Mets Season Preview: Final record predictions

Jul 16, 2013; Flushing, NY, USA; National League pitcher Matt Harvey (33) of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the first inning in the 2013 All Star Game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Our 2015 Mets Season Preview continues with our predictions of what the Mets’ final record will be in 2015…

Read Part 1 of our 2015 Season Preview (most integral Met) HERE.

Read Part 2 of our 2015 Season Preview (Met most likely to disappoint) HERE.

Read Part 3 of our 2015 Season Preview (what we would’ve done differently this offseason) HERE.

Let’s get it going…

Danny Abriano, Editor:

Earlier during the offseason, I saw the Mets as an 84-win team. Early during Spring Training – not because of the results, but because of how the players looked (especially David Wright, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Juan Lagares) – I tacked on a few more wins. After Sandy Alderson fortified the bullpen by bringing in Alex Torres and Jerry Blevins, I tacked on another.

I feel the Mets were better than their record in 2014 (79-83), and their about-even run differential seems to back up that assertion.

In 2014, the Mets dealt with a terrible bullpen for the first few months, were without Matt Harvey, had what amounted to a black hole in left field, and were held back by a shoulder injury to David Wright that rendered him powerless for the entire second half of the season. Additionally, the club didn’t call up Jacob deGrom until the season was a few months old, it took Travis d’Arnaud half the season to right himself, and Curtis Granderson struggled badly for large chunks of the year.

Even with Zack Wheeler having gone down for the season, the 2015 Mets are better off everywhere on the diamond when compared to 2014.

The starting rotation should be a strength. With Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz knocking on the door and Rafael Montero poised to take over for Dillon Gee, the pitching is both deeper and more talented – even with Wheeler out. The rotation will be led by Harvey and deGrom, but the potential behind them once the younger guys get their chance is tantalizing.

The bullpen may not be a huge strength, but in Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Vic Black, Bobby Parnell, and others, it contains enough high-upside arms with plus stuff that it shouldn’t be a negative. The left-handed area of the bullpen being recently shored up could turn out to be huge.

As far as the offensive potential of the Mets, let’s just say I’m bullish. At every position, the Mets have a player who profiles as a league average or better hitter, with many (Travis d’Arnaud, Lucas Duda, David Wright, Michael Cuddyer) having the potential to be much more than that.

The Mets don’t need a bunch of career years to contend, they don’t need tons of luck, and they aren’t in desperate need of a move to put them over the top.

All the Mets need to do in 2015 is meet the expectations that they, the fans, and many evaluators have. I believe they will do just that.

Final record: 87-75 (2nd in N.L. East), Second Wild Card

Next: Mike Lecolant's Mets final record prediction