Trade Deadline Preview: New York Mets

Jun 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets third baseman David Wright (5) hits a single against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

I’m going to lay it out on the line here; the New York Mets will not win 90 games this season.

I hope the following statement doesn’t upset anyone. At this point I assumed everyone was aware of this reality. Sandy Alderson’s bold declaration that he expected his new-look Mets to attain 90 wins before the season began was ludicrous then, and even more so now.

The lowly Mets, who by some are considered the laughingstock of the league, sit in fourth place in the National League East trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves by seven games with a mediocre 37-45 record.

Despite their dismal play, however, the Mets are only six and half games out of a wild card spot. With 80 games remaining on the schedule, it’s plausible to believe any team can close that deficit with a hot second-half. But this is the New York Mets we’re talking about, and in all honesty, they probably won’t compete down the stretch.

So Alderson should be actively looking to deal short-term commodities for long-term gains the entire month of July.