Yesterday I wrote about the feeling that comes upon you when relationships and New York Mets seasons go bad. Not that the season is over for the 9-14 Mets. Barring a COVID-19 shutdown, they still have 37 games to play. Mathematically they can put themselves back into the expanded playoff picture with a streak of solid play, but it's hard to realistically imagine that happening with the starting pitching they have right now. The rotation beyond Jacob deGrom is an absolute crapshoot right now, full of pitchers who are ticking time bombs, just waiting for that one big inning to put the club hopelessly behind.
People say, "look at the 2019 Nationals. They got off to a terrible start, then they won the World Series." Of course, the Nationals had great starting pitching to carry them when they went on that run. We have deGrom.
Right now the number two guy behind deGrom looks like rookie David Peterson, who is enduring shoulder issues and is hardly an established major league pitcher. He's scheduled to make his start tomorrow, but if I was the Mets I'd be watching him carefully. After that, it's probably Rick Porcello. He's performed the best out of that bunch, and he's 1-3 with a 5.76 ERA. Still, if you ask me who I trust the most behind deGrom and Peterson it's him. After that? Pick your poison. Steven Matz, Robert Gsellman, Michael Wacha who never seems to stay healthy. I just can't see them building a winning streak from those guys.
To compare this season to a relationship, it feels to me like one where both of you know it's over, but you're not ready to pull the plug. I'll continue to tune in the games on SNY, but now I'll be watching how the kids do and try to find a reason to have hope that things can be better next year. And yes, I have to admit there will be a small part of me hoping against hope that they can crawl back in the playoff picture, because it's hard to quit on a season that you went into with some hope.
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As the 2020 Mets campaign slowly circles the drain, speculation on the future of Brodie Van Wagenen is rampant. Some folks are worried that prospects Matthew Allan, Francisco Alvarez and Ronny Mauricio were added to the 60-man roster because only players in the 60-man player pool may be traded. People are concerned that Van Wagenen may be looking to trade one or more of these youngsters in a last ditch effort to make the playoffs and save his job with a new owner looming just over the horizon.
While not impossible, I actually think that it's unlikely to happen. It seems to me that a new owner would look more unfavorably on BVW if he makes a dumb move that hurts the team's future to try to save his job. I know if I was the new owner a move like that would not be looked upon kindly. It really does seem more likely to me that this is an effort to get these kids some real hands-on instruction in a year when there are no minor leagues.
By the way, if you want to feel old, all three of those prospects were born in 2001. They've lived their entire lives in the 21st Century.
Matz suckx until he decisively proves otherwise.
ReplyDelete1, New blood... DFA Oswalt and and bring up K. Smith.
ReplyDelete2. BWV is trying to paint a too late progressive image after he already wiped out 50% of our top prospects in the chain. Sucking up to new owners in hopes of keeping his job. Pathetic.