Photo by Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The fans had a lot more to be excited about than the festivities however. This Mets team saw the addition of a lot of talent this offseason. The additions came in pitching with Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, as well as on offense with Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha, and Starling Marte. Perhaps the greatest change came in hiring the manager, Buck Showalter. The change in culture that has come with the new players and manager has greatly rubbed off on the team early in the season. Throughout Spring Training and so far in the early part of the season, the mantra behind Showalter’s managing has been that the Mets will not lose because they are unprepared. So far, in their MLB-leading 6 win campaign, they have showed that they are prepared to win in a multitude of ways.
One way that the Mets have shown they are willing to win this season is through small ball. This makes sense, as getting on base has been a strength early on for this season. The team currently sits second in the MLB with a .365 OBP. In the first inning of the game on Friday, the Mets showed exactly how they were prepared to win by carving out runs from scratch. A brilliant leadoff slap by Jeff McNeil, who clearly has redefined his swing and approach to more closely resemble his 2019 season, beat the shift to get the Mets started quickly. Following a Marte single, Francisco Lindor grounded into a fielder’s choice where McNeil was able to advance to third with one out, and Lindor remained on first. Last season, when the Mets were annemic at the plate with runners in scoring position, this would have been an issue. Instead, Pete Alonso drove in McNeil through a sac fly, his first of two on the day. Yes, it seems like this year’s Mets are capable of manufacturing runs, which seems like it has been absent for quite some time.
In addition to small ball, the Mets also demonstrated some of their power on Friday afternoon, slugging four home runs. One from Robinson Cano, another from Marte, and two from Lindor. The power numbers will certainly be something to keep an eye on as the season progresses. So far it has not been an overwhelming show of power from the team, as they sit in the middle of the pack when it comes to hitting the long ball so far this season. Yet, it brings a certain sense of comfort knowing that the team is not completely dependent on smacking the ball out of the park to score runs, but that they still have the ability to if needed. The Mets certainly have their share of sluggers on the roster, but early on, it just seems like they are picking better spots to try to hit the ball out than last season.
Forgetting two eighth innings this season in which the bullpen (the clear outlier that could potentially hold this team back), the Mets could be 8-0 to start this season. Yes, so far the Mets have played 5 games against teams that are expected to finish at the bottom of their respective divisions. That should not take away from the fact that the team has opened up the season playing extremely clean, hustling baseball. They have a strong desire to not only get on base, sitting fourth in the league in walks, but also to be aggressive on the basepaths. Their mark of 5 stolen bases in this young season is bringing an exciting flavor of baseball to Citi Field that has been absent for quite some time.
As I said in the beginning, it is too easy to become overly excited one week into the season. Yet, there is something about this Mets team that feels different than the recent teams. They are fundamentally strong, get on base, and field the ball well. Their lineup can hurt you in different ways, and outside of their bullpen, have extreme talent in pitching. That’s the type of descriptors you want on your team, and it is the exact descriptors that make a team pesky and hard to beat come October.
The 2022 Mets are off to a 6-2 start
The team’s .365 OBP is second in the MLB
The Mets are tied for third in the MLB with 5 stolen bases
The Mets are clearly better. Better players in RF, LF, 3B, SP, SP and on the top step in the dugout. A good start by Lindor, Nimmo, and Alonso, too.
Starting pitching is almost too good to be true.
The team’s weakness is their bullpen and bench.
If injuries remove key players like Nimmo and Canha, as Covid has this week, we are forced to play Dom Smith in the outfield or Cano at 2B, and then team stumbles, in the field and probably at the plate as well. I do not expect Cano to contribute effectively over time, and I don’t expect Dom to change much as a hitter (doesn’t mean he won’t).
The bullpen is still the main concern. In close games, the bullpen wins or loses the game, and more than half the games will be close. Diaz and Lugo will probably hold their own, but someone needs to step into the set up roles. Buck can only do so much with mix and match. Shreve looks good; May doesn’t. Smith and Ottavino have something to prove. I like our long guys, who might play an important role in winning wilder games.
They still need a solid guy to squash a rally late in games, or to hold a lead… Colin Holderman was very impressive, and not just because he is a holder-man by birth… but because he threw very hard, was imposing on the hill, and seemed to throw the ball where he wanted.
One more thought: David Peterson could be a secret weapon. I believe he can learn to be a lights-out reliever near the end of games. He throws hard enough, is smart enough, and has a devastating change up brewing, and an important role on the team will only inspire him to develop whatever the team asks of him. The team needs LH relief and I believe in him as a ML pitcher. Ask and you shall receive.