Rollins Reply and Wilpon Predicts "Deep" Playoff Run

From SI.com,

"Has anyone ever heard of plagiarism?" Rollins said, breaking into a laugh.

The NL MVP treated Beltran's in-your-face message that the New York Mets are the team to beat in the NL East like a take-out slide at second base.

He eluded it nicely, but mixed in a jab the way some middle infielders purposely land on a hard-charging runner at second base.

"Sequels are never good," Rollins said, crediting teammate Brett Myers with that statement first.

Also from SI.com,

"I expect to be in the playoffs and deep into the playoffs," Wilpon said Tuesday at the Mets' spring training complex. "That's our expectation."

The mild-mannered Beltran said earlier this spring that the Mets were the team to beat in the NL East -- similar to the bold statement Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins made last year.

"I like it when players speak their mind," Wilpon said. "Beltran's not the kind of guy that's out there every day making proclamations. It's very meaningful when Carlos Beltran says something like that."

Ready for 2008? The Mets are. And they're already bragging!

So after the biggest collapse in team sports history to end a season, mild-mannered Carlos Beltran starts talking trash in February. Pitchers and catchers had barely reported to Spring Training and Beltran - BELTRAN, the guy who barely says anything to the media - calls out Jimmy Rollins and says the Mets are the team to beat in the NL East in 2008.

While they have a potent offense returning and have done well to pick up Johan Santana, there is no reason to bring criticism upon yourself so early in a season. If Beltran comes out and backs up his statement the way Rollins did (who undeserving got the MVP over Holliday, but he was a solid #2 IMHO), then that's okay. But all you're doing at this point is getting the reigning NL East winners mad and begging for a fight all season.

ALTHOUGH, this is exactly the kind of swagger the Mets walked around with from 1985 to 1988 and I think we all remember those years. I could see Keith Hernandez making similar predictions were he still on this team.

Santana was a big pick up. I feel like we traded the whole farm to get him, but there wasn't that much down on the farm to begin with. With the exception of Fernando Martinez, I don't think the Mets have a prospect in the top 100. If Martinez pans out though, look out!

I feel good about 2008. You know the Red Sox are going to be there again. As always its the Mets I'm wondering about...