Canha joined the show and first spoke about the trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers: “It was wild, and it’s a tough experience… It took a minute, it did take probably a week or maybe two weeks for the dust to settle and for you to start feeling comfortable and kind of normal again.”

Photo by Roberto Carlo

Canha was very outspoken while he was still a Met that he loved living in New York City, and while the trade was tough on him in the sense that he had to uproot himself and his family to a new city, he has certainly settled in. In 46 games since the trade, Canha has compiled an .839 OPS and has exceeded even the Brewers’ expectations of what he would provide for the team.

Naturally, the conversation shifted shortly after to the Mets. After saying he felt “lighter” in Milwaukee, Canha was asked by Sherman if his time with the Mets this year was “heavy,” to which Canha responded: “I think it’s heavy in New York, regardless of the circumstances it’s heavy in New York. I think it was heavy in New York last year. It’s always going to be that way.”

Canha explained that he knew what to expect in New York coming in as a free agent before the 2022 season, but it felt more real this year with the massive drop in performance on the field from the whole team. That allowed Heyman to segue into what has been a hot topic recently: Tommy Pham’s statement that the Mets’ position players were the “least-hardest working” group he’s played with.

When asked for his reaction to that proposition, Canha pushed back on it a bit: “I’ll say this. It doesn’t surprise me, really, that Tommy said that. Not because I feel the same way, but because of the way that Tommy works specifically.”

Canha explained that he believes each player has a specific routine that works for them and that Pham’s routine was more intense than most players did.

“Guys are gonna go about their business in their own way, and Tommy goes about his business in his own way. And the fact of the matter is… his workload that he puts on himself on a daily basis is significantly more than anybody else on the team. So I don’t necessarily agree with the fact that other players don’t work hard, I think it’s just, to expect everyone to work the way that Tommy Pham works every day is a little bit much. And that works for him, and what I do works for me.”

Canha concluded his answer by stating he “can understand where he’s coming from based on what he does and maybe he expects other people to do the same as him,” which perhaps speaks more to Pham’s competitiveness, desire to win, and personality than to the work ethics of certain Mets players.

Whatever the reason for the Mets’ demise this year, Canha doesn’t seem to think it’s for a lack of effort. When asked, “Why didn’t it click this season?” by Sherman, Canha acknowledged he doesn’t have a definitive answer but pointed to injuries and suspensions to the pitching staff, saying, “It made it tough to win” early in the season when some of the best pitchers on the team were unavailable.

The conversation took on a lighter tone when Sherman asked Canha about Buck Showalter, to which Canha heaped praise on his former skipper: “Right when you say his name, I just smile, because I love Buck. Playing for him was amazing and so much fun, and just a great experience,” before raving about Showalter’s attention to detail and his handling of the players on his team. “I think Buck could manage any team. I don’t think he’s a part of a problem there or anything like that.”

Canha was then asked about Pete Alonso and whether he could shed any light on the reports that Alonso is a problem in the Mets’ clubhouse, which Canha vehemently denied.

“He feels like such a New York guy, he really embraces that role…he’s so all-in on the Mets. I loved playing with Pete. Saying that he’s a problem in the clubhouse couldn’t be further from the truth. I could say, ‘Oh, well everyone has their own opinion,’ but I honestly can’t imagine how anyone would come to the conclusion that Pete is a problem in the clubhouse. It’s the opposite of that.”

Both Heyman and Sherman, who have carved out great careers in New York media and have spent plenty of time around the New York Mets, attested to Canha’s review of Alonso as a person and teammate.

While Canha’s time with the Mets didn’t come to the happiest of endings, it’s clear that he holds his time and his relationships with the team in high regard. The Mets will unfortunately be sitting at home this October, but Canha will have the chance to be a key part of a playoff team for the second year in a row.

The post Mark Canha Praises Pete Alonso appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets took the field at loanDepot Park on Saturday afternoon looking to rebound from their disappointing loss on Friday evening. Tylor Megill started the game for the Mets in place of Justin Verlander, who was put on the Injured List, while the promising Edward Cabrera took the mound for the Marlins.

While the bats went cold on Friday, they were able to come through in the clutch as big hits in timely moments propelled the Mets to a 6-2 win and a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday’s game.

The Mets were unable to capitalize off of two walks in the top of the first inning from Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso. Cabrera was able to induce a groundout from Daniel Vogelbach to end the inning without giving up a run.

Megill, like Cabrera, was able to work around two baserunners in the bottom of the first and finish the inning scoreless, striking out two batters in the process.

Mark Canha led off the second inning with an opposite field double followed by a Luis Guillorme walk. After the runners advanced to second and third with one out, Omar Narváez scored Canha on a sacrifice fly to give the Mets the early lead.

Omar Narváez brings home the first run for the Mets! pic.twitter.com/eWwFrR9Ygz

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2023

Despite striking out Jean Segura to start the bottom of the second, Megill started to experience control issues and a dip in velocity. After walking Jesús Sánchez, Nick Fortes took a fastball deep to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead. Megill then gave up a Luis Arraez single but limited further damage by getting out of the inning after that.

Megill settled in for an easier third inning, setting the heart of the Marlins’ order down 1-2-3 including two strikeouts which gave him six through three innings despite the lower velocity and a high pitch count.

Canha drew a walk to start the top of the fourth inning and was able to advance to second base and again to third base on two fielder’s choice ground ball outs. Narváez then drove in his second run of the game with an opposite field single, tying the game back up at two apiece. Nimmo subsequently drew a walk, Cabrera’s sixth of the game, but Cabrera struck out Francisco Lindor to escape the inning.

Omar Narváez has his second RBI of the day! pic.twitter.com/kkgB9LRWlI

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2023

Andrew Nardi replaced Cabrera to start the fifth inning after Cabrera threw 85 pitches through four innings. Jeff McNeil led off the inning with a blooper just beyond the infield in left field that he was able to stretch into a double. Alonso then roped a pitch down the left field line for an RBI double to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. In a rare at-bat against a lefty, Vogelbach was able to advance Alonso to third who then scored on an RBI single from Canha, making it a 4-2 game.

Arraez led off the bottom of the fifth with his third single of the game. A long Jorge Soler flyout and a Garrett Cooper strikeout gave Megill two outs in the inning, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled to put two runs in scoring position. Bryan De La Cruz hit a sharp ground ball to the left that looked like it could have scored Arraez, but Lindor made a beautiful stop and the long throw to first to end the inning.

