Now that the New York Mets 2016 season came to an end, it’s time to grade the players out. The good, the bad, the ugly.
The New York Mets 2016 season came to a tough end, losing the National League Wild Card game to the San Francisco Giants.
Overall, considering all the injuries and adversity they went through, it was another good year for the Mets, going to the playoffs for the second straight season.
Some Mets were better than others. This is exactly what we’ll tackle right now.
Note: David Wright, Lucas Duda, Jon Niese and Josh Edgin all got incomplete grades due to not playing enough games due to injury. Sean Gilmartin and Erik Goeddel also didn’t get a grade cause they didn’t pitch enough.
Join us as we comb through the entire roster:
Catcher
Travis d’Arnaud
Clearly, Travis d’Arnaud was a disappointment this season. He continued to struggle defensively throwing runners out but even regressed offensively this season especially in the power department, only hitting four home runs in 251 at-bats after hitting 12 home runs in 239 at-bats in 2015. Plus, he got injured again and spent some time on the DL. His disappointing year just raises the question of whether d’Arnaud is the long term answer as the Mets starting catcher.
Grade: D
Rene Rivera
Rene Rivera as brought up from the scrap heap and quickly fit as the backup catcher, supplanting Kevin Plawecki. Rivera wasn’t much of an offensive force, either, although he displayed some pop with six home runs in limited at-bats. In the end, Rivera was clearly a better defensive catcher than d’Arnaud and threw out a respectable 29 percent of base stealers. He quickly became Noah Syndergaard‘s personal catcher during the season. Rivera should definitely be bought back as a backup, at least.
Grade: C+
Kevin Plawecki
He was just awful all around, maybe even worse than last season. Hit under .200 and wasn’t much better defensively throwing runners, not putting much separation between him and d’Arnaud’s.
Grade: F
Infield
James Loney
James Loney was also brought in from the scrap heap after Lucas Duda went down and quickly became the Mets everyday first baseman. Became a capable defensive first baseman and showed some offensively, even displaying some pop in his bat. Slumped in the middle of the year but finished strong in the last week offensively, including the go-ahead bat flipping home run in the Mets wild card clinching victory in Philly.
Grade: B-
Neil Walker
Acquired in a trade with the Pittsburg Pirates last offseason, Neil Walker got off to a terrific start, hitting nine home runs in the first month of the season and making Mets fans forget Daniel Murphy for a little while. However, he too slumped in the middle of the year but also finished strong before his season ended at the end of August with a bad back.
Grade: B
T.J. Rivera
Young T.J. Rivera was brought in from Triple-A in August and all he has done is hit, hit and hit while also driving in some big runs as well. Also displayed better than expected defense at second base, considering he is normally a third baseman. His play could give the Mets thought that he can man second base next season if Walker doesn’t come back.
Grade: A-
Asdrubal Cabrera
The team’s offensive MVP down the stretch was Asdrubal Cabrera. He provided an upgrade at shortstop with his stellar defense but also surprisingly became an offensive force too power wise. He finished the season with 23 home runs, which is the most that any Mets SS tallied.
Grade: A-
Jose Reyes
Jose Reyes was also brought in off waivers and raised a lot of questions in relation to not only his legal matters but whether he still had it. Reyes proved all the doubters wrong on the field, quickly becoming a sparkplug at the leadoff spot, providing much-needed speed at the top of the order and providing offense too with some power. He has also adapted well defensively at third base, too, considering he hardly played there.
Grade: A-
Wilmer Flores
Wilmer Flores struggled mightily at the start of the year as a bench player but started picking things up near the middle of the year with his epic 6-for-6 game with two home runs vs. the Chicago Cubs back on July 3. Became one of the Mets hottest hitters in August and the beginning of September and was capable of playing all the infield positions. Unfortunately, his season was cut short in September, hurting his wrist in a home-plate collision in Atlanta.
Grade: B
Kelly Johnson
Was re-acquired from the Atlanta Braves once again and just like last season, provided a lot of versatility in the infield and outfield, while getting big hits as a pinch hitter. His most notable moments came when he hit a pinch-hit grand slam against the Phillies and then a week later, came off the bench against hit the go-ahead bases-clearing double against the Miami Marlins.
Grade: B+
Eric Campbell
Once again, Eric Campbell was a non-factor offensively for most of the year, hitting under .200. Not so bad as a first baseman, though.
Grade: D
Matt Reynolds
Matt Reynolds was on and off in the minors and majors but when he was in Flushing, he was a versatile utility player in the infield. He didn’t show too much at the plate, though.
Grade: C-
Outfield
Yoenis Cespedes
No doubt, the best and most feared hitter in the Mets lineup was Yoenis Cespedes. He provided consistent power throughout the year and was stellar defensively in left. His value was highly noticeable when he missed some time in July and August with a strained quad. The Mets offense was at it’s worst at that time. When he came back, the Mets offense soared and so did the team in their wild card run. If he opts out, he is definitely a must sign for the organization.
Grade: A
Curtis Granderson
The Grandyman got off to a terrible start offensively with his low average, low RBI total, low walks and inability to hit with runners in scoring position. However, something clicked in September and he became the hitter he was last season with seven home runs in the month, helping him reach 30. Also, suddenly, became clutch, especially hitting the game-tying and walk homers vs. the Minnesota Twins back on September 17. Can’t throw, as expected, but still had the range to become a solid outfielder, playing all three outfield positions.
