Five Problems from Spring Training

No one anywhere will suggest that a team’s Spring Training record is indicative of anything. In fact, statistics and results shouldn’t be over analyzed. With that said, there are some results from Spring Training that can reasonably be cause for alarm. 

deGrom’s Velocity

Last year, Jacob deGrom‘s fastball averaged 95.81 MPH. This Spring, deGrom’s fastball has generally been between 91 – 93 MPH

There are reasons for this. He took additional time off in the offseason with last year’s increased workload. He dealt with a minor leg injury. He had to get a new mattress because the old one gave him a stiff back. His wife is expecting and may deliver any day now. Overall, there have been a series a distractions and very minor injuries. Through it all, he hasn’t found his fastball. 

Now, deGrom can probably still get people out with less stuff, but it’s not ideal. With a slower fastball, he can still be good, but he won’t be dominant. He may find his fastball in real games whether it is due to velocity or him holding something back in Spring Training. However, as of today, he is throwing 91-93 MPH, and Spring Training is effectively over. It’s fair to be concerned about deGrom’s velocity. 

Cespedes’ Power

When Yoenis Cespedes came to the Mets, he put on a display. Up until 2015, he averaged 24 homers a year. In two months with the Mets, he hit 17 home runs.

This Spring he has hit one homerun. He has been working with Kevin Long to change his approach at the plate. He’s had stiffness in his hip. In the NLCS, he had to pull himself from a game with an aggravated AC joint in his right shoulder. That same right shoulder has been bothering him this Spring. 

Now, Cespedes is a streaky hitter who can start hitting home runs all over the place once the season begins. His one homerun came in the last Spring Training game, which is hopefully a sign of good things to come. However, at this point, we cannot dismiss the possibility that the decreased power is from this new approach, or his wonky right shoulder, or both. 

Bastardo’s Control

With Antonio Bastardo, there are two issues you have with him: (1) he pitches well every other year; and (2) walks. 

For starters, based upon the pattern of Bastardo’s career, he will have a rough 2016. In even numbered years, his ERA+ has been under 100 and his ERA has been 3.94 and above. In odd numbered years (where he played a full season) his ERA+ is 129 and above, and his ERA has been 2.98 and below. As we know, this is an even numbered year, and his Spring hasn’t instilled any confidence that the pattern will change. 

One big reason why is Bastardo has walked 5 guys in 10.1 innings this Spring. Both Terry Collins and Dan Warthen are worried about his command. Warthen has been working with Bastardo on his mechanics to no avail. It’s a problem that needs to be fixed because Bastardo has walk issues. In his career, he averages 4.1 BB/9 (not good) in odd numbered years. In the dreaded even years, he averages 4.7 BB/9 (worse). Right now, Bastardo has given no indication this odd year – even year pattern won’t continue. 

Conforto Hasn’t Played RF

Right now, the Mets have five outfielders capable of playing everyday. Of those five, Curtis GrandersonAlejandro De Aza, and Juan Lagares have platoon splits. Last year, Michael Conforto was only allowed to face righties the vast majority of the time. 

The plan for Conforto this year was to let him play everyday. Having Conforto play everyday and not play in RF is going to be difficult. When the Mets face a lefty, especially a tough lefty, it’s likely Collins will want Lagares in CF and Cespedes in RF. That means the left-handed batter will have to play RF. In that circumstance, Collins will be more likely to play Granderson or De Aza as both have experience in right field. 

For his part, Conforto hasn’t played right field in his very limited time as a professional. He’s worked there during practices in Spring Training, but he has not played right field in a game. There is simply no substitute for in-game experience. It’s likely the lack of game experience may hold him back. It’s likely Collins will not play Conforto in right. 

By not playing Conforto against lefties, they may be hampering his development. Furthermore, the Mets may not be putting their best lineup out there against lefties. 

David Wright’s Back

To be fair, when David Wright returned from the DL last year, he hit .277/.381/.437 in 30 games. If Wright can keep that up – he’s a career .298/.377/.492 hitter – there’s no reason to be concerned about him. Even better, he had a full offseason to adequately prepare for 2016. 

