xxi-xxv

congrats VG, you and your team deserve this.

Now about Omir Santos I think Bay is having that year like Beltran did in 05, bad.

the cowboys won a playoff game and it clearly shows they are ready to take the next step towards greatness.

I specifically remember in 2009 laughing at your notion that Angel Pagan was anything more than a 4th outfielder. I stand 100% corrected. You said from day 1 you thought he could be a very good player and you were dead on. There was not much to go on off 2009, but this guy has done a complete 180 in terms of his baseball awareness and on field ability. In all honesty not only has he proven he can play everyday he might just be one of the Mets top 4 or 5 players. When you play in Citifield you need guys like this and you get credit for indentifying what he could do early on, good job.

I think the one thing we are seeing is a team that actually has some chemistry. Rumors were always there that Carlos Delgado was a bad guy in the lockeroom. I am suspecting that to be true. Still need one more starter IMO and probably another bullpen arm to bridge to KROD, but I suspect this team will compete all year. There really is not a lot to not like in terms of how they play. They may not be the most talented, but they play hard and Id rather play hard and lose then watch what we saw last year and in 2008 and 2007. Keeping the homegrown players and incorporating key veterans is a tough thing, Omar seems to be doing this well now with Niese, Davis, Pagan, Tejada, Pelfrey, Meijia to go along with Barajas, Franceour, Bay

Yes and that does happen often

They have a group of guys you can root for. Franceour, Bay, Wright, Davis, Reyes. I like Barajas D and ability to hit with some pop 8th. I love Niese, think Pelfrey is gonna be ok and am not concerned with Johan even though he looked awful tonight. This team has hope. Can you imagine the way the lineup looks if Beltran can ever get back?

The Mets spend roughly 30 million dollars on 2 outfielders...put franceour and matthews in mix its closer to 40.....anyway I assume you meant they were cheap on SP..

Hes an active 26 year old man I highly doubt thats a concern.

I still do not see a team that has Reyes, Wright, Beltran, bay, Santana and Krod being all that awful. Sure a lot depends on health, but then again whos team does not. What happens to the Yankees if Jeter, Arod, Tex, CC, Cano and Mariano all lose significant time. Not saying the Met players are as good as those guys, but that group of 6 players is not exactly shit. Reyes statys healthy mets will win 85-90 games, as probably would have occoured in 2009 had the entire team not gotten hurt. 2009 was more an indictment of the players behind the group of "stars" then the stars themselves. They all were hurt and the replacement drop off was horrendous.

Never saw the 2006 Cards or 87 Twins huh? Anyway the 2000 Mets were not a great team, but they could pitch and had 2 lefty starters that were very good in Hampton and Leiter and a solid overall bullpen aside from benitez in the big spot. Hugh just explained to the idiots the reason WHY PIAZZA could not charge the mound after Clemens threw the bat at him(he did not hit him in the WS that was in a regular season back end of a day night doubleheader when Piazza was in the middle of a 7-9 4 homers 12 rbis stretch vs that juiced up piece of shit clemens)the team was not very good and had they lost Mike Piazza for an inning let alone multiple games they would have had no shot to stay even competitive. I will say this, had Timo run the series might have been a tad more interesting. I think what sealed it was what Cone said in his book, after slumping down the stretch and only winning 87 games the Yankees went on a new roids cycle and it enabled them to recover from that 3-15 stretch to close the season.

Yes I did not consider Warner or Favre based on the unknown(well now we know about Warner), but I agree they are in that 2nd group and both at one time or another had been in the class of the first group.

84-78 with Joel Pineiro, Bengie Molina and Ben Sheets. I take the former, leave me money for 2011 and rebuild farm system.

Here is who I would take over ELI. Peyton...obvious Brees...this guy is very good and I still wonder what he does outside domes or warm weather but hes great Brady...will be back to his 100% self in 2010 Roethlisberger...2 rings I do not care how he got them 2 rings at the most important position on the team Now the debates...all good qbs though(disclaimer) Rivers...still take ELI, is a hot head, has never won a big game and would never translate with that attitude in NY Schaub...getting better, terrific stats, has won zilch McNabb....very similar to Rivers, seems to crack under instense pressure and seems like a real diva Cutler...come on now Rodgers...just not there yet in terms of winning resume, not to mention holds the ball longer than 2004 Kurt Warner Giant, improved on that though a lot Romo.....see why you take Big Ben over ELI, plus I think hes a dick, his antics before 2007 playoffs not forgotten and 1 playoff win does not cut it I take ELI over all those guys. Here is why in a nutshell, and I will credit Mike Lupica for citing this in his column today in regards to JOhnny Damon with a quote by Knicks GM Donnie Walsh and I am paraphrasing here. Sometimes a guys value to your team, is not what his value would be to others, what his makeup is for your city, what he does under the scrutiny and how he handles the whole package. Very telling statement IMO and why I take ELI over those other guys. Again not to say any of those other guys are not great qbs for their teams and cities. Its just that at this time, in this town based on what I know and what I have seen I would take ELI. Again cant go wrong with the others either way.

Know when ELI stepped up as a leader? Dec 13th against the Eagles. With first place on the line all ELI did was single handedly keep his team in that game and actually take the lead after falling behind 14 points. It was not ELIS fault that his defense game after game after game shit the bed when he did his part, that night in particular he was outstanding and that at the time was thebiggest game of the year. Why are we still debating ELI Manning, what more does he have to do? Maybe throw for 4000 yards and 28 tds with 1st 2nd and 3rd year Wrs? ...oh wait nevermind