Photo by Ed Delany of MMO
Baseball. Is. Back.
To say we’re pumped is an understatement. The lockout was long. The last couple of seasons were not the norm. We have Steve Cohen. We have Max Scherzer. We have Mets baseball. There’s a lot to be excited about. So, what are you looking forward to the most? Here’s what we at MMO are most excited about.
Disclaimer: This question was posed before the recent news about Jacob deGrom.
Michael Garaffa
I don’t want to sound cliché, because I’m sure everyone is going to have the same answer, but watching Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom pitch on the same team this year is going to be incredible. I have never been more excited for a Mets season in my life, and that duo is going to be the headliner. Mets fans have watched Max Scherzer dominate the Mets for years, and now he is on the team. Seeing the fans pack the house to watch two of the best starters in baseball twice every five days is going to be a blessing. We are about to witness one of the most special seasons in baseball history, so enjoy every second of it.
Marshall Field
What am I looking forward to the most from the Mets this season? Simple. The near culmination of a dream from the owner putting a product on the field that is to be feared and respected. Gone are the trite “same old Mets” jargon and belittlement, replaced instead with Scherzer jersey sales, Francisco Lindor crushing the ball this pre-season and the hope that Jacob deGrom is, well deGrom for the entire season.
The Mets are not a finished product, but they a vastly improved one, one that should contend for a pennant and even a world championship. Why not? Pitching wins championships and the Mets staff was just voted No. 1 in baseball. Hopefully, the injury bug will stay away, far away from this team. The Mets have most of the pieces in place and the potential to be a 90-plus win team. The Mets retake New York, and gain accolades along the way becoming a team who is a present danger and a long-term contender. The ride should be a good one. I for one cannot wait.
Aaron Pags
For me, this season begins with a familiar feeling. It feels like 2005-06 all over again. Steve Cohen infused the fanbase in 2021 with energy when he inked Francisco Lindor to a monster deal. In year one, the signing didn’t push the Mets into the postseason, but neither did the Pedro Martinez deal in ’05. More steps remained on the path to success. Then, the 2006 offseason brought Paul Lo Duca, Billy Wagner, and Carlos Delgado to Queens.
Now, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, Chris Bassitt, and Max Scherzer are the infusions added to the Mets 2022 cup. That ’06 group led us on an incredible journey. So close to standing atop the National League. What am I looking forward to this season? Inject that 2006 feeling injected back into my veins. A magical summer of winning, but with a different ending. This time around, the story ends with a win.
Alex Horowitz
I’m most excited about getting back to the ballpark and seeing a winning team. With a (partial) season ticket plan at Citi Field for the first time in my life, I expect to be at games this year more than ever before. On the field, I believe the Mets have their best chance at winning the World Series since I became a fan of the team in 2012. Having a summer of baseball to look forward to with the best pitching rotation in the league is so wonderful to type. This is going to be a magical year in Queens.
Michelle Ioannou
I’m always excited at the start of baseball season. But this year is even more different than in year’s past. I’m used to being hopeful and having that hopefulness crushed. Maybe, just maybe, the hope will remain longer this year? deGrom and Scherzer in the same rotation, that’s really something incredible, and to be feared.
