Pham as a Fiery Pre-Met
THE METS HAVE MOSTLY BEEN LOSERS SINCE APRIL 1962
Come on, you've been a Mets fan for decades - at least most of you have.
Me? Since the 80 games below .500 glory days of 1962.
Have you ever noticed the ease to which, in many seasons, the Mets slip into a death spiral - and stay there?
And wonder where the fire is?
In 2023, in the latter half of April, the Mets won a game to move to a solid 14-7, with Joey Lucchesi spinning a 7 inning, 4 hit, no run, 9 K masterpiece. Things were feeling hopeful.
But Joey was oddly on a short leash, soon banished to AAA for reasons unknown, and the Mets all too easily went 15-20 from that day to the end of May, unable to beat some bad teams that month. The all-too-frequent seasonal slide had started.
Tommy Pham was being used sporadically, and had a bad April and a decent May.
In June, through continual hard work, he had his best month as a Met...
24 games, 18 RBIs, .349/.387/.640. Crushing it.
That should have helped right the Mets' ship, right?
Oh…So…Wrong.
They continued to oh-so-verily-easily spiral downward, going a miserable, virtually resistance-free 7-19 in June. Living up to their “Flushing” location. Down la toilette.
Like a well-trained pet, they rolled over and played dead masterfully.
THAT they're good at.
The season was thus largely cooked as they sat at 36-46 heading into July.
And a meek and lowly 22-39 after Joey's gem had pushed them to 14-7 in late April thru June 30. Swoonie River.
Pham, meanwhile, had Diamondback success after he was traded at the trade deadline to a team with DRIVE, one determined to fight and grab for every single possible win. His new team ultimately came up short in the the World Series, falling to the Jake-led Texas Rangers.
Jake did throw 18 fewer World Series innings than the 18 innings that Sandy Koufax threw 60 years ago in 1963, just to clarify my prior statement a bit.
The Mets? They gave up, meekly. Weakly. Bleakly.
They actually played somewhat better from August 13 on, after having held a fire sale of their top talent, than they did prior to that. They got destroyed by the Braves in an August 12 doubleheader, outscored 28-3 in the two contests, to fall to 52-65 (38-58 after that 14-7 season start).
But, with a gutted team, they went an improved 23-22 the rest of the season.
Puzzling huh?
I guess the pressure was off on some guys, and the shock of the trades’ team dismantling had waned, and so they relaxed and played a little better.
"They're human, right?"
No, not sure about the human part - they're losers.
Eppler needs to identify and expel the losers and keep the winners.
Any time a team loses a lot, which the Mets did, going 38-58 for 3+ months after hitting that 14-7 high mark in April through August 12, it is more than injuries.
All teams have injuries.
It is more than not having the best talent.
It is a collective lack of fire to overcome adversity and win.
Which attuned fans can sense. And which Mets fans have to be sick of. As, sadly, it happens all too often in Metsville.
I want a winning playoffs team - in 2024.
If Arizona and Texas can do it, let's make OVERACHIEVING more common in Queens than the passing of Haley's Comet.
Maybe we can teach the Mets' Fido to fetch us some more wins.
HOW MANY GUYS…
Do better once they leave the Mets?
A lot.
One is Travis Jankowski. He played little, and hit like garbage, as a Met in 2022.
But…
For Texas this year, he experienced a Rangers Renaissance, as he got up a lot (287 times) in the regular season, had a .357 OBP, and stole 19 of 20, while producing 1.4 WAR. And found himself in the World Series, a place few Mets in any era have ever gone.
What exactly is wrong with the water in Queens?
TODDLER METS
2023’s “Baby Mets” are 2024’s “Toddler Mets”. Babies grow up.
Let’s hope the toddlers don’t experience the Terrible Two’s. WAHHHH!
ARIZONA ALL STARS
Excerpt of article on AFL website:
Kevin Parada, C (No. 5/MLB No. 89)
Parada missed some time during the season with a right ankle sprain but showed flashes of the plus power that helped make him the 11th overall pick in the 2022 Draft. While he's batted just .194 in the Fall League, his power has continued to show up with seven of his 12 hits going for extra bases, including three homers.
JT Schwartz, 1B
The 2021 fourth-rounder is an atypical first baseman in that he prioritizes hitting balls to the gaps instead of aiming for the moonshots more associated with the position. That was on display in Week 3 of the AFL season when he went 8-for-18 with two homers, five doubles and nine RBIs on his way to winning Player of the Week honors.
Happy Sunday. Have a great day. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteGood morning all ands Happy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteLet’s start by seeing the obvious: Schwartz hasn’t come close to being ready, so until that happens, he isn’t on the radar. Parada is an all-star? Come on… who pulled those strings…
The fact that Pham cared enough to bother calling out his former team is a compliment to those he saw busting it. He felt they deserved it, and it needs to be recognized and appreciated. Makes me feel like the manager wasn’t payi my attention… hmmmm?
As for the Baby Mets, I would say that Baty needs more AAA at bats and put him in LF or 1B. Put Mauricio at 3B and rotate Vientos around the corner infield spots and DH.
If we are committing to the Baby Mets, why keep Alonso and his inflated ego? As someone wrote yesterday, these power numbers go down real quick after 32/33. Get me some upside arms for him, the system needs them.
Lastly, let’s figure out how to maximize the depth arms’ value by helping out in the bullpen, and cut out those AAAA pitchers
The Mets can't give up on their top four prospects after one season.