That would be the end of Megill’s outing as he finished with 93 pitches, giving up two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven through five hard-fought innings.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Mets couldn’t get much going outside of a Nimmo single, but what is of note is that he attempted to steal a base and did so successfully. Nimmo recorded just three stolen bases all of last seasons, and the new rules could encourage him to run more often than he did in 2022.

Dennis Santana relieved Megill to start the bottom of the sixth inning and impressed in his Mets debut, striking out two batters in a clean 1-2-3 inning.

Tylor Megill’s day is done. Dennis Santana comes on in relief. pic.twitter.com/ihR1dDYwk6

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 1, 2023

In the top of the seventh, Canha blasted a solo home run to left field to increase the Mets’ lead to 5-2, his third hit of the game and his fourth time on base in four plate appearances. This came after he went 0-for-6 through the first two games of the series.

Cahna makes it 5-2 in the 7th!! pic.twitter.com/jaS9rdmbDT

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 1, 2023

Drew Smith came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh, getting two quick outs. After giving up a walk and a base hit, though, he was relieved by Brooks Raley in order to get a left-on-left matchup against Chisholm. Raley got Chisholm to ground out, putting an end to the offensive threat.

A Narváez base hit, his second of the game, and a Lindor double set up runners on second and third for McNeil with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, but he rolled one over to end the inning, failing to extend the Mets’ lead even further.

The Marlins got multiple baserunners on again in the bottom of the eighth against Adam Ottavino, off of singles from Segura and Fortes. Once again, though, the Mets were able to hold the baserunners and finish the inning as Ottavino fooled Joey Wendle, striking him out on three pitches.

Alonso and Tommy Pham, pinch hitting for Vogelbach, led off the top of the ninth with back-to-back singles, Pham’s being the first hit of his Mets career. Starling Marte pinch hit for Guillorme two batters later and hit an RBI ground rule double, scoring Alonso and giving the Mets a 6-2 lead.

Arraez once again singled to start the bottom of the ninth, his fourth hit of the game, and his seventh overall through three games. A strikeout and a ground ball double play would end the inning quickly though, as David Robertson finished the game off in a non-save situation. Tylor Megill gets the win for the Mets as Andrew Nardi records the loss for the Marlins, and the Mets improve to 2-1.

Player of the Game

Mark Canha was the player of the game in the Mets’ best offensive game of the young season. He went hitless through the first two games of the season, but was fantastic in Saturday’s contest, going 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI single, a double, and a home run for a total of two RBIs and three runs. Canha notably started last season slow in terms of hitting for power, so it’s good to see him get two extra base hits including a home run in this one early in the season.

On Deck

The Mets finish up their four game series against the Marlins on Sunday in Miami at 1:40 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga will be making his Major League debut for the Mets while the southpaw Trevor Rogers gets the ball for the Marlins.

The post Canha Leads Mets Offense in 6-2 Victory Over Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets baseball has returned! The team played an intrasquad game of three innings on Friday afternoon with the rosters being split into two teams, New York Mets and New York Mets A.

For the Mets, Joey Lucchesi took the mound while Dominic Hamel was the pitcher for the Mets A squad. The Mets A squad, consisting mostly of Mets prospects, impressed with Brett Baty, Alex Ramirez, Ronny Mauricio all contributing, leading to a 3-0 victory at the end of the three innings.

The game started with Baty lining an opposite field single off of Lucchesi. Baty, who was sidelined for an extended period of his rookie campaign with a thumb injury, would add an RBI double in his second at-bat of the scrimmage off of Luis Moreno and he subsequently scored a run on a Lorenzo Cedrola single. Alex Ramirez, the Mets’ fourth-ranked prospect, singled in his lone at-bat and later scored on a DJ Stewart double that found the gap.

Brett Baty with his second opposite field hit of the day, this time for a double driving in Stewart to give the Blue squad a 2-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/lfX94q0kst

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 24, 2023

On the defensive side of the ball, Ronny Mauricio made a great running catch in shallow left field on a blooper that showed off his speed and defensive range from the shortstop position.

For the Mets squad, consisting of mostly major leaguers, offense was tough to find but Eduardo Escobar and Francisco Lindor were able to draw walks off of Hamel, who is listed as the Mets’ twelfth-ranked prospect. In typical Mark Canha fashion, Canha was drilled by an inside fastball in his only plate appearance. Daniel Vogelbach later drew a walk off of Trey McLoughlin and the team ultimately went hitless through the three innings.

Defensively, Escobar made an excellent diving snag going to his right on a bullet off the bat of Jonathan Araúz, a play that rivaled Mauricio’s in terms of defensive difficulty.

Great diving play by @escobardelapica! pic.twitter.com/uJKQrG2W16

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 24, 2023

Player of the Game: Brett Baty

It’s difficult to choose a player of the game during an intrasquad scrimmage, but Baty easily stood out among everyone else. He went 2-2 in his two at-bats, including an RBI double, and both of his hits went the opposite way. With Escobar slated to start the 2023 season as the starting third baseman, Baty might begin the year in Triple-A, but if his performance on Friday precedes a dominant spring training, fans should remain optimistic about his bright future.

On Deck

The Mets’ real spring training begins on Saturday, with a split-squad doubleheader against the Astros and Marlins. The first game will take place at the Astros’ spring training site for a 1:05 game with Denyi Reyes expected to take the mound. The night game takes place at home against the Marlins at 6:10. José Butto will be on the mound for that one.

The post Mets Baseball Returns With Intrasquad Game appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The left field position for each of the five NL East teams remains mostly unchanged from 2022, with only one or two teams making a minor change. The overall group is underwhelming, especially when considering the amount of star players that play in the division. Continuing MMO’s series of position rankings in the NL East, here are the rankings of left fielders in the division.

5. Eddie Rosario, ATL

Eddie Rosario will forever be a hero in Atlanta Braves history because of his efforts during the team’s 2021 World Series run, but that luster has quickly faded. Rosario’s 2022 season was putrid, partly due to a swollen retina that required surgery midseason. His stats suffered because of it and in 250 at-bats, he slashed .212/.259/.328/.587 with five home runs and 24 RBIs, also posting a -1.1 fWAR.

