Lastings Milledge beats the throw home Photo by Drew Hallowell - Getty	and is mobbed by Nats & LoDuca Photo by Tom Mihalek - AP

As happy as I am about the fine performance turned in by Johan Santana on Opening Day, I can’t help but be more impressed this morning by the performances of Lastings Milledge in Washington and Carlos Gomez in Minnesota, the players the Mets gave up for Santana and two journeymen.  Have the Mets mortgaged their future?  It would appear so.

<>Beyond that, I wonder whether this Mets team, obviously constructed for the short term, can win the World Series even for this one year, whether this old team can overcome their age with just good pitching and solid defense.

Milledge was not much short of magnificent for the Nationals last night in their 11-6 drubbing of the Phillies in Philadelphia.  Lastings went 2 for 4, scored 3 runs and batted in 2, including a home run in the 6^th inning that looked to break the game open. 

<>Lastings had been inconsistent with the Mets but was always exciting.  He could disappear in games because of a penchant for striking out combined with a tendency to slump.  But he did provide some fire when he was “on”, a fire that it seemed the Mets and Willie Randolph always wanted to extinguish.  <>

I can see one 2007 game in my mind’s eye today.  After a nice performance, Milledge celebrated with some happy fans while on his way back to the field, just slapping hands with some appreciative fans, a truly natural and spontaneous moment.  I can recall being happy for him as he hadn’t really had that many high times to celebrate, and, it was nice to see a player actually interact with fans rather than just tipping a hat or giving a nod.  <>

Well, you’d think he killed somebody.  Willie and the entire Mets team seemed incensed.  How could a player be so unprofessional !  “Give it a break, Willie,” I said then.  His reaction seemed way in excess of the behavior.   <>

Later in the year, as Jose Reyes’s production fell to practically nothing, I wondered whether some of his lack of fire hadn’t been due to Randolph and his harping.  And, of course, as he later became the poster boy for one of the greatest team collapses in baseball history, I couldn’t help but think that Willie had been at least partly responsible. 

Still another former Met had a great day yesterday; in fact, it was one of the players the Twins acquired in the trade for Santana.  That player, outfielder Carlos Gomez, was instrumental in the Twins opener against the Angels, leading off and stroking two hits and working a walk while scoring 2 runs in their 3-2 victory.

Ruben Gotay is another Met recently released who showed great promise last year.  Ruben showed some flashes, was a very good pinch-hitter, but seemed to never make it to Willie’s good side.  Ruben was quickly picked up by the Braves, who, like me, may have felt Ruben’s most significant failing was trying to play second base for Willie.

Lastings is gone now, of course, acquired by the Nationals on the cheap, I think, for Brian Schneider, a good defensive catcher but a mediocre hitter at best, and Ryan Church, a veteran outfielder with a little pop but not much else to recommend him.  He’ll probably be platooned in right field. He can’t hit left-handers, as his .229 BA last year versus lefties attests.  That weakness, a shortage of right-handed bats, forced a difficult decision on Fernando Tatis, a player who hadn’t even shown up to spring training.

<>I really am a Mets fan.  Why can’t I be happier?  Johan won yesterday in impressive fashion.  Jose Reyes and David Wright looked great.  Santana seemed very happy with his new catcher.  Carlos Beltran seemed unaffected by his recent knee surgeries, banging out two hits and scoring a run.  Angel Pagan continued his hitting prowess in a regular-season game.  And he’ll be just 27 in July.

After all, Pedro Martinez is back.  His 37 year-old arm seems ok, at least for now.  Pedro starts today and is showing his old confidence if not his fast ball.  Then the ball gets handed to John Maine and Oliver Perez,  To have four such starting pitchers is a good thing, most definitely.  They also beefed up their relief corps.  And Duaner Sanchez will be back!

<>My problem is that the season is 162 games.  I don’t expect Pedro to pitch 200 innings.  I don’t expect Delgado to have a good year.  I don’t think Castillo can play all season long.  Certainly Alou at 42 isn’t likely to play more than the 100 games he’s played the last two seasons.  Beltran’s knees are still a bit of a question mark.

And if anybody can wear a team out, it’s Willie.  He doesn’t believe in days off; he puts his guy in and leaves him there.  He’s patient with them through slumps.  He’s proven to me already he’s not adept with a pitching staff.

But all is not lost.  Willie really can win with this team.  It’s after all been crafted to meet his requirements…talented guys who have done it year after year.  There is a bench with Endy Chavez, Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley and Brady Clark.  Oh, but Clark and Anderson are 35 and 34. Easley is pushing 40.

Yes, this team can win, but it might take some good luck, some might say some uncommon good luck.  I certainly hope Willie and Omar win with this team, because, if they don’t, I’ll be the first on the “dump Omar and Willie” bandwagon.

At the expense of any long-term success, they’ve put together a team of veterans capable of winning a World Series.  They’ve got the team they wanted – veteran, professional…. and old.  And, after this year, no Lastings Milledge, no Carlos Gomez, or Ruben Gotay. 

 <>Can I get through without mentioning Scott Kazmir?   Um…..I guess not.  I’m still getting over Nails.