The Mets lack speed, and everybody, from opposing teams to the fans at Citi Field knows it. As of today, the team scores over 60 percent of their runs via the longball, making them perhaps the only squad in baseball capable of being fourth in the league in home runs while simultaneously sitting third from the bottom in total runs scored. To fix this unfavorable reality and add another dimension to the offense, the Mets have to inject some speed, and fast.
The root of the Mets’ offensive woes lies in the team’s inability to manufacture runs and win without the home run. With just 88 extra base hits and 12 stolen bases on the season, (both good for second to last in the majors) the Mets struggle not only to hit with runners in scoring position (.215 with RISP) but to get them there in the first place. The team’s lack of speed is the keystone for their overall offensive struggles.
On the opposite end of the baseball spectrum, teams like the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates prove that speed is essential to creating a dynamic offense.
This season, Boston has the most prolific offense in baseball. They have established a consistent way to win using speed, leading the majors in extra base hits and swiping 41 bags as a team. Conventional metrics also show that speed has helped the Sox, who have scored 341 runs, driven in 328 runs, and batted with .298 runners in scoring position.
Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Pirates are fourth in the majors with 41 stolen bases and sixth in runs scored. This is despite the fact that they rank 23rd in baseball with 56 home runs.
Both of these teams rely on a combination of speed and contact to win ballgames, rather than raw power. When facing tough pitchers, they are able to scrape out runs by getting runners into scoring position, moving them over or bringing them home on simple base through the infield. In contrast, how many times have we seen the Mets get a runner on base against a tough pitcher and fail to capitalize? Frankly, it’s more times than I can count.
At the moment, the Mets do not have the personnel in the organization to fill their gaping need for speed. Fortunately, there are a plethora of options on the market. But for the Mets, the speed acquired is only as good as the on base percentage that accompanies it. As the old adage goes, you can’t steal first base.
The Twins’ Eduardo Nunez and the Brewers’ Jonathan Villar could be intriguing options for the Mets to consider. Both players get on base -.364 and .399- respectively, and swipe bags racking up 12 and 21 steals each respectively. If either was acquired, their stolen base number would instantly lead the team.
Both players are in the midst of breakout campaigns, and likely wouldn’t come cheap because of their youth and multiple years under team control. Still, bringing in a player at least in the mold of Nunez or Villar should be a primary target if the Mets offense continues to sputter.
In the end, trying to score runs without speed or the home run is a lot like trying to build a house without nails; it just won’t work. The Mets could continue to hope for the longball, but addressing the need for speed from outside of the organization is the more proactive approach.
If the team continues to rely on power as the sole means of winning, dazzling starts from the likes of Jon Niese and Juan Nicasio could become regular occurrences if the offense fails to hit the ball out of the yard. In baseball’s current pitching dominated landscape, teams that blend speed and power on offense are the ones leading in each and every division. For the Mets to join this club of division leaders, they need speed. Once they get it, the sky’s the limit going forward.
