NL East Preview, Part 1

I was in Manhattan yesterday, and happened to walk past the Mets Clubhouse store on 42nd. I didn't realize I had stopped until, while shielding myself from the garish reflection of my hope off the orange BP jerseys in the window, I heard my companion remark, "Why do you like the Mets, anyway? They suck."

My pride deserved a response, though she (not a baseball fan at all, and so obviously an owner of several Yankees caps of various colors) did not. However, at that moment my attention was stolen by the horrifying sight of an infant whose parents, undoubtedly possessed by some barbaric punitive impulse, had encapsulated her within her stroller behind an absurd wall of plastic. My impassioned retort died on my lips as I formulated plans for her rescue, or at least the application of breathing holes, the latter solution coming to me, I am dismayed to admit, by the similarity I perceived between her condition and a TV dinner I had consumed the night before. The moment for liberation or rebuttal passed swiftly, however, and I was left with pangs of guilt on both scores as she rolled past and I could only mutter, "Yeah, the Mets suck. You're right."

After the past couple of seasons, my mouth is well used to shaping those words. They have become a rote response, a necessary defense in a baseball environment swollen with Yankee lovers and frontrunners whose disdain for the unlovable Mets made a pit stop in 2000 and hasn't lacked for fuel since. Don't get me wrong: I love rooting for a scrappy bunch of players with hilarious personal problems as much as the next guy. It would be nice, though, to root for the Mets to contend for something more than the glorified second place of the wild card. That for me would be a sign that we were not just turning the corner of respectability but angling for dominance.

The beauty of competing for the divisional title is that we really only have to worry about being better than four other teams. With nods to Mariners Musings for the style and Shea Daily for the NL East roster information, here's my take on how we trail in that contest, because there's nothing the online baseball community needs more than another subjective list.

One caveat: All of this stuff necessarily assumes players will stay healthy. Otherwise I might as well just stick the Mets at the bottom and go eat insulation.

Middle names added where applicable for my amusement.

Catcher

     1) NYM: Jason Phillips/ Mike Joseph Piazza
     2) PHI: Mike Scott Lieberthal
     3) FLA: Mike Redmond
     4) MON: Brian Schneider
     5) ATL: Johnny Boy Estrada

A healthy Piazza towers over the competition, and we’ve seen that Phillips can hit. Lieberthal is a good-hitting catcher, but it’s all downhill from there. Redmond and Schneider are equally unimpressive, but have had recent seasons of at least hitting for average. Take a look at John Sickels’ impression of Estrada, then marvel anew that he was traded for Kevin Millwood.

1st Base

     1) PHI: Jim Howard Thome
     2) MON: Nick Johnson
     3) NYM: Phillips/Piazza
     4) ATL: Julio Cesar Franco/ some kid
     5) FLA: Hee Seop Choi

Thome is one of the monsters at the position, obviously, and one of the best power hitters in the league despite striking out a ton. Good thing our pitching staff makes guys miss. I'm a big Nick Johnson fan, and if he's healthy for a full season I think he'll be very good. Toss in a few dozen extra homers courtesy the Expos' second home, and make that great. Our defense will undoubtedly stink at first, but first isn't part of the interior defense that is suddenly so important. Julio Franco may have been born in '58, but the century is up for grabs. I rooted for Choi after he was knocked unconscious chasing after a pop up, yet I still don't expect him to do anything more than inspire bad jokes about goose eggs and lumps on his head.

2nd Base

     1) MON: Jose Angel Vidro Cetty
     2) ATL: Marcus Giles
     3) NYM: Jose Bernabe Reyes
     4) PHI: Placido Polanco
     5) FLA: Luis Antonio Castillo Donato

Finally, a position with no real losers (although about five too many names). Vidro and Giles are good players, but their lineups (particularly the Braves') have lost some pop and thereby robbed them of some needed assistance. I believe Reyes will continue to build on last season, partly because of his additional experience, partly because of our improved lineup. Polanco wasn't too bad last year, honestly; a little power, decent average, and some speed. Not bad for where he's playing. Castillo's game was based on speed, and without it I really think he's toast. Or, at least, just not quite as valuable as the other four.

And yes, I did just refer to Castillo's ability to play baseball as his "game". That's part of my game. And frankly, my game needs a little work.

3rd Base

     1) FLA: Mike Lowell
     2) NYM: Ty Wigginton
     3) MON: Tony Batista
     4) PHI: David Bell
     5) ATL: Mark DeRosa

Lowell clearly wears the (teal-striped?) pants in this desolate bunch. His numbers easily overshadow his doughty comrades despite the time he missed due to injury last season. Yankee fans are likely gnashing their diamond-encrusted teeth over his development. It does seem strange to rank Ty Wigginton second at anything, but it isn't irrational to project him improving beyond last season's production, which would rank him head and shoulders above the rest in his division. Batista is a hack, and there is no nice way to put it. David Bell is a risk, but even if he were to recover fully, which he will not, he is not spectacular. As Mark DeRosa is an up-jumped utility infielder, it surprises me that he makes this list, but falls short of any inventory of Yankee 3rd base options.

Shortstop

     1) MON: Orlando Luis Cabrera
     2) ATL: Rafael Antoni Furcal
     3) NYM: Kaz Matsui
     4) FLA: Alex Gonzalez
     5) PHI: Jimmy Rollins

The pleasantly named Orlando Luis (rolls off the tongue like a ball from his glove) narrowly edges Rafael Antoni in my estimation, though I'll admit their numbers are fairly similar. This has nothing at all to do, skeptical reader, with my hatred for the Braves. Kaz, or "Human Matsui" as I prefer to call him, is in the prime of his career and should make Mets fans happy. Perhaps he will even triumph in the Battle of Two Matsuis, my favorite albeit recently neglected plotline for the upcoming season. (Be quick and steady as the golden crane! Which Matsui had the courage and willpower to take the MOST HONORABLE PICTURE IN TIMES SQUARE - ugh, I've already done that one. I hate the offseason.) Alex Gonzalez does have a bit of pop in his bat, while one hopes Mr. Rollins does not give in to despair and put a bit of cork in his.

And so goes the infield. If I were to hypothetically tally up points based on the rankings, with the best ranking being a one and the worst a five, the teams might stack like this so far:

Expos: 11
Mets: 12
Phillies: 16
Marlins: 18
Braves: 18

In this area, we don't look that pitiful. Don't worry, though. My outfield and pitching assessment is soon to follow, once my stomach settles. That will come along early this week, pending any distractions from our upcoming switch to Movable Type. It's a beautiful thing, it really is, and I look forward to masking the inadequacies of our content behind all of its fine features.