Cliff Lee Kills Queens Too

For every Yankee fan who is still not over the initial shock of Cliff Lee taking his talents to Philly, there should be at least two Mets fans who are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel get further and further away.

The Mets have limited their budget for off-season acquisitions to a very modest $5-10 mil, total.  With this all but eliminating any possibility for a mid-winter splash signing, the idea was that 2012 would be the year when things would turn around for the boys from Queens.  2012 was supposed to be the year when the Mets were to be freed from the contracts of Luis Castillo (6 mil), Oliver Perez (12 mil), K-Rod (11.5 mil) and Carlos Beltran (18.5 mil).  This was going to free up all kinds of room for moves to be made to put together a championship contender.

Then all of the sudden a funny thing happened while the Mets waited, with the rest of us, to see if Cliff Lee would land in Texas or The Bronx...he came back to the NL East to complete the Murderer's Row of a pitching staff!  Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels should be quite the formitable opponent for the Mets 2011 Opening Day Rotation of Mike Pelfrey, RA Dickey, Jonathon Neise and Dillon Gee.  Mets 3B, David Wright, said:

We know we've got our work cut out for us next year.  You're facing four legitimate aces on that staff.

Not since the 1993 Atlanta Braves, will a team have trotted out such great talent on a nightly basis.  Whether or not the Philly staff will get calls 4 inches off each side of the plate, like Atlanta did, is yet to be seen.  Regardless, sleepless nights lie ahead for fans of the Blue and Orange.  That 2012 pennant may have to be put on hold for just a bit longer.