Mets looking at CarGo and Stanton

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets are currently monitoring the situations of both Carlos Gonzalez and Giancarlo Stanton. One Mets official told Martino that there is "heat" in the trade talks, and the Sandy Alderson has definitely had preliminary discussions about acquiring either player.

The Mets have shown us time to time that they are "interested" in a certain player, but never make the full push to acquire him. However, Alderson could be using the same method that Frank Cashen used with the Mets in the 1980's, as Martino points out. Cashen loaded up on top prospects in the early stages of the decade, and traded them away to receive All-Star players such as Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter. 

Carlos Gonzalez has turned himself into an All-Star outfielder ever since coming to Colorado in the Matt Holliday deal. However, many people, including myself, believe that the hitter-friendly conditions of Coors Field have drastically helped his numbers. In 2012, Gonzalez hit .368 with 13 home runs at home, and a mere .234 with 9 home runs while on the road. Despite that, Gonzalez's defense is solid. In 568 career games in the field, he has a total of 10 errors, and 1071 putouts. 

The Rockies would ask for pitching in a potential deal, and due to Gonzalez's inconsistency, I definitely wouldn't offer Zack Wheeler. Instead, I would give a 2nd-tiered prospect or two such as Hansel Robles and or Jacob deGrom. Gonzalez would be a great fit in Citi Field, but the Rockies need to have a bad 2013 season to even think about dealing him.

As for Stanton, he is easily the best rising star in the game. The 23 year old outfielder would require a king's ransom, especially if the Marlins have to trade within the division, but the Mets certainly have prospects that could interest Miami. I wouldn't give up Travis d'Arnaud, but Zack Wheeler could be let go. Wheeler's potential is sky-high, and the Marlins need a top-of-the-rotation pitcher to lead them to success. It is also interesting to consider that Alderson recently said that he wouldn't have a huge problem dealing Zack Wheeler, given that he originally acquired him via the trade. 

Stanton would clearly be a solid upgrade in the lineup, and the Mets would be getting four years of team control over him. The question is: is it worth risking your entire future for one single player who has the potential to be great? 

Mets starting rotation ready to take over the MLB

The Mets have gotten off to a great start to there 2013 season, winning 5 of 7 games. The entire starting rotation (with the exception of one start from Aaron Laffey) has been incredible. Sandy Alderson and Co. have recently been stockpiling on young arms as the team looks towards the future, and some of the arms are going to make a profound impact soon. 

The Mets seem to be counting on their starting rotation to carry them through this year, and years to come. Jon Niese found success in his Opening Day start, and the organization recently invested in him when he signed a 5 year, $25.27 million deal with the club in the beginning of 2012. Terry Collins realizes that, despite the loss of Johan Santana, Niese is fully capable of stepping up and being the No. 1 starter. 

"I just think he's growing into the pitcher that everybody thought he was going to be," Collins said. "We all know if he wants to he can go 90-93 (mph). He's pitching it 91, 90, 89 because he's locating and trying to get the ball to move around the strike zone. I think he's really become a real good pitcher." 

Matt Harvey, the club's current No. 2 starter, has lived up to his first round pick status thus far, posting a 0.64 ERA in 2 strong starts. Harvey's future with the Mets is so incredibly bright, so much so that legend Dwight Gooden recently complimented the hurler on his game. 

"I am sitting here watching Matt Harvey...this kid is better than advertised...looking forward to watching him every 5th day."

Harvey's attitude is also what makes him so special. He rarely seems satisfied with what he does on the mound, and that mindset seems to get him motivated to go deeper into games. Even Terry Collins has high expectations of the 24 year old pitcher, so much so that he didn't seem overly excited about his recent 7 inning, one run outing. 

"Obviously he wasn't real sharp, but he was still very good. The fact that the change-up has helped him. He threw some very good breaking balls today. He just wasn't as sharp with the command of his fastball." Collins said.

