What I’ve Learned

Sometimes, a week away from the fray of everyday life, even the part of everyday life which entails fun stuff like writing this blog, gives you clarity on certain things. But clarity is tricky. When you go on vacation, say … to Bermuda. You come back and you think to yourself “Man, I’m going to focus on what’s really important and not get myself stressed out ever again. For what? When there’s beauty like this in the world?” And then the first day you go back to work it all goes to pot within five minutes and that trip becomes a distant memory because you’re stressed out. You know the feeling.

The Mets embody that lately. They go and have a scintillating victory where Jeurys Familia escapes a bases loaded nobody out jam which included a game ending double play by Kris Bryant,  only to get whopped the next day in their 1986 roadies. Back and forth and back and forth and back again until you realize that momentum really does mean nothing.

But here’s what I think I’m clear on after a week away: The Mets definitely need to be buyers at the deadline. As for what they can do without hemorrhaging the farm? I’m not sure on that. I’d love a little steak and a little sizzle just as I’m sure you would. Sandy Alderson has said that we’re not going to get either, and I believe him because there isn’t an obvious move to make as there was with Cespedes last year. But then I don’t believe him because what is he going to say? “Yes Steve, we got something coming that’s going to shake the foundation of American baseball.” Even if it isn’t steak but more like sweet potato fries, this team will take it. To use another analogy (because this is getting way too similar to a conversation Scott Boras would have), you know what is great for relieving stress at a job? More staff and better hours! But if they upgraded the copier, that would help too. So even if all Sandy gets is a copier, it would show the team that they’re not on an island (an island that isn’t Bermuda). I’m always the guy that warns of overstating the “mindset” aspect, but even a small buy would lift this team … a team that is in “the window”. You don’t punt on a season where you’re in the thick of the second wild card spot with the pitching that you have. The Giants won a World Series from that spot and they just had one pitcher.

Second think I think I’m clear on: Whoever is making out the lineups, whether it be Terry Collins, Alderson, Jeffy, Zippy the Wonder Monkey, needs to park Wilmer Flores at third base and leave him there now that Jose Reyes has an intercostal strain. (Funny how in all our talk about Reyes’ return, we all … including me … forgot about his injury history which has now reared it’s ugly muscle.) Flores got six hits on July 3rd. He’s had 41 plate appearances since then, which is criminal. Hit close to .300 in those games, but he sits frequently because heaven forbid a .239 hitter sits. I’ll say it once again: If Jose Reyes’ name was Hector Chacin or Chad Smith, we’d have a fit about putting a guy with a .278 OBP in the leadoff position. Other than hitting a couple of home runs one game, and flashing back to 2006 in a win against Miami, he hasn’t been anything great. And now I think we have enough time passed to have figured that out. But because the Mets have reacted to this stupid “small ball narrative” and because people in management and in the stands have been seduced by the nostalgia, the season has been hijacked at a point where it was starting to turn around a little bit. Now that Reyes is hurt, it’s time to forget about ticket sales, put him on the disabled list, and give Flores a real chance to stick in this lineup. Play him until Reyes gets back and if Flores is still hitting, keep Reyes on the bench and have him be Eric Young Jr. Waiting for 2006 to pop up on the calendar again doesn’t strike me as a realistic strategy.

Otherwise, it’s good to see Asdrubal Cabrera get a hit with a runner in scoring position. It’s good to see Jeurys Familia pitch well enough to keep his meaningless “save streak” alive. It’s good to see Mike Piazza in the Hall of Fame. It’s good to see Noah Syndergaard battle with less than his best, but it worries me that this extra work he’s doing to get hitters out these days is what it’s going to be like for him the rest of the year. Maybe it’ll make him a better pitcher down the road. And if he can be a better pitcher than what his ceiling already is, then damn.

And I don’t mind Curtis Granderson tagging up from first on a deep fly to center field, but I question him doing it as the tying run in the ninth inning.

It’s good to be back.

Today’s Hate List

With honorable mention to Jedd Gyorko, who is annoying with his doubleheader home runs, I’m reserving the list today for this guy:

Congrats on the Indians on winning the World Series, or at least, that's how they celebrated a walk-off win against the @Nationals. #fox5dc

— Jim Lokay (@Lokay) July 27, 2016

Another “decline of Western Civilization” tweet. Wonderful. I bet the Nationals would never go over the top for, say, a walk off sac fly against a last place team in June.

I stand corrected.