David Rubin - Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Met: Ramblings and Rantings About the Mets in May

How do you write about a team that constantly lets you down? What if you had to write about your child doing poorly in school, resulting in expulsion? Or your parents lack of budgeting skills, resulting in your family losing their home? Or your husband drinking away his weekly paycheck? Not much fun, on any account. And yet, here we are, writing and reading about the team that we love, the New York Mets, and trying to put a positive spin on something that is supposed to be a relief from the rest of our lives; I can assure you that, the more games added to the Loss column, the harder it gets. Let’s face it- when a team is winning, and players are reaching their potential, it’s a lot easier to discuss pitch sequences that worked and hitting approaches that aren’t, then trying to do so at a time when seemingly everything a team is doing brings them further and further down the wrong rabbit hole. It's the definition of extreme fandom, and my wife can tell you from living with me these past 26 years that I am MUCH less ornery on those (rare) nights the Mets win for a change. I'd MUCH rather be Mr. Met then Mr. Hyde, but with the way this team is going, so far, at least, it looks like my loved ones best be prepared to see the "monster" more often this season. And, alas, in a mere month and a week, it's already been a season to remember, and one to forget as well. 

 photo copyright David Rubin

So what's different this season? Well, first, let’s remember last season; when Jacob deGrom would take the mound, we would get frustrated because we knew that, unless he was perfect, there was no chance he would get the all-important “W” – and, even if he WAS perfect, the team would somehow find a way to blow things for him no matter what he did. What was the result? deGrom won the Cy Young Award, as the rest of the sport recognized (and agreed with) our frustration and took note that Jake had one of the best season’s any hurler has had, to date. Now, here we are, this year, after an offseason that saw our new General Manager, Brodie Van Wagonen, pay great attention in crafting a deeper line-up and bullpen, and deGrom is – ummmmm – once more chasing a losing record, only this time his craftsmanship on the mound has not been anywhere near as dominant as it was in 2018. Of course, injuries (and cold weather) have largely been to blame for this, but as Jake has straightened out his approach and health, the now-vaunted offense has left him behind once again. Does this portend things to come? Is it inevitable that the pre-season predictions that called for a near-3.00 ERA and another sub-.500 record by deGrom are actually going to come true? Well, that begs the question, “did Brodie do the organization a disservice in trading for and signing veterans like Robinson Cano and Wilson Ramos instead of engaging in a full-service rebuild?” That, my friends, is the billion-dollar question!!!! And one Jarred Kelenic may be soon be the one to answer that question for us.

I don’t have an answer for that, yet, and as rational people know, hindsight is 20-20, and, as Mets-fans, we are taught to expect the worst thing to happen because, well, it’s the Mets. Even all these years later, after 2 World Series championships and 3 losses, it’s just our default mode to go to the worst possible scenario and expect to be closer to 62-100 then 100-62. Believe me, I’m NOT saying we don’t have just cause, because we DO. However, because each set of circumstances, and each new General Manager, needs to be judged upon its own merits, I am NOT ready to condemn Brodie for the course he chose to take the organization. I still believe that this new regime, with forward-thinkers and scouting experts aplenty, will end up crafting a successful run that will prove longer-lasting then recent vintage. I just wish we were THERE already, because as someone in his mid-50’s with some health issues, I’d sure love to see another championship season before I die!

Okay- let’s turn from the morbid and move towards the season, so far. As we move further behind the unimpressive Philthies, let’s first look at some of the things that are going right for the boys in blue and orange, before we get to the (many) things that are not. For sake of size, we’ll break this down into 3 categories: positives, uh-oh’s and too early to call but not looking so good right now.

POSITIVES:

1.)    Jeff McNeil: let’s face it- if Brodie had succeeded in trading this kid away, I think this post would look a LOT different than it does. He has continued his hot-hitting from last season, proving to be a true “gamer” in all facets. It’s easy to fall in love with someone who reminds you of Pete Rose at his Charlie Hustle-best! He hits in his own, inimitable fashion, but he HITS, gets on base one way or the other (bunt, hit-by-pitch, single, double, walk- you name it, he DOES it) and he looks like Rose in the process. Think dirty, ripped pants, welts on the hands and arms and butt, uniform shirts covered in dirt and grass, and you’d get an accurate portrait of the guy they’ve nicknamed “the Squirrel” – and that’s just by the second inning!!! Furthermore, for a kid that supposedly could not play the outfield or provide a totally sure hand at second or third, he’s sure proven THOSE so-called experts wrong, HASN’T he? Guys like McNeil make me proud to be a baseball fan- he takes all of his natural talent, gets the most out of it, leaves everything he has on the playing field each and every game, then comes back again tomorrow to do it all over again. He’s a disrupter in the best possible way, and give me a team of McNeil’s and I’ll give you a winning team, each and every time out (and we’d also have to replace our Clubhouse Attendants regularly because they’d balk at having to do that much laundry!)

