Mets: 1 biggest concern with the early offensive performance

The New York Mets offense has been the big disappointment of the 2021 season. Heading into this year, there was a narrative that we could at least count on the team to score runs regardless of how poorly the pitching may perform at times.

Spring training games offered a misleading taste of what was ahead for this club in the early part of 2021. The offense has underperformed on a daily basis. While they have been getting on base regularly, Mets hitters are folding as soon as their teammates get into scoring position.

Certainly concerning, there’s one reason why I think it’s especially alarming.

The Mets haven’t played tough opponents and they’re hitting in some bandboxes

The Mets have played games at Citi Field, Citizen’s Bank Ballpark, Coors Field, and are currently in a series at Wrigley Field with one game under their belt. The three road ballparks all have a reputation for favoring hitters over pitchers. This is especially true of CBP and Coors—two places where ERAs go to die.

I think we all made the mistake of expecting a whole lot more from the Mets on the road in this early part of April. Not every game in Colorado is a 12-10 one. Sometimes, offenses get shut down.

In their small handful of home games, the Mets haven’t had much luck either. Do we blame this on Citi Field and its favoritism toward pitching? I don’t think so.

You can only play the teams on your schedule and face the pitchers they put on the mound. So far, the Mets haven’t had any real challenges. The Colorado Rockies might be the worst team in the National League. The Chicago Cubs aren’t much better and the Miami Marlins—while on the uptick—are not challenging for a division title. The other team we’ve seen the Mets play this year, the Philadelphia Phillies, are also a questionable group with some fatal flaws.

While an early concern for the Mets offense, here’s a reminder to not go into full panic mode

It’s early. The season is so young it hasn’t even been potty-trained yet. If we’re going to freak out about how bad the offense has looked so far this season, why play out the rest of the year?

To the same point that the Mets have struggled in hitter-friendly ballparks, we can also cite the weather as one cause for the lack of runs. Cold weather months traditionally don’t help out batters. Mother Nature has been chilly enough in the northeast. It has been worse in Colorado and Chicago.

Hitting season won’t start until around June in most cities. As the humidity rises, balls may fly a little further and runs will come, Ray. Runs will most definitely come.

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I’m not sure who the 2021 Mets are. Is this a pitching-heavy team with an underperforming offense? Could the opposite be true? It’s easy to get fooled this early in the year. That’s why we play 162 and don’t give ourselves access to the panic button until Memorial Day.