New York Mets: Can They Make a Run

Do the New York Mets have enough on this year’s team to put together a run that can save the season?

On Sunday, May 8 of this year , the New York Mets stood in first place with a slim 1/2 game lead over the Washington Nationals, eight games over.500. They had just reeled off a eight-game winning streak at the end of April and the season was looking like the one it was projected to be.

Since then, the Mets have produced a underwhelming record of 38-44 and they find themselves looking up at five teams, not for the Division race but just to secure a spot as a Wild Card team is the playoffs.

If they fail to even make the playoffs (which is a revealing question itself given that this is the year they were supposed to win a Series Title), the epitaphs will pour in over the entire winter mainly citing numerous injuries to key players like David Wright and Matt Harvey as the reason behind the collapse.

But the question for now is, and should be, whether or not this team has what it takes to make a running charge over the final 50 games of the season. Can they, for instance, spin off another eight-game winning streak? Can they go 17-5, or even 14-7 over a short span of games?

More from New York Mets

Anyone who has been following baseball for a while knows that virtually every team at one time or another is capable of producing a run like those above. In fact, on the same day in May, the Phillies were sitting in third place four games over. 500. The Mets themselves also put on a run at this time last year that spurred them onto the World Series, largely due to the over told story of adding Yoenis Cespedes to their floundering lineup.

But what about this team? Do they have it in them to “save the season”? Well, let’s see. The last time I looked, the Mets were next to last in the Majors in runs scored and they were not hitting with runners in scoring position. They were third in the league in ERA, but they were supposed to be first and the two teams ahead of them (Cubs and Nationals) is telling when you consider how the season has gone.

Jacob deGrom is on fire, but the Mets can’t seem to win a game for him. Bartolo is Bartolo and he’s going to keep them in games but also give up a lot of hits, and when things don’t go right a few runs too. Noah Syndergaard is having one of those mystery years for a pitcher. Every time you see him, you think to yourself, how can this guy ever lose a game? And yet, he’s only won nine games to date. Steven Matz has been erratic at best and this year’s savior, Zack Wheeler, has yet to throw innings at a legitimate minor league lineup.

must read: What are the biggest trades the Mets have made in the last 20 years

All told, that’s painting a pretty black picture, isn’t it? But truth be told, this just isn’t adding up to the kind of year where the Mets can make the kind of run that will be necessary to finish closer to the top. And to make matters worse, there are two teams (the Marlins and Pirates) who are making that kind of a run right now.

So, to answer my own question…….No, the Mets don’t have anywhere near what it’s going to take to pull off a miracle this year.

Which brings us to next year and tomorrow’s story about what the Mets front office should be thinking about in terms of player additions and subtractions. Stay tuned.

Home/New York Mets