They need to perform in the clutch. Good arms and solid defense will be for naught if someone can't get the tying or go-ahead run home in the late innings. Some players thrive in clutch situations and their I'm-not-making-the last-out attitude spreads throughout winning teams like a run-scoring contagion. The Mets have been lacking that for years. I hope this group has it. It starts with Number 5. (Oh Captain, My Captain?)
Boy Wonder? I know that sports is not the forte of the New York Times, but it's the Dark Knight, not Robin, the "boy wonder". That kind of demotion is like sending a Cy Young winner to pitch Rookie League. Maybe if you did not spend so much time worrying about soccer, you would understand what is happening with New York Mets baseball!
2
I miss the old memories from Shea Stadium... Hopefully these pitchers can live up to the memories of Cone, Gooden, and Seaver... Let's Go Mets!
2
For the first time in 45 years, I didn't watch a single Mets game last year. Maybe it's just age. It's like, what good is Viagra if your partner isn't interested. What good is watching the Mets if they can't perform. (I realize this analogy has problems, but don't we all.)
But after reading a couple positive articles about this year's team (Gold Glove winner Lagares in center! Matt Harvey throwing 98 mph fastballs!), maybe my baseball libido will be revived.
Well, I'm up for a good year. I hope they are too.
But after reading a couple positive articles about this year's team (Gold Glove winner Lagares in center! Matt Harvey throwing 98 mph fastballs!), maybe my baseball libido will be revived.
Well, I'm up for a good year. I hope they are too.
3
Greg Jeffries...
As someone who has been a Mets fan for 40-years now, all I can say is that it's nice to be able to wear my Mets cap in public again with some degree of pride and enthusiasm.
3
Great pitching, but weak offensively & defensively up the middle except for catcher. You can't win without a strong double play combination & a above average center fielder.They have to make a block buster trade and give up potentially minor league stars for a 300 hitter, who can hit 30 HRs.
1
Lagares is about three levels above your typical above-average center fielder. He's probably the best fielding center fielder since Andruw Jones.
10
But can he hit 30 HR's & bat 300 ?, If he can't, who on the Mets can ? Wright is past his prime & will start breaking down.
1
Exactly when do the festivities in Cooperstown begin for the Boy Wonder pitcher? By my calculations he has pitched in the majors for ONLY two seasons. First season: W-3 L-5; second: W-9 L-5; Career record W-12 L-10. Am I missing something?????
1
Yes, you are. The talent is clearly there for a fine career, if he can stay healthy. Through his age 24 season, Nolan Ryan was 29-37. And Harvey is a better pitcher at this age than was Ryan.
5
"Am I missing something?????"
Statistics that measure a pitchers performance better than W-L record?
Statistics that measure a pitchers performance better than W-L record?
5
8 - 10 games separates a winner for an also ran and that is where Terry Collins will focus on turning this franchise around, except here's the thing; while Collins seems to have the respect and ability to get the most out of his players, he is still Terry Collins.
By far the worst tactical manager in MLB and he will cost the the Mets 8 - 10 wins this season with inability to manage a bullpen, know how to hold a two run lead in the 7th, when to pull for a pinch hitter, how to protect his players from umpire abuse and generally sit on his hands while Rome burns down on a hot July afternoon in Queens.
That's his karma, that will always be his karma, he never should have been a MLB manager to begin with, his other two experiences ended in disaster and so it will be interesting to hear Saul, Jeff, and Mr. Wilpon, have to stay after they're forced to fire him either in August or the end of season, depending if the willing to eat the remaining of his $1.6 million contract, after they fall under .500 by 8 - 10 games.
Don't drink the Kool-Aide Met fans, nothing is going to change.
By far the worst tactical manager in MLB and he will cost the the Mets 8 - 10 wins this season with inability to manage a bullpen, know how to hold a two run lead in the 7th, when to pull for a pinch hitter, how to protect his players from umpire abuse and generally sit on his hands while Rome burns down on a hot July afternoon in Queens.
That's his karma, that will always be his karma, he never should have been a MLB manager to begin with, his other two experiences ended in disaster and so it will be interesting to hear Saul, Jeff, and Mr. Wilpon, have to stay after they're forced to fire him either in August or the end of season, depending if the willing to eat the remaining of his $1.6 million contract, after they fall under .500 by 8 - 10 games.
Don't drink the Kool-Aide Met fans, nothing is going to change.
1
Good point. You can't have success as a club and expect to reach the post-season without a tactical genius managing. Someone like say, Ned Yost.
I understand being skeptical about the Mets. They haven't been over .500 in a while. That there is even a possibility that James Dolan is not the worst team owner in NY really, really says something about the Wilpons. But claiming that Terry Collins is single-handedly going to cost the them 10 games is a bit much.
I understand being skeptical about the Mets. They haven't been over .500 in a while. That there is even a possibility that James Dolan is not the worst team owner in NY really, really says something about the Wilpons. But claiming that Terry Collins is single-handedly going to cost the them 10 games is a bit much.
