The New York Mets are buzzing in Florida as the 2008 season gets closer. Let’s take a look at the projected Mets lineup and get an idea of what to expect this year.

1. Short Stop - Jose Reyes

2007 Stats: GP: 160, Hits: 191, Runs: 119, HR: 12, RBI: 57, OBP: .354, AVG: .280 SB: 78

It’s difficult to find anyone who follows baseball who doesn’t love Jose Reyes. Often tagged as the most “explosive” player in baseball , Reyes is without a doubt the spark plug for the Mets. The problem the Mets had with Jose was the fact that our offense seemed to be utterly dependent on his production. If Reyes had a bad game, rarely did the Mets overcome the lack of production to find a win. Jose’s dedication also needs further examination. Occasionally, Reyes would let his maturity level dip below acceptable, causing him to lose focus at the plate or worse, lose focus on the game. I will grant him some latitude however because of his current age and his gains over the past 2 seasons. Bottom line for Jose is, the Mets offense will still be dependent on him to score runs and give opposing pitchers nightmares on the base paths. Continued improvement with his on base percentage will also further establish him as the game’s best lead-off hitter. Look for Jose to show even more patience at the plate this season as Willie Randolph continues to mold this young firecracker into one of the most elite players in the game.

2. Second Base – Luis Castillo

2007 Stats: GP: 135, Hits: 165, Runs: 91, HR: 1, RBI: 38, OBP: .362, AVG: .301, SB: 19

Luis Castillo seemed right at home after leaving Minnesota for his native NL East. Not only have the Mets enjoyed his defensive abilities, but the fact that Castillo is one of the most patient hitters in the game has given Jose Reyes every opportunity to run wild on the bases. Luis was built to hit second, and his OBP is proof of this assessment. The other prototypical two-hole hitter that sees a lot of pitches and works the count to his favor also plays in NY, Derek Jeter. While Luis has seemingly lost a step due to age and wear and tear, his patience in the line-up cannot be understated. After only a 50 day window of giving Castillo a test run, Omar Minaya did not hesitate to pull the trigger to sign him. While I do not see very many stolen bases in Luis’ future, I do see him working counts, giving Jose some running room, and getting the job done in the two hole. In addition to his patience at the plate, his ability to bunt has also proven a valuable commodity. Let’s face it, if Jose gets to first and for some reason can’t find his way to second, Luis puts a bunt on the ground that easily moves the runner into scoring position for our big bats.

3. Third Base – David Wright

2007 Stats: GP: 160, Hits: 196, Runs: 113, HR: 30, RBI: 107, OBP: .416, AVG: .325, SB: 34

30 -30 season, 4 hits shy of 200, .325 batting average, and an on base percentage over .415? No wonder David Wright heard MVP whisperings last season. I fully expect similar numbers in 2008 as this rising star seems to be finding his stride at exactly the right time. I also think one of his most underrated abilities is base-running. The fact that a hitter of this caliber found enough to swipe 34 bases and score 113 runs speaks volumes to the amount of intelligence Wright plays with. While his uncanny ability to make jaw-dropping highlight worthy plays in the field is second to none, sometimes Wright struggled with the routine plays that we need to take for granted. His condition is certainly not as serious as Chuck Knoblauch’s with the Yankees, I personally find myself holding my breath when the average ground ball is hit down to third base. 24 errors is a tad high for an everyday infielder, but his stud like abilities on offense makes the couple extra base-runners he concedes obsolete. Even with a less than perfect campaign at third, David has seen improvement in his fielding percentage, and should continue to get more confident and dependable with age. The one thorn I have in my side with Wright is his lack of production against the gat dang Atlanta Braves. In 2007 he hit just .188 with 4HR and 11 RBI in 18 games. The only way I could be more satisfied with his abilities would be if he put Atlanta away like Chipper has put the Mets away for all these years.