MMO Take 5 – With @lagranderusty

Today, we have the pleasure of bringing you Ed Marcus of Real Dirty Mets in a new edition of MMO Take 5.

Many of you may know Ed from the Mets Twitterverse where he stalks unassuming fans under the nomenclature of @lagranderusty. My mornings would not be complete without a tweet from Ed linking me to his latest Mets Infamy feature. If you’re not already following him, by all means you should.

So lets see what Ed’s take is on the following Mets matters.

Good Morning Ed. Lets get things started by giving us your take on the direction of the Mets. How do you feel today about the team and how confident are you that championship baseball is coming to Flushing, NY in the next 2-3 years? 

Thanks Joe, I am very upbeat with the direction that the Mets seem to be heading in the next 2-3 years. First off I expect Zack Wheeler to be up by mid season, and if he is as impressive as Matt Harvey was last season, I feel that they along with Niese and Gee will be the genesis of a dominant starting rotation.

I also feel that with the acquisition of d’Arnaud coupled with Wright, Ike, Murph and Tejada form one of the better infields in baseball. The only needs the Mets now have is trotting out an above average outfield and bullpen. With almost all of the dead weight salaries off the payroll by next season, I think the Mets will start to reinvest their money beginning with a quality outfielder and most likely to a non-insane contract.

We finally had our first Cy Young winner in over a quarter century. Will we have to wait that long again to see another Met achieve that feat? What were your thoughts on trading R.A. Dickey and what will it feel like to see him get his award in a Blue Jays uniform on Opening Day?

That’s a tough question – I think it will be another 2-3 seasons before the Mets will have a pitcher that will be in contention for the Cy Young award. I wasn’t happy that Dickey was dealt ( he is one of my all time favorites), but if you look at the grande scheme of things, you traded a 38 year old journeyman who had three straight solid seasons. But the question remains – how much longer can he duplicate that type of production?

With d’Arnaud and Syndergaard you get a top flight catching prospect – something this team hasn’t had in years – and a stud pitcher who some scouts are saying can be better than Wheeler. I know only time will tell, but in my opinion it’s a no-brainer.

It looks like much is riding on the young arms down on the farm for any future success. Matt Harvey came up and showed he was every bit as good as advertised, chalk one up or the good guys. Gaze into your crystal ball and tell us what our 2015 starting rotation will look like, and which pitcher do you think will have the best major league career.

Barring any free agent signings, I think the Mets rotation in 2015 will be Wheeler, Harvey, Niese, Familia and Syndergaard. I am expecting (hoping) both Wheeler and Harvey to have Seaver/Koosman types of careers respectively. I think Niese will be more of a Matlack type, and I don’t care to project on Syndergaard yet because I have yet to see him pitch.

You’ve been a die hard Met fan all your life. What was the defining moment when you knew you were hooked on the Mets. Was it a player, a dramatic finish to a game, or just an unforgettable moment?

My first game was when I was about a year and a half old. My father took me to my first Mets game which happened to be the one of the 1973 World Series games at Shea. Obviously I have no memories of it, but my first vivid memory was at an Old Timers Day game in ’77 or ’78 when the Mets wives played the cast of Happy Days in a pre-game exhibition softball game.

If you could have dinner with any three Mets players or personalities, real or fictional, former or current, passed on or living, who would they be and why?

1. Rusty Staub – Because he is my idol – obviously!

2. Bob Murphy – Just so I could hear his voice one more time and share a beer or three with one of the best sports announcers that ever lived.

3. Tommie Agee – I had the privilege of meeting Tommie on a few occasions as a teenager. He had no ego, and was more than generous with his time. He was always friendly – something you don’t see from a lot from players these days.

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That’s a wrap, Ed. Thanks so much for taking part in this edition of MMO Take 5.

I think I’d like to join you and Murph for those beers. But remember, we’ll probably be chugging down icy cold mugs of Schaefers – that was Bob’s favorite brew. It’s the one beer to have when you’re having more than one.