Opinion

It seems like it has been an eternity.

It seems like a different time, a different place, and a much different team. Once upon a time, there was hope in Queens, and while it certainly seems like that was an eternity ago, it has actually only been five years.

Think about what it was like to be a Mets fan during the fall and winter of 2004.

Every year, I choose two MLB teams, one in each league, and hop onto their bandwagons in March.  Now, I do not confuse my loyalties, as I always remain a Rays and Braves fan, but bandwagon teams make the season more fun.  This year, I have hopped onto the bandwagons of Cincinnati and Seattle.

(For the record, I had hopped onto Seattle's bandwagon after the Chone Figgins signing, before the Cliff Lee trade.)

All right, I'm "hosting" a "Salary Cap Summit."

Let's work out the numbers; how's this going to work?

I'll lay out the criteria we MUST arrive at (hey, it's my article) and then moderate.

ONE : The cap must not unduly penalize the currently rich. That means that (sorr, Goon) there's no trying to punish the Yankees, etc., for their CURRENT or PAST sins. Only Samuel Jackson is allowed to be vengeful.

Please check your past frustrations at the door.

As time went by this offseason, many of my predictions and hopes for the Florida Marlins did not happen.

The first being Josh Johnson's contract negotiations reaching an impasse and not getting any starting pitching help.

In past posts, I had mentioned what I had expected from the Marlins' front office, some of these posts talk about Nick Johnson, Dan Uggla, and other players who are on the trade block or their contracts are up. 

So, during the span of time since those posts, a lot has changed. 

Though the trade talk between the Boston Red Sox and the San Diego Padres surrounding first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has died off, there could be a new rumor floating to the surface.

The Chicago Cubs have had previous interest in Jacoby Ellsbury; there's no question the Red Sox would love to add Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to their lineup; and the Padres have already asked for Clay Buchholz and top prospects Casey Kelley or Ryan Westmoreland.

Grabbed with the seventh overall pick in the 2008 amateur draft, Yonder Alonso is the face of the Reds minor league system.  And for good reason.  The kid can flat-out hit a baseball.

Alonso is another left-handed bat hoping to make an already lefty laden lineup.  His 6'3", 215 pound frame is reminiscent of another Reds' first baseman...fan favorite, Sean "The Mayor" Casey.

It is time for the final field position to be graded for the 2009 campaign.

Ryan Hanigan, who did catch most of the games this past season, is now on the grading block. In actuality he almost caught twice as many as the “big money” catcher Ramon Hernandez managed to play only 50 games behind the plate.

Jackie Howard was a Giants' fan who grew up in Flushing. He was 10 years old when the Giants won the pennant in 1951, but the Yankees beat them in the World Series.

That's when Jackie Howard started his hate affair with the Yankees, which grew more intense during the 1962 World Series.

What the New York Yankees have done with the recent Javier Vazquez signing is strengthen their bullpen to the point that it resembles the one they had during their run in the late 1990’s.

Effectively the Yankees have five front line starters that can hang with any in the American League East.

From CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, the newly acquired Javier Vazquez, and Phil Hughes, a weak link is seemingly missing.

Missing from the rotation is reliever, turned starter, Joba Chamberlain.

Like most Mets fans, I hate Mr. Minaya and can't wait until his reign of terror is done. I hate Omar so much, even if the Mets win the World Series in 2010 I will still hate that man. But that doesn't take away the fact that he has my dream job, being the General manager of the New York Mets.

This will be a slideshow that will focus on every position, who should start that position and what the Mets have done so far and what they need to do.