Soothsaying for Sixteen: Unexpected Hero

[Centerfield]

In 2014 some kid named Jacob deGrom came up and lit the world on fire. No one saw it coming.

In 2015, a kid came straight from AA and tore up the league. Sure, he was a highly touted prospect, but no one ever expected him to contribute in 2015. Also our setup man was thrown into the closer role when Mejia was unexpectedly suspended for PEDs. He calmly gave us arguably the best season ever for a Mets reliever.

They say every successful team has someone who exceeds expectations. Who will it be this year? Opportunities may be a bit more scarce as we start the year with the most complete Mets team I can remember. But there's a reason we have an injury thread. And I'm sure some spots will open up.

Put your predictions here and earn the right to say "I told you so" in November.

[Lefty Specialist]

Jenrry Mejia. Hasn't been released and he knows his next infraction is a career-ender. Comes up late in the year and provides crucial depth in the pen. Still won't be a hero, but will be unexpected as everyone's got him dead and buried already.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Plawecki goes Blastro, with multiple walk-offs. Book it.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Steven Matz will lead the team in W's in 2016.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets fans everywhere will fall in love with Jeff Wilpon.

[Ceetar]

Robles will throw 70+ innings and be virtually unhittable.

[Fman99]

Zombie Yogi hits .330 and says hysterical wacky undead things.

[Lefty Specialist]

Fman99 wrote: Zombie Yogi hits .330 and says hysterical wacky undead things.

"When you come to a fork in the road.....mmmmmrrrmmmm....BRAAAAAAAAINSSSSSS!!!!!!!!"

[Zvon]

Conforto.

[Centerfield]

Rafael Montero will make us ask ourselves, "What do we do with all this pitching?"

[Edgy MD]

Travis d'Arnaud will generate a "How Do You Get This Guy Out?" article in a major national publication, and his plate appearances by mid-summer will be greeted by piercing shrieks from 12-16-year-old girls, as well as Vic Sage, oddly enough.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We'll probably be talking about The Lucas Duda Game for rest of our lives.

Four homers, 13 RBI! It's a shame Asdrubal Cabrera's three errors almost ruined it.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: Robles will throw 70+ innings and be virtually unhittable.

He's my pick in this category, too.

Later

[Gwreck]

Neil Walker, in last year of contract: 25 homers, 45 doubles, leads team in OBP.

[TransMonk]

Inspired by Harvey's comeback in 2015 and the competition to be the best in the Mets 2016 rotation, Zack Wheeler breezes through his rehab starts and goes undefeated in seven starts down the stretch as other starters begin to show signs of fatigue.

[Centerfield]

TransMonk wrote: Inspired by Harvey's comeback in 2015 and the competition to be the best in the Mets 2016 rotation, Zack Wheeler breezes through his rehab starts and goes undefeated in seven starts down the stretch as other starters begin to show signs of fatigue.

Trying to figure out if this or the Yogi Zombie thing is more probable.

Both I think are more likely than the Jeff Wilpon one.

[Lefty Specialist]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Jenrry Mejia. Hasn't been released and he knows his next infraction is a career-ender. Comes up late in the year and provides crucial depth in the pen. Still won't be a hero, but will be unexpected as everyone's got him dead and buried already.

Well, I was almost as stupid as he was. Now he can provide crucial depth in the Taiwanese League.

[ashie62]

Neil Walker goes 25/85

[smg58]

Since Montero is taken: Juan Lagares forces his way into regular playing time. But at whose expense?

[Guest El Segundo Escupidor]

Bartolo 4 Silver Slugger.

[Frayed Knot]

smg58 wrote: Since Montero is taken: Juan Lagares forces his way into regular playing time. But at whose expense?

Yeah, that's the problem. For Lagares to shine would require an injury to either Granderson or Cespedes and/or a serious backslide by Conforto.

[bmfc1]

Ryan Reynolds is already having a big year with "Deadpool"... sorry, I meant Matt Reynolds. Plays 2B, SS and 3B and at some point in the season, the Mets will look for a better backup 3B than Flores and wonder why they have a guy on the bench who can't hit (Tejada). Reynolds can hit and can play 3 positions. He is recalled ("what was his name again?") and fills in for The Captain every 4th day. A few key hits and there's your unexpected hero for 2016.

[Edgy MD]

Tejada may well fail in 2016, but for a guy that can't hit, he out-hit the NL mean shortstop in 2015.

[bmfc1]

Thanks for your opinion about my opinion in a dopey thread. Relax.

[Edgy MD]

Excuse me? Is there a problem?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Point of order: rebuttals IS the game, son.

Point of order 2: Picking a guy who's expected to be a starter/major contributor ISN'T exactly "unexpected," eh? Take a walk outside the lines, Walkerboosters.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Guest

[bmfc1]

Tejada can't hit (even if he is above the mean) well enough to be a bench player and I doubt that he can play 3d. That's what fueled my Reynolds soothsaying. Cabrera and Walker can play 3d so perhaps there is no need for Reynolds and Tejada stays.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm gonna go Rick Grimes (anti-Walker, get it??) and say Dilson Hererra becomes the Important Guy eventually.

[Centerfield]

So a week plus into August, the answer is...no one. No one has been an unexpected hero.

In fact, the prediction of Bartolo as Silver Slugger may be the only guess that was even close.

Let's call up Gabriel Ynoa and give him Verrett's spot in the rotation. We need our unexpected hero.

[Edgy MD]

Addison Reed?