This year's players aren’t tolerating any nonsense and it works

There is a big difference between this New York Mets team and many others in recent memory. What is it?

Let’s start with what we know. Taijuan Walker and Mark Canha were positively vocal about the Mets having a Pride Night in June which couldn’t have been more perfect to show us why they are good people. Mets players have continually taken responsibility in losses whether it was their fault or not. Eduardo Escobar has spoken up about how he knows Mets fans are unhappy with his performance and his desire to change that.

What’s most different about this Mets team is the lack of nonsense these players tolerate from each other.

The Mets aren’t a joke because these players refuse to let themselves become the punchline

A team of good people is nice but for them to win a lot of games is even better. Winning can cure a lot of locker room problems. This has definitely helped the 2022 team avoid any internal conflict.

It all starts from the top. Steve Cohen has toned it down on Twitter. Honestly, he’s better off not trying to be everyone’s favorite tweeter. His basic tweets are all anyone needs. He has continued to support the fans, the team, and do everything right. It has been easier than last season because of the players they have on the roster and the performances of everyone.

But the success extends beyond just the owner’s ability to interact on social media less. The Mets have real leaders in the locker room. Max Scherzer seems like the kind of guy who might embarrass you if you do something wrong. Canha, Escobar, and Starling Marte seem to fit in perfectly with the mission to add professional people to the roster.

Nobody on this Mets team puts themselves above anyone else. Even Dominic Smith’s unhappiness at playing time and a demotion weren’t done so with kicking and screaming. It was presented honestly and without coming across as a brat. Maybe this is because Smith has built up enough goodwill with his maturity over the last few years.

The major change could be the manager. Buck Showalter didn't return to managing for the paycheck. He's doing it because his resume is missing a championship. He seems to have a perfect grasp on what these players need.

Without us being in the locker room, we don’t know all of the little details about how each of these men interact with one another. For sure, not all of them are fans of the other. They are as diverse as any other group of colleagues. They aren’t all aligned politically or follow the same religious practices. What they manage to do is put aside any petty disagreements and just play baseball.

Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil set a fine example for everyone on how to move on from a past disagreement last year which launched plenty of questions about whether or not they can co-exist. This Mets team is built differently because of the people leading and everyone's willingness to buy in.