However, Wright had trouble playing three games in a row after his return from spinal stenosis. It wasn’t until this week that Wright dared to play four games in a row in Spring Training. At the end of the day, no one knows how many games Wright can play in 2016. Everything is in estimate or a guess whether it be 130, 100, 81, 10, etc. That’s a problem. 

Wright is the Mets’ captain. He’s the best option at third base. He’s still a good hitter who gets on base more than anyone else in the lineup. Whether the Mets or anyone else will acknowledge it, the team needs him. Unfortunately, no one knows how much Wright can give them. 

Overall, there are things about this Spring that should give Mets fans cause for concern. The record isn’t one of them. It’s not the production. It’s the team’s general health and preparedness for the 2016 season. 

Despite these issues, the Mets still look to be a great team that can not only compete for a playoff berth, but also win the World Series. 

David Wright Should’ve Supported Matt Harvey Today

When you are the Captain of a team, you’re the designated leader of the team. As the leader, you are tasked with leading both in and out of the clubhouse. At least publicly, you need to have your teammates back. 

Looking at his quotes from David Lennon’s Newsday article regarding Matt Harvey‘s media silence, David Wright doesn’t have his teammate’s back with the media:

“Ask Matt,” Wright replied trying to stifle a grin. “If he’s talking to you.”  

We tried again a minute later. This time the question was about Harvey thriving on the controversy, maybe even performing better under these types of circumstances. Wright smiled. 

“I am not Matt Harvey’s mouthpiece,” Wright said. “I imagine playing in the big leagues, getting a chance to pitch on Opening Day, should be motivation enough. So I expect him to go out there and pitch well.”

I’m not suggesting Wright was malicious here. What I am suggesting is it’s a bad moment for him. He’s grinning while talking about Harvey’s media boycott. He’s declaring he’s not Harvey’s mouthpiece. 

You know what we didn’t see here?  Quotes about how his teammate was treated unfairly. Maybe as a leader of the team, Wrighf could’ve not spoken to the media at all. Maybe he could’ve had his teammate’s back after the way the media treated Harvey. Sometimes being a Captain is about biting your tongue. Wright should’ve gone to Keith Hernandez for some advice on how to handle the situation. 

Back in 1989, the beginning of the end of the Mets terrific run, Darryl Strawberry tried to start not one, but two fights with Hernandez at picture day. At the time Strawberry was upset with Hernadez because he did not support Strawberry’s threats to walk out in the team over a contract dispute. Hernandez supported Strawberry’s request for a new contract, but he also advised that it was a mistake for Strawberry to threaten the front office. 

These quotes, the fact that Strawberry was seated next to Hernandez, and probably some of Strawberry’s other demons came to a head. Despite the media being there, Strawberry tried to fight him twice. 

After the altercations, the media finally caught up with Hernandez. What did the twice attacked Keith Hernandez have to say about the incident? He simply stated, “It was unfortunate, but we will be fine.”  Strawberry was unhinged and tried to attack him twice, and Hernadez simply swept it under the rug. 

You couldn’t blame Hernandez if he went off on Strawberry there, but he didn’t. He did what a Captain does. He didn’t make it a bigger deal. At least publicly, he gave no indication of any prior or lingering problems.  He at least tried to make things easier for his teammate. It’s what Wright should have done. 

There was no one forcing Wright to talk to the media. No one was forcing him to say he wasn’t Harvey’s mouthpiece. These were Wright’s choices.  With these choices, he was quoted in an article about how Harvey needs to talk to the media, about how he’s going to make things harder for his teammates. Whether intentional or not, whether or not it was malicious, Wright came off as the good guy, and Harvey came off as small and petty. Wright looked like the good teammate while Harvey looked like the bad teammate. 

A Captain has to know better. Furthermore, Wright has been in New York for 12 years. He has to know better. With his responses, he gave the media yet another story about Harvey. 

Wright has been a terrific Met. He’s been great with the media and fans. He wasn’t a good Captain or teammate yesterday. Hopefully, he will get better because his teammates need a Captain who will stand up to a tough New York media, not feed it with more stories about his teammate. 