Rosario swung at the same percentage of pitches in 2022 as he did in 2021, but his whiff rate rose from 19.2% to 31.9%. A source of hope for Rosario, though, is that he faced the shift over 80% of the time and performed much better against a non-shifted infield in 2022. With the shift completely banned in 2023, he can be expected to improve offensively.

Rosario has not been a quality defender at all throughout his career, and that remained so in 2022. He had -9 DRS and -5 OAA for the season, meaning he was a defensive liability in addition to his offensive woes. Even his arm strength, which was in the 94th percentile in 2020 and the 89th percentile in 2021, dropped down to the 54th percentile in 2022.

To give Rosario the benefit of the doubt, his 2022 was an outlier when you compare it to the rest of his career. His OPS+ of 64 was by far the lowest of his career, with the second lowest mark being 91 in 2016. If Rosario had never dealt with his eye issues, maybe his 2022 season would have gone differently. But he is now on the wrong side of 30 and is clearly the weak link in the Braves’ lineup. Unless he can find that 2021 postseason spark again, Rosario is the worst left fielder in the division.

4. Corey Dickerson, WAS

Corey Dickerson, like Rosario, has his best years behind him. A one-time All-Star, he has failed to regain the power he possessed in the beginning of his career when he hit 24-plus homers three times in a four year stretch. He hasn’t seen as much playing time as he did during those years, but even still he’s hitting home runs at a lower rate. Dickerson was average in every sense of the word in 2022, exhibited by his 0.4 fWAR and 100 OPS+. In 281 at-bats he slashed .267/.300/.399/.698 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in his lone year with the Cardinals.

Dickerson’s -5 DRS and 1 OAA in 2022 show that, while not a great defender, he can hold his own in left field. He won the only Gold Glove of his career in 2018, but with age catching up to him, that part of his game has been on the decline. Still, Dickerson will be expected to man left field for the Nationals in 2022, at least for the first half of the season.

It would be a surprise if Dickerson returned to his prime form now that he is 33 years old, but it would be just as surprising if his play fell off completely. Dickerson embodies mediocrity at this stage of his career, and thus takes fourth on the list.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

3. Bryan De La Cruz, MIA

Bryan De La Cruz is an exciting young player for the Marlins, acquired from the Astros during the 2021 season. With Jazz Chisholm set to take over in center field, De La Cruz is expected to be the team’s left fielder in 2023. Playing in 115 games last season, he slashed .252/.294/.432/.725 in 329 at-bats. As his on-base percentage suggests, De La Cruz struggled at getting on base, hindered by an abysmal 0.21 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

His finish to the 2022 season gives reason for excitement, though, as he hit .388/.419/.718/1.137 with six of his 13 total home runs in September and October alone. If he can build on this in his third season in the league, De La Cruz can be a true offensive weapon for the Marlins.

De La Cruz was defensively sound last year, but especially so in left field. He recorded 4 DRS and 1 OAA at the position and his arm strength was in the 89th percentile of all players. Shifting over to left field full time may be the best thing for De La Cruz’s career, as it is sure to make him an improved defender.

De La Cruz exudes potential and upside that Marlins fans should be excited about. His career is still young, though, and he is held back by his undisciplined approach at the plate. Until he can perform at a high level in a larger sample size, De La Cruz finds himself in the middle of the pack of NL East left fielders, but he has the ability to climb up the rankings in future years.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

2. Mark Canha, NYM

Mark Canha was an on-base machine in his first year with the Mets, posting the seventh-highest on-base percentage in the National League despite a .266 batting average. This was aided by the fact that he led all of baseball with 28 hit-by-pitches and maintained a deliberate and thoughtful approach to each plate appearance, engaging in prolonged at-bats that often resulted in walks or base hits.

Canha didn’t showcase much power until later in the year when he turned it on during a scorching August, recording a .979 OPS for the entire month. In all, though, Canha hit just 13 home runs with a .403 slugging percentage for the year, his lowest totals over full seasons in his career.

Canha is not a plus-defender in left field, but he doesn’t present a liability either. He ended 2022 with -4 DRS and 0 OAA, and his arm strength ranked in the 31st percentile. The Mets’ defense features several great defenders, including Brandon Nimmo to Canha’s left, so it’s not cause for concern that Canha himself isn’t a prolific fielder.

Most projections have Canha taking a step back in 2023. ZiPS, Fangraphs, and Steamer all have Canha’s batting average dipping into the low .240s and his OPS dropping below .750. Even if he does show some regression in 2023, Canha is still one of the better left fielders in the NL East.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1. Kyle Schwarber, PHI

Mets fans know better than just about anyone how dangerous of a hitter Kyle Schwarber is. His best trait is crushing baseballs which he did at an elite level in his first season with the Phillies, hitting a National League-leading 46 home runs en route to his second consecutive All-Star nod and his first Silver Slugger Award.

He’s not just a masher at the plate though. He is extremely disciplined and takes walks when given to him, as he ranked in the 94th percentile for walk rate and the 87th percentile for chase rate in 2022. His .323 on-base percentage despite a .218 batting average is further evidence of his patience at the plate. His only offensive weakness is that he swings and misses often, which resulted in an MLB-leading 200 strikeouts last year. But when he makes contact, he’s as dangerous as anybody else in the league.

Schwarber’s biggest downside, as it has been his whole career, is his defense. Schwarber was simply horrendous as a fielder in 2022 with -14 DRS and -13 OAA, though that can be overlooked given the offensive threat that he is. Even with his poor defensive play, he still posted a 2.6 fWAR in 2022. As long as he can continue to be an elite power threat and an elite on-base threat, the Phillies will ignore his defensive struggles.

Schwarber will be 30 at the beginning of the 2023 season, but he has showed no signs of slowing down offensively. Among this group of NL East left fielders, Schwarber is far and away the most productive offensive player and that alone gives him the credibility to be ranked first on this list.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Left Field Edition appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning Mets fans!

On Friday, new Met Kodai Senga admitted feelings of frustration that he felt with his former club in an Instagram Live. Senga, who spent a decade with the SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball, explained that he asked to be posted to Major League Baseball by the club “for the past five or six years.” What frustrated Senga wasn’t that the team wouldn’t post him, it was that they refused to explain why: “The top brass found it inconvenient to meet with me, citing their busy schedules.” He called this “a bitter feeling I never experienced in baseball.”

