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Mets news you may have missed: Pete Alonso, James McCann join WCBS-AM special

By Nicholas Kyriacou

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: James McCann #33 of the New York Mets in action against the Houston Astros in a spring training game at Clover Park on March 16, 2021 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: James McCann #33 of the New York Mets in action against the Houston Astros in a spring training game at Clover Park on March 16, 2021 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets doubles for a score in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in a spring training game at Clover Park on March 19, 2021 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

The 2021 MLB season is just around the corner, and in less than a week there will be New York Mets baseball once again. With the countdown to Opening Day falling below single digits this week, here is the Mets news you may have missed.

WCBS Newsradio 880 hosted their second 2021 Mets Preview Special, inviting First baseman, Pete Alonso and Catcher, James McCann to step into the box and share their outlook for the season.

Speaking with Mets play-by-play radio announcer, Wayne Randazzo and radio host, Ed Coleman on March 23, Alonso spoke about his personal and team goals while conveying his excitement to play in front of a crowd again at Citi Field.

Likewise, McCann spoke with Coleman about how quickly he has assumed a leadership role in the clubhouse, and what he’s looking forward to most in his first season with the orange and blue.

Mets 1B Pete Alonso excited for the crowd again

Unsurprisingly, the creator of the ‘LFGM’ movement put it best, “2021 is all about resiliency.” After the year we’ve all had, inside and outside of the baseball world, the upcoming season is likely to test the stamina of players returning to a full, 162-game workload.

‘Focused, and ready for season to begin in Washington’ was the message Alonso preached this past week. And his Spring Training totals through 40 ABs reflect that mindset: 3 HRs, 12 RBIs, .378 BA, and 1.234 OPS (highest OPS leader on the team during that span).

Coleman later pointed out his success hitting to all fields, to which the 2019 Rookie of the Year replied, “… even some of my outs have been hit to the middle of the field, and hit really well, so for me that’s a good sign …, but I want to be able to carry that over into the regular season when the lights turn on.”

When Wayne asked him about having goals leading into the season, Alonso said, “I’d like to drive in 130 runs and I’d like to win a gold glove.”

Most of all, however, he expressed his excitement to play in front of a home Mets crowd.

“To be back at Citi Field with a full capacity crowd and hearing the stadium shake when people go nuts, I haven’t found a better feeling. It’s an adrenaline rush and I miss that feeling, I miss the fans being there cheering us on because when we have a packed house it’s unbelievable what type of hostile environment they can create for the other team. Walking in there when you’ve got 45,000 rabid Mets fans doing the ‘Lets Go Mets’ chant, I miss it.”

Still, as excited as the polar bear is to be out between lines again, Mets fans are even more excited to see him back on the field. Alonso also discussed the chemistry between himself and teammates Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis and Francisco Lindor.

“Defense is a staple in the game of baseball and we want to provide that and just peace of mind for pictures and. We want to go out there and perform that’s the biggest thing I think that.  Because we have a good chemistry, we’re gelling extremely well right now in camp I think that’s going to translate incredibly during the season.”

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