New York Mets odds – Mets need a good September

New York Mets odds have been frustrating after back-to-back, ugly September collapses and, after another busy offseason, they are ready to prove to MLB odds handicappers that their mental failures are in the past.

Mets betting fans are frustrated because management has spent lots of money to put together a talented team, but they just aren’t producing on the field.

Mets lines: Mets favored to win National League East

• Mets are +700 to win World Series
• Can Johan Santana carry this team to the playoffs?
• Batting lineup must be consistent all year

After another offseason of spending, Mets odds again indicate that they are the team to beat in the National League East. The team is capable of a World Series run but how strong are they mentally at this point?

Sportsbook odds have the Mets as the second-best team in the National League and it’s fairly easy to see why. They won 89 games last year even after blowing 29 saves. If the Mets saved half of those games, they would have won at least 100 games.

If that’s truly the case, then you might want to consider a bet on the Mets to win 100 games after they signed record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez and traded for J.J. Putz. The Mets’ entire bullpen has been rebuilt from scratch, which is a good thing considering how poorly they performed last season.

Scott Schoeneweis was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Aaron Heilman was traded away to the Mariners, Duaner Sanchez was released; Joe Smith was traded to the Indians and Luis Ayala walked as a free agent.

The starting rotation returns virtually intact with Johan Santana leading the way. The main question marks are behind him as Oliver Perez, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey have been up-and-down at times. Perez struggled in the World Baseball Classic, giving up five home runs in two games, and Maine has struggled with mechanics in spring training. Those aren’t good signs.

But the Mets do have one of the better batting lineups in the league, which is why the sports betting odds for the Mets are so strong. Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and David Wright are the core while many people are wondering whether Daniel Murphy and Carlos Delgado can duplicate their second-half performances. If that’s the case, then the Mets will have a very strong lineup in their first five spots with Ryan Church, Brian Schneider and Luis Castillo to follow up.

One interesting factor will be how the World Baseball Classic affects the Mets. It’s not something that’s reflected on the Mets odds, but keep in mind that they sent a Major League-high 16 players to the World Baseball Classic, which means fatigue might come into play later on in the season.

Overall, when you go inside the Mets lines, they look good on paper—but there are holes. If the back end of the rotation is inconsistent, or if Delgado reverts back to his early 2008 form, or if the rebuilt bullpen collapses again, the Mets won’t be playing in October once again. This is a good team but not a team that will threaten for the World Series.

Before his arm flamed out, Dale “Skip” Lalonde was famous for his high-90s heat and power at the plate. He retired young but never turned his back on baseball, earning the nickname “Skip” for his high-school coaching prowess. A true student of the game, he loves crunching the numbers when he handicaps baseball. Email Comments@BetOnline.com.