The Mets 2020 season is filled with intrigue. We don’t need to be gamblers to engage in some fun, so let’s see how you predict the season will end…
Let’s begin with this…
*** Over/Under: The Mets will finish the season with 93 wins.
Prediction: I’d take the under on that one, but I don’t believe that eliminates the Mets from winning the National League East.
Competition between the Mets, Nationals, Braves, and Phillies is likely to be so severe that no team, including the Mets, is going to break away from the pack.
*** Over/Under: Pete Alonso hits 45 home runs.
Prediction: With so much pressure on this young man to repeat a fantasy season, common sense says no, he’ll fall short of that mark.
Still, the character of this young man says yes, he’s the real thing. Take the over.
***Over/Under: Rick Porcello will leave Michael Wacha in the dust in the competition for a spot in the rotation, and have 12 wins for the Mets.
Prediction: The former Cy Young winner has something to prove. Even when Porcello won the award, it was greeted with “ho-hum” what a fluke sentiment. There’s nothing like pride and revenge in professional sports…take the over.
***Over/Under: Back to back Mets Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom will win 16 games.
Prediction: There’s something subconsciously about a team taking the field when their ace is on the hill.
The grind of a never-ending season takes hold, and the result often is, “We got this one, Jake is pitching for us today.”
Take the under. The Mets will never be cured of this ailment, and deGrom will somehow continue to overcome the impediment to challenge for yet another Cy Young distinction.
***Over/Under: Jeff McNeil will have a batting average of .310 and amass 175 base hits.
Prediction: Jeff McNeil is a hitting machine in much the same way as Pete Rose was in his ability to put his bat squarely on the ball.
Putting the two together, though, says take the under. The only hiccup being the total number of hits, along with McNeil’s penchant for possibly falling in love with the home run.
***Over/Under: The Mets will have four National League All-Stars at Dodger Stadium in July.
Prediction: Barring a complete crash or injury, Alonso and deGrom would seem to be locked. McNeil is a probable, but after that, it’s a tossup as to who, if anyone, rises to the top.
To be safe, I’d go under as three is the more likely total of Met’s All-Stars.
***Over/Under: Mets attendance at Citi Field will reach, 2,800,000 fans.
Prediction: The Mets, even in their World Series appearance year in 2015, have not reached that level since Citi Field’s inaugural season in 2009.
Renewed enthusiasm in the team brought on by their second-half finish in 2019 might be enough to bring the franchise back to the norm of attendance figures during the Shea Stadium years.
I’d take the over.
*** Over/Under: Robinson Cano will appear in 140 games this season.
Prediction: We’re taking our lives in our hands with this one. Who can predict the real Robinson Cano?
Is it Door Number One and the perennial All-Star who wakes out of bed spreading line drives across the field?
Or is it Door Number Two and the laid-back “I’ll run when it’s necessary” ballplayer who taunts everyday fans and (presumably) teammates?
Yet, maybe it’s Door Number Three, and you take what get from Robinson Cano and leave it at that?
It was a bad trade, Brodie. No sweat, take the under.
Mets: We’ve Only Just Begun
I like this theme, and I hope you do as well.
There is a slew of scenarios yet to be explored. So, there will be a follow-up edition on the topic.
You likely have several “over/under” topics to add to our discussion today.
Send them along to me at stevecontursi@gmail.com. At your discretion, add your name and location to be included when published.
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
