The Mets now sit 7 1/2 games out of first place in the NL East and 5 1/2 games out of the NL Wild Card. They are now tied for third place with the Marlins and are only 1 game over .500. Right now I feel the division is out of reach. The Braves have played exceptional baseball all year and run a good starting pitcher out every night. There is nobody in their rotation that does not provide a quality start. For now, I feel that if the Mets are going to make the playoffs it will be via the Wild Card. The only problem is that there are 4 teams ahead of them including the hard charging Phillies who seem to have re-discovered their offense that disappeared for a while. If the Mets are going to make a move in the wild Card standings, they must start now. They have a very tough 6 game homestand coming up that begins tonight with the St. Louis Cardinals followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks who swept the Mets in a 3 game series just this past week. Then they go on the road for a make or break road trip against NL East rivals ATL and PHI. These next two weeks will determine if this Mets team is capable of contending or if major changes are needed.
The non-waiver trade deadline is on Sat, July 31st. This puts the Mets in a crossroad. Do they make a trade now and risk giving up part of the future? Or should they just stand pat and go with what they have and save their prospects? In my opinion, I feel that they need to stand pat. They have proved earlier in year that they can win already with what they have. I do not think it is worth risking the future to try and just get into the playoffs. I only feel a "major deal" where the team is giving up major prospects makes sense if you feel that you are one player away from making the World Series. A trade of this magnitude would have made sense before the All-Star break when they sat just 4 games behind division leading ATL, but now they are too far back where I feel one major addition even guarentees them of a playoff birth. What happens if they make a major acquisition, risk some of the future, and don't even make the playoffs? I feel right now it is too big of a risk. Go with what you have without mortgaging the future. You have already proved earlier in the year that you can compete with the current roster. If they are going to make any deal, it should be for a player that will help but not cost top prospects. Maybe a guy like Jake Westbrook who the Indians are looking to dump because of salary. Please don't risk the future.
The team as is is too streaky, a telltale sign of a bad team. Sometimes they look like world-beaters, but just as often they look like a last place team. They can stay pat, just as long as they know with that comes no playoffs. And I realize there is probably no trade right now that can help much. A Westbrook or Lilly is a slight upgrade with the added bonus of moving Takahashi back to the 'pen where he is better suited. I also agree firing Manuel may be a slight help. Where were they on Haren who would cost more but help them into the future. But this being the Mets they will stand pat and be happy with there 83 wins and try to sell the fans next year that things will be different. They won't be.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Are you a Mets fan?
ReplyDeleteNo. Yankees. But still follow the Mets going-ons.
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