David Wright: 90 wins 'attainable'
— -- PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Team captain David Wright agrees with general manager Sandy Alderson that the New York Mets can win 90 games this season.
A day after the New York Daily News reported that Alderson told staffers in an internal meeting that the club was capable of that win total, Wright said he admired the GM's enthusiasm.
The Mets have posted consecutive 74-88 records and have produced five straight losing seasons, tied with the Houston Astros for the longest active streak in baseball. They also have a payroll slightly less than $90 million and likely will be without ace Matt Harvey for the 2014 season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
"We've got good players," Wright said. "I love the fact that Sandy is confident in us. I think 90 is challenging, it's attainable and it's a good starting point for us. You know, number goals, it's tough to come out and say, 'I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. We're going to do that.' But I think 90 is a good starting point for giving us something to shoot for and getting guys to understand that mediocrity is not going to be acceptable.
"It's not about being better than last year. What does that get us? Third or fourth place? It's about being a good team and being a playoff-contending team. Ninety wins is a good starting point."
Wright said that Alderson did not communicate the 90-win goal to the players.
"That's the first I heard about it," Wright said about Thursday's published report. "But I like the fact that, like I said, he seems confident. He's had a chance now to bring in some of his guys, make some of his moves. I think it's great."
Principal owner Fred Wilpon apparently finds it important to reach 90 wins.
At the meeting in which Alderson said the win total is achievable, Wilpon reportedly said: "We better win 90."
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