Every contending big-league team could use some veteran leadership both on the field and in the clubhouse. It remains to be seen if the New York Mets will actually challenge for a playoff spot as spring turns into summer, but they’re at least giving themselves a shot.
Although New York enters the first phase of the 2019 Subway Series with a 32-33 record, they’re just five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, along with being in the midst of the wild-card hunt. Regardless of how badly they’ve played in spurts over the last couple months, they’ve played good enough to remain in the conversation for now.
When it comes to veteran leadership, it seemed as if Robinson Cano would take on most of that role. He’s by far the most accomplished big leaguer in the Mets’ clubhouse, was immediately inserted into the three-hole of Mickey Callaway‘s lineup, and kicked off the season with a home run off Max Scherzer in DC. Cano has made an impact despite multiple trips to the injured list — like when he gave Michael Conforto hitting advice before hitting his first career grand slam — but it can sometimes be tough to lead when you’re either injured and/or not playing well.
At the moment, Cano is both of those things.
The Mets just placed him back on the IL prior to Sunday’s series-clinching victory over the Colorado Rockies, and even when he was active, the numbers weren’t in his favor. Cano has accrued 75 plate appearances since May 1st, which has led to a .194/.227/.278 line with no homers, three RBI, and six runs scored, all sussing out to a 37 wRC+.
Fortunately, this is where Wilson Ramos and Todd Frazier come in, who have progressively gotten hotter at the plate over the same period of time. Here’s what each of them have done since the calendar flipped to May.
| Player | PA | OPS | HR | RBI | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Ramos | 111 | .922 | 6 | 17 | 18 |
| Todd Frazier | 116 | .828 | 4 | 13 | 16 |
The Mets are fortunate to have a couple of young rising stars on offense in Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso. However, neither has experienced the ups and downs that go on throughout an entire MLB season. Even if they did, they haven’t experienced it in a big media market where the expectation is to contend for a playoff spot (Conforto experienced it from 2015-16, but he was at a much different point in his big-league life).
Both Ramos and Frazier have been in these situations on more than one occasion throughout their respective careers. And even though it wasn’t hard to envision a scenario where New York found a way to rid Frazier from its roster this past winter, his impact in the dugout and clubhouse was likely a big reason behind him sticking around. The solid production they’ve been getting from him lately is more icing on the cake than anything else.
For a younger lineup like the Mets’ when key contributors are all healthy and active, having veteran pillars is important. It’s not as if younger players are necessarily less likely to listen to a veteran if they’re struggling on the field, but it’s always easier to lead when you’re also making positive contributions between the lines on a consistent basis.
Without Cano in the middle of New York’s lineup as the anchor he was projected to be, Ramos and Frazier taking over that role for the time being has been a blessing. The question now becomes whether the Mets can put themselves in an advantageous position as the season drags on. Starting with Monday’s game against the Yankees, this current stretch of games through the All-Star break will be telling:
— Two at the Yankees
— Four vs. the St. Louis Cardinals
— Three at the Atlanta Braves
— Four at the Chicago Cubs
— Four at the Phillies
— Three vs. the Braves
— Two vs. the Yankees
The Mets have gotten back to .500 recently, but it’s been a while since they’ve been over it by a comfortable margin. Their first task will be to get an even record again before trying to push ahead. This is a rough stretch of games for any squad, making a veteran presence crucial to keep everyone loose and focused.
While Cano nurses his quad back to full health, the offense appears to be in capable hands for the time being with Ramos and Frazier laying the foundation.
