Tom Brennan - CAN ANYONE HERE NOT PLAY THIS GAME?

Tom Brennan - CAN ANYONE HERE NOT PLAY THIS GAME?

As Casey Stengel purportedly once sagely stated, Can't anyone here play this game?  My question for 2015 is, with the Mets' 25 man roster looming, "Can anyone here NOT play this game?"  I think we're gonna have a wonderful 25 man.

We as Met fan have gotten so used to play over the past several years that can best be described as crappy.  CRAPPY!

Too many bad and downright mediocre and dastardly performances from too many guys.

Go ahead, Met fans, I'm sure you can rattle off a bunch.  

The Sean Marcums and Jose Valverdes of the world.  Go ahead.

Sure, we've had some wonderful performances (cue in Harvey, deGrom, and Duda last year, for a few) but check the soles of your shoes before you enter your blessed domain because you might still have some old Met Crap on them.

Toss the shoes out, folks, and break out the new, clean shiny ones.

I mean, consider that:

First, no one was listening to Matt Harvey say how great he felt.  But, to paraphrase Billy Crystal, it's not how you feel, it's how you pitch.  Harvey's 1 walk in 19 innings shows how ready he is to keep pitch counts down, stay in games, and...be healthy.  He only walked the one guy to prove to everyone he’s human – or is he?  Maybe they inserted bionic parts when they were doing his elbow, folks.

Second, the smart guys were expecting regression from Jake deGrom...not really focusing on how dominant he became late last year.  You don't strike out 8 in a row by accident.  He has been outstanding this spring, and would have had better results if not working on things to help make him more dominant this year.

Third, Niese is healthy and pitching very well, thank you.  Gee ditto, Montero ready to do damage, and Colon getting ready as Colon does.  Wheeler may be gone, but those 6 are extremely capable.

Fourth, Matz, Syndergaard, and Bowman are all rotation-ready if there was an immediate need. Instead, they will crush PCL hitters for a while, along with Tyler Pill.

Fifth, the Pen – well, it’s a bit shaky so far, but Dario Alvarez has only been scored upon once in 10 outings, in case you are still fraught with worry over the lack of lefty pen arms (should a trade not be forthcoming).  And I think a likely pen of Mejia, Familia, Black, Parnell (soon), Torres, Alvarez or Gilmartin, and probably Montero ain't chopped liver.  Well, at least that's what I thought before Sandy got Alex Torres and Jerry Blevins for two lefty pen spots. Those 2 turned a lefty situation from shaky to rock solid.

Alex has put up special numbers in his 2 seasons with the Padres, and having a fine spring.  Blevins eats up lefties, and brings much veteran experience...both for the price of Matt den Dekker, Cory Mazzoni, and a PTBNL.  GOOD USE OF SURPLUS ASSETS.

Rejoice.  The debilitating whiff of Valverde and Farnsworth has left the building.

Sixth, Zach Thornton has also had a nifty spring, by the way, and Leathersich may be deemed ready soon.

(Side question: will Las Vegas play .700 ball this year? A story for another day.)

Oh, you're not convinced about our 2015 Metsies?  Well, I just covered the fine pitching outlook, friends.

When I outline the 2015 offense on Thursday, you ought to be breaking out your Thom McAn oxfords, your Sunday Best, and tossing those crappy old shoes from seasons past in the dumpster because this team is going places...like a stroll down the Canyon of Champions - where there is no poop for your shoes to worry about.

I'm a sole man, what can I say?