I’m Done with the Mets

It’s a process that began with Game 5 of the World Series. 

In that game, I saw Terry Collins turn to noted steroid cheat, Bartolo Colon, when the Mets were down in extra innings. The Mets went to him even after he blew Game 1 of the World Series. Why turn to a younger, fresher, and overall better arm like Hansel Robles?  No we go to Colon, who blew it again. 

I processed the emotions of that loss, and I moved on. Then the Mets bring back Collins, the very same man who managed a horrendous World Series. They brought back Colon because, well, there was no good reason for that. Also, because Sandy Alderson is trying to replicate his late 80’s Oakland Athletics teams (i.e. steroid users), he added Antonio Bastardo to the bullpen mix. That was also after the Mets offered Jenrry Mejia a contract – if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. 

While the Mets made sure to keep their steroid cheats, they got rid of Daniel Murphy, who single-handedly carried the Mets this offseason. I guess if Murphy started a steroids cycle and hit 30 home runs last year, the Mets would’ve given him a legitimate contract. 

Think about it. The Mets threw away Murphy, who led them to the World Series, and they kept Lucas Duda, who literally threw away the Mets chances of winning a World Series. If the Mets were really serious about winning, they would keep the players that helped them win, and they would’ve gotten rid of the streaky players that did nothing to help them win anything. 

Furthermore, during the offseason, we had to see Matt Harvey flaunt his bedroom prowess on Bravo. We saw Noah Syndergaard take a victory lap at every New York stadium and arena after the Mets lost. He probably should’ve spent that time learning how not to lose a World Series or needlessly throw at batter’s heads. 

Even better, the Mets released Ruben Tejada for no reason at all.  Tejada was an integral part of this Mets team. It was his injury that galvanized the Mets. Even with a cane, he was able to help the Mets win the pennant.  When the Mets released him, they not only got rid of their leader, they had no legitimate backup plan. Eric Campbell has no business being a baseball player, and Matt Reynolds is a complete bust. Seriously, just remember it was Omar Minaya’s players, not Sandy Alderson’s that won the pennant. 

I got past all of that and more. However, this Spring Training was the final straw. This Mets team has gone 13 straight games without a win. It’s clear from all of this Spring Training, they’re not taking getting ready for the season seriously. 

Well, if this team can’t take winning seriously, I can’t root for this team anymore. I still can’t root for another NL team, and I’ll never root for the Yankees. I’ll be honest. It’s hard to pick another team to root for. I’ve been a Mets fan all my life, and the vast majority of my family (including my Dad and brother) are Mets fans. 

Right now, I’m leaning towards the White Sox. Their coaching staff is full of great former Mets like Robin VenturaJoe McEwing, and Daryl Boston. They’re taking getting ready for this season seriously. They actually addressed their needs in the offseason, and they let Adam LaRoche know they will not let his son be a distraction. 

I wish Mets fans the best of luck. It’s been 30 years since the last World Series. I’d like to tell you to hang in there; that’ll happen soon. However, I’ve seen two collapses, Carlos Beltran not swinging, and Mike Piazza fly out to deep center. I know it’ll never happen in my lifetime, especially not with this offseason. 

Best of luck to you Mets fans. Go ChiSox!

Trivia Friday

Now that we know Matt Harvey is healthy, he’s about to become the 25th pitcher in Mets history to start on Opening Day. Can you name the other 24?  Good luck!


The Matt Harvey Illness Coverage Wasn’t Funny

You wake up one morning, and you go to the bathroom. Something’s not right. There’s blood in your urine. You panic. While you’re on hold with the doctor’s office to get an immediate appointment, you do what you should never do in this situation. You google it. You see that this can be a sign of kidney stones or cancer. It’s a not only a terrific way to not only start your day, but also to celebrate your birthday. 

After a medical procedure to remove blood clots from your bladder, you find out you’re going to be alright. It turns out that you could’ve avoided the issue just by going to the bathroom a little more frequently. It’s embarrassing, but you’re happy to be healthy and to put the scare behind you. You want to move on with your life. 

However, you can’t because your the star pitcher in the media capital of the world. You’re Matt Harvey, and because you’re Matt Harvey everyone feels as if you shouldn’t be treated with decency. 

