It’s not very often that mainstream media paints the Mets in a positive, or better yet, glowing light. So in those rare instances when they do, I like to point it out here on MMO. I give you Chris Cwik of CBS Sports.

Chris is doing a team by team review of each minor league system and pointing out which prospects are the ones to keep an eye on this season. It’s not a top prospect list, but instead a preview of which prospects are ready to breakthrough, which one is almost ready, and the one sleeper in the group.

Impact Players

C Travis d’Arnaud

In acquiring d’Arnaud, the Mets can fill one of the weakest spots in their lineup almost immediately. He can probably force his way onto the 25-man roster and potentially a starting spot with a good spring, but the team also brought in John Buck in case d’Arnaud needs more time. The 24-year-old d’Arnaud will hit for power. Over the last two seasons, he has 37 home runs over 769 minor-league plate appearances. If there’s a reason for concern, it’s whether d’Arnaud can hold up over a full season. He has missed a lot of time throughout his minor-league career, playing in 100+ games just twice in six seasons. When healthy, he’ll be one of the better hitting catchers in baseball.

RHP Zack Wheeler

In one of the biggest steals in recent memory, the Mets received one of the best pitching prospects in baseball from San Francisco for a half-season of Carlos Beltran. The 22-year-old Wheeler has always been mentioned with Matt Harvey as the future top-of-the-rotation for the team, but Wheeler has typically ranked higher on prospect lists. There’s a good chance that Mets fans will see both players in the big-league rotation before this season ends. While Harvey might begin the year in the team’s rotation, Wheeler is more likely slated for Triple-A. If there’s one flaw in his game thus far, it’s his command. Wheeler walked 11.9 percent of hitters in Triple-A last year. But, given his age, he’s already way ahead of most pitchers his age.

Future Star

RHP Noah Syndergaard

The other big name in the Dickey deal was the fire-balling Syndergaard. He is just 20 years old and hasn’t pitched above Single-A yet. In 103 2/3 innings last year, Syndergaard had a 2.60 ERA and struck out nearly 30 percent of hitters. He’s known for having a nice fastball and a decent change-up but needs to develop a breaking ball if he wants to reach the majors as a starter. Given his age, Syndergaard has plenty of time to work things out. In a perfect world, he’ll team with Harvey and Wheeler to make up one heck of a trio at the top of the Mets’ rotation. It’s still going to take Syndergaard a couple of seasons before he’s ready to pitch in the majors, so fans will need to be patient with him.

Wild Card

SS Gavin Cecchini

It typically takes a number of years before a high school draftee is able to force his way onto a major-league roster. While Cecchini is likely in that boat, the fact that he’s expected to stay at shortstop makes him an intriguing guy to watch this season. The Mets selected the shortstop with the 12th pick in last year’s draft, and he managed to receive 218 plate appearances in the lowest levels of the minors last season. The team is slated to start Ruben Tejada at short this season and has no viable prospects waiting in the wings. It would probably be foolish to expect to see him on the team during the upcoming season, but it’s worth noting that he could be on the fast track if he performs well.

Everywhere you look, baseball analysts and fans alike are saying the Mets will need a significant bullpen upgrade in order to make a playoff push.

Though Sandy Alderson brought in Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Ramon Ramirez, it may take a different cast of characters to get the job done consistently in the late innings.

Yes, the starting pitching has been terrific, but especially down the stretch, the Mets need to be able to close out wins—something that they’ve had trouble with all season.

It’s easy to say the Mets need a bullpen upgrade, but it’s a tougher task to think how they will acquire one of these arms.

There are a few decent options available, some of whom will have a higher price tag than others.

The Houston Astros will likely float relievers Brandon Lyon and Brett Myers on the market. The Astros have been rebuilding for a few years, so the team will certainly be looking for young prospects in return.

Huston Street is also an intriguing option, especially since he can slide into the closer’s role. Francisco showed some improvement before his recent placing on the disabled list, but Street is a proven commodity in the ninth inning.

Street and Mets bench coach Bob Geren apparently don’t have a great relationship from their days with the Oakland A’s, but he still can be a good fit. However, the Padres may have a high asking price for the All-Star.

Brad Lidge, who was recently designated for assignment by the Nationals, would come cheap, but there’s a reason he’d be cheap: He’s injury-prone and has been ineffective. I think the Mets would be better off staying away from Lidge.

There are likely a few other options out there, but what would the Mets be willing to give up to acquire one or more of these available arms?

