Please use this thread to comment on any Mets-specific topic you wish.
Francisco Lindor is batting .185 with a .565 OPS. Early in the month it looked like he was breaking out but in his last 12 games, he’s slashing .152/.220/.261 in 50 PA. Lindor’s not even drawing a lot of walks like he was earlier in the season. We’ve seen with James McCann, another high-priced offseason import (even if not at the Lindor stratosphere), how the Mets have sat him when his backup showed more at the plate. If everyone was healthy, would the Mets consider doing that with Lindor? If Luis Guillorme was available – would he be getting starts at SS?
It’s purely hypothetical and it’s no fun that we’re even contemplating the scenario. But when virtually no one is hitting outside of Tomas Nido, we’re in the “desperate times” point of things. It’s amazing how well the bullpen has pitched, which has helped carry the team as the offense has struggled to do much of anything in many games.
Funny I was just thinking this morning that if Gullorme had played SS this whole season, we would likely have hit .275/.350/.375, conservatively. And he would have played a solid infield… saved the team about 30 million a year… Mets will be in deep doodoo unless Lindor proves he can still hit ML pitching… not a given.
Dom is the other big “if”: he has to snap out of his funk and prove he is a worthy middle-of-the-order threat. Sooner or later these guys have to be treated as grown men and asked to produce or take a reduced role in things. It helps that Dom is a superior defender at 1B which will always matter… but he has to hit to remain viable.
I feel like a silver lining is Peraza. The guy is a pro with superior baseball skills. Makes contact at the plate, rarely makes a mistake, and can play a major role this season. I would trust him more with playing time and a key spot in the batting order… I know the BA is not there, but I watch his at bats and he is a professional.
Stroman again needs to play big today. He needs a W, pure and simple. Hard to do with the offense so poor, but that’s what team leaders do.
Why is Peraza a pro and needs to be given a bigger role while Lindor cant be trusted?
Jose Peraza does make more contact than others- he’s got the 4th lowest strikeout rate on the team at 12.5%, but Lindor isn’t that far off at 15.1%.
Batting averages they are both around the Mendoza line and they’ve both got similar hideous OPS. I guess the only thing that differs them at this point is that Peraza hasn’t made any gaffes in the field yet, though he’s only played 20% of the games that Lindor has.
Or if we’re playing what if, what if they traded for Arrenado and didn’t sign Lindor? Maybe Rosario and Davis for Arenado.
I can’t recall a time when the Mets had 5 of the 8 regulars on the IL/DL at the same time. Bad luck which, alternatively, can be seen as good luck in that none of the injuries suffered by the 5 regulars is serious
This is just to add on to my previous comment about Stroman. This next month can be a defining period in his career. If he can manage to step up and hold the rotation together amidst the adversity, he can claim to be a stopper of sorts… something that is highly valued by GMs yet has to be earned.
My sense is that he tends to tilt on the “hype” side of the dial, but he can assure himself more legitimacy by performing clutch right now… can change his whole career story.
Uh oh, why isn’t Smith starting today? Is another guy hurt?
Too many players on the 10 day IL. They are too soft. I watched the Canes in the playoffs last night against Nashville and they go all out. Hits, banging off boards and all out fulp speed skating. You dont see those guys out unless they are really hurt.
I also think Lindor will snap out of his funk. Alonso, I am not so sure and Conforto, may be best to let him walk.
Amazing that the Mets are in first place.
Conforto will walk, and Uncle Steve will gulp and sign Bryant. McNeil to RF, Cano back at second.
Not fair, Name, to compare Peraza and Lindor’s numbers because of the disparity of ABs. Lindor has four or five abs a game, bats with many more men on base, and has good hitters behind him ensuring better pitches to hit. Peraza has played in fewer than half the games, has hit no higher than 6th, and has no one protecting him. I’m judging their professionalism with my eyes. Peraza does not chase and just makes more dependable contact… kind of like Guillorme!
Let me ask this: With one out and runner on third and the game on the line, whom would you rather see at the plate… Lindor or Peraza?
If you even have to think about it, what does it say about the Mets’
$341M man?
I would rather have neither. My point is that they are both not good. They both suck. They have not been major league caliber.
Your eyes may indicate to you that one has a better approach, more professional, and other voodoo mumbo jumbo, but in the end statistically they are both producing bupkis. Yet for some reason you overwhelming prefer Peraza > Lindor when they are about even.
I agree with Name. Perazza has been terrible. Can’t hit at all. Defense has been ok but in the couple of games Dom played first he saved him more than one error. I’m not sure what you are seeing in him Wobbit.
This is a debate about expectations. Lindors are 341 million feet high and he aint reaching them. No one expects anything from Peraza so any positive contribution is magnified.
I guess we’re all starting to wonder, was Lindor a giant mistake that will hold this team back for a long long time. I think he will bounce back and be an AllStar type player for the next 3-4 years.
Glass half full, Stroman pitches a 7 inning CG, and Lachesis goes 5 in a DH sweep.
Callaway banned from MLB through 2022 and fired by the Angels. What a slime ball.
Over the years we have seen any number of players get huge salaries and not do well in their first year under the pressure of the contract, only to bounce back in subsequent years.
On the other hand, Lindor wasn’t hitting all that well last year. I don’t argue with the trade, but I didn’t see the point of signing him when there will be so many outstanding shortstops available in the off-season.
James, Lindor had such a great spring training that Mr. Smiles was a sure thing. New, rich owner, new toy, what could go wrong? Like you, I loved the trade but didn’t like the snobbiness at the contract.
If you’re going to offer him the biggest contract of a SS, you could do that at any time. I believe the Mets feared the distraction but Lindor caused it with his constant bullshit. But, now the ink is dry, let’s move on. Pujols 2.0, but with good defense.
The Lindor deal is lining up to the content of debate, conjecture, and Monday morning quarterbacking for years and years. The sample size of one quarter of one season of an eleven year contract is way to small to reach any conclusions. As a standard, I am opposed to anything over a five year contract for any athlete, including Babe Ruth and Mike Trout in their prime, regardless of ownership resources. But, what do I know, and who cares what I think?
What is safe to conclude at this point is that Lindor’s performance to date cannot be explained by a “slump”. We also cannot conclude that the elite skills that he demonstrated over several years in Cleveland have eroded “overnight”. So, the likely situation is that this is partly performance based and exacerbated by his mindset/anxiety/stress. Some is natural and human and expected. But at his rate of pay, given just how poor he has played. if this lasts much further, say to the midpoint, his status as a top player in the game will be erased until he puts up big numbers over a couple of seasons.
I’m all in on the five-year limit, TJ.
Lindor probably needs a day off or two. Something has to break this spell he’s in.
Mets can set a lot straight with a sweep today.