What a ride 2022 has been for the Mets! They replaced an ineffectual manager with Buck Showalter, signed a bunch of impact free agents, traded for a starting pitcher who won 15 games and picked up a hitter at the trade deadline who posted a 139 OPS+. But it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops. Their ace missed over half the season, their co-ace had two stints on the IL that lasted a combined 9-10 weeks and they had to go most of the final month of the season without the free agent who put up a 132 OPS+. And their 3-headed DH that started the year was a total flop. With that as our backdrop, Chris Flanders and I discuss where the Mets are at on the eve of the playoffs.

Chris: What a deflating end of the season. Sure, I’m happy about 101 wins and in April I would have signed up for that all day long. But to not win the division and face another team we historically play poorly against for the wild card just has me down – and it says all any Mets fan needs to know about this September to forget. Hey, at least Jeff McNeil won the batting title.

I’ll start off with the San Diego series. It’s gonna be a bruiser if you ask me. We played them twice this season and lost both three-game sets. We clearly need to approach what this series will look like for who is gonna be out there, and I’d like to begin with the starters. Truthfully, as much of a legend Jacob deGrom is, I think there is ample room for serious concern. He’s either striking people out or giving up home runs, the latter at an alarmingly rising rate. Two clunkers in a row have me in a position to take him out of Padres series and go with Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt for the win. I have no issue leaving deGrom as the starter for the NLDS. That would give him time to recover more from whatever ails him. Hard to believe I view deGrom as a Game 1 liability, but truthfully, I do. That leaves open who to carry otherwise, and of course who might catch these guys. The James McCann hire has been a disaster if you ask most Mets fans. Can you see him not making the San Diego series?

Brian: Certainly, my hope was that the Braves were going to take on the Padres in the Wild Card round and then take on the Dodgers, with the Mets only playing one of those three squads. But I think that underrates the Cardinals. I’m not sure anyone should relish playing St. Louis now. And I’m not convinced the extra rest would have been great for the Mets, either. Maybe I’m just rationalizing – and if so, that’s okay, too – but the schedule now is what it is and I’d rather be playing the Padres than sitting home waiting for free agency to start like the Mets have been every season going back to 2017.

As for McCann, I’d like to hear someone make the case for why he should be on the roster. For the record, I was in favor of signing McCann, once it became known that J.T. Realmuto preferred not to play for the Mets. I thought the contract was fair when it was signed. But now – well, it just looks horrible. Yeah, his defense is fine. But in just about all areas, I prefer the bat to the glove. Maybe that’s cutting my baseball teeth on the punch-less Mets throughout the 70s. It pains me to see McCann come to the plate. Someone’s going to have to do a mighty sales job to convince me that McCann’s defense is preferable to Francisco Alvarez’ offense. So, absolutely, I can see him being left off the Wild Card roster. Tomas Nido can start three games in a row.

Generally, my preference is to take the optimistic point of view when it comes to players, specifically ones on the Mets. But I’m having a hard time being optimistic about Carlos Carrasco right about now. He’s been dreadful his last half dozen starts or so here in his age-35 season – like Darin Ruf! – is it possible that he’s just done as an average or better MLB player?

Chris: There’s no NL team in the post season that the Mets own, except for the Phillies, which I find hard to believe are gonna move forward, so maybe it just doesn’t matter. In any event this is what we got. I’d rather see the Dodgers over the Braves to be honest with the hope the Cardinals do them in or at least soften them. I do recall back to the 2015 year that the languishing time between end of season and the DS I viewed as a detriment for a team on fire. I like that the team is now on a scoring bender coming into the Padres series, but we know how fast it goes “lights out.”

Overall McCann’s presence on the post season roster is basically indefensible. Even for a defense-first position like catcher, he is so bad that he cannot overcome deficit with game calling and framing. The only point to consider is that apparently, he has a decent record versus Yu Darvish, who otherwise owns the Mets. I leave him off and let Nido carry the load with Alvarez as the back-up. I’m not excited about Carrasco in the least, and only barely more optimistic about Walker.

Let’s finish with a thought or two about Francisco Lindor. He had a bad first year in Queens on a team with a lot of bad mojo, which only amplified the negativity. Add in the negative influence of Baez and the conflict with McNeil and you have a player that’s not gonna do well with this fan base. But I’ll say this year has been the Lindor that we thought might appear. I’d take 5-6 more years of this any day. He’s gonna finish with his second highest career OPS+, 160 games played, 26 home runs, and > 100 RBI. That’s All-Star level work right there. And he’s clearly changed the entire posture with the media, clubhouse, and fans, cementing his role as a team leader. Do you feel like he’s turned it around both on and off the field enough to change your opinion?

Brian: Last year, Lindor was in the running for worst player in the league for essentially the first two months of the season. But in his final 337 PA, Lindor slashed .258/.341/.492 which isn’t far off from the .270/.339/.449 that he finished with here in 2022, especially given the tougher hitting environment this year.