Frankly, if teams start asking for one of the Mets high-profile starting pitching prospects, the Mets should look elsewhere. Promoting Jenrry Mejia would be a better option than losing part of the future.

It’s going to be a tough call for Alderson and company, especially since more teams will consider themselves “contenders” based on the new wild card spot.

So would you rather part ways with a few top prospects to make an immediate playoff run or move forward with what we have in order to save the team’s future?

Feel free to list some possible trade proposals or other bullpen targets the Mets should explore.

However, scheduling and logistics remain areas open for debate, which has halted the process.

Still, if MLB agrees to expand the postseason, it increases each team’s chances by one spot. The two wild card teams would play a one-game playoff to see who advances to the Division Series.

Where do the 2012 Mets stack up in the discussion if the NL playoffs were to include five instead of four teams?

Just looking at the NL East, many analysts have slated the Mets to finish last in the division. That is partly because of the current team on paper, but it’s also a result of the strengths of the other four teams. The Marlins and Nationals have improved, while the Phillies and Braves—the top two teams from 2011—have remained basically the same.

All four of these teams have a legitimate chance to trump the Mets for a spot in the postseason.

In the NL Central, the Cardinals still look like the favorite even without Albert Pujols. The Brewers lost Prince Fielder and are facing a possible 50-game suspension from Ryan Braun but still have solid pitching.

The Reds may turn a few heads this season, but they are a team like the Mets in that many different factors have to be perfect for them to contend all season.

The Pirates and Cubs are still rebuilding, and the Astros shouldn’t be a factor in their final year in the NL.

The NL West may be interesting. The Diamondbacks are fresh off a division title, but the Giants are hungry to repeat their 2010 success. The Rockies will rely on many inexperienced starting pitchers, while the Dodgers and Padres figure to bring up the rear in the division.

So if I had to rank the NL teams based on what they look like on paper, here’s my ranking: Phillies, Cardinals, Giants, Marlins, Diamondbacks, Brewers, Braves, Nationals, Reds, Mets, Rockies, Dodgers, Pirates, Cubs, Padres and Astros.

The Mets are 10th based on this ranking, so they would have to finish ahead of five other competitive teams to earn that final spot.

Doing so would likely be a tall order this season, if this playoff structure were to be accepted. But since the Mets play in a tough division, maybe the new playoff structure can help them down the road, when the team figures to be back on track.

But hey, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You have to play the games. Maybe we are in store for a few surprises—not just from the Mets but from any of the NL teams.

With the Mets 7 1/2 games behind the wild card leading Atlanta Braves, but still having two months to go in the season, I’m not one to give up and give in concerning the Amazin’s playoff chances here in 2011. After the trade of closer Francisco Rodriguez the night of the All-Star game, and then just a few short weeks later with the trade of the resurgent Carlos Beltran many saw this as this team “waving of the white flag.”

Has it begun to slip people’s minds that the New York Mets, yes, the New York Mets have the most road wins in Major League Baseball at 33. Isn’t the formula for a playoff team to play .500 ball on the road, which the Mets have certainly done to this point compiling a road record of 33-27, and to win 50+ games at home? If that’s not the conventional formula for a team to make the playoffs, than I don’t know what is.

Now, I understand the Mets are a dismal 22-26 at home, they’ve had their share of struggles at Citi Field this season, don’t get me wrong. That being said, with the 4th place Florida Marlins coming to town, the 5th place San Diego Padres of the NL West coming in for a 4-game series, and the wild card leading Atlanta Braves coming to town to wrap up this 10-game home stand, this is the point in the season where the Mets have every opportunity to make up some serious ground in the wild card standings and remain a serious factor coming down the stretch if they can seize the opportunity.

That being said, the Mets are just 3-5 against the Marlins this year, but coming back home and playing at Citi Field for the first time in nearly two weeks, I strongly believe this team will hit the ground running and end their mini two-game skid tonight. While the Mets have not seen the San Diego Padres this year, they will see the Pads not only this home stand, but next road trip as well. As for the Amazin’s record against the Braves, all the Mets have done since dropping the first two contests against the Bravos this season, is go an impressive 5-2 versus the NL wild card leaders.

Let’s not forget this team is coming off a bitter sweet road trip that appeared like it was a soap opera in some ways. It was a 10 day swing which began with the Mets getting the face of the franchise back, David Wright. It was a trip which had the team answering question after question on when Carlos Beltran would be dealt, until that day finally came midway through the series with the Cincinnati Reds. It was a trip where the Mets completed their first 4-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati for the first time in their 50 year history.