After the 2022 season Senga was able to opt out of his contract and exercise his international free agent rights, ultimately leading to his signing a five-year, $75 million contract with the Mets.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest MLB News

The Dodgers announced that they are designating Trevor Bauer for assignment. The team can attempt to trade him, but it is expected they will will eat the $22.5 million owed to Bauer and release him.

Fernando Tatis Jr. has been cleared to resume baseball activities after undergoing shoulder and wrist surgeries in September and October.

The Giants officially announced that they have signed Michael Conforto to a contract.

The Red Sox officially announced that they have signed Justin Turner to a contract. Additionally, during the team’s efforts to sign Turner, Alex Cora reportedly had Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick send Turner a recruitment text.

The Padres signed outfielder Adam Engel to a one-year contract. The team also signed pitcher Brent Honeywell to a one-year contract.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn details the newest updates from the Carlos Correa-Mets saga, including reports that the Mets are frustrated with Correa’s camp.

Rich Sparago lists some of the more unique moments around baseball from the 2022 season.

Mathew Brownstein interviewed Mets’ outfielder Mark Canha in the latest MMO Exclusive.

On This Date in Mets History

1992: New York Met legend Tom Seaver was officially elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He received votes from 425 of 430 writers (98.84%), the closest a player had ever come to being unanimously elected at that time.

2019: The Mets released David Wright, effectively ending his playing career after injuries derailed his final few seasons.

2021: The Mets pulled off a massive trade, acquiring Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco from the then-Indians in exchange for Amed Rosario, Andrés Giménez, Josh Wolf, and Isaiah Greene.

Birthdays: Francisco Rodriguez (41), Jorge Toca (52), Craig Shipley (60)

The post Morning Briefing: Kodai Senga Frustrated With Former Club appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mark Canha

After spending his first seven big league seasons with the Oakland Athletics, Mark Canha was ready for a change.

Following the 2021 season, the California native was entering free agency for the first time in his career and was ready for new opportunities.

After being drafted by the then-Florida Marlins in the seventh round of the 2010 Draft, Canha was selected in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft by the Colorado Rockies at the request of the Athletics, who arranged a trade for the right-handed hitter.

In his rookie season of 2015, Canha posted a 1.4 bWAR in 124 games and tied for the third-most home runs by an American League rookie that year with 16.

Canha’s breakout year occurred in 2019, when he hit a career-high 26 home runs and posted a .396 on-base percentage in 126 games. Among 169 hitters with a minimum 450 plate appearances in ’19, Canha recorded the ninth-highest wRC+ with a 146 mark.

When the New York Mets showed interest following the ’21 season, Canha, 33, was enthralled with the high stakes and challenges that come with playing in the Big Apple.

In late November 2021, Canha and the Mets agreed to a two-year, $26.5 million deal that included a club option.

His on-base prowess and defensive versatility were two of his main calling cards, as Canha had logged over 700 innings in all three outfield spots and first base heading into the 2022 season.

His .377 on-base percentage from 2019 through the 2021 season was ranked 11th among qualified major league hitters, and his 130 wRC+ was tied for the 10th-highest among qualified American League hitters in that span.

His Mets tenure got off to a great start in the month of April, as Canha posted a .345 batting average with a 140 wRC+ in 63 plate appearances. However, of his 19 April hits, only one was for extra bases (a double on April 29th). Over his first 96 games of the ’22 season, Canha recorded just 18 extra-base hits, posting a higher on-base percentage (.368) than slugging percentage (.367) up to that point.

After making some mechanical adjustments at the plate, Canha’s power surged at the end of the season. He recorded 19 extra-base hits in his final 44 regular season games from August 15th on, and recorded the third-highest ISO on the team with a .208 mark.

Along with his versatility and plate discipline, Canha came to the Mets with a penchant for compiling many hit by pitches. From 2019-2021, Canha had the second-most hit-by-pitches in all of baseball with 55, behind only Anthony Rizzo with 60.

That continued with the Mets, as Canha set a new team mark for most hit-by-pitches in a single season with 28; six more than the previous record holder (Brandon Nimmo, 2018).

Location and pitch type of Mark Canha’s 28 HBPs in 2022.

In his first season with the Mets, Canha appeared in 140 games, hitting 13 home runs and posting a 122 OPS+. Canha was one of six Mets to post an OPS+ of at least 120 in ’22 (min. 500 plate appearances), the most players the club has rostered in a single season in franchise history.

I had the privilege of speaking with Canha in late December, where we discussed his time at the Cape Cod League, the adjustments he made to increase his on-base percentage and what made New York an appealing destination.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Canha: I liked watching Barry Bonds, he was probably my favorite player. I was a Giants fan growing up in the Bay Area. I loved Manny Ramírez and Chipper Jones.

MMO: Where did your love of baseball originate from?

Canha: I wouldn’t say that I loved baseball growing up. I liked playing sports, and I was athletic, and baseball was one of the sports that I played. But I wouldn’t even say that it was my favorite sport.

Baseball is fun if you’re good at it, and not fun if you’re not good. Once I started getting good at it, which was probably when I played Little League and got to the major division when I was ten, then it started being fun.

Up until then, I wouldn’t say I was any type of above-average player. I was just learning the game. I felt like I got good, and then it started becoming more fun.

MMO: You played in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2009. I’ve always heard such great things about that league and the player development overall. What are your memories and takeaways from your summer spent there?

Canha: A lot of memories. I had a great host family that I really loved. They would serve us great food, great local seafood. They were the most Cape Cod couple and were so welcoming. My family would come out, and they were welcoming.

Other than that, I don’t have very many nice things to say about the Cape Cod League. I don’t like those collegiate summer baseball leagues; there’s something off.

I played for the Brewster Whitecaps, and I’ll give you an example of what you have to go through as a player. The first day we show up and have a gym meeting at the field. We thought it was going to be an introductory thing. We get there, and the home field is at an elementary school, and the grass at the field is up to our knees! We’re like, we have a game here in two days; what’s going on? They told us the other reason we were there, other than introducing us to the team and staff, is we had to cut the grass and make the field in some sort of playable shape. We had the whole team out there rolling up their sleeves.

Then they mentioned that there was an expectation that you have to get a job and help out in the community. I wasn’t opposed to that, but you’re there to play baseball. You’re playing baseball every day, and that takes energy out of you as a young kid.

