Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

So much for an uphill battle to make the New York Mets’ Opening Day roster.

If there is any justice in baseball, Brett Baty will be the Opening Day third baseman for the Mets in Miami.

Forget sunk costs. Forget rationalizations.

Steve Cohen said it himself: the Mets needed one more piece. Baty has shown that there’s a chance he can be that piece. What more is there to ask?

Hard Hitting

The Mets ranked 21st in the majors in hard-hit rate last season at 37.1%. They tied for 19th in average exit velocity at 88.2 mph.

Meanwhile, one thing that Baty did at every level of the minors and carried to the majors was knocking the cover off the ball. Per Baseball Savant, his average exit velocity over 30 batted balls was 91.1 mph, which is one of the reasons he had an xBA of .287 despite an actual BA of .184.

So far this spring training, Baty has averaged a 93.1 mph exit velocity over 17 balls in play. Despite the small sample size, he’s continued to hit the ball hard. His overall .333/.469/.905 stat line in 39 at-bats is a taste of what he can do.

The Mets need that in their lineup.

Home Run Potential

In general, each time Baty has jumped a level on his way to the majors, it’s taken him a little while to start elevating the ball. This was the case over his cameo with the Mets in 2022 when his 10.0-degree average launch angle was still below the MLB average of 12.1.

Although Baty has not quite gotten there yet in spring training (his average launch angle is 3.2 degrees), the only way he’ll actually be able to improve that is with major league reps, not by continuing to hit in the minors. He’s wasting hitting development time at a level where he’s already proven everything he can.

Yes, Eduardo Escobar hit 20 home runs last year, but eight of them came after September 1. If both players are a gamble to hit their home run potential, the Mets might as well take a swing with the player who’s actually part of their future.

Mashing Righties

The majority of at-bats that any given batter takes will be against right-handed pitchers. Even a lefty like Baty will still see more right-handed starters than southpaws even if teams play matchups later in games.

Escobar is a poor left-handed hitter with depressed power potential from that side of the plate. He hit .231/.294/.387/.681 against righties last season compared to .259/.299/.519/.817 against lefties. Although he was not as poor as a righty batter in 2021, his splits (.752 OPS vs. .877) were still dramatic. For his career, Escobar has a .725 OPS as a left-handed batter, compared to .782 as a righty.

That alone would be a reason to get Baty in the lineup. Escobar provided such little production against right-handers that it’s time to get someone else who can hit them. In Baty’s short major league stint, he had an OPS of .695 against righties compared to .222 against lefties. Although neither stat is good, coupled with Baty’s hard hitting, that likely would have improved over time.

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Deeper Lineup

Whether Escobar or Baty earns the starting third base job, either one will likely bat eighth in the lineup. Though the Mets hope that Escobar rebounds from a mostly poor 2022 season, he’s an aging player on the way down, whereas Baty is more likely to improve.

The power potential that Baty brings can lengthen the Mets’ lineup, giving them more options at the bottom rather than just having two automatic outs there as they had for much of 2022 in Escobar followed by the catcher.

Furthermore, Escobar can still crack the starting lineup against lefties by taking over Darin Ruf‘s DH position. Ruf has struggled mightily this spring and does not seem long for the team. The Mets already have a natural replacement.

Defensive Excuses

The Mets want their prospects to gain more seasoning defensively. With Francisco Álvarez at catcher, it makes sense given the defensive prowess of both Tomás Nido and Omar Narváez. However, Escobar recorded -6 OAA last season at third, ranked in the eighth percentile among all MLB third basemen. Yes, the Mets have Luis Guillorme as a third baseman with an elite glove, but Guillorme’s hitting in the number eight hole is even more futile than Escobar’s was for most of 2022 and offers zero power.

Well ok then. pic.twitter.com/aYw8JjnYM4

— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) March 14, 2023

Furthermore, Baty seems to have turned it on defensively recently. His work with Troy Tulowitzki and Eric Chávez has done him a lot of good. As our Michael Mayer described, Baty appears a lot more comfortable at third. He’s obviously not there yet, but Escobar is hardly superior at the hot corner right now.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Ceiling

Baty’s ceiling as a hitter is likely 25-30 homer power with plenty of average and on-base potential, as well. Will he reach that as a rookie? While it’s easy to say no, the fact that he hits the ball so hard always makes his expected metrics high. That kind of exit velocity can break out at any time. Baty accelerated through the minors and has shown flashes.

