And We're On Our Way, Ooooh, Somewhere... Nine Keys to the Second Half

The second half of the season starts tonight, and if you're anything like me, more than anything else you're happy that there are important questions to ask about the Mets at this point in the season.

I didn't think the Mets would be as bad as they were in 2009, but I also never thought they'd enjoy the level of success they've seen thus far in 2010. I predicted a wholly mediocre .500 plus/minus three wins.

That prediction went out the window when the Mets started pitching the lights out. You've all read on other sites (or more likely, observed with your own eyes) about who was responsible for the turnaround in that area, so I won't recap it here.

Suffice it to say, if the Mets are going to remain in contention, they need guys like Jon Niese and R.A. Dickey to keep performing. They need Johan Santana to continue his renaissance. They need Mike Pelfrey to get his groove back.

And they need a fifth starter. No offense to Hisanori Takahashi, who more often than not has done a good job with his turn in the rotation, but he adds the most value to this team out of the bullpen.

Longtime readers know how much I sweated Darren Oliver as the long man out of the 'pen in 2006; Takahashi's the first guy we've had who matches that level of production, who takes deficits and holds them where they are, rather than letting them spiral out of control.

So key number 1 to the second half of the season? Get another arm for the rotation. We don't need a savior; Ted Lilly, if reasonably priced, would be fine.

Key number 2 is to have Carlos Beltran return as the productive player we'd gotten used to all those years.

Key number 3 is for Jason Bay to get his groove back. We haven't seen a disappearing act like this since David Wright 2009; or perhaps the better comparison is Beltran in 2005. Either way, his lack of production has been stunning. We've read all year about his streaks, about how all of a sudden he'll go on a run of hitting 16 home runs in two months. Let's hope we've just been sitting on dry powder all this time.

Key number 4 is for the team to get more consistent on the road. We're six games under .500 away from Citi Field -- that ain't gonna cut it.

Key number 5 is for the team to get its groove back at home. Going 2-4 against the Reds and Braves in our final six home games ain't gonna cut it either.

Key number 6 is for Wright and Angel Pagan to keep producing the way they have. These guys were co-MVPs of the team in the first half, and if we're going to make a run at the playoffs we need them to keep humming along.

Key number 7 is all about No. 7, Jose Reyes. Say all you want about Wright, Pagan and Pelfrey, but the Mets' season really turned around when Reyes started producing again. Then he got hurt, again, and the team stumbled... again. Sit him as long as you need to in the short term. We need him to be himself, and when's he not 100%, he's not that guy.

Key number 8 is we need Francisco Rodriguez to lock up more of his saves and we need someone (Bobby Parnell) to make the eighth inning their own.

And the final key, key number 9, is we need the fans to keep showing up at Citi Field. From both a moral and financial support perspective, this team needs people at the ballpark. Do your part, people.

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From where I sit today I honestly don't know what to expect. I don't think the Braves are as good as they've played, and I don't think the Phillies are as middling as they've played (but it's possible they've just got me shook; their pitching is pretty poor after Halladay).

A year or two ago I entitled my midseason post "Halfway There, Going Nowhere". That's not the case this season. We're going somewhere, it's just, with so many variables heading into the second half, it's difficult to know where it'll all lead.

Try to enjoy the ride.

- A.F.O.M.G.