Chipper Jones pegs the Mets to win the World Series in 2016
Joining MLB Network Radio on Tuesday, retired Atlanta Braves icon Chipper Jones revealed who he believes will win the World Series and why they'll do it.
Discussing his role as special assistant for the Atlanta Braves, Jones shared his thoughts on the franchise's rebuilding project, which he believes should be structured to emulate the successful rebuilding effort executed by the New York Mets.
"I think the blueprint is kind of what the New York Mets are doing right now," Jones said. "I mean, obviously it's hard to come up with three or four guns like the Mets have, whether it's [Matt] Harvey or [Jacob] deGrom, [Zack] Wheeler coming back, [Noah] Syndergaard, they've got the lefty [Steven] Matz. I mean, they've got a whole entire rotation at 94, 95-plus and have an idea of what they're doing with their breaking stuff. So, they're really setting the bar."
After six years of sub-.500 ball at the major-league level, the Mets advanced to the World Series (their first postseason berth in nine years), thanks in large part to a stellar homegrown pitching staff they stockpiled during their down years.
With that rotation still intact and expected to only be fortified by the return of Wheeler from Tommy John surgery, Jones thinks the Mets have what it takes to win it all in 2016.
"I think they're my early-season pick to probably go all the way," said Jones, who spent all 19 of his major-league seasons with the Braves. "Having made it to the World Series last year, just coming up short, I think they'll probably be the early-season favorite to push over the top this year."
The eight-time All-Star is hardly surprised that the Mets have experienced success with their rebuilding model. After all, the Braves employed a similar strategy to success in the early stages of Jones' career.
"The Braves' success in the early '90s all started with what? [It] started with [Tom] Glavine, [John] Smoltz, [Steve] Avery, [Greg] Maddux came in along the way, [Denny] Neagle came in along the way," he noted. "It was hard to beat our rotation back in the early '90s because you knew you were probably going to have to beat at least two of those guys, if not all three, in a big series."
While the Braves are only in the beginning phases of their rebuilding effort, Jones is hopeful the organization will focus on bolstering and developing its pitching staff.
"When you have that kind of star power at the top of the rotation . . . a lot of times you're going to have the game won before the game ever starts," he said.
