the schedule, the real question becomes what to do with rookie pitching sensation Matt Harvey. Harvey is still very young and this will be the longest season of his life. The Mets probably do not want to shut him down completely, but they may decide to stagger a few starts to save his arm for next year.

8/8/13: When you are about 15 games out of first place in the division and have no hope of making the playoffs, and your best position player goes down - what do you do? If you are the Mets, you put third baseman David Wright on the DL and hope to give some prospects some time in the Majors. Wright strained his hamstring in the 10th inning of the Mets' 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. It has been classified as Grade 3, and the team thinks he will be out three to five weeks for recover. They are probably also telling him not to push it because there is nothing to play for this season.

8/1/13: In contrast to the Phillies, the Mets look to be shutting down for the year. Philadelphia is in third place in the NL East, 10 games behind the division leading Braves and 10 games out of a wild-card spot. The Mets are 11.5 games back in both accounts. However, the Mets seem to be looking toward next season rather than trying to do something now. They do have two strong young pitchers in Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, so perhaps the team may make off season moves to lure in top talent to fill out every other position on the field except third base.

7/25/13: The Mets star rookie pitcher Matt Harvey is coming under some criticism these days for saying he would like a social life like Derek Jeter. What he clarified later is that Jeter has dated many women and never gets in trouble. The media (of course) took the comment as he wants to be a playboy. To be fair, what male in their early twenties would not like the company that Jeter has enjoyed over his years. If Harvey continues to pitch like he has this season, then he will have no trouble meeting women over the course of his career.

7/18/13: The Mets manager Terry Collins came under a bit of fire by skipping ace pitcher Matt Harvey's last start before the All-Star Game. Harvey was indeed named the starting pitcher for the National League in his home field, so that probably had everything to do with it People are upset about it because they are skipping his start in a game that matters for an exhibition matchup. That being said and true, the Mets are no where near making the playoffs so why not give the fans something to cheer about. To be fair, there is not much else good going on in Citi Field this season.

7/11/13: The Mets, obviously, have very little to look forward to for the rest of the season (except maybe getting traded to a contender if you are on the team). The biggest news they will have, barring an epic undefeated run or terrible personal tragedy, will be the All-Star Game at Citi Field later in the month. There is an excellent chance that Matt Harvey will be the starting pitcher. His biggest competition is Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals. But the Cards are changing their rotation to give Wainwright an extra start before the break - meaning he will not pitch at all in the ASG. Good news for Mets fans .

7/4/13: Matt Harvey is not just the best rookie pitcher on the Mets' staff, he is probably the best pitcher they have, period. There is a good chance he will make the All-Star Team this season as he has risen to Ace status in just a few months. With the Mets out of any realistic chance of making the playoffs, they are getting conservative with their young ace. There is a good chance that they will limit his innings over the remainder of the season. Right now, he is on pace to pitch about 250 innings. The team does not want that, so do not be surprised if they pull him from a few starts as the schedule winds down.

6/27/13: As bad as the Mets have been this year - like getting dominated repeatedly by the lowly Miami Marlins - they may have a future ahead. Their two rookie pitchers, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, both look like top of the rotation guys for years to come. Several scouts have said as much, and actually have Harvey rated as the top young gun - ahead of Washington Nationals' ace Steven Strasburg. There is a better than average chance that Harvey will be in the All-Star Game, especially since it is at Citi Field this year. It may not be too long before Wheeler joins him.

6/20/13: The Mets and their fans have very little to look forward to this season. The team is struggling and the only thing that reserves any hope at all is pitcher Matt Harvey. Maybe the promotion of Zack Wheeler will help. He is the Mets top pitching prospect and is expected to make his debut this week. The Mets are also hosting the All-Star game this year. Almost 30 years ago, the Mets and St. Louis Cardinals had a great rivalry, exchanging the NL East pennant for about five years. It may be distressing for Mets fans to see pitcher Adam Wainwright, catcher Yadier Molina, and former Met Carlos Beltran on the first base chalk as they are introduced in the All Start game.

