Paul Articulates – What about the defense?

If you have your ear to the many media outlets talking about the build-up of the New York Mets, you have probably heard many times how they “need another bat”, need to address the DH position, need another outfielder that can hit with power, etc.  You have heard praise for Pete’s power; Jeff’s batting proficiency, Nimmo’s OBP, and many other offensive statistics.  Pitching was paramount in the media buzz as the Mets dug out of a deep free agency hole to build a powerful staff from starters to the “best closer in baseball”.  And their defense – you heard…crickets?

It is time to talk about the Mets fielding capability, as spring training is right around the corner.  Is this an issue to address in spring training other than to run the usual infield practice, outfield fungoes, and cutoff drills?  I took a look at the defensive stats, and I will share it with you here.

The number one objective of the defense should be to limit runs scored against your team.  This gives you the best chance at scoring more against the opponent – which directly translates to WINS!  Last year the Mets ranked second in the National league in runs against, allowing only 3.74 runs per game.  That includes everything:  earned runs, un-earned runs, and runs in their stockings.  Only the Dodgers fared better.  To succeed in this statistic, a team needs both great pitching and strong defense.   We know the Mets had a great staff last year with two of the top pitchers in baseball.  As a team, their 3.57 ERA was third in the NL behind the Dodgers and Braves.  Slice it how you want: ERA+, FIP, WHIP, it was Dodgers, Mets, Braves or Dodgers, Braves Mets.  The consensus is that the 2023 Mets’ staff is just as good as the 2022 staff.  So will we be among the league leaders in fewest runs scored again?  Let’s look at the defensive stats and the contribution of the players.

A traditional metric for fielding effectiveness is fielding percentage, which is the ratio of Putouts + Assists to the number of chances.  The 2022 Mets were tied for second in the NL with a Fld% of .988, one thousandth of a point behind the St. Louis Cardinals.  That is pretty good in my book.  It has already been established that the pitching staff was good at limiting chances, and when opposing hitters did put the ball in play, the Mets defenders put them out as well as any other team.

Advanced metrics seem to put a different spin on things.  Baseball Reference uses a statistic called “Rdrs” which compares total Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) to the league average.  In this stat, the Mets actually came in just above the NL average (10) with a score of 11.  The Dodgers and Cardinals were well above that with scores of 84 and 70, respectively.  The weaknesses appear to be at third and first base in those advanced stats.  Eduardo Escobar posted a -11 DRS and a -7 OAA (Outs Above Average) at the hot corner, which implies issues with range.  Escobar also posted a .958 fielding percentage which is well below expectations at the position.  Pete Alonso had a -2 DRS and -7 OAA so despite his hard work at improving his defensive skills it looks like he still has a way to go.  I don’t see Pete getting a serious challenge for the first base position, but Escobar will have his hands full with a hungry Brett Baty.  Baty does not come up with a reputation for a great glove, but from what I saw in several AA games, the kid does have range.  The spring training battle for starting third basemen should be among the most competitive.  Don’t forget about Luis Guillorme, who as a utility infielder may have the best glove on the Mets roster – he may give Buck Showalter plenty to think about.

The Mets outfield has good speed and defensive ability.   Brandon Nimmo has steadily improved his outfield defense over the years, and a healthy Starling Marte will be a plus for the team in right.  Mark Canha went errorless last year in left field, has the ability to play center in a pinch, and gets far less credit for his fielding prowess than deserved.  Tommy Pham has been added as a fourth outfielder but that is more for his bat than his glove.  Don’t forget that versatile Jeff McNeil can play the outfield corners as well as anyone.

Behind the plate the Mets are in good shape.  Narvaez is a former AL all-star and Tomas Nido has a gold glove in his trophy case.  They will both be working to mentor Fernando Alvarez on the position.  Alvarez has often been reviewed as “not ready” on defense but sports a bat worth watching.  Alvarez has a gun for an arm and should be able to become a very capable defensive catcher with some tips on managing the pitching staff and framing pitches in the last few years before robot umpires obsolete that skill.

 So what about that defense?  I think the Mets will be very sound this year, and with the intense competition at third and behind the plate you can expect the best from all involved.  This should be an exciting year with strong pitching and defense to complement an improved lineup.  Let’s go Mets!