Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson came over in a package deal from the Atlanta Braves for right-handed minor leaguer pitchers John Gant and Robert Whalen just before the trade deadline in July, and just about everybody liked the deal. Some had bemoaned Sandy Alderson’s refusal to trade Dillon Gee for Uribe earlier in the season, or so the rumors went. But finally we had two vital bench players who could fill in around the infield that had taken routine beatings through the first half of the season. But have they made that much of an impact? It’s a hard question to answer.
Since coming over from the Braves, Uribe is hitting .169/.229/.385, while Johnson is hitting .204/.250/.408. And the last number is the most telling for both gentlemen. Combined they have six home runs in 35 games. Johnson started things off with a dinger in his first game as a Met, which helped route the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-2. It was a good moment for fans who began believing Alderson had finally made an aggressive move that just might work out. While Uribe’s first home run as a Met came in the crushing late-inning loss against the San Diego Padres back on July 30th, his second home run was a three-run shot that proved to be the winning run against yet another late-inning comeback, this time a failed attempt by the Miami Marlins.
Uribe’s third home run came in the seventh inning, and tied the came at 1-1 versus the Tampa Bay Rays, in what proved to be perhaps the best game the Mets have played not just this season, but in years. Johnson then got back in the action during a three extra-base hit game against the Rockies, helping to solidify a four-game sweep and the good times rolling. Finally, Uribe’s fourth home run came as the first Mets run during a seventh inning comeback against the Pittsburgh Pirates that proved to be just a little too short, as did the overall team play during that most recent crushing weekend sweep.
Uribe has also been involved in a number of spectacular defensive plays through his first 19 games, most recently as the receiver of a Yoenis Cespedes bullet from center to rob Sean Rodriguez of a triple. He has been repeatedly great covering the line and making strong throws across the diamond. Johnson likewise has been appreciated for his versatility, so far playing second, first, and both corner outfield positions. What we are seeing with both players is the much-loathed title in the advanced statistic community of “clutch veteran presence.” But it at least seems to be paying off, because statistically speaking Uribe and Johnson have not been great.
Other than their solid slugging percentages, their wRC+ numbers are 66 and 82 respectively, and both are striking out 25% of the time or more. These are of course extremely small samples sizes. Yet when we consider just how apparent these statistics are, it clear that the fans’ positive reaction towards these two men is more emotional than logical. They might “look good in the uniform” or “do the little things” correctly, but when you get down to brass-tacks they are serviceable while providing much needed pop, but not much more than that.
This may sound like I don’t appreciate what they are doing, and nothing could be further from the truth. Uribe has been a bolster to the roster with his still-great-at-36 glove and timely hits. Johnson likewise has helped pour the runs on in landslide victories that helped Mets fans feel incredibly good just less than a week ago. Yet, as the Mets start playing stiffer competition, their failings might start to show through. And I don’t just mean competition from the Pirates and other playoff caliber teams. Being at the top of your division makes you a target for everyone, meaning usually inferior opponents sometimes bring their A-game and take a series you were desperately counting on to win. As David Wright is a huge question mark moving forward, it’s a little nerve-racking to think that Uribe’s might be manning the hot corner still a bit more, hoping that those timely home runs keep on coming. It’s even more nerve-racking to think that Terry Collins will continue to properly find time to keep Johnson’s bat useful, especially with a variety of outfielders vying for time.
I like that these men are here, as they have helped the Mets find their winning ways. But they are also likely not the reason the Mets will ultimately win the division. For that to happen, Cespedes, Wright and Lucas Duda will have to keep the heart of the order thumping. As it stands now, two of those men are hurt. Which means for the meantime Uribe and Johnson are still very much relied on to continue those slugging percentages. Let’s hope they can keep it up, and that it proves to be enough.
I think this is just another of the many areas where statistics break down and don’t touch the reality of the game. That’s not to put down stats, which I love and respect, or SABR folks who maybe, in my view, believe too deeply in the numbers.
Just that of course there are things that statistics can’t begin to measure.
What does it mean to the clubhouse? What does it mean to the feeling on the bench in a close game? What does it mean for the players when management steps up and makes a move? How does it effect a player like Lucas Duda?
My sense, coming partly from player quotes, partly from a lifetime of watching, playing, and reading about baseball, is that these players have made a difference that goes beyond the numbers. One new hitter in the lineup effects everyone else up and down; the butterfly effect. To me, that’s more a core belief than anything I’ve ever seen conclusively measured.
That said: I think they are both better hitters than they’ve shown so far, and I hope they will begin to make a more measurable difference on the field with actual hits, runs, RBI, etc.
Good post, and a question worth asking.
Back at the All-Star break in 2012, Alderson refused to do what he did here — give a boost to the team’s morale by acquiring some needed pieces. And then two SP got hurt and R.A. Dickey picked July to have his worst month and everything fell apart.
What happened with the team then was used as an ex-post-facto rationale for not making the deal.
Maybe getting the 2012 version of Tyler Clippard would have had no affect on that team. But Alderson owed it to the guys in the clubhouse to at least try.
Confidence is a tricky thing. My belief is that Alderson making the deal for these two guys gave the rest of the team confidence. And that confidence can be seen in both their individual and overall numbers.
Uribe and Johnson haven’t produced much. But Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy sure did once the trade was made. Did one have an impact on the other? In my mind it did.
I’m more interested in Duda returning to the lineup than for two guys who haven’t been stars in years to magically start hitting like ones.
This aspect of doing something to bring reinforcements is good on all levels. Even the morale of a team is uplifted when help is brought in. Some articles recently pointed to how the Blue Jays last year were in about the same place record-wise at the deadline and did nothing. They tanked. The players felt abandoned. This year they went crazy with the Tulo and Price deals and immediately went on a tear that could end with the AL East division crown.
It would be nice to get better numbers from Uribe and KJ but just having major leaguers replace the AAAA talent that was there has been good for the club. Now if we can ever rid ourselves of Mr. Handsome, Anthony Recker, then that would be another step in the right direction.
Campbell & Muno vs. Uribe & Johnson?
Hmmmm.
That’s the point the OP is missing. It’s not that Uribe and Johnson have been spectacular, it’s that they replaced Muno and Campbell who are much worse.
Also, both Uribe and Johnson have OPS+ of about 100 this season, so I expect both to pick it up over the next six weeks. The same can’t be said about Muno and campbell.
Why do you think they came so relatively cheap? It’s too early to say what their effect on the team is, however I will say unequivocally that they’re better with them than say Muno and Campbell.
They are improvements over what the Mets were running out before.
Clearly Cespedes was the major pickup at the deadline with Uribe and Johnson adding experience and depth. Let’s remember that we would all consider a .500 season a huge success for this year. It’s just with our top three starters, we could go far in the playoffs. Regardless of how this season turns out I hope they can sign Cespedes because the money is there with expiring contracts and that they pick up another significant hitter in the off season. Then the scenario starts to look like 1984 and building towards that championship team. Let’s Go Mets!!
Speak for yourself. I certainly don’t think that a .500 season would be “a huge success.”
Small sample…includes a spectacular “ofer 9” run where KJ slammed the ball. They’ve made the lineup and bench deeper…more competitive ab’s. Perhaps the perception and execution of opposing pitchers is altered…more good pitches????
Just 10 games or so prior, the mets batted an epically challenged 3-4-5… newee—campbbell-mayberry…..do I have that right???
Short sample aside….there is simply no way to argue against the fact that the assortment of players has been upgraded.
As long as they are the role players brought in to improve the bench like they should be, I love having them on my team. But as we’ve seen – too much playing time has exposed both of them somewhat. I expect them to both come up big in the post season, however.