Mets camp | 
Miller's report
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Five things to know about the New York Mets:
1. The Mets definitely have the lineup to win. But do they have the pitching? Debatable. Tom Glavine will be 41 on opening day and Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is old enough to have been diagnosed with an arthritic condition in his neck this spring. After that, the kid Mike Pelfrey is legit, but he's too young to be a savior, John Maine is OK and Oliver Perez always has been one colossal project. That said, perhaps Perez's gutsy Game 7 start in last year's NLCS against St. Louis -- one run surrendered in six innings -- will be a launching pad. That, or Mets fans can pray for Philip Humber's rapid development, Pedro Martinez's quick recovery or that Chan Ho Park recaptures some of his past magic.
2. Manager Willie Randolph on the rotation questions: "You know what? Listen, I love spring training, watching these guys, and it's way too early. We know we're going to be a good ballclub. We have openings at the end of the rotation. I'm not getting into an every day critique about what who's doing. Let them pitch. I feel good about our club." Though Pelfrey is only 23 and logged only 21 1/3 innings in the majors last season, there is every opportunity for him to break camp with the big-league club. "If he's lights out in spring training, he might be a part of the staff," Randolph says. "That's why we have veterans, too. I believe in giving players opportunities."
3. Glavine opens the season with a lifetime record of 290-191, just 10 victories away from joining the legendary 300-win club. "I hope, God willing, that I'll continue down this road, and it will be enjoyable for me," Glavine says. "I would hate to have played all these years and then have the last 10 wins not be any fun." Backed by a lineup that includes Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Moises Alou, Shawn Green and Paul Lo Duca, here's guessing that Glavine will have loads of fun on his final stretch toward 300 -- and that those 10 victories will come sooner rather than later. Say, sometime in July?
4. With an uncertain rotation, the Mets will need reliable relief help this summer, and that's where Aaron Heilman (4-5, 3.62 ERA in 74 appearances last summer) comes in. The Mets toyed with putting him into their rotation a year ago, but he has become too valuable as a set-up man. The status of Duaner Sanchez is key -- he's returning from a dislocated right (throwing) shoulder -- and set-up man Guillermo Mota begins the season serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's substance abuse policy.
5. As old as the Mets are, from Glavine (40) to Julio Franco (49) to Alou (40) and beyond, Randolph looks fit enough to step onto the field himself. Do these guys provide a temptation to come back for him? "You know what? For me, I'd rather take a bunch of 40-year-olds if they can help me win a championship than a bunch of 20-year-olds who can't," he says, chuckling. "Experience is great, and the way guys take care of themselves today, age is just a number." So mark the skipper down as a "no" for any comeback thoughts.
xcrew46 
