The opening day roster is far from set, at least in a few positions, so here's my stab at predicting the 25-man squad for the New York Mets.
Catchers:
Brian Schneider
Ramon Castro
That one is pretty simple. Even though Schneider is battling a hamstring injury, he claims he'll be ready for opening day. Castro should see more time behind the plate for the Mets this season as they'll try to spell Schneider and keep him fresh throughout the season.
Infielders:
Carlos Delgado
Luis Castillo
David Wright
Jose Reyes
Marlon Anderson
Jose Valentin (Ruben Gotay)
Even though Castillo is yet to see action in spring, he'll be the starting second baseman come April. Delgado, Wright, and Reyes are all locks. Anderson makes the most sense as the backup first baseman, but I would rather he come off the bench late in the game. He could also see some time in the outfield. Gotay is out of options, so he has to be on the 25-man squad or he can be picked up by another team. I'm not too sure how that all works, but if Gotay is on the 25-man roster, and is on the DL, I think Valentin will make the team in his place.
Outfield:
Carlos Beltran
Ryan Church
Angel Pagan
Endy Chavez
Damion Easley
Beltran will gain stamina, and will soon be able to play all 9 innings without getting tired. Church will finally get a chance in the outfield to be a starter, hopefully also against lefties. Pagan, as of now, should be the starter in left, and he has proven himself so far this spring. Chavez is great off the bench, and will also make spot starts all around the outfield to spell all three starters. Easley still seems to be favoring his ankle, but played third base in a recent game. He'll be the super-utility player all around, probably starting or playing every position but pitcher, catcher and center field at sometime this season.
