They’ve already been popping up on my Facebook timeline but once the new year officially starts, we’ll really start seeing a plethora of XX days until the start of Spring Training notices. I’ve always thought of Spring Training, much more so than New Year’s, as the new beginning and the sign of hope. Probably because we’ve knocked six or seven more weeks of winter out of the way by then.

As for the Mets, the main thing to see from my point of view is how Peter Alonso fares when it appears he has a shot to go north with the club and be on the Opening Day roster. Hopefully he doesn’t oversleep on the day it’s announced he’ll make his first start. A few tape measure bombs during Grapefruit League play won’t hurt, either.

7 comments on “Monday catch-all thread (12/31/18)

  • TexasGusCC

    An article in MLB.com about five breakout players got me thinking: What 5 guys would I predict on the Mets. The first one was easy, and the second one right after. The third took a bit but four and five needed research. In order:
    -Noah Syndergaard
    -Amed Rosario
    -Michael Conforto
    -Tylor Bashlor
    -Robert Gsellman

  • Pete from NJ

    You know Gus, breakout guys make or break a team. That added value which pushes the team over the finish line.

    So the first three I wouldn’t consider breakout but just a normal progression of results. But Bashlor having unexpected success would do wonder for the pitching staff. And as far as Gsellman, starter or bullpen resultss?

    • Brian Joura

      I wouldn’t put Rosario in with the other two guys – he’s very capable of having a breakout year. The Mets need either Rosario or Peter Alonso to put up a breakout year.

    • TexasGusCC

      Bullpen Pete. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner, I wanted to and thought I did. As for Thor and Conforto, I’m talking major breakout, like MVP and Cy Young talk. Conforto made the all-star game two years ago as the only rep. I’m talking about .300+/.370/.530, 100 RBIs production. Thor made the all-star team as an injury replacement on his usual good numbers, but I want to see 180 innings, 200+ K’s and a 1.0 WHIP dominance.

  • Eraff

    Syndergaard has almost 100 starts….Conforto over 1500 ab’s. Both have Allstar Game Credits…..but I think I get it.

  • Remember1969

    To go with the theme of ‘got thinking’ – there was a recent column from Dayn Perry on CBSSports.com/MLB titled “50 Bold Predictions for MLB in 2019”. I like to do that myself, although it is a bit early for predicting division and World Series champions, but I’ll take a stab at 5 Year-End 2018 individual play predictions for the New York Mets.

    1. Noah Syndergaard will earn the Mets the second Cy Young in a row.

    2. Peter Alonso will have an ‘OK’ spring, get sent to Syracuse for a couple weeks, then come up in late April only to scuffle for a while before being sent back to Syracuse in June – to be called back in August when he starts to put it all together and solidifies himself as the 2020 starter. (hope I am wrong on that one)

    3. Wilson Ramos will have a better year than Yasmani Grandal, wherever he ends up. (JT Realmuto will establish that he is in fact the best catcher in the majors at this point, wherever he ends up)

    4. The Mets will make a last minute (thinking February 1 or so) signing of AJ Pollock, after his market drops off, Signs for 3 years $36M. (bold, not realistic)

    5. Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto will both improve upon their 2018 stats. I guess I never looked at Nimmo’s full 2018 line until now – he had a good year, but there is a lot of room for growth – particularly by cutting down on his strikeouts (and hit by pitches).

  • Brian Joura

    Here’s the link for last night’s podcast with Tim McLeod:

    https://lennymelnickfantasysports.com/podcasts/mets360/mets-360/

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