6/13/13: The Mets and Marlins engaged in an marathon game lasting into the 20th inning over the weekend. The Mets struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning. The Marlins tied it with a run in the fourth. Then nothing. Nothing. More nothing...for 16 innings. Miami finally scored in the top of the 20th inning for a 2-1 win which taxed both bullpens. The Marlins seem to have the Mets (and only the Mets) number this season. On a brighter note, top prospect Zack Wheeler is expected to make his major league debut next Friday against the light hitting Cubs.

6/6/13: Sure the Mets are struggling this season, but this information should indicate how much. The Miami Marlins are the worst team in the league. The Cardinals and Reds both won more games in May than the Marlins have won all year. But for some reason, the Marlins have the Mets number. The Mets are the only team that the Marlins have a winning record against. Every once in a while, a lowly team beats a top team - that happens. But the consistent beatings to the hands of the Marlins is embarrassing. A cynic may say that the Marlins players are simply playing harder against the Mets because they are auditioning to be on the team next year.

5/30/13: Friday night's series opener was suspended after eight innings tying with the Braves. Jason Heyward is still recovering from an emergency appendectomy he had back in late April. While first baseman Ike Davis continues to be in a slump. The Manager, Collins said: ""It looks like we're going to be sitting here for a while...that hopefully maybe by 8 it lightens up. But I know one thing: They're not going to start this game... it's too big a game for both teams with the guys we've got going....to think, 'Hey, let's see if we can get three or four innings in and maybe five.' I don't think that'll be the case."" "

5/23/13: First basemen, Ike Davis is possibly facing being demoted to the minors. Monday night in the Mets vs Reds Ike grounded out leaving bases loaded in the first inning. He then struck out twice and cost the team a run with an obstruction call. Finally the crowd hissed and booed him out after a double-switch in the seventh inning. Reben Tejada is also in the discussion of possible demotion after terrible results while in Spring training. He's had difficulty both offensively and defensively this year with a few mistakes. If demoted then Omar Quintanilla would take his place as starting short stop.

5/16/13: The Mets are going nowhere this year. That is a fact. The competition between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals is too strong. Even though the Mets are only 6.5 game out, they are 14-21. However, they have found their ace of the future (and present) in Matt Harvey. Harvey is a former first round pick, and at age 24 seems to have mastered the game. His fastball measures 98 MPH and he is dominating opposing hitters. The real fun comes in comparing him to Cardinals' rookie Shelby Miller. This looks like a long term rivalry for all sides.

5/9/13: The Mets are languishing at a few games below .500, and it did not help that the hapless Miami Marlins took two of thee last week. New York is in fourth place in the division, a couple games behind Philadelphia for third place and a good 5.5 ahead of Miami for last. They are not expected to do much this year, particularly with a young team and financial instability. The only good news is that they seemed to have gotten the better end of the R.A. Dickey trade. Dickey won the Cy Young award last season with a devastating knuckleball. But he has been a huge disappointment for the Blue Jays. Meanwhile, the prospects the Mets received are doing fairly well, and may turn into solid pros.

4/25/13: The Mets, thus far, have been better than advertised. They are above 500, tied with the Nationals, and 3.5 games behind the NL East leading Atlanta Braves. A lot of this success has to fall on rookie pitcher Matt Harvey. Harvey has more wins than the rest of the rotation combined at this point. He flew under the radar for years and is now making his presence known in a big way. If you have a chance to see it, Harvey and the Mets will face off against Steven Strausberg and the Nationals on Friday - must see TV for big time baseball fans.

3/28/13: The Mets informed left handed relief pitcher Pedro Feliciano that he will not make the opening day roster, but instead will be sent to triple A ball for a month to build his arm strength. Feliciano played for the Mets for eight years and set a club record for most relief appearances in a season in 2010 with 92. But he spent the last two seasons with the crosstown Yankees - he missed that time with shoulder injuries and has therefore lost velocity. Feliciano claims he feels good, but understands that he needs to get more arm strength before he can be effective on a daily basis.

