The 2022 Mets didn’t lose their first series until May 13-15 against Seattle. But with Jarred Kelenic sent back to the minors before the Mariners arrived in Queens, the lasting memory from that seven-game homestand would be taking three out of four from St. Louis. That series ended with an afternoon walk off two-run home run by Pete Alonso.
The longest losing streak for the entire season was three games. The first three-game slide started on June 26, a walk-off loss in Miami. After an off day, the Mets were swept in a two-game series against the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros. Framber Valdez threw eight shutout innings in a 9-1 loss on June 28. The next day, Tiajuan Walker threw seven-plus shutout innings but it wasn’t enough. His opposition that afternoon threw eight shutout innings, was eventually awarded the Cy Young and is currently on the IL with a low-grade teres major (back of the shoulder) strain.
Justin Verlander may return soon after Max Scherzer is eligible to pitch after his 10-game suspension, but until then Buck Showalter still has to fill out a lineup card. And regardless if either of those starters are available, how exactly should the upcoming series with the Washington Nationals be viewed?
Comment boards called for the Mets to win at least seven of the 10 games on their most recent road trip. The opponents can be criticized, but they’ve been scheduled against the top half of the NL West recently. The Mets just faced San Diego at Citi Field before three at Dodgers Stadium and the latest four-game set in San Francisco. Before the season began, most would have called that the division's best, but as of Sunday morning all are behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.
How much of that is due to each losing a series against the Mets? How much is a true sign that the team just isn’t any good? How much of any team’s early season success is an actual indicator? How much of a team’s early season failures are Yogi Berra and ‘It gets late early out there’ come to life? How much should be taken from the Washington Nationals’ 7-14 start?
I’m a faithful listener of the Tony Kornheiser podcast. If you only know that name as connected to ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption, not his history, just know he was a New York Giants baseball fan that lost his franchise to western expansion. He chose not to be a Mets fan, but was a young writer in New York during the Miracle Mets and Ya Gotta Believe. His fame was cemented at the Washington Post. He resides there now and when baseball returned to the nation’s capital, he became a baseball fan again.
Three times a week, I listen to his show and endure hearing brief snippets about baseball from the view of a Nats' fan. One that loudly celebrated their 2019 World Series title and has complained about the collapse ever since. During a recent show, he started with a review of last night’s game and immediately lamented about the lack of offensive production from Dominic Smith.
Kornheiser guessed about his past, knowing he was a high draft pick but believing he had bounced around. But any true follower of the Orange and Blue knows Dom Smith was indeed a high draft pick and top prospect for a while. Smith projected with gap power and a good eye, but was better known for his glove at first base. The 2019 season was all set to be his breakout year, but no one told this to a polar bear from the University of Florida.
I’ve not forgotten that Alonso’s biggest knock was his glove, which was one of the reasons why Smith was ahead of him on the proverbial board. I’ve seen and been impressed with the effort and improvement he’s made, as well as his two-strike approach. Smith looked like that and then some during the strike-shortened pandemic season of 2020.
The more agile of the two, and the one without a Rookie of the Year award, Smith accepted a utility role and learned to play the outfield. He knew how to hit, finishing one hit behind Jeff McNeil for the team-high. In 50 games, Smith had a .316 average with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in the middle of the chaos that was conducting a major league season in the midst of a global health crisis for entertainment and its accompanying employment.
Unfortunately for Smith, he wasn’t able to replicate that success at the plate while also still learning a new position and becoming a Major League Baseball player. If this seems biased, then I’m guilty. I was a big fan of having a homegrown version of John Olerud from the 1999 team - a defense-first first baseman who hits .280 and knocks in 85. Smith seemed to fit that mold and he could have been, should have been, yadda yadda yadda.
Smith is currently hitting .227 with zero home runs and four RBIs. He is the starting first baseman for Washington, a last place team with few signs for success in the short term. The Mets have starting pitcher issues galore, but last year’s team was good about feasting on the weak. In 2022, they were 14-5 against the eventual last place team in the NL East. They just swept three games in Oakland, a team that recently announced a move to Las Vegas in the not-to-distant future. Leaving a city with a dedicated fan base when the team is winning, but...
Both recently and in the past, when the Mets have been bad, neither Citi Field nor Shea Stadium has ever been that consistently empty or look that much in ruins on the regular. That goes on everybody involved, but such is the cycle of life. The sea otters and pandas may look cute at the zoo, but somewhere there’s a fish without a father.
OK, there are a lot of fish without their fathers, but you get the point.
The point is the Mets start a seven-game homestand on Tuesday. They start a stretch of 13 games in 14 days that includes a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves. Scherzer could be eligible to pitch at the end, but what about the beginning? Suddenly a three-game series against Dom Smith and the Nationals becomes way too important and that’s the truth.
Upcoming Series: Washington Nationals at New York Mets
Tuesday, April 25 - 7:10 pm
TBA vs. TBA
Wednesday, April 26 - 7:10 pm
Kodai Senga (3-0, 4.29 ERA) vs. TBA
Saturday, April 27 - 7:10 pm
Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBA
- Mets 2024 Preview - Get Ready And Be Patient - March 28, 2024
- Edwin Diaz Shines In Spring Debut - March 11, 2024
- Mets notes From spring's first pitch in Florida - February 26, 2024
