Sports Illustrated Picked Who?!

I'll admit it: for the past week or so, I'd grown pretty bearish on the prospects for the Mets' upcoming season.

I'm a big believer in the power of a strong bullpen so that's a source of comfort, but between the back end of the rotation (the part that comes after Johan, that is), the uncertainty of Daniel Murphy, the uncertainty of Delgado, the almost assured shittiness of Castillo, the limited contribution of Schneider -- there were too many question marks and holes on this team for me to feel really positive.

Things started to change last week as I watched a few exhibition games on SNY and I heard how the guys in the booth were talking about the team.

Maybe it was just them projecting what they wanted to see on to the field, but one guy after the next kept talking about how they were seeing something different this team. They saw a renewed sense of urgency, or a renewed sense of purpose. Beyond that, there was the talent of the guys on the field. This team had the look of a real contender.

The problem I have is that I'm largely incapable of looking at the Mets objectively. When I look at the 2009 team I can't help but project my disappointment and bitterness over the past two years onto this year.

I think Gary, Keith, and Ron are better at avoiding this pratfall than I am, but even if they're not, I saw this morning on SportsNite that Sports Illustrated had picked the Mets as their World Series champ. I haven't found the article yet, but SNY said SI was most impressed with the Mets' bullpen, and thought it was the key to the Mets' improved fortunes this year.

Now, SNY prefaced all of this by noting that SI has only picked the eventual World Series winner correctly once in the past 10 years -- and that was in 1999 when they picked the Yankees.

For me though it's an uplifting development either way. To the (presumably) unaffiliated, unbiased people at Sports Illustrated, the Mets are the team to beat. Untainted by hope or frustration, they see something in this team that makes them think they're really good.

Now, that and $5 will buy you this week's issue of SI -- on it's own, SI's does nothing for us. But it does improve my confidence, cover jinxes be damned. And with less than a week to go until Opening Day, confidence is a valuable commodity around here.

- A.F.O.M.G.