2 Mets problems the fans saw coming, 1 we didn't expect to be so bad

New York Mets v Washington Nationals
New York Mets v Washington Nationals / G Fiume/GettyImages
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The New York Mets have been in a freefall in the standings this month and it doesn't seem as of right now that there is one solution on how to solve the issues that are plaguing the roster. There are a couple of issues that Mets fans saw from a mile away prior to Opening Day that I believe have played a large part in the bad baseball that we have witnessed to this point.

As the losses continue to pile on top of each other for the Mets, and as they continue to look at teams in the division pass them in the standings, there are Mets fans demanding answers to these issues. I want to take a dive into both of those issues that anybody with a naked eye could have seen that may continue to hamper the Mets this season, as well as one other issue that I don't believe any fan saw coming.

1) NY Mets problem that fans saw coming: Lack of power in the lineup

Let's be honest, I think most people around baseball saw this specific flaw on the Mets roster late last season, and the Mets' front office did nothing to correct it this past winter. General Manager Billy Eppler seemed content to roll with Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf as options after the failed Carlos Correa deal and it has backfired.

I'm not exactly sure at this point why this issue was never addressed as the Mets are in the bottom half of the league when it comes to home runs and slugging %. To put pressure on the rookies such as Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, and Francisco Alvarez to carry this offense is unfair, and the starters on this team at some point have to pick up the slack.

If the Mets find themselves in the thick of the playoff race I would expect them to trade for a bat at the Trade Deadline, but at this point, that proposition seems so far away. This team failed to upgrade the offense that limped into the playoffs late last season and they are paying for it dearly this season in the middle of May.

2) NY Mets problem that fans saw coming: The entire roster's age is showing

The Mets came into the season with one of the oldest rosters in Major League Baseball and rightfully so with the amount of veteran talent that is on a win-now roster. With the Mets' current struggles, you almost have to wonder if many of these players are currently regressing in performance due to age.

Many fans knew that Max Scherzer (38) and Justin Verlander (40) may have to be monitored carefully this season due to their age and injury history, but both have not performed up to par at this point in the season due to inconsistency and injuries. Both pitchers are the two highest-paid players in baseball and it leaves many fans wondering what their performance will look like come September.

The Mets have also seen significant regression in Starling Marte's performance as well as Mark Canha's. Eduardo Escobar's struggles have returned after a scorching September and October last season, which leaves Mets fans wondering why the front office took so long to mix their young top prospects into the starting lineup.

As the season continues it will be interesting to see if any of the veterans on this team can pick up their performance or if their performance continues to trend downward on a team that is going to approach a crossroads if things don't pick up shortly.

3) NY Mets problem we didn't expect to be so bad: The starting rotation

The Mets starting rotation has been awful this season and that's putting it lightly. The Mets came into the regular season with one of the deepest rotations in baseball, however, injuries and performance issues have graded them out as one of the worst. The Mets starters have consistently put the team behind by allowing multiple first-inning runs on a nightly basis, and not pitching deep into games.

The Mets are statistically ranked as one of the worst teams in baseball when it comes to starters going deep into games. In turn, the Mets bullpen has completely been burned out in mid-May as Manager Buck Showalter has had to continuously throw relievers in the fire in the 4th or 5th innings with their starter's struggles.

One of the more shocking developments has been the total regression of David Peterson who came into the season with the ability to challenge for a rotation spot with his performance last season and he has been dreadful with an ERA over 8.

The starting rotation to this point has left a lot be desired and it could be argued that the rotation has been the main source of the Mets' problems this season when taking into account all of their issues. Unless performance improves from the rotation, which was supposed to be the team's backbone, the Mets will continue to struggle as their offense isn't currently built to outslug opponents.

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