John Maine

For any baseball fan, there is no better time of year. The sun has finally broke through, spring training is in its final days, and it's time to play ball. 

This Sunday will mark the beginning of the 2010 season as the Yankees and Red Sox start off their season at Fenway Park. This matchup should be a great prelude to what will be another great season of baseball.

Much has been made about the lack of potential upgrades to the New York Mets rotation this offseason and, by and large, the reason for concern is legitimate.

Every slot in the rotation has a question mark next to its given name. Even Johan Santana, to a lesser extent, could be cause for concern after suffering season ending surgery last season.

For the third consecutive year, the New York Mets have bagged one of the biggest names in the free agent market.

In 2008 they snatched up two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana, last year it was K-Rod and now, pending a physical, they are set to bring left-fielder Jason Bay to Queens.

But the real question here is, will the acquisition of Bay really matter this year in terms of being the Mets answer to postseason?

John Maine has been injury riddled for most of the 2008 and 2009 seasons, but the Mets do need to make a decision on whether he fits into their plans for the starting rotation in 2010.

After Johan Santana, the Mets starting rotation in 2009 was shaky at best, and even Santana was not healthy enough to finish the season as he required elbow surgery in August.

After going through a horrific, injury-plagued 2009 campaign, the New York Mets head in this winter's Hot Stove with many questions and seemingly too few answers.

Everyone's knee-jerk response to solving their issues revolve around signing a couple big ticket free agents and praying for health. It seems like the 2010 version of the Metropolitans will be a playoff contender, but still a cut below a dominant Phillies club.

The New York Mets find themselves in a rather messy predicament at the halfway mark of the 2009 season. As of now, one of baseball’s highest paid teams sits three games below .500 with a 39-42 record which is good for third place in the National League East behind the bargain basement Florida Marlins and the rival Philadelphia Phillies.

Decimated By Injuries, Poor Play and Lack Of Depth But Somehow Still Alive

Omar Minaya can continue to preach to the media about his club 'having the chips' to swing a major deal in the next few weeks to revive his fluttering franchise.

The reality is - he doesn't. The rest of baseball is awaiting his futile call. The price for any player worth his salt will be astronomical.  The reason?  Other teams know the Mets are in trouble and will bend them over a barrel in any type of trade.

My original title for this article was "Luis Castillo: Accept My Apology." That would have been the title had he got a hit in his last at-bat today, giving him an 8-for-15 on this home-stand. But instead, he made out and my memory is long and forgiveness has to be earned.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/126490-a-new-york-mets-contest-you-wa...

In-tan-gi-ble (adj.)-

                            1. Incapable of being perceived by the senses

                            2. Incapable of being realized or defined