New York Mets: Legacies, 2018, David Wright and Beyond
This season has been eventful for the New York Mets. With 2018 coming to an end, what can the Mets look forward to in 2019?
While I may just be getting sentimental, the news of David Wright‘s probable retirement led me to think about his legacy and the future of the New York Mets. In a way, Wright’s impending departure is a conclusion to a season of change.
We started the year with Mickey Callaway replacing the longtime manager of the Amazins, Terry Collins. We then saw the end of the Dark Knight saga with Matt Harvey being traded to the Cinncinati Reds. Then came the shocking news that General Manager, Sandy Alderson, would have to step away from the club due to health reasons. This all culminated to Wright’s inevitable announcement that his injuries would keep him off the field for good.
I had no real topic in mind when I started to write this article. I was laying in bed thinking about 2019 and I realized how different it would be. Will it be different in a good way? That question is still to be answered, but I can’t help being optimistic.
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To start, the loss of Wright pretty much closes the book on the past generation of Amazins. David Wright was a staple in the team’s lineup from 2004-2014, when the injuries started to pile up. While longtime shortstop, Jose Reyes, still remains on the club, it is reasonable to assume that his lack of production will likely cause his time in orange and blue to come to an end as well.
When David Wright makes his return, he will start next to Reyes, his longtime partner in crime. The pair has not started together since September 28, 2011. Seven years and one day later, the Mets will see Wright and Reyes start next to each other one last time. This will be a magical moment in Mets’ history.
Together, the duo owns a majority of the Mets’ all-time record books. Wright (50.4) is first and Reyes (27.4) is fifth in all-time WAR for position players. Wright (1583) is second in games played, with Reyes (1358) coming in at third.
The record books get interesting when we see Wright and Reyes place first and second in team history in runs scored, hits, total bases, doubles, and runs created. David Wright and Jose Reyes defined an era for the New York Mets and we will likely have the first season without either one of these staples in 2019.
This is going to be an odd offseason… For the first time in years, we aren’t going to go into 2019 questioning if Wright will make his way back to the field or what kind of production the team would receive from Matt Harvey.
In a way, the dominating storylines for the Mets should teem with possibility. Zack Wheeler has seemed to reach his potential, will he be able to keep it up? Will Amed Rosario continue to develop and play well? Could Peter Alonso force his way onto the big league roster with a solid spring training? Even forgotten prospect, Dominic Smith, will be a topic of a positive conversation. The lefty has been playing better as he has changed his approach in his at-bats. I am also very excited to see what Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo can do in a full season of opportunities.
Next. What could have been for David Wright. dark
2019 should be a season of possibility. The team has young talent waiting to make a difference and a young offensive core of Nimmo, Conforto, Rosario, and McNeil to go along with a rotation of deGrom, Syndergaard, Wheeler, and Matz. While 2018 has been a disappointment, 2019 seems primed to be a positive season for the New York Mets.