The Mets have done the hard part by winning on the road, if they can take advantage of two of the weaker teams in the league coming to town, and find a way to win the final series again the Braves, who’s to say this team is not a serious contender or factor in the wild card race? Until this team starts to serious fall out of the race, and by that I mean 10+ games than I’m not going to give up hope or faith in this pesky bunch.

This has been a team all season long that has refused to quit, has refused to throw in the towel, and has had that never say die attitude. Manager Terry Collins is one not to roll over and give in, I think we’ve all seen that with the Mets play on the field and it has to be a testament to both Collins, as well as GM Sandy Alderson.

The New York Mets have been without their ace Johan Santana the entire season and the rotation has held their own, to say the least. With speculation surrounding a Santana return possibly in mid-August, which still remains a long shot at this point, many have wondered just who may be the odd man out in the rotation?

Well all the speculation and rumors may have just been ended before they had a serious chance to begin. According to Dan Martin of the New York Post, while the 32-year-old Santana has begun his spring training in Port St. Luice, the Mets and GM Sandy Alderson aren’t expecting the former two-time Cy Young award winner to make any contributions, at least not in 2011.

With the Mets still 7 1/2 games back in the wild card race and the rotation remaining the strong point of this team, as the lineup still waits for the returns of Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Ike Davis, I think this a case of the Mets being cautious and protecting their investment for the long term.

I think the Mets have gotten more than they could have ever expected from starters Chris Capuano as well as Dillon Gee who was seen as an afterthought in spring training as a serious threat to crack the rotation.

Combine those two hurlers with R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese, and Mike Pelfrey who has pitched much better of late, the Mets rotation is shaping up quite nicely, so unless this team can make a serious run in the next few weeks, I believe Santana will be held out as long possible.

I’m sure the Mets would like to get a few starts from Johan at some point this season, whether it’s in the heat of a wild card race or not, manager Terry Collins and pitching coach Dan Warthen perhaps more than anyone would like to see what Johan Santana can be going forward in his career as a New York Met.

David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana: Yes, Wright forgot how to hit home runs, and the other two guys missed a big chunk of 2009, but we still have a nice core of all-stars.  Some teams don’t.

The 1986 Season: Watching that run to a championship was one of the greatest periods in my life.  I remember going to Game 3 of the NLCS and feeling like the stadium was going to collapse after Lenny Dykstra hit that home run off Dave Smith.  I also remember the World Series Game 6 tenth inning…. easily one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, and thankfully we were on the winning end.  Imagine what the other side of that must have felt like.

More memories:  I was too young to appreciate 1969, but I do remember watching Tom Seaver pitch, and I remember going to see Dwight Gooden pitch at Shea.  In fact, I think I went to every home game he pitched in 1984 and 1985, when he would positively blow hitter away and those guys would hang K’s in left field.  We also had one of the great catchers in history in Mike Piazza.  And how about Darryl Strawberry’s sweet home run stroke?

Opening Day: Every year we start out with hope, and 2010 will be no different.  That is, until we get to June and we’re 10 games behind the Phillies, who are going to be strong for a few more years.  But there is always the wild card, right?

Fast forward to 2009.  In various e-mail exchanges with Tom this season, he would tell me before each series that the Mets were going to sweep.  And a few times they did, but a few too many times they were the on the sweep’s receiving end.  As recently as last week, Tom sent me a message saying “Go Mets…if we sweep the Rockies we can gain ground in the wild card race.”  I replied, “Do you know how many teams we have to climb over?”  Then I remembered Tom’s optimism from ’86 and thought that yes, stranger things have happened.  Tom was even telling me I should root for the Phillies against the Giants last weekend because our best chance was the wild card.  Dude was serious.

But then this morning, he sends me this….”Don’t even discuss our Mets…I can’t talk…I am close to throwing in the towel.”  And therein lies a sure sign that the season is basically lost.  Tom went on to talk about the injuries, and about how all of these 15-day DL stints have turned into 90 days or more.  Really, the current level of talent in the starters we’re fielding is pretty much on par with the Royals, so yeah, the injuries don’t matter in the short term, but over the course of a whole summer they sure do. 

These last few weeks I’ve been feeling a bit detached from our Mets.  I watch the games but I find myself not getting as upset over the outcome.  How can I let it bother me when we’re in fourth place and almost as far out in the wild card race as in the NL East race?  We’ve reached the point of looking toward 2010, and hoping Reyes, Beltran, Delgard, Putz, Maine and Wagner will all be back and healthy. 

