We'd all LIKE to see that. However, since there was no positive steps, or progress, and we're a worse team than we were a year ago...Subtract Dickey, Hairston and pocket lint, add Buck, Marcum, and pocket lint = net loss, and we lost 88 games last year, I see no reason to expect anything but a 90+ loss season.

"Subtract Dickey, Hairston and pocket lint, add Buck, Marcum, and pocket lint = net loss"

Harvey d'Arnaud and Wheeler I would say is a bit better than pocket lint.

I think this year will be better because as the year goes on, we will have quality reinforcements on the way. Aside from a quality rotation, we can expect that Wheeler, Mejia and Familia will be there to replace any injured or disappointing members of the staff. In addition, I eexpect Den Decker and Flores to have big years at AAA and will be there with D'Anaud to add youth and talent to the lineup.

Dickey pitched well second half last year and Hairston hit well and we still did terrible second half. They're departure isn't going to break us. What it came down to was our awful bullpen and inconsistent offense. As we know bullpens are hit and miss. If our new crop of relievers can be a "hit" which is realistically possible to a non defeatist and if our main offensive guys (Wright, Davis, Murphy, tejada,TDA, Duda?) Can be consistent the seconde half I see no reason why they can't win 84 games

So all the positive additions listed in this thread are prospects or 4th/5th outfielders. That COULD be an improvement - or not. Dickey will be missed in this rotation for sure. TD and Wheeler also will not be up for a while. Plus they will be rookies.

TDA will be up a month to a month and a half into the season.. In a 6-7 month season that is not a long time to wait. Yeah Wheeler will probably be up in July though

That is step 1 to me.

Once they achieve that the other benchmarks look easier to reach.

Our 2nd half records the past 4 seasons have been awful.

2012: 28-48
2011: 31-40
2010: 31-43
2009: 28-47

Total: 118-178

That means we have only won 39.9% of our 2nd half game over the past 4 seasons. Ouch!

Can't imagine 2008 and 2007 were much better. Epic collapses and all....

Does poor second-half performance indicate an overall lack of depth?

Both seasons we were over .500 so I don't think they were the same.

Yes, but they were both hot starts and bad finishes... even if they were over .500 in both halves, they certainly tailed off considerably (and dramatically) in both years.

In 2007 they hit a very bad patch with two weeks to go and at the same time the phils got hot. Still only missed by one game same as in 2008 although it was not nearly as dramatic.

No Bay or Thole, that alone is a big boost for the Mets, those two in the line up killed the Mets last season.

But when Thole didn't play we had Nickeas to pick up the slack. lol

All I want for x-mas is for the Mets to die like solidiers....been asking for it for years...but every year they die like dogs