New York Mets

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2001 Finish: 82-80, 3rd place, NL East, 6 GB	2001 Payroll: $93,174,428 (4th)

Projected Lineup LF Roger Cedeno 2B Roberto Alomar C Mike Piazza 1B Mo Vaughn 3B Edgardo Alfonzo RF Jeromy Burnitz CF Jay Payton SS Rey Ordonez Projected Rotation LHP Al Leiter RHP Pedro Astacio LHP Shawn Estes RHP Steve Trachsel LHP Bruce Chen CL Armando Benitez

By David Vecsey, CNNSI.com

Meet the Mets, meet the Mets
Step right up and greet the Mets

No, really. And if any of them need directions or the name of a good restaurant, try to help them out. Remember, they're new here.

When the Mets stormed back from oblivion to pull within a couple games of the NL East lead last fall, many people felt they were one piece away from finally overtaking the Atlanta Braves. But general manager Steve Phillips didn't just go out and get that piece, he went out and bought a whole new game.

Enter Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn, Roger Cedeno, Jeromy Burnitz … catch breath … Shawn Estes, Pedro Astacio, Gary Matthews Jr., John Valentin, Mark Sweeney, Darren Bragg and a cast of dozens others.

So now the question is: Are the Mets a loaded team? Or are they just a jumbled mix of random pieces?

Mets fans have been through these spending sprees before. The Bobby Bonilla-Bret Saberhagen era isn't that far in the past.

Yet, how can you not like a lineup that has added two perennial MVP candidates in Alomar and Vaughn and puts Burnitz -- who averaged 35 homers and 102 RBIs over his last five years in Milwaukee -- batting sixth? The $1.99 outfield that may have been the Mets undoing last season has undergone a major upgrade in the re-acquisitions of both Burnitz and Cedeno, who look to bookend the still-learning Jay Payton in center.

The additions of Vaughn and Alomar brings the infield closer to what it was in 1999. And the rotation is no slouch with ace Al Leiter supported by four quality arms in Astacio, Estes, Bruce Chen and Steve Trachsel.

No one is more excited about the Mets' makeover than Mike Piazza. With protection in the lineup, the best offensive catcher in the history of baseball may have his most productive season yet.

What can spoil this party? If Vaughn and Astacio continue to be injury-prone, if Leiter starts showing the wear and tear of a long, hard-working career, and if Edgardo Alfonzo just can't accept being shuffled back to third base to make room for Alomar.

Spring Chicken: Aaron Heilman. The former Notre Dame star pitcher validated his first-round selection in last year's draft, posting a 2.35 ERA in seven starts at Class A. Heilman can hit 95 on the gun and features a good sinker and slider. He's on the fast track to the majors.

Up for Grabs: Jay Payton better not assume that center field is his own personal patch of turf, because there are plenty of people in camp who like to hustle. Timo Perez, Gary Matthews Jr., Darren Bragg and even Joe McEwing all know that Payton's name surfaced in nearly every trade rumor this offseason. Any serviceable, hard-working centerfielder with a decent on-base percentage could make Payton trade bait again. It'll be up to him to make himself untradable.

Arrivals
Pos.	Player	From	Via
2B	Roberto Alomar	Indians	Trade
RHP	Pedro Astacio	Astros	Free Agency
OF	Darren Bragg	Signed	Free Agency
OF	Jeromy Burnitz	Brewers	Trade
OF	Roger Cedeno	Tigers	Free Agency
INF	Luis Collier	Brewers	Trade
RHP	Jeff D'Amico	Brewers	Trade
LHP	Shawn Estes	Trade	Giants
RHP	John Frascatore	Blue Jays	Free Agency
LHP	Mark Guthrie	Athletics	Trade
RHP	Satoru Komiyama	Japan	Free Agency
OF	Gary Matthews Jr.	Pirates	Trade
OF	Mark Sweeney	Brewers	Trade
RHP	David Weathers	Cubs	Free Agency
INF	John Valentin	Red Sox	Free Agency
1B	Mo Vaughn	Angels	Trade
Departures
Pos.	Player	To	Via
OF	Benny Agbayani	Rockies	Trade
RHP	Kevin Appier	Angels	Trade
OF	Alex Escobar	Indians	Trade
INF	Lenny Harris	Brewers	Trade
OF	David Justice	Athletics	Trade
OF	Matt Lawton	Indians	Trade
LHP	C.J. Nitkowski	Astros	Free Agency
INF	Desi Relaford	Giants	Trade
OF	Tsuyoshi Shinjo	Giants	Trade
3B	Robin Ventura	Yankees	Trade
RHP	Rick White	Rockies	Free Agency
INF	Todd Zeile	Rockies	Trade