The Numbers

2001 record: 82-80, .506 (16th overall) 2001 expected record*: 75-87 Runs scored: 642, 16th in NL Runs allowed: 713, 5th in NL Run differential: -71 (22nd overall) Starters' ERA: 4.11, 6th in NL Bullpen ERA: 4.02, 9th in NL Payroll (Opening Day): $93.2 million (4th overall) Local broadcast revenue: $46.2 million (2nd overall) Attendance: 2.66 million (15th overall) 3-year record: 273-214, .561 (8th overall) 5-year record: 449-362, .554 (6th overall) * based on runs scored and runs allowed

2001 in review
What went right?
Mike Piazza hit 30 or more home runs (36) for the seventh straight year and batted .300 or better (exactly .300) for the ninth consecutive season. After a disastrous first half of the season in which he was 2-10 with a 6.72 ERA, Steve Trachsel had a spectacular second half, going 9-3, 2.73. Armando Benitez recorded a career high 43 saves, tied for second-best in the National League. Kevin Appier didn't lose a game over his last 12 starts (six wins, six no-decisions) and led the Mets staff with 206.2 innings pitched. Not to be forgotten, Lenny Harris became baseball's all-time leader in pinch-hits (151).

What went wrong
Whew. This is gonna be a long one. After reaching the World Series in 2000, the Mets failed to advance to the postseason for the first time since 1998. The Mets were last -- that's right last -- in the majors in runs scored (642). Outfielders Benny Agbayani, Jay Payton and Matt Lawton provided little, if anything, offensively. Favorite whipping boy Todd Zeile hit only 10 home runs in 531 at-bats. Edgardo Alfonzo (bad back) suffered through an injury-filled season, batting a career low .243 with just 17 homers and 49 RBI with a lowly .322 on-base percentage. Robin Ventura had a second straight bad season (.237-21-61). We could go on, but enough already.

In retrospect, the critical decisions were:
1. Not signing Alex Rodriguez. The Mets toyed with the idea of bringing in A-Rod, arguably baseball's best player, but decided against it because of his high price tag. On second thought ...

2. Starting the season with an outfield consisting of Agbayani, Payton, Timo Perez and Darryl Hamilton. This foursome combined to hit a total of 20 home runs and drive in 88 runs. This sad display of run production was the main reason why the Mets scored the fewest runs in the majors.

3. Not re-signing Mike Hampton. This certainly isn't a complete knock on the Mets as Colorado blew Hampton away with an eight-year, $121 million offer that he couldn't refuse. But losing the ace of a staff is tough and it definitely hurt the Mets. Appier and Trachsel both pitched well in the second half, but in no way did they fill the big shoes of Hampton.

Looking ahead to 2002
Three key questions
1. Will offseason acquisition Roberto Alomar remain on the level of a top-five player in the game? The guy's a future Hall of Famer and Mets fans should thank GM Steve Phillips every day for the rest of their lives for bringing in Alomar. He's still that good.

2. Will Mo Vaughn, coming off a full year away from action, produce like the Mets hope he will? As always, time will only tell.

3. After Al Leiter, do the Mets have enough quality starters to be a pennant-contending team? Newcomers Pedro Astacio, signed as a free agent, and Shawn Estes, acquired from the Giants, slot in as the No. 2 and 3 starters followed by Trachsel and Bruce Chen. If Estes can revert back to even close to his form of 1997 (19-5, 3.18) and Astacio can remain healthy, the Mets should be in decent shape in the pitching department. Jeff D'Amico is a wild card if he somehow recovers from elbow surgery.

Stats Corner
Mike Piazza (above) hit a team-high 36 home runs and of his 314 career homers, 306 have come as a catcher, placing him in a third-place tie with Yogi Berra on the all-time HR list for catchers. Armando Benitez set a career high and a francise record with 43 saves. The Mets pitching staff issued the fewest walks in the majors (438) and also tied for the major-league lead in shutouts with 14. Mets leadoff hitters scored 70 runs. Only the Pirates (67) scored fewer. The No. 5 spot was another black hole: the 74 RBI was a major-league worst and the .679 OPS ranked 29th.

Can expect to play better
If he's healthy, it's a cinch Alfonzo will improve upon his dreadful 2001 season.

Can expect to play worse
After such a down year for so many who wore the orange and blue in 2001, it's tough to say that anyone will play worse. Jeromy Burnitz and Roberto Alomar move to a tough hitter's park in Shea, so their numbers may drop some.

Projected lineup
LF Roger Cedeno
2B Roberto Alomar
C Mike Piazza
1B Mo Vaughn
3B Edgardo Alfonzo
RF Jeromy Burnitz
CF Jay Payton
SS Rey Ordonez

Rotation
Al Leiter
Pedro Astacio
Shawn Estes
Steve Trachsel
Jeff D'Amico / Bruce Chen

Closer
Armando Benitez

A closer look
Simply put, it's been a whirlwind of an offseason for the Mets. If you missed any of the transactions the Mets made this offseason, here's a quick refresher:

Dec. 3: Signed Japanese free-agent pitcher Satoru Komiyama.

Dec. 7: Acquired David Justice from the Yankees for Robin Ventura.

Dec. 11: Acquired Roberto Alomar and prospects Mike Bacsik, a pitcher, and outfielder/first baseman Danny Peoples from the Indians for Matt Lawton, pitcher Jerrod Riggan and prospects, outfielder Alex Escobar, pitcher Billy Traber and first baseman Earl Snyder.

Dec. 13: Signed free agents Roger Cedeno and David Weathers.

Dec. 14: Acquired Mark Guthrie and right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Yates from the A's for Justice.

