The Mets are currently the class of New York City, coming into the year with World Series aspirations. But how long will they remain ahead of the Yankees?
For New York Mets fans, the time is now, as their team is finally the class of the city. While their counterpart in the Bronx was winning endless championships in the 1990s, the Mets were also building something special, culminating in a matchup with those Yankees in the Subway Series in 2000. The Yankees would go on to win that series, their last until 2009, which remains their last championship to date.
While the Yankees were trying to buy another championship, the Mets were adding prospects, putting together the best young crop of pitching talent in the National League. In 2015, those arms led the Mets back to the World Series for the first time since that Subway Series, though they fell to the Kansas City Royals in six games. Last season, the Mets once again made it back to the postseason, but were quickly erased by the San Francisco Giants in a one-game playoff.
Meanwhile, the Yankees stopped spending all their money on washed-up veterans, and instead began piling up chips of their own. For what seemed to be the first time in forever, the Yankees were actually sellers at the trade deadline last season, moving relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for three of the best prospects in baseball. As both teams head into 2017, it seems the expectations have flipped, as the Mets are looking like a World Series team, and the Yankees will struggle to reach .500.
Yankees fans have long been spoiled with their beloved team, as the Steinbrenner family looks to put a world-class team on the field every season. However, the organization decided to go young in 2017, trotting out the likes of Greg Bird, Gary Sanchez, and Aaron Judge. The move to the younger players likely won’t payoff in a postseason trip this season, but they are setting the stage for a special run, reminiscent of the 1995 team.
In Queens, the Mets are in win-now mode, as they have the horses in the rotation to be a contender for at least the next three seasons. In 2019, Matt Harvey will become the first of their five aces to be eligible for free agency, so now is the time to strike. Zach Wheeler will follow him in 2020, Jacob deGrom in 2021, and both Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz in 2022, giving the team a window to add their first World Series title since 1986.
With the rotation set, the organization decided to bring in some veterans to man some key positions, including shortstop and second base last season. Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker provided incredible leadership in the clubhouse, and the Wilpon brothers actually went out and spent serious money to keep Yoenis Cespedes in the Mets lineup for at least the next four seasons.
On Opening Day, the Mets had their second-highest opening game attendance since they moved into Citi Field. The team did not disappoint, blanking the Atlanta Braves behind a strong effort by Syndergaard. In contrast, the Yankees went on the road and saw ace Masahiro Tanaka get rocked by the Tampa Bay Rays, as most of their young players struggled in their first Opening Day start. The roles of the two teams that call New York City home have flipped, but the Yankees won’t stay down for long.
By trading Chapman and Miller last season, the Yankees got back Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, and Justus Sheffield, three players that are ranked in the top-100 prospects in baseball by Baseball America. This past offseason, the Yankees brought back Chapman on a five-year, $86 million deal, cementing the closer role on the roster for the next half-decade. By the 2019 season, players like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado will both be available via free agency, and you can bet the Pinstripes will have their wallets out.
For now, the Mets should sit back and enjoy the ride, as they have done a nice job putting together a team that could rival the 1986 team in the franchise’s history. Down on the farm, players like shortstop Ahmed Rosario and first baseman Dominic Smith are going to be ready to be play in the big leagues sooner than later, so it is not like the well has run dry down there. However, if the Mets feel they can bring a championship back to Queens over the next few seasons, those prospects may be dealt, and the fan base is starving for their first title in over 30 years.
There are going to be bumps in the road for the Baby Bombers, who are the most talented class of Yankees prospects since the likes of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. On Opening Day, Sanchez went 0-for-5, displaying some of the worst plate appearances we have seen out of him since he burst onto the scene by hitting 20 home runs in 53 games last season. The young catcher kept the Yankees in the playoff race nearly by himself, and just may be the best player at his position before his first full season is over.
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By the 2019 season, these two organization may have the best teams in their respective leagues. The pride each of these fan bases have for their team is incredible, and bragging rights among New Yorkers is very real. It is very easy to look to the future and dream of another Subway Series, but for now, Mets fans should enjoy being the kings of New York, because the Yankees are coming.