Ya Gotta Believe: 2015 Mets Season Preview - Gronk4M13's Blog

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Ya Gotta Believe: 2015 Mets Season Preview

Posted on August 8, 2015 at 05:58 PM.

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Deep Pitching Staff Looks To Propel Mets to First Playoff Appearance Since 2006

Queens, NY: They say hitting gets you into the playoffs while defense and pitching win championships. Well, the Mets have a deep pitching staff, both on the Major League roster and in the minors. The ageless wonder, arguable miracle of modern medicine and Father Time-defying Bartolo Colon is the most experienced of New York's starters and is penciled in for Opening Day. Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom ( 2.69 ERA and a 144/43 K/BB ratio in 140 1/3 innings) is the 1B option on the staff behind Matt Harvey, who returns from Tommy John surgery which cost him the 2014 season. Before falling to the Tommy John pandemic, Harvey blossomed into a star in 2013, starting the All Star Game and ending the season with a 2.27 ERA and a 191/31 K/BB ratio in 178 1/3 innings, earning him a fourth-place finish in NL Cy Young balloting.

Gee and Niese have been on the trade market as the Mets seek more offense to support their pitching. Gee has been with the Mets' Major League roster since 2010. The 29 year old was the Mets' opening day starter after a stellar 2013 season. Gee went 7-8 with a 4.00 ERA. Gee, like Harvey, is an injury risk, as the right hander has struggled with injuries throughout his career. Niese has been with the Mets since 2008.Niese, along with Bobby Parnell, is one of two players remaining from the Mets' last winning season, 2008. Niese has also struggled with injuries. Gee and/or Niese are likely to be traded by the deadline.

If Harvey can come anywhere close to his performance before surgery, the fate of the Mets lays on "the Dark Knight's" shoulders. It's unrealistic to expect Colon to continue to defy age, as regression is likely. deGrom looks to improve on a phenomenal rookie campaign. Gee and Niese will battle for playing time, with the loser being demoted to the bullpen barring injuries to other starters.

Mets fans await the imminent debuts of top prospects Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Syndergaard is the Mets' top pitching prospect (#9 overall in MLB, according to Baseball Prospectus.) Matz has flashed star-potential, but he has also struggled with injuries (Matz has also had Tommy John surgery in the past.) Matz (#33 overall MLB prospect in the preseason) and Syndergaard look to be the future anchors of this rotation behind Harvey and deGrom. Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard and Matz as the top four of the rotation could be historically great.

Zach Wheeler, another member of the Mets' deep pitching staff, is lost for the entire season due to a torn UCL. Wheeler had Tommy John surgery and will return in 2016. Prior to 2013, Wheeler was ranked the #6 prospect in all of MLB. Wheeler has also shown potential to be a dominant starter, and will look to regain a spot in this stacked rotation next year.

The bullpen is shaky to say the least. Closer Jennry Mejia has been suspended 80 games for a PED violation, which shifts the closer role to set up man Jeurys Familia. The middle-relieving corps current consists of Vic Black, Sean Gilmartin and Buddy Carlisle. Carlos Torres will serve as the long reliever while the rest of the bull-pen is up for grabs. Josh Edgin and ex-closer Bobby Parnell are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Edgin will miss all of 2015 due to the recency of his surgery (spring 2015.) Parnell is expected to return early in the 2015 season.

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The offense does not inspire fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud had a great second half last season and will be the starting catcher. 2014 Gold glove winner CF Juan Lagares mans the middle of the outfield. The Mets' "biggest" signing this offseason was Michael Cuddyer, who will likely start in left field. The 36-year old has struggled with injuries but he might add the spark this Mets offense needs. Longtime Met David Wright (seven time All Star, two time Gold Glove winner, two time Silver Slug winner, Captain of he team (fourth in team history, named Captain in 2013) is coming off a season that saw him struggle with year-long injuries. Wright hit a career low 8 home runs and a .269 average, which was his lowest since an injury shortened 2011 season.

Second baseman Daniel Murphy (30 years old) is coming off his first All Star Game appearance. Wright and Murphy look to be two of the table-setters for the offense. First baseman Lucas Duda is coming off a career high 30 home runs and drove in a career high 92 RBI. Dudas has a powerful bat, but he strike out a lot and is only a .248 career hitter. Right fielder Curtis Granderson (three time All Star, former Silver Slugger) batted just .227 and it seems that the 34 year old continues to regress. Yet, the Mets expect to use Granderson as their leadoff hitter. 23 year old Wilmer Flores is expected to take over the starting SS spot from Ruben Tejada. Both are pretty mediocre options offensively, and though Tejada is the better defender, Flores is younger and is a better power hitter.

Likely bench (other than Recker, all bench members are out of options) Bench: C Anthony Recker, IF Ruben Tejada, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF Cesar Puello, UTIL John Mayberry Jr. (signed in offseason)

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The Mets have been long-rumored to be financially handicapped by their owner, Fred Wilpon. Since losing a lot of money (reportedly $700 million) in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, the Mets have performed as a small market team despite playing in one of the world's biggest. The Mets' payroll has dropped from $149 million in 2009 to $85 million in 2014, which has led to speculation, and even practical confirmation, that Wilpon has been keeping his checkbook closed for the Mets, and specifically GM Sandy Alderson. The infamous NY media, which seemingly nitpicks every minor detail imaginable, has blamed Alderson for the lack of the Mets' player movement. If the Mets are to have any hope of making the playoffs for the first time since 2006, the Wilpons will have to start spending. Or, Alderson will have to attempt the trying task of trying to make improvements with insufficient funds.

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Regardless of Wilpon's spending habits, or lack thereof, there is a buzz in Queens among Mets fans. Fans are hopeful that the pitching staff can supplement a mostly lackluster offense. The fate of the Mets is on the shoulders of Harvey, deGrom and the starting pitchers. If the offense can capitalize on the depth of the Mets' pitching, this could possibility be a playoff team.

The Nationals went all-in by signing Max Scherzer. Playing the Nats regularly will be tough. But the rest of the division, between the rebuilding Braves, tanking Phillies, and mediocre Marlins, should allow the Mets to get plenty of inner-division wins, and the Mets have the talent to get a wildcard spot.

Prediction: 88-74, 2nd in NL East, wildcard game

Mets fans believe in 2015. The question is:

Do you believe in miracles?