PORT ST. LUCIE – Call them optimists or downright delusional, but the Mets appear convinced they’re on the cusp of a championship.
Sure, the hated Phillies won the World Series after yet another monumental gut punch of a collapse by the Mets (the second in a row for those scoring at home). But aside from adding a pair of All-Star closers in Frankie Rodriguez and J.J. Putz to fix the bullpen, GM Omar Minaya is bringing back essentially the same lineup and rotation that came up agonizingly short again last season – Manny Ramirez be damned.
“I like this team,” Minaya said last week. “I like the makeup and pretty much everything about it.”
Minaya and everyone else will find out starting this week if that confidence is legit or laughable. With that, here are the five most pressing questions facing the Amazin’s going into spring training:
1. Is the bullpen any better?
That’s the end-all, be-all question after last year’s pig of a ‘pen blew a mind-numbing (and franchise-record) 29 saves, cinching the Mets’ second straight September meltdown.
The bullpen appears dramatically improved with the addition of Rodriguez and Putz to take care of the final two innings. But the Mets also had trouble with the middle innings last season, primarily because they were stuck with too many specialists and virtually no one able to get out right-handers and left-handers equally.
Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel, however, think left-hander Pedro Feliciano, newcomer Sean Green and Duaner Sanchez (both righties) can be “cross-over” pitchers, though that will require Sanchez to bounce back from a subpar 2008.
2. Who’s the fifth starter?
The Mets have a luxury here – veteran competition for the final spot between Tim Redding and former All-Star Freddy Garcia.
Garcia is on a minor-league contract and has pitched in just two games since 2006 because of shoulder surgery, so he must prove he is fully recovered. If the 33-year-old right-hander can do that, the Mets ideally would plug Garcia into this spot and use the reliable Redding in long relief.
Top pitching prospect Jonathon Niese, who showed potential in three September starts, also is in contention along with fellow prospect Robert Parnell. Both are more likely to open the year at Triple-A Buffalo.
3. What’s the World Baseball Classic impact?
The WBC isn’t coming along at an ideal time for Manuel, considering this will be his first spring training as manager and the Mets could have a dozen or more front-line players leaving to take part.
Johan Santana isn’t likely to participate in the WBC because of his offseason knee surgery, but he might be the only Mets star sitting this one out.
David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Frankie Rodriguez all are poised to leave Port St. Lucie the first week of March and not return until a week or so before the start of the season.
That doesn’t give Manuel much time to instill his program and gauge the team’s chemistry. Perhaps luckily for Manuel, the Mets brought back essentially the same lineup and rotation, so getting everyone on the same page shouldn’t be a chore.
4. Can Luis Castillo salvage his career?
The Mets tried to trade the oft-injured second baseman over the winter but found absolutely no takers with three years and $18 million left on the dreadful contract Minaya gave him two years ago.
That leaves Manuel to try to rejuvenate the former All-Star after he made himself a pariah with fans by hitting just .245 in 87 games during his miserable 2008 season.
Castillo has vowed to the Mets that he will come into spring training with a better attitude and bounce back at age 33, but just to be sure, the Mets added veteran second baseman Alex Cora in the offseason. Cora’s playing time going forward will tell how much confidence the Mets have in Castillo.
5. Was Delgado’s second half a mirage?
The veteran slugger was on the verge of being released last June until he suddenly and inexplicably erupted with one of the best second halves in baseball – .308 with 27 homers and 80 RBIs from June 27 to the end of the season.
Then again, maybe it wasn’t so inexplicable: Delgado’s power surge seemed suspiciously timed to the firing of Willie Randolph (whom he disliked) and the desire for the Mets to pick up his $12 million option for 2009.
The Mets badly need the 36-year-old Delgado to pick up where he left off last season because he is capable of carrying an offense. His slow start last season was a major reason the Mets spent the first three months hovering below .500.
bhubbuch@nypost.com
