5/16/21

Tom Brennan - HOW BRUTALLY BAD IS THE METS' OFFENSE? HERE'S MY RANT

Average Mets' Fan Reaction to Their Offensive Offense


AWFUL...AWFUL...AWFUL...AWFUL

In case you haven't noticed, the Mets don't score much.  

In part, because they don't hit much.

We all want to be positive.  I sure do.

"The breakout is right around the corner, right?"  

But I've said that for a month.  

What breakthrough?  

Pimples break through faster.

Of all the hitters, Pete Alonso has done OK, but has just 6 HRs and 18 RBIs in 33 games, a sub par pace for him based on his first 2 seasons.

Dom Smith was an extra base hit machine in 2020.  This year, just 7 extra base hits (XBH) in 31 games and a .351 slug %.

Conforto, who wants hundreds of millions, had a deceptively strong season in 2020 as he led the majors in BABIP by a wide margin.  Last year, it was .412.  This year, plummeted to .289.  He has just 8 XBH in 32 games, and a paltry .339 slug %.  Put the checkbook away.  

Lindor?  The guy who had more than 80 XBH in a season twice has just 5 in 32 games, and a .291 slug %.  In the back of my mind, I have this sneaking suspicion that if he were playing for the Astros or Red Sox, he'd be tearing things up offensively.  Have you felt like that?

McNeil? 7 XBH in 30 games, and a .367 slug.  He hits right at people too much - must be a 2021 thing.

McCann?  Astonishingly, just ONE XBH in 27 games.  

One has to ask oneself, how is that possible?  There are a bunch of major leaguers with over 20 XBH already.  THE MAN HAS NO DOUBLES!!!  Lowest qualified major leaguer other than him has 2.    

Ex-Mets minor leaguer Branden Kaupe, who had just 4 doubles in 600 plate appearances, feels his pain.

McCann himself had a fine 55 XBH in 536 AB the last two seasons, so this season is a bewildering plunge for him. Not to be repetitive, but I have this sneaking suspicion that if he were playing for the Astros or Red Sox, he'd be tearing things up offensively.  Have you felt like that?

Jarred Kelenic, BTW, is 3 for 13 in his nascent MLB career, all for extra bases, in 3 games.  

Oh, and McCann slug %? .239.  A slug has a higher slugging % than that.

Almora? 1 for 21, a single.  Is Keon Broxton still available?  At least he hit .143 as a Met.  Not to be repetitive, but I have this sneaking suspicion that if Almora were playing for the Astros or Red Sox, he'd be tearing things up offensively.  Have you felt like that?

Pillar, just 5 XBH in 75 at bats.

Lindor, McNeil, McCann, Almora, and Pillar combined have a mere 30 RBIs in 403 at bats.  But wait...six major leaguers individually have 30 or more RBIs (hint: none are Mets).

If it wasn't for the combined .460+ on base % of Nimmo, Davis, deGrom, and Gullorme, what would this team's stats look like offensively?  

Answer?  

Beyond Brutal.

And let's not forget Peraza's and Mazeika's robust 8 RBIs in 24 at bats, helping them not be any further behind the second to last team in scoring than they already are - which is 19 runs less than the 29th team in scoring.  

What would they look like without those 6 guys?  

Way Beyond Awful.

The Mets have 68 extra base hits.  Two other teams have 78 DOUBLES.  One team has 58 HOMERS.

This team feels a lot like the impotent 1968 Mets, that hit .228/.281/.315.   But then there was a 15 inch mound to contend with.  This yea , so far? .236/.324/.352.  Better than the dreaded 1968, but not by much.

They have not scored more than 8 runs in any of their 33 games this year (and 8 just twice, meaning 31 of 33 games with 7 or less runs) - I wonder if that "not scoring 9 or more at least once in a 33 game stretch" thing is a major league record for offensive futility?

Worst scoring offense in baseball.  Hitting like a bunch of zombies.   Is there a zombie wake up call that's needed, or something?  I saw in World War Z where the zombies went dormant.  Maybe that's it.

I never would have thought it was even remotely possible when spring training started.  

I actually deluded myself to think this Mets team might turn out to be their best offensive team ever.  

This cockeyed optimist got a dose of reality, for sure.

Somebody wake me up from this nightmare. 

The hitters have fallen down, and they can't get up.

But not to worry - help is a phone call away.  Syracuse and Binghamton are stocked, right?  

Oh, I'm sorry, I just checked...they're 2-19.  OK, put the phone down.   

Not to be repetitive, but I have this sneaking suspicion that if those two teams were playing for the Astros or Red Sox, they'd be tearing things up.  Have you felt like that?

HELP!  

SOMEBODY, PLEASE! 

HELP THESE POOR HELPLESS METS HITTERS! 

PLEASE! 


7 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I guess I’m prophetic...and Mets’ bats are pathetic.

Gary Seagren said...

EMBARRASSING plain and simple. I just wonder how Stevie is feeling about all this. Lindor and McCann have been horrible and when you think we have 3 times the payroll to get this performance. I don't think Cohen will let this ride alot longer and with our arch nemesis on the horizon things better change fast. The Rays use the formula of great pitching, defense and timely hitting wow and all for what 66 million now that's the team we should emulate as their ROI is amazing.

Tom Brennan said...

Gary, I posted on Facebook that McCann has ONE extra base hit. Several respondents talked about his great defense. A dodge...McCann is LAST in the MLB in extra base hits! The Mets are dead last in scoring. Now guys are getting injured in bunches. Zunino had EIGHT homers before today. Yes, so far the Lindor and McCann signing gets rated F due to drastically below expected offense.

I lived thru anemic years of Mets’ offense, like Koosman pitching for the Mets over 15 seasons, and the Mets, despite not having to face a great pitcher like Kooz, were in the second HALF of the NL in offense every year. All 15.

I’d take 2020’s bad team but solid offense over this gosh-awful offense. Maybe that’s only me. This franchise seems cursed when it come to offense.

Cohen has to be wondering...

Gary Seagren said...

Can't Steve just buy the Rays? A "Ray" of hope can't hurt.

Tom Brennan said...

Rays play up to expectations.

John From Albany said...

If only the Mets had a manager that stressed hitting against the shift, aggressive base running, putting the ball in play with 2 strikes and runners in scoring position, solid fundamental play and defense...I bet if they gave the guy a chance at managing that way he'd win a championship someplace...wait they did...Edgardo Alfonzo managed that way in Brooklyn in 2019...won a championship...and was fired right after the season.

Remember1969 said...

Unfortunately, you're preaching to the wrong congregation :-( That would be the best move they could make at this point.