Dec. 16: Acquired Shawn Estes from the Giants for Tsuyoshi Shinjo and Desi Relaford.

Dec. 27: Acquired Mo Vaughn from the Angels for Kevin Appier.

Dec. 28: Acquired Gary Matthews Jr. from the Pirates for cash.

Jan. 16: Signed free agent Pedro Astacio.

Jan. 21: Acquired Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff D'Amico, Mark Sweeney, Lou Collier, Craig House and Ross Gload in three-way trade with Milwaukee and Colorado, giving up Glendon Rusch, Todd Zeile, Benny Agbayani and Lenny Harris.

Whew! That's nearly an entire season's worth of transactions in just over a month's time.

So, how much of a better team are the Mets now than they were at the end of last season?

Let's take a look, position-by-position, at the changes:

First base: Mo Vaughn
On paper and in reality, Vaughn is a huge upgrade from Zeile -- if he stays healthy. Prior to missing all of last season, Vaughn for the last five years (1996-2000) averaged just under 38 home runs per season. Zeile hit 10 home runs last year and obviously was never a threat in the middle of the lineup (New York's No. 5 slot was among the worst in the majors). Vaughn is a huge threat. The player who could be most helped by Vaughn's presence is Mike Piazza, who will likely hit third in the lineup, one spot in front of Big Mo.

Second base: Roberto Alomar
For a team with a "win-now mentality" acquiring Alomar was a genius move. His .415 on-base percentage from a year ago, if even close to being repeated, will be a welcome sight in the Mets' lineup. And his ability to get on base, likely hitting in the No. 2 spot in the batting order, should turn into a ton of RBI opportunities for both Piazza and Vaughn. And remember, Alomar essentially replaces Robin Ventura, whom for the past two seasons hit .232 and .237. Alomar's presence will also force Edgardo Alfonzo to move back to third base, where he played before moving to second base to start the '99 season.

Left field: Roger Cedeno
Traded after the 1999 season, Cedeno is back at the top of the Mets' lineup. And though he doesn't walk enough (just 36 free passes in 523 at-bats last season), Cedeno should also benefit from the guys hitting behind him. Cedeno, who was second in the majors with 55 stolen bases last year, also brings a speed element the Mets so lacked last season as evidenced by their 66 stolen bases.

Right field: Jeromy Burnitz
Burnitz hit 34 home runs last year, which nearly matches the 40 the Mets received from all their outfielders. True, Burnitz doesn't hit for a high average (.251 last year) and strikes out a ton (150), but he also draws a lot of walks (80). Certainly a major upgrade from Shinjo and Agbayani.

Starting pitchers: Pedro Astacio, Shawn Estes, Jeff D'Amico
While Astacio's health remains a mystery and Estes is wildly inconsistent, the Mets aren't much worse -- if not better -- in their starting staff than they were last year. One thing that can't be forgotten, however, is that Kevin Appier, who was dealt to the Angels for Vaughn, was the club's best pitcher at the end of the season (6-0 with a 2.93 ERA over his last 12 starts). The Mets have a major sleeper in Bruce Chen, who is still just 24. And watch D'Amico in spring training to see if he's healthy.

Relief pitchers: David Weathers, Satoru Komiyama and Mark Guthrie
Weathers (2.41 ERA for the Brewers and Cubs last season) fits in as the primary right-handed set-up man. Komiyama, who has been labeled by some to be the "Greg Maddux of Japan" is expected to pitch in middle relief. How he does early on will likely determine his role thereafter. Guthrie, meanwhile, is a spare part and is likely to be a situational lefty, much like Dennis Cook was.

Reserve infielder: Lou Collier
Collier essentially replaces Relaford and will be looked upon to back up at second base, third base and shortstop. Relaford did have an excellent year at the plate (.836 OPS) that Collier won't match.

Reserve outfielders: Gary Matthews Jr. and Mark Sweeney
Matthews is a late-inning defensive replacement and a fourth outfielder. Nothing more. Sweeney will be used as a pinch-hitter.

But in a span of eight days, two transactions didn't exactly go in the Mets' favor:

Jan. 8: Rangers sign free agent Juan Gonzalez.

Jan. 15: Braves acquire Gary Sheffield from the Dodgers for Brian Jordan and Odalis Perez.

The Mets spent a good month pursuing Gonzalez, only at the end be told thanks for your interest, but no deal. And Sheffield, who for long had been coveted by the Mets, ended up with the rival Braves.

The Mets finally ended up getting Burnitz, who they will owe $18 million over the next two seasons (Gonzalez finally signed for $24 million over two years with the Rangers). Burnitz is a solid slugger, but not in the same class of hitter as Gonzalez or Sheffield.

So despite the significant upgrade to their team, will the Mets still play second fiddle to the Braves? If history is any indication (the Braves have won their division title 10 straight years, excluding the 1994 strike year) and the duo of Chipper Jones and Sheffield (combined 74 homers and 202 RBI in 2001) terrorize National League pitching as expected, it could mean another wild-card run for the Mets.

And why just the wild card? Adding Sheffield to the mix to bat behind Chipper along with having a healthy Rafael Furcal back in the leadoff spot, it's tough to think the Braves won't again be kings of the NL East. And remember, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are still around to lead a Braves pitching staff that had an NL-best 3.59 ERA a season ago.

But regardless of what the Braves have done, the Mets' offseason plan of rebuilding their deprived offense has been a huge success.

And while it's never too late to look ahead to the upcoming season, mark down the dates September 27-29. Those are the final three days of the regular season, which will match the Mets and Braves in a three-game series at Shea Stadium.

Count on those three games meaning a little something when all is said and done.

Matt Szefc is the assistant baseball editor at ESPN.com. He can be reached at matt.szefc@espn.com.