9/27/12 ? The magic number for RA Dickey was 20. Against the Pittsburgh Pirates he reached that number. Dickey struck out 13 in 7 2/3 innings en route to a 6-5 win. He was shaky early, allowing three runs during the first four innings of the game. But, the Mets offense was there to pick him up. Ike Davis hit his 31st home run of the year and David Wright hit a three-run opposite- field blast to put the Mets up for good. Dickey became the first knuckleballer to win 20 games since 1980 and became the first Mets pitcher to win 20 since Frank Viola did it in 1990. With one more start to go and the NL CY Young within his reach, Dickey leads the National League in strikeouts (222) and innings pitched (227.2) and is second in wins (20) and ERA (2.69).

While the demolition of Shea Stadium in 2008 saddened many fans, that feeling was quickly alleviated when Citi Field opened its gates. The time and attention to detail devoted to the design and construction of Citi Field is fitting of a stadium in the Big Apple. Citi Field plays heavy homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers of old, so much so to the point that it caused controversy when the stadium first opened! Despite that, many are fans of the stadium, which strives to create a bridge from past to present. Outside of a few concerts here and there and maybe the oddball soccer event, Citi Field is exclusively home to the New York Mets. While the team has seen little success in recent years, the fans still come out in droves on a daily basis. The passionate New York fanbase will support the team through thick and thin, ensuring a festive atmosphere for fans. Located in Queens, Citi Field is easily accessible through almost any means of New York City mass transit. Hopping on the train after work to catch the 7:05 first pitch should never be a problem. Once you arrive at the stadium, there are a variety of things to do and see. Once you take your first steps in, immediately noticeable is the Jackie Robinson rotunda, a shrine to the former Dodger great. After that, there are ample other attractions, such as FanFest areas and countless restaurants and bars. Once you actually get around to watching the game, many agree that the Field is one of the best in the country. Citi Field has been a NYC staple since it opened and will be for the foreseeable future.

8/10/12 ? While the Mets downward spiral continues, there has been one bright spot throughout all of this. Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey has been all the Mets expected and a lot more. Dickey pitched a complete game for his 15th win of the season, helping to end the New York Mets nine-game home losing skid with a 6-1 win over the Miami Marlins. The knuckleballer threw his fourth complete game of the season and is now the league leader in strikeouts with 166. He has a chance to be the Mets first 20 game winner in more than 20 years. Andres Torres gave Dickey all the run support he needed hitting a home run, triple, and double to drive in three runs.

The struggling Mets may have some hope for the future. Their top prospect, Matt Harvey, started his first career game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The former North Carolina Tar Heel did not disappoint. Harvey pitched 5 1/3 innings striking out 11, holding Arizona to three hits and no runs in New York's 3-1 win. The 11 strikeouts were a franchise record for a pitcher in his career debut. With a fastball that hovered around 96 MPH all game and breaking pitches around 88 MPH, Arizona hitters often struck out swinging. Scott Hairston had a two-run double in the first inning and Andres Torres tripled and scored to give Harvey all the run support he needed. The 23-year-old from New London, Connecticut, also helped his own cause going 2 for 2 at the plate with a double and single. The Mets bullpen allowed a run in the eighth but was able to close the door for Harvey's first career victory and snap a six game losing streak.

Stephen Strasburg struck out 11 in seven innings in the Washington Nationals 5-2 victory over the New York Mets. The win gives the Nationals a sweep over their rivals and the Mets continue to struggle in the second half of the season. Since the All-Star break, the Mets have lost 11 of 12 games. With injuries to Johan Santana and Dillon Gee and an offense that has stalled has the Mets fading fast. The team has called up top prospect Matt Harvey who is set to make his major league debut in Arizona. Harvey was drafted seventh overall in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. In 20 starts in Triple-A Buffalo, Harvey was 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA.

With the New York Mets in a landslide having lost six games in a row and 12 of their last 13 following the All-Star break, they turned to rookie pitcher Matt Harvey to open their series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. Harvey, who has been hyped as the savior for the Mets rotation since before the season started, originally was not supposed to see action in the majors until much later on, however last night he wowed with 11 strikeouts and two hits of his own en route to a 3-1 win over Arizona. He allowed 3 hits in 5.1 innings and the Mets showed some signs of life for the first time in weeks.

