4. New York Mess, err, Mets
Here’s the good news: there is talent here, both veteran and younger. The 2012 season (74 wins) was not a disaster, considering the injuries. Things can only go up from here.
Here’s the bad news: without a direction, there will be no destination.
This is the eternal problem of the New York franchises. They have to win yesterday, today, and tomorrow, or the pressure becomes unbearable. Thus, when some teams (like the Mets) face aging, declining stars and need to start over with youth, they struggle to not stink too badly as they rebuild- making the rebuilding more difficult.
Position players
Collin Cowgill CF
Daniel Murphy 2B
David Wright 3B
Ike Davis 1B
Marlon Byrd RF
Lucas Duda LF
John Buck C
Ruben Tejada SS
David Wright is a very good 3B. Marlon Byrd is a patchwork job at best in right. Ike Davis has a bright future ahead of him if he can stay healthy. But the rest of the Mets position players are a bunch of question marks or never-weres. For a team that struggled to score runs last year- 25th in MLB- where do the runs come from? Several of the Mets had good springs- including Davis and Byrd, which should give Mets fans hope- but the story here, for now, is no experience and no power.
Pitching
Jonathon Niese
Shaun Marcum
Matt Harvey
Dillon Gee
Bobby Parnell (Closer)
The Mets pitching staff can be summed up in two words: “Who?” and “OWW!”
They lost Johan Santana for the season.
Parnell is a solid closer, but the rest of the Mets are a question mark. They did, as a group, allow the second lowest runs allowed in the Grapefruit League. But several starters are untested. Their best pitchers left the team this offseason- so is there enough depth in the farm system to rebuild well, right away? Maybe. Time will tell.
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