The Mets completed their inevitable collapse on Sunday in Miami. Their off-season has arrived early, and ungluing this collapse will be hard for this franchise.
While the manager and his coaching staff doesn't directly play the game, but they do affect the flow of the team and to some extent winning. I'm not a huge fan of firing the manager while not sharing the blame on the players. Mendoza seriously concerns me as a manager. In his two years, he has hit two significant slumps. 2024 was so bad the barely made the playoffs. Not many believed they would make it at the ASB. And obviously this year another major slump. That to me is a major flag. There is no leadership on this team. Last year one can argue, Iglesias and Martinez were the in dugout leaders. Lindor, Soto, Alonso and Nimmo aren't necessarily the vocal rah-rahs (Iglesias) or the tutors (Martinez to Vientos). No surprise Vientos had a step back. Just venting.
I love the picture of that guy with the sign. The fans were called out by Cohen after the first few games of the season and Citi was empty. Let that sink in for a second. The cold ass winter was still holding on tight before its eventual release and the stands were empty and our owner says the attendance has been poor so the fans respond and top all other seasons on record for him and this is what we got. We should have listened when the metrics told us this wasn’t a good team when we were sitting pretty on June 11. The starters couldn’t go past 5 innings and the bullpen was showing cracks. I don’t know what this team looks like next year but it’s time to get serious and get a stud starter. A Joe Ryan or the like. It’s time to make deals with the talent we’ve built up in the minor leagues. Stearns cannot run this team like Milwaukee. He surely can use some metrics and ideas from there but this is a big market baseball team. I hope they call Boston for Jarren Duhran to patrol CF next year. Remember many in the minors don’t make it as big league players. The Mets simply cannot rely on Siri and Taylor as a back up. It’s time to get serious.
I don’t think this was a “collapse” since we were one of the worst teams in MLB for 3 months. And those 1st 69 games we were carried by insane pitching and Pete. The lineup really never worked except in August. At least we found a front line starter in McLean. It’s going to be an interesting offseason.
Figuring out how to fix the pitching staff is above my pay grade. But if you ask me which hitters should go next year, I’d start with Nimmo. Yes, he’s locked into a contract—but maybe some team would take a deal. At best, Nimmo is a 1-for-4 hitter. Sure, he’ll get the occasional big knock, but more often it’s a strikeout, a weak grounder to second, or a lazy pop to left. Every time he came up in clutch spots, my expectations were rock bottom.
Next on my list is Vientos. I don’t see him recapturing last year’s form. Then McNeil—who shriveled up down the stretch like a prune. A few spurts of power, but nowhere near the batting champ he once was. Siri and Mullins? Hopeless.
Taylor I’d keep for his glove, but someone needs to tell him to stop auto-taking the first pitch. Alonso should be re-signed, and we can only pray Lindor and Soto find consistency earlier in the season. Mauricio deserves a longer look, and Acuña’s speed is too valuable to waste.
The two biggest question marks are Baty and Marte. Baty has never been as consistent as Mendoza claims, and Marte may simply be too old to justify a roster spot. He still flashes some power, but it comes with long stretches of inconsistency.
Alvarez looks like he’s improving, though he still chases too many breaking balls. Torrens provides solid defense, but not much else.
Bottom line: Stearns has to find a couple of legitimate power bats on the free-agent market. Without reinforcements, this lineup will keep sputtering, no matter how the pitching staff shakes out.
Just. One. More. Win. That's all it would have taken.
But truth be told, this team was going nowhere in the postseason. To begin with, we just didn't have the starting pitching. Even if we did, we weren't playing good baseball behind them, and I mean that across the board.
The mental mistakes were especially deadly.
Fortunately, it's obvious what we need to do roster-wise to get back on track. And we found the staff ace we've been looking for in McLean.
You can't go wrong with a Cowboy leading the way.
