It Will Be Sweeter

Sometimes a good post gets you worked up about the team.

It is true that there have been some pessimistic projections out there about the upcoming season. It's true that the financial news is treated salaciously and voraciously by some. It seems true that most of the actual baseball moves by the front office this offseason have been underrated. It does feel like some of the negativity had dampened expectations.

There are weeks when things don't quite go the right way. After all the gloomy predictions rained down, there was the SNY / Family Guy gaffe (reminiscent of an old snoozer). It's tough to get mocked from inside and out.

Kinda raises your hackles, right?

This is no last place squad. There are enough workable parts that they'll win about half of their games, more or less. If it's more, people will be so surprised? It would not be outlandish if they win more than they lose this year. Because we always knew Lucas Duda had power, Brad Emaus had patience, and Ike Davis' patience and defense will always add value to whatever he does with his bat. Because we knew we'd get probably a little over one good pitcher-year from the combination of Chris Capuano, Chris Young and Johan Santana. Because we knew we were competent or better at most positions, even down into the staff. Because there is still talent here. Because we still have R.A. Dickey.

And beyond that, there is reason to believe a proven management team could have a positive effect quickly. Especially a management team that has worked together before with strong results. Especially a management team that could easily spend some money next year when some of the financial issues have been resolved and all that money comes off the books. The Wilpons may not always be the Mets, but the Mets will always have the resources to put some money on the the field most years.

There's been enough of a mood shift in the front office that it seems like a prompt: Keep your mind open about this team. Think quickly, with agility. Don't just relax into good old comfortable Chicken LIttle negativity because the Mets season started and therefore it's over. Don't do that. Don't mock the team on its own network.

Watch the young guys get better. Watch Daniel Murphy do his best, all the time. Watch Carlos Beltran show good stretches of what he used to be. Watch Jose Reyes and David Wright be Jose Reyes and David Wright, star players. Watch a a surprise or two emerge out of the pitching staff. There are little things that can go right. It doesn't all have to go wrong.

We can be realistic. The Mets might not be a postseason team. There are flaws, too, even in the team's stars. The front end of the rotation needs a little help. Some of the offense is aging and needs to bounce back as well, which can be a toxic combo. We'll see about the prospects coming up. It's not a perfect team, and it's been headed this way for a while.

But this is no last-place team. And when things do finally fall into place for the Mets, the feeling will be that much sweeter for having encountered these events, these past years.