The Mets finished 23 games out of first place, and yet, there is a lot to get excited about.  I'm not going to go all Jimmy Rollins and declare the Mets the team to beat, but I'm optimistic.  Here are five reasons why:

1.  Jeff Francoeur- A rare bright spot from last year, the acquistion of of Francoeur might go down as the best trade Omar ever made.  In 75 games with the Mets, he hit .311 with 10 HRs.  You could make a strong case that he was the best hitter on the team last year.  But above all, he brought a certain swagger that this clubhouse depserately lacks.  His stats are especially impressive considering that he tore a ligament in his thumb in August, and played through it.  Francoeur is exciting to watch, and the type of guy you really want to root for.  And he's just 25.

The question is whether he can build off of last season.  He cut down on his strikeouts (92), but he tied a career low in walks (23).  He has a ton of raw power, and with better protection next season Francoeur could be an all-star.  And let's not forget his cannon of an arm.

2.  Health- I feel like I am severely beating a dead horse here.  Obviously, getting the stars healthy will be a huge boost to not only the team, but the fans as well.  Above all, I really miss watching Jose Reyes play.  I think last year proved that as Reyes goes, so do the Mets.  The same can be said about Carlos Beltran, and its no coincidence that the Mets really went downhill as soon as Beltran went down.

3.  Omar is on the Hot Seat- I still remain a loyal Omar supporter, and there aren't many.  Say what you want about him, but look at all of the talent he has brought to NY.  The job of the GM is to make the team competitive.  And when healthy, they have been.  It's hard to blame him for late season collapses.

But him being on the hot seat is an absolute great thing.  Even if he doesn't have the money to spend, he is fully capable of swinging a major trade.  I can almost guarentee that a big time talent will land with the Mets this offseason.  Just watch.

4.  The Farm System- The Mets typically overrate their prospects, but there is a lot to get excited about.  Omar did a good thing by holding onto prospects at the deadline.  I'm no prospects guru, but I think this system is extremely underrated.  Ike Davis should definitely contribute in 2010, and he's the guy I'm most excited about. Jenrry Mejia could use another year of development, but his fastball sits mid 90s and he's only 20 years old.  Josh Thole isn't a mega-prospect, but he can flat out rake, and he might be the Mets everyday catcher by seasons end.  Brad Holt struggled once he reached AA last year, but he's right up there with Mejia, and he should make his MLB debut in 2010.  And let's not forget about Fernando Martinez.  He clearly wasn't ready last year, but the sky is the limit.  17 year old Wilmer Flores started in the futures game last year and looked impressive.  People love to rag on the Mets prospects, but this group is as strong as we've had in a while.

5.  David Wright- One of the most discouraging parts of 2009 was watching Wright struggle.  I hate to make excuses for him, but there had to be something wrong with his health.  Of course, its very possible that his struggles were all mental. But I fully expect him to work his ass off all season, and come back to being the elite player we all know he is.  And getting his supporting cast back will go a long way.  Not only will he have adequate protection, but it will take some of the pressure off him.

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