The whole point is that the talent is there and there’s not much more for him to gain in the minors as a hitter. Defensively, he seems to be doing more to improve with the major league coaches than he did with his minor league ones. Other Mets prospects have come up with suspect glove profiles and improved significantly with the big-league club, including Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto. Baty can become a competent third baseman this season and only improve from there.

Sunk Costs

The idea that the Mets are tied to Escobar just because they invested money in him is the worst reason to keep Baty in the minors. For all the talk about Cohen’s willingness to spend money, the sunk cost fallacy still seems to be a significant factor in the team’s decision-making. In fact, it is likely the sole reason that Ruf is still on the team.

Yes, the Mets spent $10 million per year on Escobar, but he’d hardly be the first $10 million man to platoon or play on the bench. Either way, he has a team option for the same amount in 2024, and the Mets need to know if Baty is ready to take over. They waited too long to give him time to acclimate last year. It’s foolish to make the same mistake again.

Team-controlled Seasons

When the Wilpons owned the Mets, nary a prospect would ever catch a whiff of the majors if it meant giving up one of the player’s controllable seasons. A “full year” of service is defined as 172 days; therefore, the Mets would promote their top prospects in May and June, making them fall short of a full year. This was classic service-time manipulation.

The Mets wanted to do the same with Pete Alonso in 2019, but he so outperformed Dom Smith in spring training that he forced the team’s hand. They certainly did not regret that decision, as Alonso broke the MLB rookie record with 53 home runs.

Baty follows the same path. The team wants as many years of cheap contracts as possible. They would retain the extra year of control if they wait a bit to elevate him to the big-league club.

However, the CBA agreement last year attempted to incentivize teams to forgo service-time manipulation. This is the language of the Prospect Promotion Incentive:

A team is eligible for Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) draft picks if a rookie-eligible player with 60 days or fewer of major league service who is included on a preseason top 100 prospect list by two or more of Baseball America, ESPN.com or MLB.com is promoted and finishes high in award voting in any year before he is eligible for arbitration. The team would get an amateur draft pick for a Rookie of the Year or a top three in MVP or Cy Young, and an international selection if second or third in Rookie of the Year, or fourth or fifth in Cy Young. A team can gain at most one PPI pick in the amateur draft and three total PPI picks for any individual prospect in his career.

In other words, if Baty becomes an award finalist in any of his pre-arbitration years, the Mets would receive draft-pick compensation. It’s not perfect, as players with less than a full year of accrued service can still win Rookie of the Year or other awards, and the Mets would also be eligible if they promoted him next year instead. However, given Cohen’s emphasis on building through the farm system, this would be one potential way to try to earn some extra draft capital, either in the amateur draft or international selections.

Will It Happen?

Will Baty actually crack the Mets’ Opening Day lineup? Prior to spring training, most analysts considered it a longshot, primarily due to Baty’s defensive struggles and the Mets’ affinity for Escobar (and Guillorme). However, Baty’s improvement at third and his strong plate performance have certainly given the team something to think about.

Following the Mets’ track record from last season of slow-playing their prospects, I’m going to guess that Baty begins the season in Triple-A. However, at the first poor performance from Escobar, a slow start for the team offensively, or injury, Baty will be up.

The post Brett Baty Has Earned Title Of Mets’ Third Baseman appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

The St. Lucie Mets had one of the best seasons in the club’s history and posted the best first-half and overall record in the Florida State League along their way to earning the title of Florida State League Champions in 2022.

The Mets finished the first half with a 40-25 record, which earned them their first playoff appearance since 2016. They finished five and a half games ahead of the Jupiter Hammerheads to claim the first-half Eastern Division title for the second straight year in a row. Impressively, St. Lucie won 23 of their first 29 home games.

St. Lucie finished the second half of the season with a 33-31 record, coming in second at four games behind the Palm Beach Cardinals. Though they came up in second in the second half, they were the only club to finish with a winning record in both the first and second halves of the season and finished with an overall 73-56 record, the best in the league, and five and a half games up on the Palm Beach Cardinals for the overall record.

