The Mets were only 70-92 (43.2%) under manager Jerry Manuel last season. With all of the injuries the Mets endured in 2009 I think they were very lucky to win as many games as they did. I give Manuel some credit for that. He has managed two years for the Mets now and he is 125-130 (49%). Manuel has now compiled a 325-301 (51%) record in his 8 years as a major league manager. If the key players stay healthy for the Mets in 2010 I think Manuel will have them in the wild card hunt in the N.L.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: B-

The Mets will have a bunch of 30+ year olds in the pen setting up for closer Francisco Rodriguez. 28-year old righty Francisco Rodriguez will be the main man for the Mets again in 2010 in the pen. I have a feeling he will get back to the pitcher he was for the Angels and that is what the Mets are hoping for. Rodriguez pitched in 70 games (0 starts) for the Mets last season and he was 3-6 with 35 saves, a 3.71 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He only gave up 51 hits in 68 innings last season while whiffing 73 batters, but he walked 38 and that is too many. I think he will tighten up his control and keep his ERA under 3.00 in 2010.

30-year old righty Ryota Igarashi could be the top set up man for the Mets in 2010. He pitched in 507 games in his career in Japan and he was 47-29 with 54 saves and a 3.25 ERA. He has pitched in 8 games so far this spring and he is 1-0 with 1 save, a 5.00 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. It will be interesting to see how well Igarashi adjusts to pitching in the show.

33-year old lefty Pedro Feliciano is the hardest worker in the pen for the Mets as he worked in 88 games (0 starts) last season in which he was 6-4 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. In his last four years with the Mets, Feliciano has pitched in 316 games (0 starts) in which he is 18-12 with 4 saves, a 3.04 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He is very dependable.

35-year old righty Kiko Calero was signed away from the Marlins over the winter. Calero pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last season and he was 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Calero only allowed 36 hits in 60 innings last season for the Marlins while whiffing 69 batters showing what kind of stuff he has. If his shoulder holds up, Calero will be a huge asset to the Mets in 2010.

30-year old righty Sean Green did not pitch too well in his first year for the Mets in 2009. He pitched in 79 games (0 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 1-4 with 1 save, a 4.52 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Green has good stuff but he needs to tighten his control to be effective as he walked 36 hitters in only 69 2/3 innings last year.

33-year old righty Kelvim Escobar is seriously considering retiring as his shoulder still appears to be bugging him a bit. He pitched in 1 game (1 start) for the Angels last season and he was 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Escobar also pitched in 3 games (all starts) in A+AAA-ball last year in which he was 0-0 with a 2.30 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP.

39-year old righty Elmer Dessens will likley make the Mets’ bullpen in 2010. Dessens pitched in 28 games (0 starts) for the Mets last season and he was 0-0 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He also pitched in 27 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last season in which he was 3-2 with 11 saves, a 2.31 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The Mets are hoping that Dessens can give them some solid work in middle relief in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: B

The Mets hope they only need 5 starting pitchers in 2010 but they have 13 pitchers in camp who could start for them at some point this year if needed. It all starts with 31-year old lefty Johan Santana. Santana started 25 games for the Mets last season and he was 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now started 59 games in two years with the Mets and he is 29-16 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. The Mets must keep Santana healthy in 2010 if they want to have a chance to be competing for a playoff spot come September.

26-year old righty Mike Pelfrey was mis-cast as the Mets’ #2 starter most of last season. He started 31 games for the Mets in 2009 and he was 10-12 with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Pelfrey has decent stuff but the Mets would be better served if he were to be their #4 or #5 starter in 2010.

28-year old righty John Maine will likely be the Mets’ #2 starter if healthy. He started 15 games for the Mets last year and he was 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Maine has pitched in 88 games (87 starts) in his four years with the Mets and he is 38-29 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Mets need to keep Maine healthy because he has the potential to win 15+ games in 2010.

28-year old lefty Oliver Perez will probably get a starting job for the Mets because of his silly contract. Perez started 14 games for the Mets last season and he was 3-4 with a 6.82 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP. The Mets need Perez to get back to the pitcher he was in 2007+2008 when he started 63 games for them and he was 25-17 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Perez has the stuff to dominate but only when he’s throwing strikes.

23-year old lefty Jon Niese is the Mets’ #6 prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America and they want him to win the #5 job in the rotation for 2010. Niese started 5 games for the Mets last season and he was 1-1 with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He also started 16 games in AAA-ball last year in which he was 5-6 with a 3.82 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He definitely has the stuff to excel in the majors as long as he can stay healthy.

