22
2013
ESPN: Mets Could Contend Again In 2015
An article by 
Jason Martinez of ESPN Insider (subscription required) projects the Mets to optimally contend again in 2015 as he continues posting his Future Contenders series.
How can the Mets go from 74 wins and 24 games out in their division in 2012 to World Series Contender in a matter of a few seasons? First off, the contracts of Jason Bay and Johan Santana are officially off the books after the 2013 season and only David Wright and Jon Niese are signed long-term.
The top catching prospect in baseball, Travis d’Arnaud, will be a regular in the Mets’ lineup at some point in 2013 and he’ll be working with a very good rotation that will probably include Niese,Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler in the top three spots going into 2014.
Martinez speculates that Ike Davis and Matt Harvey will be signed to contract extensions and that Johan Santana will most likely be traded at the deadline assuming the owners give the okay to eat in excess of $15 million dollars. The team’s biggest stumbling block to success will be the outfield.
The current team might possess the worst outfield in baseball and there really isn’t a lot down on the farm. Brandon Nimmo, the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft, is years away and far from being a surefire impact major leaguer. They’ll have to jump back into free agency next offseason or trade from an area of depth (starting pitching) to upgrade.
The outfield is indeed in shambles and Martinez believes the Mets will dive into the free agent market next offseason or the one after that for one, two or even three of the following players: Melky Cabrera (after the 2014 season), Shin Soo-Choo (2013), Coco Crisp (2013 or 2014 if club option exercised), Nelson Cruz (2013), Jacoby Ellsbury (2013), Brett Gardner (2014), Carlos Gomez (2013), Corey Hart (2013), David Murphy (2013), Hunter Pence (2013), Colby Rasmus (2014), Chris Young (2013 or 2014 if club option exercised).
Many of those names were already available this offseason and the Mets never made a move for them. I’m not so sure they will when they are all either one or two years older. I already discussed the weakness of the outfield market in 2014 and thought the Mets missed an opportunity by not pursuing Denard Span or signing B.J. Upton.
As far as what the Mets have waiting in the wings, if you’ve read my minor league posts in the last few days, what he writes next will sound familiar:
An impressive crop of pitching prospects, including Michael Fulmer, Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard, and Domingo Tapia, could begin to arrive in 2015. Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia might not have what it takes to remain starters, but both could end up being impact late-inning relievers.
Anyway, depending on if your a half-full or half-empty type of Met fan, 2015 is apparently now the magic number, at least according to Martinez. As for me, I’ll hold off on making any predictions until we first get ourselves an outfielder or two or three.
In the meantime I look forward to watching what Wheeler and d’Arnaud do in their debuts later this season, and seeing what Matt Harvey does for an encore.
Let’s Go Mets!
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
33 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- Steve S.: on Sandy Disappointed With Some Of His Moves And The Team’s Performance: Yeah, play Valdespin and Lugares more. Let's...
- Padilla: on Sandy Disappointed With Some Of His Moves And The Team’s Performance: But Sandy was very happy that Cohen...
- Hawk: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: And they are watchable.
- Hawk: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: Alderson made it clear last night and...
- frank G: on Sandy Alderson Says He Will Stick With Ike Davis A Little While Longer: Alex well said. This team SUCKS and...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5379 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
Well, if the pitching holds up, we’ll be in a better position, the reason i say that is because it’s easier to buy bats than to buy pitching.. If all our kids do become better in the minors they can also become trade chips we can turn around and trade for more bats, as long as the pitching turns out to be strong, any team has a chance to content, so here’s to montero, tapia, fulmer, noah, gorski, etc to become great…
why are my comments awaiting moderation??????????
I’m seeing your comment on this article, which is the first one.
The first one on top, didn’t post at first and it said awaiting moderation… Seems the CORE is on watch again….
LOL…na – that happens to me once in a while too. Not sure why.
Well, after all you are part of the FIRM. it seems only fair you guys get some heat as well, although you hang out with some of the immortals, so.. You’ll be fine Lol
I’m looking for the Mets to start turning the corner this season. What that means is at minimum, .500. Ideally a few games over .500. And depending on how the debuts of Wheeler and d’Arnaud go this year, the Mets can START to contend as soon as 2014. So I disagree that they will have to wait for 2015. Timetables in baseball are too often useless, anyway.
