[http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/me
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Let's start with the easy stuff. The rotation:

1. Johan Santana, who is slated to be the Opening Day starter
2. Shaun Marcum
3. Jonathon Niese
4. Matt Harvey
5. Dillon Gee

Then let's put Francisco on the disabled list to open the season and presume Pedro Feliciano, Scott Atchison and LaTroy Hawkins all show enough in camp to justify their minor league deals being converted to 40-man roster spots:

6. Bobby Parnell, closer
7. Brandon Lyon
8. Josh Edgin
9. Feliciano
10. Hawkins
11. Atchison

That leaves one vacancy for a group that includes Aaron Laffey, Scott Rice, Carlos Torres, Robert Carson, Jeurys Familia, Elvin Ramirez, Greg Burke and Jeremy Hefner. And because the Mets should have a 40-man roster crunch, let's give it to someone already on the 40. Our first leap ...

12. Burke, who was talked up by Terry Collins on Tuesday.

As for the position players, the infield is straightforward:

13. John Buck
14. Ike Davis
15. Daniel Murphy
16. Ruben Tejada
17. David Wright

And Collins already has anointed his left fielder as locked in:

18. Lucas Duda

Backup catcher should go to Anthony Recker over Landon Powell, since Recker is on the 40-man roster already.

19. Recker

There likely will be two platoons in the outfield. The center-field platoon looks straightforward:

20. Kirk Nieuwenhuis
21. Collin Cowgill

As for right field, that gives us our truest battle. Mike Baxter should form the left half, but the right side would be an open competition between Marlon Byrd, Andrew Brown, Zach Lutz, Justin Turner, Jamie Hoffmann and Brian Bixler. Let's hesitantly give the veteran the nod:

22. Baxter
23. Byrd

And that leaves the backup infielders, where Turner otherwise would settle in. Techically, Brandon Hicks and Omar Quintanilla would be in a competition to back up Tejada, but Hicks is on the 40 and should be the clear-cut favorite:

24. Turner
25. Hicks

Again, our most dicey picks: Byrd and Burke -- the latter of whom may only be a consideration if Francisco opens the season on the DL.

Some of these guys will be battling it out in Spring training.

Landon Powell will be battling Recker to be the backup catcher for the 1st half of the season.  D'arnaud will be up around the all-star break as long as he stays healthy and hits for an ok average in triple A.

Byrd will definitely be on the roster given his past experience and success in the majors, and the fact that our outfield has no real secured major leaguers.

I think Familia will get a roster spot to pitch for the bullpen.

Francisco will get another shot at being the closer when he comes back, but until then the closer will be decided in the Spring, should be a battle between Lyon and Parnell. I give the edge to Lyon.

Mejia is going to be given a few chances to start in the Spring, if he does real well and someone like Gee or Santana gets a minor setback injury in Spring training then I wouldn't rule out Mejia making the rotation at the start of the season. 

Wilmer Flores and a few other guys that don't normally play the outfield are gonna be given some time in the outfield this Spring to see how well they catch on. 

Josh Satin can play 2nd and SS so if he hits well this spring he may be a possible backup for Tejada.
 

I agree with most of the roster. I don't really understand why Alderson is investing so much in all these over the hill guys except that it reverts to his methodical nature with prospects.

I think he will give the young guys their shots at the trade deadline when he attempts to peddle any of the older guys who have success. 

Lutz and Flores will probably get extensive outfield time in the minors in hopes of adding their righty power bats to a lineup that is dire need of them. 

Valdespin is a guy who is going to have to have an awfully good spring to make the team due to the inordinate number of lefty bats on the team already.

Post all star break the team will have a different look as d'Arnaud, Wheeler, Mejia, Familia and Den Dekker should all be up.

Ramirez and Carson are probably looking at playing the yo-yo role.

