A National League pennant and World Series berth leads to high expectations for the New York Mets. Can they deliver in 2016?
By Jeremy Fialkow
Boy, this should be a fun season for the New York Mets organization and the fans who helped propel them to a 2015 World Series berth.
There’s much to like about the moves GM Sandy Alderson made in New York’s shortened offseason.
From re-signing Yoenis ‘La Potencia’ Cespedes to a 3-year, $75 million deal (which will likely only be 1-year, $27 million), to letting go of playoff hero and new Met-enemy Daniel Murphy, Alderson has made it clear the Amazin’ Mets are here to stay.
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Toss in a star-studded rotation that will even see another year of Bartolo Colon and the return of another flame thrower in Zack Wheeler come mid-July, and fans quickly realize there isn’t much to complain about.
Still, following up a season as successful as last year’s, will not be easy.
Just ask David Wright, who lived through the highs that come with winning the NL East in 2006, and the lows of the epic 2007 collapse.
In 2015 the Mets finished 90-72, good enough for the top-spot in the NL East, yet with an improved Nationals roster as well, 90 wins might not be enough to earn a division crown this time around.
2016 is also the 30th anniversary of the Mets last World Series Champion team from 1986. With that, the team decided its time to bring back the ridiculously fresh pullover jerseys from that season, which is obviously good for a couple wins throughout the regular season.
It’s time for the Metropolitans to repeat the success of 30 years ago and bring home the franchise’s third Commissioner’s Trophy.
Can they do it? Of course.
Will they do it? Only time will tell.
Without further ado, here’s ESNY’s preview of the 2016 New York Mets season:
