3 Mets players who could draw the ire of fans at Darin Ruf levels

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.