Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

This upward trajectory was evident during Sunday afternoon’s game, when McNeil delivered a 2-for-4 performance that included a crucial home run to right field, notably against his former teammate Dominic Leone. After this game, McNeil’s OPS has exceeded .700, marking the first time he has reached this level since June 19. Over his last two games, he’s impressively gone 5-for-9, amassing a double, triple, home run and two RBIs, simultaneously elevating his batting average to .270.

Jeff McNeil homers off former Met Dominic Leone to extend the New York lead.

5-3 #Mets, bottom 5. pic.twitter.com/CaXiTN1thR

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 3, 2023

In an article featured on MMO on August 23, Rivka Boord delved into McNeil’s remarkable resurgence on the baseball field. She highlighted the stark contrast in McNeil’s performance, observing that leading up to July 23, his statistics were rather underwhelming at .248/.322/.321, resulting in a modest .643 OPS. However, the subsequent 28 games witnessed a dramatic transformation as McNeil surged forward with a batting average of .333, an on-base percentage of .388 and a slugging percentage of .468, culminating in an impressive .857 OPS. What’s particularly intriguing is that these numbers closely mirrored his 2022 stat line, which earned him the NL batting title.

Subsequently, McNeil has sustained this high level of performance and effectively shaken off the early-season misfortunes that had plagued him. Over his recent span of 30 games, encompassing 120 at-bats, he has showcased his prowess with an impressive 38 hits, which includes four home runs, in addition to crossing the plate 18 times and driving in 15 runs.

While he may not be known for lightning-fast baserunning, McNeil has displayed a surprising burst of speed, successfully swiping five bases during this stretch. His remarkable plate discipline continues to stand out, as evidenced by 11 walks and three hit-by-pitches that have contributed to a solid on-base percentage of .352. McNeil’s batting prowess has reemerged, with a robust batting average of .317, and his penchant for delivering extra-base hits is underscored by a slugging percentage of .483. This period of consistent performance has been a testament to McNeil’s resilience and return to his classic form.

As the 2023 season approaches its conclusion, the month of September holds significant importance not just for the New York Mets as a whole, but also for McNeil individually. While the team finds itself outside the playoff race, the organization’s brass and management are utilizing these final games to assess their current roster, identifying the pieces worth retaining and those that may be better suited for other opportunities.

While it’s improbable that McNeil will be traded, the team remains open to exploring potential trades to bolster their future prospects. McNeil’s consistent performance, akin to his standout displays in 2022 and earlier, complicates the decision-making process for the team’s higher-ups. Therefore, it is incumbent upon McNeil to maintain his renowned high-level play, making it even more challenging for the team to consider parting with him in any future trade discussions.

The post Jeff McNeil Continues Strong Second Half appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor had a far better year for the Mets in 2022 than in 2021.

Right?

… Not so fast.

If you look at “the analytics,” several of Lindor’s advanced metrics were actually better, at least percentile-wise, in his first year with the Mets than his second. Still, he recorded 4.2 fWAR in 2021 vs. 6.8 fWAR in 2022, reflecting the massive leap in performance that was visible to any fan. His wRC+ also rose from 103 to 127, meaning that he went from essentially a league-average hitter to one significantly above average.

Why, though? What changed in Lindor’s hitting profile that caused him to record better outcomes despite a worse process in a number of ways?

Hard Hitting

Almost all of Lindor’s hard-hitting metrics were higher in 2021 than last season, starting with hard-hit rate itself. In 2021, Lindor’s hard-hit rate was 44.1%, which was in the 71st percentile among hitters; in 2022, his rate went down to 41.3% and the 58th percentile. His average exit velocity reduced from 90.7 mph (75th percentile) to 89.3 (55th).

Couple that with a significantly lower sweet-spot rate, from 35.6% to 29.2%, and an xSLG that dropped from .453 to .427, and it’s astonishing that Lindor’s hitting production was seemingly so much better in 2022. How did that happen?

BABIP

BABIP is considered by many to be a luck-based stat. Once the ball leaves the bat and is put in play, a league-average BABIP is around .300 in any given season. (This is why Zack Wheeler and Spencer Strider accused the Mets of getting lucky last season, claiming that their team BABIP was .330; in fact, it was .302 at the time.)

