The Magic 8-Ball Predicts The 2010 Mets Season

The 2010 season is upon us. This is the time of year when every fan has high expectations for their team (except Pirates fans). This is also the time of year when bloggers release their predictions for the upcoming season.

Studious Metsimus has only existed since the summer of 2009, so we were not around to dazzle you with our predictions last year. Had we been up and running last April, you would have read how we correctly predicted that 53 different players would play at least one game for the Mets, that Angel Pagan would finish fourth on the team in at-bats with only 343 and that Oliver Perez would actually throw a called strike before September 1. (We attended a game on August 1 where he stunned the crowd by doing just that.)

Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1986 World Champion Mets and will also be the 50th season in franchise history. Unfortunately, those anniversaries will have to wait until 2011. Since we are in 2010, Studious Metsimus would like to remind you that this year, the Mets will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1980 team, which long-time fans will remember as the year that "The Magic Is Back."

As a tribute to that "magical" season, this year's predictions will be made with the assistance of a Studious Metsimus favorite, the Magic 8-Ball. Let's shake the dust off and see what it says.

Apparently, it's a sensitive Magic 8-Ball. Maybe Luis Castillo dropped it as a child. Anyway, let's get started with the predictions, shall we?

Will David Wright remember to pay his electric bill so that his 30-homer power can return to him?

After Johan Santana, who will emerge as the Mets' #2 starter?

That's quite a shocker! Why Oliver Perez? Do you really think he's finally going to turn the corner and become the pitcher the Mets expected him to be when they signed him to the three-year, $36 million deal in 2009?

Will Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran return to their pre-injury forms once they take the field and once they do, will they stay healthy for the entire season?

Fine. How do you expect Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran to perform this season?

The Mets have never had an outfield where all three outfielders hit at least 20 HR in the same season. Will this be the first season that happens?

How about Francisco Rodriguez? Will he surpass Armando Benitez's single-season record of 43 saves?

Will Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya make it through the season?

What will be the highlight of the 2010 season for the Mets?

What is your final prediction for the 2010 Mets?

Thank you, Magic 8-Ball for your expert predictions. We'll check back with you at the end of the season to see how you fared with your predictions.

The week before the season begins is always full of high hopes. As long as those hopes don't take a tumble and have to be shuttled to the Hospital For Special Surgery, the Mets should be an interesting team to watch in 2010. This is the first time in five years that the Mets don't have high expectations (or in some cases, any expectations). Perhaps this is the year they actually don't underachieve.

The magic was back in 1980, or at least the marketing department was telling us that it was. Maybe this year, it truly will be back and the Mets will come out from behind the 8-Ball.