The New York Mets are entering the 2017 season with a lot of hope. They are hoping to make the playoffs for the third straight season, which has never been done in the team’s fifty-five-year history. Last season, the Mets were had an abundance of injuries that saw many guys be on the disabled list for either a part of the 2016 season or the entire season. However, the Mets were able to fight through this and still get 87 wins last years and get a wild card opportunity.
[Jon]
Here are my three bold predictions for the upcoming season for the New York Mets:
1-Travis d’Arnaud will bounce back in 2017
Since Travis d’Arnaud has been on the main roster for the Mets, he has not done well at all. However, reports coming out of Training Camp that show that he is trying to get better as he is spending extra time with the hitting coach and trying new techniques out. I could see him having a more productive 2017 for the Mets that won’t make them give his job to Renee Rivera. However, if he starts to fall apart, the Mets won’t hesitate to bench him.
2-Wilmer Flores will take over 3rd base from David Wright
For the last few seasons, it seems David Wright has suffered some sort of injury that has kept him off the field for extended amounts of time. This spring training he was already shut down due to shoulder issues. If you throw in the fact that he is getting older, I could see the Mets reducing his playing time and giving it more to Wilmer Flores, who has provided some spark. I could see the Mets playing Wright once in a while, but I think his time in Queens and possible in baseball is coming to an end soon.
3- The middle of the lineup will cause problems for other teams
For the 2017 season, it seems that the Mets will probably have Jay Bruce, Yoenis Cespedes, and probably Neil Walker as their middle of the lineup. While this doesn’t scream murder’s row, it is still one that should not be taken lightly. These guys combined for 69 homers and 160 runs batted in, which proves that they provide a ton of power. If these three guys can stay healthy this season, I could only imagine what numbers they can pull.