New York Mets

After a disgraceful 1994 season, the Mets ran a campaign about how things would be different in 1995. Then-Mets manager Dallas Green promised his team would play hard and do whatever it would take to win.

Green felt compelled to do that, attempting to sell fans on the idea of a changed culture within the team. The Mets embarrassed themselves with off-the-field incidents, while adding to the mess by losing almost every day.

This year's Mets decided to do the same thing. They talked about how they believe and how this year will be different.

The season is almost upon us and to get myself in writing shape I figured I'd give you guys a guided tour of my secret shame. As if being a devoted Mets fan wasn't shameful enough, there is a deep dark secret I keep locked away in my closet. My love for the New Era 59Fifty. For the last 5 years I worked for a company that was a retailer of the 59Fifty. I bought a Mets hat. Then I bought another...and another...and another. Things got a little hazy after that but one day I woke up with a closet full of Mets fitted caps. Some of these I don't even remember buying.

The sport of baseball has always been tightly coupled with pranks and practical jokes.

Maybe it's because players spend 162 games together, live in close quarters for nearly half a year, or that the flow of the game allows for the shenanigans of the clown.

Regardless of why it happens, baseball lends itself very well to the offbeat characters and tomfoolery of jokesters. Rookies are always subjected to pranks. The veterans describe it as earning your way to the big leagues.

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping.  The 2010 baseball season is right around the corner.  In less than a week, our favorite teams will finally be playing meaningful games again. 

This is the time of year where every baseball fan is optimistic for their team.  Every team starts off with the same record.  Some teams may have more promise than others, but every team deserves some optimism. 

Nelson Figueroa got his final tune-up of the spring on Wednesday against the Florida Marlins, as he took the mound to fight for his big league career.

Figueroa—his start against the Marlins five days ago aside—has looked very strong this spring, but he indicated that he may head across to Japan should he not make the 25-man roster.

In 2009, the Mets had an injury ridden season. Day by day guys were getting hurt, and the Mets would have to dig deeper and deeper into their farm system for replacements.

This season shouldn't be like that.

The Mets pitching staff hasn't been stellar the last few years. Oliver Perez hasn't been what the Mets thought he'd be, and there hasn't been massive talent to come up from the farm system. This year should be different.

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.

The National League East is a beast unlike any other to Mets fans such as myself. As a kid growing up, it was the Atlanta Braves who were the team to beat, thanks to a ridiculous stretch of division titles that started in 1991 and ended with the Mets finally knocking them off the throne in 2006.

The New York Mets were blessed with one of the best defensive players to ever pick up a glove when they traded Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey to the St. Louis Cardinals back in 1983.

This spring has brought us more stories of the Joba Rules. It has also created more pitchers likely to go under similar rules and talked about in "Is he (pick your guy) best suited as a starter or a reliever?"

Most relievers are failed starting pitchers. The New York Yankees closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera is one such example.