We just wrapped up a Q & A with Mets GM Sandy Alderson, and I asked him to address the number of high strikeout players the new lineup seems to have.
With the additions of Chris Young an Curtis Granderson, are you concerned about the amount of strikeouts you’re adding into your lineup?
“Well you always have to be concerned about the weaknesses that any player brings to the table, Sandy responded. “But strikeouts are a significant factor.”
“But we look at walk rates, we look at strikeouts rates, we look at isolated power, all of those things. And sometimes you have to take the bad with the good, and the strikeouts can be problematic but so can a weak ground ball to second.”
“Some of the teams with the highest strikeout totals over the last couple of years also were among the league leaders in runs scored. Having a high number of strikeouts doesn’t preclude a team from being pretty good offensively.”
Chris Young has averaged 140 strikeouts over his last three full seasons, while Granderson averages 159 K’s in a full season.