Grade: C+
Jay Bruce
The marquee trade for the Mets during the trade deadline, Jay Bruce got off to a horrific start, batting .150 with only four home runs. But he woke up at the right time during the last week, hitting four runs in that span, helping the Mets reach the wild card.
Grade: D+
Michael Conforto
Michael Conforto, the Mets early No. 3 hitter, got off to a blazing start in April, boosting his star potential but quickly fell apart once it became May and never found a consistent groove the rest of the way. He was then bounced between minors and majors a couple times.
Grade: D
Juan Lagares
The offense from Juan Lagares was still the same. He couldn’t hit righties but hit lefties. Defensively, he was the 2014 Gold Glove version once again, adding more highlight reels to his resume. However, one of his reels came at a big cost when he injured his thumb making a diving catch back in June and had to go to the DL while having surgery on it. Was able to come back in September on limited duty.
Grade: C
Brandon Nimmo, Ty Kelly
Brandon Nimmo came in at the start of July and started with a bang, hitting a three-run homer vs. the Chicago Cubs on July 1. He then saw limited time and was sent back and forth in the minors before coming back to the majors in September to finish it off. Was mainly a reserve the rest of the way but had some pinch hits in the last month.
Ty Kelly was also on and off in the minors and majors. Kelly wasn’t much of an offensive force but provided depth in the outfield, was gritty at the plate, and provided some speed as a pinch runner.
Grade: C
Alejandro De Aza
Alejandro De Aza got off to a terrible start was nearly released but played much better in July, saving his season. We didn’t see much the rest of the way but had a few big homers at the end of August that turned the Mets season around.
Grade: C-
Starting Pitching
Noah Syndergaard
After an impressive rookie year in 2015, Noah Syndergaard took a step up in 2016. He quickly became the ace at the start of the year and finished at 14-9 with a 2.60 ERA and 218 Ks, which was fourth in the league, despite pitching with bone spurs in the second half. With his hard-throwing stuff, as long as he’s healthy, there’s no reason why he can’t be even better moving forward.
Grade: A
Jacob deGrom
Jacob deGrom had some physical issues early with his lower back but settled in and pitched like an ace again near the middle of the year. However, the physical issues flared up and he struggled in his last three starts before shutting it down, having elbow surgery.
Grade: B
Steven Matz
Got off to a great start in April and May, going undefeated in a two-month stretch. But the bone spurs flared up for Matz as well in June and he was never consistent the rest of the way. Finished his season with a bang, taking a no-hitter into the 8th-inning against the San Diego Padres before shutting it down with a shoulder impingement.
Grade: B-
Matt Harvey
The Dark Knight suffered through a nightmarish year from start to the finish before ending his season with shoulder surgery. His velocity was down throughout and was as hittable as he ever was.
Grade: D
Bartolo Colon
What can you say? This ageless 43-year-old wonder continues to amaze. Bartolo Colon won 15 games, which is the most by a Mets starter this year, to go with a 3.43 ERA, very impressive considering his age and him throwing only fastballs that don’t even reach 90 m.p.h. at times. Not only did he marvel on the mound but his bat produced highlights, as we all saw with his epic home run in Sand Diego in May. Just like Cespedes, Colon is also a must re-sign.
Grade: A
Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo
Gsellman and Lugo came in at the end of August and both of them provided a huge boost on the mound, saving the rotation and the season as well. In limited duty, Gsellman went 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA while Lugo went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA.
Grade: A-
Rafael Montero, Gabriel Ynoa
Both of them made some spot starts and neither of them impressed.
Grade: F
Bullpen
Jeurys Familia
Sure, he lost it in the NL Wild Card Game but that alone shouldn’t determine his overall season, which was really good again. After 43 saves last year, Familia saved a team-high 51 saves in 56 attempts with a 2.55 ERA and 84 Ks in 77.2 innings, once again proving to be one of the best closers right now.
Grade: A-
Addison Reed
Clearly, Addison Reed was the best and most consistent reliever in the Mets pen. His numbers said it all: 4-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 91 Ks in 77.2. Unlike Familia, he rarely had a stressful inning and mowed down hitters with ease as the setup man.
Grade: A+
Josh Smoker
The former No. 1 pick was brought in at the end of the year and showed a little something. Smoker got lefties out at times in big spots.
Grade: C
Jerry Blevins
The main lefty in the Mets pen, Blevins actually did better vs. righties overall. But he still was capable at times vs. southpaws. The biggest moment was saving a crucial game in Washington on September by striking out former Met Daniel Murphy with the bases loaded.
Grade: B-
Fernando Salas
The former closer for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the St. Louis Cardinals, Salas was acquired at the end of August and quickly became a fixture as the 7th-inning man down the stretch.
Grade: B
Hansel Robles
Hansel Robles was pretty similar to his rookie year in 2015. When he was on, he was dominating with his hard stuff and striking out hitters but when he wasn’t, he was erratic and constantly put baserunners on. So overall, it was another inconsistent year for him. His good stuff gives him the potential to be a dominating reliever someday but he definitely needs to have a better mentality especially things get tough.
Grade: C+
Jim Henderson
Impressed early with hard-throwing stuff but went on the DL with shoulder issues in June. He came back in the end but didn’t fare as well as he did in the start.
Grade: C
Manager
Terry Collins
It was an up and down year for the Mets skipper. He still made questionable moves, especially with his bullpen but deserves credit for keeping the team afloat with all the injuries they experienced. The 2016 season is a testament to his persona as a players’ manager and getting the most out of his guys at the end should not go unnoticed.
Grade: B