Reply #14: ESPN says . . .

[hijinx87]

it could be a real mixed bag for the stem this year:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1944838

Big Picture: Omar Minaya has taken over the Mets and committed $172 million to Beltran and Pedro Martinez. There has been much talk about how Minaya won the hearts and minds of Beltran and Martinez, but in both cases, the players took offers that were more than $10 million greater than those of competing teams, so the successful negotiations probably had more to do with money than moxie. There is much work to be done on middle relief, a question mark in Mike Piazza at catcher, a big hole at first base, a second baseman (Kaz Matsui) who will be learning a new position, and a lot of injury risk in the starting rotation. But the Mets' activity has ramped up the hopes of the team's fans, and if New York struggles in 2005, Minaya will be out on a limb; if the team contends, he will be a hometown hero. He is destined to get either too much credit or too much blame.