Paul Articulates - How about that D?

The regular season has started, and although the Mets pitching was solid, the bats did not make the trip to Houston.  Hopefully they can be forwarded to Miami for today's game.  It is not a disaster to go 1-2 against a perennial playoff team like the Astros, but if you don't hit in Miami there will be unhappiness in Gotham City!

So since we have nothing to say about the hitting other than Juan Soto's .333 average and towering game 2 home run, and the pitching has been proficiently addressed by my colleagues on this site, let's talk about the defense.

This year's defense may be a little weaker than last year's but should be adequate.  

Mark Vientos begins a second year starting at third and looks to improve his defensive range and fielding acumen.  So far, so good as he turned in three games without an error on 11 chances which included 10 assists and one put-out.  He doesn't have to be Nolan Arenado at the hot corner, just hold his own on plays that MLB third basemen are expected to make - he has done just that.  

On the other corner, Pete Alonso continues to show a scooping skill that Ben & Jerry would be proud of.  He has made several lunging saves of balls destined for the first base dugout.  Keep it up, Pete - 19 total chances with no miscues.  Lindor will be his usual stellar self in the infield, adding strong leadership and a solid glove.

At second base, with steady Jeff McNeil sidelined due to injury, there is a platoon underway with LuisAngel Acuna starting against lefties and Brett Baty starting against righties.  

On the surface, one would expect Acuna to excel in this role, as he has great quickness and soft hands.  However, he suffered some first game jitters, throwing away a potential double play relay for a costly error in a close game.  His next attempt was also pretty shaky, bailed out by scoop dog Pete Alonso.  

Meanwhile, Baty played the position like he has done it before.  He has, but only in some spring training games and backfield drills.  Of course, it is early in the season and things have a way of leveling out over time.  My guess is that Acuna will begin to show some real skill there, as he did with a diving stop & throw and a nifty pick of a tough hop ball to his left that get you DRS credit.

The outfield has some above average fielders in all positions, and one could argue that Siri has shown exceptional ability in past seasons with the Rays.  The big stand-out play by an outfielder in the first series was not on the grass, but on the base paths.  

Siri deftly timed the throw on a ground ball to the pitcher into a run scoring play by sprinting down the line ahead of the return throw from Houston's first baseman.  It was one of those plays that both speed and timing needed to be present to succeed and Jose did just that.  

It was really nice to see that kind of aggressiveness on the base paths this early in the season.  

Three games into the 2025 season, the Mets only have one error on Acuna's rushed relay throw.  As a team, they have produced a .990 fielding percentage which puts them in the middle of the pack.  So with adequate defense, some noteworthy pitching, and a strong lineup that hasn't hit stride yet the Mets pack the potential to do well this season.  

I expect things to improve after the Marlins series, and from there it is a series against the Blue Jays, the Marlins again, and a swing through Sutter Health Park in Sacramento - the temporary home of the team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics.  

It will be strange to see baseball in Sacramento.  Except for the time change, I don't expect the Mets to be at a disadvantage in this ballpark because it will feel like an away game for both teams.

I will be watching the Mets' defense intently during this early season stretch. It should be a key indicator of how well they can supplement their pitching staff to scratch out some wins that will be important during the playoff chase against a stacked NL East division.