As for the No. 3 starter, it seems like it will be Dillon Gee. Gee, who was shut down during the middle of the 2012 season due to a blot clot in his shoulder, put up a strong outing against the Padres. As for his future with the club, it will depend on whether the team decides to sign a middle of the rotation pitcher in the next few off-seasons. Also, a few of top-notch prospects could push him down the in rotation, or even out of New York. 

Right now, with the absence of Shaun Marcum, Jeremy Hefner is getting a crack at the big league rotation. Hefner put up mixed numbers in 2012, and many people didn't like the fact that the team did not sign a free agent to take over his spot. 

Terry Collins seems to have faith in Hefner, who pitched well but took the loss in his most recent start. "I thought Jeremy pitched very well. It was tough circumstances to pitch in the wind and the cold. We didn't make the plays we needed to make after we took him out. One thing about Hefner is he's going to pound the strike zone, he's going to change speeds and you've got to catch the baseball behind him."

The No. 5 spot in the current rotation is up for grabs right now, but many believe that top prospect Zack Wheeler will make his debut sometime this season. Once Wheeler enters the rotation, it is unlikely that he goes back to the minor leagues. That said, the club is waiting until they know for sure that he is ready to officially bring him up and allow him to face major league hitting. 

Of-course, as mentioned before, there are several strong arms down in the minor league system. Noah Syndergaard, who was recently acquired in the R.A. Dickey trade, has the potential to be just as good as Harvey and Wheeler. Sandy Alderson took a gamble with Syndergaard, but believes that he is fully capable of living up to the hype.

"Noah is a very high-ceiling power pitcher," Alderson said. "We believe that he's got tremendous upside potential."

Other notable names that are in the Mets farm system include: Rafael Montero, Michael Fulmer, Hansel Robles, Jacob deGrom, and Domingo Tapia. 

The Mets have a bright future, and as mentioned before, the pitching will be the key to their success. If the team has a rotation that includes Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard, and they all live up to their hype, then they will be an offensive force in the league for a long time. 

Mets finish home-stand with 4-2 record,

The Mets defeated the Marlins today in a walk-off fashion by Marlon Byrd, and have won the 3 game series. They currently have a record of 4-2, and will visit Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Colorado on the upcoming road trip. 

The strong pitching rotation has carried the team so far this season. Jon Niese has looked good in both of his starts, and Matt Harvey looked amazing in his 10 strikeout outing against the Padres. Additionally, Jeremy Hefner and Dillon Gee managed to put up solid outings and keep the team in their respective games. Today, Aaron Laffey went out for the Mets, and struggled against a weak Marlins lineup. It is unknown if he will stay up in the big leagues until Shaun Marcum returns from the disabled list, but he certainly didn't help his case today. 

The bullpen struggled for the most part. Despite today's solid performance, some players began to put doubt in Met fans' mind about their future with the club. Players such as LaTroy Hawkins and Greg Burke may be on short leashes because of their inconsistent performances. Yet again, the team doesn't have too many options, so they won't be quick to get rid of either one.

The offense exploded in the first two games of the season, but was unpredictable in the last 3. Some players, such as Collin Cowgill and John Buck, came right out of the gate and played extremely well, while others, such as Ike Davis, have yet to get it going. Cowgill's production could be exciting to watch if he gets everyday playing time. At the end of Spring Training, Terry Collins said that he planned on giving Collin everyday playing time, but Collins has apparently changed his plan. He now wants to change up the outfielders every so often in order to keep everyone fresh and alert.

Buck has been the team's best hitter so far, and is actually leading the National League in RBI's. It seems like he doesn't want to just serve as a halfway-decent stop-gap catcher for Travis d'Arnaud. He'd much rather make the most of his time, and teach the young pitchers on the staff a few small tips along the way. He seems like a great fit for this team, and hopefully he continues to have success.

Ike Davis has gotten off to his usual slow start, and the strikeouts are extremely concerning. He has had a brief history of being a streaky hitter, so it is expected that he gets it going soon.

Lucas Duda has actually really surprised me. For a guy that I was quick to write off this spring, he has really impressed me with his plate discipline and power presence at the plate. Despite his poor .176 batting average, he has a solid .417 OBP at the plate.