For the Mets, a Third Baseman of the Future is Someone to Look For

When news broke last year regarding Mets Captain and Third Baseman David Wright's Spinal Stenosis, the thought of his career coming to an end and a replacement being needed because of it came to be in the minds of both fans and the organization. However, he worked his way back and those thoughts dissipated as he returned for the playoffs and postseason to help the team try and win a World Series title. Now, with news of the herniated disk in Wright's neck keeping him on rest for 6-8 weeks before being able to begin baseball activity, that thought has once again resurfaced.

It's frustrating. Not only for the fans or the organization, but no doubt for Wright to face the physical issues he's had to go through these past few years. When everything seems to be going good, something comes up and suddenly the entire structure of his game changes. One day, he's on the field, the next, he's off and resting on the bench. One thing's for sure: David Wright seemingly can't catch s break. No matter how much he's worked to change his routine, his swing, his preparation methods, or how much he rests, he's still facing these same physical issues. When he's out on the field, he gives his all to the game and he's produced fairly well despite what he's dealing with this year. There's no one like him in that clubhouse. His leadership, both on an off the field, is something that sticks with the players and is an important part to this team. That thought still sits in the back of most people's minds: How much more can he take? How much longer is the organization willing to go before finding a strong replacement?

The word replacement itself has a negative ring to it, but it's time the Mets begin to find their third baseman of the future, and that's a hard thing to do because of how beloved Wright is to the organization and fans. He's the Captain. The All-Star. Captain America. He's an inspiration to so many. Once he's better, he'll come back and play strong, but until then, the Mets need to be thinking about the future of the organization. There's only so many more years David Wright can take the field in his true form, and even then, no one knows what possible injuries may plague him.

So, though hard to think about, the Mets need to start thinking about the future of third base. They need to seek the talent that will fill the position of such an impactful player so they can begin to learn how exactly they'll do so. This year's draft may be an important opportunity to do so. It's a difficult decision for the organization to make and for fans to admit, but the time is now to consider options for the future while that player has a chance to still develop before it's too late to do so.

The beloved Captain isn't able to play everyday like he used to, and now he won't be able to play for a few months. It doesn't take away from what he's done for this team or who he is for the fans by saying it's time to think of the future. Time changes things. He'll always mean so much to the team, but maybe it's time the Mets need to take this time to think about what, or rather who, comes next in the lineage of third baseman, not only to help the team, but to also take the pressure off of Wright to be the sole third baseman this organization can rely on.