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While it seems like the season has just begun, the first month is already in the books. And while it’s still way too early on in a long baseball season, as we learned last year, there appear to be some clear indications of what lays ahead for the 2016 Mets.
Let’s take a look at some of the takeaways from the first month:
Okay...so now that everyone got what they wanted...and the Mets ownership opened their wallets and re-signed Yoenis Cespedes...now what? The Mets now have four outfielders for three positions and there is not yet a DH in the National League.
When Cespedes was brought to the Mets at the trade deadline, there were circumstances that were much different than they are right now. Sandy Alderson was in the midst of revamping the support staff...bringing in valuable veterans like Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson for the bench and Tyler Clippard and Addison Reed for the bullpen. But he needed to do something about the outfield situation because Michael Cuddyer, who was signed as a free agent almost immediately after the conclusion of the 2014 season, was injured and greatly underperforming. And Juan Lagares had not taken the next step forward after a nice 2014 season in which he won a Gold Glove and looked like the second coming of Andruw Jones in centerfield. It was quite apparent that he was a shell of himself in centerfield, not getting to balls he would have gotten to easily the year before, and his feared rifle arm was reduced to that of a water pistol. We later found out that he was suffering from an injury that vastly curtailed his abilities.
Well...the Mets needed to make a statement. And Noah Syndergaard did just that. With his first pitch he put Alcides Escobar right on his ass. Regardless of what the outcome was going to be, Thor made it known that the Royals hitters were not going to be so comfortable. And although he had a few hiccups, Syndergaard was able to put the Royals hitters away when he needed to most. And there were a LOT of broken bats flying around everywhere.
And for all of the idiots talking about benching David Wright in favor of Juan Uribe, Captain America made a statement of his own, launching a two-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. And let's not leave Uribe out of it. After being idle for over a month and not even being on the post season roster for the NLDS and NLCS, he made his first appearance and shot a run-scoring single to the opposite field in the midst of the Mets four-run outburst in the sixth inning.
Oh geez...he did it again! Daniel Murphy just has to be feeling it. Anyone who has ever played the game of baseball knows what it is to feel "locked in." And he is definitely locked in during this post season as he once again hit a home run, this time a three-run first inning bomb off Cubs ace Jake Arrieta. What is so impressive about Murphy's run is WHO his victims are - Clayton Kershaw (2), Zack Greinke, Jon Lester, and now Arrieta, who along with Greinke are the leading candidates to win this year's Cy Young Award.
And after Matt Harvey dominated the Cubs in Game 1, Noah Syndergaard duplicated the feat and just overpowered Chicago in Game 2. Another brilliant game by one of the Mets young guns...and Jacob deGrom is ready to take his turn in Game 3 on Tuesday in Chicago.
It was the first post season game at Citi Field and the roar of the crowd, more often than not, was some rendition of showing of disdain for Chase Utley. But there was plenty to make noise about thanks to the Mets offense as Curtis Granderson led the attack on the Dodgers pitching staff with two booming doubles that drove in five runs.
Travis d'Arnaud and Yoenis Cespedes both had three hits, each hitting a home run and driving in three...Cespedes hitting a three-run bomb into the second deck to lead the Mets to a 13-7 victory.
Matt Harvey did not have his good stuff...he was very hittable...but he battled through five innings and left with a 10-3 lead.
Jacob deGrom throws another gem in the bandbox more commonly known as Oriole Park at Camden Yards...lowering his ERA to 1.98. Curtis Granderson blasted two home runs and had a great catch in the 8th inning.
Alan Karmin is an award-winning journalist and author. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent most of his life growing up in the New Jersey suburbs. Alan's family were avid Brooklyn Dodgers fans and when the Dodgers moved west, the Mets became the team to root for. The Mets have always been a true focal point, Alan even wrote a term paper in high school to analyze what was wrong with the Mets. While at the University of Miami, Alan honed his craft covering the, gulp, Yankees during spring trainings in Fort Lauderdale for a local NBC affiliate, as well as the Associated Press and UPI. He broadcasted baseball games for the University of Miami, and spring training games for the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. New York Mets Mania is a forum for Alan to write about his favorite team and for baseball fans to chime in and provide their thoughts and ideas about New York's Amazin' Mets.
