Yesterday’s lineup for Game 2 of the twinbill was close to what the Mets should be doing more often. If Nimmo wants to be a table setter again, it will work. If he wants to swing for the fences early and often, he and McNeil should switch. McNeil has a better OBP and will take more walks. About time they realized it’s not 2024 anymore and took Lindor out of the #1 spot.
Now to discuss the bottom of the lineup…. puke…. Taylor at #6 was an insult, but speaks to the reality of what is left. Torrens or Mauricio have the most upside while Baty can show spurts of success. Alvarez is waking up at AAA, and Drew Gilbert is starting to awaken. Neither one is ready for prime time. Luckily, Winker is close - and for me to say that as a Winker detractor speaks to the problems of the last four spots in the lineup.
Gilbert started to awaken once before, and it lasted only a few weeks before he slumped again. Let's see how long it lasts this time. And when he cools off, does he cool off to normal levels, or to slump levels again? That is the real gauge of minor league success.
Lindor, Alonso, Diaz and Soto are stasticly deserving to go to the All-Star. When I looked at Diaz stats , especially ERA, fWAR K/9 , saves and FIP , I'm so glad that he is their closer and one of this best closers. Alonso is slumping but his first half was still superior to the competition. Soto quietly is having a very good year and when he breakout of his RISP slump, he'll have a MVP type season. Lindor is the leader of this team and is an All-Star shortstop.
So Blade Tidwell has pitched in 4 games this year for the Mets. In the game against Pittsburgh he came on in relief and gave up a 3 run HR in his only inning. In his other 3 outings (2 starts and then as the bulk innings guy last night) he's been pretty good for the first 2 or 3 innings. In his first start against the Cardinals he gave up 2 runs in the first 3 innings and then got bombed for 4 in the 4th. Against the Phillies he pitched 3 scoreless and then gave up 2 in the 4th. Similar story last night, with 4 scoreless before giving up a couple of bombs in his 5th inning. Seems like Mendoza keeps him in an inning too long. Now while I realize you wouldn't expect the manager to pull his starter after 3 scoreless, it seems to me that Tidwell may be better suited as a multi-inning reliever. This is a small sample size for sure, but he's struggled the further he's gone into games, and outside of the Pittsburgh game, has been pretty good in his first few innings.
I think he may be better suited to relief and maybe in a role similar to what Kranick was in before he got hurt. I'd love to see how he'd do as a 5th or 6th inning guy and kept to 2 innings most of the time.
I think Lindor and Alonso make it. Soto, maybe, Diaz, maybe not. Its the age old problem of having to have one player from each team on the roster that could knock out our deserving players. Looking forward to the pitching reinforcements. Everyone is right, the bottom of our lineup is not good. I am not a Winker fan. Cant really expect much from him. So, when our top four are cold, we are not going to score a lot of runs. Blackburn and Tidwell, they both need to go. If an acquisition at the deadline doesnt doesnt move the needle, then I dont want them. Lets see what Stearns can pull off.
Clearly Lindor is deserving of his AS selection and a case can be made for Alonso and Diaz to be selected as well. That might bump Soto out of the running but with 20 HR and an OPS of .895 he would be a good reserve. Its' not hard to believe Acuna, Jr. got voted in based on the kind of player he is and not based on his 2025 stats that are good, but reflect a player who had been out for a long stretch to start the season. Thought they might give Mendoza a coaching role at the game based on how well the team did last year, but it's not going to happen. A month ago the Mets had a cast of starting pitchers who might have been considered, but going 4-14 knocked those chances to nil.
Need Peterson to win tonight and split the series with the Brewers. They have a tough three game series at home next against the Yankees and have to face Rodon and Fried. They better have their hitting shoes on as no one likes to lose to the Yankees.
Yesterday’s lineup for Game 2 of the twinbill was close to what the Mets should be doing more often. If Nimmo wants to be a table setter again, it will work. If he wants to swing for the fences early and often, he and McNeil should switch. McNeil has a better OBP and will take more walks. About time they realized it’s not 2024 anymore and took Lindor out of the #1 spot.
Now to discuss the bottom of the lineup…. puke…. Taylor at #6 was an insult, but speaks to the reality of what is left. Torrens or Mauricio have the most upside while Baty can show spurts of success. Alvarez is waking up at AAA, and Drew Gilbert is starting to awaken. Neither one is ready for prime time. Luckily, Winker is close - and for me to say that as a Winker detractor speaks to the problems of the last four spots in the lineup.
Gilbert started to awaken once before, and it lasted only a few weeks before he slumped again. Let's see how long it lasts this time. And when he cools off, does he cool off to normal levels, or to slump levels again? That is the real gauge of minor league success.
Lindor, Alonso, Diaz and Soto are stasticly deserving to go to the All-Star. When I looked at Diaz stats , especially ERA, fWAR K/9 , saves and FIP , I'm so glad that he is their closer and one of this best closers. Alonso is slumping but his first half was still superior to the competition. Soto quietly is having a very good year and when he breakout of his RISP slump, he'll have a MVP type season. Lindor is the leader of this team and is an All-Star shortstop.
So Blade Tidwell has pitched in 4 games this year for the Mets. In the game against Pittsburgh he came on in relief and gave up a 3 run HR in his only inning. In his other 3 outings (2 starts and then as the bulk innings guy last night) he's been pretty good for the first 2 or 3 innings. In his first start against the Cardinals he gave up 2 runs in the first 3 innings and then got bombed for 4 in the 4th. Against the Phillies he pitched 3 scoreless and then gave up 2 in the 4th. Similar story last night, with 4 scoreless before giving up a couple of bombs in his 5th inning. Seems like Mendoza keeps him in an inning too long. Now while I realize you wouldn't expect the manager to pull his starter after 3 scoreless, it seems to me that Tidwell may be better suited as a multi-inning reliever. This is a small sample size for sure, but he's struggled the further he's gone into games, and outside of the Pittsburgh game, has been pretty good in his first few innings.
I think he may be better suited to relief and maybe in a role similar to what Kranick was in before he got hurt. I'd love to see how he'd do as a 5th or 6th inning guy and kept to 2 innings most of the time.
I think Lindor and Alonso make it. Soto, maybe, Diaz, maybe not. Its the age old problem of having to have one player from each team on the roster that could knock out our deserving players. Looking forward to the pitching reinforcements. Everyone is right, the bottom of our lineup is not good. I am not a Winker fan. Cant really expect much from him. So, when our top four are cold, we are not going to score a lot of runs. Blackburn and Tidwell, they both need to go. If an acquisition at the deadline doesnt doesnt move the needle, then I dont want them. Lets see what Stearns can pull off.
Clearly Lindor is deserving of his AS selection and a case can be made for Alonso and Diaz to be selected as well. That might bump Soto out of the running but with 20 HR and an OPS of .895 he would be a good reserve. Its' not hard to believe Acuna, Jr. got voted in based on the kind of player he is and not based on his 2025 stats that are good, but reflect a player who had been out for a long stretch to start the season. Thought they might give Mendoza a coaching role at the game based on how well the team did last year, but it's not going to happen. A month ago the Mets had a cast of starting pitchers who might have been considered, but going 4-14 knocked those chances to nil.
Need Peterson to win tonight and split the series with the Brewers. They have a tough three game series at home next against the Yankees and have to face Rodon and Fried. They better have their hitting shoes on as no one likes to lose to the Yankees.