Tim Healey

WHY THE METS MIGHT BE GOOD 
 1. The rotation: Four of the top five starting pitchers were All-Stars last year: Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker. There are question marks, such as deGrom’s health (including a right shoulder blade stress reaction that will keep him out for the start of the season). But when heal-thy, this group should be among the best in baseball. 
 2. The bounce-backs: Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil, Dominic Smith and James McCann seriously underperformed last year, 
 so by default, the 
 Mets’ lineup should be better this season. 
 3. The manager: Buck Showalter’s teams never won much of anything in his 20 seasons at the helm of the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles. But the three-time Manager of the Year has earned plaudits from inside and outside the organization.  
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/YjIwYjYyYjktM2RlMS00" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/YjIwYjYyYjktM2RlMS00', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/YjIwYjYyYjktM2RlMS00">STORYWIDGET: stn-mets-player2</a> 
 WHY THEY MIGHT DISAPPOINT 
 1. The division: Atlanta won the World Series last year and has won the division title the past four years. The Phillies look as if they’ll mash. The Marlins have some of the best pitching around. It won’t be easy to navigate the East.  &nbsp; 
 2. Age: Suddenly, the Mets seem kind of old. Six of the nine in their starting lineup are at least 30. It is even worse for the rotation: four of five are past 30 (and the last, Walk- er, will get there in August). Offseason additions Scherzer, Bassitt, Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar fall into this cat- egory. That might not be a good thing for a club that tends to suffer more than its share of injuries. 
 3. Expectations: Sports are like politics: Follow the money. The 2022 Mets are the most expensive team in club history, and the mandate is to win now. Falling short of greatness would seem disappointing.

WHY THE METS MIGHT BE GOOD 1. The rotation: Four of the top five starting pitchers were All-Stars last year: Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker. There are question marks, such as deGrom’s health (including a right shoulder blade stress reaction that will keep him out for the start of the season). But when heal-thy, this group should be among the best in baseball. 2. The bounce-backs: Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil, Dominic Smith and James McCann seriously underperformed last year, so by default, the Mets’ lineup should be better this season. 3. The manager: Buck Showalter’s teams never won much of anything in his 20 seasons at the helm of the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles. But the three-time Manager of the Year has earned plaudits from inside and outside the organization.  STORYWIDGET: stn-mets-player2 WHY THEY MIGHT DISAPPOINT 1. The division: Atlanta won the World Series last year and has won the division title the past four years. The Phillies look as if they’ll mash. The Marlins have some of the best pitching around. It won’t be easy to navigate the East.   2. Age: Suddenly, the Mets seem kind of old. Six of the nine in their starting lineup are at least 30. It is even worse for the rotation: four of five are past 30 (and the last, Walk- er, will get there in August). Offseason additions Scherzer, Bassitt, Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar fall into this cat- egory. That might not be a good thing for a club that tends to suffer more than its share of injuries. 3. Expectations: Sports are like politics: Follow the money. The 2022 Mets are the most expensive team in club history, and the mandate is to win now. Falling short of greatness would seem disappointing.

Sports

Baseball

New York Mets

SPBMBOX220407

Three up, three down: The Mets in 2022

onecms:bedeb305-6750-4c64-889a-8423a8bdeb8c

Newsday

_S3T047231736.jpg

More Mets headlines

mets article right rail

The oft-injured player, who was billed as Pete Alonso's replacement at first base, hit .148 with two home runs in only 37 games.

Mets' Polanco out for year with ankle injury

Bridget Rogers overcame a brain tumor and is a third-year medical student working at Stony Brook Hospital Southampton.

'Everyday Champion': Mets honor Stony Brook med student, cancer survivor at Citi Field

Carson Benge hitting a two-run homer to conclude an impressive series, helping the New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 on Wednesday.

Benge's two-run HR gives Mets 11th win in last 15 games

Mets owner says he's past annoyed and has entered the acceptance phase of the season

Lennon: When will Cohen's Mets stop having to 'turn the page'?

The T-shirts will be given to the first 15,000 fans at Citi Field on Wednesday. A team spokesman told Newsday the No. 51 jerseys were shipped to the team's academy in the Dominican Republic.

Brand new promotion: Mets replace Peralta jersey giveaway with Benge/Ewing 'Spider-Man meme' shirt

More New York Sports

Sports Article Bottom Module

Hockey fans flocked to The Rinx in Hauppauge to see Sound Beach native and Stanley Cup champion Brandon Bussi of the Carolina Hurricanes. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

Bussi brings Cup to LI for 'unforgettable experience'

Mets Trending Bar

Schedule/results

Standings

Stats

Roster

MLB scores

Odds

Transactions

NEWSDAY TV SHORTS

Vertical videos

Mandates could include requiring new systems when old septic tanks fail or when houses are sold. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

Environmentalists want more mandates to replace Suffolk septic systems as program falls behind

Newsday travel writer Carissa Kellman visits Onda Bella Cruises for a boat ride from Northport Harbor.

Cruise from Northport Harbor on the Onda Bella

Branden Heller of Wading River volunteers at the Wading River Fire Department to help serve his local community.

Volunteers of Long Island: Wading River firefighter wants to be role model

Long-forgotten unpaid traffic infractions in other states are causing a delay in New York State license renewals. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

Outstanding out-of-state tickets holding back NYS license renewals 

NewsdayTV's Doug Geed shows us the dedication it takes to keep bees at the Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead.

Out East: All the buzz at the Hallockville Museum Farm

The 90-mile electric cable project could take five years to complete. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn has more.

High-voltage debate over $3B power line proposal 

The NYPD released footage of a man being airlifted from Cedar Creek Park in Seaford in Aug. 7.

NYPD video shows man being airlifted from Long Island park

The NYC medical examiner is using 3D printing to help identify human remains, a program that could help close cases on Long Island. Newsday special writer Anthony DeStefano has more.

Using 3D printing to reconstruct unidentified human remains 

Suffolk police are investigating a hate-crime related incident at the construction site of The Islamic Center of Shirley-Mastic. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

Police investigate hate graffiti at Shirley-Mastic mosque site 

NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa finds the perfect fit at Rico's Clothing in Center Moriches.

LI Works: Ken finds the man who makes the clothes that make the man

App Nativo Ad Unit Slot

New York Mets - megaslot

Complete coverage of the New York Mets with the latest news, scores, schedule and analysis.

More Mets headlines

Stay logged in.