In 2021, Lindor’s BABIP was .248, which was the lowest mark of his career by nearly 30 points. In 2022, that rose to .301, which was his highest mark since 2016 (.324).

Does this mean Lindor simply got luckier than usual in 2022?

Not necessarily, when you consider that his hitting approach changed. Lindor’s zone contact rate rose from 82.4% to 85.5% in 2022; increasing contact on pitches within the zone would tend to produce better hitting results. Although Lindor chased pitches more often in 2022 than in 2021—29.9%, up from 26.2%—that speaks to his approach outside the zone and would somewhat explain why his walk rate went down to 8.4% from 11.1%. However, within the zone, Lindor did a better job identifying pitches.

Furthermore, Lindor reduced his first-pitch swing rate from 30.6% down to 23.7%. He made more of a conscious effort to work the count despite taking fewer free passes. Instead, he did a better job of getting to balls within the strike zone.

The Mets as a whole adjusted their hitting approach to match their ballpark in 2022, emphasizing better run contact over trying to hit the ball out of the park. Lindor exemplified this philosophical shift, and it showed.

Four-Seam Fastballs

Lindor faced a similar rate of standard four-seam fastballs in 2021 and 2022. However, he put up 18 Run Value (RV) against them last year vs. eight the season prior. Part of that was due to a nearly 200-pitch difference in total fastballs faced, but it was also because his slugging percentage rose from .483 to .607 against them.

Interestingly, his xSLG was higher in 2021—.528 vs. .514—which would seem to indicate bad luck in 2021 and extraordinarily good luck in 2022.

May 28, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates with shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) after hitting a three run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The McNeil Effect

Jeff McNeil is known as an analytics anomaly. His numbers are consistently far higher than his expected metrics, mainly because his hard-hit rates are low. However, he continually defies the odds, recording a batting average that was 35 or more points above expected and a slugging percentage that was at least 45 points above expected in four out of his five MLB seasons.

Many Mets hitters followed the McNeil seeing-eye approach in 2022. Brandon Nimmo outperformed his xSLG by 24 points and his xBA by 13. Mark Canha was better by 21 and 41 points in each of those categories, respectively, and Starling Marte by 16 and 40 points. It’s not too surprising, then, that Lindor outperformed his expected metrics by 16 and 22 points in those areas.

To be sure, this is not the analytical approach to baseball. The current mentality is to emphasize pull hitting, exit velocity, and launch angle and then let the chips fall where they may. The Mets, on the other hand, chose to take a contact-first approach, which means that their softer contact can still lead to more hits. Those of the modern school may call that lucky, but in many ways, putting the ball in play forces the defense to make the play.

You do that often with a specific focus on where and what pitch to hit, and good things generally happen.

2023 Look Ahead

After Lindor’s second season in New York was such a success, look for more of the same hitting approach from the Mets’ shortstop. The 2022 season saw Lindor put up the second-highest fWAR total of his career. Rather than trying to hit the cover off the ball, it’s more likely that Lindor continues to emphasize contact even at the expense of a loss of average exit velocity and launch angle.

ZiPS’s most updated projections expect Lindor to hit .255/.328/.440/.768 in 2023 with 26 homers, 93 RBI, and 6.1 fWAR. Considering that ZiPS uses a model from the last three years, and Lindor went below his career norms in 2021-22, it would not be surprising to see him exceed those benchmarks in 2023 and put up a season more statistically similar to last year’s.

However, 6.1 fWAR is still nothing to sneeze at, and the Mets would take another 26 homers from their de facto infield captain. Mr. Smiles is still in the prime of his career and making New York his own. Expect more reasons to cheer for him this season.

The post Lindor Demonstrates Limitations of Advanced Stats appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

Mets fans likely remember how good Taijuan Walker was in the first half last year, and then how bad he was in the second half.

To those fans, this season probably feels like a similar story. Walker has once again had a strong opening half of the season, posting an ERA below 3.00 in 13 starts. The obvious question going into the remainder of the season is whether he can keep up this success, or if he’s just going to fall off a cliff again.

When looking at his numbers, the short answer is that he’s due for some regression, but not as much as last year. Some of his numbers are up from where they were last year, while others are down.

He’s striking out fewer batters, with his K/9 going from 8.26 to 6.44. And that’s despite two recent starts where he struck out 19 in 12 2/3 innings. It’s hard to explain that random spurt of dominance, but outside of those two starts, he’s struck out just 4.95 batters per nine innings. However, he’s also walking fewer batters. His current 2.60 BB/9 would be his lowest mark since 2016.

