NY Mets dream starting lineup for the 2022 season

The New York Mets went 77-85 this season finishing in third place in the National League East and missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Steve Cohen’s first season as the owner of the Mets included plenty of ups and downs. The Mets were in first place for a majority of the season but collapsed in the second half.

One issue that plagued the Mets all season was their struggling offense.

The Mets were 27th in all of baseball scoring just 3.93 runs per game. The 52-110 Orioles and Diamondbacks scored more runs per game than the Mets.

It felt like the team could not get a clutch hit all year.

Seemingly everyone not named Pete Alonso underperformed. Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil both had atrocious years at the plate and spent a lot of time on the injured list. Dom Smith went from the 2020 Mets MVP to a bench player in September.

Francisco Lindor was awful for the first two months before finally turning things around. James McCann was a massive disappointment. Up and down the lineup everyone disappointed.

The pitching carried the Mets in the first half. Once Jacob deGrom went down, things fell apart.

With the Braves in the World Series while the Mets are sitting at home I expect Steve Cohen to blow past the luxury tax threshold. There are some really good players here but a lot of holes. This lineup I hope the Mets can put together is unlikely, but possible. Hopefully, they can make it happen.

Brandon Nimmo – CF

I wish this guy could stay healthy. Nimmo was outstanding for the Mets in 2021 offensively and defensively. He went from someone who was unplayable in center field to an above-average center fielder.

At the plate, we already knew what Nimmo was capable of. He slashed .292/.401/.437 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. He was a staple at the top of the Mets order and constantly got on base in front of the big bats in the lineup.

His .401 OBP would have tied him for third in all of baseball in on-base percentage. This was his third season out of four in which Nimmo has put up a .400+ OBP. His ability to get on base is truly remarkable.

The issue with Nimmo was the fact that he only played 92 games. Only once in his career has Nimmo played over 100 games and that was back in 2018. No matter how you look at it, that’s an issue.

Nimmo is an elite talent on the field and he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he just can’t stay on the field. This upcoming season is his last year of team control before hitting free agency. The Mets need to figure out whether they want to commit to him long-term.

If I were in charge, I’d extend Nimmo now before the 29 other teams can bid on him. Even with the injury history, teams will undoubtedly pay for the talent and hope he stays on the field.

He’s the perfect leadoff hitter and hopefully will continue to be in that role in Queens for the foreseeable future.

Francisco Lindor – SS

It was a disappointing first season in New York. There is no denying that. It took two months for Lindor to show up offensively and his struggles are definitely a reason the Mets missed the playoffs.

Lindor slashed .230/.322/.412 with 20 home runs and 63 RBI. From Opening Day through May 27, Lindor slashed .178/.288/.261 with three home runs and 9 RBI. From that moment through the end of the season, those numbers improved dramatically to .258/.341/.492 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI.

His .833 OPS in that span is actually better than his career mark of .821.

As the season progressed, Lindor looked more and more like himself at the plate which was amazing to see.

In 2022, I expect to see the Lindor who finished out the season strong. Lindor had 9 home runs and 25 RBI in September. He was coming through in big spots and was one of, if not the best hitter in the lineup.

Out of the number two spot, I expect Lindor to provide a little bit of everything. He’s capable of hitting 30 home runs in a season. He hit 30+ home runs from 2017-2019 including hitting as many as 38.

He’s capable of stealing bases. He’s stolen as many as 25 in a season. For a Mets team lacking speed and base stealing that will be useful.

Lindor’s best tool is his ability to stay on the field. This season he missed time due to an oblique injury but he’s usually a guy who can be relied upon to play every day.

He played in all 60 games in the shortened 2020 season and played in 140+ games in all of his other full seasons in the major leagues.

For a team that seemingly deals with too many injuries every year, having Lindor stay healthy is crucial.

Jose Ramirez – 3B

Ramirez is a perfect fit on this Mets team. He can do it all. He’s got an elite bat, speed, and an outstanding glove. He’s a switch hitter and is only making $26 million dollars total in the next two seasons.

The only issue with Ramirez is he currently plays in Cleveland. This would mean the Mets would have to trade for him. While it’s definitely a long shot, I think it’s possible for the Mets to swing a deal for him.