2.)    Pete(r) Alonso: Sans the “r” at the end of his first name, like McNeil all this guy has done has hit, for power and driving in runs, and, like McNeil, his fielding, supposedly a detriment, has been way better than advertised. Again, we can’t ignore how much work he puts into his craft, and once again it’s gratifying to see another player maximizing his talent at such a young age. It’s going to be a yearlong battle between him and Padres’ pitcher Paddack for the Rookie of The Year honors, and this is one battle that we again have to credit to Brodie, as he promised that the best person for the job- in this case, first base- would go North with the club and he proved to be a man of his word. The team is certainly the better for it, and the fans, after witnessing many more of those prodigious shots we call home runs, have yet another long-term homegrown talent to be excited about!

photo copyright David Rubin

3.)    Edwin Diaz: Yes, in spite of giving up game-tying or winning home runs twice already (or 2 times more than all of last season combined), Diaz’ presence in the 9^th inning remains something of beauty. His fastball has the potential to paralyze, and he definitely takes a plan out to the mound with every batter, the majority of whom can’t touch his stuff. As we’ve seen, especially this season, no closer, hell, no PITCHER, is safe from what is obviously an overly-juiced baseball; at least in Diaz we have that dominant closer in place for the next 4+ seasons. Let’s hope his few hiccups don’t repeat themselves throughout the season and his 2018 stats prove to be a true barometer of what’s ahead for him in the pinstripes of Queens.

4.)    JD Davis: Of whom so little was asked, so much has been given by – or, to put it another way, FINALLY the METS get a trade right with a contender not known for trading away gems (Astros)! Davis definitely needs more work at third base, and he’ll never remind anyone of Brooks Robinson, but he provides a great presence on the bench, can (eventually, when allowed) play multiple positions, and has shown flashes of being both a good hitter and someone with potentially game-changing power. It’s been a small sample-size, and the hope is that when Lowrie finally returns from the IR (okay- Disabled List it was, and always SHALL be to me), the hope is that Davis will continue to have a place on the big league club. With Todd Frazier’s usefulness level shrinking by the day, Davis could potentially take over as the primary back-up at third base and remain a potent bat on the bench. After all, he’s on the upside of his career, and has shown us in his limited sample size that he has the potential to become a key reserve and sometime regular at a position that has long vexed the organization. Hopefully, in a few months from now, we’ll still be able to talk about what an important role Davis has continued to play on the major league roster.

5.)    Tomas Nido: Wait, what???? Why do you have Nido on the POSITIVE LIST?? Well, let’s face it- a catcher’s main duty is to handle a pitching staff well and provide balance behind the plate that’s necessary to the team’s success. It’s the hardest spot on the field, and the days of the true two-way all-star catchers seem to have gone the way of the free lunch. So what is a catcher who WAS known for his offense doing on this list because of his DEFENSE???? Great question- because I don’t know HOW it happened, but Nido has become a very competent receiver capable of calling a very good game and handling a mercurial pitching staff with the stability of a veteran. Having an all-star like Ramos in front of him on the depth chart has to help, and if somehow Nido can regain some of the touch that led him to being a minor league batting champion, we’d really have a gem dropped into our laps.

6.)    Seth Lugo & Robert Gsellman: Yes, they’ve both had some games that made you want to pull your hair out (and theirs, as well) but overall they’ve had to throw way too many innings way too soon and they’ve managed to remain assets through it all. If this team is going to indeed contend, much will continue to be asked of this tandem, as short of a Vargas replacement in the rotation and moving him to the ‘pen, these are the long-relievers our season is going to continue to rely on. Let’s hope, come August, they both still have arms.

Uh-Oh’s:

1.)    Amed Rosario: Well, was last August the benchmark for what was to come, or was it merely an illusion? Sadly, it’s looking more and more like the latter, as Rosario’s yips in the field are far overshadowing his oft-potent bat right now. Look, it’s not like he’s setting the world on fire on the offensive side of things, but he HAS shown flashes of brilliance at the plate and he did just have a 3-hit game, after which, of course, he was benched the following day- because, Mets. All progress that Rosario has made, though, can be thrown out the window unless he steadies himself in the hole and becomes the stabilizing force in the middle infield that we all expected he’d become. Giminez is waiting in AAA, and the organization is blessed with many young, potential stars at Rosarios’ position; however, none of these players are ready to take over at the big league level THIS season, and a return to form by Rosario is critical if we want to turn things around this season and make things happen.

