SPORTS
Mets in rebuilding mode for spring training
Port St. Lucie Magazine 9
Two years of fourth-place finishes
in the National League East have
kept the New York Mets in a reorganizing
stage, but they have the
talent to begin a turnaround during their
31st spring training in Port St. Lucie.
Second year manager Mickey Callaway
will have to make some tough choices to
build a better team while deciding who
makes the final cut in the hope of taking
the Mets to the play-offs.
The pitching squad is healthy with
returning veterans Zack Wheeler, Steven
Matz and Noah Syndergaard, who pitched
a complete shutout game last season.
BRIGHT SPOT
Despite a disappointing 77-85 record
in 2018, the highlight of the season was
pitcher Jacob deGrom winning the Cy
Young Award in an almost unanimous
vote. The 30-year-old righthander signed
a one-year $17 million contract after his
10-9 record and amazingly low 1.70 earned
run average with a career high 217 innings
pitched and 269 strikeouts. In his fifth season,
deGrom was National League Rookie
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St. Lucie County and
Mets officials hope
to iron out the agreement
to renovate
First Data Field, with
construction to begin
at the end of the
2019 spring training
in Port St. Lucie.
GREG GARDNER PHOTOS
Mets batters will be swinging for the fence this spring training in hopes of making the team.