Baty is making the most of his opportunity! Where are the hitting coaches and video review to get Pete back to how he was swinging just a short while ago? Why is that such a difficult concept and not just a quick fix. Like most sports it's about repetition and doing what works. Any time you can beat Skenes of Pittsburgh you are having a good week. Clay Holmes for the sweep and with the next nine games coming up, a win today is attainable and should be done. Knicks look to close out the Celtics and make the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Will welcome a series against the Pacers versus trying to beat a Cavs team that killed them all season long!
Trivia: On this day in 1968, Nolan Ryan struck out 14 Reds to set a team record that has certainly been broken since then.
Can someone answer me this: how does a professional baseball player go into the field, let’s say at a position called the “hot corner” using a glove where a ball has any chance whatsoever to literally go through the webbing? SMH.
I got a suggestion Vientos, use a glove where a ball cannot possibly get through. Im pretty sure they make gloves like that these days.
Maybe Swaggy V should be more concerned with having a glove without literal holes in it and less concerned about how cool it looks.
I'm upset that it happened at all and even more disappointed that it was ruled a hit. As is often the case, there's nothing directly in the rule book covering this particular situation. Maybe it falls under a mental miscue for using a glove with holes in it. It just seems to me that Vientos was in position to make the play, didn't make the play and should be charged with an error as nothing occurred that was outside of his control, like a bad hop or the sun being in his eyes.
to his credit, Vientos was asked if Baty performing well meant he would shift to more of a full time DH role, if he'd be ok with that and his response was very un-Devers-like: absolutely!
I think Pete got squeezed a few times last week on called 3rd strikes which forced him to expand his zone a little bit rather than stick to his approach
I agree with this. After Pete got called out last week on a pitch off the corner, I wrote that ABS would probably be best for the offense than the defense and baseball needs offense. Alonso also had a pitch seemingly off the plate go against him on Monday, I believe.
yeah watching the games this season I think ABS would be wonderful. I think it would be used somewhere between 4-5 times a game in crucial moments only.
There has been a lot of talk about the Mets having tradeable assets once Sean Manaea is back but I'm wondering (beyond maybe a reliever) where the immediate need would be. My first impulse was to look at centerfield, but I don't know that it's that big of an issue with Jose Siri recovering and Drew Gilbert looking good enough to be a platoon partner by year's end. With Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty and Jeff McNeil all contributing reasonably well I'm not exactly sure who are targets are.
What would that package be though? Luis Robert Jr. is mired in a down year after a down year and he's not exactly "cheap" anymore as there would be two $20 Mil club options after this year.
He's got high end value but what's the realistic package to bring him to Queens?
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore would be my target to play Centerfield. He is a free agent at the end of the year. He would be a rental or possibly more. Baltimore isn't going anywhere this year.
Please, Just say No to Luis Robert Jr. Even the guy's 'good' year was not good. The guy is more hype than player. We tried this story with Siri and didn't fix his warts, why would story #2 end any better?
So glad to see all the comments about Vientos' glove. The most astonishing thing was that he did not replace it. Also, in the off season I wanted Cody Bellinger or Robert Jr to play CF. Bellinger is hitting .229 with a .686 OPS and Robert Jr is hitting .179 with a .597 OPS. I am not a Jose Azocar fan but even he is hitting .294 with an OPS of .627. Glad they saved the money. Do we think that Nimmo's feet are just too sore to sometimes play CF and put McNeil in left? Seems this is a spot we can fill as we go. Not every one is going to hit every night.
For any M360 denizens who also are NYT crossword fans, Pete Alonso makes his debut in today’s puzzle. “Mets,” “Shea,” and “Citi” are fairly common answers but I don’t recall ever seeing a player.
This is a follow up which attempts to address the fact that from game #24 to game #42, essentially all of Alonso's stats get worse, yet his BABIP remains constant
I will present the data as follows:
stat: first 24--->next 18
I need to emphasize that both columns are projections: the left column is the 2025 season projection based on the first 24 games, and the right column is the 2025 season projection based on games 25 though 42
H: 204--->169
2B: 67--->48
HR: 45--->32
BB: 86--->108
TB: 416--->309
RBI: 168--->132
SO: 100--->197
BA: 349--->279
OBP: 452--->398
SLG: 698--->514
OPS: 1150--->919
BABIP: 377--->372
The walk stat is encouraging, but the way PA's strikeout projection essentially doubles is alarming
To try to explain BABIP, let's look at the formula I used, which I obtained from BR
BABIP = (H - HR) / (AB - HR - SF - SO)
Observe that HR appears in both the numerator and denominator
All other factors constant, what is the effect of walks on BABIP?