Now we'll see what Stearns and the front office do. Certainly we need a centerfielder who can hit. A veteran front-line starter would be nice. We need to tighten up our infield defense (I've said my piece about Luisangel Acuña) and shore up our bullpen behind Sugar.
But mostly, we need to address how a team with so much talent can play such poor baseball for so long. That kind of extended mediocrity from such a decent roster doesn't happen by accident.
Yes, I know it's hard when you're down early in every game, so starting pitching is clearly the key. We were much better in all respects behind Nolan than we were with just about anyone else out there. He competes on every pitch, so we were competing on every pitch.
But that should be the case for everyone, all the time. And it's not.
Thanks for being there everyday and helping us crawl through this mess of a season. I have been a fan since 1965. It’s like having a chronic illness that only other Mets fans have. More like an addiction. I’ll mellow out in time and coast until about pitchers and catchers report. I’ll be fine. Please keep us updated on Mets and continue with honest assessments of them!
A Mets fan has a legal blog, and a comment cited the Mets collapse. I pushed back but the person argued they went from best mid-season (record-wise / I think it was a house of cards) to elimination. So, yes, that is a type of collapse. And something else.
The post-game reaction yesterday repeatedly focused on pitching though citing other things. The pitching was an issue. McLean should have been called up earlier etc.
But damn the everyday players deserve a chunk of the blame. The needed one more win and couldn't win a Nats series. They needed one more win and scored two runs in the two losses.
The coaching made stealing a tool (helped by the new rules). They needed to address some of the problems, including bad defensive play. If you fire coaching, where does the buck stop?
This team should have had the talent to compete at least with the Cubs and Padres. One contest of sorts is to pick who will not be here next year (might be one or more people) player-wise that would be a big move. The team pissed people off for not having guts. Firing a few coaches won't do it.
Meltdowns and collapses are so central to NYM over these decades. It's important to remember 1969 World Series came mostly due to a Chicago Cubs epic collapse; part of their century of shit, nearly all the 1900s. That's how Mets won the pennant. Bostons meltdown was our triumph in 1986.
The Mets and the Giants have ridiculous luck to thank for 69, 86 Buckner's legs, 07 Helmet catch, 2011 take your pick 8 or so plays from WK14, to NFC Championship and SB. But this is the price, the bad luck, the meltdowns, the late season collapses, the decades of frustration that add meaning to the miracle runs. A run is coming, eventually, it might be 2060, I might not be alive for it.
Espero que los jugadores disfruten de sus "merecidas" (y prematuras) vacaciones. También espero que cuando se acomoden ante el televisor para ver los playoffs, después de un partido de golf o de tomarse una piña colada al sol, sientan vergüenza por no estar al otro lado de la pantalla. La misma vergüenza que experimentamos nosotros, como sufridos seguidores de los Mets. Eso sí, Let's Go Mets siempre!
No siempre estoy de acuerdo con sus comentarios, de hecho disiento bastante a menudo, pero en relación al análisis de esta temporada para el olvido, solo puedo decir una cosa: amén.
Dear METS Brothers and Sisters : If we really do not see MENDOZA as the main responsible I respectfully disagree. I have played baseball for many years and I can tell you that the player only see Mendoza as a good guy but baseball teams DO NOT win World Series Championship with a good guy .
Mendoza IQ is VERY LOW and we do not need a manager when the Team score 10 runs or when the pitcher does not allow runs . METS needs a REAL EXPERIENCED MANAGER with HIGH IQ that WIN CLOSE GAMES .
Please do not continue Hiding all the NON SENSE done by Mendoza . He lost MANY GAMES because he did not know how to do it
What are you basing your IQ comment on?? Yes, Mendoza had a bad year. Most of the players on the roster had bad years and so did the GM. So why pick on the manager 1 year removed from leading an incomplete team all the way to the NLCS?
Thank you for making this season more enjoyable and sometimes, more bearable.
