Over the Hill? Me?? That's dumb.
Just saw a guy on Facebook write that Francisco Lindor is over-the-hill.
Perhaps people wondered that about Keith Hernandez when the Mets got him, too.
After all, Keith hit .344, .321, and .306 from 1979-81, but then hit .299 in .282 and .284 in 1983, as of the time of the trade. .284 is good, but a long way off from .344, especially when you're not smacking 35 homers.
The Mets got him at age 29 - was he washed up? Over the hill?
If you watched him, you'd know the answer - HECK, NO! He was KEITH.
He was good for 27 WAR in 880 Mets' games - and that included a negative WAR at age 35 in 1989 before he was traded.
Those who saw Keith would say that WAR stat in his 880 games understated his value to the team.
Mike Piazza hit a stunning .346, .336, and .362 in his 3 full LAD years as a catcher at age 26 thru 28.
Mid-season with the Dodgers in the next (trade) season, he hit just .282. Was he in decline? Nope.
The rest of that season with the Mets, he hit a jaw-dropping .348.
His next 3 years, a power-laden .300+ each year. And still great the next year when he slipped to .280 at age 33. He aggregated 25 Mets' WAR in 972 games, and almost all that WAR was accumulated prior to his 3 partial final years as a Met, as age and the grind of catching was catching up to Piazza.
KEITH AND PIAZZA WERE FRANCHISE-TRANSFORMING TALENTS.
So, to infer that Francisco Lindor is washed up at age 27 years and 4 months, perhaps because he hit just .258 in the bizarre, shortened 2020 season? Perhaps because he got off to a slow start this spring for about 4-5 games? Nah. That's silly.
In 2017-19, in his age 23 to 25 years, in an average of 155 games, he averaged 110 runs scored, 42 doubles, 3 triples, 35 HRs, and 85 RBIs and 21 steals. He also won 2 Gold Gloves. Pretty KILLER stuff.
His last several spring games, he is 13 for 32, 4 HRs and 11 RBIs. What can one say? I'll take it...gladly.
He is a leader who makes his teams better. He already has 29 WAR in 770 career games, a terrific total.
Over-the-hill? He will be someday. But I can't see that being the case for several years.
So, my advice to the Mets?
As with Keith and Mike, keep and sign Francisco Lindor long term.
You'll be happy you did.
Because far from being over-the-hill, Lindor has the potential to be their best offensive player ever. Yep, possibly better, and perhaps more impactful, than Keith and Mike.
Mets' management many of your avid Mets' fans, who have not seen a World Series championship since 1986, feel at this point in their lives that they are over-the-hill, or heading there fast.
So please....
Let Francisco Lindor go to WAR for them.
Like Mike and Keith once did.
We'll all feel like WARriors then.
On a side note, the Nets got James Harden this season, after the season started. Took a chance. Got a warrior - very possibly the league's MVP - he won't let them lose. Lindor could be a similar tipping point for this Mets' franchise. Like Derek Jeter was for the Yankees. We got Frankie - now keep him.
9 comments:
Great article - perfect conclusion.
Like somebody said, $300M over 10 years for Cohen is like my losing $0.30 a year.
Get 'er done.
1969, the Mets can't let the Lindor fish wriggle off the hook. Get it done. The Yanks did it for Cole...and Stanton...big market teams show big market guts. Do it.
100% agreed. I will be very disappointed if it is not wrapped up in a week. He needs to be the non-pitching cornerstone of this team for the next 10 years.
Steroid-free, quicker version of Robbie Cano? Sounds odd, but as good a hitter as he is Lindor's numbers are similar to Cano at the same age, but with a lower batting average. Lindor is definitely quicker, AND a shortstop, to his advantage.
If he’s the best, he will need to best not Piazza’s and Hernandez’s numbers, but Beltran’s, Wright’s and Strawberry’s. Those are the guys with the bigger digits in their Baseball Reference page.
I don’t think 10/$300 will do it, but 9/$300 might. If it’s 10 years, he will want it to be greater than Tatis’ $340 Million. I can’t understand the Padres thinking on signing him to that deal so soon into his playing, when they have so many years of control to go. But this stupid organization also gave Hosmer a 8/$144 deal when no one else was making much of an offer.
Gus, I would go 9 years, $300. Year 10 he’d be in his late 30s.
I’d not be the least surprised if Lindor in his career far surpasses Strawberry (42) and Wright (49) total WAR. He might compile more WAR just over the next 9 years than either did in their whole careers. . Beltran will take longer, with his 70 WAR, but he is well within reach, as long as there are no more pandemics (and strikes).
Tom, Wright got hurt and Strawberry only went to the All Star game one more time after leaving the Mets at 29. He has said it was the biggest mistake of his career.
Gus, that's true. let's hope the Mets a) sign Lindor, b) he avoids back injuries, and 3) he stays put.
Wright before his injury may have been the better hitter, slightly, but Lindor would get the fielding nod.
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