2.)    Michael Conforto: He’s supposed to be the homegrown successor to David Wright; he’s supposed to be a top-notch offensive force and a solid outfielder; he’s supposed to hit home runs when the games actually matter, not once the team is behind by multiple runs. Conforto is healthy, and yet none of these things are happening, so until they do, the jury remains out as to whether or not the team’s once-top prospect ever reaches the level that we, and most scouts, predicted for him. I pray he’s not a victim of needing a change of scenery, because if he left and realized his potential elsewhere, that would REALLY hurt!

photo copyright David Rubin

3.)    The Pitching Staff: deGrom was hurt & has been inconsistent; Thor has been more mere mortal then god of Thunder; Wheeler has mostly been dominant, except once in a while when he wasn’t; Matz finally looked like he was reaching his potential only to be injured – for what, hopefully, will be a very short time AND with limited to no bad after-effects; Vargas has been much better than advertised, only having one truly bad outing, but his inability to go long in games, like the rest of the staff, has truly hurt the bullpen and taken sure victories and turned them into defeats.  And don’t get me STARTED on the majority of the bullpen; we thought it was going to be a strength, laden with power-armed lefties, and so far it’s been a black hole, costing us games, sanity, and years off of our lives. With 12 or so relievers on the 40-man roster still in AAA, it LOOKED to be a question of strength, as in who would be kicking butt at the major league level and who would be lining up for the chance to do so at Syracuse; instead it looks like another revolving door of quantity over quality, something nothing less than the signing of (still) free agent Craig Kimbrel looks to be able to fix.  There ARE no apparent solutions on the roster at this time, to either deepen and reinforce either the ailing rotation nor the bullpen, so Brodie’s first big test might be having to import, some way, somehow, a few additional arms to return this to being an area of strength instead of one that continues to push contention further and further from our reach. And by the way- regarding Jason Vargas, he has NOT been the horrible Succubus that everyone is accusing him of being. As a fifth starter, he would be fine IF the other starters were doing their jobs and going deeper into games. Vargas has had ONE BAD OUTING, and yes, he does not go long enough into games for any of our comfort, but at this point, 5 very good innings from your fifth starter SHOULD be good enough IF the rest of your rotation were carrying their water, too.

4.)    Keon Broxton & Juan Lagares: For 2 guys who were supposed to be gold glove caliber in the field, they’ve sure been a letdown so far. We thought that Broxton, at least, would bring some much needed power to center field, but so far he’s been the worst, most disappointing player on the team, right in front of Lagares, creating the only consistent sore-spot in both the line-up and on the field. Their combined play has been an exercise in futility, and I would love to see either Carlos Gomez or Rajai Davis promoted immediately (or both) because these two have over-worked my last nerve at this point.

5.)    Brandon Nimmo: Will the real Brandon Nimmo PLEASE stand up? Dude- you are one of my favorite players- EVER- and that’s really saying something after 50+ years of fandom. Come on- please tell us that you’ve been nursing an injury, that you’ll be back to normal soon and the on-base machine with some pop (finally) that you showed us last season will once more be the guy manning left field for us, until Yoenis Cespedes returns, and then you can be the rightful successor, once more, to the failed Juan/Keon experiment.

photo copyright David Rubin

6.)    Robinson Cano & Wilson Ramos: Yes, we expected a lot out of both of you. Yes, you both looked really good at the start of the season. Yes, you are both on the downward side of the aging process for your respective positions. No, we cannot content without both of you playing major roles in our success, and unless things change, and soon, that get-up-and-go we expected you to infuse the team with will have got-up-and-went. It’s not too late for either player to turn things around, but boy is that hour getting late…

Too Early To Tell But Not Looking So Good:

1.)    Mickey Callaway; he’s got a few things against him – he’s not the new GM’s choice as manager; he’s got no long-term success as a manager behind him; his strong-suit, pitching, has not exactly looked great this season; and, important to the Wilpons, he’s not signed to a long-term, expensive contract. On the plus side, well, there’s really not any that I can readily think of, except that, in the days of over-reliance on saber-metrics a manager’s instincts really don’t influence the fortunes of a club nearly as much as it used to. In fact, every day the team’s line-up cards are merely filled in by the manager but the choice of who starts, who’s first off the bench to pinch-hit, which relievers should be utilized, are all a product of the team’s front office. It’s been that way for a while now, but most fans remain in denial about this sea-change in the game, and I understand it. However, firing Callaway in and of itself is NOT a means to and end at this point, as it would merely muddle the waters further right now. It’s not like the heir apparent is in place, and Jim Riggleman being promoted into that role would be like waving a white flag to the season. It may happen, it may not, but as frustrating as his moves have seemed at times, he’s far from the biggest thing wrong on this team right now.

