The new-look Mets won’t have the Wilpons and Brodie Van Wagenen in charge. They have a new owner in Steve Cohen, a new president (also tasked with baseball decisions, at least for now) in Sandy Alderson, and will have a new general manager any day now. They will also have a new starting catcher, since Wilson Ramos won’t be back in 2021, and presumably a couple of new starting pitchers, outfielders or even some relievers.
But the offensive structure, sans the suspended Robinson Cano, will be virtually the same as 2020. Jeff McNeil will be back, as will Michael Conforto, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, JD Davis, and one of the season’s breakout performers: Dominic Smith.
With a .316/.377/.616 line, a .412 wOBA, and a 165 wRC+, Smith was perhaps the New York Mets’ best performer outside of ace Jacob deGrom. Smith even received votes in the MVP race, finishing in the 13th position.
And just like several other players, he has expressed his happiness about Cohen taking over the franchise. “Steve is a great guy! I would say the whole team is excited about what Steve’s vision is and his passion to make this Mets organization great. We all want to win and we know we’re capable of that so definitely excited for what is on the horizon,” he said in a Q&A with SNY.
A difference-maker for the Mets
Smith proved that, with regular at-bats, he can be a difference-maker at the plate, as his first-round pedigree suggests.
“I’m just trying to go out there and be better each day, it’s not about proving myself to anyone but me. I think the team knows I go out there, as all of us do, and give it everything we have. I’m honored to just be in the discussion for MVP, that’s a blessing,” he explained.
He says that he is “always working. I am always working to get better each day. My goal is just to be better each time I step out there on the field and continue to strive for success.”
Smith took the chance to express his happiness about Marcus Stroman returning to the Mets. “Definitely happy Marcus is back! He is an important asset on the team, and he brings the best out of all of us. We would love to train together this offseason, but right now we are just playing it day by day with everything going on with COVID.”