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3 best Mets lineup changes Carlos Mendoza is proactively making
Credit for the Mets skipper and anyone else who had a hand in these decisions.
Carlos Mendoza took a lot of early heat during the first homestand of the New York Mets season. Several decisions were easy to question in the moment and again after the fact when they didn’t work out so well. Fortunately, the team is winning. Winning cures all.
One reason for the team’s success could be some changes in the lineup. As quick as David Stearns has been to execute a player from the 26-man roster, Mendoza has been just as proactive in putting together the best lineup possible. He has shown a willingness to try something new. The benefits are right there in the win column.
1) The Mets wasted no time moving Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez into the middle of the order
Mendoza hasn’t done anything so drastic as to drop Francisco Lindor in the lineup during his slump, but we have already seen him reward hot-hitting youngsters Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez. The pair are regularly batting right in the thick of the lineup.
Due to the hesitance of past managers and front office personnel, you weren’t right to believe the Mets might hold the kids back a little too long. It took only until the fifth game of the season for the Mets to move Baty up to the five spot. He is now regularly bouncing between there and the cleanup role.
Alvarez’s rise was a little more expected after coming off of such a powerful season. Already showing his own signs of growth offensively as more than a home run hitter, he is becoming a more complete hitter.
Flipping and flopping these two rising stars in the order isn’t unexpected. Having them entrenched in the four through six spots now on a daily basis is a pleasant turn. Wouldn’t you know, it’s working, too.
Rewarding productive players with a better spot in the lineup is something some managers may hesitate to do. Not this year’s Mets. The humbling sweep to open the year might’ve been just what they needed.
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2) The Mets moving Starling Marte to second in the lineup was a necessary promotion
Starling Marte has been productive for the Mets thus far. His home run on Opening Day saved them from getting no-hit. Ever since, he has been a lighter contributor but a frequent scorer of runs. He began the year batting fifth and has now found himself regularly hitting in the two spot.
Hitting at the top of the lineup is ideal for Marte. Even if he found himself in the leadoff spot for any reason at all, using his speed on the base paths is necessary for the Mets to get the most from him. This isn’t a team that’ll run a whole lot. Marte is an exception. He stole 24 bases in only 86 games last year while playing hurt and not reaching base a whole lot. Swiping 30 should come easy if health is on his side.
Because Brandon Nimmo hits left-handed and so does Jeff McNeil, Marte was always the ideal number two hitter to avoid consecutive lefties at the top of the order. Nimmo and McNeil can handle themselves against southpaws, but the Mets make it easier late in a game for any of those tough relievers throwing from the left side of the plate to get past them. Marte can help make things a little more difficult on opposing managers.
Marte is a guy who likes to stick to one spot in the lineup whether it’s high, low, or in the middle. The middle has already been taken over by the kids. Marte’s early success now has him hitting second on a regular basis. Frankly, it’s where he belongs as long as the numbers bear out.
3) The Mets mixing in Tyrone Taylor often is perfection
Tyrone Taylor has been an awesome addition to the Mets this year. Not quite an everyday player but fully capable of taking the stronger half of a platoon situation, Taylor’s biggest problem was being born into a world where most pitchers are right-handed. This has given a player like DJ Stewart more opportunities to start over Taylor who has actually handled himself about equally as well against pitchers of both breeds.
The Mets haven’t been hesitant to start Taylor nor have they wasted any time in letting him enter the game late as a pinch hitter or even defensive replacement. His first Mets homer came off of, of all people, Luis Guillorme in the 16-4 beat down against the Atlanta Braves. Unlikely to hit a whole lot of long balls for the Mets, Taylor still has a track record of going yard more often than the average player. He has averaged 20 home runs per 162 games with an additional note needed: this is per only 477 plate appearances.
Taylor is a suitable alternative at all three outfield positions as well as a good enough runner, superb defender, and quality hitter in any situation. Taylor is on pace to have one of those seasons where he participates in about 130-140 games even without starting in a good number of them.
An added bonus: Taylor isn’t a short term player. Although 30-years-old, he is under team control through 2026.
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