New York Mets enter 2018 season with the best kind of problem
By Tim Boyle
Unless the New York Mets do something drastic, they will open the 2018 season with the best problem a team can have: too much starting pitching. What are some ways they can use this to their advantage?
The recent addition of Jason Vargas to the New York Mets creates a positive problem the team already had staring them in the face. Although a team can never have too much starting pitching, the Mets have an overflow at the position.
Like having too much cake on your plate, it’s good news. Now the Mets just need to figure out how to use everyone the right way.
When healthy, the Mets have Vargas, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, and Steven Matz to choose from for five spots. This list doesn’t even include Robert Gsellman or Seth Lugo. These two may find their place in the bullpen until someone else suffers an injury. The other option involves time in Triple-A.
The Dreaded “I-Word”
Injuries have plagued the New York Mets in recent seasons. They derailed Matt Harvey’s career and took last season away from Noah Syndergaard. Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz have also dealt with the dreaded “I-Word.” Not to be excluded, newcomer Jason Vargas made only limited starts in 2015 and 2016.
It’s this injury history that has the Mets concerned about pitching depth. Good for them. Even if there’s overflow, a backup plan can save them from disaster.
But what if a miracle happens and everyone does stay healthy?
Well, then maybe the Mets want to consider a new idea. They could conceivably turn multiple pitchers into multi-inning relievers. Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo, and Matz or Wheeler could replicate what Andrew Miller and Archie Bradley have been doing.
We’ve seen in recent years how relief pitchers are no longer the one-and-done arms they used to be. Former starters are now getting the opportunity to toss two or three innings at a time in the middle or late innings. So far, it has worked.
An Ideal New York Mets Bullpen
An ideal situation for the New York Mets would include a rotation with deGrom, Syndergaard, Harvey, Vargas, and either Matz or Wheeler. Take your pick of the last one. The other would shift to the bullpen as an inning four through seven option when the starter just doesn’t have it.
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In the ninth inning, Jeurys Familia would get the ball. Before that, we could see Anthony Swarzak, Jerry Blevins, and AJ Ramos working to set up the final frame.
At least one other bullpen spot should go to Gsellman or Lugo for mop-up duties. Although, there’s no reason to dismiss them entirely. Lugo was one of the Mets’ better starters last year. Gsellman has shown promise. Prepared for his age 24 campaign, there’s no reason to push him aside so soon.
The New York Mets are far from perfect. They don’t have a center fielder they can genuinely trust on offense. Behind the plate, they have two underperforming catchers. Not to mention, this looks like one of the slowest teams in MLB.
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One problem the Mets won’t face is a lack of pitching depth. It’s up to manager Mickey Callaway to use every arm he has the right way.