I haven’t done one of these in a while….
Behold! A gateway to your own past if you wish. All that you knew has been altered.
July 29, 2015: The Mets, just three games over .500, but only two behind Washington in the NL East, trade Wilmer Flores to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez.
September 2015: Gomez bats just .242 with 4 HRs and 13RBIs as the Mets never quite click and finish a disappointing 83-79. The Nationals go on to win the NL East. The Mets are unable to stay in the hunt and miss the playoffs yet again.
November 2015: the Mets announce Terry Collins will take on a senior adviser role in the organization. Tim Teufel is named field manager of the New York Mets.
December 2015: Daniel Murphy signs a three year deal with the Nationals. The Mets, coming off another disappointing season on the field and at the gate, decide not to take on any big salaries and head into 2016 with Dilson Herrera as the every day second baseman.
Spring 2016: Hopes are high for Tim Teufel’s Mets, with young starting pitching, and a scrappy team with veterans like Wright, Gomez and Granderson supported by two exciting young players in left-fielder Michael Conforto, and second baseman Herrera scheduled to play every day.
June 2016: The Mets are struggling. David Wright is likely gone for the year. Conforto, playing every day, struggles to stay above .220. Herrera is batting .210. Matt Harvey, clearly struggling, is skipped a start for Jon Niese. The Mets consider brining Jose Reyes back after he is released by the Rockies, but decide he is not worth the baggage.
All Star Break 2016: Mets fans are livid when NL Manager Matt Williams gets neither Noah Syndergaard nor Bartolo Colon into the game. During the break, Dilson Herrera, batting just .211 is sent to AAA, and Matt Harvey is shut down for the year.
August 2016: it is another lost season for the Mets as Gomez is on his way to what will be just a 13 home run season in cavernous Citi Field. The lone bright spot is Eric Campbell, now the every day third baseman. The Mets try to trade Dilson Herrera for Jay Bruce but are laughed at by the Reds.
September 2016: Queens is a ghost town. There are no meaningful games at Citi Field. Tim Teufel’s team finishes with a very familiar 83 wins, mainly thanks to the efforts of Bartolo Colon, Jon Niese, Noah Syndergaard and Eric Campbell.
November 2016: Bartolo Colon signs with the Braves. Sandy Alderson takes a run at free agent Yoenis Cespedes, but at four years and $110 million the price is too high for the middle of the pack Mets. The Mets plan to head into 2017 with a squad of Duda, TJ Rivera, Cabrera, Campbell, Conforto, Gomez, Granderson and d’Arnaud, anchored by their great young pitching.
Time has resumed its shape. All is as it was before. Many such journeys are possible….let me be your guide.
