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

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.”

As previously noted, despite just one month since donning a Mets uniform for the first time, James McCann is already getting to know his teammates really well. “I need to have a relationship with each guy.”

On teammate, Jacob deGrom, he noted that their relationship has grown. “Jake’s a phenomenal guy. … he gets his work in and he works hard.” However, it’s McCann’s familiarity with other key members of the Mets pitching staff that stand out in his interview.

On SP Marcus Stroman, he mentioned, “He’s as athletic as they come on the mound. He makes adjustments from pitch-to-pitch. He understands how his mechanics work, how his pitches work together. He’s a guy that I look forward to catching because he does have so many weapons to get hitters out with,” referring to his split-change and slider.”

Similarly, McCann complimented the great strides SP Taijuan Walker has made despite entering camp late, following his two-year, $20 million deal. “… [He’s got] a good four-pitch mix [with] a good feel for all of his pitches. He understands how his pitches work. He’s very intelligent, and his work ethic is off the charts. … I think he’s going to be a guy that eats a lot of innings for us and throws the ball really well for us this year.”

However, he reserved his highest praise for right-handed reliever Miguel Castro, who the catcher said was coming into his own. “He is not a fun at bat,” McCann quipped, speaking about his previous face-offs in the batter’s box against the former American League pitcher.

“He’s coming at you with that 3-quarter arm slot. … He’s got such long arms, it’s like he’s handing the ball to the catcher when he releases it. And he’s shown the ability to control all pitches in Spring Training. He’s thrown his slider and his changeup extremely well. And then anytime you’re throwing 97-98 [MPH], it’s difficult on a hitter, especially with the sink that he’s got and then the release point he has.”

In touting certain pieces in the Mets pen, he also mentioned Edwin Díaz’s improvements – another key arm that will make or break the Mets bullpen down the stretch. “He gets swing-and-misses at pitches right down the middle like nobody else in baseball.”

In a separate March 10 interview with Moose and Maggie on WFAN Sports Radio, new Mets reliever Trevor May also commented on his new battery mate’s positive influence on the pitching staff.

“He takes that role of kind of the pilot of the team. A good catcher, that is kind of the role that they take. … You get that right away when you talk to McCann. He’s thinking through, he’s got his what he needs to know with every pitcher, he was approaching everyone early, making sure that he was kind of getting the basics down, and then feeling it out as we go out there. … He’s on top of his stuff and that’s amazing to see.”

May’s not alone in thinking that. When reminded by Coleman about his manager calling him a great guy, McCann admitted, “That does make me feel good to hear that. That in my short time, I’ve been able to have an impact like that. My opinion as being the catcher, I have a relationship with each and every pitcher, I have a relationship with each and every hitter. I’m kind of that bridge between the pitchers and the hitters. Anytime that the catcher can be kind of that general … that guy that can lead and be somebody that young guys can bounce things off. You know, it goes a long way for the team at the end of the day.”