After a successful regular season, the Mets went on to sweep the playoffs, going 4-0 en route to the title. They first swept the Palm Beach Cardinals in the FSL Eastern Divisional Series and then swept the Dunedin Blue Jays at Clover Park in the Championship series to claim the title of Florida State League Champions for the first time since 2006 and the sixth time in the club’s history.

The Mets’ roster was star-studded on both the mound and at the They were led by outfielders Alex Ramirez (promoted to Brooklyn in July), Omar De Los Santos, Carlos Dominguez, Stanley Consuegra, infielders William Lugo and Junior Tilien, and utility player Raul Beracierta. 

Ramirez, just 19 years of age, finished the 2021 season in St. Lucie and began the 2022 season with the club as well. He batted .284/.359/.443, with a .802 OPS (fifth place in the FSL in the first half) with the Mets. He hit 13 doubles, six triples, six home runs, had 37 RBIs, and was walked 28 times. His speed also claimed him 17 stolen bases in 2022 with St. Lucie. His success at the Low-A level earned him a promotion to the Brooklyn Cyclones in July.

Omar De Los Santos, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

De Los Santos, 21, finished the 2021 season and St. Lucie and spent the full 2022 season with the club as well. He batted .271/.339/.459, with a .798 OPS during the 2022 season. He had 23 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs (third in the league), 62 RBIs, and 75 runs scored. He led the league with 70 stolen bases and that was tied for third among all minor leaguers.

Dominguez, 23, also finished 2021 and spent 2022 in St. Lucie. He batted .233/.324/.426, with a .750 OPS. He had 54 runs scored and 65 RBIs, hit 15 doubles, a league-leading 20 home runs, walked 37 times, and stole 22 bases. Dominguez ranked in the top ten in the league in many areas offensively, he had the fourth-most doubles in the league, and the second-most runs scored.

Both De Los Santos and Dominguez struggled with strikeouts though with 151 and 173 respectively. That ranked them first and third in the FSL for strikeouts.

Consuegra 22, was another player who spent the first half of the season in St. Lucie before getting his promotion to High-A Brooklyn in July. During the first half of the season with St. Lucie, Consuegra was a big contributor, hitting .251/.324/.431, with a .755 OPS. He had 38 runs scored, 14 doubles four triples, eight home runs, and 32 RBIs. He walked 26 times.

Lugo, 20, was another big bat for the Mets. He hit .261/.347/.427, with a .774 OPS. He had 47 runs scored, 18 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs (tenth in the league), and drove in 45 RBIs. At the end of the 2022 season, Lugo ranked sixth in the league in OPS, fourth in SLG, seventh in OBP, and had the eighth-best average in the league as well.

Tilien, 20, showed off impressive power with the Mets as he blasted 12 home runs in just 84 games including a three-homer game. The athletic youngster played a majority of his games at third, but also got starts at second and third base.

Beracierta, 23, slashed .300/.352/.467 with 13 home runs in 93 games while playing first base, catcher, and both corner outfield spots.

St. Lucie’s pitching also contributed heavily to the team’s 2022 success. In the first half of the season, their pitching ranked third in the league in ERA and second in strikeouts. Opponents had a .221 batting average against the Mets, which also ranked second for the Mets.

Carson Seymour was 4-0, with a 1.19 ERA before being traded to San Francisco as part of the Darin Ruf trade. Dominic Hamel (5-2, 3.84 ERA) and Keyshawn Askew (4-0, 1.93 ERA) were both huge for the Mets in the first half before being promoted to Brooklyn during the second half of the season.

Calvin Ziegler, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

Calvin Ziegler’s overall numbers won’t show you how well the 19-year-old started the season. He was 0-6 with a 4.44 ERA over the course of 16 games appeared in, but over the course of 46 2/3 innings pitched he struck out 70 and only allowed 26 hits. The Mets’ 2021 second-round pick had a 3.57 ERA and was holding opponents to a .480 OPS before he went on the injured list for almost two months.

