Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reports that when Terry Collins made the decision to bat Wilmer Flores ninth in the batting order on Saturday versus the Milwaukee Brewers, he did something that hasn’t been done in nearly half a century.
For the first time since April 30, 1967, the Mets were batting their top home-run hitter ninth in the order. Don Cardwell, New York’s starting pitcher that day, was in a seven-way tie for the Mets’ home-run lead with one.
Flores, who leads the team with five homers, becomes the Mets’ first outright home-run leader ever to hit ninth in franchise history.
When Collins was asked why his leading power hitter was batting ninth, he responded, ”I don’t worry about the home runs.”
”It’s not like he’s Giancarlo Stanton,” the manager said. ”He’s got power, and he’s hit five homers, but if you want to pitch around him to pitch to Curtis Granderson, I’ll take that.”
Blum also points out that the Mets began the day tied for 24th in the majors with 26 homers – less than half the total of the major league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
Responding with his bat, Wilmer Flores blasted a grand slam in the game, his sixth homer of the season.
