I hope Mets fans aren't pegging this team as contenders now. Let's see how they do after the All Star Break, their longtime nemesis.
Mets need to start trading some arms. Start of 2015 they could have eight MLB caliber starters. Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard, Niese, Gee, Colon, deGrom, and Montero. Plus look for Matz to make an impact by 2016.
If it was me I'd trade Wheeler and Colon. Wheeler's stock is really high and I don't have that much faith in him to be a frontline starter. His pitch count elevates quick and has trouble going 5. He is really Jekyll and Hyde with his starts.
As far as Bullpen goes I'm really excited for next year. Parnell and Mejia are both potential closers. And Familia looks like he could be a terrific set-up man.
We could have 11 potential starters next year, which is even worse of a dilemma than 8.
Harvey, Niese, Gee, Wheeler, Colon, deGrom, Syndergaard, Mejia, Dice-K, Hefner, Montero
Yes, Mejia could always return back to the rotation. A big part of his move to the BP this year was to put him under an innings count. If need be, with Parnell back or even with a surge from Familia, he could return to the rotation. As for everyone else, the first 7 are self explanatory, if all are kept. I just explained my rationale behind Mejia up above. Dice-K was actually signed for 2 years, I believe, so he's believe it or not still a part of this team after this season. Hefner had finally worked out his stuff. His final 10 starts were pretty impressive. His rookie year he had between a 4.2 and 4.8 era, which is normal for a back end/middle end of the rotation guy. His last 10 starts he was in the 2-3 ERA ball park, and I believe that's with his last 3 starts pitching through the UCL tear. Montero is a guy that shouldn't be given up on at all, either.
11 guys that
could be in the rotation, if need be.
Now you have to figure that Mejia will likely remain in the pen, to again prevent him from getting injured... which is likely... but 10 guys in a rotation that will likely feature 6... clearly you have room to maneuver a few moves to improve the offense.
Colon, as i've been stressing (and as we see from today's report) will likely be the first domino. That would give us a rotation of Gee, Niese, Wheeler, deGrom, and Dice-K to end the season. Let's figure that the Mets also trade Dice-K... one of Montero/Syndergaard would slot into the 5th starting position and likely do just as well, if not better, as Dice-K's projection is.
W/ Harvey coming back from Tommy John, you'd figure that they'd naturally add in a 6th starter to spread the innings out and allow Harvey the chance to pitch in the playoffs next year. Heffner will likely slot into the bullpen as our long reliever.
Rumors are that Colon is being shopped to the Indians... for whom, I do not know.
My hope would be to trade Colon for the best prospect available, and then flip that prospect with some of our own assets for a legitimate power hitting left fielder. If Joc Pederson could be had, I'd love it. LA has a logjam of outfielders.
I don't know who would be available, but this team can certainly make a big move to improve the LF this year while keeping our rotation just as competitive and dominant.
I can live with Ruben being our SS if the left fielder was a legitimate, middle of the order guy.
Granderson, Murphy, Wright,
LF Acquisition, Duda, Lagares, d'Arnaud, Tejada, Pitcher.... that's dangerous AF, even for this year.