Don't look for Santana to get traded at the deadline and bring back a "Wheeler" type of prospect like Beltran did. First, I don't think Santana will have the success Beltran had in his final Met year. Second, I don't think Santana will be as healthy as Beltran was in his final year. Third, only a contending team would trade for him which could trigger Santanas' 2014s option (if Santana pitches 215 innings and is on the roster at years end the 25 mill 2014 kicks in). A team is only trading for him if he is healthy and productive meaning by the all star break he should have pitched 16 starts and roughly 102 innings if Santana averages 6.1 innings a start and 108 innings if he averages 6.2 a start. Is any playoff team who wants to abuse him down the stretch chancing him getting another 107 to 113 innings and counting the playoffs? I don't think his arm could handle it but I think Collins would be ordered not to let it happen if he was close and with the Mets. Johan is a class act.

Collins is leaning towards Parnell as closer in a recent interview.

Lutz and Flores will probably get extensive outfield time in the minors in hopes of adding their righty power bats to a lineup that is dire need of them. - cj

Yeah I think this is their plan for the 2nd half, hone these 2 to the outfield and then call one of them up in August or sooner to replace one of the flunkies.

Post all star break the team will have a different look as d'Arnaud, Wheeler, Mejia, Familia and Den Dekker should all be up. -cj

I'm thinking Familia has a chance to make the team out of Spring. Same with Mejia.  Especially if there's any unexpected pitching injuries.

Don't look for Santana to get traded at the deadline and bring back a "Wheeler" type of prospect like Beltran did. -cj 

Yeah I hope Alderson isn't banking on something like that because its not happening. We'll get something back like a half decent young player or prospect but no phenom. Who knows though, we may not even be able to trade Santana. If he has a rough first half, gets injured, or his contract complicates a trade too much, then look for the Mets to try and trade Marcum around the deadline.

Looks pretty much what we should expect on Opening day against the SD Padres Infield is a lock pretty much , outfield is up in the air , like you stated Duda is a lock ! Starting pitching you have pretty much correct unless Wheeler blows people away,

We got an injury already..

Daniel Murphy: Leaves Spring Training With Rib Injury

Murphy has pain in his right intercostal muscle and is headed back to New York to be examined, the Mets' official Twitter account reports.

Murphy described the injury as a subtle tug on his right side. He is expected to have a cortisone shot and will miss at least a week and could be sidelined for as long as three weeks. While he is out, [Brandon Hicks], [Jordany Valdespin] and[Justin Turner] should all see more action at second base.

This could be a time for Reese Havens to make some kind of mark. He needs to produce this year in AA and AAA.

Or.... Wilmer Flores.

ATW, I think Flores is either getting time in the outfield or he will be eventually traded to a team needing a 3B or 1B. If Alderson is smart Flores starts playing an outfield corner immediately.

Yes, he will be given time in the outfield this spring, but probably a chance at second too with Muphy out. Flores is wanted for his bat, not known for his defense at any position, but then again neither is Murphy.  Rumors I've been hearing over the past week is that Murphy is the one who they will likely try to shop when he gets back. 

Flores is wanted for his bat, not known for his defense at any position, but then again neither is Murphy.  Rumors I've been hearing over the past week is that Murphy is the one who they will likely try to shop when he gets back. - ATW

Biggest difference is that Murphy has proven he can hit MLB pitching for average.  Flores hasn't even had a full year in AA (though he performed well is 66 games).

My guess (or at least what I'd hope to do) if I was Alderson was to keep Murphy (assuming he's healthy) at 2B for the first half of the year.  If Flores is clicking at the minor league level, look to trade Murphy to a team that needs some extra offense for some near ready BP or OF help.  Maybe start him at AA with a quick promotion to AAA if he's doing well and then look for a jump, to the pros some time after the all-star break.

You don't want to rush the kid to the MLB level too fast and I think with only 66 games at the AA level, he's going to be outclassed on the MLB level, even if the potential is there.

I think Anderson has to follow your plan NYFAN because of what you said but also to build up Murphys value in any trade. Unless Murphy starts to show some power then his value in any trade will be very limited.

Well Murphy's not gonna be traded until the break anyway if he does get traded. But you might see Flores taking over 2nd after the trade if it goes through, that's all I'm sayin.