Mets: Three important player attributes that could help win games in 2021

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Mar 28, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) flips the ball to second base to get the force out of Miami Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro (38, not pictured) in the 4th inning of the spring training game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

The New York Mets over the offseason have solved some areas of weakness that plagued the club in 2020, which should now help improve the team’s chances of winning some more ball games this season. That also doesn’t go without saying many returning players seemed to have looked good this spring in making adjustments from last season such as Pete Alonso. While numerous factors go into a team winning a baseball game, there are some advantages the Mets now possess which will undoubtedly allow them to win some more games in 2021 than they did in 2020.

Looking deeper into the advantages that this season’s Mets team contains over last season’s team, it must be noted that three specific players will play a significant role in the Mets’ chances of winning more games this season. Each of these three players contains an important tool to help improve some weak areas that plagued the Mets last season.

The New York Mets could be relying on three different player’s attributes to turn around last season’s disappointing record.

There are big expectations that have been cast on the Mets this season for a wide variety of reasons, such as new ownership in tow, Francisco Lindor’s acquisition, and an already impressive nucleus of young players on the Major League roster. Many baseball experts (including the robot PECOTA) are predicting the Mets to win the National League East, and potentially make noise in October, but those expectations will only be met if the following three players and their important tools elevate the ballclub beyond their recent shortcomings.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the three Mets players and their specific attributes that could be critical to this season’s ball club.

Feb 22, 2021; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) watches field drills during the first day of full-squad spring training workouts at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports /

1) James McCann’s arm

It was vital for the Mets to upgrade behind the plate defensively this offseason and they did just that by landing catcher James McCann this winter in free agency from the Chicago White Sox. Last season the Mets had struggled with passed balls and stolen bases with Wilson Ramos behind the plate, which was one of the glaring weaknesses on last season’s team. With Ramos unable to keep runners from running wild on the basepaths, it hindered the Mets defensively last season which is the biggest reason why McCann was the first signing of a very busy winter for the Mets.

Looking ahead, this is where James McCann and his arm play an important role in the Mets’ chances of winning many games this season. McCann’s arm behind the plate is a huge asset for the Mets, as over his entire career McCann has thrown out around 36% of baserunners who were attempting to steal on him, which includes a 33% clip in 2020. To break those percentages down a bit further, in 2019 and 2020 combined McCann had only allowed 45 total stolen bases in 136 games behind the plate.

In comparison to those great numbers above by McCann, over the previous two seasons with Wilson Ramos behind the plate, Ramos had only thrown out around 16% of the runners attempting to steal on him. Those numbers simply aren’t going to get it done for a team that has championship aspirations.

With McCann’s cannon of an arm and his ability to neutralize base stealers, the Mets are in a better position defensively this season than they have been over the previous two seasons.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA – MARCH 16: Francisco Lindor #12 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) /

2) Francisco Lindor’s Glove

While Francisco Lindor has been the Mets biggest acquisition since probably Carlos Beltran in terms of talent and star power, I believe one of the most overlooked areas of Lindor’s game is the glove he is bringing with him to Queens. Lindor’s bat, leadership, and swagger are three attributes that are very well talked about among Mets fans, but his glove is going to be game-changing for a team that has struggled mightily over the previous seasons with its defense up the middle.

Lindor is a two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner (2016, 2019) as well as a Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner in 2016 which is a fan vote for the best overall defensive player in the league. With those awards already in hand, Lindor has proven his defensive pedigree before even stepping foot on the infield dirt of Citi Field.

Looking a bit deeper into Lindor’s defensive greatness that he will be bringing to Queens, according to FanGraphs, since 2015 Lindor is second among shortstops in defensive WAR and third in runs prevented. Furthermore, Lindor also ranks fourth among defensive runs saved, which is an area that the Mets can certainly improve upon this season.

With Lindor’s glove and the amount of range he covers at the shortstop position, the Mets have put themselves in a very good situation defensively not only for this season but also for future seasons to come with Lindor’s recent ten-year extension. Two defensive upgrades in both McCann and Lindor will provide the Mets with a greater opportunity to win some more games in 2021.

Mar 28, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia (27) delivers a pitch in the 4th inning of the spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

3) Jeurys Familia’s Control

While this third attribute might surprise many in terms of importance, it shouldn’t. Jeurys Familia is making a little over $11 million this season and the Mets bullpen seems to be a bit of a question mark this season, aside from Edwin Diaz, Trevor May, Aaron Loup, and Seth Lugo. The 31-year old Familia doesn’t seem currently penciled in as a favorite for late-inning duties due to his command issues, but should he get off to a good start in the regular season that narrative could certainly change.

Plain and simple, should Familia harness his control and pitch adequately, he could give the Mets the opportunity to have one of the deepest bullpens in the National League, as well as prove he deserves every bit of the $11 million that he is scheduled to make this season.

Throughout the entire Spring, Familia had displayed top-notch velocity but the command simply was not there as he continued to fall behind early in counts and threw more pitches than he should have. Familia wound up posting a decent 2.57 ERA over seven innings, but he walked seven batters in that span while only striking out three.

Next. Mets players on the hot seat heading into the 2021 season

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Astoundingly Familia has walked a little over 15% of the batters he has faced over the last two seasons combined. That number has to decrease if the Mets want to have a shot of answering some questions on the effectiveness of their bullpen this season, while also keeping Manager Luis Rojas away from the Rolaids. Familia could play a bigger role in the Mets bullpen and their playoff chances than many fans think, but only if he can get his control to match the elite velocity that he has displayed in Spring Training.

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The New York Mets could be relying on three different player’s attributes to turn around last season’s disappointing record.

1) James McCann’s arm

2) Francisco Lindor’s Glove

3) Jeurys Familia’s Control

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