2.)    Everything and Everyone Else- Including Brodie, the Wilpons, CitiField, Mr. Met AND The Proverbial Player To Be Named Later: Let’s face it- in a season where we started out like gangbusters and have fallen back to earth once more, for the second season in a row, there’s nothing you cannot point a finger at and NOT be skeptical about right now. Bobblehead give-aways to only 25,000 people, parking prices that require leaving of your first-born child, and a budget that never includes MORE then what anyone views as necessary, can all be thrown into this equation right now. Can we hit in Citifield? Will we? Is this the start of yet another regime that fails to live up to expectations? Did the removal of Keith Hernandez’ food stand give us a black cat-like jinx? Is this the price we are paying, EXACTLY 50 years later, for the still remarkable World Series victory of 1969???? Whatever it might be, the success of this team’s near-term future continues to hang in the balance with every wasted game of the Spring.

Okay- we’ve seen that there are, sadly, far more things to be concerned about then there are to be excited about, so far this season, but in spite of past performance and what appears to now be a far murkier picture in the minor leagues (at least so far this season), I still choose to remain hopeful that somehow Brodie will figure things out, sooner rather than later, and this season that will always be a reminder of the remarkable achievement that happened 50 years ago and not be a blight, once more, in our ever-disappointing history. After all, being a Mets fan has taught us to never give up because when greatness DOES arrive, we have to savor it FAR longer than we’d ever think necessary.

Now, being a Mets fan means ALWAYS trying to come up with a solution to the team's problems, and therefore I have my OWN thoughts about what can be done, at this juncture, to help save the season or at LEAST make it more enjoyable.

Solutions

1.) Immediately trade or release Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton and replace them with Carlos Gomez and Rajai Davis. This isn't merely moving ships on the deck of the Titanic; it's removing the black hole in the line up that occurs any time either of these guys step into the box. What's more, for two guys known for the defense, they've made boneheaded blunders in the field too many times for my liking. At least Gomez and Davis seem hungry, they are both decent (formerly very good) defenders and bring speed to the table. And neither Broxton nor Lagares would accept a minor league assignment (nor, of course, have any options) so there's no chance that they would accept being out-righted to Syracuse.

2.) Sign Craig Kimbrel- NOW!! I admit that I've never been as high on the former Brave & Red Sox closer as others have, as I've felt that he was too dominant for too long to maintain his position as the best closer in baseball. However, in order to put into place something I've long believed would work, reliever crews (more on this in a moment), you would need that second closer on the roster, in other words, the role that we all THOUGHT Jeurys Familia would fill when we resigned him this off-season (for 3 years and $30 mil). So, now you have Kimbrel in-house (even though I doubt he will sign with us due to wanting to up his saves total to become the career leader) at approximately $9 million for the rest of this year, with a 2-years, $36 million added to his deal - NOW what?

3.) Reliever Crews! In simplest terms, you combine a closer with a long reliever, another short reliever and a lefty and you have your every other day crew! Kimbrel, Familia, Zamora and Gsellman; Diaz, Wilson, Peterson and Lugo. This way you are never in a situation where you don't have a closer available, and your bullpen doesn't tire out to the point of exhaustion, come August. I've been in favor of some form of this for years, and we saw it play out with the 2015 Royals and, in slightly different form, with the old Nasty Boys in Cincinnati some years ago. The time is right!

4.) Continue to play McNeil and Alonso every day, bring Dom Smith back up, trade or waive Frazier (sorry, Todd) and rotate Nido and Ramos more at Catcher so Ramos can get more rest and isn't dragging (worse then he already is) come August. Mickey and the front office have to bite the bullet once again (although the way they handled d'Arnaud from the beginning left a lot to be desired) and eat Frazier's deal, in addition to Lagares and Broxton. It's not the $$$ -  it's the dead roster space, and at this point, we have cheaper additions who would serve a better purpose on the roster.

Look the season isn't over, the sky hasn't fallen yet, Chicken Little, and we still have time to make the changes necessary to salvage this season. The NL East has not been anywhere near as tough as everyone thought it would be, so far, anyway, and if somehow this team could get more of a killer instinct, more like McNeil and less like Conforto, I still believe that great things could happen.

Have an amazing day, be kind to yourselves, and pray that the Mets win more then they lose so at least my poor bride will have better nights...