New York Mets
2015 Win/Loss Record:
90-72, 1st in National League East
Last Postseason
Appearance: 2015
Last World Series
Championship: 1986
Key Arrivals: Neil
Walker (2B), Alejandro De Aza (OF), Asdrubal Cabrera (SS)
Key Departures: Michael
Cuddyer (OF), Kelly Johnson (INF), Jon Niese (P)
Manager: Terry
Collins, 6th Year, W/L 394-416
(838-850 in 11 years with Astros, Angels and Mets)
(838-850 in 11 years with Astros, Angels and Mets)
Overall Review: After winning their
first National League pennant since 2000, the Mets fell in five games to the
Kansas City Royals in the World Series, a disappointing end to an otherwise
great season. If not for an underachieving Washington team, however, they might
not have even made the playoffs. They will be led by their pitching staff once
again and the line-up gets a boost with the re-signing of outfielder Yoenis
Cespedes.
The rotation loses Jon Niese to
the Pirates, but they have enough arms to compete for the division title again.
They should be in a dog-fight all season with the Nationals but will probably come up short in their quest to win the NL East again.
Offense: At 35 years of age, Curtis
Granderson is till capable of being a reliable lead-off hitter, but he must
improve on the .259 batting average of last season. Granderson still has power
as his 26 home runs proved, and 70 RBIs is nothing to frown at from your
leadoff hitter. Third baseman David Wright was limited to 38 games last year,
and he’ll be out to prove that he is still the player he once was. He still
managed to bat .289 and he hit 5 homers and had 17 RBIs. If he can produce over
a whole season, the Mets’ offence will be improved from last year.
It will be interesting to see
how Cespedes performs in a full season with New York. In 159 games, combined
with the Mets and Detroit, the outfielder batted .291 with 35 home runs and 105
RBIs. The Mets need him to play like that in 2016 if they hope to repeat as
division champs. Travis D’Arnaud figures to be the number one catcher this
year. In 67 games last season, he hit 12 home runs and added 41 RBIs. First baseman
Lucas Duda hit a sub-par .244, but his 27 home runs and 73 RBIs make up for the
low average.
Pitching: I get excited when I see this
pitching staff. With the exception of 43-year old Bartolo Colon, all the other
starters are under the age of 30. Even Colon had a decent 2015, as he posted a
win/loss record of 14-13, 4.16 ERA and struck out 136 batters. If the veteran
right-hander can put up those numbers in the number five spot in the rotation,
the Mets will be all set. Jacob deGrom will be the ace. In 2015, he was 14-8
with a 2.54 ERA and 205 strikeouts. He’ll be followed in the rotation by Matt
Harvey (13-8, 2.71, 188) and 23-year old Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24, 166). I
will try not to call him Snydergaard as I did throughout the post season last October.
To replace Niese in the fourth slot, will be Steven Matz. Tommy John surgery
has slowed the left-hander’s career thus far, but in six starts last season, he
was 4-0, with a 2.27 ERA and 34 strike outs.
Jeurys Familia will be the
closer once again. In his first season in the role, he saved 43 games, posted a
2-2 record with a 1.85 ERA and struck out 86 batters in 78 innings. Addison
Reed will provide bullpen help. The former closer (from 2012-14, he saved 101
games in two years with the White Sox and one year with Arizona) only pitched
17 games with the Mets in 2015, but he had a miniscule 1.17 ERA while striking
out 17 batters.
 |
| Pitcher Jacob DeGrom |
Prediction: The Mets got off to a great
start last season, slumped a little bit in the middle of the season and charged
to the division title down the stretch. While they played well in the latter
weeks of the year, the Nationals underperforming also helped New York win the
division. Don’t expect Washington to do that this year. The Mets will finish
second in the NL East but will have enough victories by the end of September to
qualify for the second Wild Card spot.
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