Clay Gregory===Slugfest, Miami Edition

 

The Mets are back in Florida, taking on the Marlins after a brief stop in Houston. The opening series was a hard-fought one, pitting two playoff hopefuls against each other to start the season. While losing the series two games to one can be a disappointment, the bright side is that the Mets fought hard. Juan Soto came as advertised and even hit his first homer of the season on Friday.

The social media buzz was the Mets offense looked pitiful in Houston. I can agree to the extent that there were way too many spurts of not getting runners home. In game one, they faced one of the best pitchers on the planet, Framber Valdez. Not getting many runs against Houston’s ace is a pain that many opposing teams feel. Francisco Lindor is off to a slow start, which is not a surprise. However, after having his son born, I would say to look for Lindor to get hot quicker than in seasons past.

 

Speaking of offense, the media went from the sky falling to the Mets becoming an offensive juggernaut in just one game. " Homers Galore" should be the theme for Game 1 against the Marlins, as the Mets flexed their offensive firepower, led by a grand slam from the Polar Bear himself, Pete Alonso. In a game where David Peterson didn’t seem to have his command in check, the Mets' offense picked up their pitching and turned the game into a slugfest. 

Food for thought here is that when you look at the Marlins' roster, are there any names you recognize besides Alcantara? The entire roster is an episode of 'Who Are These Guys,' which makes the Marlins' opening series win against the Pirates a little surprising.

 

Here's a random paragraph to show appreciation for the greatness that is the Mets' broadcast booth. Gary, Keith, and Ron are hands down the best announcers in all of MLB when it comes to the TV side. I say this because after watching a random Texas Rangers broadcast the other night, it just deepened my appreciation for the broadcasts on SNY. 

It's tough to blend your knowledge about the game and what's happening on the field with some humor in the broadcast. As Mets fans, we are spoiled, and let’s not forget to show some love to the broadcast booth from time to time; after all, we invite them into our homes each spring through fall.

 

The big question for this week is whether Monday’s offensive output will be the norm for the rest of the week. My prediction is that Monday's slugfest will be the start of the offense clicking, which it should be against a team like the Marlins. 

You need to pick up your early-season wins now because everyone knows how priceless they become in September. Kodai Senga will take the mound today in his season debut for the Mets, and here’s to him locking down the Marlins' offense and for the Mets to start another slugfest down in Miami. LGM