We here at Mack's Mets never said that 2013 was going to be a great team.
For three year, we have targets the success of this team to the 2014 season. It was that year that we projected the organizational talent to rise to the top and bring this team back to playoff baseball.
Now, I never said that 2013 wouldn't have some really good players, most of which would carry over to the 2014 season, but it would be the emergence of young starting pitchers would create the same kind of playoff success that the San Francisco Giants have had the past three years.
So we know that 2013 would at least be competitive because of players like David Wright, Johan Santana, Daniel Murphy, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Jenrry Mejia, and Frank Francisco.
Here's today's problem.
None of these are projected to be in the 2013 opening day lineup.
Yes, opening day may be a very strange day for the Mets and I'm just not sure if great young pitching is going to be enough in 2014. The trade for catcher Travis d'Arnaud may be the key piece to carry this team until a decent outfielder comes around.
There are great or very good players on this team. 1B Ike Davis, SS Ruben Tejada, Wright, d'Arnaud, SPs Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese, and Dillon Gee, and RPs Josh Edgin and Bobby Parnell will all be part of the 2014 team, but we're talking 10 players, not 25.
My opening day lineup?
Well, just a guess:
2B Jordany Valdespin
SS Ruben Tejada
RF Marlon Byrd
1B Ike Davis
C John Buck
LF Lucas Duda
3B Zach Lutz
CF Collin Cowgill
SP Jon Niese
What's yours?
Please leave it in the comments section.
Mack
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
Byrd batting third really makes me vomit in my mouth. He should be a platoon player batting seventh or eighth on a good team.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few lineups where Turner is batting in between Davis and Duda....that's nonsense. Buck should definately be fifth if your intent on splitting up the lefties.
Charles, this is going to be a marathon through Walking Dead.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you give the nod to Lutz over Turner at 3B, but for some reason I think TC has a thing for Turner.
ReplyDeleteYou saw my opening day lineup earlier. I'd prefer batting Ike third because I think he will be the better hitter as well as supply more power, although power should be the purview of the cleanu guy. I wanted a righty separating Ike and Lucas so I stuck Marlon there. Could have been Buck. And I'd prefer to see Cowgill's speed higher in the order, hence hitting him 2nd with Tejada 8th.
First, I like Turner, as a bench player. That's where his upside is. I think without Wright in the lineup because he's on the DL, the Mets need to go with Lutz. Lutz has great numbers and has some needed pop in his bat.
ReplyDeleteWhy does the job instantly go to Turner?
My lineup...
Cowgill
Tejada
Valdespine
Davis
Buck
Duda
Byrd
Lutz
That's my everyday line up. I dont see any reason to platoon anyone because all other options are pathetically bad. This team might just get the second pick in the 2014 draft. Which means they'll finally have a protected pick AND will be free to sign anyone they choose.
THAT might just be Sandy's motivation here. Put together a loser and earn a great pick in the last year of mediocrity.
Problem is, they'll choose a guy everyone figured would go at about the ninth pick and leave 5 elite prospects on the board so they can over slot a pitcher in the 12th round.