Preview/Prediction

Let's get excited for a New Year and some New Hope! So let's trim our Keith's mustache, get out Gary's wig, and say "Aloha" for Ron as we get set for another great year of Mets baseball!
This is my swing at the lineup for our 2010 Metsy's! I think that this lineup offers the Mets the best chance to provide some phenomenal offensive statistics in 2010! If only Jerry would see it my way...

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Jason Bay arrived in Port St. Lucie yesterday, and can you believe it, he was optimistic about the Mets chances in 2010.

He must be new to the system.  Something like that is almost laughable when it comes to the New York Mets.

I think some time in the mid-'70s the sitting mayor of New York made it illegal for the words “Mets” and “optimistic” to appear in the same sentence.

The Cleveland Indians may be rebuilding again, but it's hard not to be optimistic when CHONE predicts the team to win at least 81 games and finish second in the division.

Let's take a closer look at those projections, using WAR—Wins Above Replacement.

It was the summer of 2008. The first time I saw Daniel Bard pitch, he was holding down the back end of the Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A) bullpen.

He was summoned in the eighth inning of a close contest between the Sea Dogs and the NH Fisher Cats (TOR) with runners in scoring position.

From my perch in the third base dugout at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester, NH, I took a couple photos as Bard warmed up and then snapped one more picture as he threw his first pitch.

This article originally appeared on PhillyFanComplex.com .

My earliest memories of Phillies baseball were of muggy, rain-delayed July games at Veterans Stadium, with the season already a lost cause, and where the few thousand (drunk) fans in attendance huddled in the dark concrete concourses of the Vet.

The National League West lacked a clear-cut favorite to win the division for most of its recent history.  That changed though in 2009 when the Dodgers were expected by almost everyone to win the division.  The addition of Manny Ramirez really put them up and above their competition.  The Dodgers did go on to win the NL West, but it was a lot closer than anyone had expected.  Teams such as the Giants and Rockies proved that they were capable of contending with the Dodgers last year.  The Dodgers had to use every ounce of their ability to come away with the NL West, and I feel that the race w

Angel Guzman is a star-crossed young man.

Injuries have hampered the development of this talented right-handed Venezuelan hurler throughout his career.

Finally, in 2009, he overcame them, stepping brilliantly into the setup role in Chicago's bullpen.

He struck out 47 and walked just 23 in 61 innings, and he allowed the ninth-lowest line drive rate among Major League relievers, according to fangraphs.com.

Contrary to popular belief, right fielder Kosuke Fukudome of the Chicago Cubs is not a bad hitter. Though just a .258 career hitter, Fukudome's on-base percentage in two Major League seasons is a more than respectable .367.

Popular belief has a funny way of creeping into Chicago's front office, however, and so GM Jim Hendry went out this winter and procured reinforcements.

Xavier Nady, 31, played in just seven games last year before a serious elbow injury claimed his season.

Depth is key to any team with legitimate playoff aspirations. The Phillies were able to win a world series with Matt Stairs having some key hits in there NLCS series against the Dodgers, and the Yankees benefited from having Brett Gardner running around the bases late in games last October.

One thing Bobby Cox has always managed to do with the Braves is maximize the potential of the Braves fringe starters and bench players.

Bobby Cox is a man of many words, most umpires are aware of that, but none know Cox like his players.

Cox is a players' manager, the type of guy any player wants to play for. Ask any of his former players and they'll tell you that Bobby is no doubt the best manager they have played for. Never has he put himself first, but his players always come first.