As a Mets fan, this is an article I have been looking forward to writing. All MLB fans have been starving from the lack of baseball. MLB fans were lucky enough to have a season last year, but it was only 60 games, so this season in 2021, Mets and MLB fans alike can rejoice that we get the full 162.
Those 162 games will be fun for all baseball fans, but for Mets fans in 2021, it will be on a whole other level. We have a new owner, a new franchise player, and World Series aspirations. Let’s go through the 5 things Mets fans have to look forward to this season.
Mets are back in black in 2021
2012 was a tough year for Mets fans, not because of the 74-88 record, but instead because that was the year that the Mets phased out the classic black jerseys. The replacement was a – may I say- horrid off-white/cream jersey.
If the Mets had a better season that year, I may have had a different opinion on them. But I will never understand why in the world this was considered a good replacement for the black jerseys.
As mentioned above, all jerseys have a reputation behind them with how the team performed in them. Yes, most years in the 21st century have been disappointing and simply not good for the Mets.
But 2006, 2006 was the year Mets fans remember. Mets finished the 2006 season with a record of 97-65, and you can’t look up the 2006 season, without seeing David Wright smiling in his black Mets jersey.
All in all, black jerseys are back, get excited for 2021 Mets fans.
Return of fans to Citi Field
This is something all fans of all teams can get pumped for, a return of fans to their home parks. Although this may be an exciting part of the season for all fans, there is no way I couldn’t include this. There are so many reasons to be excited about this: a sign of normalcy, a sign of health, no more fake crowd noise, and being able to watch the Mets in person.
The first two reasons are obvious. Fans coming back into the stadium begins the process of recovery, as vaccines become more and more available, we can finally start to enjoy life again. 2020 and the beginning of 2021 were tough for everyone, but normal life may finally be coming back to the world we all live in.
Honestly, the fake crowd noise last year was not terrible, it made baseball seem as normal as possible. There were moments last season where it seemed like there were fans in the stands, but then SNY would show the empty stands, which would put everything back into perspective.
However this year, we get to see real fans back in the stands, the noise will be less obstructive, and trust me Mets fans can fill out a stadium without it being full.
Fans that do go to the games will be able to experience baseball in person again, which is something most took for granted. However, I don’t think anyone will be taking anything for granted in the immediate future.
Another deGrominant season
Jacob deGrom. (that is all).
Just joking, but in all honesty, I could have left it there and fans would have understood. Jacob deGrom is undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in baseball and is somehow getting better. He put on an absolute show in spring training.
He pitched to an ERA of 0.66, oh, and did I forget to say he hit 102 on the radar gun a few times during spring training. In his first start, his fastballs sat at 100-102 mph, which is simply amazing.
Not to mention that when he broke into the league in 2014 he threw his fastball at 94 mph. That’s an increase of basically 6 mph, as he mostly pitched to 100 mph on his fastballs throughout spring training.
With how deGrom has pitched in past years, and how he pitched in spring training, there is no doubt in my mind that he will be dominant again this season.
A resurgent Pete Alonso
Pete Alonso truly broke into the league in 2019, where he hit a rookie record 53 home runs, with 120 RBIs. Not to mention winning Rookie of the Year, and the Home Run Derby. Polar Bear Pete was on a whole other level in 2019, which had many looking forward to his 2020 campaign.
Unfortunately, 2020 was a different year than 2019, for everyone, but in this case, for Pete Alonso and his offensive production. He hit a respectable 16 HRs, but his batting average left a lot to be desired for, only batting .231, a far cry from the .260 avg in 2020.
However, there is a lot of reasons to believe that Pete Alonso will be back in 2021. First and foremost fans are back in the building. All Mets fans know that if there is any player that would be hurt by the lack of fans, it would be Pete Alonso.
Alonso feeds off the fans, and with no fans in the stands last season, we could tell he was different. However, fans are back, which means Alonso can play off of them, which is a huge part of his game. Not to mention, he had an electric spring training.
In 18 games he hit to a .340 batting average, with 4 home runs and 16 RBIs. For those wondering, that statline transformed to a 162 game season would be 36 home runs with 144 RBIs.
Mr. Smile is here to stay with the Mets beyond 2021
Mr. Smile. Who is that you may ask? That is, of course, Francisco Lindor, the superstar Steve Cohen and the Mets traded for to start the offseason and extended for a decade to end the offseason.
News broke last night that Francisco Lindor and the Mets agreed to a 10 year, $341 million dollar contract. It is the 3rd biggest contract in baseball history.
Francisco Lindor is an all-in-all superstar, the likes of which has never played in front of the orange and blue fandom that are the NY Mets fans.
An all-star from 2016-2019, a 2x gold glover, a 2x silver slugger is set to play for the Mets during his prime, for 10 years. Mets fans got what we have been waiting for, the player that takes us over the top, a player that makes the Mets truly an amazin’ team.
The idea that we will be watching this guy for 10 more seasons, is something that I may never be able to comprehend.
Who can we thank for this Mets excitement in 2021?
Uncle Stevie. Steve Cohen. The 14 Billion Dollar Man.
Steve Cohen truly saved Mets fans. In November of 2020, Steve Cohen completed his purchase of the Mets from the Wilpons. The day he completed the purchase is the day that the Mets franchise changed forever.
For those not familiar Fred and Jeff Wilpon, the former majority owners of the Mets never spent big bucks on the Mets. A $300 million dollar contract was something no Met fan could fathom under the Wilpons, but under Steve Cohen it is now something we can expect.
Thank you Uncle Stevie!