Cleveland finished with an 80-82 record this season and seem to be entering a rebuild. They already traded Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to the Mets last offseason and are known for being cheap.

I think it’s pretty unlikely that they pay Ramirez when his contract expires so the ideal time to trade him would be when he has more than one year of team control.

Ramirez slashed .266/.355/.538 with 36 home runs and 103 RBI. His 137 WRC+ was seventh in the American League. Along with that, he possesses one of the better gloves in the game. He’s a Gold Glove finalist in the American League this season.

With his elite bat and glove already proven, Ramirez also stole 27 bases. Those 27 bases are almost double the 14 Jonathan Villar had which led the Mets.

Trading for Ramirez instead of signing someone like Kris Bryant allows the Mets to throw big money at other players playing other positions.

He’s a complete player the Mets would be very fortunate to acquire on very cheap money. I’d be comfortable giving up any prospect package that does not include Francisco Alvarez to acquire him.

Pete Alonso – 1B

In a season full of disappointment, Pete Alonso was the only regular who could stay healthy and be productive. It seems that those who were productive could not stay healthy and those who did stay healthy were not productive.

Alonso slashed .262/.344/.519 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI. He might not have hit 53 home runs but Alonso had an outstanding year.

His 37 home runs were third in the National League. For a team that did not have much power, Alonso was the exception.

He showed a lot more disciplined at the plate as well. His strikeout rate went down from 25.5% in 2020 to 19.9% in 2021. It’s still a work in progress but clearly the improvement is there.

Alonso was also much improved in the field. He went from posting -5 DRS in 2020 to 5 DRS in 2021. He was an above-average fielder which is night and day from where he started.

It’s improved to the point where if there is a DH added, Alonso should not be placed in that role permanently.

Alonso is becoming more of a complete player than he was in his outrageous rookie year which is amazing to see.

Something for Alonso to improve on is his production at Citi Field. It is a pitcher’s park but Alonso really struggled at Citi Field this season. He slashed .234/.313/.414 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI in Flushing.
On the road, Alonso slashed .288/.373/.618 with 25 home runs and 61 RBI. I have no idea why Alonso was so much better on the road but if he puts up numbers close to or similar to his road numbers he will be even better than he already is.

Nicholas Castellanos – RF

One of the big free agent moves I’d love the Mets to make would be bringing in Nick Castellanos. This move would only be possible if Castellanos opts out of the remaining two years $32 million dollars of his contract. After the season he just had, I’d say that’s very likely.

Castellanos slashed .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI. He was an all-star and one of the best hitters in the National League.

Castellanos has always been a really good hitter but this season he had his best year. The 34 home runs were a career-high as well as his .362 OBP.

Castellanos would be a second right-handed power bat to stick right in the middle of this Mets lineup. Having a player with Castellanos’ ability hitting fifth lengthens this lineup so much.

With Castellanos’ elite bat, there are definitely some issues defensively. He posted a -7 DRS this season playing in the outfield for the Reds. That’s definitely not good and a reason to shy away from him.

However, I think the bat is just too good to pass up on. He will be expensive but not as expensive as a complete player would be. I believe he’d add more offensively than he’d take away defensively.

Once the DH comes to the National League, the Mets can simply plug him in that role where he’d thrive.

Castellanos would not come cheap but I believe he’s more than worth the hefty paycheck. He’s one of the best bats available and is a great fit for this Mets team.

Javier Baez – 2B

The Mets acquired Javier Baez at the trade deadline to try and be a spark plug for an offense that struggled all year. Baez did that and then some. As a Met, he slashed .299/.371/.515 with 9 home runs and 22 RBI. He exceeded pretty much anyone’s expectations.

Like Castellanos, Baez is a free agent. He has expressed an interest in returning to Queens and I’d love to have him back. Baez is a very good player and is very fun to watch.

However, also like Castellanos, Baez has a very clear flaw. Baez has awful plate discipline. In 361 plate appearances this season as a Cub, Baez drew 15 walks while striking out 131 times. He had a 4.2% walk rate and 36.3% strikeout rate as a Cub.

