We are less than a month away from opening day of the 2013 MLB season and odds for the New York Mets to win the 2013 World Series are set at +7500, according to Sportsbook.ag. The Mets are in rebuilding mode wit plenty of young talent, but will it be enough for them to compete in the tough NL East?
The kid who grew up in Virginia rooting for the New York Mets would look past the perennial rebuilding project and the one playoff trip in his first nine seasons and make the long-term commitment that so many others would have resisted. In the same offseason that saw Wright turn 30, the franchise third baseman signed the eight-year, $138 million contract extension that all but ensured he would be a “Met for life.” Wright re-upped even while knowing the organization’s next major move could be trading away R.A. Dickey, the organization’s first Cy Young Award winner since Dwight Gooden in 1985. When Dickey was dealt two weeks later, Wright didn’t question the wisdom of general manager Sandy Alderson.
As far as the offense, the team was putrid last season in the second-half, averaging 3.36 runs, which must be improved. Obviously, they performed a bit over their heads in the first few months of the season due to their incredible two-out hitting. A healthy Travis d'Arnaud, Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis, David Wright and Lucas Duda could form a formidable middle of the order. That means 30 home runs a piece from the latter three. The Mets must also get some sort of production from the Collin Cowgill/Kirk Nieuwenhuis platoon as well as Marlon Byrd/Mike Baxter platoon.
The Mets will take the same approach of the San Francisco Giants, who have won two of the past three World Series titles on the strength of their young pitching staff. In order for that to happen, the combination of Jon Niese, Matt Harvey, Shaun Marcum, Dillon Gee and Zack Wheeler will need to pitch consistently dominant for much of the season. The bullpen must improve on their No. 29 overall ranking from last season. They should be improved simply by the addition of Brandon Lyon, Scott Atchison, LaTroy Hawkins and Pedro Feliciano.
The Mets are clearly rebuilding through a youth movement and that will make it tough for them to compete for much of this year making them a very long longshot at reaching the 2013 World Series.
Pregame.com Pro Webinar: Steve Fezzik
Little about Steve Fezzik: In 2000, he moved to Las Vegas, and has been betting for a living ever since. During the next 10 years, Fezzik sharpened his focus in several areas including Proposition betting, and Football Contests.