My job was to go to school every day and do maintenance. They were great guys, but I was painting walls all day for hours. I was like, I have a game tonight, what am I doing here? I’m exhausted and showing up to games exhausted, which are supposed to be important to my career and getting to the professional level, and being seen by scouts. I’m playing at rinky-dink fields that are just terrible and in terrible shape, and making errors in the outfield because the grass is just terrible and it’s not even a baseball field.

Long story short, I did okay, but I ended up breaking my hamate bone in the summer, so I didn’t have a great experience. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal. Cape Cod is a beautiful place, and it’s a fun being around the guys and running around Cape Cod is not a bad racket. It felt like it was such a serious thing, but then they were like here are all these caveats to how big of a deal it is.

It’s seemingly not well put together, and it just feels like you’re playing some kind of unofficial league. It’s something that’s very important for young players to do well and show off their skillset at. I don’t know what it’s like now, but when I was there, there was a lot left to be desired playing in that league. It wasn’t something that I enjoyed that much.

It is romantic in a way, they made that “Summer Catch” movie, and a lot of scouts do come out, and it’s the premier collegiate baseball league. But it’s just like, what are we doing? Find somebody to put some money into this thing so it can be real and not just whatever this is.

MMO: After your major league debut on April 8, 2015, in which you went 3-for-5 with four RBI, you paraphrased the famous Crash Davis media line from “Bull Durham.” Did you plan that or was that off the cuff?

Canha: I kind of planned it. I didn’t know I was going to pull it out in that moment.

I had never been in a true big league spring training prior to that season. I got picked up in the Rule 5 [Draft], and then I was in big league camp with the A’s, so I had never been exposed to the media before.

I quickly learned that sometimes they’ll ask you questions that as a young guy, and not having experience at that yet, I didn’t know how to answer all the time. They were asking me these weird questions that I felt were impossible to answer.

I thought that was just my way of dealing with those questions at that time. I thought that was cliché, and would be funny if I did that.

MMO: Do you have a favorite baseball movie?

Canha: I think my favorite baseball movie is “For Love of the Game.” I like that one a lot.

MMO: You went from a .328 on-base percentage in 2018 to a near .400 on-base percentage in 2019 in a similar number of games. Did you make a change in your approach at the plate or alter anything mechanically to see your on-base percentage rise as it did between those two seasons?

Canha: I always get asked this, and it was a very specific thing. At the 2018 All-Star break, I was just thinking about how the year was going. It was going well, but I was just feeling that there was something missing. Why are my numbers not as good as they should be, kind of thing.

I looked up and down the roster and was like, How do these guys get their OPS so high? I looked at my numbers, and my slugging was pretty good at the break, but my on-base percentage I was like, Man, I’m not getting on base, I’m not walking.

I remember the day after the All-Star break I went in early, and we had our first game of the second half in Oakland. I immediately went on the computer and started watching video. I literally started from my first at-bat of the year and watched every single at-bat of the first half. Just on a straight watch, not pausing or anything.

I watched the at-bats and was asking myself, Why am I not walking? Are people attacking me?

I realized that anything remotely close to the strike zone I was swinging at. I was making a lot of bad outs with weak contact. I just said to myself, This seems like some low-hanging fruit that I can address pretty easily if I just shrink the zone and be more selective and more selective with the pitches I’m swinging at. Just try to attack pitches that are more in the middle and let the pitchers have strikes and see what happens. Why not? I wasn’t doing as well as I thought I should be doing.

I started doing that and trying to make a steady, consistent effort. I had to tell myself in the on-deck circle, Hey, we’re doing this, we’re doing this. It has to be a real adjustment; you can’t just say you’re going to do it. You have to stick to it.

Mark Canha’s 2018 (left) and 2019 (right) swing % by zone.

I committed to sticking to that plan, and it obviously worked, you can see it in the numbers. I’ve been a more selective hitter ever since then, and it’s helped me a lot.

MMO: What drew you to sign with the Mets?

Canha: I met with Billy [Eppler] and Sandy [Alderson] in the offseason. I loved their personalities and meeting with them; they were pushing hard. I could tell that they had a vision for the offense and for the team.

It seemed like an organization that wanted to change, and I wanted to change and do something completely different, which was being in the National League and on the East Coast. That was a very different thing than I was used to. It just felt like that was something that was appealing to me, just doing something completely different.

New York was appealing to me. I’m a big food person, as everyone knows, and I think the big market and the big stage is something that I was really craving and found it hard to turn down. I think a lot of people would be intimidated, but I thought whether this goes good or bad, it’s an experience that I need to have. I have to see what it’s like to play baseball when the stakes are high.

I wanted that experience in my life as part of my career.

MMO: Has there been anything about playing or living in New York that’s surprised you?

Canha: No. [Laughs.] The reason I say that is because you have sort of a hyperbolic expectation. It’s kind of exactly what I expected. The scrutiny, the big stage, the city, just being in the city and how loud it is and how passionate people are for their teams.

People were coming up to me all the time and recognizing me, and it was kind of great. It was everything and more that I wanted it to be.

MMO: Since 2019, you’re tied with Anthony Rizzo for the most hit-by-pitches with 83, including a single-season A’s record of 27 in 2021, and a Mets record of 28 in 2022. You’ve mentioned several reasons in the past on why that total is so high, including your proximity to the plate, not always moving out of the way of pitches and perhaps not being liked.

Has being hit so often changed your mindset or approach at the plate, or has the frequency become second nature at this point?

Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY Sports

Canha: I think it’s become second nature. It’s not something I think about; I’m not up there trying to get hit by a pitch or trying to get closer to the plate. It’s just something that’s become habitual with not recognizing those moments when the ball is in the air. Like, oh, this pitch is coming in tight and is just not moving. It’s kind of a muscle memory thing.

I don’t even know how it started, I can’t explain it. In 2019, I did make an effort to get closer to the plate and kind of dare guys to go in there. That kind of went along with my approach, too.

Along with being more selective, another thing I tried to do in ’19 and was kind of successful [with] was I realized that I was pulling the ball pretty successfully. I should just get on the plate because I’m handling the inside pitch pretty well and try to pull. Forget about using any other part of the field; just hit it down the line and pull everything.

