The 2015 Version of the New York Mets Are Back

It isn't because the team is worse than last year. In fact, it is the exact opposite. If the 2016 team was all together last year for the whole year and stayed healthy the team might have won 100 gams. Not only is the 2016 schedule harder but it will also be harder to win games as every team is going to play their best against the Mets. 

I feel like I repeated myself countless times over the offseason and now we are finally seeing what I was talking about come true. Anything but a World Series Parade in early November for New York would be disappointment. However, it isn't realistic or fair to call this a World Series or bust type of year for the Mets. 

For the New York Mets, their 2016 season is only 15 games old and it’s finally time to make some opinions about this year’s team. The Mets were able to dig themselves out of an early 2-5 hole to begin the season, now standing with a 8-7 record. Much of the Mets’ early season scuffles came against low-quality teams in the division, when they weren’t clicking offensively. Through the first eight games, the Mets scratched out just 16 runs, while cranking out an abysmal .185 team average.

Since then, it appears that the Mets are pulling out of their spring training funk as they have now won six out-of its past eight games. The abrupt hot streak has been aided by the surge of the long ball, which has also jolted their run production. During that stretch, they’ve seen their offense take on a full 360: bashing 19 home runs, racking up 37 runs, and hitting .294 in the past seven games.

The Mets’ upswing offensively of late has revolved around their versatility in the lineup, but don’t forget the starting pitching and bullpen. Neil Walker has been a force the entire year so far. The switch-hitting second baseman is batting .293 overall. Walker’s combination of plate discipline and contact is reason to why Walker can bat anywhere from third through sixth in Mets’ batting order. This in itself implements flexibility for Terry Collins to utilize every night.

With Jacob deGrom placed on maternity leave with his new baby, life-long reliever Logan Verrett has suddenly sprouted up as New York’s possible fifth starter. It’s obviously a very small sample size, but in Verrett’s first two starts, he has a 0.00 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Once deGrom comes back, the Mets will likely demote the 25 year-old back to the bullpen, either way he makes for a pretty darn good sixth man.

The Mets added additional arms to its bullpen in the offseason, and they seem to be in good shape to withstand an injury to either Antonio Bastardo or Jim Henderson. Both, whom have structured the back-end of the Mets bullpen quite nicely. In a combined 14 innings, the duo has surrendered only three runs and have accounted for 21 strikeouts.