New York Mets

If you’re a New York Mets fan, you might want to commit this name to memory for future reference: Cesar Puello.

With ace Johan Santana out until at least the All-Star break with shoulder surgery, the New York Mets are desperately in need of starting pitching.

As it stands now, the Mets' rotation consists of Mike Pelfrey, R.A. Dickey and Jon Niese.

Pelfrey was excellent for the first half of last season but struggled down the stretch. Dickey was one of the few bright spots in another mediocre year for the Mets. Niese looked solid at times but is still young and still maturing.

New York Mets pitcher Oliver Perez continued to struggle with his command in his fifth start of the winter with the Tomateros de Culiacan.

The 29-year-old left-hander walked six and yielded two runs on three hits while striking out five over six innings, as the Tomateros defeated the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, 13-2.

The New York Mets cleaned house at the top of the organization with the firing of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya at the end of the 2010 season.  Bringing in Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins were the proper first steps to take towards bringing the franchise back to respectability, but there are many holes to fill in the roster before the Mets can become contenders again.

With the 2011 season right around the corner, here are 10 moves that the Mets can make to take steps in the right direction.

Mets new general manager Sandy Alderson is well respected across Major League Baseball. He's supposed to be smart, and is known for building some good teams.

The Mets now have to contend with the quartet of pitching that is the Phillies. Not to mention a young Atlanta team that seeks revenge. Florida? We'll see. And then, there are the up and coming Nationals, with a hot new pitcher, albeit hurt, a catcher quickly gaining attention, and a multi million dollar Jason Werth deal. Not to mention Nyger Morgan, who brings his quirky optimism, but also isn't afraid to charge the mound. Count on them in the not-so-near future. So what do the Mets need to do to contend? Well...

As everyone has heard, Cliff Lee returned to Philadelphia.  The Phillies have added another star player to their already great team. 

When news broke, Mets fans' stomachs turned.  As if Mets fans haven't had it hard enough, the pain just keeps coming.  The Phillies have won the NL East Division four years in a row, and it seems like that trend will continue.

Even a case of short-term memory loss can’t erase the memory of Jason Bay’s first season as a New York Met. Granted, it wasn’t a full season due to the concussion he sustained at Dodger Stadium, but it’s just too early to call Bay a free-agent bust.

Free agent pitcher Cliff Lee agreed to a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night, just the most recent example of Major League Baseball being incredibly cruel to New York Mets fans in recent years.

The Mets have had more than their fair share of ridicule inside and outside of New York.  As fans, we should hope that 2011 should be the year that the organization and fan base gain some respect, instead of pity from the baseball and sports worlds.