The Mets will lose 150 games and finish in last place.

(Or at least that's what everyone else seems to think.)

Yes, we know the Mets had a bad year last year (understatement of the century). We know there are plenty of question marks on this 2010 team. But can everyone stop with the massive exaggerations of the Mets ineptitude?

Everywhere you go nowadays, there's people bashing the Mets. I myself have heard countless assertions that the Mets will be a bottom-dwelling team this year, that they have a poor offense, that their pitching is suspect, things like that, and I'd have to respectfully disagree.

Look, I'm not saying that the Mets are a National League powerhouse, a favorite to win the division, or anything like that. All I'm saying is that this ballclub has a legitimate and tangible shot at making the postseason. We're not the Pirates.

If Reyes and Beltran come back relatively quickly, and demonstrate the level of play we've come to expect from them; if the questionable rotation works out, with Pelfrey and Co. retaining the flashes of brilliance they often have; if Castillo can keep up his offense and Frenchy can take more pitches; if we take full advantage of our strong bullpen; then I don't see why we can't be a playoff-caliber franchise this season. Why do we have to "break up the core" like some people have suggested? This is a great team, simply in need of better complementary players to fill out the roster. We aren't the Pirates. We don't need to rebuild.

You don't put down a book after reading only one page, don't abandon this season before the games have even been played.

Book Review: The Amazin' Avenue Annual 2010

Through the power of grission, the guys over at Amazin' Avenue managed to churn out a 340-page book: The Amazin' Avenue Annual 2010. It's really good, and also it's free. It's available to download in PDF form here. Did I mention it's free?

The highlights include a wonderful piece on Lindsey Nelson written by Alex Nelson (no relation as far as I know), NL East team previews, wonderful Mets scouting reports, and a thorough review of each level of the Mets farm system. There's also plenty of other great articles written for the Annual which I haven't even delved into.

So it's good and free. Get it!