Looking Back, Looking Ahead (Part 2)

[Note: This is the conclusion of a 2-part article. For Part 1 of this article, please click here.] For all appearances, the Mets operated this past winter without a real plan. Despite claiming that they were putting together a team that would contend for the division title in 2010, management did little to address their starting pitching concerns. Indeed, other than Jason Bay there was not a single addition to the roster this winter that is likely to have a major impact on the Mets' fortunes. As I have stated in part 1 of this piece, I was not a believer that the Mets could add a couple of pieces and be assured of contending for the title. Even if they had traded for Roy Halladay or signed John Lackey, I thought their bullpen questions and other weaknesses made them anything but a slam dunk to compete against a Phillies team that was more intelligently put together -- and this was before we got the "good news" on Beltran. Had the Mets had identified 2010 as a re...