New York Mets: 5 reasons for optimism – Part 2 Starting Pitching
By Ed Stein
Empire Writes Back continues our five-part series on why New York Mets fans should be optimistic for the upcoming 2019 season. Part two, strong starting rotation.
Its been a rough few years for the New York Mets faithful. Since game three of the 2015 World Series, its been a downhill ride. Since then one thing or another has derailed the Amazins time after time. Injuries (David Wright, Yoenis Cespedes, etc) have set them back as well as unfulfilled expectations of certain players (ie Matt Harvey). There have been mental errors and a whole bunch of free swingers at the plate who couldn’t get wood on the baseball.
2019 is when the New York Mets fortunes turn around. It’s the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Miracle Mets. This year’s team doesn’t need a miracle to succeed and we’ll give you five reasons why. Today we continue with a possibly the best starting staff in the National League.
The Mets have had a strong tradition of solid starting pitching going back to Tom Seaver‘s debut on April 13, 1967. Greats such as Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, Dwight Gooden, Frank Viola, Al Leiter, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine, and Johan Santana have all donned the orange, royal, and white. That’s why it’s no surprise that the Amazin’s once again are led by a strong rotation.
Last season, the Mets starters were among MLB’s best in many key statistics.
- Walks 7th – 261
- Earned Run Average 6th – 3.54
- Total Runs Allowed 6th – 387
- Innings Pitched 6th – 914.1
- Home Runs Allowed 6th – 102
- Batting Average Against 6th – .237
- Strikeouts 5th – 932
- WHIP 5th – 1.18
With those numbers, their 17th best, 50 wins were even more disappointing. The scenario will not repeat itself in 2019, fans can expect to see more “W’s” from their starters. First, they will have more run support, next, the bullpen is vastly improved and lastly, the rotation is just that good.