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3 Mets players who could draw the ire of fans at Darin Ruf levels
When Jerry Gergich left the Parks Department, everyone looked around to find out who would be “the new Jerry.” If you’re unfamiliar with Pawnee, Indiana politics, Jerry was the proverbial punching bag within the organization. From a New York Mets point of view, he was their Darin Ruf.
Ruf was designated for assignment this week and there is no longer a singular player fans are united in being unhappy with. This could always change. Once games are played, any of these three look ready to draw the same kind of ire from fans that Ruf instilled in us for months.
1) NY Mets outfielder Tommy Pham looks most likely to anger the fans
Tommy Pham is essentially taking over many of the at-bats Ruf would’ve otherwise received. A right-handed outfielder with far more flexibility on defense than Ruf, he’s a far better fit for the Mets thanks to his ability to play all three outfield positions.
Beyond this, there are plenty of reasons to doubt him.
Pham is coming off of what could be considered a down year or the norm for him at this point. He was brought in to annihilate left-handed pitchers. An underwhelming .156/.255/.178 spring in 51 trips to the plate has some doubting he was the best choice for the ball club even if all he does is play part-time and in spots where he should have an advantage.
Versus lefties last year, Pham was a .273/.338/.446 hitter in 154 trips to the plate. It’s acceptable for a part-timer. The downside is it’s not quite enough from the DH spot.
Pham is signed to only a one-year deal and at $6 million, the Mets shouldn’t be afraid to DFA him later on this year if things don’t work out.
2) NY Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar has little room for a slow start
One of the bigger mysteries on the Mets roster is Eduardo Escobar. Yes, we know what he can do. We saw the best of him in the final weeks of the 2022 season. We also suffered through months of Escobar struggling. He has very little room for error with Brett Baty breathing down his neck. Could he become the next guy Mets fans draw their sports-hatred toward?
Escobar does have a good relationship with the fans. He comes across as humble and likable. It doesn’t matter who you are as a person when you’re not playing well. Even if you’re up for sainthood, if you’re hitting too close to the Mendoza Line, you’re not going to win over New Yorkers.
Escobar is probably in much less danger of getting designated for assignment than Pham because of how much more his salary is and other uses for him. Escobar has spent time at other places on the field. He could probably even manage in the corner outfield spots if the Mets ever really needed to use him there.
A candidate to become the next Ruf in the eyes of fans, Escobar can stomp out any of those negative feelings quickly by having a big first month of the season.
3) NY Mets DH Daniel Vogelbach has to be more than the fun-loving guy
The reason the Mets need Pham in the first place is because Daniel Vogelbach is allergic to hitting against lefties. For whatever it’s worth, he’s not particularly masterful against righties although a whole lot better. Last season’s numbers with the Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates included a .261/.382/.497 slash line in 377 trips to the plate. Vogelbach knocked 18 home runs in those opportunities. It made him an efficient hitter with power when put in that position to succeed.
There’s a bit of a trickle down issue with Vogelbach. His struggles against lefties, a .139/.262/.153 hitter against them last year in 84 plate appearances, leaves a sour taste in the mouths of many. If he was playing defense regularly and doing it anywhere other than first base, it might feel a little more acceptable. Instead, Vogelbach is an incredibly limited player and due to his lack of production against southpaws, the Mets remain in constant search of the right fit to start versus lefty pitchers.
Vogelbach is easy to like because who doesn’t like a teddy bear? That kind of affection, unfortunately, can wear thin quickly. Mets fans are starved for a championship. Doing commercials to promote MLB isn’t going to lengthen any leash fans have.
Vogelbach did earn some good faith points from fans with his performance last season. It’s easier to replace him on the roster than Escobar. In fact, the argument that the Mets lose a lot of balance with their roster by having him present is fair. He’s quite a distance away from becoming the next Ruf but an early slump after a poor spring can speed things along.
Next. 4 Mets most likely to have a breakout season in 2023. dark