New York Mets

The New York Mets open the 2011 regular season tonight against the Florida Marlins with Mike Pelfrey set to oppose Josh Johnson.

Heading into this season, the Mets have a lot of questions that need answers. Can the rotation step up without their ace, Johan Santana. Will Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran stay healthy? How will the bullpen perform without Pedro Feliciano, their most reliable reliever last season?

We'll start to get those answers tonight.

That said, here is your Mets 2011 season preview.

I hate to be the ultimate Debby Downer. I love my Mets. I always will love my Mets, because they will always be my Mets.

But let's be realistic here, the Mets aren’t in great shape financially and they’ve had bad karma of late because their team was purchased using “Madoff money.”

I was a little bummed to go onto Metsblog today to see that Rich Coutinho had stole my thunder by saying he thinks the Mets are an 85 win team. Right now I have them penciled in for 85 wins minimum with a chance for a little more and a possible wild card push.

You probably read the headline and thought, "Wow, this guy is some delusional Mets fan." Well, I'm not going to lie to you, that is 100 percent true. I am a proud Mets fan, and at times I can be delusional, seeing how it is basically impossible to be a Mets fan if you aren't at least somewhat messed up in the head. 

That being said, every April brings the beginning of a new season, a 0-0 record, and a ton of hope for fans of every team.

With spring training now in the books, it's time to look ahead to the 2011 baseball season for the New York Mets, which will be a pivotal year for the franchise—both on and off the field.

Remember that there are serious issues with ownership that will be looming over this team the entire season.

Unfortunately, that's only the beginning.

Chris Young has always been a tantalizing player with the capability to be a top tier pitcher, but he's never been able to prove his prowess over the long run. A plethora of injuries have allowed him to pitch no more than 180 innings in a single season during his major league career, and over the last three seasons, he has maxed out at 102 innings in 2008.

Young’s two best statistical seasons came in 2006 and 2007, his lone All-Star season, with the Padres:

Bad contracts are like bad haircuts—they're embarrassing, annoying and don't go away fast enough.

The Mets, like all teams, have certainly had their share of bad haircuts.

Checking out the history of bad deals the Mets have given out over the years and you come up with a wide range of names. Some guys were big-name players who just never lived up to their contract, while others were no-namers who collected a pay check and disappeared like a thief in the night.

Mike Pelfrey will become the 21st different Opening Day starter for the New York Mets when he takes the mound against the Florida Marlins on April 1.

While he's not the true ace of the team, he'll have to assume the lead role in Johan Santana's absence.

The Mets have sent All-Stars, Cy Young winners and Hall of Famers out on Opening Day in the past.

Pitchers such as Doc Gooden, David Cone and Pedro Martinez have all had Opening Day duties in the past. Where does right-hander Mike Pelfrey rank?

Click to find out.

The Mets made a great decision when they decided to offer low priced tickets in the 300-level in the area formally known as Mr. Mets Landing. The move was a nice gesture, as it would make games more affordable to families. The move seemed to be family friendly.

Adam Rubin has a good source reporting the Mets have placed Nick Evans, Pat Misch and Luis Hernandez on waivers.  All three players have 48 hours to either clear waivers or be claimed by another team.