Reese Kaplan -- How to Fix a First Place Team

Trying to figure out exactly what is wrong with the Mets (who despite it all remain in first place in the NL East) requires a lot of thinking, debate, passion and copious amounts of adult beverage consumption.  

Health

We can go on and on about the incredible number of injuries the Mets have faced.  Some of it is simply bad luck, some of it is poor training practices and some of it is poor analysis of medical conditions when they arise.  

Pitching

Without going into the specifics of who is ailing, who is healing and who is done for the year, the fact remains that the pitchers have been spectacular on some days, batting practice capable on other days and unable to find home plate on way too many occasions.

Hitting

It’s alarming to look at the Mets lineup day after day and realize that a player who achieves a .250 average is likely cleanup material for the Mets.  Now some are quick to point to the change in the baseball composition affecting not only the Mets but others across the leagues, yet you see certain players hitting home runs with ease and driving in baserunners as if it was the easiest thing in the world to accomplish.  Now some of the players are obviously having slumps or adjustment periods or are not yet healthy enough to play as they once did.  The fact is that a 1-0 deficit in a game is starting to look like an insurmountable lead by the opposition.  

Small Ball

While Earl Weaver lived and died by the three-run homer, the fact is that there are many other ways to score runs if you are not suiting up for the Mets.  There’s hitting behind the runner, stealing bases, bunting, taking walks and hitting against the shift.  It seems that these fundamentals that kids are taught in Little League are long forgotten by the time they don the orange and blue.  

Management

While many folks are tickled pink that Mickey Callaway is gone, the fact is that Luis Rojas hasn’t done much in the way of strategic thinking.  He has not varied the lineup more than was medically necessary and isn’t impressing upon the great many unproductive players what they need to do to change their approach.  First Chili Davis got the axe for not getting players to hit the way they once did, yet it was this very same Davis who was doing well during 2019 and 2020.  Acting GM Zack Scott was not impressed with his way of preparing hitters for the games and he was dismissed for the unknown Hugh Quattlebaum who was initially assigned to guide the minor leaguers.  Aside from being 18 years younger than Davis, not much has changed.  

Roster 

Too often during this 2021 season the Mets roster has resembled the scrap heap picking approach used unsuccessfully in the recent past by others in charge of the front office negotiations.  Right now with the trade deadline approaching at the end of this month the fans and media are all anxious to see the Mets take a more aggressive hunt for established players who can propel them forward.  Some of the rumored activity for pitchers is commendable but others like the 35 year old Josh Donaldson and his $63 million salary obligation over this year, 2022 and 2023 for Jeff McNeil plus prime prospects seems a bit panicky rather than astute.  Donaldson is indeed a power hitting third baseman who has had a very nice career, but folks seldom do their best as they approach age 40.  

The Solution

Frankly, I don’t have one.  I’d like to see the Mets preserve their future minor leaguers for promotion through the system to complement players acquired in trades and free agency.  I don’t want to see them giving away a future star for an over-the-hill player with some name recognition and a salary commitment that potentially exceeds his abilities.  I’d like to see what some of the younger yet veteran players the Mets have when offered up in exchange for quality players who will be around longer than just the remainder of this year.