The Mets are doomed to a last-place finish with or without a healthy Santana, so the question is no doubt moot. But his relative recovery – say, 12-13 wins, 150 innings, no trips to the DL – would be a rallying point for Mets fans who are starving for good news.
via 12 spring training storylines to watch – The York Daily Record.
Doomed to a last place finish? I say nay. Let’s actually play 10 games before we cast off this team. Believe me, I will be the first one quoting the mathematics of the situation if they are 8 back on May 1st, but this notion that they are doormats just doesn’t work for me.
I know it’s fun to hate on the team this winter but the way I see it is they traded Reyes, Turner and Capuano for Davis, Wright and a roll of the dice on Santana. You never know, it might just work.
Ya gotta believe?
Because every other team in the NL East is significantly better, at every position and in every area, than the Mets. Period.
That said, I’m still excited for this season. Fixing the uniforms was enough. For now.
I don’t think the Mets will be unwatchable, and I believe a .500 or better season is possible.
But look at the rest of the division – tell me which team is not better than the Mets. How many of the Mets’ projected starters would play for the Phillies, Braves, Marlins or Nationals?
Last place seems likely, but if the Mets can do better I certainly won’t complain. 🙂
but look at say the 1990 Mets with Viola, Gooden, Sid, Darling and Cone. They didn’t make the playfofs (91 wins). You never know until you play.
Teams are better or worse than they’re objectively “supposed” to be all the time, but the Mets don’t even get the benefit of objectivity. Everybody thinks they’re going to stink just because they’re didn’t sling money around for free agents or retain Reyes as any legitimate “large market” team should. It’s got little to do with any actual ability to compete (if titles were tied to either of those factors, the Mets would’ve torn up the league the past 20 years).
A wild card run would be a huge, pleasant surprise considering the depth of the division, but a .500 or better record is by no means out of the question. The Mets merely have the same problem they’ve had for the past few years: lack of top-flight pitching. A decent rebound by Santana and some maturing elsewhere in the rotation could even make for an interesting summer.
I love the optimism of this blog. I’m OK with a losing season so long as the mets are committed to rebuilding, and it really seems that they are. At this point, I’m just looking forward to seeing them on the field and playing baseball again, in fantastic sans-black uniforms, no less.
Amen Sean….and you do get to play 162 games, you never know.