As we all know the Mets cannot do anything right this year. One of their biggest weaknesses has been hitting home runs. Playing in Citi Field does not make it any easier.
With under 40 games left in this dreadful year, the Mets have just passed Barry Bonds on the home run list. In 2001, as everyone knows Barry Bonds broke a major league record by hitting 73 home runs in one year. Currently the Mets as a team are at 76.
Just because pretty much every Met has gone on the DL this year and they play in a giant stadium, does not mean that they can string together a bunch of homers for the season. Mark Reynolds, Chase Utley and the Yankees would agree with me on that one.
Then who is to blame for the Mets hitting woes this season? Is it Minaya for not trading for any hitters, Jerry for managing the team poorly, or Howard Johnson for doing a bad job as hitting coach this year.
The correct answer is Howard Johnson. Is Minaya and Manuel to blame for this too, yes, but most of the blame should be put on Howard Johnson.
Here are some interesting facts about how poor the Mets hitting has been this year.
- Not only is every other team have at leas 15 HR’s more than the Mets, the Mets top HR hitter, Jeff Francoeur (who hit half of his homers with the Braves), is not even in the top 100 players for homers hit this year.
- 9 players on the Yankees have over 10 HR’s on the year. Jeff Francoeur is the only Met that has accomplished that feat.
- 8 of those 9 players on the Yankees have over 50 RBI’s each. Mets only have two in that category with Wright and Francoeur
- As of today there are 3 teams that have over 100 more HR’s than the Mets this year.
- Mets are in the bottom half of the MLB for almost every single batting category except hitting for average and triples.
- Twice this year the Mets have had scoreless streaks of over 18 innings.
- The Mets have been shutout 8 times this year.
If the Mets want to be in the playoffs in 2010 then Howard Johnson must be shown the door.
