The shockwave that followed the news that Kodai Senga was injured and might miss the first month or more of the 2024 season reverberated through the team and media for weeks. After 10 spring training games that chatter has finally died down and the team managements and fans can focus on the practice games on the field. With Monday being the first off day of the spring, they can look around and be content that no other bad stuff has happened (unless you count Max Kranick’s hamstring strain a big problem), since Senga went down.
I have always wondered why team records during spring training (ST) are even posted. The Mets started 4-1 in this year’s Grapefruit League action. It certainly beats being 1-4 but in truth it should not matter at all to fans. And now they are 4-5 and still nobody should care.
What have things looked like after 10 games?
Pitching
Pitching-wise Tylor Megill, the now defacto 5th starter has had two ST starts and has not walked a batter. Ok that’s a good sign since walks were Megill’s bugaboo in 2023. Jose Quintana, the now likely Opening Day starter, had a decent first start vs. the Astros. New Met Adrian Houser had one good start and a rougher one on Sunday although he noted that he’s working on a new grip for his changeup. Another new Met pitcher touched 98 M.P.H. with his fastball raising a few eyebrows and pulses. Yet another new Met pitcher (now sporting a clean-cut look) is also working on pitch grips and has only thrown 2 2/3 innings. After 10 games, starting pitchers are only just getting in their work to ready themselves for the long season ahead.
The bullpen has nothing notable to offer so far which is also not a bad thing. New Met Jorge Lopez has many eyes on him and will be interesting to watch throughout the rest of spring training. His 2+ innings so far have been uneventful. Closer Edwin Diaz has not yet pitched, and fans are looking forward to his spring debut which may come this week. With a starting staff not known for going deep into games the bullpen will play a bigger role on the Mets than some of their opponents who have pitchers that regularly go deep into games.
Position Players
Like the starting pitchers the position players have not had enough ABs to draw any conclusions. Brett Baty is 2 for 16 with a home run. Mark Vientos is 2 for 15 with a home run. It’s not an understatement to say that their spring performances are more important to watch than any other Mets hitters. Pete Alonso has had 10 ABs, Francisco Lindor 13. Ji-Man Choi has gotten a decent look at 1B, and the jury is still out on whether he will even make the team, much less be a contributor. Brandon Nimmo played his first games over the weekend. Starling Marte looks fit, but we won’t learn anything about his durability in spring training. Jeff McNeil is a little dinged up and has not yet played a ST game, nor has new Met Harrison Bader. Backup OF Tyrone Taylor has looked good both at the plate and in the field and Trayce Thompson has two home runs already. If they somehow both make the roster, it’s going to bother me all year with the two guys having first and last names starting with ‘T’.
Things that can be taken after 10 games:
- Tyrone Taylor looks like a more capable backup in the outfield than the Mets have had in years.
- Starling Marte looks healthy.
- Luis Severino can still throw 98 MPH.
Now that the first ‘cuts’ of the spring have been made, as Luisangel Acuna, Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams, Christian Scott, Mike Vasil and Dominic Hamel all have been reassigned to the Mets Minor League Camp, there dog days of spring training are at hand with 22 games left to play before the games count. For new manager Carlos Mendoza and his staff, the ability to forge a good relationship with the players that can help lead the Mets to be a better ‘Team’, is the most important thing that will come out of the next three weeks.