Well, the only factor in the formula which would change is the number of at bats. More walks means fewer at bats, therefore the denominator gets smaller, so BABIP is elevated by increasing walks
Please be aware that in the previous sentence, I'd be justified in repeating the statement "with all other factors constant" multiple times. This is so because to effectively investigate the effect of walks on the formula, I must isolate this walks from all other factors
Thus, the fact that PA's walk projection increases leads to a higher BABIP
However, the overwhelming factor is strikeouts. If you increase strikeouts, again with all else held constant, the fact that you're subtracting an increasing number from the denominator means that the overall fraction is increasing
Apparently, the huge jump in projected strikeouts is the reason PA's 2025 season projected BABIP drops only 5 points from 377 to 372.
So, what the hell is BABIP measuring? All of PA's projections get somewhat worse from first 24 to next 18, except walks, which get measurably better
But strikeout projections go from tolerable to terrible. Yet BABIP see these projections essentially the same
Baty is making the most of his opportunity! Where are the hitting coaches and video review to get Pete back to how he was swinging just a short while ago? Why is that such a difficult concept and not just a quick fix. Like most sports it's about repetition and doing what works. Any time you can beat Skenes of Pittsburgh you are having a good week. Clay Holmes for the sweep and with the next nine games coming up, a win today is attainable and should be done. Knicks look to close out the Celtics and make the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Will welcome a series against the Pacers versus trying to beat a Cavs team that killed them all season long!
Trivia: On this day in 1968, Nolan Ryan struck out 14 Reds to set a team record that has certainly been broken since then.
Can someone answer me this: how does a professional baseball player go into the field, let’s say at a position called the “hot corner” using a glove where a ball has any chance whatsoever to literally go through the webbing? SMH.
I got a suggestion Vientos, use a glove where a ball cannot possibly get through. Im pretty sure they make gloves like that these days.
I agree.
Maybe Swaggy V should be more concerned with having a glove without literal holes in it and less concerned about how cool it looks.
I'm upset that it happened at all and even more disappointed that it was ruled a hit. As is often the case, there's nothing directly in the rule book covering this particular situation. Maybe it falls under a mental miscue for using a glove with holes in it. It just seems to me that Vientos was in position to make the play, didn't make the play and should be charged with an error as nothing occurred that was outside of his control, like a bad hop or the sun being in his eyes.
to his credit, Vientos was asked if Baty performing well meant he would shift to more of a full time DH role, if he'd be ok with that and his response was very un-Devers-like: absolutely!
Holy Mitt Mark get a new glove.
I think Pete got squeezed a few times last week on called 3rd strikes which forced him to expand his zone a little bit rather than stick to his approach
I agree with this. After Pete got called out last week on a pitch off the corner, I wrote that ABS would probably be best for the offense than the defense and baseball needs offense. Alonso also had a pitch seemingly off the plate go against him on Monday, I believe.
yeah watching the games this season I think ABS would be wonderful. I think it would be used somewhere between 4-5 times a game in crucial moments only.
There has been a lot of talk about the Mets having tradeable assets once Sean Manaea is back but I'm wondering (beyond maybe a reliever) where the immediate need would be. My first impulse was to look at centerfield, but I don't know that it's that big of an issue with Jose Siri recovering and Drew Gilbert looking good enough to be a platoon partner by year's end. With Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty and Jeff McNeil all contributing reasonably well I'm not exactly sure who are targets are.
There’s a deep rumor mill about Luis Robert Jr of the Chisox.
What would that package be though? Luis Robert Jr. is mired in a down year after a down year and he's not exactly "cheap" anymore as there would be two $20 Mil club options after this year.
He's got high end value but what's the realistic package to bring him to Queens?
Im guessing Tidwell and some bits and bobs.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/mets-among-teams-to-show-recent-interest-in-luis-robert-jr.html
https://sny.tv/articles/mets-reportedly-checked-in-white-sox-luis-robert-jr
Roberts is having a vad year. Dont want him.
Cedric Mullins, Baltimore would be my target to play Centerfield. He is a free agent at the end of the year. He would be a rental or possibly more. Baltimore isn't going anywhere this year.
