Paul Articulates – One thing we can expect

After a disastrous 2023 season where the Mets fielded the highest paid team in baseball history and then underperformed their way to a sub-.500 season and unloaded some heavyweight talent at the trading deadline, we expected to see a quick recovery in the off-season, a competitive team in 2024, and great things in the following seasons.  

This off-season brought no success with the highly sought-after target pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and no other big names to fill that big hole in the staff.  Mets fans are wondering if any of their expectations will ever be met.

In my book there is one thing we can expect – a prepared and determined leader at short stop.  In his three seasons with the Mets, Francisco Lindor has established himself as a strong team leader and someone that other players can look up to for his dedication to improving his game.

Lindor can be seen on the field and in the dugout constantly communicating with everyone.  He is at the mound for every visit, he is calling the plays in the infield, and he is conversing with the on-deck batter to relate some intel from his last at-bat.  He truly is about the team and about winning.

In terms of his play, Lindor has put up some very solid numbers after a rough start at the plate in his first season at Citi Field.   His power numbers have increased year over year since his arrival, and with his dedication to the craft I would expect the trend to continue.   

He has increased his doubles, home runs, and OPS each year with the Mets.  He was a 2023 30-30 guy, the first Met since David Wright in 2007 to achieve that distinction.  Last year’s .254/.336/.470 slash line was solid, though not spectacular for a guy making $32M/year, but his very stong finish over the last three months earned him a Silver Slugger award.  

His contributions go further than the batting average with some very adept base running, 31 stolen bases, and improved delivery in the clutch.  

On the dirt his skills are superb with great range, a strong arm, and a sense for where the ball is going.  This earned him a berth as a finalist for last year’s gold glove awards.  With the elimination of the shift, Lindor’s range makes the Mets infield defense all the better.  Last season his +6 Outs Above Average (OAA) were the most on the team.

I’m sure many would argue that he should produce more for his huge $341M contract, but after watching everything he has done over the last few years I don’t think that there are many I would put before him as players to build a team around.  

Given the Mets’ current predicament with their high team salary as pointed out in Tom Brennan’s excellent article yesterday, fans may have to come to grips with a few down years while they reduce salary and nurture their top prospects into MLB stars.  I can’t think of a better guy than Lindor to show them the ropes, provide an example of work ethic, and rally their confidence.  

He has already been hard at work in this off-season pairing up with some of his younger teammates for workouts.  There are many high paid players in baseball that are not doing what Francisco is.

So as we coast into spring after an unspectacular off-season with a flawed team, let’s take a moment to count our blessings – one of which is Francisco Lindor.