Two struggling players for the Mets are performing better in June than they did the first two months of the season. Here are their respective lines:
Player A – 46 PA, .270/.391/.432, .281 BABIP
Player B – 68 PA, .277/.299/.354, .354 BABIP
They’re both hitting for a similar AVG yet Player A has a 92-point OBP edge and a 78-point SLG edge – all with a 73-point deficit in BABIP. Yet Player B has been put into the second spot in the order while Player A has batted seventh twice and eighth or ninth the other 12 games he’s played this month.
Of course you’ve figured out that A is Mark Canha and B is Starling Marte.
Last year, Marte was the better player and the lineup would look a whole lot better if he returned to the form he displayed in his first year with the team. Marte finally starts hitting some singles and everyone gets excited. Meanwhile, Canha is performing significantly better and gets rewarded with more time on the bench and a much-worse spot in the batting order.
Coming into this season, my expectation was that Marte would put up a similar season to a year ago, while my forecast was for Canha to fall off from his 2022 output. So, the following is not coming from a Canha fanboy. The Mets need to switch Canha and Marte in the lineup and give each of them similar time off.
It’s tough to rest Marte because he has the best arm of any of the Mets’ outfielders. But even if you insist on playing him every day for defense, for all things holy, get his sub-.300 OBP – in a hot streak! – away from the top of the lineup.
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Canha is the Rodney Dangerfield is the Mets. He doesn’t get any respect. Canha vs RHP has a .743 OPS where as Marte only has a .618 OPS. That is a big difference. Canha should be playing more than Marte and because of this reason, along with the OBP, he should be in the #2 hole instead of Marte. Right now the best use of Marte is playing him against LHP and a late inning defensive replacement and pinch runner until he improves.
Another lost series. This team is maddening. They score a ton of runs, (eight) and they lose. I am looking forward to Quintana and hopefully some changes on the roster including bringing Mauricio up.
They need to shake it up. McNeil only has eight doubles this year. He and Mr. Single Marte are doing nothing. And Alonso’s anemic batting average is only saved by his home runs. And Lindor, ayye. This team is playing like a lifeless train wreck.