Post by Sha-Le Unique on Oct 13, 2015 16:18:19 GMT -5
Top prospect Tom Seaver should be making his major league debut in 1967, one year after being the #1 overall draft pick.
The record may say one thing about the Mets right now, as they'll only improve their record by no more than 4 games from last year. But with more young talent in the minor leagues that should be ready for a major league promotion next April, there are reasons for the Mets and their fans to be more excited for the future.
It starts with top pitching prospect Tom Seaver's rapid development that could very well lead to a major league promotion in 1967. In 24 Triple A starts this season, Seaver went 12-10 with a 3.48 ERA, 161 strikeouts and 2 shutouts in 181 innings pitched. He also allowed less than 1 hit per inning, which is a very good sign for the future. The plan is to get Seaver some experience in the next couple seasons and hope that with some seasoning, he could turn into one of the National League's top aces.
While the Mets' other top pitching prospect Fred Klages will likely need one more season in the minor leagues for more development, Seaver will likely join an up and coming Mets rotation that features 1965 NL Rookie of the Year Gene Brabender, veterans Frank Baumann and Camilo Pascual, and 26-year old power pitcher Jack Cullen. The Mets' overall pitching staff improved from a bottom tier staff to a middle of the pack staff that is 12th in ERA and 11th in fewest runs allowed.
The Mets though have been more successful offensively since they entered the league in 1962. The dynamic power duo of Roger Maris and Gene Oliver have combined for 64 of the team's 150 home runs and 182 RBI, while leadoff hitting shortstop Steve Boros has hit .303 and is well on his way to leading the NL in stolen bases with 74. Young catcher Joe Torre is hitting even better at .311, which is 6th in the NL. Third baseman Tony Conigliaro is certainly in the running to be the NL Rookie of the Year this season, with 21 home runs, 73 RBI and 29 steals. Once his power fully develops, he could turn into a superstar.
That being said, the Mets have 4 elite players at their respective positions and a rookie with a ton of potential. This means that there are 3 other spots in their lineup that could be filled with upgrades if they come around. Oh and those upgrades could come around as soon as next season. The 23 year old utility man Joe Foy is very likely to get promoted next season and is likely to play second base at the major league level.
Current prospect Joe Foy could become the Mets' Opening Day second baseman in 1967.
Fellow utility man Rusty Staub is close to being ready himself. Staub is likely to play either third base or the outfield if/when he comes up to the major leagues. And then there's the 27-year old outfielder Johnny Lewis that could be a factor in the outfield himself next season. With center fielder Earl Robinson struggling as much as he did this season, center field could be a wide open battle during spring training.
As for the Mets' top offensive prospect Gene Tenace, he could potentially be ready by 1968 but a 1967 promotion seems very unlikely at this point.
The Mets are not yet ready to be a top NL playoff contender. And why even rush when they won't be in the same division as the Pirates and Cardinals anymore beginning in 1969? But the younger pieces are coming together 1 by 1 and when the puzzle is complete, the Mets will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.