Please, Just say No to Luis Robert Jr. Even the guy's 'good' year was not good. The guy is more hype than player. We tried this story with Siri and didn't fix his warts, why would story #2 end any better?
On the Wednesday 4/23/25, I posted - on the basis of his first 24 games - my full season 2025 projections for Alonso
I did a similar computation for his first 42 games - through Monday 5/12/25
I will present the data as follows:
stat: 4/23--->5/12
H: 204--->189
2B: 67--->59
HR: 45--->39
BB: 86--->95
TB: 416--->371
RBI: 168--->141
SO: 100--->140
BA: 349--->318
OBP: 452--->428
SLG: 698--->604
OPS: 1150--->1032
BABIP: 377--->376
All of these changes are to be expected given PA's sputterings lately, as outlined above
In contrast:
Strikeouts jumping from 100 to 140 - Yikes!
Walks from 86 to 95 - interesting and unexpected given his most recent 14:1 SO to BB ratio
But the one which truly has me puzzled is his BABIP change:
.377 to .376... What?
I have to think about what that means
A few notes:
On the post from 4/23, I stated his projected HR total was 43, which was a typo. I meant 45
Also, my BABIPs don't agree exactly with BR for... reasons, some identifiable, other not, but they come pretty close, that is, within around 6 points
Yourekidding
So glad to see all the comments about Vientos' glove. The most astonishing thing was that he did not replace it. Also, in the off season I wanted Cody Bellinger or Robert Jr to play CF. Bellinger is hitting .229 with a .686 OPS and Robert Jr is hitting .179 with a .597 OPS. I am not a Jose Azocar fan but even he is hitting .294 with an OPS of .627. Glad they saved the money. Do we think that Nimmo's feet are just too sore to sometimes play CF and put McNeil in left? Seems this is a spot we can fill as we go. Not every one is going to hit every night.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/mets-mark-vientos-ball-webbing-024000361.html
Right through like it was barely even there
"Tough break" said Mendoza. I say inexcusable choice of glove, especially for a player not exactly known for defense.
Looks like Vientos is playing third base with an outfielders glove.
For any M360 denizens who also are NYT crossword fans, Pete Alonso makes his debut in today’s puzzle. “Mets,” “Shea,” and “Citi” are fairly common answers but I don’t recall ever seeing a player.
This is a follow up which attempts to address the fact that from game #24 to game #42, essentially all of Alonso's stats get worse, yet his BABIP remains constant
I will present the data as follows:
stat: first 24--->next 18
I need to emphasize that both columns are projections: the left column is the 2025 season projection based on the first 24 games, and the right column is the 2025 season projection based on games 25 though 42
H: 204--->169
2B: 67--->48
HR: 45--->32
BB: 86--->108
TB: 416--->309
RBI: 168--->132
SO: 100--->197
BA: 349--->279
OBP: 452--->398
SLG: 698--->514
OPS: 1150--->919
BABIP: 377--->372
The walk stat is encouraging, but the way PA's strikeout projection essentially doubles is alarming
To try to explain BABIP, let's look at the formula I used, which I obtained from BR
BABIP = (H - HR) / (AB - HR - SF - SO)
Observe that HR appears in both the numerator and denominator
All other factors constant, what is the effect of walks on BABIP?
Well, the only factor in the formula which would change is the number of at bats. More walks means fewer at bats, therefore the denominator gets smaller, so BABIP is elevated by increasing walks
Please be aware that in the previous sentence, I'd be justified in repeating the statement "with all other factors constant" multiple times. This is so because to effectively investigate the effect of walks on the formula, I must isolate this walks from all other factors
Thus, the fact that PA's walk projection increases leads to a higher BABIP
However, the overwhelming factor is strikeouts. If you increase strikeouts, again with all else held constant, the fact that you're subtracting an increasing number from the denominator means that the overall fraction is increasing
Apparently, the huge jump in projected strikeouts is the reason PA's 2025 season projected BABIP drops only 5 points from 377 to 372.
So, what the hell is BABIP measuring? All of PA's projections get somewhat worse from first 24 to next 18, except walks, which get measurably better
But strikeout projections go from tolerable to terrible. Yet BABIP see these projections essentially the same
Need to make a slight correction in finding the projected BABAIP:
Games 1 through 24:
(204 - 45) / (572 - 45 - 7 - 100) = .379
Games 25 through 42:
(169 - 32) / (600 - 32 - 8 - 197) = .377