3 Mets Veterans That Need to Bounce Back in 2015

With a lot of promising young talent that is either already on the major league roster or should be getting called up next spring, the New York Mets have a lot to look forward to for 2015 and beyond.

The team has a core of young pitchers to build around, plus a lineup that is mostly homegrown and also quite young. However, while having a lot of young talent is great, there needs to be a good mix of seasoned veterans as well to provide leadership and set an example for the younger players.

The Mets have three veteran players that did not play particularly well in 2014. They will need to step up in order for the Mets to have a winning season—and maybe even make a postseason run.

Here are the three Mets veterans that need to bounce back in 2015 after having subpar 2014 seasons.

David Wright

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

When it comes to the Mets' lineup, it is built around the captain, David Wright. He is the team's leader and the player everyone is supposed to count on for big hits in clutch situations.

However, Wright had one of the worst seasons of his career this year. He hit .269 with just eight home runs, 63 RBI and a .698 OPS. The home runs and OPS were both career lows. And although Wright hit 30 doubles for the ninth time in his career, he never really seemed to get it going at the plate.

Wright's power has clearly declined by now, and he may no longer be considered the feared run producer he was for years. But in order for the Mets to get back into the postseason, they need their leader to set an example on the field. Wright is the heart and soul of the Mets' lineup, and his bat will be needed just as much as anyone else's—if not more.

With so much youth in the Mets' lineup as it is, Wright is one of the few veterans with a proven track record of success. A season with a batting average above .300, 20 to 25-plus home runs and at least 90-100 RBI is what the Mets will need Wright to produce next season to have a chance to make a playoff run.

Curtis Granderson

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The other notable veteran hitter on the Mets that needs to step up is Curtis Granderson.

Granderson did not have a particularly great first season with the Mets. He hit just .227 with 20 home runs, 66 RBI and a .714 OPS. He did lead the team with 79 walks, but he simply did not hit too well overall. He got off to a particularly slow start, but he had a few hot streaks sprinkled into his season. However, those hot streaks were not enough to offset an underachieving season.

To expect Granderson to hit over 40 home runs a season now would be a little much because he doesn't play his home games in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium anymore. Citi Field is more of a pitcher's park. Regardless, 25 to 30-plus home runs and 90-plus RBI are more than reasonable to expect from Granderson. Hopefully, he will adjust better to the Citi Field dimensions next season. The Mets will need him to be one of their big run producers to generate better run production for the pitching staff.

The Mets signed Granderson to be their home run-hitting slugger, and he needs to be just that for the team to do well.

Dillon Gee

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

The Mets have so much depth within their pitching staff, yet only so many spots in the starting rotation exist. Between Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Bartolo Colon, Rafael Montero and maybe even top prospect Noah Syndergaard, not all of them will be in the Opening Day rotation. Some may be relocated to the bullpen. Others may get traded away this offseason.

So many different results could occur for the Mets' pitching staff, and only time can really tell what will end up happening.

If there's any Mets pitcher that could really use a bounce-back season next year, it would have to be Gee. Of course, Gee may not even be part of the rotation, despite the fact that he has been a regular member of it since 2011. Harvey, Wheeler and deGrom should all be considered locks within the Mets' rotation, so it would leave Niese, Gee, Colon, Montero and Syndergaard to battle for the last two spots.

Thus, Gee may not even be part of the Mets' Opening Day rotation, or he may even get traded in the next few months. But if he ends up remaining in the Mets' rotation in April, he will need to be more consistent on the mound. If he starts to pitch poorly, the Mets will have other options waiting to take Gee's spot. Gee will be playing now to help the Mets win and for job security.

All statistics shown are courtesy of MLB.com.