Mets News – They’re Turning it Around

The Mets have turned it around – at least from the bottom of the NL to the top of their division is pretty nice. Losing the occasional game but giving Mets fans a thrill when they win because Mets fans are the Bills fans of baseball (we’re crazy when our teams even get a broken-bat-opposite-field-bloop single, we cheer like it’s a walk-off homer in the World Series). And, I would like to give a shoutout to our announcers, Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling. These guys are entertaining Mets fans for three hours and constantly talking and engaging the fans with the wildest conversations. I tuned into a Reds game the other day, and the announcers talked every 30 seconds to announce the hitter’s name, the count (only if it’s a ball or a strike) and announce a hit in the blandest way possible. Example: “Here comes Joey Votto. Ball, strike, ball, here’s a hit to right field, single.” Just really makes you want to stay with the game, doesn’t it?

The Hitters:

After my last blog, there was only one bright spot on the whole Mets team: Brandon Nimmo.

While Nimmo is our best player by far, more bright spots are starting to emerge. Pete Alonso is still a stud, but even though signs are leaning towards him being somewhat of a flash in the pan. He has five homers, which is two and a half times more than the guy behind him, JD Davis.

In the comment sections of Mets fan pages that I follow, calls for JD Davis being thrown out of Citi Field for high crimes and misfielding are growing. JD Davis is a mediocre offensive player in a 162 game season but so far, even after missing 10 games, he has two homers already. Also, his defense does not help out his 162 game value.

Another nice player that the Mets have is Dominic Smith but he has a tremendous downside. He swings and misses a lot. A somewhat chubbier Joey Gallo because Gallo and Smith both take grown man hacks, both strike out a lot, don’t really understand what a “single” is and both have a low average. But have tremendous value and Smith is one of the best 375+ ft hitters in baseball.

Michael Conforto and Francisco Lindor, when, in a normal season, would be our two best pure hitters, are two of our worst hitters now. Both are keeping their heads barely above .200 and they have a combined seven RBIs. Luis Rojas should 100% (who is also getting negative comments thrown at him by Mets fans but, being in prestigious NY means you’re the hardest players to please in baseball) keep them in the top of the lineup.

Someone who’s in a slump but you can’t call it a slump is Jeff McNeil. You can’t call it a slump because Jeff McNeil will connect with a ball 4 feet above the zone and muscle it for a single. Luis Guillorme is the next man up in almost any spot on the field, whether we move Jeff McNeil to third and Guillorme to second (which doesn’t sound that bad…) or trade for a third baseman and include Guillorme in it or whatever happens, Guillorme is the next man up when someone gets injured. James McCann hasn’t been amazing but he’s been OK, he’s a very well-rounded catcher but he hasn’t shown it so far but I believe.

The Starters:

The start for the starters collectively is amazing! Jacob DeGrom and Marcus Stroman are carrying the load and David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi are weighing us down but still, we’ve been really good. Now, think about this – once Noah Syndergaard comes back and Carlos Carrasco comes back, we’ll have a rotation looking like Jacob DeG-O-A-T, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, and Taijuan Walker. Two things about this: hopefully this will help Stroman to stay in New York because he’s a free agent after this year. And, Taijuan Walker is a number 1 or number 2 starter on pretty much any team, but he’s potentially the fifth starter on this one.

The Bullpen:

After trashing the bullpen of the Mets in my last blog, I see that maybe was uncalled for. Trevor May and Aaron Loup definitely stepped it up over the past two weeks, especially Loup. Loup can shut down lefties and be well above average against righties. Trevor May will allow a few hits and raise your blood pressure well above what the doctor thinks is the max but will blow a 96 MPH fastball right by on the next pitch. Jacob Barnes is still our worst bullpen arm but with how Sean Reid-Foley played (9 up, 9 down for him), you could limit Barnes’ innings and increase Reid-Foley’s and we’re all pleased. Also, Trevor Hildenberger is a nice arm out of the bullpen, although he’s a little volatile, I think he could tame himself. Finally, the bright(ish) spot of our bullpen, after all this time. Edwin Diaz has finally made himself into an above-average closer, definitely not what he was in Seattle, but solid. I hope he can keep it up (and be even better) so our bullpen would be better and less volatile.

Although, after all of this praise out of me, just watch him blow a three-run lead next game. I will literally cry Niagara Falls.