The New York Mets basically went AWOL in the bullpen in 2008. Actually, their pitching in general (starters & relievers) was basically a disaster (there's just no other way to describe it). So how will they do in 2009? First, let's look at their 2008 key statistics.

Offensive Leaders: Shortstop Jose B Reyes (204 hits, 16 home runs, 68 RBI, 113 runs scored & 56 stolen bases in 71 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers: 191 hits, 12 home runs & 57 RBI), third baseman David Wright (189 hits, 33 home runs, 124 RBI, 115 runs scored & 15 stolen bases in 20 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers: 30 home runs, 107 RBI & 113 runs scored), third baseman Carlos Beltran (172 hits, 27 home runs, 112 RBI, 116 runs scored, 92 walks & 25 stolen bases in28 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers: 153 hits, 93 runs scored, 69 walks & 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts) first baseman Carlos Delgado (162 hits, 38 home runs, 115 RBI, 96 runs scored, 72 walks & 1 stolen base in 2 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers: 139 hits 24 home runs 87 RBI & 52 walks) and catcher Brian Schneider, who is expected to be out until at least early May with an achy back (86 hits, 9 home runs, 38 RBI & 30 runs scored).

Offensive Liabilities: Right fielder Ryan Church (88 hits, 12 home runs, 49 RBI, 54 runs scored, 33 walks & 2 stolen bases in 5 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers, after being acquired from the Washington Nationals: 128 hits, 15 home runs, 70 RBI, 57 runs scored, 49 walks & 3 stolen bases in 5 attempts),left fielder Gary Sheffield, acquired from the Detroit Tigers (94 hits, 19 home runs, 57 RBI, 52 runs scored, 58 walks & 9 stolen bases in 11 attempts; 2007 Key Numbers, after being acquired from the New York Yankees: 131 hits, 25 home runs, 75 RBI, 107 runs scored, 84 walks & 22 stolen bases in 27 attempts) and second baseman Luis Castillo (73 hits, 3 home runs, 28 RBI, 46 runs scored, 17 stolen bases in 19 attempts & 50 walks vs. 35 strikeouts; 2007 Key Numbers: 165 hits, 38 RBI, 91 runs scored; age is yet another issue for Sheffield; he is now 40).

Pitching Gems: Starters Mike Pelfrey (2008 Record: 13-11; ERA: 3.72; 12 home runs allowed in 32 games; 64 walks; 110 strikeouts; 2007 Record: 3-8; ERA: 5.57; 39 walks) and Johan Santana (2008 Record: 16-7; ERA: 2.53; 23 home runs allowed in 34 games; 63 walks; 206 strikeouts; as good as the numbers appear Santana actually did worse in 2008 than in 2007, when he was with the Minnesota Twins, wins & losses and home runs not withstanding: 2007 Key Numbers: 52 walks; 235 strikeouts) and relievers Pedro Felciano (26 walks; 7 home runs allowed in 86 games; 61 strikeouts; 2 saves in 4 save opportunities), Francisco J Rodriguez (2008 Record: 2-3; ERA: 2.24; 4 home runs allowed in 76 games; 34 walks; 77 strikeouts; 62 saves in 69 save opportunities), JJ Putz, acquired from the Seattle Mariners (2008 Record: 6-5; ERA: 3.88; 4 home runs allowed in 47 games; 28 walks; 56 strikeouts; 15 saves in 23 save opportunities; 2007 Key Numbers: 13 walks; 82 strikeouts; Putz is one of baseball's best closers) and Billy Wagner who is out until at least mid-August after "Tommy John" surgery (2008 Record: 0-1; ERA: 2.30; 4 home runs allowed in 45 games; 10 walks; 52 strikeouts; 27 saves in 34 save opportunities; 2007 Key Numbers: Record: 2-2; 80 strikeouts; Potential Problem: Wagner is now 37, so there's no guarantee that he will go back to the form that made him one of baseball's best closers in his earlier years ever again, especially after "Tommy John" surgery)..

Pitching Liabilities: Starters Livan Hernandez (2008 Record: 13-11; ERA: 6.05; 25 home runs allowed in 31 games; 43 walks; 67 strikeouts; 2007 ERA: 4.93; 90 strikeouts), Oliver Perez (2008 Record: 10-7; ERA: 4.22; 24 home runs allowed in 34 games; 105 walks; 180 strikeouts; 2007 Record: 15-10; ERA: 3.56; 22 home runs allowed in 29 games; 79 walks) and John Maine (2008 Record; 10-8; ERA: 4.18; 16 home runs allowed in 25 games; 67 walks; 122 strikeouts; 2007 Record: 15-10; ERA: 3.91; 180 strikeouts) and relievers Pedro Feliciano (2008 ERA: 4.05; 2007 ERA: 3.09; 7 home runs allowed in 2008; 3 home runs allowed in 2007; 61 strikeouts in 2007; 5-0 strikeouts in 2008), Sean Green, acquired from the Seattle Mariners (2008 Record: 4-5; ERA: 4.67; 1 save in 4 save opportunities), Bobby Parnell (2008 ERA: 5.40),

Bottom Line For the 2009 Mets: It couldn't be simpler: THEY MUST SORT THEIR PITCHING OUT, ESPECIALLY THEIR BULLPEN. In their last game against Florida, that clearly didn't happen. Again the starter Santana pitched well enough to win (5 hits & 2 earned runs, including Jorge Cantu's 6th home run, with 3 walks & 7 strikeouts in 7 innings) but once again the bullpen blew the lead that Santana was given, even though the Mets pounded out 11 hits against Marlins' pitching. After Santana left following 7 innings, reliever JJ Putz came in and promptly allowed 2 earned runs on only 1 hit with 2 walks & no strikeouts to worsen his record to 1-1 and pick up his first blown save of 2009. It seems like the 2009 New York Mets are going down the same path as the 2008 New York Mets, who won 90 games but lost 73, mainly because of their disastrous bullpen to miss the playoffs.