By Brandon Robinson
The Mets are ready to win.
After finishing 79-83 last season, Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson is determined to change the team’s trajectory this year.
“My expectations are high,” Granderson said in a phone interview. “If we stay healthy and continue to have fun, we have a good chance of making a run this year.”
Granderson had a rough transition to the National League last season. Through the first 24 games of last year, he hit .129 with one home run. He righted the ship and finished last season hitting .227 with 20 home runs. He wants to get things moving early in his second season in Flushing both personally and with the ball club in general.
“We have to get off to a good start,” he said. “If we don’t, we also have to realize that it is a very long season.”
Accountability is something Granderson takes seriously. For the second straight year, Citi Bank announced it will donate $2,000 each time a Mets player hits a home run at Citi Field during the regular season. Granderson, the face of the initiative, is off to a quicker start for a Mets team that is 10-3 after a sweep of the Marlins over the weekend. t“Hopefully we can hit a lot more home runs this season,” he said.
The last time the New York Mets appeared in the playoffs, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS in 2006. Granderson believes this group can bring postseason baseball back to Queens.
With the return of a healthy captain David Wright, Juan Lagares and Lucas Duda, coupled with an impressive pitching core that features returning ace Matt Harvey, right-handers Bartolo Colon, Dillon Gee and reigning Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, the Amazings are a considered contenders for the NL Wild Card spot this season.
“I want a chance to play into October,” Granderson said. “Mets fans have been wanting that for a long time.”
