[EmpireWF]

Today's Post gives the five main issues facing the Mets as they open spring training later this week. According to them, those issues are:

-The back of the rotation
Will anyone step up and take the four and five spots. It's obvious guys like Maine and Perez still have to earn their spots. And if they do earn them, that still leaves the last spot open. Expect tons of competition for it.

-Question marks surrounding Duaner Sanchez and Guillermo Mota
Sanchez is returning from season ending surgery last year following a car accident. He is on track and expected to be ready for the start of the season. Mota on the other hand will serve his 50-game suspension for a failed drug test. Once that's over with, will he have anything left to salvage his career?

-Anticipation of Pedro Martinez's rehab schedule
Pedro is coming along on his road to recovery. He's not expected to be ready to join the rotation until after the All-Star break in late July. Look for the Mets to be very cautious this spring in handling him and even moreso as time progresses.

-Young Players (Milledge, Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez)
The three players mentioned are all young outfielders who the Mets are high on. Gomez and Martinez are expected to be in camp and working with the big league coaches and chumming with big leaguers. Look for both to leave some impressions. Gomez may be a late season call-up. Martinez is still a young buck who likely won't see MLB action for another couple of years.

-Tons of old players (El Duque, Glavine, Valentin, Alou, Lo Duca, Franco, Easley)
No matter how many young players the Mets have, they still have a good number of players who are on the other end of 30 and even 40. This may or may not pose a problem. What's SCARY is the fact that those first two names I mentioned...right now, they're the #1 and #2 Met pitchers entering the season.