Mets prospect Drew Gilbert gave us an 'embrace the tank' RBI triple down in AA

While the New York Mets were busy losing their fifth straight on Saturday, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies took down the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Is there anything better on this planet than minor league baseball team names? 

The Rumble Ponies have become much more relevant for the casual minor league follower. The team’s trade deadline sell-off loaded them up with new prospects to watch. In the bottom of the fifth inning on Saturday, we got a glimpse of the future.

NY Mets prospects playing together on the farm and succeeding will help us ‘embrace the tank’

Drew Gilbert driving in Luisangel Acuña with a triple is what Mets fans need to see plenty of in these final weeks of the 2023 season. The big league club has become stale. Playing without playoff implications, many fans are embracing the idea of the team losing as much as possible in order to improve their draft picks drastically.

It’s especially important for the Mets to finish with a bottom six record to avoid their pick dropping by ten spots. Because of the team’s payroll and new rules of the CBA, they would need to finish the year with a top six pick to have it protected from dropping. You might feel sick to your stomach but losing is best for the Mets.

They’re not quite there yet. The American League Central can challenge for three of those picks better than the Mets. The Oakland Athletics will finish behind the Mets, too. This leaves room for only one club in the National League. The Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washington Nationals are all currently behind the Mets.

Rooting against the Mets might not be in your blood and that’s okay. The players aren’t trying to lose. Many are fighting for jobs next year whether it’s in New York or somewhere else. Others are trying to secure more money on their next contract. Then there are those who have the will to win.

One RBI triple by Gilbert down on the farm to bring in Acuña isn’t going to make anyone do a 180-degree turn on how they feel about the direction of the team. You’ve either welcomed the change or turned off from the team until next spring. Those who’ve opened their arms and accepted the direction of the franchise will be pleased to see what could be the first of many moments of Gilbert driving in Acuña.