Fellow 2021 draft picks Mike Vasil (2.19 ERA),  Christian Scott (12.5 K/9), Nathan Lavender (0.48 ERA) all impressed to start the season in St. Lucie before receiving promotions to Brooklyn.

The Mets’ second half was led on the mound by 2022 second-round draft pick Blade Tidwell out of the University of Tennessee. Tidwell acclimated to Minor League Baseball very well. Tidwell had a 1.93 and struck out 11 over the course of 9 1/3 innings pitched and gave up just two runs on four hits in the regular season First-year manager Robbie Robinson called Tidwell’s repertoire of pitches and effectiveness on the mound “super elite.”

In the final game of the FSL Championship, Tidwell struck out seven over five scoreless innings and he finished the playoffs with 9 2/3 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts.

Another starting pitching prospect to note due to a playoff performance is 18-year-old Joel Diaz. The overall 5.86 ERA in 16 regular season appearances looks ugly, however, he didn’t allow more than two more in any of his last seven starts. The big moment for the youngster came in the win that sent the Mets to FSL Championship when he threw six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts.

Young lefty Javier Atencio had a 2.27 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances for St. Lucie. The 20-year-old struck out 48 in 39 2/3 innings for the Mets.

The St. Lucie relief core was led by 100 mph arm Raimon Gomez (3.78 ERA), lefty Daniel Juarez (1.85 ERA), and versatile Jeffrey Colon (3.23 ERA).

Tidwell wasn’t the only 2022 draft pick to be a key factor in the Mets’ 2022 Florida State League Title. First-round draft pick Kevin Parada out of Georgia Tech was also a big factor in the Mets’ late-regular season playoff push, as well as the 2022 MiLB Florida State League postseason. Parada played in just 10 games with St. Lucie in 2022 (six regular season matchups, as well as four postseason games). He batted .275/.463/.414, with a .877 OPS. He hit one double, one home run, drove in five RBIs, five runs scored, and walked 10 times.

Coaching Staff

Manager – Robbie Robinson
Bench Coach – Gilbert Gomez
Hitting Coach – Victor Burgos
Pitching Coach – Victor Ramos
Development Coach – Bryce Wheary
Performance Coach: Kory Wan
Athletic Trainer – Kiyoshi Tada

MMN Top 30 Prospects

3 – Kevin Parada, C
4 – Alex Ramirez, CF
8 – Calvin Ziegler, RHP
9 – Blade Tidwell, RHP
11 – Joel Diaz, RHP
13 – Mike Vasil, RHP
14 – Dominic Hamel, RHP
16 – Javier Atencio, LHP
17 – Stanley Consuegra, OF
22 – William Lugo, INF
23 – Christian Scott, RHP
28 – Vincent Perozo, C
29 – Raimon Gomez, RHP
30 – Omar De Los Santos, OF

Team Batting Leaders (league ranking in parentheses)

G: Omar De Los Santos 111 (T 4^th)
AB: Omar De Los Santos 431 (2^nd)
R: Omar De Los Santos 75 (2^nd)
H: Omar De Los Santos 117 (1^st)
2B: Omar De Los Santos 23 (4^th)
3B: Alex Ramirez 6 (T 2^nd)
HR: Carlos Dominguez 20 (1^st)
RBI: Carlos Dominguez 65 (2^nd)
SB: Omar De Los Santos 70 (1^st)
TB: Omar De Los Santos 198 (1^st)
BB: Justin Guerra 41 (T 15^th)
OBP: William Lugo .347 (7^th)
SLG: .Omar De Los Santos .459 (2^nd)
OPS: Omar De Los Santos .798 (4^th)

Team Pitching Leaders

W: Dominic Hamel 5 (T 25^th)
ERA: Nathan Lavender 0.48 (1^st)
SV: Trey McLoughlin 4 (17^th)
G: Joshua Cornielly 31 (16^th)
GS: Dominic Hamel 13 (22^nd)
IP: Dominic Hamel 63.1 (26^th)
K: Dominic Hamel 71 (25^th)
WHIP: Keyshawn Askew 1.007 (8^th)

The 2022 St. Lucie Mets had a season to remember. Even with a total of 24 players being promoted throughout the season to high-A Brooklyn. And the fact that St. Lucie won the first half with those players and then Brooklyn came back to win their second half to make the New York-Penn League playoffs tells you just how talented that class of players is.