While the manager and his coaching staff doesn't directly play the game, but they do affect the flow of the team and to some extent winning. I'm not a huge fan of firing the manager while not sharing the blame on the players. Mendoza seriously concerns me as a manager. In his two years, he has hit two significant slumps. 2024 was so bad the barely made the playoffs. Not many believed they would make it at the ASB. And obviously this year another major slump. That to me is a major flag. There is no leadership on this team. Last year one can argue, Iglesias and Martinez were the in dugout leaders. Lindor, Soto, Alonso and Nimmo aren't necessarily the vocal rah-rahs (Iglesias) or the tutors (Martinez to Vientos). No surprise Vientos had a step back. Just venting.
The table was set, but the Mets did not answer the bell and take a seat at the table. Lifeless, ineptness, and laid down without a fight.
I love the picture of that guy with the sign. The fans were called out by Cohen after the first few games of the season and Citi was empty. Let that sink in for a second. The cold ass winter was still holding on tight before its eventual release and the stands were empty and our owner says the attendance has been poor so the fans respond and top all other seasons on record for him and this is what we got. We should have listened when the metrics told us this wasn’t a good team when we were sitting pretty on June 11. The starters couldn’t go past 5 innings and the bullpen was showing cracks. I don’t know what this team looks like next year but it’s time to get serious and get a stud starter. A Joe Ryan or the like. It’s time to make deals with the talent we’ve built up in the minor leagues. Stearns cannot run this team like Milwaukee. He surely can use some metrics and ideas from there but this is a big market baseball team. I hope they call Boston for Jarren Duhran to patrol CF next year. Remember many in the minors don’t make it as big league players. The Mets simply cannot rely on Siri and Taylor as a back up. It’s time to get serious.
While all you write is gospel, Michael, all that counted yesterday
was 👇🏼
"Or, maybe they could’ve just merely shown up on Friday, or on Sunday in Miami."
I don’t think this was a “collapse” since we were one of the worst teams in MLB for 3 months. And those 1st 69 games we were carried by insane pitching and Pete. The lineup really never worked except in August. At least we found a front line starter in McLean. It’s going to be an interesting offseason.
It seems the Mets can't put together good back to back seasons.
Figuring out how to fix the pitching staff is above my pay grade. But if you ask me which hitters should go next year, I’d start with Nimmo. Yes, he’s locked into a contract—but maybe some team would take a deal. At best, Nimmo is a 1-for-4 hitter. Sure, he’ll get the occasional big knock, but more often it’s a strikeout, a weak grounder to second, or a lazy pop to left. Every time he came up in clutch spots, my expectations were rock bottom.
Next on my list is Vientos. I don’t see him recapturing last year’s form. Then McNeil—who shriveled up down the stretch like a prune. A few spurts of power, but nowhere near the batting champ he once was. Siri and Mullins? Hopeless.
Taylor I’d keep for his glove, but someone needs to tell him to stop auto-taking the first pitch. Alonso should be re-signed, and we can only pray Lindor and Soto find consistency earlier in the season. Mauricio deserves a longer look, and Acuña’s speed is too valuable to waste.
The two biggest question marks are Baty and Marte. Baty has never been as consistent as Mendoza claims, and Marte may simply be too old to justify a roster spot. He still flashes some power, but it comes with long stretches of inconsistency.
Alvarez looks like he’s improving, though he still chases too many breaking balls. Torrens provides solid defense, but not much else.
Bottom line: Stearns has to find a couple of legitimate power bats on the free-agent market. Without reinforcements, this lineup will keep sputtering, no matter how the pitching staff shakes out.
Just. One. More. Win. That's all it would have taken.
But truth be told, this team was going nowhere in the postseason. To begin with, we just didn't have the starting pitching. Even if we did, we weren't playing good baseball behind them, and I mean that across the board.
The mental mistakes were especially deadly.
Fortunately, it's obvious what we need to do roster-wise to get back on track. And we found the staff ace we've been looking for in McLean.