For the love of a real starting OF or two….
I can’t see going after any of these outfielders when they available either. Age, injuries and not worth what they would want would be a cautious approach to these players.
Well let me see. In 2015 I could be dead, I could win the Poweball, I could be the first man on Mars, Obama will give me a tax break and pigs may fly. Will you stop these garbage posts by these idiotic sports commentators. Do you think by 2015 other teams are going to sit on their butts and not make moves to improve their clubs too? I can’t wait until the season starts so all these so called experts will be able to write about what is going on on the field and not in their empty brains.
Great post Lou!!! I had to pick myself off the floor from laughing so hard.
BTW I have it on the authority of the Amazing Kreskin that the Mets will win it
all in 2016! Start saving up for those WS tickets!
Remember these days?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/129500-are-the-mets-the-team-to-beat-this-year
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/bitterbill/2009/09/mets-truly-are-team-to-beat.html
Famous last predictions….and they only predicted the season ahead…
Anyone who thinks they know how good a team will be two years from now if just grasping at a straw to fell better about what he knows he will have to sit through this year!
I love how many people just pick a year – 2013, 2014, 2015. Why 2015 over 2014? Why 2015 over 2016? There are so many variables, both with the Mets AND with their competition in the NL East and the rest of the NL for that matter. As much of a long shot as it is, the Mets can actually compete in 2013, if 10 ifs regarding the team all pan out optimally. A different set of 10 ifs will need to pan out for 2014, a different set for 2015, etc. Even favorites like the Nats have some ifs, albeit less than the Mets. This uncertainty is what makes baseball fun, and teams like the O’s last year and Diamondbacks the year before surprise many. It is also why they should never “write off” any season, and why Alderson needs to get off his fanny and make some improvements. Who know how all these prospects will pan out? Keeping this team as strong as possible each year, without pillaging the system, is the best approach.
I would think if Santana is moved, it’s for an OF in some shape or form. They will definitely need to dip their toe in the deep end of the FA pool for one bigger named OF FA. I really think Ike will play a big part of what they decide to do going forward. If Flores isn’t traded and is knocking on the door, it may make sense to move Ike. Time will tell.
I strongly disagree with ESPN! With our starting pitching including Wheeler will keep us in
games this year and if the mets come up with a righthanded hitting out fielder with power and if Santana and Gee can stay healthy the mets should and will compete for a wild card spot!
I expect Harvey to pick up where he left off last year and Wheeler will have a great spring training and a hot start in AAA and be up here by may or june if he doesn’t force the mets
to take him north to start the season in Queens! Niese should improve off of last year and
add Gee to the mix and the mets will have a very strong staff as long as they stay healthy!
I agree with ESPN that 2015 will be better but there’s nothing wrong with our SP this year
and next! our bull pen and out field are the real question marks? I have been a real die hard
met fan since 1964 and I have seen all the ups and downs and now its time for the ups again!!
*sigh* I was wondering when I’d see the first mention of 2015. Seems like it was about this time last year that we started reading about the magic of 2014.
Forget wanting to win now… I’m feeling fondness for the days when we only gave up on the upcoming season, not two entire seasons ahead of us.
While 2015 is the most realistic, as long as the Mets prospects continue to develop and they are willing to acquire two OF next offseason, then I see no reason why the Mets can’t at least compete for the wildcard game in 2014.
Adding an established guy like Ellsbury, Murphy or Choo and using our SP depth to acquire a young OF should allow the Mets to build a team capable of winning at least 82 games next season. If our pitchers in A and A+ continue to progress, we should be able to package one or two of them with someone like Kirk or Duda and get someone good.
Or a guy like Flores who probably has no future on this team since 3B is occupied and he likely can’t play 2B can be traded for a good young OF.
So many things happen over the course of a season (and off-season) that talking about 2015 in 2013 to me is a wasted breath.
Players get put on the trade block that you do not expect, players turn the corner in development that maybe you do not expect.
I mean realistically with two wildcards, you can win 85-88 games and be in the playoffs. I don’t think the Mets have to wait until 2015 for that.
Ok, so are you predicting the mets to be in contention this year or the next??? BTW, not sure what you mean, but both second WC teams from both leagues won 93 and 88 games last year, not sure where you got the 85-88 games but go ahead, keep believing this team somehow will be competitive before then with what we’ve seen from the FO and how far our prospects are to make an impact on the team
Funny
Why jump in now and only be able to afford two mediocre outfielders when next year they can get two of the best? Makes sense to me.
