The Bloated Mets

Troy E. Renck at The Denver Post, writes aabout the Mets and how their "Typically Bloated":

This is your typically bloated New York team. It was as if general manager Omar Minaya stocked his roster at Sam's Club, buying everything in bulk.

He employs two potential closers (Billy Wagner and Aaron Heilman); three ageless wonders (Glavine, Orlando Hernandez and carbon-dated Julio Franco); four MVP candidates (Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and David Wright) and, in Rockies manager Clint Hurdle's estimation, "seven players who could hit 20 home runs."

That the Mets entered the weekend with the National League's best record was not remarkable. That they have done it with one combined home run from Wright and Delgado speaks to their depth and talent. This is a team, if Beltran's pulse on the club is correct, that is consumed with winning the World Series after being stunned by the St. Louis Cardinals last season in the playoffs.

Ordinarily, Glavine and Hernandez would raise suspicion. But Glavine has reinvented himself the past two seasons, working inside out to batters rather than the other way around. Hernandez has more pitches than a telemarketer, ranging from a near-90 mph fastball to a 58-mph curveball.

Neither Hernandez nor Glavine, however, is the Mets' best arm. John Maine has been Tom Seaver incarnate this month, ranking near the top in ERA (1.71) and batting average against (.169). In a league where most pitchers throw sinkers and cutters, Maine lives on a late-life, rising four-seam fastball. With each outing, the Orioles regret trading him for injury-riddled Kris Benson.

Thanks to Matthew Cerrone at Mets Blog for the link.