“Well? How did I get here?” – David Byrne, Talking Heads, “Once In A Lifetime”
Right now, the Mets find themselves in a strange place. Their division, the National League East, entered the 2014 season with one team that was clearly head-and-shoulders above the rest. It had another team that had been a Wild Card participant the previous year, another that had been a perennial contender loaded with veteran talent and a third that was brimming with prospects bubbling just beneath the surface. And it had the Mets, the team that had spent years shedding its skin as well as a load of payroll. At the beginning of 2014, it was a team that could boast not much more than David Wright and Matt Harvey – and he wasn’t even going to pitch. Oh, sure, they also had a boatload of prospects with tons of talent that you’d heard of, but in a market like New York, where results must be immediate, the Mets were still a bad joke.
By the end of the 2014 season, though, a weird vibe swept through the division. Sure, the Nationals rode roughshod over everyone – especially the Mets – as predicted, but the Braves faltered, finishing in a tie with New York and technically behind it. The Phillies continued to age visibly, like a time-lapse picture of Dorian Gray. In Miami the two shiniest baubles of all that young talent found themselves on the disabled list. And the Mets suddenly had Jacob deGrom as the shoo-in Rookie of the Year candidate, Juan Lagares as the obvious Gold Glove choice in center field, Zack Wheeler as effective a number-two starter as we’ve seen since the days of Al Leiter and a staunch and sometimes stellar bullpen. They also had Lucas Duda, a 30-home run man anchoring first base and Daniel Murphy slashing his way to a fine season at second. And while Wright and Curtis Granderson had disappointing seasons at the plate, they were “veteran” enough to earn the benefit of the doubt for 2015. And Harvey is coming back.
In the early offseason, the wheel-spinning among the other members of this division has continued. Washington is still the class of the East, no doubt. New Atlanta GM John Hart dealt sprightly young outfielder Jason Heyward in a quest for ever more pitching, and is supposed to be shopping Justin Upton as well. The Marlins just gave a mint to Giancarlo Stanton, leading the rest of the world to wonder if they can pay anybody else, or is Stanton going to have to pull a “Bugs Bunny?” The Phillies, meanwhile, have done nothing to address their glaring issues: they have not gotten younger, they have not gotten more athletic, they did not sign Cuban defector Yasmany Tomas, as many had predicted they would and they watched as A.J. Burnett sauntered back to Pittsburgh.
The Mets now have an opportunity to vault Philly, Miami and Atlanta and possibly nail down a Wild Card berth for 2015. It will take some shrewd offseason maneuvering by Sandy Alderson to see it through. The needs are obvious – we’ve been talking about them since August: one more bat, a solid everyday shortstop, another lefty for the bullpen and perhaps another outfielder to supplement Granderson and the newly-signed Michael Cuddyer. The Winter Meetings start on Sunday. The opportunity is there.
Sander Alderson needs to seize it.
Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.
What move does Sandy have at his disposal to make?
Is the shortstop Daniel Descalso available?
I think he is, and he should be inexpensive.
He has pretty good numbers, and seems
to be pretty clutch, young, strong, and
multi-talented. Played all four infield positions
in four straight games last year, Cardinal record.
I don’t know how it all works,
I try and learn what all of the availability rules are.
The past two years I don’t really agree with anyone
the Mets bought, except Colon. I think we should
buy younger players. I think we should trade Tejada,
though I’m fond of him, and keep Flores. Delscalso
looks like a Brooklyn Dodger. He can play football.
I’m just looking for people to buy, cause I think I could do it better than
the Mets brass does. We bought an older outfielder again,
we don’t need outfielders and he cost a lot of money.
We let Eric Young Jr. go and he has a good attitude.
I never get it, what they do up there on top. It seems
we’re almost there now that Duda is at first, we’re almost there….
We should be able to pitch now that deGrom turned out
to be a player.
I’ll pass on Descalso.
I hate to nitpick on one tiny thing in your article, but proclamations that Wheeler has produced at a #2 level is starting to become a pet-peeve so i’m sorry i have to hijack the article to point this out.
He’s a #4 right now, with upside of course.
But so far statistically, he’s been a #4.
I repeat, a #4.
As outlined in my Nov24,2014 1:43 am post https://mets360.com/?p=23716.
Once again, a #4.
I’m sorry, what number was that again?
So true Name.
The Mets last winning record was 2008 so I would be very happy with a playoff spot.
If the Mets acquired Brad Miller for either Gee or Niese it would improve the SS position. If they picked up one of Kyle Blanks, John Maberry Jr or Gaby Sanchez (as Cerone mentions in Metsblog) it would provide a right handed hitting bat to supplement the bench and not expose Duda. All are inexpensive options that would improve the current team but will it get the Mets to a playoff spot?
If the Mets want to increase their chances, they are going to have to do much better than this. The NL East is weaker but finishing second does not guarantee a playoff spot. The Mets goal should be to overtake the Nationals, not hope that a few small acquisitions will get them to that second playoff spot. I agree Charlie, seize the opportunity.
Team Motto: “Game 163 or Bust!”
They are shooting no higher than meaningful games in September.
Mediocrity loves MLB’s expanded playoff format.
Here’s my blockbuster.
We get Arenado and Tulo from the Rockies in exchange for Wheeler, Montero, Murphy, and Mejia.
Wright moves to LF. Cuddyer teaches Wright OF, and platoons the corners and 1B.
Chris, I don’t know if the Rockies do that.
I agree that they aren’t far off from competing for a playoff spot, especially in this week division. Their pitching is stellar, but they still need to tighten up defensively up the middle. I think they’ll pick up a SS that has more range than Flores, deal Murph and slide Flores to second.
While the Mets have an excellent chance at finishing second in the division, a shot at a wildcard is completely different, The west has the Giants and Dodgers. The central will have the Cardinals,Pirates and Brewers. So yes I do think there should be optimism for improving within the division. But the ultimate goal of reaching the playoffs and more is going to be more difficult task especially with TC at the helm.