The New York Mets have produced six straight sub-.500 records, matching the Houston Astros for the longest active streak of losing seasons in the majors.

The Amazins' sub-.500 stretch figures to end in 2015. The intriguing question, though, is whether the Mets (79-83 in 2014) are capable of reaching the upper-80s in wins, which potentially means a wild-card berth.

Best-case scenario

Catching the loaded Washington Nationals seems doubtful. The Mets figure to get an up-close look at Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann when they open the regular season in D.C. with a three-game series. So wild-card contention is probably the best-case scenario for the Mets. And that could be achievable. After all, the aging Philadelphia Phillies -- with or without Cole Hamels -- figure to be National League East doormats. And the Atlanta Braves have taken a step backward while reloading for the launch of their new ballpark, which is scheduled to open in 2017.

The Mets had a quiet offseason, inking only two players to major league deals: outfielders Michael Cuddyer and John Mayberry Jr. Still, that duo almost assuredly will offer better production than their departed predecessors, Chris Young and Eric Young Jr. They combined to hit .217 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 534 at-bats with the Mets last season.

After missing the entire 2014 season, ace Matt Harvey returns from Tommy John surgery to headline a solid rotation that also should include reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Bartolo Colon and left-hander Jonathon Niese. The Mets, who have not yet traded expendable Dillon Gee, are deep in starting pitching. In fact, their Triple-A rotation may include top prospects Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Rafael Montero.

Curtis Granderson and David Wright will both need to be productive if the Mets hope to contend this season. Brad Mangin/MLB Photos/Getty Images

Last year, closer Bobby Parnell went down on Opening Day with an elbow injury and required season-ending Tommy John surgery. As a result, the Mets depended upon unreliable Jose Valverde and Kyle Farnsworth as the back end of the bullpen during the season's first half. By the end of 2014, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Vic Black all had emerged as capable late-inning relievers. Manager Terry Collins will have those three weapons available to him from the get-go this season, with Parnell due to be activated from the disabled list within a few weeks of Opening Day.

Captain David Wright is bound to have a bounce-back season, too. Wright had a career-low eight homers a season ago, but was tormented during the second half by a left shoulder that was loose in the socket. Wright did not have the issue surgically addressed during the offseason, but the Mets insist his shoulder is stable, which should lead to a revival in production.

Curtis Granderson, who is due to move from right field to left field this season to accommodate Cuddyer's arrival, had an unremarkable first season in Queens after signing a four-year, $60 million contract (.227, 20 HR, 66 RBIs). Mets officials suggest Granderson's second season in the NL should be smoother. He also will benefit from the hiring of Kevin Long, his former hitting coach with the Yankees, as well as the right-center wall at Citi Field moving five to 10 feet closer to the plate. According to a Mets study, the team would have hit 16 additional homers in 2014 had the new dimensions been in place -- with Granderson delivering nine of those extra long balls. Opponents would have benefited with 11 extra home runs.

Worst-case scenario

OK, we've given you the orange-and-blue-colored-glasses case for the Mets being a wild-card team. Now, here's raw meat for the glass-half-empty crowd

General manager Sandy Alderson identified four areas he needed to address during the offseason:

• Bringing in an outfielder who could bat in the middle of the order.

• Upgrading at shortstop.

• Adding a left-handed reliever to complement Josh Edgin.

• Trading an excess starting pitcher, likely Dillon Gee.

Well, Alderson has accomplished only one of the four primary items on his agenda -- the signing of the two outfielders -- during a quiet winter in which the Mets again added little to their payroll. The Mets have roughly $100 million committed to players this season. That figure would dip to $95 million if Gee ultimately gets traded.

Daniel Murphy, set to earn $8 million in 2015, will be a free agent at the end of the season. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The Mets are prepared to go with Wilmer Flores at shortstop, believing he will show passable range after again attending a winter speed and agility camp. Still, the Mets moved Flores off shortstop in the minors after the 2011 season because of limited range. The combination of Daniel Murphy and Flores as the middle-infield defense figures to offset some of their standout starting pitching. (The Mets suggest their starting pitchers, with the exception of Niese, are strikeout or fly ball pitchers, so the effect of subpar defense will be limited. And they say Ruben Tejada can man shortstop over Flores when Niese pitches.) Cuddyer and Granderson in the corner-outfield spots figure to be defensive liabilities as well, potentially neutralizing the range of Gold Glove winner Juan Lagares in center field.

The pessimistic crowd also will note that Wright, shoulder aside, is now 32 years old and potentially in decline, with a recent history that has included other assorted injuries. Cuddyer played in only 49 games last season with the Colorado Rockies. And No. 1 catcher Travis d'Arnaud, himself often injured, and first baseman Lucas Duda both found themselves demoted to Triple-A during the past two seasons to rediscover their swings.

On the lefty relief front, the Mets have yet to find a bona fide complement for Edgin. Sean Gilmartin is a Rule 5 pick from the Minnesota Twins who will compete for the job with Scott Rice, who is back on a minor league contract, as well as farmhands Dario Alvarez, Darin Gorski and Jack Leathersich. Alderson has acknowledged the Mets may go with Edgin as the lone southpaw in the bullpen if none of the other left-handed candidates impress in camp. That should make Edgin shudder. In recent years, the Mets have heavily depended on one lefty in the bullpen. All three -- Pedro Feliciano, Tim Byrdak and Rice -- ultimately required shoulder surgery.

The bottom line on the worst-case scenario: If Wright and Granderson don't produce, and if those other areas of doubt don't break in their favor, the Mets may extend the longest active streak of losing seasons in the majors to seven.