Mets: What is the team’s direction following the trade deadline?

Finish the 2019 Season Strong

Mets Rookie Pete Alonso recently took to Twitter and posted a letter to the fans, thanking them for the constant support and promising to finish the season strong.

https://twitter.com/Pete_Alonso20/status/1156581443889483776

While it may seem like wishful thinking, the best course of action for the club going forward should be to finish the season strong and try to play competitively down the stretch.

While it is highly unlikely that they win the NL East Division, as they entered play Wednesday 11.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves, the team is still in the mix for a wild card spot and with the acquisition of Stroman, they have improved their rotation.

Additionally, while this is a small sample size, the team’s bullpen, which struggled mightily in the first half of the season, has performed much more consistently following the All-Star Break, and the team’s post-All Star break ERA of 2.75 is the best in the MLB.

The schedule also appears to be in the Mets favor, as over the final two months of the season, they are set to play struggling teams such as the Pirates, Rockies, Royals, Reds, and multiple series against the Marlins.

In addition, they will be playing their competitors for the wild card, including one series each against the Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Nationals, and two series against the Phillies.

Performing well in all these series down the stretch of the season could vastly improve the Mets’ chances of a postseason berth, as it would improve their record while cutting the lead that many of their main competitors.

While their odds of making the post-season are not necessarily probable, it is still possible. As some of you may recall, in 2016, the Mets had a record of 60-62 in mid-August and still managed to claw their way to the Wild Card with an arguably less talented team.

My only critique for them to do this is to go with playing the younger “hot hands” more often than the older and struggling veterans, and moving said struggling players down in the lineup, so we make sure that we are running out the best team in the hopes for a playoff push.

In particular, JD Davis entered play on Wednesday batting .299 while starting third baseman Todd Frazier is batting .246, so I would argue that he be starting over Frazier at third more often than not. I would also recommend moving Robinson Cano lower down in the lineup to take the pressure off of him, as he is currently struggling at the dish.

While he is not a great fit in the outfield, when healthy, I do recommend keeping Dominic Smith in left field for the time being, as he is one of the team’s best hitters this season and this is a team that struggles to manufacture runs.

Like I said earlier, a playoff run for the Mets may not necessarily be probable, but Ya Gotta Believe.