Five Mets players who should have “silencing their haters” on the 2021 agenda

Edwin Diaz needs to show Mets fans he can be a stud again

Nobody has been criticized more on the Mets during the last two seasons than Edwin Diaz. Rightfully so. His 2019 season was one of the most disappointing in recent years.

Diaz came to the Mets after one of the best years a closer has ever had. Expectations were through the roof. He couldn’t have been worse.

Almost single-handedly, the Mets missed the 2019 postseason because of how poorly Diaz pitched. He went from a star closer with the Seattle Mariners with a 1.96 ERA and 57 saves to a guy with a 5.59 ERA and only 26 saves for the Mets. He lost his job in the ninth and fans feared every time he stepped on the mound.

A year later, Diaz looked like the stud reliever he was meant to be. His 2020 season included a 1.75 ERA and six saves in far fewer games because of the pandemic. Nevertheless, the results were far more promising.

There are plenty of questions about Diaz still lingering. Can he perform this well with fans in the stands? Would a longer season have affected his numbers more negatively? Plus a whole lot more.

Diaz has the stuff to become a dominant closer yet again. With things progressing back to normalcy this year (fingers crossed) he’ll need to overcome the hate he’ll surely still get. The good news for him is that Mets fans are generally forgiving and if he pitches well, he’ll be a fan favorite.

Enough with the Brandon Nimmo hate

Does anyone get more unnecessary hatred than Brandon Nimmo? The “he’s a fourth outfielder” argument is illogical based on just about every number he has put up in his career. As flawed as he is, Nimmo is one of the most impactful players on the team and very likely the team’s leadoff hitter for the majority of games in 2021.

People don’t like Nimmo for a number of reasons. His defense is frustrating and so are the number of times he strikes out. Nimmo can be streaky. He has a reputation for struggling versus lefties, but it’s not nearly bad enough where he should be in a strict platoon situation.

Then there are fans who dislike Nimmo for other reasons. The most ridiculous of all is how annoyed they get at his running down to first base after a walk. Considering his high OBP and ability to draw walks, those who don’t enjoy seeing the hustle should expect to feel red in the face plenty in 2021.

Nimmo can silence the haters by doing exactly what he does at the plate and growing as a defensive player. Center field is his to play this season. Growth at the position will eliminate a lot of the questions his detractors have.

Continue to hustle, hit, and smile Mr. Nimmo. It’s what makes your adoring fans love you.

Can Tomas Nido give the Mets what they need behind James McCann?

The role Tomas Nido will play on the 2021 Mets isn’t as significant as the others on this list. However, as the backup catcher, he’s going to play at least once a week and be first in line to start a whole lot more if anything happens to the starter, James McCann.

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of Nido. He hasn’t hit consistently enough for me to trust him over the long haul.

As a backup catcher though, I can more than accept what he brings to the field. Add in some growth on offense—even just a little bit—and maybe I’ll shut myself up and eat some crow for dinner.

Nido isn’t viewed as anything more than the backup catcher so expectations aren’t too high. If he can hit above the Mendoza Line (something he failed to do in 2018 and 2019) while providing the team with good defense, it’s a win for him.

Nido has a good reputation with Mets pitchers at calling games. Throw at some runners, save some wild pitches, and keep runs off the board—those are three goals for Nido to achieve in order to dump the ice-cold “Haterade” some fans want to pour on his back. You can include me in the group. I’m excited to not have to sigh when he starts anymore.

Marcus Stroman will finally show fans how good he is

Marcus Stroman talks a big game. After sitting out all of 2020, it’s time for him to remind everyone how good he is.

Stroman joined the Mets at the 2019 trade deadline and gave the club 11 starts. The results were good but not great. He was 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA—not quite what we were expecting.

Stroman has had an up-and-down career. In seasons with 15+ starts, his ERA has ranged from 3.09 up to 5.54. He’s at a career 3.76 ERA (lower than Trevor Bauer by the way) which has some curious as to why he is hyped up so much. Stroman is an excellent marketer but he is also a very good pitcher.

Certainly not the ace of this ball club, Stroman more than enough talent to make the Mets a contender. He logs a lot of innings and typically keeps the ball in the park. He’s a smart pitcher whose wisdom can help differentiate him from others.

There are some fans out there who simply don’t enjoy Stroman because of how outspoken he can be on social media. I get it. I don’t like loud people either. The mute button on social media is my best friend.

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Those who enjoy Stroman in every which way have high expectations for him this year. And of everyone on this list, I don’t think anyone will enjoy shutting up his haters more.