You can't go wrong with a Cowboy leading the way.
Now we'll see what Stearns and the front office do. Certainly we need a centerfielder who can hit. A veteran front-line starter would be nice. We need to tighten up our infield defense (I've said my piece about Luisangel Acuña) and shore up our bullpen behind Sugar.
But mostly, we need to address how a team with so much talent can play such poor baseball for so long. That kind of extended mediocrity from such a decent roster doesn't happen by accident.
Yes, I know it's hard when you're down early in every game, so starting pitching is clearly the key. We were much better in all respects behind Nolan than we were with just about anyone else out there. He competes on every pitch, so we were competing on every pitch.
But that should be the case for everyone, all the time. And it's not.
Thanks for being there everyday and helping us crawl through this mess of a season. I have been a fan since 1965. It’s like having a chronic illness that only other Mets fans have. More like an addiction. I’ll mellow out in time and coast until about pitchers and catchers report. I’ll be fine. Please keep us updated on Mets and continue with honest assessments of them!
A Mets fan has a legal blog, and a comment cited the Mets collapse. I pushed back but the person argued they went from best mid-season (record-wise / I think it was a house of cards) to elimination. So, yes, that is a type of collapse. And something else.
The post-game reaction yesterday repeatedly focused on pitching though citing other things. The pitching was an issue. McLean should have been called up earlier etc.
But damn the everyday players deserve a chunk of the blame. The needed one more win and couldn't win a Nats series. They needed one more win and scored two runs in the two losses.
The coaching made stealing a tool (helped by the new rules). They needed to address some of the problems, including bad defensive play. If you fire coaching, where does the buck stop?
This team should have had the talent to compete at least with the Cubs and Padres. One contest of sorts is to pick who will not be here next year (might be one or more people) player-wise that would be a big move. The team pissed people off for not having guts. Firing a few coaches won't do it.
Meltdowns and collapses are so central to NYM over these decades. It's important to remember 1969 World Series came mostly due to a Chicago Cubs epic collapse; part of their century of shit, nearly all the 1900s. That's how Mets won the pennant. Bostons meltdown was our triumph in 1986.
The Mets and the Giants have ridiculous luck to thank for 69, 86 Buckner's legs, 07 Helmet catch, 2011 take your pick 8 or so plays from WK14, to NFC Championship and SB. But this is the price, the bad luck, the meltdowns, the late season collapses, the decades of frustration that add meaning to the miracle runs. A run is coming, eventually, it might be 2060, I might not be alive for it.
Espero que los jugadores disfruten de sus "merecidas" (y prematuras) vacaciones. También espero que cuando se acomoden ante el televisor para ver los playoffs, después de un partido de golf o de tomarse una piña colada al sol, sientan vergüenza por no estar al otro lado de la pantalla. La misma vergüenza que experimentamos nosotros, como sufridos seguidores de los Mets. Eso sí, Let's Go Mets siempre!
No siempre estoy de acuerdo con sus comentarios, de hecho disiento bastante a menudo, pero en relación al análisis de esta temporada para el olvido, solo puedo decir una cosa: amén.
Dear METS Brothers and Sisters : If we really do not see MENDOZA as the main responsible I respectfully disagree. I have played baseball for many years and I can tell you that the player only see Mendoza as a good guy but baseball teams DO NOT win World Series Championship with a good guy .
Mendoza IQ is VERY LOW and we do not need a manager when the Team score 10 runs or when the pitcher does not allow runs . METS needs a REAL EXPERIENCED MANAGER with HIGH IQ that WIN CLOSE GAMES .
Please do not continue Hiding all the NON SENSE done by Mendoza . He lost MANY GAMES because he did not know how to do it
What are you basing your IQ comment on?? Yes, Mendoza had a bad year. Most of the players on the roster had bad years and so did the GM. So why pick on the manager 1 year removed from leading an incomplete team all the way to the NLCS?