The 2008 season marks the final year the New York Mets will play baseball at Shea Stadium. The only way to knock this stadium down and for all Mets fans to be happy is to win a world championship. That's exactly what the Mets are going to do this season.
If you remember last season, the Mets blew a seven game lead with 17 games left. They lost six of seven at home to the lowly Washington Nationals and Florida Marlins to give the division to the Philadelphia Phillies.
But I still have faith for this season. It's a new year with a new team.
After acquiring Johan Santana on January 29, I don't see any reason why the Mets aren't at least the favorites in the National League East. Santana is the best pitcher in baseball and is now pitching in the weaker National League that does not have stacked lineups like the American League.
Now with Pedro Martinez on the disabled list, there is more pressure on the two pitchers that led the Mets last year in wins with 15 in Oliver Perez and John Maine. Perez pitched superbly in his opener against the Marlins. He could be erratic at times, but is capable of winning 15 games again in 2008. Maine was shaky in his first start, but was terrific all spring. Many scouts believe he is a potential 20 game winner this season.
Looking at the Mets offense, Jose Reyes will once again be the sparkplug at the top of the lineup. If he gets on base, watch out for him. He is as fast as a lightning bolt striking a tree. His dreadful second half from last year will not affect him at all this year. It will only help him get better and possibly lead him to his first most valuable player award.
After a horrendous 2007 season, I see Carlos Delgado bouncing back with an average season. Delgado won't have power stats like his days with the Blue Jays, but he won't be as bad as last year leaving runners on base every single time he stepped up to the plate killing a rally.
The key to the Mets season that hurt them last year was their bullpen. Aaron Heilman needs to be able to get those clutch outs in the eighth until Duaner Sanchez comes back from a shoulder injury. Billy Wagner better be lights out in the ninth to close games. If these players, along with the rest of the pen don't perform well, it might be a long season.
But it's not going to be a long season. For the other teams in the division, every one of them has their own problems to deal with.
The Phillies pitching staff is not at the same caliber as the Mets. Yes, they will still score lots of runs in that sandbox of a ballpark they call Citizens Bank Park, but so will every other team that goes into that stadium off of their pitchers.
The Atlanta Braves starting pitching is on par with the Mets and may even be better because the Braves have John Smoltz and Tim Hudson. But the Braves lost too much in their lineup. The losses of Andruw Jones to free agency and trading Edgar Renteria will deteriorate the power of their offense.
The Mets will also get a boost for every home game that they play. Fans will flock to the stadium since it is the last year. New Yorkers love their baseball and cherish their favorite landmarks, including the dirty and old Shea Stadium.
Shea may not be the prettiest stadium in baseball, but there are plenty of good memories there for the team and for every fan. Every time fans go to a game this season will be emotional knowing it may be the last time at the stadium. All fans love to see a winning game their last time somewhere, so they will give their all to support the team.
Who can ever forget Game 6 of the 1986 World Series of the ball going through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner? How about the infamous grand-slam single by Robin Ventura in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves? These legendary plays along with many others will never be forgotten in Shea Stadium history.
What is going to be the big play in the 2008 season? Will it be the first ever no-hitter or perfect game by a Mets pitcher? We will just have to wait and see in the next 156 games.
It is going to be an exciting last season in one of the best stadiums to experience a baseball game. I can't wait to head back home to go to my first game.
What I really am excited for is the month of October to come already so I can celebrate a third world series for my favorite baseball team. That would be a great way to bring in the new and get rid of the old.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
