• Left Field This was the big signing, the move that showed fans that although they’re not spending like the Dodgers, the Mets were ready to put money into the team to build a win-now atmosphere. Everyone thought Cespedes was all but gone last year, but he returned essentially on a oneyear deal. So when the Mets were forced to play the negotiation game once again, things looked bleak. But they got him. Did they overpay for four years and $110 million in a market where it was all about relievers and not power hitters? Maybe. But he means the world to this team, which was all but left for dead until he returned from a short stint on the DL in August. Healthy, Cespedes again carried the Mets to a wild card berth, though they were two games under .500. It’s scary for a team to rely on one player so much. Even Piazza had Ventura, Alfonzo and Olerud when he was the Mets’ star. Cespedes has power hitters around him, but it starts and ends with him, just like the starting pitching. A full season at left fi eld may help his quad and hip issues, but that’s something to keep an eye on. Yes, injuries again. • Center Field The Mets have a ton of outfi elders, which is a good problem to have. However, it’s not the best defensive alignment outside of Cespedes. Curtis Granderson had an up and down season, but was still a key reason for the team’s impressive turnaround. The Mets are happy to have this class act on the team. He’s a bit old, however, to play the demanding center fi eld. Another streaky hitter that you’ll deal with when things aren’t going well, he’s another power threat that fans can rely on when the game counts. That sounds cliché, but the Mets were smart not to trade him. Here’s hoping his fi nal year with the Mets is a greatest hits of his best moments. • Right Field Jay Bruce was viewed by many as a panic move at a time when the Mets season was falling apart. The power hitter showed little power with the Mets, received boos and lost a second base prospect in the process. Cespedes he was not. The plan in the o -season was to trade him if Cespedes returned. However, there were no takers. Rather than paying a team to take him, they are holding on to him for now, which is not a bad move. He can still get on a tear, albeit brief, but the problem is he’s clogging up a spot for Michael Conforto, who has tons of potential but su ered a serious slump for the most of 2016. Is it because of his sporadic playing time? Confi dence issues? Or pitchers fi guring him out? Whatever the case, the Mets owe it to themselves and their fans to give him every chance to turn into the star everyone thought he would be in 2015. That can’t happen if Bruce plays every day. Perhaps it works itself out somehow and Conforto hits so well, he forces his way in the lineup. But it’s an issue for a developing player. • Bench The Mets have lacked depth over the years, but thankfully it’s not the case in 2017. Knowing the team’s luck, these bench players will see PLENTY of playing time so it’s a good thing that fi ne players like Wilmer Flores, who will hopefully break out o ensively, Reyes (if Wright does play), Juan Lagares, T.J. Rivera, who looked more than capable for fi lling in will all get their chance to shine and, based on last year, they will. *Catcher -- Travis D'Arnaud was not very good last year. He got hurt again and came back looking like the once-promising catcher might lose his starting job. The Mets appear willing to give him another chance at a starting job, despite the woeful throws to second and unimpressive bat, hoping health will bring out the best in him. It could be that a full season and sticking to one batting stance will help the confusing case that is the catcher. Rene Rivera calls a better game and has a better arm, but doesn’t have any of the upside o ensively that D’Arnaud could have. This could be the fi nal stand for D’Arnaud. Hitting balls into the gap should be a great sparkplug to the o ense. Mets 2017 Season Preview 26 SPRING 2017 QNS.COM
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