"Hair" We Go Again
Coming off back to back playoff seasons with a World Series appearance in 2015, it remains to be seen what the 2017 New York Mets will do with their recent success. Will their winning ways continue, or will they falter and injuries to key players hamper their quest at a 3rd World Series title. The NL East remains a strong division this year with the Nationals always in contention, the Phillies looking to build up from their restocked farm system, the Marlins rising with young stars, and the Braves looking to regain the success they had for much of the 90’s.
The New York Mets success immediately begins with the strength of their starting pitching. They covet some of the best power pitching young arms in the game; Noah Syndergaard (often referred to as Thor), Jacob DeGrom (also well known for his great head of hair), and Matt Harvey (referred to as “The Dark Knight”). The three pitchers are no short of potential “aces” on any Major League team, and they look to build off their recent success in their bright young careers. Leading the way is Noah Syndergaard, since breaking onto the scene in 2015 he has posted a 23-16 record, 2.84 ERA, and 391 strikeouts in 333.2 innings and was voted to his first All-Star Game last year. Not far behind, if not ahead, Jacob DeGrom looks to continue his fast start to being a successful Major League pitcher. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2014 (9-6, 2.69 ERA, 144 strikeouts). He was then voted to the All-Star game in 2015 where he finished the season with a 14-8 record a 2.54 ERA and had 205 strikeouts in 191 innings. Matt Harvey, the third ace of the staff, has been a question mark for the team in his first five years. An All-Star in 2013, Harvey’s success was quickly in doubt when he underwent Tommy John Surgery and missed all of 2014. He bounced back posting a 13-8 record in 2015. Unfortunately the bounce back didn't last into 2016, Harvey posted a 4-10 record, with a sub 4.86 ERA in only 17 games. He was then shut down and later opted for surgery, thus resulting in yet another injury plagued season.
While the New York Mets are currently relying on their pitching strengths, they still seem to have a formidable lineup to do some damage in the National League. The lineup returns strong power bats; lead off Curtis Granderson (76 HR’s last three seasons), middle of the lineup hitter Yoenis Cespedes (31 HRs, .280 BA, 86 RBIs), and recently welcomed slugging outfielder Jay Bruce (acquired via trade from the Cincinnati Reds in 2016). Jose Reyes looks to return to his old form and be a utility infielder. Reyes' role seemingly appears more and more important as All-Star third baseman David Wright has continuously been hampered due to major injuries in recent years. Michael Conforto looks to build on his small sample size at the big league level, and provide the young talent the Mets have been looking for.
While the Mets have a strong front three in the rotation, they still have many question marks to begin the 2017 season. Jeurys Familia has been a dominant closer the last two seasons (94 saves, 170K’s, 2016 All-Star), however his recent success has been clouded due to off field issues. He was just suspended for 15 games for domestic violence. Starter Seth Lugo has been diagnosed with a slight UCL tear in his pitching elbow, and is currently seeking a second opinion. Zach Wheeler appears to be the real wild card at this point, and his success throughout the 2017 season may be a big impact on the Mets hunt for October. Look for him to even out his up and downs, and be a consistent starter moving forward.
The Mets have had recent success in the postseason and regular season, however they are left with big question marks for the 2017 season, and health to many star players may just hold them back from repeating another October run.