3
So what you're saying is..................with the incredibly poor offense they had last year, the questionable defense, the above-average pitching, all they needed to win 89 games was a "good tactical manager". Really? You don't think 79 wins was a a pretty decent showing? Well--let's agree to disagree.
3
While it's not yet clear that all those "good young arms" will produce as advertised--assuming they stay healthy--a hall of fame rotation can't win if they get no support. Hitting has been and remains a big problem for the Metsies, and a suspect defense (outside of CF and 3B) doesn't exactly encourage the belief that that's going to change at least this season. Maybe some of the young guns like Nimmo and Conforto (what a swing the latter has!) will pan out, but that's the future. This year I foresee another tease done in by poor offense.
4
PROBABLE DIVISION WINNERS:
Nats
Dodgers
Cards
PROBABLE WILD CARD CONTENDERS:
Cubs
Brewers
Pirates
Marlins
Padres
Braves
Giants
Amazins'
It will be interesting, but the Mets minus a miracle won't win their division, and are not heads and shoulders above any the of the wild card contenders in my "probable" list. But they should hang in there for most of the season--that's enough entertainment and all we can expect.
Nats
Dodgers
Cards
PROBABLE WILD CARD CONTENDERS:
Cubs
Brewers
Pirates
Marlins
Padres
Braves
Giants
Amazins'
It will be interesting, but the Mets minus a miracle won't win their division, and are not heads and shoulders above any the of the wild card contenders in my "probable" list. But they should hang in there for most of the season--that's enough entertainment and all we can expect.
3
What’s that? Ah — Playoffs? Don’t talk about — playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game! Another game.
i reckon jim is a mets fan.
i reckon jim is a mets fan.
1
Loving the Mets is like living in NYC during a bad winter. Not unlike this one, and the last one, and probably the five before that. Endlessly painful and worse than any skeptic's prediction, at least until spring finally arrives. And all the sweeter for the wait. We gotta believe.
4
It is good to see the enthusiasm at the Mets' spring training camp. It is certainly better than the pessimism of the last few years. I like to evaluate teams at the end of each month of the season so let's check in at the end of April and see how they are doing as we enter the warmer months of the season.
Go Mets
Go Mets
2
I wish I could amend what I wrote earlier about Mets fans being too pessimistic. Perhaps not… I just went to Mets.com to buy Opening Day tickets and here is the message I saw: “This game appears to be sold out or has limited availability.” Sold out 5 weeks before Opening Day? Impossible…. So I went to StubHub and good infield seats there range from $400-$600 each! So I guess I’ll be watching Opening Day at Citi Field on television this year. Be careful of what you ask for in life you may get it.
3
They better keep Niese and Gee close at hand and all warmed up: not all of those kids are gonna turn out to be as good as advertised.
That remains to be seen!
1
A classic Wilponzi scheme in the making.
2
By virtue of reading the blogs and listening to recent callers on Sports Radio, the pessimism, skepticism and negativism (still) of so many Mets fans borders on the irrational. Probably comes from too many years being the redheaded stepchild to their cross-town older brother. Mets fans please cheer up and enjoy what is finally going to be an exciting and fun season of baseball. As “My Cousin Vinny” would say: these Mets “youts” are poised to be contenders this season and for years to come. Let’s Go Mets!
7
A what...?
Did you say 'yute'?
What is a 'yute'?
Did you say 'yute'?
What is a 'yute'?
1
Funny how no one mentions Duda. They need him to hit. They also need Wright to remain healthy. They are poised to succeed, and likewise fail.
5
Glaring omission.
"The pitching is formidable." This lifelong Met fan is not ready to go that far yet. Potentially formidable for sure. But one only needs to recall the unfulfilled promise of Pulsipher, Isringhausen, and Wilson to be brought back down to earth. Still and all, LET'S GO METS!!
7
Isringhausen did pretty well- albeit not with the Mets.
2
The Mets do have lots of promising arms, but clearly Matt Harvey is a cut (or more) above the rest; he has all the makings of a Cy Young Award winner and the talent to one day make Cooperstown if his health will allow it. The Nats are going to be tough for the foreseeable future, but with two wild cards out there, it's not unreasonable to think the Mets could make a run. A fair amount may depend on the bullpen's performance, which for people who study the game is a frustrating variable because one year doesn't seem to mean that much for the next. Your bullpen can go from mediocre to very good or even great in one year or vice versa; or, it must be said, you can also be the Detroit Tigers, a likely exception to the rule.
6
Too bad behind all this irrational Mets exuberance lie (good word there) the Wilpons, ready to snatch defeat (bad PR, tone-deaf internet shilling via Twitter and multiple blogs and the NY Daily News, Ponzi schemes, sexual harassment allegations, non-fan-friendly Citi Field) away from victory. The Wilpon Spectre is always there, and it hangs heavy on smart Mets fans. We'll wait for results.
4