MY FAVORITE METS PLAYERS - #'S 21 THRU 25 by Tom Brennan

MY FAVORITE METS PLAYERS: # 21 THRU # 25 by Tom Brennan

In my series of articles ranking my Mets Fan Favorites, I did individual articles on guys 1 thru 10, and then did the next 10 dudes in two articles of 5 each.  Now, I will go for my final 5, which I hope will align with who will actually be on the 25 man roster in April.

These were my previously written about Top 20 Tom Brennan Fan Favorites:

1.    Noah Syndergaard

2.   Yoenis Cespedes

3.   Matt Harvey

4.   Jake deGrom

5.   David Wright

6.   Michael Conforto

7.   Steve Matz

8.   Jeurys Familia

9.   Curtis Granderson

10. Lucas Duda

11. Wilmer Flores

12. Travis d'Arnaud

13.  Addison Reed

14.  Juan Lagares

15. Bartolo Colon

16. Neil Walker

17. Asdrubal Cabrera

18. Hansel Robles

19. Antonio Bastardo

20. Kevin Plawecki

Time to wrap this up.  Here goes #’s 21 thru 25 (again, if your order is different than mine, that’s OK, you’re just wrong, but I won’t hold it against you): 

21. Alejandro de Aza – deserves higher than #21, but again, I start off guys who have never played a non-spring game in a Mets uniform a little lower.  This guy leads the Mets in syllables, and can hit, he’s got speed - when have we had a better 5^th outfielder?  He is the kind of quality guy a World Series team needs. 

Through March 21, his spring on base % was over .500, and unlike his predecessor, Kirk the Whiff, de Aza has struck out in less than 1 of every spring plate appearances.  He’s making more contact than contact paper.  Happy you’re here, Alejandro.  When we got you, and it looked like you were a Cespedes signing substitute, I was angry about that, but once we re-signed Cespedes, I am 100% glad you’re a Met.

22. Sean Gilmartin – he could get sent down to be stretched out into a replacement lefty starter, just in case of injury to one of the team’s starters, but this Rule 5 pick up did really well in 2015, and I root for him to stay and have a chance to replicate his fine 2015 performance right here in Queens. My sense is he could start or relieve for virtually any team in the bigs, so I am glad the Mets snatched him.

23. Jim Henderson – seven strong pen outings through March 21, and the hard throwing former major league closer (28 of 32 in 2013) has the credentials, and apparently the health, to help this team.  I am betting he is part of this team, and a useful pen piece.

24. Jerry Blevins – I'm hoping the lefty specialist turns out to be more than just a placeholder for burly Josh Edgins, who could be back before the end of April.  Jerry had a nightmarish 2015 injury-wise, after being acquired to replace the then-TJS-bound Edgin.  Jerry did not allow a baserunner before his season came to a line drive-screeching halt. We’ll see if he is healthy and effective soon enough.

25. Eric Campbell (although it could be Matt Reynolds, or TJ Rivera).  Soup has had a souper spring thru March 21, but hit just a Buck Eighty Five the past season and a half during sporadic play.  No doubt, this 25^th slot will see lots of rotation between the minors and majors this year, as it does every year. 

Tough picking 21 thru 25 just before the team pares down to 25, as the thinking of the brain trusts could be different than mine.  However you slice it, the top 25 gives us a lot to smile about…and we smile even more, knowing the likes of Zach Wheeler and Josh Edgin are not too far off. 

As a fan, which is what this series of articles has been all about, I’m psyched…Let’s Go Mets.