With those 24 players being promoted, the Mets still came in second place in the second half and ultimately went on to be crowned Florida State League Champions. The talented group featured half of the Mets’ top 30 prospects during the season and a large majority have them performed well.

The post St. Lucie Mets Season Recap: Young Team Wins FSL Title appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It seemed like the baseball gods intended for the Mets to win it all and the Red Sox curse to continue. But the postscript to Game 6’s epic theater was anything but a formality.

Sunday rain let Boston manager John McNamara give Bruce Hurst the starting nod. Hurst proceeded to reinforce his credentials for series MVP — an award all but in possession before the Mets’ epic comeback two nights ago.

Ron Darling was unable to match the Sox’s red-hot hurler, allowing three early runs, so they called on their own lefty savior. Sid Fernandez never got a start in the ’86 World Series, but he had the most important pitching performance of the seven games. The Hawaiian lefty delivered 2.1 hitless innings and most importantly halted Red Sox momentum. Fernandez, in turn, energized the Shea Stadium crowd.

Hurst had limited the Mets to one hit before New York came to life in the sixth with singles from Lee Mazzilli and Mookie Wilson and a Tim Teufel walk. Keith Hernandez came up to the plate. He didn’t have to reach far into his memory to recall an eerily similar situation.

“I remember that well,” Hernandez said postgame, remarking on a two-run bases-loaded single in the sixth of the deciding game in the ’82 Fall Classic as his Cardinals prevailed over the Brewers. Just like he did four years earlier, Hernandez delivered. A hit to left-center sent home Mazzilli and Wilson and sent Shea into a frenzy.

“I had swung the bat great all series,” he said. “I told [my brother] this morning ‘If I get up with men on base tonight, I’m going to be the man.’”

On the next pitch, Gary Carter lofted a fly ball to right field. It landed in front of a diving Dwight Evans — allowing pinch-runner Wally Backman to score the run that tied it at three. The Mets’ charge steamed forward in the seventh. Ray Knight had his MVP moment leading off with a homer to left-center against Calvin Schiraldi.

New York scored twice more — so did Boston. But Darryl Strawberry’s home run to start in the bottom of the eighth, followed by another run and then Jesse Orosco’s three up, three down ninth ensured Saturday’s dramatics were more a catalyst than a footnote.

In winning 8–5, the Mets did what they were supposed to do from the outset. But the method by which they did it showed that for all their dominance, they had character and resolve when it mattered most.

The post OTD 1986: Mets Win Second World Series Title appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

The Mets were swept by the Braves on Sunday night in Atlanta and moved two games behind them in the race for an NL East pennant, but Jeff McNeil continued to improve his batting average going 3-for-5 with a home run, run scored and an RBI on Sunday.

He currently sits in second in baseball, batting .326 on the season. The only player above him is Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers who is batting .327 after going 0-for-4 on Sunday.

McNeil’s first hit came in the top of the first as he singled to right field to put the first baserunner of the game on for the Mets.

With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the third, McNeil led off with a solo home run to right field to put the Mets on top 2-1 as he moved to 2-for-2 on the day.

McNeil singled again in the seventh batting lead-off to try to kick-start the Mets’ offense. However, Raisel Iglesias retired the next three batters he faced, leaving McNeil stranded at first.

Prior to Sunday night, it had been 47 games since McNeil had hit a home run. In a place where the Mets needed it, he came out of that slump to give the Mets a slight lead over the Braves.

While most of the Mets’ offense has been quiet in Atlanta, Jeff McNeil has been 7-for-13, batting .583 throughout the series.

McNeil has been hot at the plate for a month now with his average over the last 28 days at .351 and a .383 over the last two weeks.

Along with his .326 average, McNeil has a .382 on-base percentage and an OPS of .830. Over his last three games, he is hitting .483, with a .518 OBP and a .586 SLG.

McNeil is no stranger to pennant races and he is rising to the occasion and showing how to stay composed and focused in the heat of the excitement and pressure that comes with a race to the top of a division.