The average exit velocity of balls hit against him and his expected batting average have both improved, according to his Baseball Savant percentile rankings. This is despite his fastball velocity going from the 68th percentile to the 44th percentile. His ground ball percentage has gone up from 41.9% to 49.3%, with his fly ball percentage going down from 41.2% to 29.2%.

All this means that he’s throwing the ball softer than last year, which has resulted in a decrease in strikeouts. But he’s getting the ball on the ground more, where the Mets are well-equipped with infielders like Francisco Lindor and Luis Guillorme. With all the various analytics taken into account, Baseball Savant has Walker’s expected ERA at 3.82 — over a full run higher than his current mark, but still not bad. For reference, his expected ERA last year was 4.60, while his actual ERA was 4.47. If Walker can finish the season with an ERA around the 3.60-3.80 mark, that certainly wouldn’t be a failure of a season by any means.

As for the velocity decrease, it mostly has to due with him simply throwing his fastball less often. He’s actually averaging the same speed on his fastball that he did last year — 94 mph — but he’s throwing it only 38% of the time, compared to 57% last year. He’s thrown his changeup a lot more this season, which is largely why he’s getting fewer strikeouts but more ground balls.

If his changeup continues to be effective, then he should absolutely roll with it. It was actually that high-80s split-finger changeup that induced most of those strikeouts in his random, impressive burst of punchouts against the Angels and Marlins. But it wouldn’t hurt him to go back to the fastball a little more often, especially if regression does start tumbling his way.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of Walker’s season plays out. Like last year, he seems to be over-performing his metrics. With any luck, he learned something from last season that’ll help him ease the blow of his inevitable regression after the All-Star break. And despite the curious nature of Walker’s numbers, he is, overall, performing like a better pitcher this year than last. Whether that means he’ll keep up this level of success all season, we shall have to wait and see.

The post Can Taijuan Walker Keep Up Recent Success? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso was named an All-Star first baseman finalist Thursday, along with Paul Goldschmidt.

While Alonso is unlikely to surpass Goldschmidt and the tremendous year the Cardinals’ veteran is having, it’s still another impressive accomplishment in Alonso’s young but successful career thus far. The 27-year-old leads the Mets with a 154 wRC+ this year, which also ranks 15th in baseball.

Alonso has shown that when he’s at his best, he’s a superstar, and when he’s at his worst, he’s still a good player. He wasted no time in living up to his potential, bursting onto the scene his rookie year. He shattered the expectations of even the people who were highest on him. He posted a 144 wRC+ and 4.4 fWAR while hitting 53 homers and driving in 120 runs. It was a rookie season for the ages that won him a Rookie of the Year award.

He had a somewhat expected “sophomore slump” in 2020, if you can even call it that. It’s important to note that this came in the 60-game season, 57 of which Alonso played in. It’s hard to take that sample with as much value as a typical 162-game season. Even still, he put up a 120 wRC+, which is well above average. He was on pace for roughly 45 homers in a full season.

In 2021, while he still didn’t quite live up to his historic rookie year, he was still pretty great. He hit 37 homers and posted a 133 wRC+ and 3.3 fWAR. And now he’s having arguably the best season of his still-relatively young MLB career. While his .280 ISO still isn’t quite the massive .323 he put up in 2019, it’s still fantastic, and he’s raised his batting average .20 points from his rookie year.

Alonso already ranks eighth on the Mets’ all-time home run leaderboard. He’s smashed three more homers than Lucas Duda did, and he’s only four below Michael Conforto‘s mark. His 128 long balls are more than 50% of the way to the team’s all-time leader, Darryl Strawberry, with 252. Assuming Alonso remains a Met for years to come, he has a very realistic chance at breaking that number. Putting this into perspective, it’s almost hard to fathom how a guy who debuted just a few years ago is already in the Mets’ top 10 all-time home run leaders.

He’s pretty high up on the RBI leaderboard too, with his 318 ranking 25th in Mets history. A list that includes people like David Wright, Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltran. He’s also on pace to crush the Mets’ single-season record for RBIs in a season. Alonso has wasted no time in bolting onto a path to the status of Mets legend.

