Tag Archives: David Wright

Dec 14

Mets Could Be Better, But Still Have Concerns

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Are the Mets better today than they were at the end of the season?

Even after addressing their need of right-handed hitting with the additions of Michael Cuddyer and John Mayberry Jr., the Mets still have pressing issues.

David Wright and Curtis Granderson are coming off subpar seasons, and the former was also injured last year. Another key Met coming off an injury is closer Bobby Parnell.

Catcher and shortstop are critical positions and the Mets don’t know what they have with Travis d’Arnaud and Wilmer Flores. There are reasons to be optimistic, but neither are givens. The same can be applied to center fielder Juan Lagares.

The Mets like to boast about their young starting pitching, but you must go under the assumption a player’s numbers can’t be projected to exceed his best season.

Given that, even with the return of Matt Harvey, you can’t say he’ll win more than nine games because he’s never done it. That also means no more than 13 victories for Jon Niese, 11 for Zack Wheeler and nine for Jacob deGrom.

That’s 42 victories for the four homegrown arms in the rotation. That must get better.

Actually, a lot of things have to get better.

Dec 06

Wondering Why Mets Opted For Cuddyer Over Morse

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I don’t know if the Mets signed Michael Cuddyer just to appease David Wright. I suppose there’s some truth to that thought, but to what percentage?

Was Cuddyer the only right-handed option for the Mets? Was he their best option?

Yes, Cuddyer won the NL batting title two years ago, but for a team needing power, how much consideration did they give Michael Morse?

Morse, at 32, is three years younger. He averages 23 homers a season with a career .808 OPS and made $6 million last year. Cuddyer averages 21 homers with a career OPS and will be paid $8.5 million by the Mets in 2015.

Both can platoon with Lucas Duda at first base.

There’s not much difference in production, but for the cost conscious Mets you figure age and salary would be important.

There’s a lot that goes into signing a player. I wonder why they went in this direction.

Nov 25

Wright’s Comeback Is Mets’ Most Critical Question

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Among the myriad of questions facing the New York Mets this question, I believe the most important is the status of David Wright.

A recent ESPN poll listed baseball’s top ten third basemen and Wright, based on his recent injury history and performance, wasn’t on the list and shouldn’t have been. Therein, is why he’s my most critical Mets’ question heading into the 2015.

WRIGHT: He needs to smile again. (AP)

WRIGHT: He needs to smile again. (AP)

The key focus on Wright is health. Only once on the past four years did he play in as many as 150 games. Last year, a bum left shoulder limited him to 134 games and hurt his performance in the field and at the plate.

As the face of the franchise, Wright was rewarded with an eight-year, $138-million contract that has the Mets committed to him through the 2020 season. He was signed with the hope he’d regain his All-Star form.

This isn’t about whether the Mets should have signed Wright, or whether they should have taken Jose Reyes instead. It is about the immediate situation, which is Wright’s status. He’s here and not going anywhere.

It must be understood Wright has been a star, but his most productive seasons when he was younger and healthier, but also when he was surrounded by supporting talent, notably Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. Wright has always been an important element to the Mets’ success, but never the centerpiece bat.

This year will be more of the same. The main source of power will come from Lucas Duda followed by Curtis Granderson. If they meet expectations, a lot of pressure could come off Wright.

A seven-time All-Star, Wright figures to bat third and could be prevented with solid RBI opportunities if there’s a productive leadoff hitter and strong season from Daniel Murphy.

It can’t be underestimated how the upheaval at the top of the order, plus the lack of support behind him, coupled with his injuries and propensity for carrying the weight of the team on his shoulders contributed to him not driving in over 100 runs since 2010 or scoring over 100 runs since 2008.

Then again, every time Wright struggles resurfaces the questions stemming from the 2009 beaning by Matt Cain.

This is a critical year for Wright, who at 31, is at the crossroads of his career. Does his slide continue or can he recapture the stroke that made him an elite talent?

Wright as Wright can carry the Mets to the next level to potential playoff contending status. If not, and he struggles again, there will be the lingering questions about his contract, especially if he’s healthy and doesn’t produce.

There are six more years on that contract and could become an albatross.

Nov 17

Mets’ Collins Optimistic About 2015

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As far as guarantees go, it was rather weak, but considering the boast came from Terry Collins it was bold enough. Not only will the Mets’ string of six losing seasons come to an end, but they should make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Pointing to a young core and return of David Wright and Curtis Granderson that should be enough to get them over the hump.

“We should be playing in October,’’ Collins told reporters this week. “Our young guys are starting to grow, with the addition of some offense, and … we’re not done. … I think 2015 is going to be a good year for us.’’

The key, or course, is Matt Harvey’s recovery from elbow surgery; development of Zack Wheeler; and a encore season from Jacob deGrom that comprise the core of a young pitching staff.

If the pitching holds up and Wright and Granderson have bounce back seasons, that should put them into contention for a wild-card berth. The NL East title? Not so much.

 

Nov 15

Mets Matters: Figures To Be Slow Winter; Injury Updates

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Speculation has Michael Cuddyer being the highlight, and probably the only light, of the New York Mets’ offseason. That means, and you’ve heard this before, it will be a relatively quiet Winter Meetings.

Yeah, there’s talk of obtaining an offensive shortstop, but GM Sandy Alderson doesn’t have the chips to pull off a major deal, nor the inclination to spend big in the free-agent market.

“At this point we’re not looking for somebody who is strictly a defensive player,’’ Alderson told reporters in Phoenix. “We’d like it to be somebody who is good on both ends. But right now we’re not looking for someone who is defense only, and we’re not thinking about settling for somebody who is defense only. Now things can change.’’

What won’t change is in order to get something you have give up something and that’s not happening soon.

What also might not change is the possibility of Stephen Drew hanging around looking for a job in January. We’ve seen that movie before and it won’t be any better the second time around.

In addition to shortstop, the Mets want a lefty reliever.

WRIGHT UPDATE: The news continues to be good for David Wright. His rehab continues to go smoothly and he’s all but out of the woods regarding possible shoulder surgery.

Wright is scheduled to begin baseball activities, which would include hitting, in early December.

“I think we are past that,’’ Alderson said about surgery. “I think everything we know about David’s shoulder is positive. I couldn’t tell you that he’s 100 percent today, but he’s substantially there.

“Any time anybody is coming back from an injury that required him to be shut down the year before, there’s some uncertainty. But right now I’m not worried about it.’’

PARNELL UPDATE: Whom the Mets are worried about is closer Bobby Parnell, who is not expected to be ready for Opening Day. Parnell is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Parnell is throwing on flat ground at 120 feet and the timetable is for him to get on the mound after Christmas.