New York Mets

As of now, the first four starters in the New York Mets' 2011 starting rotation are set in stone.  Things could change, but the only spot that is currently up for grabs is the No. 5 spot, with free agent signee Chris Capuano going against prospect Dillon Gee.

There might be a couple of other pitchers contending, but those two are the main two. 

A big fuss has recently been made about the Wilpons statement that they might sell of around 25 percent of the New York Mets. Without getting into too many details, most of this has to do with the Bernie Madoff scandal.

Many people around baseball are making a big deal out of this.  That must be the result of a slow sports week in New York.  This should not ever be a top story.  In fact, the Steinbrenners only own 32.9 percent of the Yankees.

Jose Reyes is one of the most dynamic players in all of baseball.  His combination of speed and personality makes him one of the most exciting baseball players to watch. 

When healthy, Reyes is exciting to watch.  The problem is that he hasn't been 100 percent in a while.  Whenever a player like Reyes isn't 100 percent healthy, it definitely affects his playing ability.

Entering the 2011 season, the Mets are a team of low expectations and "what ifs." The fans don't think their team is going very far this season, but don't tell Jose Reyes that. Reyes says he has thoughts of MVP in his mind with spring training just 18 days away.

One of the most disappointing moments of the Mets' 2010 season was not having a healthy outfield. Before last season even started, the Mets learned they would be without Carlos Beltran as he underwent knee surgery in January.

They did have Jason Bay, the team's biggest offseason acquisition, but after not performing for a majority of the season, he went down with a concussion in July and never returned.

This is a special season for the New York Mets franchise.

It was 25 years ago this October that they last won the World Series. Since that time, fans have endured too many hardships to review here.

There has also been too many media reflections on the '86 Mets and their spectacular run that season.

While basically every player on the 25-man roster will have to play well for the New York Mets to be competitive, five players in particular will hold major keys to the team's success in 2011.

In no particular order, Jose Reyes, Jon Niese, Jason Bay, Ike Davis and Frankie Rodriguez will need to bring their A-game to the ballpark every night.

This offseason, the Mets have seemingly been acquiring potential options to be their everyday second baseman, from selecting Brad Emaus in the Rule 5 Draft to trading Michael Antonini to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Chin-lung Hu. 

It’s a wide-open competition, so let’s take a look at all the options the Mets have and handicap who fantasy owners should want to see:

Luis Castillo

Although the entire city of New York is focused on the Jets and their quest for the Lombardi trophy, it's tough to ignore the fact that Spring Training is under a month a way. After all, New York is and always will be a baseball town.

Mets pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie on Feb. 18th after a rather quiet offseason. The Mets front office and coaching staff may look a lot different, but the roster hasn't changed much.

It has been quite some time since I have wanted to write about the Mets.

Bleacher Report used to be my avenue to talk everything Mets, so much so, that I was once one of the original Mets featured columnists here on Bleacher Report.