As of now, he has just one All-Star appearance to his name. But it’s very likely he’ll add another one to his resume this year. While he probably won’t beat Goldschmidt, who has a blistering 195 wRC+, there’s certainly still a path to the All-Star game as a representative for the Mets.

It’s also worth not forgetting that Alonso has won two Home Run Derby titles, a largely meaningless but nonetheless impressive achievement for the star. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Alonso is how quickly he’s burst onto the scene, from the moment he was promoted to the majors. In 2018, casual Mets fans became familiar with Alonso due to his progression in the minors, but most of baseball still didn’t know about him. Just a year later, he was already in the All-Star game and winning the Home Run Derby. The rise from minor leaguer to nationally prominent player is just a marvel to look back at.

The post Pete Alonso Building Legacy With 2022 All-Star Campaign appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

Hi, Mets fans!

You might know me from the interviews I conduct for Metsmerized Online, but I also love diving into numbers and looking up all kinds of stats and information, which you might see on my Twitter feed on a daily basis.

In this new weekly feature for MMO, I’m going to look back at the previous week’s games and share some interesting data and information that I’ve collected through various websites such as Baseball-Reference, FanGraphs, and Baseball Savant. It’ll be a mixture of facts, stats, analytics, and general analysis.

I hope you find this interesting and I look forward to hearing your feedback on some stats and information you’re curious to find out!

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Mariners vs. Mets

The Mets recorded three triples against Mariners pitching (J.D. Davis; Brandon Nimmo; Eduardo Escobar). It was the 12th time in club history that they’ve collected three or more triples in a game. It was, however, the first time that the Mets lost a game when recording three or more triples since August 20, 1981, against the Atlanta Braves on the road. Mookie Wilson (two) and Mike Jorgensen recorded the three Mets triples that day.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Cardinals vs. Mets: Game 1

Trevor Williams toed the rubber for the Mets in game one of the single-admission doubleheader. Williams tossed four scoreless innings with no walks and six strikeouts.

Williams relied on his 4-seam fastball (55.4% of his pitches thrown) and recorded 11 swings and misses on that pitch. The 11 whiffs on his 4-seamer tied a career-high for Williams. The last time he got 11 whiffs on his 4-seamer was May 10, 2019, which was also against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Cardinals vs. Mets: Game 2

Adonis Medina made his third appearance with the Mets and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief. Medina became just the fifth Mets reliever not to allow a run or walk while striking out six or more batters in his first three appearances with the club, and the first since righty Jim Henderson in 2016.

Wednesday, May 20, 2022

Cardinals vs. Mets

Pete Alonso’s three3-run home run in the bottom of the eighth was the 50th homer he’s hit at Citi Field. That broke a tie with David Wright and gave Alonso sole possession of the third-most home runs hit at Citi Field. Only Lucas Duda (71) and Michael Conforto (66) have more.

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Cardinals vs. Mets

Pete Alonso went 3-for-4 with a walk-off, 2-run home run, three RBI, a walk, and a stolen base in the Mets’ 7-6 win. Alonso became the first Mets’ first baseman to collect 3+ hits (in which at least one was a home run) three or more RBI and a stolen base since John Olerud on August 15, 1998.

Alonso recorded his 35th and 36th RBI of the season with his walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning in the Mets’ 40th game of the season. Only one other Mets player has driven in 36 runs in the team’s first 40 games of a season: Dave Kingman, 1982.

Alonso also stole his sixth career base as part of a double steal in the bottom of the first. Playing in his 410th career game, Alonso was a perfect six-for-six in stolen base opportunities. Since caught stealing became an official stat in MLB in 1951, Alonso is one of six players with six or more stolen bases and zero caught stealing in his first 410 career games. Dave Bergman, Mike Stanley, Jeff Baker, Zack Cozart, and Ryan Flaherty are the others.

Per Mark Simon of Sports Info Solutions, only three Mets have hit three consecutive walk-offs, or, put another way, the only walk-off home run hit by a Mets player in a span of 3 walk-offs: Bobby Bonilla (1992-93), Chris Jones (1995-96), and Pete Alonso (2020-22).

Chris Bassitt made his eighth start with the Mets and tossed 6 1/3 innings allowing four earned runs in his no-decision. After eight starts, Bassitt owns a 2.77 ERA with 49 strikeouts. Bassitt is one of four Mets pitchers to strike out 49+ batters while posting a sub-3.00 ERA in their first eight games. Nolan Ryan, Pedro Astacio, and Max Scherzer are the others.