DeleteYou have to give 2024 to them to prove their worth.
If what Pham said is true, it had to be said by someone.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is why Buck is gone.
I root for Clemson. Trust me. There are no complacent players on that team under Dabo Sweeney
Big win over Notre Dame yesterday!
DeleteGus, all spot on. The major league list of faders at age 32/33 no doubt far outweighs the ones ones who show little or no decline. Slight aging changes can capsize a player's hitting ability.
ReplyDeleteThe Baby Mets should get their chances to prove themselves.I expect they’ll get it. The question is ,will they come through? The Phil’s had their kids break through after rough starts and look at them. If they don’t come through it will be another losing season.
ReplyDelete"Give up" seems to be the operative word. Did some Mets give up during this past season? their words didn't say it, but maybe their work ethic did if Pham was justified in what he said. Did Mets fans give up? They always root for the team, but some of that "rooting" includes giving up on players and demanding that they be replaced or traded. When that does happen too soon, you see those players show up elsewhere with a resurgence.
ReplyDeletePaul, while Pham said it with knowledge, I often questioned the lack of fire and lack of urgency the team showed. Showalter was just way too comfortable with using all his good relievers to win a game and then have nothing but B relievers left the next day. Was this giving Eppler the middle finger? He deserves to be fired. He compromised the team to get his way. He didn’t want my I play the Baby Mets until September, F him, and good riddance.
DeleteMack, I sure hope the "Baby Mets" went home pissed off, utterly determined to prove that 2023 was their low point offensively and defensively for the next decade. Alonso did that as he rose thru the minors - his work ethic was extreme. Bryce Harper's drive is extreme. They need that right now, today, so come mid-February, people start smiling at what they see.
ReplyDeleteMe?
DeleteI would convince all 4 Baby Mets to get their collective arses to Pt.St. Lucie a month before pitchers and catchers report and begin to get in shape for day one
Paul, that severe Mets swoon from 14-7 in the latter stages of April to free-fallen June 30 was on the players.
ReplyDeleteThe fans had a right to be upset. High fan expectations running headlong into an unbeatable Braves team and a 22-39 Mets stretch. The Braves over that same stretch were 39-20. You can't cough up 18 games in the standings in 9 weeks like that.
BOOO to that.
There are the Kiddie Mets to push the Baby Mets but of course they shouldn't need to be pushed they should seize the day or DS isn't doing his job. The NY Post piece on the Jets about how many players are performing ABOVE expectations because of coaching speaks volumes about the sad state of affairs with our beloved Metsies. Constant FO upheaval is a major problem as well so Mr. Stern has his work cut out for him. It will be a very interesting year indeed.
ReplyDeleteThis is why you target for 2025
DeleteI disagree Mack. I let the Baby Mets play, but I don’t line up in punt formation before the off season even starts. I get into the shotgun and spread my receivers wide and go for it. If we get to fourth and long, like last July, I send in the kicking game.
DeleteThat’s was me again. Why can’t this system somehow remember us like all the others do?
DeleteGus, I know not the quirks of this system, appreciate your patience and commentary.
ReplyDeleteGary, the front office upheaval spread to constant pitcher call ups and send downs. Too many. Joey Lucchesi got screwed.
ReplyDeleteAfter Pham made his comments to my suprise there was not an outcry from Mets players to rebuke, so there has to be some truth to his statement. This will fall on our next manager to get this fixed or for Stearns to find trading partners. I think the only players he mentioned as hard workers were Lindor and Alonzo, so really that leaves the baby Mets and McNeil as my concerns. I would like to see Mauricio at 2nd (3rd is probably his best spot) and Baty at 3rd. This leaves McNeil in the outfield, a position where I do not believe he has enough power to play. He could get by if he was consistantly the hitter who won the batting title but he runs too hot and cold from season to season for me. I loved him when he was younger but currently he should be used as trade bait to see what we can get for him (dont give him away) IF we can sign or trade for another legitimate outfielder.
ReplyDeleteDean, going 22-39 after game 21 of the 2023 season, with Max and Verlander pitching, was a huge red flag.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a Yankee executive, I'd trade for McNeil, who'd probably figure out how to hit 20 HRs a year into the porch, about 10 of which would be outs in Citifield. Every HR that is not an out increases batting average, too. Jeff would go from forgettable to formidable. At a cheap salary.
Tom, Agree for the most part. I think Max is done, Verlander thou was hurt then had to use the season as preseason to catch up, I think he pitched better as the season went along even thou he did give up more Homeruns than expected. Your thoughts on McNeil I agree with, which is why we should be able to get some good prospects or good bullpen help for him. I dont see his power increasing here going into his year 32 season, he could quickly take a downturn in production as he ages.
ReplyDeleteI am a little confused on Mets fans willing to trade Pete, it is rare you get 40 HRS, and 120 RBI's from someone. This would be hard or impossible to replace. Yes he will turn 30 at the end of next year so we should get at least 3 prime years out of him before a decline happens.
Lack of fire,lack of urgency or lack of talent. The starters were injured,the BP wasn’t very good,and the hitting was nowhere as good as many posters beloved.
ReplyDeletemy concern with Pete is his K rate jumped in 2023. That could be the early sign of slippage - or just a bad year. Again, management should have a read on that (is he starting to deteriorate?) and Pete himself should.
ReplyDeleteOne way to slow a decline is sign with a team in a hitters' park. If you do feel you are starting to decline, why not move to a park where 7-10 more balls turn from outs to HRs?
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