5 Questions With… John Coppinger

John Coppinger is the editor and pulisher of http://www.metstradamus. Well, I guess we could say he is Metstradamus. Coppinger played Graxol Kelvyyn in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Wookiee Senator Yarua in the same movie… err… no, that’s a different John Coppinger. John's passion for sports has led him to many strange places, including once riding in a town car with Pat LaFontaine.  A life-long Mets, Jets and Rangers fan, John deveolped the alter-ego you know as "Metstradamus".  But he soon found out that wearing a cape around town wasn't the most effective way of getting his message across ... so he started writing about the Mets on his blog which attracts family, friends, fans, and world dignitaries (well, at least three out of the four).

Afternoon John. Thanks for joining the growing list of Mets dignitaries for this latest series on MMs.

Here goes:

You like to stay on the lighter side of reporting the Mets, but I know you’re dying for a playoff game just like the rest of us. When do you see this team returning to them?

With Washington and Atlanta loading up for the present and the future, there could be a ways to go yet. But with the expensive contracts coming to an end, the Phillies getting old, and the Marlins being the Marlins, the light is at the end of the tunnel. Realistically, 2015 would be my best guess, after Harvey and Wheeler have a couple of seasons under their belts, and the outfield will (hopefully) be rebuilt.

 Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese, Noah Syndergaard and… who will be the 5^th member of the 2015 Mets rotation?

Most likely somebody who isn't with the organization at the present time. If the Mets are in a good place financially, and if his arm holds up in said time, perhaps a guy like James Shields, who will be a free agent. If not, well ... what's Jeff Suppan up to?

 So far this off-season, Sandy Alderson has brought aboard a prospect catcher under team control, a 5^th starter, a backup quality catcher, a projected 2015 SP3, a top Latin OF prospect, and three possible veteran members of the pen. Regardless of the OF position, has Sandy done well?

Considering the limited resources he has to work with, he's done as well as he could. He got maximum return on Dickey, and Lyon/Atchison aren't half bad. Hawkins scares me, especially if he ever has to close. He can be a good influence on younger pitchers ... I just hope that's not his best trait. But whatever happens going forward, Sandy Alderson isn't to blame here.

The economy is recovering, the NYC real estate market is booming, and there’s a new TV deal in place for 2014. In your opinion, is it impossible for the Mets to deal up the “I’m broke” card come this time next year?

Yes. That ship will sail next off-season.

 Lastly (and thanks for joining us), have Metstradamus tell us five things that are going to happen this season we weren’t ready to read.

Off the top of my head: Ike Davis will be an All-Star, Lucas Duda will improve just enough to not annoy the hell out of me, Jordany Valdespin's 15 minutes of fame will be up, Travis d'Arnaud will start 2013 with the Mets (and Zack Wheeler will not), and just to rub salt in everybody's wound, R.A. Dickey will start the All-Star game at Citi Field.