Odds Look Good As Mets Inch Closer to New Season

The Mets suffered a massively disappointing end to the regular season in 2021, ending with a 77-85 record after leading the way for over 100 days. Since then, they’ve brought in Billy Eppler as general manager and Buck Showalter as manager.

They’ve also acquired some key players Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and of course Max Scherzer. So what work now needs to be carried out as spring training moves along and a new season begins?

Find a Winning Combination 

Met owner Steve Cohen has spent a lot of money to try and get a winning team on the field this season. Their tax payroll is now believed to be over $270 million, with Scherzer one of the most expensive signings on a three-year deal valued at $130 million.

Their roster includes two starting pitchers with five Cy Young Awards to their name, in the shape of Scherzer and their ace Jacob deGrom. This gives the rotation one of the most impressive 1-2 punches in the league.

Starling Marte is working out with the team after missing a week in PSL. He is someone the Mets are counting on to make a difference offensively. He should also make their outfield defense stronger this season.

Of course, signing a lot of expensive new players carries some risks too. This is why the experience and shrewdness of new manager Buck Showalter could help them to build a winning team that clicks early.

If Showalter can do that, the Mets should push through to the postseason and make this season better than the disappointment of 2021. You can check here how the Mets odds are positioned right now for the World Series: https://www.bovada.lv/sports

Add More Depth With a Left-Handed Pitcher?

Let’s not forget that the Mets ended the 2021 season with the unenviable record of spending most days in the number one spot and still ending with a losing record. This was the team’s 60th season and it promised to be special for a while before fading away badly.

The lack of depth in the squad was one of the big reasons for this. Injuries and loss of form meant that the Mets players looked tired and jaded long before the end of the season.

The new signings continued in March this year, with pitcher Chris Bassitt joining from the Oakland Athletics and free agent pitcher Adam Ottavino coming in on a one-year deal.

Has the addition of all of these new players helped to give the roster the depth it needs to sustain a high level of performance through the full 2022 season?

Some sources suggest that they’re likely to bring in a left-handed pitcher to join their existing right-handed pitching options.  Josh Hader is one of the names mentioned as a possible new signing for this role.

It seems that the management team is now happy with their batting options, so the roster could be completed if they add a solid left-handed pitcher. On paper, it appears that the Mets have done a good job of adding the extra depth that they needed, but we won’t know for sure until the season advances whether their odds of winning the World Series will start to improve.

Get Their Best Players Fit and Playing Well

Injuries and poor form from several key players derailed the 2021 season, and it’s easy to see the recent spending spree was necessary to fill in the gaps that appeared. However, getting their best players back and playing well is arguably a bigger and more important challenge.

Stars such as Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor, and Michael Conforto are all players who had mixed fortunes after being expected to turn in big performances last season. Lindor had an especially difficult time after signing a 10-year contract extension worth $341 million before the 2021 season. A poor season came to a head in a loss against the Giants in August, when the Puerto Rican shortstop was soundly booed by Mets fans.

There is no doubting the quality throughout the Mets roster, but they need all of their stars to be fit and playing well throughout the regular season if they’re going to lose the unwanted record of being the last remaining NL East baseball team that has failed to win the title since the turn of the century.

Get Back Their Confidence and Ease the Fans’ Anxiety

Perhaps it’s a question of confidence as much as anything. The strong start to last season followed by such a disastrous collapse suggests that there may be a confidence issue in the clubhouse. The addition of numerous new faces should help to freshen up the attitudes and they’ll be hoping that the experience of Showalter will help steady any nerves when the new season begins.

Getting the fans on their side is another key factor, as the players won’t want to feel the anxiety of their supporters fearing another losing season. If the Mets can get going strongly when the new season starts, their new roster depth and quality options could see 2022 become a memorable year for all the right reasons. LGM