So you want to make the playoffs, right?
I mean, you REALLY want to make the playoffs, right?
If so, are you worried about hurting guys' feelings by asking them to sit? Not me. You know what time it is?
Hit, or sit.
After all, this team is under .500 so far in part because of hitting failures. So who plays, who sits?
One such dilemma involves Andres Gimenez, Luis Guillorme, Todd Frazier, and Amed Rosario.
Four guys for 2 spots.
Through Saturday (unless otherwise noted):
Luis had been up about 50 times, hitting .390 with a .469 OBP. Great glove, little power. Then he gets a 2 run pinch double on Sunday. Wow.
Todd Frazier is 3 for 13 and a HBP as a Met. For the year, .240/.319/.405. Solid glove, decent power.
Todd so far is getting the nod since his return, sending Luis' hot bat to the bench.
Right call? I wonder.
Not an easy call. Luis has been looking a lot like Wally Backman to me.
Meanwhile, Andres Gimenez is flashing the leather he is reputed to be able to flash, much to the delight of Mets' fans, and the rookie has been up 80 times and gone .288/.388/.397 while going 7 for 7 in steals to boot. Terrific. Another great game Sunday, too.
The season-starting SS, Rosario, has great speed, but curiously in 111 plate appearances is an inexcusable 0 for 1 in steals, and despite a recent uptick during which he broke a roughly 45 game walk-less streak with back-to-back games with walks, has hit just .229/.243/.349, and not-as-good D.
Seems that decision is simpler:
If you want to make the playoffs, start the lefty hitting Gimenez either every day, or at least against righty starters. Ultimately, play the hot hand here. Right now, that's Gimenez.
Now, on to a tough one:
Pete Alonso (.210/.321/.406, 22 RBIs in 38 games). Sub-Duda numbers. Spotty fielding, and a big offensive slide down from 2019's prodigious season. Hey, then he hits 2 HRs and another base knock Sunday and suddenly (as swiftly as a 120 MPH Statcast homer) he has 4 dingers in 4 games.
You do have Dom Smith, of course, to play first base. The guy who, despite a little cooling off, was hitting .308 with 28 ribbies in 108 at bats and a great 1B glove. Then had 4 hits, including 3 doubles, on Sunday and 3 more ribbies. SMITTY GOTTA PLAY EVERY DAY UNTIL HIS TORRID BAT GOES AWAY. That, of course, could be in 2032.
I think that if there was no DH this season, the decision of how often to play Pete would be really tough. But I think you play both almost daily, and only bench Pete if he continues to sputter. And it sure looks like the long, harsh winter for Pete may be moving into a heat wave.
Moving on:
Robinson Chirinos was hitting miserably pre-Mets in 2020, but through Saturday's game, was 2 for 6 as a Met.
And he did, in 726 at bats in 2018 and 2019 put up 37 doubles, 35 HRs, 123 RBIs and 91 walks, good for a commendable .343 OBP. Now that is more than a season-full worth of ABs, that's true, but it shows he has recently been very productive pre-2020.
Of course, his career 25% caught stealing % ain't purty, but then neither is Wilson Ramos.
Willie Ray has not found 2020 to his liking, hitting .228/.295/.317 in 32 games. And he has thrown out just 21 out of 131 this year and last, which makes Chirinos look like Jerry Grote by comparison. And his 2018/19 OBP is .355, hardly better than Chirinos. He did hit a homer off a scrub reliever Sunday - AFTER FANNING 4 TIMES.
Me? I go with the hot hand. The Buffalo has not gotten it done so far in 2020. Two Robinsons in the line up may be better than one.
What about Nido? Nah - take a hard look at the Chirinos numbers for 2018 and 2019, and you have to give him a real chance to play. I only go with Nido if Chirinos stops hitting.
Lastly, a week ago, I might have thrown Jeff McNeil into this play-or-sit mix, but he has resumed being the Jeff McNeil we all know, hitting .379 with doubles galore in his last 7 games. (And a great Sunday, with his first HR). He's hot - so he's gotta play.
Your calls, folks?
Remember:
Playoffs or bust.
And pouting is for sissies.
9 comments:
Frazier is pointless on the team. But I do realize team is full of lefties so if they sneak into lineups against a lefty it's not awful.
Ernest, true about lefty-righty on Frazier. I would be happy to use Frazier against lefties. Get Guillorme in there.
Frazier 2020, though, could be Kelly Johnson 2015.
Is Ramos on the verge of # 2?
Rosario better get a tweezer for splinters.
Release Frazier.
Keep the bats.
Two days ago, Luis Rojas in the postgame presser gushed about Chirinos’ game calling. Have you ever heard him mention Ramos’ game calling?
Rosario is too talented to let waste, but he needs to get the message that nothing will be given to him and he needs to put in the mental work that he never has done before. He may have the speed to be CF but does he have the instincts? I still am not ready to push all my chips into the middle of the table on Giminez.
Gus, this is the 8th year of Rosario’s pro career. Time for him to wake up and do the work. Way past the time.
Love those Frazier bats, Mack. In the right hands, they work wonders.
How come the relatively ineffective Davis gets a pass. 13 RBI's simply does not cut it. Ramos plays every day no matter how poor his production. Rosario sits while other non-productive play Remember his last start 3 hits & 3 RBI's.
Ramos is in there for his bat, which was at the top of all ML Catchers last year.
Not so this year. He's losing his chance to get his '21 option picked up.
Bill, more than any position, catchers wear out and lose it.
I agree with you that Davis, Rds 900, has slipped too. But still not too bad, and Smith has elbowed his way to the front of the At Bats Buffet. So JD is squeezed out a bit.
Also, I am proud of Smith’s conditioning. Night and day better than when he debuted a few years ago.
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