Mike Puma of the New York Post questions just how big of a window the Mets have to compete given the makeup of the team.
“In one sense, they are a team built on exciting young talent — think the power arms of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler and Juan Lagares’ explosive legs.
But in another sense, these are the Mets of David Wright, Curtis Granderson and Michael Cuddyer, all of whom already may have played the best baseball and could continue a downward trend in 2015.”
Puma points out that roughly 47 percent of the Mets’ projected Opening Day payroll will be allocated to Wright, Granderson and Cuddyer.
“Wright, 32, has another six years and $107 million remaining on the contract extension he signed before the 2013 season. Granderson, who will turn 34 next month, has three years and $47 million remaining on his deal. Cuddyer, who will turn 36 before Opening Day, signed in November for two years and $21 million.”
He tabs the Mets as a team that is only partly rebuilt from within and partly veteran-laden with expensive players past their prime. In other words, he says, Alderson recreated the same team he inherited upon his arrival.
I think Puma misses the mark on a couple of things. First, the core strength of this team is still the young power pitching which he seems to gloss over. Harvey, deGrom, Matz, Syndergaard, Wheeler – this is the foundation upon which this team is built. Not Wright, Granderson and Cuddyer.
Also, there’s the positional depth that we hadn’t had before. Behind Cuddyer you have Nimmo, behind Granderson you have Conforto. There’s a plan here.
Look, I get that the scant resources Alderson has had to work with could have been spent or allocated better. I won’t deny that. But the overall body of his work was centered on rebuilding the farm and developing a pipeline of high upside talent to the majors, all while navigating through some choppy financial waters.
This is the year when we should be able to start reaping the rewards of this long rebuild. I like where this team is and I believe we are well positioned for a nice run of success.
