Terry Collins might want to turn over the floor to Curtis Granderson on Monday after delivering pregame remarks he hopes will serve as the Mets’ guidelines to the 2014 season.
The manager would only say last week his Opening Day speech will focus on “expectations.” But the veteran Granderson already has a good idea from which direction Collins will shoot.
“We’re going to have multiple heroes on this team and everyone has got to be ready for that role no matter what it happens to be,” Granderson said. “You can be a hero in so many different ways here, whether it’s making a pitch or stealing a base or getting a hit or closing out a game.
“No matter what it happens to be, we can win games in so many different ways, and I think [the message] is going to be very similar to that. I’m not speaking for [Collins], but it’s going to be something we’re going to have to do.”
The Mets’ bid to end a reign of error that has included a seven-year playoff drought and five straight losing seasons begins Monday afternoon, when they face the Nationals at Citi Field.
During a staff meeting early in the spring, general manager Sandy Alderson set the bar for the season, telling team personnel the Mets’ goal should be 90 victories. It’s a challenge at least some among the Mets are ready to accept.
“I love the confidence that our front office has in us and I think that trickles down, that kind of confidence,” David Wright said. “If anything, it says that being mediocre isn’t going to be acceptable.”
In Granderson, Bartolo Colon and Chris Young, the Mets added $87.25 million in contract commitments. Granderson and Young will bolster an outfield that began last season among the worst in the major leagues, and the Mets hope the 40-year-old Colon will help compensate for Matt Harvey’s absence. Harvey is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to pitch this year.
“We certainly think we’re going to be better, think we’re going to do some positive things,” said Collins, who has led the Mets to 77, 74 and 74 victories in his first three seasons managing the club. “We’ve added some athleticism, some power and now we’ve just got to go play. We’re going to be a better team.”
But it’s also no secret the Mets have holes in the lineup, starting with first base — where neither Ike Davis nor Lucas Duda distinguished himself this spring. The Mets also failed to upgrade at shortstop, leaving Ruben Tejada the starter by default after his miserable 2013 season.
Alderson has said the team needs increased offensive production from Juan Lagares to justify playing him in center field on a regular basis. Travis d’Arnaud is another concern offensively.
But a rotation that includes Colon, Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese and Jenrry Mejia should at least give the Mets a chance on a daily basis. The bullpen, with Bobby Parnell, Jose Valverde and Jeurys Familia as the central components, is a huge question mark.
“In order for us to be successful, we’re going to have to obviously lean on our pitching,” Wright said. “That was kind of the case this spring training, where I think our pitching [was] fantastic, so we’re going to need more of that.”
Wright has his own idea of what “expectations” Collins will set for the team.
“We’ve got a lot of good players in this room — now it’s a matter of putting it all together,” Wright said. “It’s so difficult to build that flow during spring training with so many guys, so many distractions.
“Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together and making sure we understand what the goal is and what the expectations inside this clubhouse are and go out there and try to meet them.”