Are the Mets the biggest under-achievers?

As a long suffering Mets fan, I think this team is a bunch of hacks - what do you think?

Are the Mets the biggest under-achievers in baseball?

Based on payroll alone the answer has to be no as the Yankees are the biggest underachieving team in baseball, the difference is the Yankees will likely turn things around (much like last year) while hope for the Mets offense is not very bright. Even if Church does keep it up, Alou and Delgado are offensive and defensive liabilities at this point and Reyes and Beltran just both seem to lack any fire, not sure Beltran ever had it, but maybe Reyes gets it back. It just seems like since Sept, even a one run deficit seems impossible to overcome, I went from believing in the offense, to rooting for the offense, to having complete confidence that the offense will not get it done.

You guys are being WAY to hard on the pitching, esp the starters, Vargas and Pelfrey both deserved wins for their efforts the past two days, and while the middle relief (re:Heilman) has been spotty, Wagner has been awesome, its the inability to get key hits that has this team barely above .500.

I'm not so sure about the Yankees being the biggest underachievers - lets look at the facts:

1. Even with A-Rod back, it would not solve the existent Yankees problems at hand
2. the problem is with the pitching
3. Lets take a look at their rotation:

• Chien-Ming Wang: 6-1, 2.90 ERA - no problems here
• Andy Pettitte: 3-4, 4.40 ERA - growing concern over whether he'll be reliable, aging quickly, scouts took notice of it rather quickly
• Mike Mussina: 6-3, 3.99 ERA - can the moose run this well throughout the rest of the season? Many think not
• Darrell Rasner: 2-0, 3.00 ERA - it could be a matter of time before opponents figure him out
• Ian Kennedy: 0-3, 8.48 ERA - this could be a looong season...
• Phil Hughes (DL): 0-4, 9.00 ERA - this has gotten ugly from the start, added injury to insult
• Kei Igawa (back to AAA): 0-1, 18.00 ERA - Ugh, nothing has changed...
• Joba Chamberlain (set-up man): 1-2, 2.60 ERA - 1st start: TBA

The Mets have just gotten into a rough patch, but should be out of it soon. Pedro Martinez is on the DL, the bullpen has been in a slump (see Aaron Heilman) and many things have happened out of bad luck. They'll rebound once everything comes back into place. If Claudio Vargas fails in the no. 5 spot, expect Ruddy Lugo to be called up - he's been starting with the New Orleans Zephyrs, posting a sparkling 2.70 ERA, 33Ks in 40 innings, 10 BBs, .242 OPP AVG

"Ryan Howard takes the cake all by himself as the biggest underachiever in baseball"

Really!!! You must be joking,,,,,,Even with his struggles and our MVP out for a month we STILL are playing better than you.....Mets have no excuses.....especially after signing Santana, they HAD to get him because of they way they finished last year, and it still doesnt matter.