McNeil’s batting average is the best it’s been since his abbreviated 63-game rookie season in 2018 where he hit .329. It’s a complete turnaround from 2021 when he hit .251 in 120 games. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star can still win the batting title, a reward he deserves after delivering for the Mets all season.

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Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets entered their pivotal three-game set against the Atlanta Braves with one main goal in mind. This being, do not get swept. Well, after two straight frustrating losses to begin the series, they are one game from the worst-case scenario. With a loss Sunday night, the Mets would be 2.0 games back of Atlanta and without the division tiebreaker. Their division title chances would be all but over.

The Mets entered this weekend’s crucial three-game set with Atlanta up a single game. Of the four scenarios, only one was fatal. And it is the one they are quickly approaching. After losing Friday night’s game 5-2, the Mets’ chances of clinching the division via sweep ended. Luckily, at the time, New York still had a terrific opportunity to either ensure the team can control their own destiny or put Atlanta on the brink. Unfortunately, the chance to take two-of-three from the Braves, and put Atlanta on the brink, also went by a the wayside thanks to a 4-2 loss Saturday night.

That leaves one more game, Sunday night’s contest. With a loss, as mentioned above, the Mets would be 2.0 games back and no longer hold the tiebreaker over Atlanta. If this happens, the only way the Mets would be able to win the division is if the Braves were to get swept by the Marlins and the Mets sweep the Nationals. Each both occurring? Very, very slim.

So, if the Mets want any realistic shot at winning the division crown, a win Sunday night is a must. With a victory, New York would tie the Braves back up at the top of the division standings. Most importantly, a victory would give New York the season series over Atlanta, which serves as the division title tiebreaker. So, in essence, New York would control their own destiny. They would either need to obtain the same record, or a better one than Atlanta (versus Miami) the last three-game series of the season against Washington.

Regardless the outcome, the Mets will still be returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Still a very successful regular season, though one with an ending that rightfully would sting if they are unable to capture the division. This given all the time the Mets spent in first place, and the fact they once held a 10.5 game division lead.

The post Mets’ NL East Title Aspirations On The Brink appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the biggest series of the year for the New York Mets, who are in the midst of a division race for the ages with the Atlanta Braves. However, with five games to go this season, one player on the team finds himself competing for a title of his own: a batting title.

Jeff McNeil enters play on Saturday with a .322 batting average, good for second in the National League behind only Freddie Freeman who is hitting .327 on the year. The 30-year-old utilityman is in his fifth major league season and has vied for the batting title in just about every one of those seasons, but this season has presented his best chance yet to capture glory.

McNeil finished his rookie season in 2018 with a .329 batting average on his way to a sixth-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year balloting. He only played 63 games, so he did not have enough at-bats to qualify for any year-end leaderboards, but he did finish with a better average than Christian Yelich, whose .326 average won him the batting title that year.

McNeil followed that up with a .318 average during an All-Star year in 2019, finishing shy of the .329 average that Yelich posted in winning a second-straight batting title. McNeil managed to hit .311 in 2020, but given the abbreviated nature of the season, that was not even a top-ten mark in the league. McNeil then had his worst season by far in 2021, hitting just .251 and seeing his offensive numbers decline across the board.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

An All-Star again in 2022, McNeil has established himself again as one of the premier contact hitters in the league. In order to get over the line and win his first batting title, he’ll have to overcome a major obstacle in the ever-steady Freeman.

Freeman has also never won a batting title in his 13-year career, but he consistently finishes among the league leaders in batting average. He has posted a season-long average of at least .300 in seven different seasons and came the closest to winning a batting title in his MVP season in 2020, finishing second in the league with a .341 mark. In his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freeman finds himself with a decent cushion in the batting average leaderboards, five points ahead of McNeil with five games to play.

It will take a great stretch of games from McNeil, a poor stretch of games from Freeman, or some combination of the two for McNeil to end up with the batting title. The Dodgers have already secured the best record in the National League and do not have much to play for, while the Mets have just about everything to play for, so maybe the intensity with which Freeman and McNeil approach their remaining games could play a factor.

Regardless of where McNeil ends up in the race for the batting title, he deserves to be commended for the fantastic season he has had both at the plate and with his glove. He has recorded multi-hit games in five of his last six played and hit .337 in the month of September, rounding out the year in excellent form. He’s also likely to be in consideration for the newly introduced Gold Glove award for utility players, a sign of just how much he has improved his defensive abilities during his time in the majors.

