2) NY Mets need to choose power over getting on base at one more spot
There is plenty of uncertainty with how the Mets starting lineup will look next year. Trades, free agent signings, and a couple of DFAs could lead to big changes. Will this be a ball club built mostly with homegrown players or will there be a lot of outside help?
Regardless of who they have, a philosophy change the Mets need to make is how they value power. They have one true power hitter with Pete Alonso. Francisco Alvarez looks to be on his way there. Francisco Lindor can provide plenty of it, too.
Everyone else is on a different tier. They can pop home runs, but we wouldn’t consider them power hitters.
What the Mets have run into is a love affair with getting on base. For the last two seasons and maybe even longer, patience at the plate has taken precedence over actually driving in runs. The Mets don’t have an abysmal offense. They just lack those threats to turn a slow night into a furious one.
As frustrating as sluggers who strike out a lot and have an OBP under .300 can be, the ability to rip 30 home runs in their sleep is immeasurable. The Mets went into this year with a lineup where more than half of the players would be lucky to hit over 15 home runs. It’s not enough.
Having a left fielder or third baseman who hits for power (a DH, too) makes a world of a difference for the Mets. We can’t always count on three singles to get a run across. The three run home run remains one of the best weapons out there.