Although the Mets landed one of the market's three top free agents, inking LF Jason Bay to a four-year, $66 million deal, several holes remained unfilled through free agency. The Mets did not land a No. 1 catcher, made no notable additions to the rotation beyond signing RHP Josh Fogg to a minor league deal and are banking on the additions of RHPs Kelvim Escobar and Ryota Igarashi to shore up the bullpen.

ARRIVALS: OF Gary Matthews Jr. (trade from Angels), C Chris Coste (free agent from Astros), C Henry Blanco (free agent from Padres), RHP Ryota Igarashi (free agent from Japan), RHP Kelvim Escobar (free agent from Angels), OF Jason Bay (free agent from Red Sox), OF/INF Frank Catalanotto (minor league free agent from Brewers), OF Jason Pridie (waiver claim from Twins), 1B Mike Jacobs (minor league free agent from Royals), C Shawn Riggans (minor league free agent from Rays), LHP Hisanori Takahashi (minor league free agent from Japan), C Rod Barajas (free agent from Blue Jays).

DEPARTURES: C Brian Schneider (free agent, signed with Phillies), RHP J.J. Putz (free agent, signed with White Sox), 1B Carlos Delgado (free agent, unsigned), OF Gary Sheffield (free agent, unsigned), INF Ramon Martinez (free agent, unsigned), LHP Ken Takahashi (released, signed with Japanese team), OF Cory Sullivan (non-tendered, signed minor league deal with Astros), OF Jeremy Reed (non-tendered, signed minor league deal with Blue Jays), RHP Tim Redding (non-tendered, signed minor league deal with Rockies).

SPRING FOCUS: Last year, the Mets came within a walk of tying the franchise record for most free passes issued in a season (617 in 1999). So manager Jerry Manuel has charged pitching coach Dan Warthen with having the pitchers throw strikes during spring training.

PROJECTED ROTATION:

1. LHP Johan Santana

2. RHP Mike Pelfrey

3. LHP Oliver Perez

4. RHP John Maine

5. RHP Fernando Nieve

Santana should have no ill effects from Sept. 1 surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow, but question marks litter the rest of the rotation. Perez and Maine won 15 games apiece in 2007, but both had injury issues last season and need to rediscover that prior form.

Nieve enters spring training as the favorite for the fifth-starter's slot, but he should be challenged by LHP Jon Niese, who is returning from a hamstring tear, as well as RHP Nelson Figueroa and LHP Pat Misch.

PROJECTED BULLPEN:

RHP Francisco Rodriguez (closer)

LHP Pedro Feliciano

RHP Kelvim Escobar

RHP Ryota Igarashi

RHP Bobby Parnell

RHP Sean Green

LHP Pat Misch

Who can get the ball to K-Rod by successfully pitching in the eighth inning is one unresolved issue. With RHP J.J. Putz departing as a free agent, Escobar, Igarashi and Parnell will audition for the setup role. Escobar had 38 saves in 2002 with the Blue Jays, but he's appeared in only one major league game over the past two years because of a shoulder injury. Igarashi is an unknown commodity after arriving from Japan with 54 saves in an 11-year career. Parnell set a franchise rookie record with 68 appearances last season, but he also had a 5.30 ERA.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

1. SS Jose Reyes

2. CF Angel Pagan

3. 3B David Wright

4. LF Jason Bay

5. 1B Daniel Murphy

6. RF Jeff Francoeur

7. C Rod Barajas

8. 2B Luis Castillo

With CF Carlos Beltran sidelined perhaps into June following knee surgery, the lineup takes a dramatic hit and is underwhelming from Nos. 5 through 8. If Gary Matthews Jr. beats out Pagan for the starting role in Beltran's absence, Castillo or Murphy could slide to the No. 2 hole.

Bay will provide needed protection for Wright, who had only 10 homers last season. But how much will Bay's homer production slip in a dramatically less hitter-friendly ballpark (Citi Field vs. Fenway Park) and with Murphy or Francoeur offering modest protection behind him?

PROJECTED RESERVES:

C Henry Blanco

INF Alex Cora

1B/OF Fernando Tatis

OF Gary Matthews Jr.

INF/OF Frank Catalanotto

Matthews was acquired from the Angels, who are picking up $21.5 million of the $23.5 million still owed to him through 2011. Blanco gives the Mets a defensively capable backup behind the plate.

The righty-hitting Tatis could platoon with Daniel Murphy at first base, but the ideal case would be for Murphy to have success against southpaws and be an everyday player. With Cora entrenched as the backup middle infielder, one bench slot remains until Beltran returns from the disabled list. That should be a free-for-all. Catalanotto may be the best bet, but 1B/OF Chris Carter, OF Jason Pridie, 1B/OF Nick Evans, 1B Mike Jacobs and C/INF Chris Coste could be factors.

TOP ROOKIES: C Josh Thole retains his rookie status after hitting .321 with nine RBIs in 53 September at-bats. Converted to catcher as a professional in 2007, he still needs time to develop defensively, but he could be a factor this season. Ike Davis, the son of former major league pitcher Ron Davis, is projected to be the Mets' first baseman of the future. Ideally, however, he spends the season at Class AAA Buffalo before using September as a springboard for 2011. LHP Eric Niesen, a Wake Forest University product drafted in the third round in 2007, will get a spring training look for a bullpen role.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--SS Jose Reyes (elevated thyroid level) was told on March 11 to rest for two to eight weeks. There is a chance he could miss the start of the season. Reyes was coming off right leg surgery performed in October 2009 when the thyroid problem was discovered in a spring training blood test.

--RHP Francisco Rodriguez (conjunctivitis) threw a bullpen session March 9 after going a week without throwing off a mound.

--CF Carlos Beltran (right knee surgery in January 2010) had damaged cartilage removed. He is expected to be cleared for baseball activities 12 weeks after that procedure, with a mid-May return to the majors a best-case scenario.

--LHP Johan Santana (left elbow surgery in September 2009) made his Grapefruit League debut March 9 and said he felt fine.

--RHP Kelvim Escobar (right shoulder surgery in July 2008) was shut down in mid-May due to shoulder weakness. He is expected to open the season on the disabled list.

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