The post Jeff McNeil Vying for Batting Title appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The St. Lucie Mets won their first championship since 2006 on Tuesday night when they beat Dunedin 6-3. The big night was led by two of the Mets’ top draft picks this year in Kevin Parada (three hits, two RBI) and Blade Tidwell (five scoreless innings).

The Syracuse Mets are the only other Mets affiliate still playing and the highlights from that game are all Francisco Álvarez. The 20-year-old had three hits in the game including his 27th home run of the season.

AAA: Worcester (72-69) 3, Syracuse (59-83) 2, F/6 Box Score

• C Francisco Álvarez 3-for-3, HR (27th), 2B, 2 RBI, R, .217/.357/.449 (AAA stats)
• 1B Dominic Smith 1-for-3, 283/.364/.475
• DH Daniel Palka 1-for-1, 2 BB, .264/.345/.508

Álvarez is now hitting .370/.433/.741 with three home runs and nine RBIs in seven games since returning from his ankle injury. His 27th home run breaks a tie with Daniel Palka and Ronny Mauricio for the most in the Mets minor leagues this season.

Dom has a .907 OPS in September with five home runs and 14 RBIs.

• RHP Jordan Yamamoto (8.27 ERA) 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• LHP Alex Claudio (4.20 ERA) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K
• RHP Bryce Montes de Oca (3.77 ERA) 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Kevin Parada, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A: St. Lucie Mets (2-0) 6, Dunedin (0-2) 3 Box Score

• C Kevin Parada 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R, .400/.471/.467 (playoff stats)
• DH Oscar Campos 2-for-4, RBI, 2B, R
• 1B Brad Malm 1-for-4, HR (1st pro), 1.375 playoff OPS
• SS Kevin Villavicencio 1-for-3, SB, R

Parada, the Mets first pick in the 2022 draft, was a force for St. Lucie in their perfect 4-0 playoffs. The 21-year-old had six hits, two walks, and five runs batted in the four playoff games.

Malm, an undrafted free agent from Stony Brook, picked a pretty good time for his first pro home run.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

• RHP Blade Tidwell 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, Win
• LHP Javier Atencio 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Paul Gervase 3,1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, Save

Tidwell, Mets 2022 second rounder, pitched in two of the Mets four playoff wins and didn’t allow a single run. Going back to the regular season, the 21-year-old has thrown 15 straight scoreless innings. Tidwell was up to 98 mph with his fastball on Tuesday and got 7 whiffs on 13 swings vs his slider.

Gervase, the Mets 12th rounder this year, finished out the game with 3 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the save. Gervase had his fastball up to 96 mph and he got 8 whiffs on 17 swings against the pitch.

Manager Robbie Robinson was in his first season with the St. Lucie Mets and just his second in the Mets organization. In his first season, he led the FCL Mets to a first place record.

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Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been 2,176 days since the New York Mets played in a playoff game. It’ll be just about 20 more until they finally play in another.

Monday night, the 2022 iteration of the Mets clinched a playoff berth with a 7-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. They did so behind six perfect innings from Max Scherzer and and a three-run blast from Pete Alonso off Corbin Burnes, the reigning NL Cy Young. Owner Steve Cohen made an appearance to watch it all unfold.

“We understand this isn’t the end goal, but it’s part of our destiny,” Francisco Lindor said after the win.

That destiny was conjured after Cohen’s spending this offseason with the additions of Scherzer, Starling Marte, Mark Canha and others. (Buck Showalter, some would say, was the best acquisition among them.) Cohen launched the payroll into $290 million territory while getting a luxury tax threshold named after himself to show his commitment to the goal.

“This is the first step,” Cohen said during the team’s “modest” celebration of their goal to reach the World Series,  knowing the next step comes with winning the division. That “modest” celebration included Coors Light, “October Rise” postseason shirts and a group photo in front of the third base line at American Family Field.

