Hello everybody! My name is Felix Flores, and I am very excited to re-introduce you to THE 2011 New York Mets. Heading into the 2011 season, this team was in big trouble, both on and off the field. Off the field, the franchise was in all sorts of financial peril. The owners are in a pending lawsuit for $1 billion with a Madoff trustee, who is looking to recover profits that the Wilpon family allegedly made off of a Ponzi scheme. 
The Mets also reportedly received a $25 million loan from Major League Baseball to cover operating costs, signaling a sign of further financial constraints.
On the Field Outlook:
The outlook on the field was not much better. The Mets were just trying to figure out ways to keep their players out of the trainer’s room. In order to accomplish this, aging out fielder Carlos Beltran was to receive much more rest throughout the year, along with moving from center field to right field. Concussed left fielder Jason Bay was hoping he could avoid a potential Ryan Church situation, while trying to rebound from his poor 2010 stats he posted before suffering his season ending head injury.
Shedding Contracts & Building Up the Farm
The Mets were also going to use 2011 to try and shed the expiring contracts of their big name players. They were interested in restocking their farm system with top-tier prospects through returns involving potential trades of Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, and Francisco Rodriguez. The prospects would theoretically be ready to contribute in 2012, allowing the Mets to make potential playoff runs in the future. Before the Mets reached the middle of 2011, these thoughts were strictly hypothetical. New Mets skipper, Terry Collins, promised the team would play the season out, one game at a time. Needless to say it was a bleak outlook, and many people around the baseball world were writing off the New York Mets. From opening day through April 20, the Mets were 5-13 including a period in which they lost seven straight games. It appeared as if 2011 was indeed a lost campaign.
Wild-Card Contention
However the team rebounded. After April 20, the Mets won six straight contests and have appeared to steady the ship. At this point in the season, the Mets are 43-42, and only 6.5 games out of the wild card race. All-star Carlos Beltran has been an extraordinary everyday player. He leads the National League in doubles, and ranks 8th in RBIs He has also made the All-Star team as a reserve. Super utility man Daniel Murphy has played almost every day in almost every infield position, and has posted an average that ranks 8th in the National League. What more can be said about the starting shortstop for the National League all-star team? Jose Reyes leads the league in hitting, triples, and runs scored. He also ranks 2nd in stolen bases. He even has his own fan base at Citi Field who shout, “don’t trade Reyes” during his every at-bat.
[caption id="attachment_28" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="All-stars Carlos Beltran (l) and Jose Reyes (r) celebrate a victory."]
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Furthermore, the Mets have reached this point without much contribution from David Wright (stress fracture in back), Ike Davis (likely out for the year with and ankle injury), and Johan Santana (has yet to start throwing off a mound after shoulder surgery). Santana is on a timetable for late August, but as always, its very tentative.
What's Left of 2011?
Looking at the what remains this season, the Mets are in prime position to make a wild card run. They are receiving production up and down their lineup. Their starting pitching has finally come around and their streaky bullpen has been very solid as of late. Perennial MVP candidate David Wright is nearing a return to the team and Johan Santana is expected to be back around the end of August. Their highly anticipated returns would bring more punch to an already potent offense and more stability, quality, and experience out of the pitching staff.
What will the Mets Decide to Do?
However as the trade deadline looms, many questions arise. Do the Mets trade their expiring contracts? Do the Mets have enough pieces to contend for the postseason, and if not do they add pieces? Looking toward the end of the season there are even further questions. Who is the face of the franchise, is it David Wright or Jose Reyes? Can the Mets even re-sign Jose Reyes? How big of an issue is Francisco Rodriguez’s $17.5 million option for next season? Will the Mets make a big splash in a free agent market that includes Albert Puljos and Prince Fielder? One thing is for sure, these Mets are taking it one day at a time, and will do their best to contend in what was once thought to be a lost season.