Remember when the Mets signed Michael Cuddyer? Remember when David Wright said he was healthy and ready to return to All-Star form? Remember when Harvey was on the comeback trail? Remember how good that felt when Harvey took the mound in spring training and we all watched, listened or read the next day how well it went? Remember when all that excitement was directed at the future? Maybe the Mets should be looking at the now.
It started with the Mets not getting another shortstop. Although Wilmer Flores has shown he can hit, he has been at best, decent defensively. Then with Zack Wheeler tearing his UCL and needing Tommy John surgery, he will be missing the entire 2015 season and up to half of the 2016 season. After that, it spread to the bullpen, left hander Josh Edgin also has to get Tommy John surgery. Vic Black has some shoulder soreness which hopefully won't be much more than just his arm being tired and not anything serious because so far that's two major pieces in the pen. Now Daniel Murphy has gone down with a hamstring injury, a pulled right hamstring. And to wrap it up, that same guy that I mentioned slated to play shortstop, is injured. He's walking around in a boot after he fouled a ball off his left foot. All of the aforementioned injured names will most likely be starting the season on the D.L.
There are battles going on for the bullpen spots and luckily the Mets have Bobby Parnell coming back. As for who plays second base? I think it will be Matt Reynolds or Danny Muno. I am battling between Reynolds and Muno as well. On the one hand, if Matt Reynolds is ready for the majors why not see what he's got and he'd be an upgrade defensively from Wilmer Flores, so maybe he proves he should be on the team by the time Daniel Murphy comes back. Muno seems more like he should a utility guy than a second base starter day in and day. Let's just say that Wilmer Flores isn't ready for Opening Day, I hope Flores is ready by to go by then. But I also hope he's able to look like an average shortstop out there, but that might not happen in 2015. So let's say Flores isn't ready to go, maybe Dilson Herrera will slide into second base and Reynolds will shift over to shortstop, making the race on for who will play everyday at the major league level very intriguing. I kind of think Reynolds get the upside to start at second if Flores is okay to go.
Hopefully this injury bug will go away because it's hurting the Mets not only physically but psychology as well. Losing one of their top pitchers for the whole year for two consecutive years is not an easy thing to go through, especially when they are legitimately looking at a playoff spot this year. Who do you think will get the nod at second base for Opening Day? Who do you think starts the year in place of Zack Wheeler? Do you think the Mets go out of house to find out who the Mets left-hander is? If not who do you think the Mets wind up being the left-handed reliever in that pen? I know they should go with two, especially against NL East people like lefty's Bryce Harper, Chase Utley, Freddie Freeman and Ryan Howard. I also know that a couple of those guys might be past their prime or are overrated but they should still be handled with caution. Do you think the Mets should go with two lefty's, if so who do you think that will be?
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