Colin Holderman picked up his first career win in the extra-inning walk-off. In his first three appearances, Holderman had not allowed an earned run while striking out three. Holderman became the first Mets reliever to record a win and not allow an earned run in his first three career games since Cory Lidle in 1997.

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Mets vs. Rockies: Game 1

Carlos Carrasco tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball without issuing a walk in the Mets’ 5-1 win in game one of the doubleheader. Carrasco became the first Mets starter to toss at least five innings while allowing no more than one run and no walks at Coors Field since Mike Pelfrey on April 15, 2010.

Drew Smith made his 17th appearance of the season and tossed a scoreless inning in the seventh to lower his season ERA to 1.45. Smith became the first Mets reliever with a sub-1.50 ERA with at least 20 strikeouts in his first 17 appearances of a season since Buddy Carlyle in 2014.

Jeff McNeil recorded his 15th multi-hit game of the season in game one of the doubleheader. It was career game number 407 for McNeil and the 125th multi-hit game of his career. In Mets history, only four players have recorded more multi-hit performances in their first 407 career games: José Reyes (137), Mookie Wilson (130), Steve Henderson (127), and David Wright (126).

The post Mets by the Numbers: Pete Alonso’s Walk-off, Jeff McNeil Keeps Hitting appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Everyone has a different definition of “underrated.” According to the dictionary, it is defined as “rated or valued too low.”

This definition is something we also can all take to mean something differently.

This is why when it comes to talking about the most underrated Met, we all tend to have different answers.

This is why I posed the question to the MMO team, to see who they had to say:

Violeta

As far as underrated players go, my pick would be José Valentín circa 2006. On a squad with a ton of great talent I think Valentín gets a bit lost, despite his versatility.

Even though Valentín played most games at second base, he was also able to man pretty much any other position.

This ability to play anywhere was coupled with a solid glove — in 94 games at second, Valentín committed only 6 errors and finished ‘06 with a .988 fielding percentage.

Offensively, the switch hitter (another skill that spoke to his versatility, by the way) batted .271/.330/.490 in 432 PA.

I think another aspect of Valentín’s game that went under the radar was his leadership. It was clear that the then 36-year-old took young shortstop José Reyes under his wing, honing his raw talent on the field.

All in all, I’d say a switch-hitting, solid defender who was able to quietly lead like Valentín did definitely deserved more props than was given.

Ryan

If we are talking about the current roster, I would say that Jeff McNeil is the most underrated Met on the team.

While he did make the All-Star team, McNeil’s standout season came in Pete Alonso‘s shadow. Yet their identical wRC+ indicates they had the same impact on the lineup.

Of players I have watched in my lifetime, I’d say Cliff Floyd is a player that often gets forgotten.

Across four seasons, Floyd has a very solid .268/.354/.478 slash line. He also had an excellent season in 2005, mashing 34 home runs and 98 RBIs.

Mojo 

For most underrated Met, I’ll go with John Franco. He posted a 3.10 ERA and racked up 276 saves over 14 seasons with the Mets, but he doesn’t always get mentioned among the great closers of his time.

Honorable mention to Lucas Duda, who was a legitimately great first baseman over a two-year stretch in 2014 and 2015.

For current Mets, I stand by that a lot of fans still severely underrate Brandon Nimmo, choosing to view him as a gimmick and putting too much weight on his stats while he was injured, while forgetting that he was one of the best hitters in baseball in 2018.

To a lesser extent, I think Michael Conforto is very underrated as well.

Jack H. 

Having recently watched the entirety of Game 7 of the 1986 World Series and looked up his stats, I definitely feel like Sid Fernandez deserves more appreciation for his contribution to some really solid clubs.

He spent ten years in New York managing a 3.14 ERA, and never had a season above 3.81. Those pitching rotations always had someone else’s name on them, be it Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, or David Cone.

His 27.7 bWAR is the ninth-best in franchise history, and let’s face it: if he doesn’t have the performance he does in relief of Darling, the Mets probably never complete their comeback against the Red Sox in that fateful seventh game.

Sal 

If we are talking underrated Mets, the one player who jumps to the front of my mind is Curtis Granderson.

