Don't Forget About That Team in Queens; the New York Mets!

The New York Mets are always slow out of the gates. This explains the reason for them being four games back in the NL East. 

If the Mets can out last late season injuries they will undoubtedly be my favorite to win the NL and most likely the World Series in 2009. 

There are many reasons why I believe the Mets will be holding the trophy at the end of the season.

When you take a look at this Mets team it has one big difference that it hasn't had in the past. That difference is pitching. 

Not just pitching though they have dramatically improved their bullpen from last season. I am a firm believer that any team who is looking to hold the trophy over their head at the end of the season needs this essential part.

When the Mets were able to acquire K-Rod during free agency I knew it was going to be the start to big things. They then traded for J.J. Putz who has yet to pitch to his capabilities in Queens. 

After Putz was sent to the disabled list the Mets needed a miracle and someone to step up in the set-up role in the pen. This eventually turned into a double headed monster by the names of Pedro Feliciano and Bobby Parnell.

Most people have probably not heard much about these to underrated relief pitchers.  I promise you one thing most GM's in Major League Baseball would like to have both of them. 

All Feliciano has done this season is put up a 2.03 ERA in twenty six innings of work. More importantly he has managed eleven holds this season in the absence of Putz.

Bobby Parnell has done somewhat the same as Feliciano. He has been dynamite out of the pen maintaining a 2.49 ERA and also recording eleven holds. This is seen as just being okay for a relief pitcher but you have to look more closely. 

Most people do not take a look at Parnell and realize that he is only twenty four years of age. Not to mention he is pitching in the city of New York. Yes, the same city that expects C.C. Sabathia to strikeout fifteen batters a game and win every time he is on the mound. 

This is tremendous pressure for a set-up man of his age.

As long as Johan Santana and K-Rod continue to be themselves they will have no pitching problems. When I say continue to be themselves I mean have a combined ERA of 2.98. That is unheard of by any starting pitcher and closer duo in the game right now. 

K-Rod has blown only one save in his thirty innings of work this season; which means that Omar Minaya's nine million dollar investment has turned out to be superb already.

The Mets also seem to be riding high with there two superstars David Wright and Carlos Beltran. Both are batting well over .300 and do not seem to be cooling off anytime soon. 

Beltran will most likely cool off a little bit and finish a tad below .300 but I would be willing to bet that David Wright will end up batting at least .330 by the end of the season. 

Another unexpected arrival that could put the Mets over the edge around the trade deadline could be Matt Holliday.  No one knows where Holliday will end up but I have reason to speculate that he could end up in either Queens or the Bronx's before July 31. 

The Mets could be potential suitors seeing as how they have the money to keep him in town and would be able to re-sign him at the end of the season to the lucrative deal he has been thirsting for.

If the Mets are able to obtain Holliday it could make for the best line-up in baseball adding his batting average and power numbers to the middle of their line-up. 

All of these things make the Mets out to be legit contenders in October. Even without Holliday they are still one of the best teams in baseball that just need a few things to start going their way. 

The people of Queens who are paying all that money for their seats in the luxurious Citi Field could have made one of the greatest investments of their life when October comes around the corner!