Jon Niese’s shoulder and five other things that need to stay intact

As we've learned from the meaningless games of spring training, this Mets team has the potential to fill the stadium with meaningful games in September. This is not a rebuilding team like the Braves or Diamondbacks and it is certainly not a floundering team (Rockies), nor a middling one (Brewers), nor an aging one (Phillies). [...]

The Nats are overrated

As you read the various 2015 season previews you’ll be hard pressed to find any prognosticator who doesn’t pick the Washington Nationals to handily win the National League East. Several are predicting they’ll win the National League Pennant and even the World Series. According to the Sporting News, “a team with hardly any flaws should [...]

2015 Mets as viewed by an optimist, pessimist and realist

Given all the questions surrounding the Mets – unproven players, key contributors coming back from injuries, etc – it’s not easy to objectively predict what the 2015 season has in store for them. Here are some predictions from three perspectives. The 2015 Mets – the Rose Colored Glasses Edition Matt Harvey continues his spring dominance [...]

An All-Star team of ex-Mets

Over the past five seasons, the Mets have seen their share of roster churn. Between trades, free agency, DFAs and non-tenders, the league is well represented by former Mets players. Among them are plenty of marginal players, but also some high quality players – some of whom may be better than what we currently have [...]

Sizing Up the NL East

As they prepare for a pivotal 2015 season, the Mets could be worse off than being in the National League East. Not every division features two teams in clear rebuilding mode. However, whether against the retooling Phillies or Braves, the fledgling Marlins, or the contending Nationals, the Mets will need to be at their best [...]

Wright vs. Reyes – Did the Mets keep the right star?

At the conclusion of the 2011 season, General Manager Sandy Alderson was faced with what still stands as the biggest decision of his Mets tenure. David Wright and Jose Reyes were both 28 years old and set to become free agents. Alderson only had the budget to resign one of the team’s two homegrown, fan-favorite [...]

Where is Sandy Alderson’s handwritten apology to Mets fans?

This was supposed to be a big offseason. The dead weight contracts were off the books, the young gun pitchers had arrived with more on the way, The Dark Knight was coming back, and the fans were getting restless. After four consecutive losing seasons on his watch, and four winters of shedding salary and stockpiling [...]