When the news of Harvey’s medical issue arose, there were jokes about what the problem could be. Most of the jokes involved him contracting a STD. It’s all fine because Harvey didn’t like the six man rotation. He attends Rangers and Knicks games. He’s had his picture in magazines because he’s fashionable. His agent was worried about his career and tried to get the Mets to shut him down. Harvey missed a couple of starts down the stretch, after the division was locked up, so he could pitch into the postseason. He threw more innings than anyone else post Tommy John surgery. He deserves all the ridicule, right?

When you discover you’re fine, you’re ready to get back to baseball. However, before doing so, you have to get one thing off your chest. You saw the jokes. You have to let people know the jokes crossed a line

Rather than people realizing their behavior was poor and correcting it, they decided to double down on the jokes. Both the New York Post and the New York Daily News had covers that say, “You Gotta Relieve!”  The Post is so proud of its work, it actually publishes a full list of their other ideas. It’s one thing for the Post to do it. It’s another for the Daily News. They’re the paper who has a “news program” on SNY, the network covering the Mets. You figure they would have more decency. You’d think they’d treat you better.  Of course, they don’t. 

Reflecting on all that Harvey went through, it’s no wonder he’s not talking to the media

So how does the media respond?  Do they realize they’ve gone too far this time?  Do they take a step back and say no one deserves to be treated the way Harvey was treated?  Of course not. They make more jokes:

Instead of realizing Harvey was scared for his life, and was mocked during the process, he gets lectured and threatened by the likes of Bob Raissman. Here are some choices quotes from his hack job (emphasis on hack) against Harvey:

Dark Knight meet your alter ego, The Whiz Kid. Add to this trip downstream the Daily News back page, which featured a urinal and the headline, “Ya Gotta Relieve!”  Instead of chuckling on his way, laughing at this, Harvey is pissed off. 

                     **************

But how long can Harvey keep yo-yoing the media?  Now Harvey, as the 2016 season approaches, is playing a game he cannot win. Over the years, there have been too many examples of players – especially stars – who turned their backs on the media only to wind up getting kicked in the ass. 

                 ******************

So it would be in Harvey’s best interests – and those of the Mets organization – to get him back on track with the reporters covering the team. Do it with some humor – self-deprecating, of course – and sincerity. For the alternative ain’t pretty. 

Hanging the media out to dry Wednesday was the act of someone who is selfish and lost perspective. Perhaps it is just a temporary loss. Still, Matt Harvey made this whole situation, which actually had a happy ending, bigger than it had to be. 

And that’s sad. 

In other parts of this “article,” Raissman made jokes by saying things like “Tinkle Tinkle Little Star.  He also said Harvey was acting like an “uncooperative jerk.”

Seriously, who does Raissman think he is?

Harvey was scared, and you made jokes. You then lecture him on how he should process these emotions. While this was all raw, you’re downright mocking him. When you don’t like his response, you threaten him with negative coverage. You lecture him on how he should respond like he’s a two year old?  This not only crosses the line of human decency, it crosses the line of objectivity. 

Raissman comes out and says that unless Harvey laughs at the media’s cruel jokes and genuflects before them, they will tar and feather him every chance they get. This is journalism?  

This attitude is why the Players’ Tribune exists. It gives the players a voice and an outlet to tell their side of the story instead of passing it along to a reporter who has an agenda. Sure, the Players’ Tribune is really public relations. However, judging from columns like the one Raissman wrote, and the New York Daily News actually published, are the newspaper writers any different?  Don’t they have their own agenda?  Raissman told us they do. 

If any of these reporters have a health scare, I hope they don’t have to go through it as publicly as Matt Harvey did. I hope people aren’t making unfair jokes at their expense. If they are deeply wounded by any comments, I hope there isn’t some jerk telling them how they should laugh at the jokes and get over it. No, they deserve better than that, even if they aren’t willing to afford Harvey that level of decency. Yes, even Bob Raissman deserves to be treated better than how he’s treated Matt Harvey. 

