I don’t think there was much good that happened this season. I don’t buy this nonsense that the outfield is good and people are in denial about Matt Harvey’s return date.
I’m tempted to say nothing good happened, but three things did…
1. The Mets dressed well.
The blue looked great. Took years of nagging but they finally listened and everyone agreed it looked good.
2. People are finally with 28.
Murph had a pretty good season. The haters will still hating as late as August, but once they got to see Murph and the 51’s play for several weeks while Wright rehabbed his hammy people finally appreciated Murph.
3. Matt Harvey (and David Wright) started the All Star Game in Citi Field
For just one day in its miserable five year life Citi Field felt like an exciting place. Watching Matt take the mound was really exciting.
Other than that, I dunno. Two of the best players were afterthoughts and are now Pirates. Ike a complete utter Jason Bay Bust. Duda didn’t seize the day. There is no SS. TdA did not impress. Zack Wheeler went 7-5 if you actually bother to look. I guess Dillon Gee was OK. Some of the no-name bullpen guys were ok. Is it worth getting excited about LaTroy Hawkins?
I’m sure this post will get y’all mad. People have been mad at me on twitter since about June 1st.
Anytime there are guys playing in Queens it’s ok to get excited. Now I stare out the window and wait for spring.
And it’s ok to get excited for Hawkins. He did very well.
I think you’re being a TAD pessimistic here, Shannon.
Gee (if you count Harvey) slots in as the fourth guy in the rotation. 199 IP, 12 wins (on a below-.500 team), 3.62 ERA. What other fourth guy in baseball does that?
I agree re: Ike and Duda. I say bring neither back, and come up with a new first baseman who’s going to hit 30+ HRs. I don’t know who or how, but it needs to happen.
Wheeler did go 7-5 but he also gave up only 38 earned runs in 100 IP as a rookie. He struck 84 guys out. His first 10 starts he was pretty susceptible to the long ball, no doubt (9), but over his last seven starts he gave up just one HR. If you extrapolate those 7 starts over a full season? 209 IP, 190 Ks, 73 Earned Runs, 5 HR allowed, 3.14 ERA, .247 BA Against. That seems to me to be a pretty acceptable season, no?
TdA was definitely frustrating at the plate. I’m willing to give him a shot, though. He’s always hit at every level. Every scout in baseball loves him. He’s not just going to 100% lose that. Not yet, at least.
LaTroy stepped up when called upon, I think it’s worth being happy over that. Feliciano should go. Byrdak should go. McHugh is gone. Robert Carson should go. Atchison, Lyon, Burke, Harang, Aardsma should go. Vic Black looked good. Edgin looked good. Parnell is legit. Torres is good. Mejia and Familia looked good. Pick up another power reliever and a second solid contributor (or give LaTroy another year) and IMO the bullpen is set.
EYJr (he was the NL stolen base leader for crying out loud) and Lagares (his arm…) deserve starting positions in the outfield in 2014. I could see packaging den Dekker for a bona fide 1bman and signing Choo.
This would be a fun lineup:
EYJr
Murphy
Wright
Power Hitting 1b
Choo
Lagares
TdA
Tejada
This would be a fun rotation:
Wheeler
Niese
Gee
Torres
Sign Someone
With Harvey returning mid/late in the season.
I’m not saying they’re going to win the NL East, but I think those are serviceable lineups.
I know it’s Alderson’s talking point, but the team was 51-51 the last 102 games of the season. That’s without Harvey the last six weeks. That’s without Wright for six weeks. That’s without Parnell the last two months.
Think about that, man.