5 Things The Mets Need In 2020 Are….
As we all know the world of sports has been put on hold due to the Corona-virus. But it looks like we might get to enjoy baseball once again. The 2020 baseball season kicks off on July 24th and fans are ecstatic to enjoy the sport that they love! Even though the season has been shortened to just 60 games from 162, a World Series title is still on the line & every team is playing to win it all. Lets talk about what I feel are the top 5 things The Mets need to do for success in 2020.
Ownership Distraction
The current owners of the New York Metropolitans, the Wilpon’s, are looking to sell the franchise. As of right now, there have been several bids to buy the team & it looks like billionaire hedge fund owner Steve Cohen & celebrity couple Jennifer Lopez & Alex Rodriguez seem to be the front runners. Most fans are hoping Steve Cohen will be the winner because he will become the richest in all of baseball. Money does hold a lot of power within the game because that allows the team to invest in top free agents, which the team in years past were never able to do. But fans & players need to realize one thing…THIS MEANS NOTHING FOR 2020! Whoever does become the next owner of the team won’t be able to make a difference until at least 2021. If you want to win in 2020, focus on the now, rather than the when!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 10: Point72 Asset Management and Gala Chair Steven A. Cohen speaks on stage the Lincoln Center Alternative Investment Gala at The Rainbow Room on April 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Lincoln Center)
Jacob deGrom Needs Runs!
Arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball needs to be healthy & deGrominate! Coming off his second CY Young award season, Jacob keeps The Mets in every single game. The rest of the team needs to do their part & actually score some runs so he can try and secure the victory. Met fans will tell you how frustrating it is to see deGrom constantly throw gems, just for the team to lose. With the season being just 60 games, deGrom will start around twelve & they need to win them all!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on September 14, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Polar Bear Power
Coming off his Rookie of the Year victory, slugger Pete “Polar Bear” Alonso now needs a sophomore repeat. Bashing a record setting 53 home runs as a rookie, Alonso needs to be that power threat once again. He’s not going to hit 53 in just 60 games, but he needs to hit at least 20+. If so, the team will be in a good position when they look at the scoreboard.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – MARCH 08: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets hits an RBI double against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game at Clover Park on March 8, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Astros 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Show Me Something Stroman
A mid season addition last year, Marcus Stroman needs to prove that the Mets trading for him was the right move. The Long Island native will most likely be the #2 starter right behind Jacob deGrom due to the recent injury of Noah Syndergaard, who had Tommy John Surgery & will miss all of the 2020 season. Stroman posted 2.96 ERA in twenty one games before the trade. For the Mets he produced a 3.77 ERA in just eleven games. He needs to find that magic he had in Toronto and bring those numbers to Flushing, Queens.
JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 22: Marcus Stroman #0 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch in the second inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium on February 22, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
La Potencia Potential
Yoenis ” La Potencia” Cespedes looks like he’s finally going to be back on the field. After missing about a year and a half of playing time due to injury, Cespedes is finally healthy again. This does look like it will be his final run with the team since he’s a free agent at the end of the year, so if he wants to continue playing baseball after 2020, he needs to help the Mets win now! All Met fans know what Cespedes is capable of, since he helped the Mets make the World Series in 2015. But that was 5 years ago and he hasn’t been that productive for the team since. If he can some how find that magic one more time, his bat will be a strong weapon for the 60 game season.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 18: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets reacts after his eighth inning grand slam home run against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 18, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
There you have it Met fans, if the boys in orange and blue can get through these 5 things, I think the team will be in good standing come the end of the 60 games and hopefully throughout the playoffs. Until then, lets kick back and celebrate that BASEBALL IS BACK!
NEW YORK – OCTOBER 19: A supporter of the New York Mets runs on the field with a flag that reads “Lets Go Mets!” before their game against the St. Louis Cardinals during game seven of the NLCS at Shea Stadium on October 19, 2006 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
QUIZ: Which Mets Player Are You?
NEW YORK – MAY 18: Young fans of the New York Mets pose before the Mets play the New York Yankees at Shea Stadium May 18, 2007 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
