"Daniel Murphy is an optimist and his Mets teammate R.A. Dickey is a realist. While Murphy talked positively about moves the Mets made this season, a few feet away, Dickey was talking about the moves other NL East teams made.

After losing Jose Reyes to the Marlins as the division rivals improved over the winter, and the Mets cut their payroll by about $50 million, Murphy and Dickey can agree that expectations of the Mets outside their own clubhouse will be low for this season.

The Mets will use those doubters as a rallying point, said Murphy, who was honored along with Dickey at the 32nd Annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner Tuesday night in Midtown."