Personally, if I was a Mets player, I’d organize a player freeze out of the media until retractions and apologies were published. This was a team genuinely scared for Harvey’s well being. They should be uniting behind him.  They should let the media know their treatment of their teammate was not alright. If the media wants access, they have to be fair to them instead of carrying agendas into their clubhouse. They have to be objective. 

And by the way, next time Raissman wants to be a champion of his fellow newspaper writers, maybe he shouldn’t be the first writer crossing a picket line . . . . 

Editor’s Note: this article first appeared on metsmerizedonline.com

Eric Campbell Is a Better Bench Option Than Matt Reynolds Right Now

Right now, the Mets have to pick between Eric Campbell and Matt Reynolds for the last spot on the bench. It seems that Terry Collins tipped his hand as to who he thinks will win this competition:

That’s right. Collins envisions Eric Campbell as part of his bench. He sees Campbell as someone who can allow Curtis Granderson to sit against tough lefties. It’s probable that Collins also sees Campbell as an option to get some time at first base to allow Lucas Duda to get a day off against a tough lefty. Given his history, Campbell can play the corner infield and outfield positions, second base, and in an emergency, shortstop and catcher. 

If nothing else, Campbell is versatile. Unlike Wilmer Flores, Campbell has actually played a major league game at first base. Keep in mind no matter how good he has looked there, Flores has only played two Spring Training games at first base. Furthermore, Flores will be needed to backup second base and shortstop. More importantly, Flores is the main backup at third base. When no one knows how many games David Wright will be able to play in 2016, it’s imperative the Mets have a versatile backup. 

Right now, that isn’t Matt Reynolds. In his minor league career, Reynolds has played 350 games at shortstop and 32 games at second base. He has no minor league experience at first, third, or the outfield. Therefore, as of right now, Campbell is the Mets best choice for the last man on the bench. 

There are benefits to having Campbell on the bench. He’s a good pinch hitter hitting .293 with a .426 OBP. He gets big pinch hits. He doesn’t hurt you defensively at any position you put him. He’s also not going to complain when he’s not playing. He’s not going to disturb the clubhouse. Campbell knows he’s a bench player, and he’s just trying to do what he can to stick in the major leagues. 

For right now, the Mets best option is to have Campbell start the year on the major league roster. Reynolds can go to AAA and learn other positions. Flores can focus on the middle infield and third. Campbell can continue to be a good pinch hitter who sparingly plays the corner infield and outfield positions when needed. 

Terry Collins tipped his cap. He eluded that Campbell will make the team. It’s the right choice. 

The Mets Botched the Matt Harvey Situation

The Mets really are their own worst enemies, and it all starts with what is a terrible Public Relations Department. 

The Mets’ ace, Matt Harvey, was dealing with a private medical issue. He had blood clots in his bladder. The causes for blood in the urine can be scary. It can be caused by kidney stones, cancer, or in Harvey’s case, holding it in too long. The number one thing to take from this whole situation is that Harvey is healthy, and he will be ready to pitch on Opening Day. 

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem here. Why did Matt Harvey have to go through this publicly at all?  

Harvey had tests and a procedure done by this morning. The Mets could’ve said Harvey was going to miss today’s Spring Training start because he had the flu, or they wanted to give someone else a start while Harvey threw on the side, or literally anything else where you don’t announce to the world that Harvey is dealing with a private medical issue. While he is dealing with this, many people are cracking jokes or making nasty comments. Well, Harvey noticed:

Again, why was Harvey subjected to this? In part, it’s because people like to make jokes. The bigger issue is the Mets made an announcement before one needed to be made. They made a private matter a public matter and subjected their ace to ridicule. By the way, now that the news is out that Harvey is alright, new jokes have emerged. This is a failure of epic proportions by the Mets organization. 

It’s not the first time Mets players have had a real issue with how the front office, and specifically Jay Horowitz, prioritizes the media over its own players. As Mike Piazza wrote in his autobiography, Long Shot (p. 259):

Because I’d the huge shadow the Yankees cast in the city, it seemed to me and other players that the Mets chronically catered to the press in the continual effort to get attention. In the process, they often exposed us – almost sacrificed us, in effect – to the jaws of the New York media monster. Our publicity director, Jay Horowitz, was a good guy who worked hard and loved the ball club, but I felt that he was more loyal to the writers and broadcasters than he was to the players. 

