2016 New York Mets

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With Zack Wheeler presumably returning from Tommy John surgery for the 2016 season to join the Big Three (Harvey, deGrom, and Syndergaard), Niese became expendable.

Mets Trade Jonathon Niese to Pirates for Neil Walker, Then Sign Asdrubal Cabrera

(By By Kristie Ackert)

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-finalizing-neil-walker-deal-sending-niese-pirates-article-1.2460562

Colon is coming back to round out the rotation, pun intended. Does Cuddyer remain on the bench and the young guy takes over in left field?

Edit: just saw that Cuddyer is retiring.

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Edit: just saw that Cuddyer is retiring.

So Mike, how did turning down that QO last year work out for you?

So Mike, how did turning down that QO last year work out for you?

I do have respect for a guy to hang it up and leave money on the table instead of going through the motions to collect a paycheck.

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I do have respect for a guy to hang it up and leave money on the table instead of going through the motions to collect a paycheck.

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I'll never forget the game in the playoffs when he got the hit off Rivera for the blown save. On TV I saw a Yankee fan with a look of disbelief as if the sun exploded.

I do have respect for a guy to hang it up and leave money on the table instead of going through the motions to collect a paycheck.

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There's a great article on his decision to retire in The Players' Tribune: http://www.theplayerstribune.com/michael-cuddyer-retirement/ It starts like this:

A cork wrapped in some yarn, some string, and some leather. One hundred and eight stitches to hold it all together. On its surface, baseball seems like a simple game. It’s what we put into the game that injects it with magic. I’ve been graced by that magic my whole career.

I’ve made the decision to retire. With one year left on my contract, it is especially difficult to imagine not suiting up in a Mets uniform for one more year. As an athlete, retiring is the toughest decision you have to make and I don’t make it lightly. I’ve always run out every hit like it was my last. As an untested high school kid drafted with a dream, I’ve never taken a single moment in the Majors for granted. It goes against every grain in my body to consider a future without the game. But after 15 years, the toll on my body has finally caught up to me.

Baseball is a game of beautiful contradictions. It can be entertainingly fast and painfully slow. You sacrifice your personal and family life for the grind and the glory. Baseball is my life’s passion, but at the same time I knew in some distant part of my heart that it wouldn’t and couldn’t last forever. Ever since I was a kid, my mantra has been, “Play hard, dream big.” But I’ve always believed in loyalty to the game itself: the day that I can’t give it 100 percent is the day I have to walk away. Now that the day has come, it’s harder than I thought it would be.

o

The 2-year contract that veteran Bartolo Colon was signed to prior to the 2014 season turned out to be ideal because of the fact that two of their young guns (Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler) missed the entire 2014 and 2015 seasons respectively, due to having had Tommy John surgery.

With Wheeler presumably coming back for the 2016 season, the Mets traded Jonathon Niese for middle infielder Neil Walker. So a 1-year, $7.25 Million deal for Colon looks very good for the Mets right now.

Mets to Re-Sign Bartolo Colon to One-Year, $7 Million Deal, Pending Physical

(By Kristie Ackert)

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-re-sign-bartolo-colon-one-year-7-25-million-deal-article-1.2468051

They aren't going to sign Cespedes? Nats division to win, or maybe Miami might make noise. Idk.

They aren't going to sign Cespedes? Nats division to win, or maybe Miami might make noise. Idk.

The Nats are still Bryce Harper and a bunch of guys (sorry Ryan Zimmerman but you have to bounce back). Walker is an adequate replacement for Murphy and Cabrera can still hit for a SS. The lineup is well rounded without Cespedes - look for breakout years from Michael Conforto and Travis d'Arnaud. The pitching still looks heads-and-tails above everyone else in the division. It's really the Mets' to lose at this point.

Just to piggy back on the last statement, here is the current projected lineup for the Mets:

1) RF Curtis Granderson

2) LF Michael Conforto

3) 3B David Wright

4) 1B Lucas Duda

5) 2B Neil Walker

6) C Travis d'Arnaud

7) SS Asdrubal Cabrera

8) CF Juan Lagares

The one spot they can still really use an improvement is in CF. They can hope Lagares' defense keeps up but there are a number of options out there they can go after.

The Nats are still Bryce Harper and a bunch of guys (sorry Ryan Zimmerman but you have to bounce back). Walker is an adequate replacement for Murphy and Cabrera can still hit for a SS. The lineup is well rounded without Cespedes - look for breakout years from Michael Conforto and Travis d'Arnaud. The pitching still looks heads-and-tails above everyone else in the division. It's really the Mets' to lose at this point.

I don't think I'd label Anthony Rendon as "just a guy".

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I don't think I'd label Anthony Rendon as "just a guy".

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Yeah you're right, he was hurt last year and he'll probably bounce back. Just out of curiosity here's the projected Nats lineup:

1) 3B Anthony Rendon

2) SS Trea Turner

3) LF Bryce Harper

4) 1B Ryan Zimmerman

5) RF Jayson Werth

6) 2B Brandon Phillips

7) C Wilson Ramos

8) CF Michael Taylor

Zimmerman's been hurt the past two seasons. Werth is 37. Phillips is overrated. Turner we don't know about. Harper is the best player in the NL East but I'll take Mets lineup top-to-bottom.

Yeah you're right, he was hurt last year and he'll probably bounce back. Just out of curiosity here's the projected Nats lineup:

1) 3B Anthony Rendon

2) SS Trea Turner

3) LF Bryce Harper

4) 1B Ryan Zimmerman

5) RF Jayson Werth

6) 2B Brandon Phillips

7) C Wilson Ramos

8) CF Michael Taylor

Zimmerman's been hurt the past two seasons. Werth is 37. Phillips is overrated. Turner we don't know about. Harper is the best player in the NL East but I'll take Mets lineup top-to-bottom.

Taylor might be pretty good. Rendon is, and has always been, hurt. Harper is not overrated.

Just to piggy back on the last statement, here is the current projected lineup for the Mets:

1) RF Curtis Granderson

2) LF Michael Conforto

3) 3B David Wright

4) 1B Lucas Duda

5) 2B Neil Walker

6) C Travis d'Arnaud

7) SS Asdrubal Cabrera

8) CF Juan Lagares

The one spot they can still really use an improvement is in CF. They can hope Lagares' defense keeps up but there are a number of options out there they can go after.

They are looking at Span according to MLBTRADERUMORS.

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They are looking at Span according to MLBTRADERUMORS.

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That would be interesting. I would like the Mets to just beat up on the Nats. I can't stand the Nats fans down here, cause mets fans are knowledgeable and they know they are the poor boys of NYC. Nats fans are those jerks from DC who you just want to punch, and the wanna be DC-ites. Bleh!