baseman Todd Frazier to bolster a lineup that can
be quite effective when health.
Catching seemed like a weakness but Kevin
Plawecki had a solid 2017 finish and Travis
d’Arnaud had a solid spring. Is now their time?
On the pitching side, the Mets signed a solid
inning eater in Jason Vargas who is durable and
dependable. The move serves as insurance since
the rotation has often been decimated by injuries.
The bullpen, which is a concern for most major
league teams, added Anthony Swarzak, a gamble
given that he’s had one impressive season, but
maybe a wise one.
Other changes? First base, which is turning
out to be an issue. They signed aging Adrian
Gonzalez who is a solid hitter when healthy, but
many believe his body has broken down on him.
Financially, this isn’t a hit but their lack of options
is alarming.
They were originally hoping top
prospect Dom Smith would be able
to play every day, but clearly the
franchise doesn’t think he’s ready.
Plus, his early injuries kept him out
of contention for the spot. Utility
player Wilmer Flores has a good bat
if a shaky glove so putting him there
some games could help.
Top prospect Amed Rosario will take over
the reins at shortstop and while big things are
expected from him, due to his impressive raw
talent, he’s still a rookie that needs polishing. That
means more patience at the plate and relaxing on
defense. It could take time, but he has all the tools
to become an elite shortstop sooner rather than
later.
The bullpen like many, is a concern. Jeurys
Familia has looked off in spring training and that
would leave a huge hole. A.J. Ramos has the stuff,
but came at a hefty prices tag, and doesn’t appear
trustworthy when the team needs to hold onto a
slim lead late in games.
One of the answers could be taking the surplus
of starters, and if healthy, converting them to
relievers. This would be the cheapest and easiest
option that could be effective. Whether it’s
Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo, or a
combination, the move could solidify a shaky pen.
Michael Conforto, the Mets all-star hitter
last year, sustained -- you guessed it! -- a freak
shoulder injury. He appears ready to go sooner
than expected and if there are no lingering issues,
the lineup is ready to go.
However, it all starts and ends with Cespedes
and the five-man rotation. Cespedes carries the
offense for better or worse and it won’t survive
long stints on the DL. As for the rotation, they
need Syndergaard and deGrom to have injury
free seasons. If they do, that will be one of
the league’s best 1-2 combos. Then the other
three just need to be consistently good if not
masterful.H
arvey doesn’t have to be the next
Tom Seaver as fans thought he would
be. He just needs to be an effective
number three or four guy. Vargas
will be solid at that role as well
if healthy. A fifth guy is needed
and Matz is the one that can turn
this team into a very dangerous
one. But it will be tough to rely
on him.
The team’s other big change
was manager. Fans were conflicted
about Terry Collins, who managed
the most games for the team in franchise
history. He was a good motivator and got a lot
out of his teams. There is still value in those skills
when managing. However, his decisions, whether
it be lineups or bullpen changes, were often headscratching
to put it kindly.
New skipper Mickey Callaway is thought of
highly thanks to his work as a pitching coach
with the Cleveland Indians. He’s young and
enthusiastic, and is a proponent of advanced
statistics which is what fans and teams want.
Not many, if any, pitching coaches have made the
transition to manager, but it’s a new day in the
MLB and a fresh face will likely only help the Mets.
It’s tough to say other than that how he will fare.
If most of these things fall in line, the Mets have
a real shot at a wild card spot, especially if they
somehow make a midseason trade. It’s been a
weird off-season and the Mets could’ve spent the
money they had a bit more wisely, but what they
got should give them a shot.
QNS.COM
12 SPRING 2018