The Mets signed him to be a middle of the order bat, but in 2015 Granderson graciously transitioned to the leadoff spot and absolutely flourished.

Daniel Murphy gets all the attention from the postseason that year, but Granderson quietly was the Mets best hitter and got on base at a rapid clip that propelled the Amazin’s to the World Series.

His defensive versatility in 2016 (moving back to CF at an advanced age) was just another example of a selfless player who only wanted to do what was best for the team to succeed.

He should be much more appreciated by the Mets faithful, both as a great player and person.

Michelle 

I will agree with Sal that Granderson was underrated as a player, but man was he loved by the Mets fanbase. One that I will go with is Lucas Duda.

He was great at first base and he was an asset at the plate, but unfortunately, we he was in a slump, he was in QUITE the slump.

Let’s also not forget that during Johan Santana‘s no hitter, Duda played the outfield. In 8 years with the Mets, Duda hit .246/.457/.343.

We’ve already had a fan shot about the best of Duda so I won’t get into much more.

In terms of current Mets, I do have to go with Michael Conforto. There is so much Conforto hate out there, and I will never fully understand it.

The post MMO Roundtable: The Most Underrated Met appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Violeta Pietronico selects:

In favor of the universal DH!

From the Mets’ perspective, a universal DH would be a gift. A very fortunate gift given to a team who had yet to sort out a pretty big roster issue.

Before the season was shelved indefinitely, the Mets’ 2020 roster was overflowing with great bats and not-so-great gloves. The plan was to toss out a small rotation of players – mostly in left field – and hope that said players would be able to skate by on defense while making up for any blunders with their offense (foolproof strategy in my eyes).

With the universal DH, the Mets would be given a reprieve. Yoenis Cespedes, recovering from an ankle injury that would probably take his defense down another notch, can take as many huge hacks in the box as he’d like without having to worry about chasing down a fly ball. Dominic Smith can showcase all the talents we know he has, but just hasn’t been on display as much due to lack of play. J.D. Davis can continue to rake without a platoon situation looming over his head.

Now from MLB’s – or really, the NL’s – perspective, the benefits of a universal DH would be twofold: roster flexibility and player protection.

I’m not going to get too much into the former benefit, as it’s already been highlighted by the Mets’ current situation. The only other point I’d add would be that the NL would now be given the chance to focus on pitching (a strong suit of theirs) as a result of not having to worry about removing or switching out pitchers in favor of a better bat in scoring situations.

As for the latter, it’s only natural for player – namely, pitcher – injuries to drop once they’re no longer required to step to the plate, chop at 98 mph fastballs, and run (jog) to first. The risk of countless hit-by-pitches and resulting injuries would decrease exponentially. Running the bases would be off the table, as would having to see a team’s ace round second in the rain.

From a fan’s (i.e., my own) perspective, the universal DH would be a breath of fresh air.

It kind of goes without saying that fans’ stress over roster construction, platoon situations, and player injuries would decrease tenfold. Additionally, fans would be treated on a daily basis to a wider range of talent, and said fans would probably be more inclined to pay money to see their team. I’m sure MLB would also find that little tidbit appealing.

However, what is most enticing to us fans – and I know I speak for many – is the possibility of never having to see another pitcher attempt a sacrifice bunt ever again.

Mojo Hill selects:

Against the universal DH!

I’ll start this off by saying and agreeing that the Mets would absolutely benefit from a universal DH as much as or possibly more than any other team in baseball.

However, this is a moot point and quite honestly an irrelevant, trivial fact in the greater scheme of what Rob Manfred is trying to do the game. Baseball was already riding a slippery slope before the pandemic, and the extra tensions that the major delay to the season has put upon the owners and the players has only accelerated baseball’s plunge into obscurity.

While the overall trend of unnecessary rule changes, also known as the slow decay and ruination of the game we love, is a topic for another article, the DH rule change that’s been looming for several years now is at the forefront of this movement. It may sound cliché, but pitchers batting is and always has been part of the game, and adds an extra element of strategy that is completely invisible from the American League’s current method of play.

Now, I am 100% aware and in favor of the fact that the game is always changing and adapting. I am a huge proponent of analytics and advanced stats and learning as much as we can about the players to judge them as accurately as possible. The game absolutely should adapt, but there’s a difference between adapting to modern ways of thinking and simply changing one of the core elements of the game completely.

