YOU SCORE MORE, YOU WIN MORE
Several weeks ago, the Mets were dead last in scoring, both due to having played less games than any other team (due to the opening weekend cancellation, and the repeated weather cancellations) and due to scoring fewer runs per game than ANY OTHER TEAM.
They were reeling. They were in trouble. Things to me looked bad.
After all, they smoke-and-mirrored their way to 7-4, but then lost 7 of 9, scoring 1 or fewer in 5 of those 9 games.
Part of the malaise was due to Lindor and McCann suffering hitter's frost bite. Both have healed and thawed and are now playing great.
Part of the malaise was due to the only 3 early high-functioning hitters (Nimmo, Davis, and Guillorme) all missing several weeks with injuries.
Part of the malaise was due to McNeil and Conforto both pulling up lame for extended periods when they were finally heating up at the plate.
But, overlaid on that, was the trio of outfielders - Almora, Maybin, and Lee - going a combined 3 for 67 with zilch run production. The team needed a life preserver, and got thrown an anchor.
Despite still missing McNeil (due back very soon), Conforto (due back almost as soon), and Nimmo (possibly not too far off), recently pieces like Pillar, Villar, Peraza, McKinney and Williams have truly been offensive life savers. Good defensively, too.
This cavalry unit has allowed the Mets to pass 4 or 5 teams in runs scored per game. The pitching has been great, but without improved hitting, they would not have won 25 of their last 39.
One reason they have not made up more ground in overall team scoring is ... when you win at home, you usually only get up 8 innings, not 9. Which is an acceptable trade-off to me; I like my team being in first place. And the Mets are 19-6 at home, after another Mets home gem last night..
The offense is about to get better (perhaps much better) as the McNeil-Conforto-Nimmo trifecta return.
The question then becomes: do you bring back rehabbing Almora even though he is not hitting, and exile a Williams or McKinney (likely Williams) to AAA?
Or do you let the offense ROCK - while still having overall much better team defense than in 2020?
I go with the offense here - keep Williams, at least until the trifecta returns, and let Almora hit his way back to the big leagues. I know, I know, Almora had a single in AAA last night.
Anyway, I think pitchers can relax a bit when their team is scoring for them. Relaxed pitchers feel like they have some margin for error.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case. Please take offense.
3 comments:
We had this debate about catchers before and I strongly disagreed then and still do now.
You say that pitchers prefer the offensive unit on the field.
I think it's the opposite. They like the gloves. They want to throw to a great defensive catcher. They want an infield that can make the plays.
Last night, 5th inning, 2-2 score, Villar makes a sensational play to keep the leadoff batter off base. Changes the entire inning. Walker doesn't have to pitch off the stretch, doesn't have to worry about holding a guy on, etc.
I feel very confident in saying that 90% of pitchers, if not higher, would choose the glove over the bat.
The injuries, it turned out, worked in the Mets favor. The defense got much better across the board. What would Stroman's ERA be if it was the old team on the field?
Yes, we'd score more. But now we score enough and we are adding bats into the mix. But it should not be at the cost of overall defense. They need to strike a balance.
If you've been watching -- and if your mind is open -- you have to see that quality defense has meant to this team.
That play in 9th: Pillar to Guillorme to McCann. They caught the guy by two inches and played it uniformly perfectly.
Pitchers want to put up zeros. Defense is everything to them.
Jimmy
Jimmy, defense has been a stellar positive. Villar was great, Pillar/Guillorme likewise. But if it is Almora vs. McKinney...
Funny, if Guillorme throwing out Marisnick was in an old western, Guillorme could have blown the smoke away from the gun barrel. Luis the Kid.
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