The New York Mets won their second consecutive game on Thursday night, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 at Dodger Stadium. Chris Young picked up his second win of the season, improving to 2-1, while Bobby Parnell picked up his first save filling in for the injured Frank Francisco. David Wright continued his hot first half of the season with a home run and 2 RBI, bringing his totals up to 9 home runs and 49 RBI with a .361 batting average. On Friday night, R.A. Dickey will take the mound for the 41-36 Mets who are currently tied with the Atlanta Braves for 2nd in the NL East.

The New York Mets are certainly no strangers to the sweep lately, as their last four series have ended in sweeps. After being swept by the Yankees in the first part of the Subway Series a few weeks ago, the Mets went on to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays, then get swept by the Cincinnati Reds last weekend, before sweeping the Baltimore Orioles this past week. In that series, the unhittable (at least as of late) R.A. Dickey picked up his second consecutive one-hitter in a 5-0 win on Monday night. The Mets, now at 38-32, will face the Yankees again beginning on Friday night for part two of the Subway Series. However, the Mets are at home this time, where they are 22-15 so far this season.

After a particularly disappointing series in the Bronx last weekend in which they were swept by their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets rebounded in a big way by going into Tropicana Field in Tampa and doing the Yankees a big favor by sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays. The Mets emphatically swept the formerly first-place Rays by outscoring them 29-9 in the three-game series and the big story of the week was the awe-inspiring 1-hit, 12-strikeout, complete game performance by R.A. Dickey in the Mets 9-1 win on Wednesday night. Dickey was one hit shy of throwing the second Mets no-hitter in two weeks and improved his major league-best record to 10-1.

R.A. Dickey pitched another 7.1 scoreless innings on Thursday afternoon to push his scoreless streak to 24.2 innings. The effort was more than enough to earn him the win in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals and push his record to 9-1, making him the first pitcher in the league to reach the 9-win plateau. His 9-1 record and 2.44 ERA put him in the top 5 in both categories for pitchers and is a major part of why the 32-26 Mets will head into their weekend series with the New York Yankees only 1.5 games out of the division lead. Johan Santana, who pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history last Friday night, will face Hiroki Kuroda in the first game of the Subway Series on Friday night.

No matter who they throw into the lineup, the New York Mets somehow keep finding ways to win games. At 28-23, they are third in the NL East only 1.5 games out of the division lead. Offensively, they are led by David Wright who is batting .365 with 5 home runs and 30 RBI. Their early season success on the mound has been fueled by Johan Santana's 2.75 ERA and R.A. Dickey's masterful start, as he's 7-1 with a 3.04 ERA and 61 strikeouts. The Mets will reunite with Carlos Beltran in a four-game series this weekend at Citi Field against the defending World Series champs.

No matter who they throw into the lineup, the New York Mets somehow keep finding ways to win games. At 28-23, they are third in the NL East only 1.5 games out of the division lead. Offensively, they are led by David Wright who is batting .365 with 5 home runs and 30 RBI. Their early season success on the mound has been fueled by Johan Santana's 2.75 ERA and R.A. Dickey's masterful start, as he's 7-1 with a 3.04 ERA and 61 strikeouts. The Mets will reunite with Carlos Beltran in a four-game series this weekend at Citi Field against the defending World Series champs. R.A. Dickey pitched another 7.1 scoreless innings on Thursday afternoon to push his scoreless streak to 24.2 innings. The effort was more than enough to earn him the win in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals and push his record to 9-1, making him the first pitcher in the league to reach the 9-win plateau. His 9-1 record and 2.44 ERA put him in the top 5 in both categories for pitchers and is a major part of why the 32-26 Mets will head into their weekend series with the New York Yankees only 1.5 games out of the division lead. Johan Santana, who pitched the first no- hitter in Mets history last Friday night, will face Hiroki Kuroda in the first game of the Subway Series on Friday night. After a particularly disappointing series in the Bronx last weekend in which they were swept by their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets rebounded in a big way by going into Tropicana Field in Tampa and doing the Yankees a big favor by sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays. The Mets emphatically swept the formerly first-place Rays by outscoring them 29-9 in the three-game series and the big story of t