This baseball season has been a ton of fun with the Mets having one of the best records in the league. And they’re winning thanks to playing a style of ball we’re not accustomed to seeing. Last night we had Brandon Nimmo running at full speed and then diving to make a great catch. We saw the fantastic hands of Luis Guillorme make tough double plays look routine. We saw Pete Alonso drive in runs two different times with singles. And we saw Eduardo Escobar hit a sacrifice fly.
I loved the great defensive plays in the infield and outfield. Alonso driving in runs and keeping the train moving two times with hits was really nice to see. Escobar getting a run home was, well, it was better than striking out and getting nothing. Runs are great and what we want to see each and every inning. But celebrating making outs is just something that feels more hollow than fulfilling.
Gary Cohen made a huge deal how the Mets have more sacrifice flies already in 2022 than they had last year. Again, runs are great. But if we’re going to celebrate runs – let’s celebrate the ones that come without making an out at least as much as the sacrifice flies and RBI ground outs. Cohen quoted the SF numbers. How about RBI singles for the team or Alonso? OK, those aren’t as easy to look up as sac flies are.
So, how about we celebrate the Mets’ production with runners in scoring position? Last year, the Mets had a .705 OPS with RISP, which was 50 points below MLB average. This year, they have an .811 OPS with RISP, which is 70 points above MLB average. That was pretty easy to look up, too. And call me crazy but I’d rather everyone know those RISP numbers than the sacrifice fly ones.
And last night’s two RBI singles gives Alonso nine run-scoring singles on the year. Personally, I find those way, way, way more impressive than his five sac flies.
I understand your point about hitting with runners in scoring position but being able to score a runner from 3rd with less than two outs without getting a hit is important also. I remember the frustration that I felt in the past with the Mets having a runner on 3rd with no outs and failing to bring him home at all. Both are needed for a winning team.
Last year was entirely frustrating in this regard; Mets routinely stranded a guy at third, regardless of the number of outs. Futility cubed.
One of the reasons for the Mets overall success is the approach at the plate. We need to give Eric Chavez some of the credit for sure, but I want to point out, in this order:
1. Mark Canha: the poster child for seeing the maximum amount of pitches. It starts with pitch recognition. I can count on one hand his swings at pitches not in the strike zone. I’m sure he has the highest number of full counts per capita… probably the highest number of pitches per AB… BA around .300, wow.
2. Guillorme: the guy stays in every AB. Occasionally he is overmatched, but rarely. He battles, just like Canha. I love watching either of these guys at the plate… never miss their ABs. Luis hitting .330… not a fluke… ball to barrel skills.
3. McNeil’s caught the fever. Rather than throw away many of his ABs with first pitch swinging, he seems to be more patient. Maybe Chavez has helped his see the more pitches he sees, the better his chances… hitting .320.
4. Nimmo getting even better at staying in ABs. Did he choke up as much in past years… can’t say I noticed it as much as I am this year…
It should not be lost on any of us that these guys are all making it tough on opposing pitching staffs because of this patient and intelligent approach. All we need is J.Ramirez (CLE) and J.Votto and we’d be impossible to pitch to…
It’s BillyBall!
Mets/Yanks WS? That would be something….
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Scherzer is starting tonight in AA! The Mets listened to us and are allowing Francisco Alvarez to auditi-
Nope.
Scherzer will be pitching to the also rehabbing James McCann.
Wasted opportunity.