World Series? Mets not getting ahead of themselves this time
The Mets' J.D. Davis drops his bat and watches his double in the third inning of the team's spring training game against the Marlins on Thursday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: AP
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – J.D. Davis wasn’t surprised on Saturday when he was told that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had recently guaranteed that his team was going to win the World Series.
“I can see that,” the Mets infielder/outfielder said, citing the Dodgers' recent signing of free agent first baseman Freddie Freeman to an already packed roster.
“We are winning the World Series in 2022,” Roberts said on Thursday on Dan Patrick’s radio show. “We will win the World Series this year. Put it on record.”
Mets fans will recall that Davey Johnson told his team when it gathered for spring training in 1986, “We’re not going to win. We’re going to dominate.”
And dominate that team did with 108 regular-season victories en route to the franchise’s last World Series championship.
Davis’ mind also flashed back to 2021 spring training, when the Mets under manager Luis Rojas performed a drill that had them simulate getting the 27th out of Game 7 of the World Series and then celebrating with a full-on dog-pile in the infield.
Then the Mets went out and went 77-85. Rojas was not retained.
“The past couple of years, we’ve always said we’re going to win the World Series,” Davis said. “I think last year, you saw us dog-pile at the 27th out. But I think this time we’re just trying to play ‘win the division first.’ That’s the big thing. And just really kind of check off the boxes here and there. Get in the playoffs, take it one game at a time.”
The Mets have not been to the playoffs since 2016. But expectations are high under second-year owner Steve Cohen, new manager Buck Showalter, glitzy free-agent signings such as Max Scherzer and Starling Marte, and the apparent return to health of ace Jacob deGrom.
There’s a good feeling growing at Clover Park with Opening Day less than two weeks away.
That’s why Brandon Nimmo – the longest tenured Mets position player – said Roberts’ boast may not end up being the last word.
“I know there’s a few other teams that want to have something to say about that,” Nimmo said. “We’re one of them. We would like to dash their dreams and be able to go to a World Series and win it ourselves. Ultimately, the season will tell on that.”
Nimmo, though, appeared to admire Roberts’ bravado (which probably wasn’t hurt by the fact Roberts just signed a three-year contract extension).
“Hey, more power to him,” Nimmo said. “I do know one thing: In baseball, you need to be confident. Whether that’s vocally, whether that’s leading by example, whatever it is, you need to believe it before everyone else does. I’m glad that he believes that and thinks that way for his team.”
Still, even though the Dodgers are one of the favorites again, Atlanta is the defending NL East and World Series champions. So it makes sense for the Mets to concern themselves with their own house and leave the predictions to others.
“That’s really all we can do,” Davis said. “We’ve done it so many times in the past where we’ve looked ahead, like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to go . . . team looks great.’ But we’ve always kind of gotten ahead of ourselves instead of worrying about the moment.”
Showalter, who seems to be everywhere at every moment and on top of every detail in spring training, hasn’t made any pronouncements about where he expects the Mets to be when it’s all said and done.
“’ Let’s get to work,’ ” Davis said was Showalter’s opening message. “That’s all you can do. You can’t look ahead. You’ve got to worry about what today’s work is and perfect - or at least learn from - today and move on, and then tackle tomorrow.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
