New York Mets: Projected 2019 lineup is already better than last year’s lineup

It is no secret that the New York Mets have had a wild offseason in terms of moves made. However, we are not even at spring training and the lineup is already looking better from last season.

The New York Mets have played zero regular season games under Brodie Van Wagenen and second year manager Mickey Callaway has a lot of new pieces to work with.

The Mets 2019 Opening Day lineup already looks like it will be a whole different team from last season.

Even the players who were un-proven going into last season are more proven this year. So, it looks different with more context.

Player like Amed Rosario and Brandon Nimmo entered last season with a lot more question marks than they do know.

So, is their lineup for 2019 already better than it was Opening Day last season? That is really for you to decide, but I would say so.

For reference here was the Mets’ Opening Day lineup last year vs the Cardinals:

1. Brandon Nimmo, CF
2. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
3. Jay Bruce, RF
4. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
5. Todd Frazier, 3B
6. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
7. Kevin Plawecki, C
8. Noah Syndergaard, P
9. Amed Rosario, SS

How could we forget that Adrian Gonzalez was thing.

Then, by the end of last season, these were their starters for game 162 vs the Miami Marlins. Just a fun reminder, Noah Syndergaard threw a complete game shutout.

1. Jose Reyes, SS
2. Jeff McNeil, 2B
3. Conforto, RF
4. Bruce, 1B
5. Frazier, 3B
6. Dominic Smith, LF
7. Austin Jackson, CF
8. Tomas Nido, C
9. Syndergaard, P

First off, Dom Smith should never touch the outfield again, that is if he even makes it back up to the Mets in 2019.

But, to get back to the main point, the roster turnover is insane.

I say that because this is a good reference of what the opening day lineup will look like in March, according to Anthony DiComo’s Twitter:

The thing is, we are not even at Spring baseball yet. It has become overwhelmingly apparent that the Mets care about depth and playing the correct player.

Otherwise they wouldn’t have signed so many players who could play multiple positions.

Really the only thing that hasn’t completely changed is the starting rotation, that is the only thing that really should not have been touched.

Although, another starter would be nice.

The bullpen was borderline irrelevant last season and mostly useless. However, they traded Anthony Swarzak and added Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz. That is for sure an upgrade.

The rest, we knew were there or are, according to DiComo, going to make the team out of Spring Training.

The issue becomes about Jeff McNeil. The Mets added four new bats into the lineup from last season’s opening day roster, that includes McNeil.

But, two of the adds, Cano and Lowrie, play McNeil’s positions. He simply played too well last season to be on the bench.

To have McNeil on the Opening Day roster is asking for a lot.

He is going to have to learn how to play the outfield to be an everyday player. That is a tall order to do in one offseason.

The Mets having McNeil being a question mark going into 2019 is a sin because of how well he ended 2018.

What is solid about the Mets’ projected 2019 line up is that it is significantly improved.

The only real carry-overs are players who should be staples of the lineup for years to come.

Conforto, Nimmo, Rosario.

Adding McNeil to the Opening Day lineup would essentially be in lieu of Yoenis Cespedes.

Adding Cano is in place of Asdrubal Cabrera.

For Lowrie, I would imagine he plays third and then Frazier moves over to first which is also different but probably better for Frazier coming off a terrible season.

Then with all the talent being wasted away on the bench, and Yoenis Cespedes somewhere in the Mets’ organization, I would imagine the 2019 lineup to be different pretty much every single game in 2019.

Let’s not forget, Peter Alonso could be MLB ready come the summer months, and he would likely replace a veteran in the line up to make room for the youth movement, a movement he could even be at the forefront of.

Regardless on how the lineup is on Opening Day, by game 162, it will likely be very different as well, even if everyone is just moved over a position or something.

But also regardless, the Mets’ roster got a little bit better, in my opinion.

Cano is not a what if. He will be a consistent player like he has a track record of being.

Wilson Ramos is an upgrade over Kevin Plawecki, that is almost not even a question.

Then we already know Rosario is a much better MLB player than at this point 365 days ago.

Todd Frazier has a massive chip on his shoulder now with all the options to replace him, he should be better.

Then you have McNeil, who we know hits for average and consistently.

Things are going to be wild in Flushing this season. Mickey Callaway is going to have his work cut out for him.

Again, I must repeat, Spring Training has not even happened yet.

Players who are signed can emerge out of there to make the 25 man roster and become a regular fixture.

The possibilities are almost endless.

The best part is, this is to help make the pitching staff more of an asset in 2019, or not waste it again.

A pitching staff that ended last season strong as is filled with All-Star caliber players (yes, Jason Vargas has been an All-Star before) and the reigning Cy Young award winner.

The Mets in 2019 have already made their roster look better. I suppose that is Brodie Van Wagenen’s job.

Now, all the players have to do is play better. The Mets got off to a scorching hot start last season before plummeting for three months.

But, this roster looks a little bit more sustainable, deeper, and more experience all around now.

Let’s see how this works out. There should be some hope for more fun and wins this season. Maybe not playoffs yet, but better.

It is the Mets, after all, so I would take hope this with a pinch of salt, but at least there is hope.