As if a Yankees-Phillies World Series wasn’t cringe-inducing enough for the Mets, a look ahead to the NL East next season offers little solace.
Glancing around the division, it appears the Mets’ best hope for 2010 is to sign a power-hitting left fielder, add a quality starting pitcher and cross their fingers that a blizzard of injuries like the one that struck this season can’t possibly happen twice.
The Mets need all of that to happen because, simply put, the rest of the East is young and loaded. Not only does the entire nucleus of the back-to-back NL champion Phillies return intact, but the Marlins and Braves — both of whom finished well ahead of the 70-92 Mets this season — also are stocked with emerging talent.
It’s not a pretty picture for those in orange and blue, even though one Las Vegas bookmaker yesterday placed the Mets’ odds at 15-1 to win the World Series next year.
The Mets’ biggest concern, outside of their own trainer’s office, is the potent Phillies. Philadelphia has won the East each of the past three seasons and appears poised to continue that dominance for years to come.
Here’s why: Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and Cole Hamels are all under contract, and ace Cliff Lee is looking at a lucrative extension to stay.
“I don’t see why we can’t be back here next year,” Rollins said in the Phillies’ surprisingly upbeat clubhouse Wednesday, moments after their decisive Game 6 World Series loss to the Yankees.
The Mets will counter that they have a talented core of their own in David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana, Jose Reyes and Frankie Rodriguez, and to count them out would be a mistake.
It’s a solid argument, especially if the Mets land slugger Matt Holliday in free agency to fill the power void in left field and avoid a repeat of the medical disaster that saw them lose more than 1,000 man games to injury last season.
“Oh, I know we will be [a better team in 2010],” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said at the end of the season. “I know we’ll have a better makeup and a better team. I don’t think ownership, Omar [Minaya], anybody will [allow that not to happen]. It’s going to be a better team.”
Unfortunately for the Mets, the rest of the division appears to be better, too — maybe even the lowly Nationals.
The Marlins have deeper and younger pitching, not to mention a powerful lineup led by Hanley Ramirez and NL Rookie of the Year contender Chris Coghlan. The Braves have a Rookie of the Year candidate of their own in hard-throwing right hander Tommy Hanson and a formidable staff led by Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson.
Then there is Washington, which will be coming off another 100-loss season, but has a potent offense and a staff building block in No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg, who throws 100 mph regularly and could be in the majors by Opening Day.
In other words, the Mets could wake up next April and find themselves in the toughest division in the league with a top dog that intends to stay that way.
“We’re still the team to beat in the National League,” Rollins said.