The first half of the season ended with a thud for the Mets, who allowed a big early lead to get away and split a four-game series with a bad Pirates team. That loss is something you can complain about. Everything else in the first 87 games of the Steve Cohen Era could not have gone much better and could be far, far worse. Sure, four NL teams have better records than the Mets, including three NL West teams. But last time I looked New York was in the East.
The Mets have a paltry 19-26 record on the road, but they own a 28-14 mark at home, have endured more injuries than I can tally, have been forced to play 10 of these unpalatable seven-inning doubleheaders due to an inordinate amount of rainouts and a season-opening series postponed due to a Covid-19 issue by the Nationals. (There is hope we can return to doubleheaders of the nine-inning variety, but one benefit of these seven-inning twinbills is it has caused me despise the day-night doubleheader a little bit less.)
The Mets own a 47-40 record despite scoring only nine more runs than they’ve allowed, the players seem to adore manager Luis Rojas and they have only recently started to hit. Yet some supposed Mets fans still complain. To those people I recommend you take up another hobby, root for another team, and stop polluting Citi Field with your petulant booing. Maybe there is an alternative reality where you can watch the 2021 Mets in a world where the bungling Wilpons still own the team.
Yet even with a guy named Cohen who makes life even better than Gary, I remain deeply dissatisfied with the state of baseball as it has been run by commissioner Robert Manfred before and after Covid. (Loved the booing every time he stepped to the mic at the new and improved 2021 baseball draft.)
Let’s Go Mets; LFGM for short. Now please pick up your grades, Metsies. And get some well-earned rest. Overall Class Grade: B+.
Students who have not accrued 50 at bats or 15 innings pitched as a Met, please stay in your seat. That means you, Misters J.D. Davis, Brandon Drury, Albert Almora, Mason Williams, Johneshwy Fargus, Khalil Lee, Wifredo Tovar, Travis Blankenhorn, Jake Hager (who?), Cameron Maybin (so impossibly bad over 33 PAs his numbers must be shown: .036/.182/.036!), and the groundout magic of Pat Mazeika. And we’ll pretend we never saw you pitch, Corey Oswalt, Jarad Eikhoff, Tommy Hunter, Yenssy Diaz, Jordan Yamamoto, Robert Stock, Thomas Szapucki, Trevor Hildenberger, Nick Tropeano, Dellin Betances, and Stephen Tarpley, he of the infinity ERA.
First-Half 2019 Report Card
Jacob deGrom A+ As automatic as they come. Sometimes Mets even play well behind the game’s best pitcher.
Taijuan Walker A- Nice consolation prize for “losing out” on Trevor Bauer. Bonafide All-Star and remarkably consistent.
Dominic Smith B+ Dom is becoming the heart of the Mets. And he has unexpected wheels and leather in LF. Sometimes.
Brandon Nimmo B+ Sorry, haters. Offense hit new level when he returned. Second all-time in career Mets OBP (.392).
Aaron Loup B+ This guy never seems to throw a strike, but he gets people out. Mets need another lefty.
Pete Alonso B Some bitching about his at bats, but I’ll take a homegrown slugger with first half of 17-49-.254/.332/.817.
Seth Lugo B The team’s success in 2021 rides on his arm, which is fragile. Go easy on him and go get ’em, Seth.
Edwin Diaz B Borderline All-Star. Dominant at times. Other times reminds you of 2019 debacle. Need him to be solid.
James McCann B Some have complained about his bat. Don’t know if they’ve noticed how few catcher can hit. Or throw.
Marcus Stroman B- He’s local and a little loco. Nice to have him back but watch out for the longball.
Jonathon Villar B- Ball jumps off his bat. He has been a lifesaver this year and has good speed and glove at 3B.
Tylor Megill B- Looks like both names are spelled wrong. Out of the chute with numbers comparable to Mets royalty.
Drew Smith B- Throws hard and is a little wild. Rays traded him for Lucas Duda; more accurate arm than Dudabides.
Jose Peraza C+ Best .210 hitter in baseball. Backbone of a solid bench and group that’s always ready when summoned.
Tomas Nido C+ Team was so depleted in May that Mets moved James McCann to 1B to get more Nido in the lineup.
Robert Gsellman C+ He was actually pitching well. Then went on the 60-day DL, so we’ll see if we see him again.
Jeurys Familia C He may make Mets fans nervous, but having a closer pitching the sixth or seventh is not all bad.
Francisco Lindor C Even in a monumental slump, OBP is still 100 points above AVG. Great glove. Steal more!
Kevin Pillar C Stats not great, but 200 PAs exceeds full season expectations. And bounced back from beaning with gusto.
Luis Guillorme C Good eye, good glove, good backup. Need a player like him on a team with lots of injuries.
Billy McKinney C Best move of first half was getting him from Brewers when Mets had no outfielders. Good pinch hitter.
Jeff McNeil C- Squirrel is not the same since the injury. Went 60 ABs after his return before notching first RBIs.
Michael Conforto C- Tough call with free agency pending. Mets don’t grow many studs; can’t afford a big contract dud.
Trevor May C- His numbers don’t look terrible (3.58 ERA), but 6 HRs are scary. Unreliable since blown save on Day One.
Miguel Castro C- His numbers don’t look as good as May’s, but he’s had some strong outings. And a few nightmares, too.
Joey Lucchesi C- Eight starts (and 3 relief outings) and didn’t reach 40 innings. Now he’s gone until God knows when.
Sean Reid Foley D+ This long man is like Dr. Reid and Mr. Foley: Either excellent or excrement.
David Peterson D Another Met who seems to be either tremendous or terrible. He’s young and he’s lefty, so there’s hope.
Jacob Barnes D- Who? I’m slowing down when I admit this guy isn’t ringing a bell. Safe to say his numbers are not great.
Manager/GM
Luis Rojas and Zack Scott B Both get the exact same evaluation: Thinks things through—a far cry from the last two embarrassments that preceded him, including one who had to be dismissed before his first season by actions away from Citi.