This pandemic undoubtedly sucks, not just for baseball, but for the world as a whole. It’s frustrating that we can’t have baseball sooner and that even when we do, it won’t be a full season. However, this is not an excuse to make a drastic rule change that will negatively impact the quality of play.

I am fully aware that pitchers are terrible hitters, and I don’t disagree that watching Yoenis Cespedes tee off is more fun than watching Noah Syndergaard strike out with the bases loaded. However, I believe that one of the core elements of baseball is that every player in the lineup should have to hit. Once you add a DH and start scraping the edges of that very thin line, you start to head down a dangerous path that will ultimately lead to the demise of baseball as we know it.

Right now I want baseball back more than anything, but when it does eventually come back, I really hope it’s the same game that I’ve known my whole life, and not some cheap variation of what used to be the greatest sport in the world.

The post MMO Crossfire: The Universal DH appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Fan Shot by Michael Famulari

As we experience the beginning of spring training for the Mets, there is a lot to be excited about. With a potent hitting core, along with an excellent pitching staff, the Mets are poised to build off of their promising 2019 campaign. Although the team arguably improved in the offseason, since many holes were filled, there are still numerous questions that haunt them.

One of these questions is: Who will assume the backup catcher role in 2020?

Making the Case for Tomas Nido

Obviously, Wilson Ramos will be the starting catcher for the 2020 season, since his consistent offensive production guarantees him that role. Last year, his backup catcher was Tomas Nido, who put up a disappointing season offensively, attaining a lackluster batting average of .191 and only four home runs, which caused his –0.7 oWAR, according to baseball reference.

These stats could be improved upon, since baseball reference projects Nido to achieve a .222 batting average, along with nine home runs. The fans would likely be content with those offensive stats, coming from the backup catcher position, where Nido would continue to serve as a defensive complement to Ramos’ offense.

Although Nido’s 2019 offensive stats were putrid, he has remained on the team throughout his career, due to his highly touted defense, which is carried by his framing. According to Fangraphs, Nido possessed a 2.4 FRM in 2019. To show the distinction between Nido and Ramos, in terms of framing, Ramos’ FRM was an uninspiring –7.4.

Thus, as the backup to Ramos, Nido provides excellent defense and framing, a camaraderie with the pitching staff, along with offensive potential, as highlighted in his 2016 FSL batting title campaign, where he had a batting average of .320. Given that Nido is out of minor league options, he is seen as the most likely candidate to assume the backup role, since he would have to be DFA’d otherwise, which the Mets do not want to do.

Photo: Ed Delany, MMO

Exploring Other Options

The Mets invited a total of 7 catchers to major league camp. Aside from Nido and Ramos, the other catchers include Ali Sanchez, Rene Rivera, Austin Bossart, Patrick Mazeika, and David Rodriguez. The only one on the 40-man roster is Ali Sanchez.

Therefore, it can be concluded that the only viable options out of this group would be Rene Rivera and Ali Sanchez, since the others have no major league experience, and are not on the 40-man roster. So, between the two of Rivera and Sanchez, both make interesting cases to assume the role of the backup to Ramos.

First, Rivera, who the Mets brought back on a minor league deal, provides a source of power off of the bench, solid defensive stats, and a positive relationship with the pitching staff, especially Noah Syndergaard. Although Rivera is 36 years old, he did have more favorable offensive stats than Nido, with a .235 batting average in limited playing time.

According to baseball reference, Rivera is projected to hit .241 with 9 home runs. These projections favor Rivera over Nido, giving him the advantage offensively. Defensively, Rivera has declined over the years, as he recorded a –2 DRS, along with a 0.0 FRM. Although these stats were recorded in limited playing time, it still indicates that Rivera is not the defender he once was. As we know, players usually do not improve defensively as they age, so that will be an interesting factor in Rivera’s development throughout this season.

Finally, the other candidate mentioned was Ali Sanchez, who possesses a lackluster bat, but above average
defense. Personally, I feel that Ali will not be the backup catcher, but will start the season in Syracuse. The reason for this is because, upon his promotion to AAA last season, he struggled immensely on the offensive side of things, with a poor batting average of .179.

Predicting the Outcome

At the end of spring training, the Mets will be faced with making this decision. Based on each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, I believe that Tomas Nido will assume the role of backup catcher, and that Rivera will be the next man up, in the event of an injury or trade.

