SAVAGE VIEWS – My Crystal Ball

 

June 17, 2021

As I write this on Tuesday afternoon, the Mets are eight games over 500 and playing terrific ball.  Before the season began I ranked them the number three team in baseball behind the Dodgers and Padres.  The Giants have emerged as a surprise contender and I continue to be amazed at the Rays.  No matter how you view things the Mets have to be considered as a top five team.

I predicted the Mets pitching staff would be superior. That was based on having Carrasco and Syndergaard in the rotation by mid-June.  Clearly, things have not gone as planned.  No one could have forecast how well the pitching staff would perform through the first third of the season.

It easy to fall in love with the bench mob.   Players such as Villar, Pillar, McKinney etc have exceeded expectations.  The questions I would like to raise is which free agents should the team attempt to retain for 2022.

Marcus Stroman has proven that he deserves a big contract.  The Mets should make every reasonable attempt to re-sign him.

Noah Syndergaard is a unique talent who has the potential to be a solid number two behind deGrom.   He should be entering the prime years of his career.  Letting him walk would be a monumental mistake.  I would like to see him offered a “prove me” contract in 2022 something similar to the one Stroman signed.

Michael Conforto is a known quality who is also entering his prime.  Expectations are that he will hit around .275 with 25-30 homers and 90 RBIs.   He also plays a strong RF.  He is home grown and it’s a plus for an organization to develop and retain such players.

Kevin Pillar is sort of a throw-back to the hard-nosed (no pun intended) players successful team seem to need.  He is an intelligent player who has produced in key situations.  He’s definitely a keeper.

Another player I’ve grown to like a lot is Billy McKinney.  There is something about the way he plays the game that has gotten my attention.  Watching him in a Mets uniform it’s hard to understand the pedestrian numbers he has posted thus far in his career.  I hope continues to produce and is retained.

Jonathon Villar has become a fan favorite and justifiably so.   He deserves the chance to be a regular infielder and paid accordingly.  He will demand a contract far in excess what the Mets should pay a utility infielder.  Next year he probably will be playing for another team although I have no problem if they can figure out a way to retain him.  Wish him luck.

Dom Smith had a good day on Monday against a pitcher he has had a great deal of success in the past.  It might be time to package Dom, JD Davis and mid-level prospects to solve the third base issue until Baty is ready to step in.  A platoon of Pillar and McKinney would match Smith’s offense production while providing superior defense.

When healthy this Mets team can compete with anybody.  The future looks promising.

 

Ray