Baseball Lemons

Armando Diana

The adage if life gives you lemons, make lemonade should be the Mets theme for 2012. Fans have written off the season. Pundits refer to the team as a compilation of has-beens. Amazingly, this determined outcome is before a single pitch of the season commences.

Wasn’t Green Bay supposed to win the Super Bowl in two weeks? 

I do not believe the Mets will be in the World Series but I also don’t believe we are in for a 90 loss season. I expect about 84 wins in 2012. When I look at the projected starting eight position players, I believe the team can succeed if each player reaches their respective season averages.  That seldom, if ever, happens.  Some players will have career years while others face career lows. 

The Mets ranked twelfth in Major League Baseball for runs scored in 2011 while Philadelphia ranked thirteenth. Philadelphia, however, ranked first in pitching (by ERA) and second in fielding percentage.

Teams do not have to lead the league in any statistic other than ensuring it scores more runs than the competition on game day. The Mets will not be the best at anything in 2013 but there are ways of making these lemons into lemonade.

Small adjustments can make a big difference.  The team will not replace the offense of Jose Reyes  but I have a few suggestions to help increase wins:

·         Make the pitchers better hitters to help the offense.

·         Hit and run more often to offset the expected drop off in steals

·         Develop players into better base stealers..  Daniel Murphy, Jayson Bay and David Wright can step up more in this category

·         Stop throwing away at bats with sacrifices.  Major league hitters should hit, not tap.  However, a good sacrifice bunt in strategic places works

·         Hit behind the runners

·         More suicide squeezes

·         Develop more sophisticated pick off plays and other fielding tricks.  A good defense makes a good offense

·         Pitch inside more

The Mets need to make the other team uncomfortable.  Have them worried about pick offs, an aggressive offense, and an aggressive pitching staff.