Continuing with our breakdown of the 2008 Mets, today we take a look at the situation at second base.

Second Base:

First String: Luis Castillo
Another no brainier here, the Mets just signed Castillo to a long term deal worth $25 million over the next 4 years. That's a hefty contract for a 32 year old second baseman with knee problems. Castillo certainly doesn't have the wheels he used to, but the Mets more than make up for Castillo's decreased speed with Jose Reyes and David Wright. Castillo still has plenty of speed and a good enough eye at the plate to be an effective number 2 hitter. He's a consistent .300 hitter who will steal 20 bases, score a lot of runs, and can take plenty of pitches to give Reyes an opportunity to swipe some bases. And his defense in the field is phenomenal. The only issue with Castillo this year will be staying healthy. He had arthroscopic surgery on his knee at the end of last season, and hopefully his knees will be 100%. Should Castillo's knee problems resurface, look for Ruben Gotay to be an excellent fill in on days when Castillo needs rest.

Second String: Ruben Gotay
Gotay showed signs of brilliance when given the chance to play every day following the injuries to Jose Valentin. During June and July when Gotay was given a lot of playing time he batter .364 and .397 respectively. Gotay was playing so well, that some Mets fans were actually upset when they acquired Castillo, because they felt Gotay lost the opportunity to prove himself. Expect Gotay to get plenty of playing time, both off the bench and to give Castillo days off.