Football season ended in spectacular fashion (if you’re a fan of the non-baseball Giants), and baseball season approaches.  Pitchers and Catchers report later this month, and, like the cycles of the sun and the moon, America’s Original Pastime will move to the forefront once again.  Are Mets fans looking forward to the new season, or dreading it?

The Blogs have the answer:

• Faith and Fear in Flushing is thinking playoffs after seeing the Giants win the Super B…er…Big Game.  In particular, Greg outlines just how many New York teams have made the playoffs since the Mets last postseason visit.  (The Islanders?  Really?)
• Amazin’ Avenue looks at minor league free agents that left the Mets this offseason.  Hu was that guy?
• Eddie Kranepool Society sums up the restlessness of Mets fans nicely.  The season better start soon, or else we might riot.  Then again, once we see the on-field product, we may be more likely to riot.
• Metstradamus isn’t happy about how the Mets pulled writer Howard Megdal’s credentials, after he wrote a critical book about the Wilpons and their finances.
• Paul’s Random Stuff brings our attention to a bottle of Dom Perignon signed by Bill Buckner.
• MMO reports that the Mets farm system is ranked #22 in MLB.  Optimistic yet?

Well, at least we can look forward to the offseason drama dying down, and the on-field drama ramping up.  Right?  Oh yeah, and more great reads on Mets Today.

With a dozen days left before pitchers and Molinas report to spring training, the Mets have a question to answer at shortstop.

For those who just came out of hibernation, last year’s starting shortstop — Jose Reyes — left the team for the warm winds of Miami. It is presumed that youngster Ruben Tejada will step right in and be the Mets’ 2012 shortstop. But is it that cut and dried? Is there a possibility that the Mets break camp with someone else standing next to David Wright on the diamond?