27-year old righty Fernando Nieve got off to a good start for the Mets last season before he got injured. Nieve pitched in 8 games (7 starts) for the Mets last season and he was 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He will have to cut down on his walks as he had 19 of them in only 36 2/3 innings for the Mets last season.

34-year old lefty Hisanori Takahashi has pitched really well this spring as he is making a move for the #5 job in the starting rotation. The Mets signed him over the winter. He has a career record of 79-66 with a 3.70 ERA in 10 years in the Japanese League. If he doesn’t make the rotation he will likely work out of the pen.

35-year old righty Nelson Figueroa will likely pitch for the Mets at some point in 2010. He pitched in 16 games (10 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-8 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Figueroa has now pitched in 32 games (16 starts) for the Mets the last two years and he is 6-11 with a 4.28 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP.

25-year old righty Bobby Parnell will likely be in the pen in 2010 but the Mets are giving him a shot at the rotation this spring. Parnell pitched in 68 games (8 starts) for the Mets lasst season and he was 4-8 with 1 save, a 5.30 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP.

28-year old lefty Pat Misch pitched decent at the end of last season for the Mets. He pitched in 22 games (7 starts) for the Mets last year and he was 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Overall with the Giants & Mets last season Misch pitched in 26 games (7 starts) in which he was 3-4 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

35-year old righty knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is also trying to win a job this spring with the Mets. Dickey pitched in 35 games (1 start) for the Twins last season and he was 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. The Mets should really use Dickey as a last resort.

27-year old lefty Bobby Livingston pitched in 27 games (25 starts) last season in AA+AAA ball and he was 9-7 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors in 2007 with the Reds. Livingston has pitched in 13 games (10 starts) in his major league career and he is 3-3 with a 6.31 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. His best asset is that he is left handed.

27-year old Travis Blackley is also in camp trying to win a job with the Mets. He pitched in 38 games (12 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 4-7 with a 4.85 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors in 2007 with the Giants. Blackley has pitched in 8 games (all starts) in his major league career and he is 1-3 with a 9.35 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: C-

26-year old righty swinging Jeff Francoeur was outstanding for the Mets after coming to them from the Braves in a trade last year (for Ryan Church). Francoeur played in 75 games for the Mets in which he was 90 for 289 (.311 avg, .836 OPS) with 40 runs scored, 10 homers and 41 RBIs. Francoeur played in 157 games overall for the Mets & Braves last season in which he was 166 of 593 (.280 avg, .732 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 15 homers, 76 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. The Mets need him to hit like he did for them last season and not be the batter he was for the Braves. Francoeur only made 1 error in 154 games in RF last season showing average range. He does have a gun for a arm however as he nailed 11 baserunners that tried to challenge him.

28-year old switch hitting Angel Pagan played 6 games in RF for the Mets last season and he didn’t make any errors while showing good range. Pagan even threw out a runner trying to challenge him when he was in RF.

24-year old righty swinging Nick Evans can also play some RF. He played in 30 games for the Mets last season and he was 15 of 65 (.231 avg, .660 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2010: C+

The Mets were hoping to have a healthy 32-year old switch hitting Carlos Beltran this season. But, he decided to have knee surgery over the winter which will likely keep him out until sometime in May. This is a huge blow to the Mets as Beltran is one of the best players on the team. Beltran played in 81 games for the Mets last season and he was 100 of 308 (.325 avg, .915 OPS) with 50 runs scored, 10 homers, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Beltran is also a solid defensive center fielder. He played in 77 games in CF for the Mets last season and he made 2 errors while showing good range. Beltran also had 3 assists from CF as he has a decent throwing arm. The Mets hope that Beltran won’t have any setbacks in his recovery because they need him in the lineup.

28-year old switch hitting Angel Pagan got a lot of P.T. in CF last season but he will have to beat out 35-year old switch hitting Gary Matthews for the starting job until Beltran returns to action. Pagan played in 88 games for the Mets last season and he was 105 of 343 (.306 avg, .837 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 6 homers, 32 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Pagan made 2 errors in 61 games in CF for the Mets last season while showing below average range. Pagan had 4 assists from CF in 2010 so his arm was a strength last year.

35-year old switch hitting Gary Matthews will get a lot of P.T. for the Mets this season. He played in 103 games for the Angels last season and he was 79 of 316 (.250 avg, .697 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 4 homers, 50 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Matthews only made 1 error in 56 games in CF last season for the Angels while showing average range. He also had 1 assist from CF.

21-year old lefty swinging Fernando Martinez is also available in CF for the Mets. He played 8 error-free games in CF for the Mets last season while showing outstanding range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE METS IN CF IN 2010: B