MLB spring training 2018: Three things on the Mets' to-do list

Written By Thomas Lott
Matt Harvey
(Getty Images)

In a division where the Nationals are the clear favorites, the rest of the teams are simply battling for a wild-card spot. The Mets are one of those teams that could very well make the playoffs if they stay healthy.

That is a big "if" though, and their success will start with their rotation.

So what is on the Mets' to-do list this spring?

1. Get Matt Harvey right

It's easy to say the Mets should get Noah Syndergaard healthy and go from there, but there are much fewer questions about Syndergaard than Harvey, who has been a different pitcher the past two years.

Every bit of that has to do with diminished velocity. He's throwing slower and therefore using more breaking pitches. But if the Mets can first get his fastball command right, then he can succeed with diminishing velocity. Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has proved that over the last few years. If the Mets get Harvey pitching like Harvey again, then they will be in the wild-card conversation.

2. Make a decision on Dominic Smith

The Mets picked up Adrian Gonzalez in free agency this offseason, so they think they have their first base spot lined up for the year. Now they have to figure out what the plan is for Dominic Smith.

They want him to be their first baseman of the future, but if they leave him on the MLB team behind Gonzalez, they are robbing him of valuable at-bats that aid his development. They need to figure out whether to start him at Triple-A and get him more reps or simply use him as a man off the bench. The former might be the better idea.

3. Figure out the bullpen pecking order

The bullpen was bad last season as it was 29th in all of baseball with a 4.82 ERA. The Mets went out and essentially fixed their pen  as they picked up Anthony Swarzak in the offseason after trading for A.J. Ramos before the trade deadline. They simply need to figure out who goes where.

It's a good problem to have after all the trouble they had last season.