D Whit - Yet Another Look At The Upcoming Season

I enjoy viewing some of the other Met blogs, one in particular that is always bringing the doom and gloom. I sometimes wonder why most of that group over there even remain Met fans. All they ever do is bitch and complain about the team, its owners, its GM (especially the GM), SNY and just about everything associated with the blue and orange. You talk about beating a dead horse! If they’re cynical in March, I’d hate to see what level of disillusionment they will reach by June. The Mets are not the Marlins or Astros-though at this point, to be fair, those two teams look better on paper than the Mets starting 8-wise in a couple of years. But like anything else in sports all that could change. Right now let’s focus on the present though. And in the present the Mets are a better team right now than a year ago.

Or are they? 

Mike Baxter and Justin Turner have taken their act Hollywood-I’m sure TC is still shedding tears over losing that pair, especially Baxter. It was shocking to see those two names in the opening night Dodger line-up because come on if you bet someone over the winter that those two would be starters for the Dodgers (no matter how briefly) they’d take you for a fool and gladly take your cash. Only thing is you’d be fleecing them. I include this little diversion to demonstrate the WTF nature of MLB circa 2014. Flotsam and jetsam of a 74-win team now on the opening day 25 of a team expected to challenge for the pennant and World Series-a team ranking #1 in payroll to boot-the Mets are 22^nd. 

So even without this dynamic duo the 2014 Mets look better on the field than a year ago. For one thing they are starting this season with an OF consisting of real major leaguers. They have much more starting pitching depth, and even with the loss of Matt Harvey, a stronger rotation 2-5. Last spring a loss of Jonathan Niese would’ve been devastating but this year more of an inconvenience. You’d hate to lose Niese for an extended period of time but if it did occur some combination of Meijia, Dice-K, Lannan and Torres can pick up the slack. Also let’s not forget the two studs down the farm who should be ready to bring Citi Field some hot fun in the summertime. 

Behind these starters are a host of talented young arms and in the case Valverde one old one. Parnell is still in recovery mode following neck surgery but once on track should be one of the underrated closers in the NL once again. 

The infield consists of the same starting four that manned those positions opening day of 2013, which is half All-Star and half ???. But as for one of those ? a combination of Ike, Duda and Satin should provide more than adequate production. If they fail or fall to injury there’s Campbell and Lutz in Vegas to fill-in. Both players had strong springs, with Campbell becoming a fan-favorite, dark horse to crack the opening day roster. I’m not including Flores with the 1B contingent because he’s re-learning SS and it seems the team is concentrating his work there and at the keystone, as opposed to the corners. Speaking of SS, well I’m not going to, more than enough has been said, written, spoken, screamed, cried, etc…about the realities and possibilities there. At this time well “it is what it is” I suppose. 

Last spring the Mets OF situation was the joke of MLB, a year later they are four deep with Granderson, Lagares, and the law firm of Young and Young Jr. There are some bona-fide major leaguers patrolling the pastures of Citi Field this April. It’s a vast improvement both defensively and offensively over what was trotted out there in the opening weeks of 2013. 

Behind the plate we get to see if the highly touted backstop can begin to live up to his potential and stay healthy. In the past week d’Araund’s bat has heated up, and let’s hope that is a sign of good things to come at the plate for him in 2014. If so, he will grow and help nurture what promises to be one of the most electric starting rotations in baseball from 2015 on.   

Which brings me to my final point.  The pipline of pitching prospects headed by “Thor” and Montero. How can you not be excited about that? Once Harvey went down expectations for this season had to be tempered. There’s plenty of flaws, problems, and as mentioned above, question marks about this team and upcoming season. But comparing it the Titanic or predicting a 100-loss season is pretty short-sighted and overlooks not only the Mets improved roster but, aside from the Nats, what is looking like a weaker NL East. 

One other thing to consider is that by the All-Star Break the team taking the field could look vastly different, especially on the hill. Is this a team that could win 90? Probably not, but a decent start and a mid-summer kiddie korps invasion could make this an exciting and unpredictable season for the Metsies.   

My fearless prediction? Anywhere from 78-85 wins:

The Standings:

Nats 92-100 wins

Braves 78-92 wins (really depends upon how they recover from losing Beachy and Medlin, performance of Gattis and the Upton bros.)

Mets 78-85 wins

Phils 72-85 wins

Marlins 60-72 wins

I chose a wide win-range margin because well it’s March and I’m no prognosticator. I think it’s safe to say that the more wins for the Phils and Braves, the less for the Mets. If both teams tank the Mets likelihood of 85 wins increases. But for god’s sake let’s beat the Marlins this season.

So what do you think has the promise of spring deluded me into drinking the Kool-Aid and donning the rose-colored glasses or could the Mets actually be playing meaningful games heading into September?