If you recall, last season’s first half ended with a blown lead to a bad Pirates team. This year the first half ended with a loss to a Cubs team that is not good, but plays hard (if not all that well). Still, Chicago manager David Ross should not get too comfortable. Buck Showalter, on the other hand, has done a remarkable job in his second go-round in the Big Apple. Anytime over the past 25 years the Mets probably could have hired him, but I am glad it did not happen until now because he has matured, Mets ownership has matured (or, more accurately, changed), and the fans have… well, mature is not the word I would choose. I liked when you did not hear people bitch on each pitch via social media. I much preferred the more passive approach of watching them parade around Shea Stadium once per year letting the world know their feelings between games of a Banner Day doubleheader.
But how ’bout those Mets? To be 23 games over .500 at the All-Star break is something I could not have dreamed. Last year they were 47-40 at this point. The Mets excelled in the first half without Jacob deGrom, unveiled the Seaver statue, retired No. 17, and showed they will do what it takes to win. The acquisitions they made this past offseason paid nice dividends in the first half. Let’s see how they fared.
Overall Class Grade: A- Last year I gave them a B+ for the first half. There is still room for improvement, but this first half is better, no?
Metsies who have not accrued 50 at bats or 15 innings pitched, please remain in your seat. That means you, Nick Plummer, Ender Inciarte (recently cut), Khalil Lee, Matt Reynolds, Stephen Nogosek, Sean Reid-Foley, Tommy Hunter, Yoan Lopez (who has done a lot in 8.2 innings), Trevor May, Jake Reed, Thomas Szapucki, and Robinson Cano, who was mercifully released before he could accrue enough ABs to get a grade (which would have been nowhere near an A or a B).
First-Half 2022 Report Card
Edwin Diaz A This is the guy you trade your top prospect to get. This first half must be what Diaz looked like in his 57-save year in Seattle in 2018.
Pete Alonso A- It is not just the long ball. What I like most is his attitude, aptitude, and ability to try to make contact late in counts. Maybe that is why he is leading the NL in RBIs. Alonso (and Lindor) played every game in 1H.
Max Scherzer B+ He has bank account and sanity of an Arab sheik, but you want him in a must-win game. Despite injury, 6-1, 2.22 ERA, 90 Ks in 69 IP.
Taijuan Walker B+ After the way he crapped out after a great first half in 2021, you feel the need to bump up his first marking period grade a bit.
Jeff McNeil B+ At this time last year, Squirrel was utterly lost. This year he was chosen as the NL All-Star starting 2B. He’s excelled in LF, too.
Brandon Nimmo B+ I don’t want to jinx him by saying he’s finally healthy, but he has been the key cog in this lineup and his defense is topping.
Starling Marte B+ I see why there was talk for years about acquiring Marte. He electrifies the top of the order, the ball leaps off his bat, and I don’t know which is better, his glove or him arm.
Francisco Lindor B Reminds me of Beltran the way people are never happy with him. I am! He’s a shortstop with 16 HRs, 66 RBIs, 10 steals, and 36 BBs.
Luis Guillorme B Luis has made himself into an essential player on this team: In 224 plate appearances he has .293/.369/.369 and is a superb infielder.
Mark Canha B I knew little about him before he arrived, but he has a great plate approach and is good LF. Feels like he scores every time he gets on.
Adam Ottavino B I don’t really trust him in a big spot, but he has done a pretty good job. Elder statesman of the pen.
Colin Holderman B They say wins don’t matter for pitchers, but when he’s in, the Mets win. He is 4-0 in 15 appearances (Mets are 10-5 in those games) with a 2.04 ERA.
Carlos Carrasco B- Cookie has not been as consistent as some pitchers, but 10 wins are as many as almost any NL pitcher in first half, for what it’s worth.
Chris Bassitt B- Leads team in innings, but has been inconsistent and a bit of a red ass. He’s whiffed more batters and allowed more HRs than any Met.
Drew Smith B- He may have blown the game before the break, but then you recall the Mets got him from the Rays (for Lucas Duda). I want to stay patient.
Tylor Megill C+ When healthy, he has looked good despite a 5.01 ERA. Sophomore pitcher steps in at last minute and endures rain delay to win Opening Day.
Adonis Medina C+ Has had a couple of huge moments for the Mets, so I wonder why he hasn’t been used in bigger situations when the big guys can’t go.
Trevor Williams C He’s been in the majors longer than I thought. He threw seven shutout innings one start and had a three-inning save a week later.
Tomas Nido C Has caught twice as many games as McCann and handled himself well behind the dish. His .211 average is better than many catchers.
Seth Lugo C I still think this team’s success in crunch time will depend on Seth coming through in a big spot. Cannot use him on successive days.
Eduardo Escobar C- On any given night, his bat is either great or terrible, but his glove at 3B is very steady. Also seems to fire up the clubhouse.
Joely Rodriguez C- Mets traded a better reliever (Miguel Castro) to the Yankees to get Joely because he’s a lefty. They need another southpaw.
Patrick Mazeika D+ No walkoff fielder’s choice magic for Mazeika this year, but he’s gotten some nice hits and gunned down base stealers.
James McCann D+ Every time he comes up, I repeat, “His job is to catch,” over and over. He has a good arm. Called a no-hitter, but so did Josh Thole.
Travis Jankowski D Because so little was expected of him, I’ll rate Travis above a couple of bigger disappointments. He’s fast and a good drag bunter.
Dominic Smith D- I thought that one silver lining about forcing the DH on the NL was that Dom and J.D. would finally platoon. That has not worked out so far.
J.D. Davis D- Still figuring out which end of this paltry platoon has been more of a letdown. But Dom is a better runner and fielder, so he goes first.
Chasen Shreve F He’s already been cut, so let’s saddle him with a well-deserved F. Mets need a second lefty, gave him every chance, and he failed.
Manager/GM
Buck Showalter A I have been watching the Mets a long time, and this guy gets it as well as any Mets manager I have seen. He has them prepared for anything.
Billy Eppler B I am not sure how much of the handiwork from the past six months is his, but in the coming month he’ll have a chance to get his grade up.