Calm down, folks. Nobody needs to shout that trendy phrase “dumpster fire” just yet. These New York Mets aren’t dead in the water just yet.
Disgrace, junk, garbage, and my personal favorite, the phrase that has become synonymous with the trendy world of social media, “dumpster fire.”All of these phrases and more have been used to label the 2017 New York Mets.
A team whose talent (on the surface) could only be matched by few teams across the land, come into Saturday night with a disappointing record of 20-26, third in the National League East and a cool 8.5 games behind the division-leading Washington Nationals.
Cue the hot takes. Cue the headlines of disaster not only from the recognizable New York tabloids, but from the ESPNs and Fox Sports of the world.
Fact: the New York Mets have lost 10 of their last 14 games.
Fact: not everything is horrible.
Jacob deGrom is back. The true ace of the Mets staff has washed away his disappointing 2016 season and in one fell swoop (thanks in part to Noah Syndergaard‘s issues) taken back his ace status. After his stellar 10-strikeout, one run victory in Pittsburgh on Friday night, deGrom is sporting a 4-1 record with an improving 3.23 ERA and 86 Ks in 64 innings. The newfound strikeout total is especially impressive for the reliable righty.
How about Zack Wheeler? This 26-year-old once highly-touted prospect who hasn’t pitched in years (two, to be exact), has shown promising ability in 2017. He hasn’t pitched to a Cy Young level, of course, but to call him a solid No. 3 or 4 starter isn’t out of the question.
The rest of the staff is where Terry Collins runs into trouble. Nobody should ever attempt to figure out Matt Harvey. It’s a project not worth taking on for the sanity of one’s self. Robert Gsellman has now fallen into the same category.
But Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard will eventually return, fulfilling the Mets prized rotation this season. Tyler Pill, the most recent savior, is another option who could plug the holes.
Without Jeurys Familia, the bullpen feels like it’s in shambles. Sporting a total ‘pen ERA of 4.94, fifth worst in the majors, in reality, it is. Guys like Paul Sewald and Josh Edgin have done much to turn that around in recent games and Addison Reed can most definitely act as a solid closer.
[graphiq id=”6Fmmas7iJaB” title=”New York Mets Most Recent Game Recap” width=”600″ height=”553″ url=”https://sw.graphiq.com/w/6Fmmas7iJaB” frozen=”true”]Should the Mets turn things around, the ‘pen is the one spot Sandy Alderson must address.
The key in turning it around immediately? This lineup.
Prior to the season when looking around the diamond and in the outfield, the Mets sported a power-filled, dangerous lineup that could compete with anybody. Granted, it’s an unbalanced lineup constructed under the theory of “a base on balls and a blast” that may not play well in October, but over the course of 162 games, it could be lethal during the stretches it catches absolute fire.
No Yoenis Cespedes, by far the club’s best hitter. No Asdrubal Cabrera for a long stretch of the season. No Jose Reyes, at least decently hitting Jose Reyes.
Michael Conforto, though, has arrived.
Mikey C., as the kids call him, is batting .326 with 13 home runs and 32 runs batted in. From the leadoff spot, his on-base percentage remains fantastic at .423.
Through Conforto, a star has been born. Over the next week or so, Cespedes will return. Eventually, so will Cabbie at full strength.
Check out what the Mets lineup will look like once it’s back at full strength relatively soon:
Against RHP:
- Michael Conforto
- Jose Reyes
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Jay Bruce
- Neil Walker
- T.J. Rivera / Lucas Duda
- Asdrubal Cabrera
- Rene Rivera / Travis d’Arnaud
Against LHP:
- Michael Conforto
- Jose Reyes
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Jay Bruce
- Neil Walker
- Wilmer Flores
- Asdrubal Cabrera
- Rene Rivera / Travis d’Arnaud
The issue of whether or not Mikey C. should bat leadoff can and should continue, but the point holds true: this is a damn good lineup when healthy.
If Mikey C. Hist Third:
- Jose Reyes
- Asdrubal Cabrera
- Michael Conforto
- Yoenis Cespedes
- Jay Bruce
- Neil Walker
- T.J. Rivera / Wilmer Flores / Lucas Duda
- Rene Rivera / Travis d’Arnaud
Nobody can count on any Mets player staying healthy. Numbers, while some try to use them to point out this organization’s health mirrors other clubs, can also be used to point out it’s pretty damn bad.
What you can count on, though, is that this lineup will go on a torrid streak of power at some point during the season. It hasn’t happened yet, and this can be considered a good thing.
Just rewind the clocks a short two years. In a season that felt doomed, the Mets went on a run for the ages all the way to the World Series. That .500 team far past the MLB All-Star break proved everybody wrong. Don’t put yourself in a position in which they can prove you wrong again.
Don’t be that “hot take guy” not even one-third into a marathon of a season.
One hot streak from a scary lineup gets this club back to .500, the same spot the 2015 version found themselves during the thick of the pennant race.