74-20=54
Lets stop talking about contending until we win 75 games first, a task made more difficult by the loss of Dickey.
Lets start talking about contending when we see a 100+ RBI bat playing corner outfield.
Lets start talking about contending when Wheeler and Harvey can become 13 game winners.
Lets start talking about contending when the starting catcher bats over .220.
Lets start talking about contending when one prospect attained by Alderson actually makes the team and has even a tiny bit of success.
Lets start talking about contending when the Mets stop shedding their best talent for prospects.
Lets start talking about contending when the Mets are “honestly” buyers at the trade deadline instead of sellers.
Lets start talking about contending when the starting catcher bats over .230.
Lets start talking about contending when the Mets don’t lose bidding wars to the Pirates and Royals.
Lets start talking about contending when the talent in the majors exceeds the potential of the lower minors.
Lets start talking about contending when the team plays meaningful games in September again.
Lets start talking about contending when the GM says we are not punting and actually means it.
Wake me up when any of that happens.
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Frankie gets a star in Hollywood or this post!
Don’t start talking contender until tthe Alderson jessup crowd is fired and their staff purged from the morgue that wiull be City Field until that happens. Jessup doesn’t weant to mention a year anymore. How sweet. The Alderson plan will take forever, and a day. The party is over for them Only the staff beleives still, Well they hope, even they don’t beleive anymore
3 years is an eternity in MLB. teams can go from the bottom to the top, and top to bottom. Heck, look at the Nats. in that timeframe, they went from 59-69-80-98. Of course, you can also go from 102 – 81 like the Phils just did.
anyway, looking at 2015 as the year they can in effect be fully back as a sustained contendor is fine. Does not mean that they can’t also compete in 2014, or 2013. heck, they managed to hang around the race for 1/2 the year in 2012 until injuries (primarily) took them down.
certainly possible a few things break right and they do the same in 2013, and maybe stay in the race up until the end. Not likely, but feasible.
and also, IMO, OF should be the easiest spot to “fix” quickly. If they can get say 1 guy to come up and produce (or a guy like Duda “clicks”), find 1 good FA or trade guy (Bourn or Upton could have fit this year, I like Gomez next off season), and you can cover 1 spot with a couple of veteran split guys (the cody ross/scott hairstons of the world).
so in the next 1-2 years, the OF could be easily revamped. Duda/gomez/Vaughn? or many other possible permutations.
now, finding top end pitching, that is a whole lot harder to do!
Hello Can…Meet foot….Rattle, Rattle Rattle…2015!
LOL
What I do find odd is that this 2015 is dependent on signing guys we passed on this offseason while we once again WAIT for the market to settle…
Well the Market settled and now so too will we…..for the crap thats left.
I’m not so sure Niese or Davis will still be here when the Mets finally compete.
Thats my Worry too….
I can see them both being traded for OF and Sandy not spending a penny of the Santana or Bay money next offseason.
He will put Duda at 1st and tell us all about Snydergaard on the way so be patient we aren’t ready to compete yet….
Don’t listen to what Sandy says. Look at the trend lines. Salary goes down. Team age goes down. The most valued players are sold when their market value is up. A willingness to eat expensive contracts to gain prospect talent. Differed Gratification.
If Niese and Davis get off to good starts they will be sold in July.
I sort of agree they will…just don’t agree they should but I know thats not what you were suggesting at all! LOL
Fairy Tales may come true it can happen to you………………………………………………….
2012 turned to 2013
2013 turned to 2014
2014 turned to 2015
2015………………………………..you get the picture….one of these years theyll have a good year then you;; here these same predictors say,”I told you so”
This is a hoot, Joe.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you need some very, very basic education. The Mets were never going to even remotely consider signing BJ Upton. Upton got in the neighborhood of a not unexpected 5/73 deal.
There was NO chance the Mets were ever going to sign him. If you’re that out of touch with the team’s finances, there’s no way your analysis is going to make any sense at all and, sadly, it does not.
It’s as if you thought only willpower was keeping the club from a $125m payroll, a figure we’re enormously unlikely to see for the next five years.