I had the opportunity to ask a few questions to the Mets beat reporter for the Daily News, Deesha Thosar. We discussed a variety of issues and questions that the Mets will be facing as they look toward the 2020 season. Please enjoy.

Joe D. – Before I get into the Mets, I would love to know your thoughts on your first year covering the team. Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to cover the Mets, what you did prior to joining the Daily News and were there any moments that stand out for you professionally this season?

Deesha – Before I joined the Daily News, I worked at MLB.com for three years. I was the Red Sox intern, acting as an assistant beat reporter, for their 2016 season (which was also Big Papi’s retirement year, so I hit the ground running.) I stayed on with dot com as a news desk reporter for a couple of years before seeking a new challenge and wanting to tackle my own beat.

I definitely faced some challenges in 2019, but overall it was good to get my feet wet with a Mets team that provided all sorts of nonstop entertainment and drama. Covering Pete Alonso’s record-breaking rookie year and Mickey Callaway’s meltdown of a season were, professionally, extremely informative.

You seem to be not just a huge baseball fan but someone who really loves sports in general. Where did that come from?

I grew up on Long Island and became immersed in New York sports at a really young age. I’ve played soccer since I was four years old (let’s go, FC Barcelona!) but my grandfather, dad and older brother were always watching baseball in the house and I wanted to join them. The only way to do that was to learn more about what they were watching. So I created my own homemade scorebook and started taking notes. From there, it didn’t really take long to fall in love with baseball.

Joe D. – Okay let’s talk Mets… In your opinion, where did this team go wrong this season and can you elaborate a little on that?

Deesha – The Mets struggled with consistency all year. When the bullpen was strong to start the year, the rotation scuffled. When the rotation got into a groove, Luis Avilan and Justin Wilson sustained injuries and Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia began their season-long decline.

In the occasional moments when the bullpen seamlessly picked up the baton from the starter, the lineup would be off track. The Mets had all these moving parts that desperately needed to work better in tandem.

Joe D. – Pete Alonso had himself an incredible season offensively and he’ll be rewarded for his efforts with the Rookie of the Year award later next month. You got to see him up close (I’m jealous!). What does Alonso bring to this team aside from his powerful bat? What are some of the qualities you observed that make Alonso so special and so important to the team?

Deesha – Pete Alonso’s rookie season was gratifying to cover. He’s a confident guy that knows what he wants and isn’t affair to make it happen. He truly made it seem like anything was possible for the 2019 Mets with a glass-half-full attitude and a never-say-die mentality.

His contributions off the field (donating $50,000 to the Wounded Warrior Foundation and another $50,000 to Tunnel to Towers from his Home Run Derby winnings *and* giving his cleats to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum) set an example for the Mets to give back whatever they can. Alonso’s desire to be the best is what will ultimately help spark a new culture for the Mets.

Joe D.– How do you see the Zack Wheeler situation playing out, is he as good as gone? Assuming the Mets lose him how do they replace him in the rotation?

Deesha – Zack Wheeler is already receiving plenty of interest from teams, and he enters the free-agent market as the third-best starter available behind Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.

Even though Wheeler declined the Mets’ qualifying offer, Brodie Van Wagenen said he’ll do what he can to keep him in Flushing. It seems unlikely the Mets will outbid other teams in that scenario, but there’s at least a small chance Wheeler could return.

Van Wagenen has indicated if he cannot upgrade the rotation via free-agent signing or trade, he is comfortable moving Seth Lugo or Robert Gsellman into a starter role. The Mets have a reputation of dangling that possibility in the offseason, so it’s unclear if they’ll actually follow through with it. But if they do, it will leave a bigger hole in the ‘pen.

Joe D. – What are your thoughts on shifting Seth Lugo to the rotation? The idea seems to be gaining steam among the fan base? Good or bad idea?

Deesha – It would certainly be fascinating to see how Seth Lugo, who has been outspoken in his desire to one day be a big-league starter, would adjust to sliding into a rotation that features Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz.

But the vacancy Lugo would leave in the bullpen is troublesome. The Mets would need to find a reliever who would serve as the bullpen anchor, because Lugo’s role in 2019 was much more than just his dominant 2.75 ERA and five-pitch arsenal.

Joe D. – Where do you see Dominic Smith fitting in with this team in 2020? What’s his future look like?

Deesha – Dominic Smith seems more and more like a trade piece this offseason than an integral part of the Mets’ future. With Pete Alonso blocking his path at first base, there’s defensively no room for him on the roster. On the other hand, Van Wagenen recently expressed his appreciation for the way Smith handled a difficult bench role last season.

Smith found a rhythm when he was switched in as a late-innings bat, all before missing a large chunk of the season with a fracture in his left foot. His final mark on the 2019 season – a walk-off three-run home run – capped a dramatic end to the year that may be enough flair to keep him in Flushing in 2020.

Joe D. – J.D. Davis was a revelation at the plate last season and was probably Van Wagenen’s best offseason move. But he was a butcher at left field and at third base. Plus there’s a good chance that Cespedes will be ready for spring training according to his agency., making things more complicated for Davis. How would you play this?

Deesha – Despite the surfaced video of Yoenis Cespedes taking batting practice in Port St. Lucie last week, I’m not fully convinced he’s ready to play the outfield. Cespedes has not played in a big-league game since July 2018, is coming off a pair of major heel surgeries and has a lot of endurance work to do before jumping back into the starting lineup.

J.D Davis should, in my opinion, be an everyday player for the Mets. Davis’ goal this offseason was to work with quality control coach Luis Rojas and others to improve his defense in the outfield. His focus will be on left field, but Davis said he would also target third base this winter. He’ll have the chance, possibly alongside Cespedes, to compete for an Opening Day nod. If Davis is clearly in better condition than Cespedes, he should factor into the lineup one way or another.

Joe D. – Look into your crystal ball and tell me who the Mets closer and setup man will be on Opening Day. Please elaborate.

Deesha – My crystal ball tells me the Mets would like to better define roles for some of their relief pitchers, but at the same time, they are completely comfortable with a looser definition of the “closer” deployment. Of course, it will all depend on Edwin Diaz’s bounce back performance. If Diaz returns to his 2018 form – leading the league in saves (57) and games finished (65) – there is no doubt he will be the closer the Mets hoped he’d be last season. But if he struggles to begin the year, Seth Lugo may wind up closing most games afterall.

Jeurys Familia is working hard this offseason to flush his 5.70 ERA from 2019. If he can, Familia could transition into the set-up role. Even though that’s a big ask for a reliever that at times seemed exasperated and pissed off at himself on the mound, Familia did show flashes of an elite arsenal that should give the Mets at least an ounce of hope for a better year in 2020.

Joe D. – Thanks so much. See you at spring training. You can follow Deesha on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.