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets have been steady all season, winning 94 of their 149 games to this point, taking two-of-three from just about every team they’ve played. They have been swept one time. They haven’t lost more than three games in a row at any point so far. You’ll win a lot of games that way. The first 54 games? They went 35-19. The next 54? 34-20. And the final 54? They’re on pace to go 33-21.

In previous seasons, postseason hopes dwindled in June with long losing streaks and dreaded West Coast trips. This June, the Mets went toe-to-toe with the Dodgers, who clinched their own playoff berth and division last week, and finished the month above .500 for the first time in 10 years. They were down Scherzer and Jacob deGrom then, too.

Brandon Nimmo, the second-longest-tenured Met, noted that there have been “many years of hard work to get to the point,” speaking for the likes of himself, Alonso, Jeff McNeil and others, who have seen those recent ebbs in June and will experience the postseason for the first time.

Once the cavalry was resupplied into July, the team kept on its winning pace and maintained first place in the NL East (to this point) every day but one where they fell behind the Atlanta Braves by a half game. They reclaimed that lead a day later and have tried to fight off the reigning World Series champs despite their historic pace since June 1, when they kicked off a stretch of 14 straight wins. (They’re on a 115-win pace since then.)

But that is what the last chapter of the Mets’ 2022 regular season is all about: fighting off the Braves and winning the NL East.

The winner of the division will earn the second seed in the National League, giving them a series off until round two, when they’d play either the top NL Wild Card (the loser of the division). It’d give them the opportunity to reset their rotation with deGrom, Scherzer and Bassitt facing off against an opponent who might have to use its fourth starter in Game 1 of the NLDS.

In all likelihood, the NL East crown will come down to the final three games the teams play together from September 30 to October 2. (It was originally scheduled to be final series of the season, but the lockout-induced late start makes it the penultimate one.) Eyes across MLB will be locked onto the series, as it’s likely the only division that won’t be wrapped up with five or six games left. FOX picked up the Saturday game. ESPN picked up the Sunday game.

And if they do win the division, then the team will really celebrate. Anticipate a couple more Coors, expensive champagne and a lot of laundry. (“You’ll see me do something stupid, Showalter joked, kind of.)

“We know we’re not done yet,” McNeil said amidst Monday night’s festivities. “We’re going to come in tomorrow and play hard. Nothing’s changed.”

Except for people outside of the dugout, it’s a sign of a new regime, a new hope and a new expectation. The Mets have 13 more games and an entire postseason to keep pushing those dreams.

The post With Eyes on Division Title, Mets Cherish Playoff Berth appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The lasting image of the young Wright celebrating.

The 18-year wait for a division title ended on a Monday night at Shea Stadium, but it was a certainty for months. The Mets took over the NL East lead on April 6th and never gave it back, maintaining a healthy margin all summer long. Their superior play was rewarded with a postseason clinching earlier than any other team and occurred after a 4-0 win over the Florida Marlins.

José Valentín provided the majority of the offense with two home runs—the first one coming in the third inning and the other in the fifth — while starter Steve Trachsel combined with three relievers on the four-hit shutout.

Billy Wagner, who would finish the season with 40 saves, locked it down in the ninth. Cliff Floyd hauled in Josh Willingham‘s fly ball in left field for the final out, hopping while raising his glove hand.

Fireworks shot off from behind the center-field wall as the backdrop for the on-field celebration.

The Mets could’ve locked it up in Pittsburgh—not once, not twice, but three times in that series—only to be swept at PNC Park. All it allowed was for them to move the party home, just as the Mets did for their last division title in 1988 and twenty years ago during the championship season of 1986.

The likelihood of champagne increased once Valentín launched a two-run homer into the Mets’ bullpen against Marlins starter Brian Moehler. He got a curtain call that time, and again two innings later when he repeated the feat. This home run, also to right field, was a solo blast. Floyd added to the lead with an RBI single in the sixth.

Trachsel, meanwhile, allowed three hits over 6.1 innings, walking one while striking out three before handing it off to the relievers. The lone threat from the Marlins came in the seventh. Florida had two runners on before Guillermo Mota got out of it. Aaron Heilman served as the bridge from Mota to Walker with a scoreless eighth.

At the time, the Mets held the best record at 91-58 and would enter the postseason with 97 victories, tied with the Yankees for the most in the majors.

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