Ernest Dove - Does The Mets (November) Roster Already Resemble a Playoff Team ?

     As the offseason continues to slowly move along, why not continue to speculate, guess, hope and pray for a great season ahead.  There's pitchers and catchers reporting anytime soon, but these Mets are getting healthy, the young stud pitchers are still all on the team, and (like it or not) they filled a huge need in the outfield already.  So, can they simply head on out to April 2015 already as a playoff contender, with what they already have?
 
     Like many Mack's Mets writers/readers, I remain consumed by this team, and what they are doing. I've heard all the rumors, I've checked some new field dimensions, and I've read about the new hitting coach, the happiness of Grandy because of it, and that outfield additional of David Wright's buddy.  With that being said, there really is no guarantee that more major moves are coming.
  
     I believe that, by end of this day I'm writing on (Thursday), teams must protect the players who needed to be protected, by placing them on their 40 man rosters, for the upcoming (and still confusing to me) rule 5 draft.  However, me and me poor memory simply don't recall any major happenings which can come of this whole process, which would result in the teams 25 man roster being altered because of it.  Of course, again, we eat sleep Mets and repeat, so we will definitely discuss, argue, and go crazy about the prospects protected, not protected and who is now available on other teams regardless this coming week ahead.
 
     But I wish to remain focused on the 'body of work' so to speak that we currently have to go on.  As far as I still recall, this team is coming off a pretty darn decent second half of a baseball season, despite numerous injuries and shutdowns during the same time period. This team can already show up in April 2015 with a solid rotation, bullpen, lineup and bench. I'm the our Mets, like any other out there, could use another sexy name added to their roster.  Sure, maybe we eventually end up with a different shortstop. Sure, maybe recent reports of minor league offers coming for the lefty reliever Eveland and our old pal Buddy might not be at all sexy enough fillers for the LOOGY and bullpen roles, but they were solid contributors and veterans at positions which become recycled year to year anyway, so why not give them a chance and trust they can hold the fort another season?
 
     For me, and probably many of us, the best part about the currently filled roster on this team is that its becoming filled with healthy players.  Mejia, Familiar, Parnell, Wright, Lagares and company are hopefully continuing on the roads to full recovery for the upcoming seasons (yes there are reports of Parnell possibly the most time then the others).  As in many cases with teams around the league, and all major sports, this is a stated given.  So we can't all continue to worry and speculate about who is going to do what, and what kind of comebacks everybody will make.  There were reports of Harvey already throwing mid 90s months ago anyway, so why stress over what he will do come April, for example.
 
     But again, back to the point (yup, by A.D.D must be kicking in again and causing focus issues). Can the Mets, with players like a full season of starting from Cuddyer, Wilmer Flores, still-on-the-team Murphy and company contend for the playoffs right now, without any further major changes?  (I wanna make a remark about achieving 90 wins, but maybe I shouldn't.
 
     Rather then come up with my every changing projected lineup, lets make it easier.  Who thinks the Mets can field:

Harvey
Wheeler
Degrom
Niese
Gee/Montero, etc etc etc options

Mejia, Familia, Black, Torres, Edgin......arm arm arm etc.

Cuddyer, Lagares, Grandy, Wright, Wilmer, Murphy, Duda, TDA, Campbell, Den Dekker, yadda yadda yadda .....

And be playing in the playoffs somewhere (division title, wildcard, whatever).

     This team, in my humble opinion, is already resembling the type or prototypical contending type team and organization already.  They have a mix of youth, veterans, expensive and minimum wage stars and hotshot prospects which come to together to form a possible fearsome type team.

     I know many out there want that cleanup hitting shortstop in Colorado, the highly priced lefty reliever I've heard about, a high risk high reward option coming out of the windy city, the latest fresh into America international phenomenon and a slew of coming-off-injury and change-of-scenery type veterans who may or not become the next Marlon Byrd, or at least solid bench contributor.

  But, you know what, most players still out there (minus those we can probably obtain by trading off Noah, Wheeler and most of our top notch current farm system), we can point, counter point an argument in favor of someone the Mets already have. Sooooooo does that mean if it ain't broke, don't fix it applies here?  Time will tell. 

  But I Can't worry about what happens into the Spring.  Heck, its real life out there, I can't think too deep into tomorrow.  I'm going by the here and now.

That said, I'm already thinking 2015 playoffs no matter what the heck happens, who's with me !!!!!!!