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Image: Getty
Welcome back to the Amazins in Astoria, a season long diary of my life according to the Mets. To start this series from the beginning, click the link here. To read the previous installment, click the link here.
April 4-5-Spring Training at Houston, vs. Washington
The Mets final two spring training games take a bit of a backseat for me while I start a new job, but I'm still sure to check out all the recap info I can during the evenings. Against the Astros, I had seen earlier on that the Mets went down 2-0, only for Dom Smith to give the Mets the lead in the 7th with a three run homer. Even amid a flurry of trade rumours (which have popped up and faded every few months or so for the past four years), Smith's commitment to playing his best ball in a Mets uniform helps maintain his spot on my personal pedestal of current Mets. Maybe it's because Opening Day is three days away, but Jason Castro's single in the ninth brings in the last run scored in this bout, leaving it tied 3-3.
In their final game in Port St. Lucie, the Mets spend Tuesday afternoon getting shellacked by the Nats, finishing the day with a 14-0 loss. I hate to sound like a nihilist (if I really didn't care, I wouldn't be writing this season long column), but the fact that the relevance of this game and every single one this past month now vanishes into thin air is really what calms my nerves. What riles them back up is seeing Taijuan Walker's stat line, and the fact that no one in the bullpen today could even think to get this game back under control.
April 6th-No Game
In the calm before the storm, I'm endlessly refreshing the 40-man roster to see who makes the cut. Tomorrow starts the real deal, and I can barely think of anything else right now except getting tickets to next weekend's first Saturday home game.
Spring Training Mini-Retrospective
What I liked:
The offense-Averaging just over 4 runs per game in Spring Training, contact hitting runs deeper in this roster than it has in a lot of season's I've seen in the past. As long as those hits can come in the right moments, instead of resulting in stolen runners, the Mets may have one of the most consistent offenses in the National League.
The outfield-I don't think I listened to or watched a single game this Spring Training where there wasn't a super athletic play in the outfield. Canha, Nimmo, Marte, and even Jankowski have been incredibly efficient both at the plate and in the field.
The future-I know that this blog is about 2022, but I was really impressed by how some prospects played in Florida. I would not be surprised if Brett Baty or Francisco Alvarez are called up in any capacity this year, nor if they make the roster for 2023.
What Worries Me:
Injuries-Having the most hyped up pitching rotation in years means nothing if they can't play. Scherzer potentially being ready for Day 2 is nice, but the second half of the season will be one big game of catch-up if DeGrom has to miss significant time.