The Best Thing About Spring Training? No Room For Hope

I can't imagine people applying for season tickets to see the Mets this year. Not unless they're looking for a rerun of last season tragicomedy.

I can't even imagine stumping up a few American dollars for the MLB.com dodgy video feeds this year. I mean I'll probably break down and do it but at this point, I still can't imagine it. It'll probably happen in a drunken stupor, waxing nostalgic about some sort of nihilistic wonder and inner delusion chancre.

But we have to give the Mets credit. They did, in essence, nothing to make us think 2010 would be any better than 2009's nightmare.

They got Jason Bay, true. But that was the bare minimum requirement. That and waving good riddance to Carlos Delgado. Replaced by the magical middle of the road nobodies, Dan Murphy and Mike Jacobs. Be still my bitter heart. That pair are hitting a combined 17 for 80 or an emblematic .212. Good thing it doesn't count. Yet.

They signed no one else of any significance to bolster a dead rotation or an enfeebled bullpen.

And good thing they didn't because even before Ollie's abysmal outing today, the starting rotation, including both fifth starter burnouts, had a 6.47 ERA and a combined 2-7 record.

Standing pat is almost as good as standing on your head and imagining the change that falls out of your pockets is someone else's money.

Bullpen? No 8th inning guy to get to the star closer. And does it matter? Does anyone think that K-Rod is going to have more than a dozen chances to save a game all season at this rate?

Yes, looking forward to the 2010 season. The Jets' 2010 season that is.