David Wright has been an icon for the Mets ever since he put on the uniform in 2004, but his career hit a rough patch last season when he suited up for just 38 games. Wright faced a severe injury that many thought would force an early retirement for the 33 year old third baseman.
In the short sample size last year, Wright hit .289/.379/.434 with 5 HR and 17 RBI, proving that he is still very capable of putting up above-average numbers when healthy. That notion has continued so far this season, as he has hit .279/.404/.512 with 2 HR in 11 games so far.
While Wright's numbers have declined to the point where we may never see another 30-30 season again, many seem to still have confidence that he will provide a solid presence in the lineup, including myself.
Two nights ago, after Wright hit two home runs against the Phillies, manager Terry Collins had some words to say about the team's captain. Collins said "Star players should never surprise you with what they can do. They do things that capture your attention and he's dangerous here."
Wright's condition, spinal-stenosis, has been well-documented as something that may be with him for the rest of his life. In response to that, he has undergone copious amounts of training and preparation before each and every game. To me, this makes his bounce back so much more unique, as he isn't going through normal wear and tear that a veteran player would deal with.
Of-course, Wright will be given periodic days off to ensure that he doesn't aggravate the injury, but so far so good. The team hasn't given a game expectation for him just yet, but as a fan I would be thrilled if we can get 120-130 games out of him.
Keep in mind that David is under contract for the next four seasons after this one, so the Mets absolutely have to hope that his back stays in good shape, or else his tenure with the team could be tainted.
It is a complete shot in the dark to predict what his end-of-the-year numbers will look like, but judging on his track record, I would be happy with .280/.350/.470 with 10-15 HR and 70 RBI out of the two spot in the lineup.
Defensively, it is clear that his gold glove day are behind him. While he still has a good amount of range for someone his age, his arm strength has significantly gotten worse, making the once-called "easy out" just a little bit more difficult.
Wright will probably always be my favorite Mets player, as I grew up with him being the young-stud of a Mets team that was trying to find their way. Admittedly, It will not be easy for me when he retires from the game, but hopefully we are looking a few years down the road, and not anytime soon.
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