I know many of you feel the same way, but then again….if you’re even more optimistic than Tom, I certainly wouldn’t fault you, either.

While the Mets were focusing on the Phillies in the National League East race in 2007, the Rockies kept passing everyone in the Wild Card race.  The Wild Card was never an option for the Mets until the Phillies knocked them out of first place.  By then, the Rockies and Padres had both compiled a better record than the Mets and they ended up in third place in the Wild Card standings.

The Mets now stand at 49-52.  Seven teams stand between the Mets and the top of the Wild Card leader board.  However, the Mets are within 2½ games of three of those teams.  The 2007 Rockies were 51-50 at the same point of the season.  In fact, as late as August 23, Colorado still had five teams ahead of them in the standings and on September 1, they were six games out of the Wild Card lead.  No one expected them to make any noise in September, but they did just that.  After September 1, they went 21-7 to take the National League Wild Card spot and continued their hot streak all the way to the World Series.

The Rockies were always a good hitting team, but their pitching and defense were a different story.  Then they went on a roll in September because their pitching came together to put together a lengthy stretch of quality performances and their defense became as close to perfect as possible.  The Rockies committed only seven errors in the 28 games after September 1.  In fact, the Rockies set a major league record in 2007 with their .98925 fielding percentage, just barely erasing the 2006 Boston Red Sox from the record books (.98910 fielding percentage).  Who held the old National League fielding percentage record?  The team with the best infield defense ever; the 1999 New York Mets (.98875 fielding percentage).  If I remember correctly, that team also won the National League Wild Card berth.  Are we beginning to see a connection?

The 2009 Mets have been criticized by many for their lack of big bats and inconsistent pitching.  They also played subpar defense in the first half of the season.  Now the Mets have won five of their last six games and are making some noise in the Wild Card standings.  Over the past 17 games, the Mets have given up three runs or less 10 times.  Over the same stretch, they have made only seven errors.

Daniel Murphy has settled in nicely at first base after looking foolish in left field.  Luis Castillo has recovered since juggling a win away at Yankee Stadium.  Other guys filling in for injured players (Alex Cora, Angel Pagan, Cory Sullivan) have been consistenly good in the field.  No one is embarrassing the team defensively.  Here’s one way to know that a team is playing solid defense.  When was the last time we saw Jerry Manuel bring in a defensive replacement in the late innings to help preserve a victory?  He doesn’t need to because the players have settled in well at their positions.

Sometimes, the schedule maker also plays a role in a team’s Wild Card chances.  Starting with tonight’s game, 11 of the next 13 games are against the Diamondbacks and Padres.  Those two teams are a combined 35 games under .500 (85-120).  That’ll be the first opportunity to pass a few teams ahead of them.  They also won’t have to do as much scoreboard watching as you would expect, as the teams ahead of the Mets in the standings are coming to them.  After their two-week Diamondback/Padre diet ends, the Mets will play 34 of their final 47 games against teams that are currently ahead of them in the Wild Card standings.  This includes a stretch from late August to early September where they play 15 consecutive games against said teams.  The pessimist will say this is where the Mets will come back to earth.  The optimist (that would be me) will say that the Mets’ recent resurgence has been against the Astros and Rockies, two teams that the Mets are currently chasing.  They’re building confidence by beating these supposedly better teams that they can use in their favor when they play the other teams ahead of them in the Wild Card chase.

It’s time to break out the Magic 8-Ball again.  I took it out earlier this season to see if Omar Minaya would make some trades.  Now let’s ask it if the Mets have a chance to win the Wild Card.  Magic 8-Ball, based on the arguments I’ve presented today, what do you say about the possibilities of a Wild Card in the Mets’ future?

Now you know why I like to bring out the Magic 8-ball occasionally.  It always seems to give me answers I can smile about.

Are the Mets getting consistently good pitching?  Check.  Are they playing good defense?  Check.  Are they winning?  Check.  If teams won championships with their hitting being the main weapon, the Texas Rangers would have had a dynasty by now and the Yankees would have won more championships since 2000 than the zero they currently have since that year.  Sure, hitting helps, but it doesn’t win championships on its own.  When a team has hitting in conjunction with good pitching and stellar defense, that team can boast having something truly special.  The Mets might have something truly special when Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado return to the lineup to help the guys who have already begun to hit, second game of the doubleheader notwithstanding.  They’re already getting better pitching and defense.  If they can keep that going when the core hitters come back, the Mets might be passing quite a few teams on the Wild Card Expressway.  Honk, honk!  We’re coming through!