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Palladino: Young-Gun Mets In Position To Take Over City

By Ernie Palladino
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New York has only been a Yankees town these past two postseason-less years because there just has been no one else to like.

They are right now darlings by default. But even flawed love beats what the Mets have gone through the last eight years, sitting at the Yankees' knee as hapless, dense little pupils whose infrequent successes seem to come more by accident than achievement.

Nobody likes those kids. Nobody pays them any mind. For the Mets, the empty seats around Citi Field and the agonizing headlines have offered not-so-mute witness to their daily exercises in futility.

But the opening of a new season Monday brings with it a question. What would it take for the Mets to capture the hearts of the city? What do the Mets have to do to become this year's local darling?

Is it even possible to push New York's legendary winners to second-class status?

If it is, this is the year to do it. The Yanks are ripe for the taking.

With the Bronx entry chugging along on its staid old course, with far too many staid, old players still dotting the roster, and with no Steinbrenner willing to make the struggles of a season as miserable as the late George could, it stands just a few aching wrists or torn tendons from collapse. And that means a boring, unsuccessful season.

The Yanks remain for the most part a rust-ridden frigate, willing to lumber through the path of the AL East with ancient mariners like CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury and Alex Rodriguez, and much younger Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda weighed down by the albatross of physical uncertainty.

The Mets look like a sleek cruiser in comparison, at least as they head into the opener in Washington. Save perhaps for those stranded on some barren, WiFi-less outpost, all should be aware of their youthful pitching staff. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Jon Niese, and Dillon Gee offer spine-tingling expectations. Bartolo Colon, at 41, stands as the only oldster there, and even he could be easily accepted if he wins his Opening Day start Monday.

The lineup is young. Juan Lagares plays a great center field, and the expectations around Lucas Duda call for another 30 homers and perhaps a few more points on the .253 batting average. Travis d'Arnaud has worked on his power, and Wilmer Flores could add just enough hitting out of shortstop to make things interesting.

Even the over-30 crowd doesn't present the same, creaky image as the Yanks. David Wright is 32 and apparently healthy again. Thirty-five-year-old Michael Cuddyer will certainly add some power, and 34-year-old Curtis Granderson has altered his swing to cut down on strikeouts. If 30-year-old Daniel Murphy's hamstring behaves itself, the Mets could start fast out of the gate.

Winning wins hearts.

Success wins minds.

Doing it in exciting fashion wins entire cities.

Knowingly or not, the Mets have positioned themselves to become the toast of New York. They need only become more attractive on-field than the Shake Shack and Pat LaFrieda food stands around the outside.

No one can guarantee it will ever happen. These are the Mets, after all. The city has long grown accustomed to watching March pronouncements of success turn as sour as three-week-old milk by July.

Until notified otherwise, the Yanks still run this town. Maybe by default, because there just hasn't been anything to root for in the other borough. But ownership is ownership.

A change would be nice, though. At least for one season, before the Yanks get back to collecting championship hardware, it would be great if the Mets made headlines instead of punch lines.

The foundation exists. The Yanks have left the door wide open.

The Mets just need to make it happen.

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