By NICK OSPINA
The New York Mets enter 2017 as a favorite to win the World Series. But following a year where it seemed what could go wrong did go wrong for the ball club, there are many questions to be answered.
Can the young pitching staff stay healthy for a full season and live up to their potential? Can David Wright stay healthy for a full year? What can you expect out of Zack Wheeler after a two year absence due to Tommy John surgery? Besides Yoenis Cespedes plugged in as the everyday left fielder who are your other two outfielders?
History
In 2015, the New York Mets won the National League Pennant making it all the way to the World Series eventually losing five games to the world champion Kansas City Royals.
Last year,the Mets made the playoffs marking the second time in franchise history that the team made the postseason in consecutive seasons.
Recap Of Last Season
The injury bug haunted the Mets last season. Expectations were incredibly high for the Mets heading into 2016 a team that seemed to have overachieved a year earlier.
David Wright went down due to a herniated disk in his neck; Lucas Duda suffered a broken back; Matt Harvey (Dark Knight) never looked like the dominant ace, which resulted in him undergoing surgery during the season to address thoracic outlet syndrome.
Jacob Degrom another ace of the staff underwent surgery; Noah Syndergaard (Thor) and Steven Matz developed bone spurs in their pitching elbows. Michael Conforto the Mets #1 prospect in the minors was a contributor for the team. Conforto made the World Series roster back in 2015 and there were high expectations for him in the majors in 2016 but Conforto took a step back it seemed as he started to become a more pull friendly hitter, which resulted in defenses playing a shift on him.
“Michael Conforto became too focused on hitting home runs, he got pull happy and started dropping his shoulder during his swing,” said Keith Hernandez former Mets first basemen/current SNY Mets announcer in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
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Fan Perspective
Joe Morris, 19, from the University of Connecticut Mets fan feels the Mets’ pitching is key to winning in 2017.
“I expect from the Mets this that they will build off their growth since the 2015 season and that the young guys will into fruition. I expect our young pitching core to be dominant and pave the way for our success in 2017,” Morris said.
The young pitchers for the Mets are Noah Syndegaaard, Jacob Degrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, and Zack Wheeler.
“In order for this season to be a success, we need our pitching to live up to the hype and more run support than we’ve had in past couple of years. Hopefully Travis d’Arnaud and Michael Conforto qill be the hitters we all believe them to be,” Morris added.
“If we can pitch effectively and increase our offensive production, we will be successful. It’s time that we make a run for the World Series again. We have the pitching to do so, as well as the leadership,” Morris said. “We have a great core group of guys, many of whom were there in 2015, so in my opinion it’s World Series or bust for the Mets in 2017.”
Tyler Valeo, 22, from Ramapo College of New Jersey feels even though the Mets pitching is incredible he has a question about their offense.
“It was huge that the Mets resigned Cespedes, he’s that power bat in the Mets lineup that gives them life. But the problem is can others contribute as well, if an opposing team is only afraid of one man in your lineup the opposing pitcher will just pitch around him,” Valeo said.
Yoenis Cespedes resigned with the New York Mets this past offseason.
“Guys like Lucas Duda, David Wright, Neil Walker, Jay Bruce, and Curtis Granderson need to all step up. These are guys that in the past have shown that they can get hot and carry an offense. This pitching will keep you in ball games that’s a certain, if the offense can come alive and rally around Cespedes then the Mets can be a problem for other teams. Come October baseball pitching is the most important key. The question is can you make it to October baseball,” Valeo added.
(Interview with Tyler Valeo)
Opening Day is April 3rd at 1:10pm vs the rival Atlanta Braves. It’s time to find out if the New York Mets are for real or will this be 2007 and 2008 all over again.
The Captain knows best. #Mets #LGM
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Overall great story, it gives sport fans a wonder how they will perform, and non-sport fans an idea of what all the talk about the Mets are about.