Name That Catalyst

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I have to say, there was a whiff of something not right with this group going back to that McNeil-Lindor punchup.



I'm only speculating here but I imagine the Lindor acquisition interfered somehow with the Cookie Club wholesomeness of the core Mets, and getting Baez only exacerbated it because it further burned the fuse on McNeil or Davis's departure.

[Edgy MD]

That's a workable thesis. A critical divide between Team 'Murica and Team Puerto Rico, exacerbated by who is healthy and on the field at a given time, with neither of the young, first-time managers able to get a lid on it.



I don't know that I'm ready to put my chips on it, but it's worth exploring.

[kcmets]

Did it ever come out what that Lindor/McNeil thing was really about? I forget if

it did, seems so long ago even though it's not. I can see how some of this could

turn a clubhouse into a personalities pickle. Lindor was slow out of the gate. The

Baez thing of sure I'll play second with Lindor but only with Lindor. One's here until

2032 with no opt outs (and makes a gazzilion/year) and one is a rental.

[TransMonk]

It's really hard to imagine an impetus right now. The injuries have been tough, but most teams have been battling numerous injuries this season. Save Nimmo and Pete, I'm not sure any of the bats are playing up to their potential when healthy. With nearly two-thirds of the season gone, I'm not sure how they right that ship.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I can go anyway I want to with this post because who knows what'll happen in the future? I'm not as worried as youse but still, I'll pile on a little and remind youse that the Mets sucked big time last year, too, even before Lindor and Baez got here, missing the playoffs when more than half the teams qualified.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Guest

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's now a 51-game sprint. Anything can happen. I'm not expecting October baseball this year, but I would love to be pleasantly surprised. It's definitely something that could happen.

[kcmets]

What's Philly's win streak up to? Nine games? Are they gonna go nine-ten more?

Probably not.

[G-Fafif]

The 2021 Phillies at the moment are playing like the 2015 Mets at the same time of year. The 2021 Mets are either in the role of the 2015 Nats (swept from the top of the division by their rivals for the crown) or the 2015 Marlins (roadkill for the rampaging 2015 Mets after sweeping the Nats).



You're also welcome to cite the 1973 Cardinals who had taken first place, lost Bob Gibson to injury and eventually faded.

[TransMonk]

=G-Fafif post_id=73939 time=1628523493 user_id=55]
The 2021 Phillies at the moment are playing like the 2015 Mets at the same time of year. The 2021 Mets are either in the role of the 2015 Nats (swept from the top of the division by their rivals for the crown) or the 2015 Marlins (roadkill for the rampaging 2015 Mets after sweeping the Nats).

[Edgy MD]

=TransMonk post_id=73933 time=1628520842 user_id=71]
It's really hard to imagine an impetus right now.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: =TransMonk post_id=73933 time=1628520842 user_id=71] It's really hard to imagine an impetus right now.

It's not hard for me to imagine an impetus. It's just hard to be right about who or what the impetus will be, when it will arrive, and how substantial the impact will be.



I can imagine all sorts of impeti, with varying degrees of likelihood, but the season is going to play out in any number of a billion ways.

[TransMonk]

https://media0.giphy.com/media/ToMjGpKniGqRNLGBrhu/200.gif>



I'm still here. I'm still watching games even though I want to bang my head against the wall. These guys aren't hitting to the back of their baseball cards. If they were, I'd feel better.



I guess maybe getting swept by a surging team and falling out of first place for the first time in months should be a wake up call.



IMO, these guys are good enough that they shouldn't need a one-in-a-billion catalyst to collectively get going.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: =TransMonk post_id=73933 time=1628520842 user_id=71] It's really hard to imagine an impetus right now.

It's not hard for me to imagine an impetus. It's just hard to be right about who or what the impetus will be, when it will arrive, and how substantial the impact will be.



I can imagine all sorts of impeti, with varying degrees of likelihood, but the season is going to play out in any number of a billion ways.



Some moron ran on the field at Dodger Stadium yesterday, was completely surrounded by security, but managed to squeeze through the perimeter making a break for the low wall in foul territory in rightfield. With a full head of steam, he tried to hurdle the fence, but just as he got aloft, he was closelined by a ballgirl protecting her territory, and went down like a ton of bricks.



Impetus? Catalyst! WHO KNOWS?!

[Edgy MD]

Well, that would be a catalyst for the Dodgers, but sure.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: Well, that would be a catalyst for the Dodgers, but sure.

That black cat game "helped" the Mets surge toward first place in the year they won it all. I meant I'll be glad for something like that happen for the Mets again, not for THAT (ptui) team.



Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: The decision to go for Baez remains ever-puzzling to me. Everybody insists they bring the latest science to developing and deploying their teams, but Baez is the epitome of a guy that art loves and science hates.

I'm not nearly as down on Baez as you are. He has overall value. He's an asset at the end of the day. It's just that a big chunk of his value is on the run preventing side. He can play Gold Glove caliber defense at the toughest positions in the field - second, short and center. On offense though, he's a power hitter who makes way, way, way too many outs. I wouldn't bat him higher than 6th on this team. Rojas is batting him in the sweet spot middle of the order.

[Edgy MD]

All that's true. He's not valueless, but the Pete-Crow Armstrong ticket might have purchased the team something they need.



I just don't didn't believe that he brought anything that Guillorme and Villar and the exected return of Lindor had already showed the Mets to be wealthier in. He added to their depth but he didn't raise the bar anywhere.



They're a well oiled out-making machine right now, hoping against hope that the places they are strong could make up for that. But instead of improving where they are weakest, they doubled down on what they are.



I just think, philosophically, that it's cheaper, easier and smarter, to improve in the areas where you are below the mean.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Pretend by some miracle the SHaMs get their shit together and retake 1st place. What's the one thing we'll look back on as the thing it'll take? I was gonna make this a poll but it got stupid, so maybe a discussion is better. Best I can see is, Lindor returns and he and Baez create some chemistry. I mean, Conforto could get hot and be a kind of superspreader too but I'm having a hard time even imagining that now. Trevor Williams?

Bumping this thread after 2 weeks of a cataclysmic lack of catylii.



Twitter seems to think Lindor and Baez might return together as soon as today?? I'll set my expectations for the next meeting of the Tuesday Night Mets Club tho.

[Edgy MD]

Gary and Zeile used the word "catalyst" in conjunction with Baez about a half a dozen times this afternoon.



It was more aspirational than descriptive, but that's something.