[Each Wednesday, we'll be bringing you sports news and views by new contributor Mitchell Petit-Frere - welcome, Mitchell! -Ed] Image source: Zack Wheeler Facebook page The first official pitch of the Mets’ 2013 season won’t be thrown until April 1, but preparations for the 162-game season began February 11 when pitchers and catchers reported to Port St. Lucie, Florida for spring training. After four consecutive seasons of fourth place finishes in the NL East, the Mets are hoping to erase memories of nearly half a decade of irrelevance into a season that transforms Citi Field from a ballpark of lost hope into a theater of youthful exuberance. Following two seasons of cleaning house and bidding adieu to high-caliber players with even higher paychecks, the Mets are counting on youth to push them towards a playoff run come fall. Long gone are the days of lineups doing their best interpretations of that other team from the Bronx, and pitching rotations that stacked up… Read More
