Us Mets fans have taken a lot of crap within the last few years, and it seems like it has been getting progressively worse. We often dream of the good old days when the Mets would contend with each passing year, and it seems like forever since the club has been relevant. Ownership hasn't fully committed to a rebuild of the roster, and that is concerning, but it is good to know that the team is looking toward the future. The R.A. Dickey trade is a perfect example of that. Are the Mets going to be good in 2013? Probably not, but will they be good by 2015? Its very realistic to think that. So, here are my three reasons to believe that this team will be in contention by the 2015 season.
The core is going to stay intact
David Wright is the heart and soul of this team, and most fans can agree with me when I say that he has the capability of carrying this team. However, he is starting to notice some talent around him in the lineup. Wright is going to be here for a long time, as well as Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada, both of whom are improving rapidly and are going to be here for the foreseeable future. This core is capable of breaking out and becoming a force to be reckoned with.
The Starting Rotation
Think about it. The Mets wouldn't have dealt R.A. Dickey if they did not believe they had enough pitching to contend within the next couple of years. The trio of Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaaard could be one of the best in baseball, and Alderson could look to sign a big name free agent pitcher next off-season. With Johan Santana coming off the books, that will give him quite a bit of payroll flexibility in the free agent market. Also, we can't forget about Jon Niese and Dillon Gee, both of whom, especially Niese, are players who will be here long-term.
The NL East is getting weaker
The National League East went from being one of the best divisions in baseball to an average division all within one year or so. The Mets are probably a fourth place team right now, but if you look at them in three years they could be a second or even first place team due to the lack of competition. Now, I'm not gonna say that they are going to have a record under .500 and still finish in first place because that will not happen, this isn't football. What I'm saying is that these teams, most notably the Phillies, and beginning to see the end of their dynasty of success, and the Mets are going to have to capitalize on it. The Nationals and Braves are going to be tough, but fortunately the Marlins will not be relevant for the next four or five years if lucky.
Obviously not everything goes according to plan, and I understand that, but it is obvious that the Mets will be a better ball-club in a few years, and most of us Met fans understand that. Roster changes are going to be made, and this team will eventually start winning more ball-games. Hopefully the team doesn't over-hype the trio of Wheeler-Harvey-Syndergaard like they did with Generation K back in the 1990's. You never know what these players will turn out to be, and that is the great thing about baseball. The game isn't played on paper, and that is why I believe the Mets will be a breakout team in this league very soon, and gain respectability amougst fellow teams.
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