I was having a lot of success doing that. It was kind of like a thing where I felt it and was like, Yeah, I can do that and be successful. It’s not an easy thing to do because I try it now and it doesn’t work, and I’m like, I’m not hitting that pitch or controlling that half of the plate.

Once I got close to the plate, naturally you’re going to start getting hit a little more, and that’s what happened. And I was like, That’s a good thing, that’s going to help your on-base, being more productive and scoring more runs. That’s kind of my mentality: don’t move, let it hit you. Why are you getting out of the way? If you can wear those pitches, that’s another weapon you have.

You can see the frustration on the opposing pitchers’ face. They’re pissed because that’s a baserunner, and they didn’t want that to happen, and now so-and-so is coming up or whatever the case may be. That’s a weapon.

MMO: Through your first 96 games with the Mets, you had a total of 18 extra-base hits. In your final 44 games of the regular season, you recorded 19 extra-base hits. After the game against Colorado in late August, you talked about making an adjustment in your setup and limiting your movement. Can you talk about when you first became aware that something was off, and what kind of work you did in order to alter that?

Canha: The numbers didn’t lie; I was hitting for a really high average the first month, and I don’t think I had an extra-base hit in April (Canha had one). It was great that I was hitting over .300 (.346), and for the whole month to hit over .300 is pretty solid. There are not many months in my career where I’ve done that, but it was going to catch up to me because they were all singles.

I knew deep down that it was not sustainable and needed to fix something without sacrificing a lot. We have to make a serious adjustment here to try and get some power.

I was with the hitting coaches and trying to get the ball in the air and use my legs a little bit more and kind of figure it out. It was something I battled all year. It was a tough year for power in general with the way the baseballs were, and we weren’t anticipating that. I think it was a down year for most people power-wise; power was down across the board. That was frustrating.

But the numbers don’t lie, I was not hitting the ball in the air enough. My launch angles, you can only blame that so much, and I knew. I was like, I can’t even hit a double! We just worked on some stuff and used my legs and hips a bit more.

Unfortunately, it’s not something that I can pinpoint. It’s a day-to-day process that takes a long time and I’m expecting the work that I did in the second half of last year and the work this offseason will keep moving forward and progressing. It’s just one of those things in baseball, it’s little, micro-adjustments that you have to make because you’re always weary of if I make a big change, then I can fall into a slump.

Obviously, I was doing something well by seeing the ball, but it’s just about trying to generate my body in a more efficient way. That search is unfortunately never ending for me, and that’s my journey.

MMO: You mentioned the work you put in with the hitting coaches. What was it like working with Eric Chávez?

Canha: He was great. It was a great team with Chavey and Jeremy Barnes.

Chavey and Barnes are very different in the way they teach, and what they teach. Chavey helped me so many times throughout the year. He’s so good at bringing you back to kind of foundational hitting ideas that you have to do to be successful, like having a strong base, being stable and balanced. That’s stuff that he had to remind me of throughout the course of the year when I was trying to make adjustments. It’s like, you can do these adjustments that are advanced hitting adjustments, you can say that are highly technical, but at the end of the day, you have to still do these other things well to make them work.

Jeremy was what I call the upper division hitting guys, and Chavey is kind of hitting 101. You need both to be successful, I think.

MMO: Your go-ahead, two-run home run off now new teammate David Robertson on August 21st was such an incredible game and comeback. Was that the best bat flip of your career?

Canha: [Laughs.] I don’t know. I think I’ve had better ones.

There weren’t many this year, I didn’t hit many home runs so it’s kind of hard to do it. But whenever I flip the bat, it’s just a spur-of-the-moment thing, and not something that’s premeditated or anything. Whatever I’m feeling at that moment is what comes out, that’s just me being me and coming from inside. I’m kind of a wear my emotions on my sleeve-kind of person, and that bat flip manifested in how it happened.

It was just a big moment, and I was in a zone that game, and I kind of knew it. I was just elated to finally have a game where I showed some power. We talked about the power thing and I finally found something. I think I hit a couple of homers the week before and things were starting to click a little bit.

It was a build-up of emotions up to that moment and that’s what you saw there.

MMO: From a player perspective, have you kept tabs on what the club has done this offseason? What are your thoughts on the job Steve Cohen has done with the organization?

Canha: It’s awesome. What more can you ask for? It’s a lot of fun and its craziness and creates hype and that’s why I love playing for the organization, and this version of the Mets. This team is just awesome.

I love the kind of counter-reaction that our owner is having to the rest of the league, and I like how he’s going against the grain and ruffling feathers. I think that creates a dynamic and an atmosphere within our organization that’s a lot of fun, and a lot of pride and that’s a great thing.

MMO: It’s well-known that you’re a big food guy, and you post great pictures on your Instagram page. When did this appreciation and love of food begin for you, and how did that food account come about?

Canha: Growing up, I would say my dad’s cooking inspired my passion for food. Not at the time; I think at the time, as a kid, I didn’t eat all of his food at times. My siblings and I thought it was strange that he was making these gourmet dishes that he would make out of Food and Wine Magazine. He still has this recipe book that he made, it’s just cut-outs from magazines that are compiled into a binder. He’d cook out of this thing and make some crazy dinners, and I didn’t even like it at the time.

Once I got older and my palate got a little more refined, I think the stuff that I was unfamiliar with wasn’t as uncomfortable. It was a normal thing to be exposed to strange things. That’s kind of how I developed my passion for food.

Then once I went to Cal Berkeley, the Bay Area is a very diverse place, and there’s a lot of different options at Berkeley. It’s a great place to go visit if you ever get the chance. It’s beautiful, and there are a lot of different perspectives and cultures represented in the food scene in the Bay Area in general.

I was exposed to a lot of Asian food that I had never had, like Thai, Korean and Indian; stuff that I had never had before growing up just because I wasn’t interested in trying it. Now other people are eating it, and it’s in vogue to go to places at Berkeley and hang out. I drank the Kool Aid and was into it.

In the offseason, right before I made it to the big leagues, one of my ex-teammates at Cal was at this event there, and I was talking to his wife. She was saying how she did a food blog and had an Instagram account that she documents food on and had a bunch of followers. She said it was a lot of fun and enjoyed going around to different places in the Bay Area. I thought it was cool as hell and sounded like so much fun.

Pictures from Mark Canha’s Instagram.