My go to stat is fWAR and Lindor has a 6.8 mark, which is terrific. WAR counts offense, defense and baserunning and Lindor is a wonderful defensive player. The home runs and the RBIs that you noted are fantastic, too. Yet, somehow, I’m wanting more. Honestly, the feeling that Lindor is up doesn’t inspire me the way that, say, Pete Alonso is up does. Going back further, my preference would be for Carlos Beltran or David Wright to be up, too.

It’s not logical – it’s more emotional and that’s not a good place to be. I’m reminded of an old Bobby Bowden quote, when he was asked if emotion was important in football. Bowden replied, “No one’s more emotional than my wife and she can’t play football worth a darn.” My sincere hope is that Lindor has a fantastic postseason and my main memory of him will be delivering big hits in clutch situations, rather than him going down on one knee when he swings thru the pitch or popping up meekly on the infield to end a rally.

7 comments on “On being in the Wild Card round, if James McCann deserves a playoff spot and thoughts on Francisco Lindor

  • Woodrow

    They couldn’t win one against the Braves,can they win two against the Padres?

    • Brian Joura

      Regardless of who they square off against in the playoffs, the Mets’ best chance of success is deGrom and Scherzer being at the top of their game. In the six games against the Padres this year, that duo pitched in only one game.

      Neither of them were strong down the stretch, which is extremely worrying.

      It’s not a hill that I want to die on. But you can make a case that the Mets could use openers sometime this postseason, perhaps in multiple games.

  • AgingBull

    Great piece here Brian and Chris. More of this please! I could almost envision a Mystery Science Theatre arrangement wherein you two are sharing wisdom and cracking wise throughout any given game. I’d tune in for that.

    • Brian Joura

      That is an awesome idea! Now we just have to get Chris to travel to make it work.

  • BoomBoom

    I too Enjoy this format. Bring in some othdr guests/regulars from time to time as well so we can get to know folks a but more deeply.

    Throw out the regular season when you get to the playoffs. The Mets have the edge in this series everywhere but 3b and Rf. Will come down to pitching. If we can score 4 we win.

    I think the Cardinals are going to experience some magic this postseason and be in the NLCS. Will we get our revenge for 2006? Well we have a better chance in a 5 game set than a 7 game set.

    And to Chris’ or about who do the Mets own in the playoffs? They had winning season series against all but the Padres and Braves. And as Brian mentioned wr only had our aces for 1 out of 6 vs the friars. LGM

  • T.J.

    Gentlemen,
    Excellent banter, muchas gracias. Overall, I agree with both of you, but tend to be more of the Chris mindset that September was again one of many depressing Septembers. Blowing the division in Atlanta with the big three starters line up was right up there with the other colossal fades. At this moment, I am grateful of another series as opposed to the long dark offseason, but if they drop this home series, for me this 2022 season will be branded as a fail, despite 101 wins and a batting champ.

    McCann, well, if they can justify an emergency catcher on this roster, that’s they only way he’s in. It is quite remarkable just how poor a hitter he has been in 2022. How in the world did he OPS at .800+ over a 500 AB span just a few years ago?

    Lindor had a really good season, so he deserves credit for sure. This is the version that they paid for. I think a combination of factors helped facilitate him being himself – the first NY season under his belt, Buck as manager, some veterans with good intangibles added, and a first place team for 98% of the season. I do agree with Brian that his ABs are not must see. I find his approach to still be somewhat immature and undisciplined, especially in crucial spots, which frustrates me. My hope is that as he progresses further into his “peak” years, he becomes more savvy. He is certainly capable.

    Lastly, as was stated, this team will go as far as deGrom and Scherzer take them. Both have issues, which is to be expected with aging pitchers, even those with HOF pedigree. I may have been ok with Scherzer followed by Bassitt, but Bassitt really spit the bit in Atlanta, so I think they need to go with their best. deGrom is only going to be available for one game in the following series regardless.

    Let’s go Mets, it’s show time.

  • Jimmy P

    McCann has been brutal and he has to go this winter. But he makes my postseason roster, along with Alvarez. Catchers get hurt and if Nido goes down, we’ll need McCann in order for our pitchers to be put in their best situation to excel. Some fans will say it doesn’t matter, or *shouldn’t* matter who you throw to . . . but those folks aren’t living in reality.

    The media loves to sell us on Lindor as “leader” and I just don’t see it. He’s not a smart guy and rarely says anything interesting or insightful. He plays great shortstop and hits pretty well, too. A terrific baseball player. I don’t see the leadership. It’s a phony narrative, IMO.

    In any event, came over today to say “Let’s Go, Mets!” and to thank you, Brian, for another year of Mets360. I don’t have any confidence going into the series, but hope that a raucous home crowd will help give the Mets an edge.

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