The Mets have been the butt of many jokes the last decade. Their owner got hammered in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme and their name right’s owner on their ballpark was one of the architects of the 2008 financial collapse. It’s about time for something to go right in New York.
I actually have a crush on the New York Mets this season. I have been known to fall in love with prospects, especially pitchers, but there’s a lot to like on the Mets. Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler showed promise in 2014 and Matt Harvey is set to return from Tommy John surgery. They also have pitcher Noah Syndergaard waiting in Triple-A for a call-up.
The Mets even have defense on their side. Juan Lagares is possibly the most underrated defensive outfielder in the Majors. They also still have David Wright manning the hot corner. Opposing teams will have a low BABIP against the Mets this season.
Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the New York Mets.
2014 Win/Loss Record: 79-83
Key Additions: 1B John Mayberry Jr. & OF Michael Cuddyer
Key Losses: OF Eric Young Jr., RP Daisuke Matsuzaka, RP Dana Eveland & RP Gonzalez Germen,
Interleague Schedule: AL East
Projected Starters: Travis d’Ardnaud, Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Wilmer Flores, Curtis Granderson, Juan Lagares & Michael Cuddyer
Projected Starting Rotation: Matt Harvey, Bartolo Colon, Jonathan Niese, Zack Wheeler & Jacob deGrom
Closer: Jenrry Mejia
Fantasy Sleeper: OF John Mayberry Jr. – Mayberry was hampered by a wrist injury and was then traded from Philly to Toronto. He comes to the Mets in hopes of resurrecting his career. He showed promise in Philly in a platoon role. He does well against lefties, but there isn’t a natural platoon partner in New York. He is behind Kirk Nieuwenhuis on the depth chart, but Mayberry has much more upside. Keep an eye on the outfield situation in New York this Spring Training.
Prospect To Keep Your Eye On: SP Noah Syndergaard – Syndergaard was the young arm that was supposed to dominate in 2014, but Jacob deGrom leapfrogged him when Syndergaard injured his AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder in a plate collision. His numbers are Triple-A aren’t very good, but he has a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio (145/43). He was only 21 years old last season. The average age in Triple-A is nearly 27, so he was facing older competition. He will start the season in Triple-A again and I expect better numbers.
Team Analysis: I don’t want to jinx the Mets, but I kind of like their team. Their starting rotation is underrated and they are one of the best defensive teams in the Majors (although one could argue that Travis d’Arnaud’s defense at catcher is well below average).
The Mets are finally fielding a team that can take advantage of Citi Field’s dimensions. The pitching staff is a major part of it. Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom are three of the best young pitchers in the Majors. Bartolo Colon and Jonathan Niese both pitch for contact and there’s no place better.
I expect Lucas Duda to be an All-Star this season. This is the first time he’s had the full-time starting job at first on Opening Day since he’s been in the league. Dude is only 29 and is in his prime. He had to wait behind Ike Davis until the Mets finally gave up on him. In his first pro season with at least 500 at-bats, he smashed 30 homers and drove in 92 runs.
The Washington Nationals will most likely to win NL East, but there’s a Wild-Card spot with New York’s name on it. A few perennial top-tier teams (Atlanta and San Franciso) are expected to take a step backwards, so why not the Mets?
2015 Wins Over/Under Betting Line: 82.5 (Prediction: OVER)
2015 Projected Win/Loss Record: 85-77 (2nd in NL East)
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About the Author… Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.