I didn’t have an Instagram account at the time. I wasn’t into Instagram, and I really didn’t see any use for it for me. I told her I was going to copy her idea, and she was like, “Sure, why not?”

I knew that the baseball platform would be another way to add a dynamic to it that would make it interesting.

MMO: Thanks for your time today, Mark. Enjoy the rest of your offseason and best of luck in 2023.

Canha: Thanks very much.

Follow Mark Canha on Twitter, @outtadapakmark

The post MMO Exclusive: Mets Outfielder, Mark Canha appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Friday, the Mets non-tendered Dominic Smith, making him a free agent. Smith had been with the Mets for parts of the last six seasons and he struggled to consistently produce with the team. The 2020 season, possibly in part because it was shortened, was by far his best season with the team as he produced a brilliant slash of .316/.377/.616/.993.

His 2021 and 2022 seasons were failures, as he was unable to come even close to having the success he had in his 2020 season. This move was widely expected and now Smith is free to sign with any team. Mike Puma of the New York Post already reports that the Royals and Rays could have interest in Smith this offseason.

In addition to Smith, Sean Reid-Foley is a free agent too as he was also non-tendered by the Mets.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

The Mets made a trade with the Miami Marlins on Friday, acquiring pitchers Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham in exchange for minor league pitcher Franklin Sanchez. Hernandez and Brigham were recently DFA’d by the Marlins, and they provide the Mets with pitching depth which they lacked last season.

In another move to add pitching depth, the Mets claimed pitcher William Woods off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

Mark Canha and his wife, Marci, participated in the Mets’ turkey giveaway in Manhattan on Friday morning, giving Thanksgiving food to those in need.

Latest MLB News

The Minnesota Twins unveiled new uniforms, including new fonts and logos.

The Oakland Athletics announced that Billy Beane is shifting into a new role as “Senior Advisor to A’s Managing Partner”. David Forst, who has been with the A’s for over two decades, becomes the new head of baseball operations.

Jon Heyman reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers could make a serious run at Aaron Judge this offseason.

Jon Morosi reports that the San Francisco Giants are interested in free agent Kenley Jansen.

The Los Angeles Angels announced that they acquired infielder Gio Urshela in exchange for minor league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo.

The Minnesota Twins acquired infielder Kyle Farmer from the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cincinatti Reds acquired infielder Kevin Newman from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for reliever Dauri Moreta.

The Milwaulkee Breweres acquired pitcher Javy Guerra from the Tampa Bay Rays for a PTBNL.

Several players reached an agreement to avoid arbitration with their teams, including Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Lou Trivino, Miguel Andujar, and Mike Yastrzemski.

Several players were non-tendered by their teams on Friday, including Cody Bellinger, Jeimer Candelario, Danny Mendick, and Brian Anderson.

The Atlanta Braves signed lefty reliever Tyler Matzek to a two-year, $3.1 million contract. The deal also includes a $5.5 million club option for 2025. Matzek, who had Tommy John Surgery in October, is expected to miss the entire 2023 season.

The Colorado Rockies extended reliever Tyler Kinley to a three-year contract that includes a club option for 2026.

The San Diego Padres met on Thursday with Kodai Senga. Senga, who is expected to be pursued by many teams this offseason, is close with Yu Darvish, and has played with Nick Martinez and Robert Suarez previously in Japan.

The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed reliever Jake Reed on waivers from the Boston Red Sox.

Latest on MMO

Andrew Steele-Davis discusses a report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan that Brandon Nimmo could receive upwards of $130 million in free agency.

John Sheridan breaks down the Mets’ trade for two Marlins pitchers.

On This Date in Mets History

1979: The team’s Board of Directors announced its intention to sell the Mets before the 1980 season. This was the first time in the franchise’s history that the Mets were up for sale. Ultimately the team was sold to a group led by Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon.

Birthdays: Francisco Álvarez (21)

The post Morning Briefing: Dominic Smith Becomes a Free Agent appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Veteran outfielder Mark Canha has given all New York Mets fans some good news on a Friday by revealing that Jacob deGrom would like to remain in Queens beyond the 2022 season.

Speaking in an in-depth interview with Mike Puma of the New York Post, Canha gave an update on deGrom’s potential future with free agency looming, in addition to speaking about his own future and his relationship with manager Buck Showalter. Canha’s revelation about deGrom’s preference to remain a Met will be the headline grabber obviously, and that is where we begin…

Canha on DeGrom’s Future

The juiciest nugget to emerge from Canha’s interview with the Post was his thoughts on whether not deGrom will remain at Citi Field or sign elsewhere in Free Agency. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will opt out of his current deal in order to test the open market, and there will be a lot of teams very interested in making a serious run at one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

With the Atlanta Braves routinely mentioned as heavy favorites in the deGrom sweepstakes, you can’t blame Mets fans for being a little concerned about what may unfold this upcoming winter when it comes to a player who has grown and thrived with the organization. However, Canha has spoken directly to deGrom and it appears as though the righty is in no rush to leave the only team he’s ever called home.

“Jake told me he wants to come back, too, and he really likes it here,” Canha said. “I think Jake and Max (Scherzer) and (Chris) Bassitt have a really good friendship they have developed over this year and good professional relationship, too. I’m hopeful for Jake, but (Edwin) Diaz and (Brandon) Nimmo, I have no idea where they’re at.”

While it was reported by Andy Martino of SNY earlier this week that the Mets are making Diaz and Nimmo their top priorities among internal free agents, Canha’s comments certainly provide a ray of hope because, if deGrom’s preference is to remain in Queens, then that certainly makes it easier for a deal to get done because owner Steve Cohen certainly has the money to give his ace pitcher what he wants financially.

Also, Canha spoke about the potential of Chris Bassitt returning for another year with the Mets. Bassitt posted a 3.42 ERA with a 15-9 record and 167 strikeouts in 181.2 innings pitched, forming one part of a lethal three-headed rotation at the top of the rotation with deGrom and Max Scherzer. And, having been teammates with Bassitt in Oakland with the A’s, Canha is well-versed to provide insight into the pitcher’s thinking heading into free agency.

“I think Bassitt will be back,” Canha said. “I’m not sure, but I think he really likes New York. And I think he likes the team. I think he likes the guys a lot. We’re so kind of pumped to be in the situation where we are… I think we both felt like we had a chance to win a World Series (in New York), so I think he really values that and being around the caliber of talent we have on the pitching staff. And I think he realizes that’s special, and I would like to believe he would want to run it back and do it again.”