As a Met, Baez flipped a switch. He drew 13 walks in 186 plate appearances while striking out 53 times. His walk rate increased to 7% while his strikeout rate went down to 28.5%.

With Baez showing more plate discipline, he had one of the best offensive stretches in his career during his stint as a Met.

I was very critical of Baez because I never saw him do this. Do I think it’s sustainable? Probably not. I assume a lot of the improvements that were made were made with the thought of free agency in mind.

However, I’m willing to take the risk. Even with Baez showing awful plate discipline he’s still a very good player. He’s got absurd power. 30+ home run threats from a middle infielder are rare and the Mets could potentially employ two of those guys.

Baez adds a dimension on the base paths that the Mets lack as well. He stole 18 bases this season, a mark that would’ve led the Mets. He also is an elite base runner. He showed it on his dash to the plate to score the winning run against the Marlins after the thumbs-down controversy.

Baez also has an elite glove. He’s won a Gold Glove before and is willing to play second base in order to play with his good friend Francisco Lindor. The Mets would employ one of if not the best middle infield defenses in the game.

Baez is a really good player with or without plate discipline. He’s someone you can pencil in to do all of the little things while providing 30+ home run power and playing really good defense. He’s also a treat to watch. I’m all over the Mets bringing this guy back for the next 4-5 years.

Jeff McNeil – LF

2021 was a very rough year for Jeff McNeil. He missed a month due to injury and just didn’t appear to be the same guy that he has been in the past. McNeil slashed .249/.317/.358 with seven home runs and 35 RBI.

McNeil was a guy everyone expected to hit .300 and be a table-setter at the top of the order. Unfortunately, he did not do that this season.

While the numbers did not look good, I think McNeil hit into a lot of bad luck. He had a .276 BAbip. Typically, hitters have a BAbip around .300. For a contact hitter like McNeil, having a low BAbip usually means they will have a rough season.

McNeil was very similar to the hitter he’s always been. He’s a guy that’s known to put bat on ball and avoid strikeouts. He was in the 94th percentile in K% and the 87th percentile in whiff rate according to baseball savant. That means he still was avoiding strikeouts and was putting the bat on ball.

With his BAbip hopefully going back to the mean, I expect McNeil to be similar to his old self.

I have McNeil playing in left field with the additions of Ramirez and Baez. McNeil is really playable pretty much anywhere on the diamond.

In left field in 2021 he put had 1 DRS and in 2019 in a large sample size he also put up 1 DRS. He’s not elite but he’s not Dom Smith in left field.

While ideally, I’d want him playing second base, McNeil is playable in left field and other positions as well. Having a guy like that who can play a bunch of positions is incredibly valuable.

James McCann – C

Even in my wildest dream lineup I can’t envision James McCann not being a part of it. His contract is bad and no team will ever take him in a trade without the Mets giving something of value attached to him.

The Mets inked McCann to a four-year $40 million-dollar deal to be their catcher. He was supposed to be a guy they could rely on to play five or six days a week and be one of the more productive catchers offensively and defensively in the league.

It’s safe to say this season was a disaster for McCann. He slashed .232/.294/.349 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI.

McCann was coming off of two great offensive seasons in Chicago including being an all-star in 2019. What was really noticeable this season compared to the previous two was the lack of power.

McCann had just 23 extra-base hits this season. He had 10 last season in 401 fewer plate appearances. In 2019, he had 45 in 64 more plate appearances.

McCann hit an astonishing number of ground balls this season. He hit 52.1% of his batted balls on the ground, up from the 39.1% last season. As a result, his line drive percentage went way down. It went from 33.3% in 2020 to 20.2% this season. It’s pretty obvious. As a catcher with little to no speed, if McCann is going to have any sort of success offensively, he’s going to have to get more lift on the ball.

I believe the Mets should start McCann and hope he produces offensively. However, I believe if he struggles out of the gate, Tomas Nido should get a majority of the starts.

He’s an elite defender and the pitchers seem to do better when throwing to him. If the Mets build a really good lineup to hit in front of the catcher spot it’s not the worst thing in the world to have a defensive-minded catcher play most of the time.