WHOA, NOAH
SYN EXPECTATIONS WAY TOO HIGH
DID ANY aspiring contender open the 2018 baseball season with more questions than the Mets? As we approach the close of the season’s first quarter, does any such team have fewer answers than the Mets?
Their roller-coaster season remains in a downturn, the 11-1 burst out of the gate and 8-17 face-plant leading them to their current 19-18 record — putting them in the National League East’s fourth slot with the Blue Jays arriving at Citi Field on Tuesday — and 37 games in the Mets have resolved exactly two issues:
1. Does Matt Harvey have anything left to give to the Mets?
2. Was Asdrubal Cabrera worth the extra $6.5 million the Mets paid to exercise his 2018 team option?
Unless you count Devin Mesoraco, Harvey had nothing left to give to the Mets besides attitude, and even if Cabrera retires Tuesday to pursue a career in sports gambling, he already has been worth the Mets’ commitment.
Everything else remains determinedly up in the air. Which leaves the Mets’ worthiness as a contender in the same holding pattern.
This isn’t all bad. Better to face myriad open cases as opposed to too many concerns settled in the negative like, say, the Dodgers and Giants.
Let’s produce a status report on five of the Mets’ most pressing questions at the campaign’s outset that continue to press.
1. Can Mickey Callaway successfully run a big-market, win-now team as a rookie manager?
In his inaugural springtraining news conference Feb. 13, Callaway said, “If we do not do things, it’s going to be on me.” At the time, I wrote Callaway was being too hard on himself. Also at the time, I did not anticipate Callaway and his “best coaching staff in the big leagues” (a phrase he used in that same introductory news conference) batting the team out of order. That was indeed on Callaway. These first 6 ¹ /2 weeks have reminded us that first-year skippers face a steep learning curve, no matter how much time they’ve spent at Terry Francona’s side. It’s different owning calls, like sticking with Paul Sewald against Nick Williams in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Phillies, than contributing to them in the shadows. Callaway has showed signs of being a good manager. He hasn’t yet proved that beyond a reasonable doubt, though.
2. Do the Mets have sufficient starting pitching depth?
The biggest red flag has to be Jason Vargas, whom the Mets are skipping in this turn of the rotation thanks to his 13.86 ERA in three starts. He was supposed to be Mr. Reliable, a welcome contrast to the Mets’ highrisk, high-reward younger arms.
With Harvey banished to Cincinnati, and with Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo converted to helpful relievers, more pressure falls on Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler, both of whom have mixed good and bad starts — but have stayed physically intact, so far.
3. Is Amed Rosario ready for the major leagues?
It’s a bad start, unquestionably. If the .594 OPS didn’t create enough worry, there’s also the poor defensive metrics. He grades below average by both defensive runs saved (-3) and ultimate zone rating (-1.0).
He deserves more time; it’s not like only the Mets considered him a potential future star. And he did slash .333/.313/ .467 on the road last week. Nevertheless, with his Bronx counterpart Gleyber Torres thriving, his growing pains stand out more.
4. Do the Mets have enough roster depth?
Kudos for turning Harvey into Mesoraco, a necessary move given how awful the catching had been. The excellence of Brandon Nimmo has been mitigated by the struggles of Michael Conforto. Todd Frazier’s injury created more playing time for Wilmer Flores and Jose Reyes, and that hasn’t been a positive development.
In the minors, first baseman Peter Alonso’s raking at Double-A Binghamton provides encouragement.
5. Has the Mets’ revamped medical protocol worked?
They thankfully halted their plan to pitch Jacob deGrom in turn after he hyperextended his right elbow, and Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland thankfully removed deGrom after his excruciating, 45-pitch first inning Sunday. Until Yoenis Cespedes can move more like an athlete and less like the old man who bites Kramer’s arm on “Seinfeld,” however, the jury won’t render a verdict. kdavidoff@nypost.com