The Mets have one of the most Amazin' rotations in all of baseball.
Bolstered by its young arms, New York made a surprising run to the National League pennant last season before falling in the World Series to Kansas City. Now the question is: who will take the ball for the first game of the season against the same Royals club that broke the Mets' heart last season?
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The answer isn't a very easy one.
Last season, Bartolo Colon, 42, got the nod based on being a veteran, and now that he's re-signed, maybe the Mets will reward his loyalty by having him get the first start again. He's not the most intriguing option, especially since the first game will be played at Kauffmann Stadium, so the theatrics of Colon batting won't even be involved.
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Fans will likely be pining for one of the young guns to be showcased as the Mets look to extract a little bit of revenge against the Royals.
Between Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, it's a difficult decision. Given it's only Matz's first full seasons, the choice likely boils down to the other three flamethrowers.
DeGrom, 27, followed up his 2014 Rookie of the Year campaign by tying Colon for the club lead with 14 wins and pacing the rotation with a 2.54 ERA, 205 strikeouts and a 0.98 WHIP. He also held opposing hitters to a rotation-best .215 batting average.
Harvey, 26, is always the interesting choice given his connection to the fan base as the "Dark Knight" of Queens, but his off-field incidents may not warrant him getting the honors.
The right-hander finished 13-8 last season with a 2.71 ERA, which was certainly tremendous in his first campaign after Tommy John surgery. The game is also set to be broadcast on national television, setting the type of stage Harvey usually thrives on.
Syndergaard, 23, has the bold attitude the Mets could look to turn to when trying to make a statement on Opening Night. His arm is even more lethal than his tongue as "Thor" hits triple digits with ease, constantly blowing pitches by his adversaries. Syndergaard is also the only Met to get a win against the Royals in the World Series.
It's a hard decision for manager Terry Collins, but it's a great problem to have. Who do you believe should man the mound for the Mets come April 3?
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