Mets try options and backbone strategy

I’ll tell you what: Whoever is swinging the bat is going to play. It’s about scoring some runs right now.

Undoubtedly you’ve heard this quote from Terry Collins, as it’s several days old now and has been repeated numerous times in various outlets. It’s good to know that after 95 games or so, the Mets are finally going to try to optimize run scoring instead of insisting that some guys need to be in the lineup no matter what. Three anemic bats have been removed from the lineup and the team has won its last three games.

The non-Lucas Duda infielders figure to be a rotating crew the rest of the year, especially with news that David Wright may come back in a couple of weeks. In the last three games, newcomers Kelly Johnson (2) and Juan Uribe (1) have each gotten starts in the infield, with Daniel Murphy moving from second to third base depending upon who else was in the lineup.

Ruben Tejada has gotten all three starts at shortstop and figures to get the lion’s share moving forward, too. This makes sense as while his bat may or may not be better than Wilmer Flores’ – his glove figures to be an upgrade. It’s disappointing that the Mets weren’t able to land Troy Tulowitzki, especially given that the haul received from the Blue Jays apparently did not equal a Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz.

Jeff Hoffman was ranked 58th in MLB.com’s most recent top 100 list. He’s a 2014 first-round pick, one with a 6.1 K/9 mark here this season as he works back from TJ surgery. Jesus Tinoco has a 3.54 ERA with a 1.352 WHIP as a 20 year old in the Midwest League. Miguel Castro made his full season debut last year and his MLB debut this year. Also 20, he’s got a live arm and a 4.7 BB/9 in the minors this season.

Are these three arms more enticing than John Gant, Casey Meisner and Rob Whalen – the three minor leaguers that Sandy Alderson dealt away the last week? Because of Hoffman’s ranking, you’d have to figure the answer is yes. But it’s not a resounding advantage and one that has to be cut into with having to take on Jose Reyes’ contract in the deal, as well as surrendering a useful bullpen arm in LaTroy Hawkins.

It’s shocking to me that Alderson couldn’t top this offer, assuming the salary wasn’t the major road block.

Regardless, Johnson and Uribe are a combined 5-16 in the three games since the deal, Michael Conforto is 4-12 since being promoted and Kirk Nieuwenhuis is 5-10 in his last three. For those who can’t do math in their head, that 14-38 works out to a sizzling .368 average from spots where the Mets were doing well if they were only 100 points beneath that mark previously.

The Mets won’t get that production moving forward from that quartet but at least now they have options to mix and match as needed. And just as importantly, they seem finally to have a willingness to bench guys who go 300+ PA without contributing much to the offense, regardless if the cause is injury-related or if they’re healthy and just not good.

Options and backbone is a much better plan than hope and seniority.