New York Mets: 10 Reasons Team Won't Be Able to Keep Up Current Pace

Along with the Miami Marlins and the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets have been one of the National League's pleasant surprises.

Currently sitting in third place through two months of the season, Terry Collins' bunch will look to keep up its current pace in hopes of catching the Nationals and fending off perennial NL East powers like the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.

Although their record is impressive, Mets fans should keep an eye out for a possible collapse—something they're all too familiar with.

Here are 10 reasons why the Mets will eventually flame out.

Competition in the NL East

Like the American League East, the National League East is full of contenders. With no team more than eight games out of first place, the Mets can't let themselves get comfortable.

Although it's easy to argue that the Washington Nationals are too inexperienced and the Miami Marlins are too inconsistent, the Mets aren't without their fair share of issues.

While the National League appears far weaker than in previous years, the NL East is one of the few bright spots. With emerging young talent and established veterans, the NL East has the makings of a division in the midst of a power struggle. 

The newly instituted playoff format is set to debut this fall, and the NL East could end up sending two Wild Card teams, and three total to the postseason.

Lack of Firepower

While Lucas Duda, David Wright and Scott Hairston have combined to hit 26 home runs this season, the rest of the Mets' lineup has failed to produce significant slugging numbers.

The Mets currently rank 12th in the National League in total home runs, and they rank 11th in the NL in slugging at .389.

With sluggers like Bryce Harper, Hunter Pence and Giancarlo Stanton emerging as the NL East's elite, the Mets should be in the market for a power bat at the trade deadline.

Jason Bay has been a massive disappointment since arriving in 2010, failing to live up to the $66 million contract that was bestowed upon him. With his health constantly in a state of flux, Bay has landed on the disabled list too many times to prove that he's a consistent threat to hit the long ball.

In his two-and-a-half seasons with the Mets, Bay has failed to bat over .260 and has totaled fewer than 25 home runs.

Recent History

Although familiar faces like José Reyes and Carlos Beltran have since departed, the New York Mets are a franchise that has taken a beating over the last five seasons.

After blowing late-season divisional leads to the Phillies in both 2007 and 2008, the Mets went into a tailspin in 2010 and 2011, finishing in fourth place in the division on both occasions.

The Mets may be turning a corner under manager Terry Collins, but fans and pundits alike are well aware of the Mets' recent struggles. The Mets have cleaned house over the past few seasons, ultimately ridding their roster of many of the faces associated with the various collapses.

While they may be taking steps in the right direction, the Mets and their fans are familiar with their past failures, and they will be hard to forget if they enter September with a shot at a postseason berth.

A Philly Resurgence?

While it's no secret that the Philadelphia Phillies have been one of Major League Baseball's biggest disappointments through the first two months of the season, they're a resilient bunch.

Battling through a host of injuries, the Phillies have seen no semblance of an everyday lineup, constantly playing a rotation of utility players who would serve as pinch-hitters at best on other teams.

With players like Ty Wigginton, Mike Fontenot and Juan Pierre taking up everyday roles, it's easy to see why the Phillies have struggled thus far.

Although they rank seventh in the National League in runs scored and sixth in team ERA, the Phillies lack consistency on both offense and defense.

The Phillies will fight to be at .500 by the All-Star break due to injuries to up-and-coming second baseman Freddy Galvis and Cy Young winner Roy Halladay. But they could be primed for a second-half resurgence.

Depth of Rotation

If the season ended today, no one could argue with Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey receiving the National League Cy Young award. While Dickey may eventually take home the coveted hardware, the rest of the Mets' starting rotation is surrounded by question marks.

Dickey has been phenomenal thus far, posting a 2.44 ERA, but his supporting cast has failed to match his excellence. Dillon Gee and Jonathon Niese have both been spotty with 4.00-plus ERAs, and while Johan Santana grabbed headlines with his no-hitter, he was seen most recently being shelled by the cross-town rival Yankees.

With divisional foes like the Nationals and Phillies boasting superb starting rotations, the Mets will need to find some consistency out of their back-end pitchers if they want to remain competitive.

Ranking 13th in the National League with a 4.28 team ERA, the Mets possess not only one of the worst National League ERAs, but the worst ERA in the division.

Aided by arms like Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann the Washington Nationals currently have the division's most potent rotation—more deadly than the Phillies' trio of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels.

If the Mets pitchers' are unable to produce up to the level of their division rivals as the season winds down, this team will struggle to advance to the postseason.

Lack of Speed

Currently ranking second to last in the National League in stolen bases, the New York Mets can't help but think of the hole left by former shortstop José Reyes.

The Mets are perfectly capable of playing small-ball, but they lack the speed necessary to be renowned as one of the National League's most complete teams.

What's even more disappointing is that Reyes has stolen 16 bases, just 11 shy of the Mets' total.

With the National League's fourth-best on-base percentage, the Mets are clearly failing to maximize their offensive potential. With some added burners on the basepaths, the Mets could see their run output increase, and in turn give their starting rotation and bullpen some added comfort.

Spotty Bullpen

While National League East rivals Miami and Philadelphia were busy signing closers Heath Bell and Jonathan Papelbon this offseason, the Mets went after Frank Francisco.

So far, Francisco has been disappointing to say the least. Saddled with closing responsibilities, he has converted 15 saves on 18 opportunities, but a more concerning statistic would be his 5.55 ERA.

The entire Mets bullpen has posted a major league-worst 5.44 ERA, and Francisco and fellow bullpen accomplice Jon Rauch are among those responsible.

While Francisco Rodriguez was anything but consistent in his time with the Mets, he was certainly more competent than his successor.

Failure to Win on the Road

The New York Mets currently have the second-best home record in Major League Baseball (19-12), but their record away from Citi Field is of some concern.

Just 13-17 on the road this season, the Mets will need to find ways to win away from home if they hope to make a run to the postseason.

Established teams like the Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies all have 17-plus wins away from home this season. Being able to win outside of your comfort zone is essential to extended success, and if the Mets can't improve upon their .433 road winning percentage, you can forget about a possible playoff berth.

Failure to Hit Following a Loss

A team batting average of .255 is neither good nor bad, but the Mets' .246 batting average in games following a loss is concerning.

More so than other sports, baseball is a game fueled by streaks. If the Mets do hit rough patches as this season moves forward, they will need to improve upon their lowly .246 average following losses.

The mark of a strong team is its ability to handle adversity with professionalism and a sense of calm, and the Mets' wherewithal to bounce back from losses as the season progresses will be a good measuring stick of their overall success.

Too Many Strikeouts

While the Mets have seen themselves compared to a host of elite contenders this season, there's one category in which they rank among the major league's worst.

Saddled up alongside the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros, the New York Mets are one of the National League leaders in strikeouts. 

Perhaps the silver lining in all of the Mets' poor hitting statistics is that they lead the National League in walks. However, it is a bit odd to see the Mets at the top of two categories that are so contradictory.

A dubious distinction, being one of the league leaders in strikeouts would seem to point to a lack of patience at the plate, but their status as the National League leader in walks would appear to tell a different story.

If the Mets can improve their awareness at the plate, they could see a few more runs and far fewer strikeouts.