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Canha Enjoyed First Year in Queens

Canha was signed to a two-year, $26,500,000 contract last winter by the Mets and he enjoyed a solid first year at Citi Field, bringing a different dimension to the middle of the lineup. While not a headline grabber like a Pete Alonso or a Francisco Lindor, Canha provided everyday value with a career-high .367 OBP and his 28 HBP’s led the majors.

He hit .266/.367/.403/.770 on the year and with a 17.9 k%, which was the lowest of his career to date, Canha proved to be a tough out and he was exactly what the Mets needed. A leader on the diamond and in the clubhouse, the eight-year veteran was an on-base machine while also proving hugely popular with his teammates. With one year left on his current deal, Canha has not been shy in letting it be known that he now wants to finish his career in Queens.

“I loved it,” Canha said. “It was everything I could’ve hoped for and more, and it was amazing. Everything, from playing to New York and the fans and the limelight. Not just that, but also where the organization was is really cool. I didn’t really know what it was like before, but I heard some things. And it’s an organization that’s trying to turn over a new leaf, and that was great to be a part of and for me and my family in every way.

“I think it helps that I played well and did a decent job, but I don’t want to play anywhere else. If I could finish my career with the Mets, it would be ideal because I love it so much. It’s kind of revitalized my passion for the game, actually.”

You need guys like Canha in the lineup on an everyday basis and his ability to get on base, hit in clutch situations, grind down the opposing pitcher and also provide solid defense out in the field will continue to be important for this team going forward.

Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Buck Showalter Impresses 

There was no doubt that one of the biggest factors behind the Mets winning over 100 games in 2022 was the arrival of the vastly experienced Buck Showalter in the dugout. The longtime manager proved to be just what this franchise needed, and his calm persona and wealth of experience laid the foundations for what was an incredible year.

Showalter’s ability to get total buy-in from his players allowed the likes of Alonso, Lindor, Diaz and Jeff McNeil to all have career years and, having benefited from the Showalter effect himself, Canha was full of praise for his manager.

“You can’t ask for anything more from a manager,” Canha said. “He’s the same guy every day. He just does such a good job. He has the experience, but he really understands you have to be methodical to really keep everybody pulling in the same direction. He’s just so consistent with who he is and the attention to detail with the game. The things he thinks about on a regular basis and shares with you when you’re in the dugout or preparing for the game, it feels new, which is kind of crazy to say, but I think about that all the time. I’m still learning at 33 after my professional career has been happening for 10 years. He’s an educator, and it’s fun to learn.”

The post Mark Canha: Jacob DeGrom Wants to Stay With Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Player Data: Age: 33 (2/15/1989), B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 140 G, 542 PA, 462 AB, .266 BA, .367 OBP, .403 SLG, .770 OPS, 123 H, 13 HR, 61 RBI, 48 BB, 28 HBP,  97 SO

Advanced Stats: 122 OPS+, 128 wRC+, 17.9% K%, 8.9% BB%, .309 BABIP, .343 xwOBA, 2.8 fWAR, 2.4 bWAR

2022 Salary: $13 million

Grade: B

2022 Review

Mark Canha was a breath of fresh air in the middle of the Mets lineup in his first season in New York. While he didn’t have the flashiest of statistics, it’s the little things that he did well.

From leading the major leagues with 28 HBP’s to working long at-bats seemingly each plate appearance, Mark Canha did whatever he could to get on base.

The .367 OBP was among the highest of his career, and his 17.9% K% was the lowest of his career. There is no question that Mark Canha was a difficult out, and that helped the entire lineup’s mentality of getting starting pitchers out of the game early.

The Mets brought in Canha, along with Starling Marte and Eduardo Escobar, to change the dynamic of the Mets offense. Billy Eppler strategically chose players that get clutch hits, and put up good at-bats. Canha hit .275 with a .377 OBP and .417 SLG with runners in scoring position in 2022. He also drove in 49 of his 61 runs in those spots.

Canha was also brought in to try to improve the left field position that has been subpar for years. Dominic Smith was the primary left fielder in 2021, and did not live up to his incredible 2020 season. In 2021, Smith had a .244 BA, .304 OBP, and a.363 SLG. He only hit 11 home runs and 58 RBI. During his 2021 season in Oakland, Mark Canha had a .231 BA, .358 OBP, and a .387 SLG. Not major improvements over Smith, but combining those with the 17 home runs and 61 RBI was enough to earn him the starting job on the Mets.

The Mets didn’t sign Canha to be a guy that hits .300 (even though he was hitting .356 as late as May 2), or hits 30 home runs. The Mets brought Mark Canha to New York to grind out at-bats, bring a positive atmosphere to the clubhouse, and bring a veteran presence to the club.

Defensively, Canha did his part. While he only had an OAA (outs above average) of 0, that was on par with his career numbers. The highest OAA he ever had was in 2021, where he had 1. For comparison, Dominic Smith put up a -10 OAA in 2021. Therefore, having someone with even a 0 OAA is quite the refreshing sight for a team that hasn’t excelled defensively in the outfield over the past few seasons.

2023 Outlook

Canha is under contract for the 2023 season and has a team option for 2024. As of right now, he will likely be the starting left fielder for the Mets in 2o23.

However, there are a few different scenarios that could change that.

First and foremost is the biggest question mark of the off-season for the Mets: Aaron Judge. If the Mets sign Aaron Judge, they will need to figure out where they want to play him. That will also then throw into play whether they bring Brandon Nimmo back or not. If the Mets sign Judge and re-sign Nimmo, then who knows what the outfield will look like. Out of Judge, Nimmo, Marte, and Canha, Canha would likely be the odd man out. However, would the Mets throw Judge in the DH role? Maybe Mark Canha?

These are all questions that Billy Eppler will have to tackle this winter, and they will impact the future of the Mets greatly.

As of right now, Mark Canha is slated to be back out there in left field for the Mets come 2023, and will likely be grinding out at-bats right in the middle of the batting order as he did so well in 2022. If he can do what he did in 2022, and maybe even improve those numbers a little bit, he will continue to be an important piece of the New York Mets lineup.

The post 2022 Mets Report Card: Mark Canha, LF appeared first on Metsmerized Online.