{"id":8602,"date":"2017-08-28T22:34:35","date_gmt":"2017-08-29T02:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=8602"},"modified":"2017-08-28T22:34:35","modified_gmt":"2017-08-29T02:34:35","slug":"jay-bruce-sees-hope-2018-mets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2017\/08\/28\/jay-bruce-sees-hope-2018-mets\/","title":{"rendered":"Jay Bruce Sees Hope in the 2018 New York Mets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cleveland Indians right fielder Jay Bruce<\/a><\/strong> indicated on Monday that the possibility of him signing with his former non-Ohio team this offseason is not unimaginable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Asked today if he might consider a FA reunion with the Mets, Jay Bruce said “absolutely,” waxed poetic about NYC. “We’ll see what happens.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 28, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/span>Jay Bruce Sees Hope in the 2018 New York Mets<\/span><\/p>\n

After the homegrown Cincinnati Red was dealt to New York at the 2016 trade deadline in exchange for prospects Dilson Herrera<\/a><\/strong> and Max Wotell<\/a><\/strong>, the start of Bruce\u2019s Mets career was by no means smooth. Living in a hotel away from his family back in Ohio, the slugger struggled mightily while the Mets prospered en route to the playoffs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite offseason trade rumors, Bruce reported to spring training with a chip on his shoulder and fans calling for him to lose his starting job. But the three time All-Star turned \u201cbooo\u201d into \u201cBruuuce,\u201d leading the Mets in home runs and runs batted in through the first four months.<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time Bruce fulfilled his potential as a Met, the team had a hugely disappointing 2017 season, falling out of contention well before the trade deadline. Yet likely due to a lack of demand in the power-hitting corner outfielder department, the veteran gauged little interest in late July.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the non-waiver deadline, Sandy Alderson<\/strong> struck a deal with the Indians in return for minor league pitcher Ryder Ryan<\/a><\/strong>. Experts analyzed the trade as a salary dump, making Mets fans upset that a player with such numbers didn\u2019t warrant a greater return. But now comes potential solace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although almost everything went sour for the Mets in 2017, one loose Bruce sees a reason to give it a second crack.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Going into spring training with the Mets we thought we were a World Series contender,” Bruce recollected<\/a>. “I still believe that, had the injuries not taken over.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruce sees what few do in the 2018 Mets: potential. And this offseason, he may decide to be a part of his own vision.<\/span>
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>