Ask the Experts: New York Mets

Our friends over at RotoProfessor recently had the opportunity to pose five questions to the New York Daily News’ Adam Rubin. The following interview is from their blog, and I'd encourage you to check it out for individual threads about each of the day's events.

• After struggling down the stretch last season, how do you see Jose Reyes bouncing back?
  
• Adam Rubin: I don’t believe there will be any carryover from Reyes’ miserable September to 2008. If you believe the Mets’ assertion, it was simply an ill-timed slump. In case he ran out of gas, the Mets will try to give Reyes a few extra days off this season. And if there was any fraying of the relationship between Willie Randolph and Reyes after he was pulled in Houston before the All-Star break, I’m sure a winter apart and Randolph’s visit to Reyes’ parents’ home in the Dominican Republic a couple of weeks before spring training have smoothed over everything. 
  

The top of the Mets rotation appears to be able to stack up with anyone in baseball. How do you see the combination of Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez performing?
Adam Rubin: Any mild downturn Santana experienced in late ‘07 should be more than offset by moving to the National League. The key with Pedro, of course, is health, but he claims to feel as good as at any time since 1998 when he was in the midst of winning Cy Youngs. If John Maine and Oliver Perez can just duplicate their ‘07 seasons, it’s hard to imagine the Mets not in the postseason.

• How do you see Carlos Delgado rebounding from what was arguably his worst season as an every day player?
  

• Adam Rubin: Delgado is a big question mark. It’s very possible his years on artificial turf in Toronto, coupled with catching in the minors, are catching up to him. He says the broken hand is fine, and that he started swinging a bat in early January. Delgado steadfastly maintains he hasn’t lost any bat speed. Willie Randolph hasn’t sounded quite as sure, and has suggested Delgado was stubborn swinging at up-and-in pitches he can no longer turn on that he should be taking for balls. Randolph also wants to see Delgado use left field more.

What expectations do you have for the back-end of the Mets rotation, most notably Oliver Perez and John Maine?
Adam Rubin: Scott Boras compared Perez to Erik Bedard in the arbitration hearing. We’ll see if that turns out to be a valid comparison in Perez’s walk year. Perez obviously has been inconsistent, so we’ll find out if he’s turned a corner. So many things went well early for Maine last year. It’s entirely conceivable he ends up in the low teens in wins this season.

• After having a solid season last year, including 59 extra base hits, how do you see Ryan Church fairing as he Mets everyday right fielder?
  
• Adam Rubin: Church will hit no higher than seventh, so his performance is not make-or-break for the Mets. He’s adamant a lot of the doubles he hit at RFK will be home runs at Shea. He’s also adamant he can hit lefty pitching. The jury is still out. If he can’t, Damion Easley and Endy Chavez should pick up at-bats in right field.