We have heard that Spring Training does not matter all the time throughout the exhibition season. Some players have tremendous springs, which does not lead to success in the regular season, and some players have awful springs, yet have success during the season. However this Spring Training, the Mets played fairly well down the stretch, and finished first in the National League with a record of 19-12. Now obviously finishing first in the Grapefruit League does not guarantee a great season, however past results have shown us a few promising signs.
Since 2006, teams that finish Spring Training as the National League Champion usually experience a prosperous regular season. The Marlins have won two Spring Training titles, but finished with the lowest amount of wins from the group, winning 78 games. Only one other team finished below .500, and that was the 2009 Milwaukee Brewers. The nine National League teams that finished first in Spring Training had an average win total of 86 games, as three teams went on to win the division, one team reached the playoffs via Wild Card, while the other five teams failed to reach the playoffs. One team won 89 games and did not reach the playoffs, and that team was the 2008 Mets. If the Mets won 86 games last season, instead of 79, they would have been two games out of the Wild Card race, however it would have been a step in the right direction for the organization.
Even though there have been more teams that have not made the playoffs in this group, the statistics have to be reassuring. Successful teams have talent, and that talent comes through when the games are underway, even if they are in Spring Training. It is important not to place too much stock into great performances, but we have seen the Mets talent throughout March, and it is promising. Michael Cuddyer has hit six homers, Wilmer Flores hit .283, Curtis Granderson hit .435, David Wright hit four homers and drove in nine runs, and the starting rotation has looked promising as Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee posted ERAs below 3.00. It is relieving to see Harvey back in form, as worries about his performance after the Tommy John surgery have been quelled and almost eradicated. We will have to wait to see how many more wins Matt Harvey can bring to this team, but we will be entertained every fifth day.
It has been reported numerous times that General Manager Sandy Alderson has placed an expectation of 90 wins from the 2015 Mets, which basically states that he expects the Mets to reach the playoffs. Although it seems the Washington Nationals are the favorites to win the division and the Miami Marlins are seen as competition, the Mets may have a legitimate shot to reach the playoffs. If their young pitching continues to improve and dominate opposing lineups, and the veterans in the lineup remain healthy and productive, it would be foolish to remove the Mets from the playoff conversation. There are a lot of “ifs” being thrown around, but that is the case with every team at this time in the year. Leading the National League in Spring Training may be a small accomplishment, however it is a sign that there are good things to come for the 2015 Mets.
Did you folks see that the Braves and Padres made a trade? The Padres want BJ too? Didn’t they learn from the Braves mistake? Further, bye bye Kimbrel. For Quentin and Maybin? LOL, are the Braves playing for the #1 pick?
The cost of getting Kimbrel was taking on Melvin’s salary. Great trade for the Braves – they don’t need to pay a closer 8 figures, no matter how good he is. This clears up a ton of payroll and makes the rebuild easier. This year was going to be ugly, anyway. Now it may only take three years instead of five, depending how they use the freed-up cash.
Brian, I’m a big believer in chemistry and the Padres just cleaned the slate for the Braves by taking a player like BJ, and now having him sit on their bench, listening to his act out there. Just for this trade alone, I have removed the Padres from wildcard consideration because for all the accolades Kimbrel gets, he is not untouchable.
There are many closers that can be gotten who do not get paid as much, or bring the burden of taking on Melvin Upton. There is such a thing as over-trading or over-tinkering. Tone reform, to the Padres: LOL Padres!
Tone reform (don’t know where that came from) = Therefore
Therefore to the Padres: LOL Padres!
It’s like paying $26MM per year for Kimbrell, on average, and still having to deal with Melvin Upton, Jr.
You may be onto something with tone reform TexasGusCC! It’s the new rebuilding, but for the locker room I guess!
Lagares had a seriously rockin ST.
Aw, “Tone reform, to the Padres” was probably one of my ten favorite comments I’ve ever read here– sad to hear it was a typo/autocorrect glitch…
I am very hopefully optimistic going into the season.
“If the Mets won 86 games last season, instead of 79, they would have been two games out of the Wild Card race, however it would have been a step in the right direction for the organization” is only a” perceived” step in the right direction. In reality all the team would be is an “also ran” that has a worse draft pick. I wish Sandy had done more this offseason to increase the playoff odds. The last thing the Mets need to be is a playoff bridesmaid. If that is the result of the recent four year hell then they could have achieved “playoff bridesmaid” as early as 2011.
That said, I repeat, I am very hopefully optimistic going into the season. Let’s Go Mets !