              ******************

[The front office’s] position seemed to be that players come and go but the stations and newspapers will always be around. The effect, for us, was a sense that we were constantly walking the plank with the sharks circling below. 

Once again, the Mets were more concerned about playing nice with the media rather than protecting one of its players. It was a problem with Piazza. It still seems to be a problem today. 

So overall, the Mets have no problem sacrificing their players and their privacy to the media. They have no issues subjecting their players to ridicule for what are serious health issues. Harvey deserved better than this. Piazza and his teammates deserved better when they were playing.

The funny thing is that while the Mets have no problem having their players have to answer questions about private matters like their health, they are still ducking the media when it comes to the Madoff scandal or Jeff Wilpon firing a single mother.  You see the Mets cozying up with the media only works when it comes to their players. When it comes to their own issues, they are nowhere to be found. 

There will be jokes that follow Harvey the rest of his career because of this. It never needed to happen. The Mets failed one of their players by subjecting him to mockery and ridicule they don’t allow themselves to face. The Mets front office is the real joke here. 

Just Pray for Harvey

The worst thing that can happen to the Mets is them losing one of their pitchers for any period of time. With Matt Harvey‘s undisclosed and unknown medical situation, this fear is now a reality. 

The scary part about it is how it has escalated. First, the Mets assumed he was hung over. Then, they thought it wouldn’t prevent him from making his next Spring Training start. Now, he’s flying back to New York for further examination. He’s most likely going to miss Opening Day. The players don’t know what’s going on, and they are praying for him

The only thing we do know is Harvey’s arm is fine, or as only Terry Collins can put it, “His arm is fine!  His arm is fine!  Ok?  His arm is fine.”  This is leading to speculation as to what is wrong with Harvey, and there is no shortage of opinions. 

This is because no one knows what’s happening. Part of that is HIPAA laws. Part of that is the Mets making an announcement before having all of the information. A large part of it is Harvey’s Bravo appearance and general assumptions fans have about him. 

Hopefully, this is a relatively minor issue not only because of the Mets season, but more importantly, this is a man’s health we are talking about here. With that said, I’m reminded of other instances where a player’s health has postponed, derailed, or ended a player’s career. 

As Mets fans, we have seen our fair share of problems. There was Ike Davis‘ bout with Valley Fever. Jose Reyes was found to have a thyroid condition. Just last year, there was David Wright and his spinal stenosis diagnosis. Elsewhere, there have been far more life threatening medical issues. 

Jon Lester battled lymphoma before coming back and winning the clincher of the 2004 World Series. Brian Picolo would go from an NFL player to dying from cancer. There was also the day fifteen years ago when Magic Johnson retired from the NBA when he discovered he contracted HIV. 
We don’t know what Harvey’s medical issue is.  We may never know. The only thing we do know is no one wants to see something happen that will not only forever alter Harvey’s career, but also his life. So while we know his arm is alright, we don’t know if he’s alright. We don’t know what, if any effect, this will all have on his career. 

Like Travis d’Arnaud and the rest of the Mets, all we can do is pray that Harvey will be alright. 

Editor’s Note: this article first appeared on metsmerizedonline.com

Nationals Are Ready to Reclaim the NL East

Mostly, you should ignore Spring Training. The only results that matter is how a player is progressing toward getting ready for the season. That’s much more important than their stats or a team’s Win-Loss record. However, I do admit there is one aspect of Spring Training that has me troubled. 

Things have been very quiet in Washington. 

Last year, Bryce Harper went from asking where his World Series ring was to getting choked by Jonathan Papelbon in the dugout. Ian Desmond rejected a contract extension worth over $100 million, and he was entering a contract year. The pressure of which was too much, and he faltered last year. The Nationals opened the year with big players like Anthony RendonDenard Span, and Jayson Werth on the Disabled List. Each would play less than 90 games. Stephen Strasburg struggled out of the gate, and he would miss some time with a shoulder injury

This all proved to be too much for the 2015 World Series favorites. It’s a lot for a good manager to handle. It’s a disaster when your manager is terrible. That’s what the Nationals’ 2015 season was – a disaster. 