Given Nido’s history of success in the MiLB, and his potential, I feel that it is worth taking one last chance on him, to prove that he belongs at the MLB level.

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This Fan Shot was contributed by diehard Mets fan Michael Famulari.

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Andy Martino of SNY reports the New York Mets and RHP Robert Gsellman have agreed to settle his arbitration case for $1.225 million, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports the Mets have agree to settle CF Jake Marisnick‘s arbitration case for $3,312,500.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Gsellman would receive $1.2 million in arbitration, and Marisnick would receive $3 million. As a result, the Mets are roughly half a million over the projected arbitration figures with seven cases remaining.

Last year, Gsellman made 52 appearances out of the bullpen pitching 63.2 innings before suffering what turned out to be a season ending lat tear. Overall, he was 2-3 with a 4.66 ERA, 1.366 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, and an 8.5 K/9. In terms of advanced stats, Gsellman had a 0.0 WAR, 4.12 FIP, and an 87 ERA+.

Marisnick played 120 games for the American League pennant winning Houston Astros before he was acquired by the Mets in exchange for minor leaguers Blake Taylor and Kenedy Corona. Marisnick hit .233/.289/.411 with 16 doubles, three triples, 10 homers, and 34 RBI. In terms of advanced stats, he had a 1.2 WAR, 86 wRC+, and an 8 OAA.

The Mets still have arbitration cases pending for Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Michael Conforto, Edwin Diaz, Seth Lugo, and Brandon Nimmo. In the event the sides cannot agree to a deal, they will exchange numbers for a future arbitration hearing.

While the Mets and the player are free to negotiate until the hearing date, it recently been the Mets policy to take cases not resolved by today’s deadline to a hearing.

The post Mets Settle Arbitration Cases With Robert Gsellman, Jake Marisnick appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Earlier this offseason, the Mets addressed their need for a defensive-minded outfielder by acquiring Jake Marisnick from the Astros. Like Juan Lagares, Marisnick provides a stellar glove, but offers limited production at the plate. So, is Marisnick nothing more than a bench piece, or does he have potential for a more important role on the 2020 Mets?

Since his debut in 2013, Marisnick ranks among the game’s best defensive outfielders. He owns a career Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of 28.5, and he has saved 71 runs with his glove, according to Defensive Runs Saved (DRS).

According to Fangraphs, his 71 DRS puts him inside the top ten of all MLB outfielders over past seven years:

It’s impressive to see Marisnick rank alongside defenders like Starling Marte and Alex Gordon, especially when they’ve had more time to accumulate a higher DRS. For example, Alex Gordon has only saved nine more runs than Marisnick, despite playing in almost four thousand more innings.

But it’s not just the numbers that show that Marisnick is an elite fielder. By just watching him play, you can see that he has excellent range and an uncanny ability to make highlight reel plays. In an article by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Marisnick was credited for making three of the Astros top ten defensive plays of the decade.

One web gem that really stands out was his Carlos Beltran-esque catch on Tal’s Hill. Marisnick sprinted toward deep centerfield and made a spectacular diving grab. You can watch the highlight below:

This excellent fielding ability makes the 28-year-old a solid fit for a Mets’ team that struggled so badly on defense in 2019. Out of all MLB teams, the Mets -93 DRS ranked as the second worst, ahead of only the 54-108 Orioles.

However, as exciting as Marisnick’s defense might be, he shouldn’t receive a starting role because of his poor production at the plate. Sure, Marisnick’s .815 OPS in 2017 looks enticing, but he never replicated that production again.

Marisnick regressed with a combined .224/.283/.406 triple slash line in 2018 and 2019 , and he hit ten homeruns each season. These numbers are what fans should expect from Marisnick in 2020, as they are more in line with his career OPS of .660 and OPS+ of 79.

Steamer projects that Marisnick will hit .218/.279/.389 with ten home runs, and have just a 0.1 WAR. Meanwhile, ZiPS projections are slightly more favorable, with a 1.0 WAR and a .225/.282/.407 slash line.

Overall, Marisnick is a prototypical fourth outfielder. He provides value as a defensive replacement late in games, but he doesn’t hit enough to warrant everyday playing time. Marisnick is only here for his glove, so anything that he can provide on offense is a bonus.

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