Tom Brennan - WHAT MIGHT THE METS' ROSTER LOOK LIKE HEADING NORTH?

GO NORTH, YOUNG MAN, GO NORTH!

We're getting real, real close to the regular season, which is hopefully - well, regular.

2020 was the most irregular season ever - let's do "regular" in 2021, folks.  

If it takes Ex Lax to get there, then so be it.

"Going North" is a wish that needs to be honed in - all these guys want QUEENS - not, Brooklyn, not Binghamton, not Syracuse, all of which are north of where they currently are.  Specifically, they all want to head to a little town in Queens called Metsville.

Anyway, what might the roster of the dandiest team in town, and perhaps in the entire world, YOUR NY METS, IN METSVILLE, look like next week?  

Here's my take - WHAT'S YOURS?

First base: Pete Alonso

Pete will rebound, pound and astound. Few balls on the ground.  Long balls will abound.

Alternate: Dominic Smith

The best alternate first baseman in the world will be spending a lot of time being put out to pasture in left field, so to speak, but he will get reps at 1B.  Stay healthy - and totally lethal with the bat - Mr. Smith.

Second base: Jeff McNeil

Anyone whose name rhymes with Real Deal, Unreal, and Whatta Steal is going to excite us at 2B - a batting title in 2021 is non-negotiable, though, Jeff.  Glad to see you are saving all your hits for the regular season, when it counts.

Alternate: Luis Guillorme, Jonathan Villar

How can the Mets possibly go wrong with these two alternates at 2B?  Luis, though, no more 22 pitch at bats.  I'm old and can't stay up too late.  Thanks in advance.  Villar (despite a slow spring) will play quickly and fastly, thankfully.

Shortstop: Francisco Lindor

Best shortstop we've ever had.  Sorry, Jose.  And, I'll say it, too, better overall than Derek Jeter, I'm betting, when his career wraps up.  Incredible power.  Great glove.

Alternate: Guillorme, Villar, José Peraza

I'd be stunned if Peraza makes the team, but he is certainly MLB competent - but AAA bound, I imagine. Peraza is young, with significant MLB experience - but they once said that about the still relatively young Ruben (non-Hurricane Sandwich) Tejada.  Guillorme and Villar?  See above.  Just bear in mind that Lindor would like to play 165 or so games.  He does not taking sitting down sitting down.

Third base: J.D. Davis

J Double D is a guy every fan, it seems, tried to trade away this winter - but I think the fielding improves and the bat rebounds, and we'll be glad he stayed.  Turned a nifty play at 3rd the other day.

Alternate: Guillorme, Villar, McNeil

McNeil may not be anyone's first choice at 3B, but given his briefly-quiet-but-lethal bat, he can pretty much play wherever he wants. Luis should see lots of time at 3B, unless JDD is totally ripping at the plate.

Catcher: James McCann

I am hoping we feel that McCann in 2021 is SO MUCH BETTER than our 2020 catching product.  He can frame, throw, defend, and hit.  Who could ask for anything more? 

Alternate: Tomás Nido, Patrick Mazeika, Bruce Maxwell, Caleb Joseph

I am guessing we'll see two or more of these back up catchers during 2021, all of whom are a drop off from McCann. May the cream of these alternates rise to the top, most likely starting with Nido.  However, through Tuesday, he had a 3 for 3 game this spring, but is otherwise 1 for 18 - uh oh.  

Maxwell has MLB experience and is 3 for 10 this spring, but just got his ticket punched for AAA..  Joseph is just 1 for 6.  Mazeika has a .500 combined OBP the last 2 springs, but was sent down even earlier than Maxwell...go figure.

If David Rodriguez (0 for 2 this spring, so not a current contender) proves his nearly .400 winter ball bat against that level of pitching was no fluke, he could emerge in 2021.  I still think hitting that well in winter ball could translate eventually into a .240 - .260 major league bat.  Time to prove it in the high minors.

Outfield: Dominic Smith, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto 

I can't call them a Gold Glove outfield.  I can, tough, say those 3 outstanding lefty hitters will keep opposing pitchers up at night.

Alternate: Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora Jr., and during the season, maybe a little bit of Mallex Smith.

Less offense than the starting outfielders, but better defense. And adding righty balance.   Smith likely to start out in AAA, to see if he can recapture his magic.

Rotation: Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, Joey Lucchesi, David Peterson

A lot better than 2020, by a very long shot.  At least, once Cookie returns.  His Cookie Hammy crumbled, and he is treating his hammy with Cookie Cocktails, I hear. Yummy. The good side of his bad news is that he should be fresh arm-wise for late October starts.

Alternates: Jordan Yamamoto

Yamamoto has hurled capably all spring - but he won't come north rather than Lucchesi - his going to the minors is a real shame.  Both fellas are major league caliber.  

Looming on the Horizon: Noah Syndergaard...and now Cookie, too.

The starter alternate and the looming Norse god and Cookie represent a lot better depth than 2020, by a very long shot.  Let's hope they both return as Cookie Monsters.

Bullpen: Edwin Díaz, Trevor May, Aaron Loup, Jeurys Familia, Dellin Betances, Miguel Castro, Robert Gsellman, Trevor Hildenberger

Edwin will be 2018 redux, a beast (2018 being his 57 save season, remember) - if I'm wrong, I'm wrong.  I think I'm right.  The rest will collectively be as good or better than the 2020 version of the main bullpen guys after Diaz.

Alternates: Drew7 Smith, Sam McWilliams, Jacob Barnes, Stephen Tarpley, Daniel Zamora, Sean Reid-Foley, Arodys Vizcaíno, Jacob Barnes, Jerry Blevins, Mike Montgomery, Tommy Hunter

Looming on the Horizon: Seth Lugo

The many (currently) pen alternates and the Looming Lugo are better than the ragtag disaster that was the 2020 bullpen alternates.  I am guessing Vizcaino or Blevins or Montgomery or Barnes beats out Hildenberger.   It may turn out to be no-more-options Barnes.  Hey, where is the 30 man roster when you need it?  Four more of these guys should be heading to Queens, based on their MLB-level ability.

Pen guys will get called up from AAA, though, they always do.  Several will surely come north at some point.  After all, in last year's shortened 60 game schedule, the Mets used 23 pitchers.  If last year went 162 games, we likely would have seen 30 pitchers at that rate.

No matter how I look at this group, if they stay largely healthy, they will kick a massive amount of petootey and derriere in 2021.  Tons of talent.  LGM.  Time to come north, fellas.