Regular Season Record: 88-74
Second in the NL East.

Offensive leaders:
Home Runs: Carlos Beltran 33
Average: David Wright .325
RBI: Carlos Beltran 112
Runs: Jose Reyes 78
Steals:  Jose Reyes 119

Pitching leaders:
Wins: Oliver Perez 15
ERA: Oliver Perez 3.56
Strikeouts: John Maine 180
Saves: Billy Wagner 34

Highlight of the season: Rocking and rolling into the third week of June when the team was on a high and reached 19 games over .500.   It was to be the high point of the season for the team as team would go 54-56 the rest of the way.

Low point of the season: The greatest meltdown in sports history came in the few weeks of the season and the Mets were the team that melted down, blowing a 7 game lead in the standings by going 5-12 down the stretch.  Instead of coasting into the playoffs, they ended up going home for the offseason instead.

Best move of the season: The addition of Luis Castillo to the team at the trading deadline gave this team a reliable second baseman something the Mets haven’t had for a while.   Castillo’s .296-1-20 with 37 Runs scored and 10 stolen bases over 199 at bats, as well as his steady glove gave the Mets a little more stability and kept them a bit higher in the standings than they might otherwise have been.
Adding Moises Alou to the team also helped.   However he was limited to 87 games over the course of the season but his .341-13-49 certainly didn’t hurt the team.   But his lack of playing time didn’t really help.

Worst move of the season:  Ok, if I can throw this one back to last season.  The trade of Brian Bannister to the Royals for Ambiorix Burgos sure was a stinker.  Burgos pitched just 23.2 innings for the Mets this season while Bannister went on to win 12 games with a 3.87 ERA., but since that occurred last season I’d have to say the worst move was the signing of Guillermo Mota.
Not only did Mota have to serve a 50 game suspension for use of illegal supplements, but he stunk it up for most of that time – posting a 5.76 ERA, blowing a number of saves and holds along the way.  That cost the team a lot of games – especially during the great collapse.

Key Player: David Wright.  Wright is one of those players who’s a throwback to earlier and more glorious eras of baseball.  He’s a guy who is thrilled to be able to play baseball for a living and gives you 100% day after day.   He’s arguably the second best third baseman in the game and does a bit of everything and does it well his .325-30-107 with 113 runs and 34 stolen bases is heads and shoulder above everyone but A-Rod (Who hit for a lower average and stole fewer bases) at the position.  More than that, he’s a team leader and never gives less than his all – the Mets can and have built around him and they hope he’ll be a met for life.

Up and Coming Player: Once again the answer is Lastings Milledge but just how long the Mets will show faith is beginning to be a question.  Milledge was supposed to grow into full time outfielder this season and allow the team to put Moises Alou out to pasture.   However Alou was great and Milledge struggled with Major League pitching his .272-7-29 in 184 at bats really didn’t impress.
That being said he’s still a five tool prospect and one of the most promising in the organization.   He’ll either put it together soon or get a chance somewhere in a place far more obscure than New York City.

What went right: The starting pitching was excellent for most of the season – John Maine won 15 games as did Oliver Perez.  Tom Glavine managed a more than respectable season with 12 wins including his 300th.   Additionally Pedro Martinez returning in September showed that he still had what it takes.
Offensively David Wright made a bid for MVP and Jose Reyes, while lacking in power and discipline showed plenty of speed.  The rest of the offense didn’t stand out but was more than adequate with several younger players showing developmental steps.

What went wrong: After June the team played less than .500 ball and the attitude on the field was downright sloppy.  They sat in cruise control with no serious challenges until being swept by Philadelphia late in August.  That’s when the collapse began and it snowballed.   The 5-12 stretch to end the season put the Mets on the wrong side of the playoff and left a lot of people wondering – including their fans, if the team was really ever that good.

Offseason Preview:  The Mets have some big holes to fill in the offseason and almost all are in the pitching department.  They’ve got money to spend and will no doubt aim to pick up one or two (depending upon what Tom Glavine does) reliable starters and to completely revamp the bullpen.  
On the field/offensive side of the equation the only spots they will be looking to fill are catcher and possibly second base.  Paul LoDuca will probably be brought back to catch however leaving second base as the question.   There are plenty of decent options but the team should consider bringing back Luis Castillo.

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