Five issues the Mets face this offseason

1. Which way with Jose?

The Mets have been living in the shadow of Jose Reyes' pending free agency since they showed up for spring training in February, and the heat will only intensify from this point until the shortstop finally signs. While it's true that Reyes would prefer to stay in New York and that the Mets need him to contend next season, Sandy Alderson has played this one close to the vest from the day he took over as GM. Alderson warmed to Reyes this season -- a batting title and .384 on-base percentage certainly helped -- but the money is going to be a big hurdle. After two nagging hamstring injuries this season, Reyes isn't likely to match Carl Crawford's seven-year, $142-million contract, but would the Mets be willing to go to $100 million to retain him? With a decent option year or two, that could keep Reyes in Flushing.

2. Healthy outlook for Davis, Santana?

The Mets insist that Ike Davis and Johan Santana will be healthy by the start of spring training. But does anyone really know for sure? The team's medical staff made a questionable decision on Davis by encasing his injured ankle in a restrictive boot for a prolonged period, delaying the healing process by months. Davis was able to start limited baseball activity in September, but he'll rest for most of the offseason before gearing up for next season. As for Santana, his surgically repaired shoulder did not allow him to throw a pitch for the Mets this year, which is a little unsettling as he heads into 2012. Santana is scheduled to pitch in the October instructional league, but will the shoulder hold up when his workload increases next spring?

3. Who's in the outfield?

Carlos Beltran impacted everything the Mets did with their outfielders this season, from moving him to right in spring training and later trading him to San Francisco days before the non-waivers deadline. In the process, the Mets learned a lot about Angel Pagan -- probably too much for his own good, as Pagan now seems to be on thin ice. Not only did he fail to live up to expectations from an offensive standpoint -- his .262 batting average was his lowest since 2007 with the Cubs -- but he was a defensive liability. Pagan displayed a puzzling lack of range and his arm was weak and inaccurate. Without any in-house alternatives, replacing Pagan will be a challenge, and Jason Bay is not a viable option regardless of how much the Mets pull the fences in. As Alderson said yesterday, the Mets' defense needs to improve, and for Lucas Duda to remain in rightfield, he'll require more work in spring training.

4. Mr. Wilpon, tear down this wall!

After months of griping from the Mets' hitters, specifically the ones who play third base and leftfield, the team is expected to soon reveal modifications that will shrink the spacious confines of Citi Field. Alderson said yesterday that the plan is likely to be announced in mid-October. The focus will be on shortening the power alleys, which should help boost David Wright's slugging numbers. Look for the leftfield wall to drop from 16 feet to 8 and to be pulled in. Also, the Mo Zone in rightfield will be fronted by an additional shorter fence. As Alderson pointed out, not only will the Mets' power increase but the smaller outfield should help their defense.

5. From K-Rod to oblivion.

Alderson accomplished one of his top goals this season in trading Francisco Rodriguez and his bloated $17.5-million vesting option. Replacing K-Rod, however, is proving to be more difficult. The Mets figured they had a potential heir in Bobby Parnell, but he failed so badly in his abbreviated audition that Manny Acosta supplanted him as the closer during the final weeks of the season. Parnell was a discouraging 6-for-12 in his save opportunities, prompting Alderson to say that next year's closer probably is not currently in the organization. If not, he'll likely look for a cheap replacement, so you can probably forget Jonathan Papelbon, the top free agent on the market this offseason. Aside from K-Rod, of course.