Core success is what the Mets seek.
Sandy Alderson mentioned the word “core’’ several times yesterday, and that word is essential to the Mets’ plan. The Yankees turned it all around in the mid-90s with their “Core Four,” and the Mets, despite their ocean of financial woes, want to follow a similar blueprint. They should only hope to have one-fourth of the success the Yankees have had with their Big Four.
Building through the farm system is the only way to go. By doing that, and bringing in the walls, the Mets got a little something going these first two games of the season.
They beat the Braves 4-2 yesterday at the new more hitter-friendly Citi Field, to move to 2-0 on a day they hit three home runs, one by David Wright and two by Lucas Duda.
“I don’t need it [the new wall], Duda does, maybe one day he can hit the ball as far as me,’’ joked Wright, whose first-inning blast went over the old wall in right-center.
“[Duda] can hit, there is no question about it,’’ Wright added. “The sky is the limit for him.’’
The Mets announced the signing of Jon Niese to a contract extension that could take him through 2018 and pay him as much as $46.5 million. The Mets believe Niese is one of those core players, and Wright loved the signing.
“It’s great, if I was the general manager, that’s a good floor plan like Tampa,’’ Wright said. “I think the team will save a lot of money in this one because he is a heck of a talent. I think it is a tremendously intelligent signing. We’ve got a lot of young guys I would try to lock up.’’
While they are at it, the Mets also might want to take care of the present. Wright’s $16 million option for next season needs to be picked up and an extension put in place as well.
Wright is crucial to any success the Mets will have. After driving in the game-winner on Opening Day, Wright homered in his first at-bat yesterday as he picked up three more hits and hit the ball hard in all five at-bats. He is off to a nice .625 start, the kind he desperately needed.
The Mets need so much to go right. They expect big things from Niese.
“The Mets are hoping that Jonathon Niese can become their Andy Pettitte,’’ Niese’s agent, Tom O’Connell, told The Post.
That’s a big hope, but the Mets have to start somewhere. Duda also is on that Mets “core’’ list and yesterday he produced the first two-home run game of his career.
His fourth-inning blast to right-center (410 feet) was the first for the Mets thanks to the new drawn-in outfield walls. His lined shot into the right-field seats in the seventh was crushed and would have gone out of any ballpark.
Pitching has been a key for the Mets these first two days of the season, and Niese will start today against the weak-hitting Braves.
“Jon’s been a very solid starter for us,’’ Alderson said. “A quality left-handed starting pitcher is a, not rare commodity, but certainly a very valuable commodity.’’
This was a big extension in many ways for O’Connell, who grew up in New York.
“We were able to finish it up on my mother’s 80th birthday,’’ he said with a smile.
There are smiles all around the Mets for a change. It may not last long, but they sincerely believe they are making moves that are right for the club: locking up young pitching, moving the walls in to make it a fairer ballpark. These are common sense moves that needed to be made.
Keeping Wright a Met for life makes sense, too. He helps in so many ways. When Ike Davis lost his cool over a called strike yesterday it was Wright who calmed him down.
It’s great to get core players signed for the future. Don’t forget about David Wright in the process.