None of our hitters - even our core 4 - are high average hitters so hitting with RISP is imperative along with hitting HRs. I agree that Vientos will be key because there’s no guarantee we can get Suarez. I’m more concerned with the offense than the pitching honestly.
Appreciate the candid analysis. A professional tells it like it is, or how he perceives it, leaving the angry insults to frustrated fans. Team management can never be expected to be brutally honest; it doesn’t serve a constructive function and is counterproductive. So here we are: fans who are frustrated and tempted to lash out and management frustrating us with cliched answers. The truth needs not be permanent. It can be fluid and changing. For that reason I can say “you stink…until you don’t..you’re good, until you’re not. You are what you are at the moment.
Appreciate the RISP numbers for Soto since I'm one of the very few Met fans that include Mr. Soto in my disappointment basket so far. Too many weak strike outs also from Juan and he seems kind of aloof as a team member, although his much ballyhooed work with Mauricio is noted.
I think Pete's on a mission so that should be fun to watch in the second half and Lindor will continue to be the MVP of this squad.
The two primary black holes that may eat this season are the Futile Five batting order spots (5-9) and the woefully spent bullpen, imo. If Alvy comes back unchanged, we're sunk.
If they miss the p/o, it'll make for a most interesting off-season - watch out for the moving vans!
"Be it an issue with approach, or just the wrong kind of mentality in those situations, the Mets need to get to the core of why they struggle so much with runners in scoring position and fix it."
My money is on mental approach. We seem to have just one style of hitting: drive the ball. But with runners in scoring position, you just need a hit, exit velo be damned. Stroking a single the other way is just as good as ripping a line drive to the pull side, and much easier.
It's something other teams do against us all the time.
We need to step into the box in those situations thinking, "Just get a hit."
Some fair points here, but I see three different flaws that need urgent fixing:
No small ball tactics. The Mets act like bunting and dunk hits are beneath them. Situational hitting has vanished—no attempt to manufacture runs when the power bats go cold. Sometimes, putting the ball in play with intent beats swinging for the moon.
First-pitch passivity. Way too many batters are digging themselves into two-strike holes. The so-called "patient approach" looks more like paralysis. Be ready to attack early in the count, especially when pitchers are grooving fastballs to get ahead.
Bullpen misuse. It’s not just that the pen is overworked—it’s that they’re either overused or ignored. We need to designate bullpen games and let them go long, instead of burying good arms on the bench. If you’re going to load up on bullpen talent, use it strategically, not reactively.
The current flaws aren’t just physical—they’re philosophical. If the Mets want to do more than scrape into October, they need to rethink how they approach every inning. Not just the ones with RISP.
The conclusion that Brazoban, Garrett, and Stanek are "exhausted" is total hogwash.
The numbers below make clear that these relievers are not remotely
close to being over-worked in terms of innings pitched or games pitched, based on 2025 reliever statistics.
Innings MLB Rank Games MLB Rank
Brazo 43.1 28th 36 105th
Garrett 37.2 89th 39 67th
Stanek 31.2 159th 37 88th
Why did these three implode at various points?
Because all of them are not very good.
Their performances match what each of them did at prior stops, where they each failed with several teams. All three have poor command, pitch behind hitters, and this leads to poor results.
Our Mets are not going to succeed if our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best relievers are these three;
the number 1 priority at the trade deadline has to be the bullpen, so that these three are moved down the reliever chart.
Yes, they all throw hard, but none of them know where the ball is going.
None of our hitters - even our core 4 - are high average hitters so hitting with RISP is imperative along with hitting HRs. I agree that Vientos will be key because there’s no guarantee we can get Suarez. I’m more concerned with the offense than the pitching honestly.
Appreciate the candid analysis. A professional tells it like it is, or how he perceives it, leaving the angry insults to frustrated fans. Team management can never be expected to be brutally honest; it doesn’t serve a constructive function and is counterproductive. So here we are: fans who are frustrated and tempted to lash out and management frustrating us with cliched answers. The truth needs not be permanent. It can be fluid and changing. For that reason I can say “you stink…until you don’t..you’re good, until you’re not. You are what you are at the moment.
Appreciate the RISP numbers for Soto since I'm one of the very few Met fans that include Mr. Soto in my disappointment basket so far. Too many weak strike outs also from Juan and he seems kind of aloof as a team member, although his much ballyhooed work with Mauricio is noted.
I think Pete's on a mission so that should be fun to watch in the second half and Lindor will continue to be the MVP of this squad.
The two primary black holes that may eat this season are the Futile Five batting order spots (5-9) and the woefully spent bullpen, imo. If Alvy comes back unchanged, we're sunk.
If they miss the p/o, it'll make for a most interesting off-season - watch out for the moving vans!
"Be it an issue with approach, or just the wrong kind of mentality in those situations, the Mets need to get to the core of why they struggle so much with runners in scoring position and fix it."
My money is on mental approach. We seem to have just one style of hitting: drive the ball. But with runners in scoring position, you just need a hit, exit velo be damned. Stroking a single the other way is just as good as ripping a line drive to the pull side, and much easier.
It's something other teams do against us all the time.
We need to step into the box in those situations thinking, "Just get a hit."
Some fair points here, but I see three different flaws that need urgent fixing:
No small ball tactics. The Mets act like bunting and dunk hits are beneath them. Situational hitting has vanished—no attempt to manufacture runs when the power bats go cold. Sometimes, putting the ball in play with intent beats swinging for the moon.
First-pitch passivity. Way too many batters are digging themselves into two-strike holes. The so-called "patient approach" looks more like paralysis. Be ready to attack early in the count, especially when pitchers are grooving fastballs to get ahead.
Bullpen misuse. It’s not just that the pen is overworked—it’s that they’re either overused or ignored. We need to designate bullpen games and let them go long, instead of burying good arms on the bench. If you’re going to load up on bullpen talent, use it strategically, not reactively.
The current flaws aren’t just physical—they’re philosophical. If the Mets want to do more than scrape into October, they need to rethink how they approach every inning. Not just the ones with RISP.
The conclusion that Brazoban, Garrett, and Stanek are "exhausted" is total hogwash.
The numbers below make clear that these relievers are not remotely
close to being over-worked in terms of innings pitched or games pitched, based on 2025 reliever statistics.
Innings MLB Rank Games MLB Rank
Brazo 43.1 28th 36 105th
Garrett 37.2 89th 39 67th
Stanek 31.2 159th 37 88th
Why did these three implode at various points?
Because all of them are not very good.
Their performances match what each of them did at prior stops, where they each failed with several teams. All three have poor command, pitch behind hitters, and this leads to poor results.
Our Mets are not going to succeed if our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best relievers are these three;
the number 1 priority at the trade deadline has to be the bullpen, so that these three are moved down the reliever chart.
Yes, they all throw hard, but none of them know where the ball is going.
Was that SNY Flip the Script segment sponsored by a car company? Yikes...that was so over the top.