Well, the Nationals cleaned house. They brought in three time NL Manager of the Year Dusty Baker. They added character guys like Daniel Murphy. They sured up a weak bullpen with guys like Oliver Perez and Yusmeiro Petit. They spent an offseason getting healthy and getting ready for the 2016 season. They came to Spring Training ready to work. While Spring Training records do not matter, they currently have the best Spring Training record in all of baseball. Note, the Mets had the best record last year, and they went to the World Series (still, Spring Training records really mean nothing). 

This all amounts to the Nationals doing a better job of getting ready for the season. This is a team that will be ready to jump out of the gates and start winning ball games. 

The Nationals are going to have some early season help too. In April, they play 12 games against the Braves and Phillies. They have another seven against the Marlins. In fact, 19 of their first 24 games are against teams that were under .500 last year. With a better manager, a weak schedule, and a much healthier roster, the Nationals could have a huge April.  A huge April could give a really good team a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season. 

Right now, I will still be calm about Jacob deGrom and his diminished velocity. I will look the other way when the subject of the Mets’ relievers’ dead arms is discussed. I’ll roll my eyes at the Mets’ current winless streak. 

deGrom still has time to regain velocity. Dead arms are a part of Spring Training. These games don’t count.  The only thing that really matters is the Mets are ready for Opening Day. They have to be ready to jump out of the gate and start winning some games. The Mets are going to have a fight on their hands for the NL East crown. 

Unlike 2015, the Washington Nationals are not taking anything for granted.  They’re going to be ready to reclaim the NL East. Their going to challenge the Mets every step of the way in 2016. 

Eric Campbell Will Make the Opening Day Roster

Going into the 2016 season, there was only thing missing from the roster – a backup first baseman. 

However, fans were told to rest assured because there was a solution on their roster. The Mets were going to teach the position to Wilmer Flores. They were going to give a first baseman’s glove to their two catchers, Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki. This would not only allow the team to have additional options at first, but it would also allow them to find more at bats for their two young catchers over the course of a season. Opening Day is a little over a week away. Guess how many combined games these three players have played at first base this Spring?

One. 

Just one. Flores finally played a game there, and he described the experience as “weird.”  He was only there because Lucas Duda couldn’t play yesterday. It’s probable Flores will get one other game there. The chances the catchers will get a game there now are slim to none. It’s just one giant wasted opportunity. 

Sure, the Mets had Flores workout with Keith Hernandez at first base this Spring. In that sense, the Mets didn’t waste the time they had this Spring. However, there is just no substitute for game experience. Worst yet, they just wasted opportunities to get Flores game action at first. Marc Krauss, who shouldn’t play one game with the 2016 Mets, has played 15 games this Spring. 

With so much on Flores’ plate this Spring, this was bound to happen. He had to prepare to become the main backup at each and every infield position. He had to work to become a better, more patient hitter at the plate. With David Wright‘s back, he has to be as ready as possible to play third. With Asdrubal Cabrera‘s injury coupled with Ruben Tejada‘s release, Flores had to spend time being sure he was ready to play shortstop. First base just fell by the wayside. 

This all means one of three things:

  1. Duda is going to play 162 games;
  2. The Mets are comfortable with Flores at first regardless of his lack of game time there; or
  3. Eric Campbell is going to make the Opening Day roster. 

Each passing day, it appears more and more likely that Campbell will be on the Opening Day roster. He’s played 17 games this Spring. Unlike Flores, he has played multiple games at first. Despite fans’ opinion of him, the Mets organization is bullish on Campbell’s abilities as a versatile bench player. 

So, it’s most likely that the Mets have always seen Campbell as the backup first baseman. It would be the most plausible explanation why the Mets failed to expose Flores to first base for the vast majority of Spring Training. Conversely, if Campbell isn’t going to make the roster, the Mets have wasted Spring Training with respect to their inability to give Flores game action at first. 

The most likely result is Eric Campbell making the Opening Day roster.