Opening Day Confessions

I make it no mystery- I am a Mets fan.  I do not want an award and I do not want some sly comment about “My Entire Team Suck” (METS acronym). I have heard it all before and it is old.  I do not go out of my way to remind people how their teams are not good or how “this player is a clown” or “that player is so over rated.”  What is the point?  The only thing I care about is winning.  Out of 162 games, if your team can win 90-95 of them, you have a high percentage chance of making the playoffs and competing for a World Series ring.  That is all that matters to fans.  We love signing the free agents but only to provide us with more hope and commitment towards the goal- a World Series ring.  We love trades- and why?- to provide us with more hope and commitment towards the goal- a World Series ring.  So when I look at the 2011 Mets….and the 2012 Mets….and the 2013 Mets, I see one thing- a big market ball club who is not providing its fans with more hope and commitment towards the goal- a World Series ring- any time in the near future.  That is what bothers me as a fan and I must confess, I am getting tired of it.

I understand the importance on long-term goals and fan bases are impatient groups of people.  It is a fact.  We do not look at this completely detached and as a business challenge but an emotional experience.  We want to feel good in the experience.  While trades of promising prospects make us feel good about a better tomorrow, what about today?  Why does our starting OF consist of a lot of players who would not be starters on most teams in Major League Baseball? Why could the Mets not offer another SP a minor league contract or two to come to spring training for insurance?  If there is not money problems within the ownership group, why is there no investment into the club?  These are all fair questions to ask.

Look- I know the 2013 Mets could not and will not compete with the top-tier NL team.  I know they “tried” to obtain Justin Upton and/or Michael Bourn in the offseason and it did not work out. I am not saying the 2014 and 2015 is not a fair assessment to add outside talent to the club- because it is.  I guess it just gets really irritated to sit and think on Opening Day (and this is the first time I have felt this way ever) that this season is all about evaluating young talent and making games interesting.  That is not why fans watch the game.  Any one who tells you it is about having fun while watching your team forgot to acknowledge the object of the game- to win.  We do not pay $50-$500 a ticket to watch a team have fun.  We watch them in hopes they win and we can celebrate that accomplishment.

I take a deep breath now and look at the 2013 Mets position by position:

C- John Buck: He is an experienced catcher who knows how to handle a pitching staff.  If he can hold a .250 average and provide some pop, he will have value as a starter and as a bench veteran when Travis D’Arnaud comes to the majors.  My hope is that Buck holds D’Arnaud in the minors until at least mid-season with his 2013 performance.

1st- Ike Davis: Quietly, he has flown under the radar with this sub-par first half in 2012.  With 23 HRs in the second half of the year, Ike Davis looks to regain a bit of his overall average and superior defensive skills.  I feel Ike Davis has the ability to hit .280 with 26 HRs and 100 RBIs this year.

2nd- Daniel Murphy:  As Murph is a warrior and has worked hard to become a decent fielding second baseman, Daniel Murphy must stay healthy and hit with more power this year.  I feel Murphy can be a 15-20 HR guy but it will come at a cost to his average (.290 hitter down to maybe .270).  He does provide a little fire and motivation to the team.  His spunk will be needed to drive the young core of the Mets on a daily basis.

SS- Ruben Tejada:  I think Tejada is a great defensive player who is a slap hitter.  He is a nice contributor off the bench and when you need a spot starter.  I just do not think that the Mets can win with Tejada at SS when the team lacks offense in so many other positions.  On a winning team, Daniel Murphy (without power) and Ruben Tedaja (without power) cannot play every day unless Wright and Davis combine for 55 HRs and the Mets OF hits for 75-80 HRs.  As Jordanny Valdespin has been in discussion for an opportunity while Tejada hit terribly this spring, I feel the season will bring clarity to this position for if the long term answer is inside or outside the organization.

3rd- David Wright:  He is the captain and the most highly recognized talent on the team.  He provides strong defense, leadership and a face to the organization.  He is a strong gaps hitter who could serve well to have a few extra big bats around him so he can play his game– doubles, RBIs, stolen bases and 20-25 HRs a year.  David Wright is not a big HR hitter and when people understand this and provide the lineup with that type of player, David Wright can return to his 2006-2007 form.

LF- Lucas Duda:  I mentioned in Wright’s comment above about that power bat.  This year Lucas Duda needs to step forward and be that power bat.  Duda has ability to hit .280 with 28-30 HRs and 90 RBIs if he can get past his injuries and his confidence issues.  Teammates have described his work ethic as unmatched and it is my only hope he can show that that this work ethic translates into success on the field and in the stats column.

CF- Colin Cowgill/Kirk Nieuwenhuis: This season will show what these two guys can do.  They have an opportunity to shine and earn themselves a spot in this starting lineup for years to come- if they can play solid defense, hit for a decent average and provide the OBP that is needed for a top of the lineup guy.  If they do not produce, watch for Matt den Dekker this July-August to make an appearance in Citi Field to take the job on a long-term basis.

RF- Marlon Byrd is on the Mets roster as a low risk/decent reward player.  He was given a second chance due to his belief in his ability to compete.  Byrd has hit over .300 this spring and looks to provide a bit of leadership to the young talent on the Mets squad.  As a former highly-touted prospect, Byrd knows of the struggles that young players must endure and how to overcome them.  His signing has value beyond his play.  If he can provide respectable offensive and defensive numbers, he will be an integral part of helping the Mets grow this season.

SP:  With Johan Santana out of the season, the strength that was the New York Mets pitching staff is no longer.  Niese and Harvey will be primed to step forward a top end pitching talent while Dillon Gee needs to show he is okay from his surgery last year.  Shaun Marcum is a player where you take what you can get from him as he is a professional.  Zack Wheeler will be with the club by July as he will prove he is ready to compete.

Relief: There is a lot of options here but there is a lot of  players who need to shut up and produce.  Bobby Parnell needs to bring his A game and close games out.  This will provide structure to a bullpen where is 2012, its lack of consistency cost this club a chance at a .500 record. Brandon Lyon and LaTroy Hawkins should provide veteran leadership by example to the pitching staff.

At the end of the day, 2014 and the future success of the Mets will come from this year.  Do the Mets have 3 starters on this years Opening Day 25 man roster that are a part of the fabric for success?  If so, you can add Wheeler to the mix and only need one higher level free agent starter in 2014 to bring one very strong rotation to rival their inner-division competitors.  Will Davis and Duda put together years that will allow them to be long term answers as starters with the Mets?  Is anyone else in the OF going to stake their claim to a starting job for the entire season?  Is Travis D’Arnaud ready to be the primary catcher for this club?  Does the bullpen stink?   If more of these answers become positive than negative, the Mets will spend in 2014.  If there is no resolution to these answers by season’s end, my fear is that the Mets will not move forward with adding prized talent and will replace the failed youth with other inexpensive options that will bring stability to a unstable franchise.

So from the fans of the Flushing Faithful to our ball club:  Inspire us towards something great.

In this world, with all the negativity and challenges it provides, we could all use something to be inspired about.