Kallet: Regardless Of Imposing Price Tags, Mets Desperately Need A Bat
By Brad Kallet
» More Columns
On Sunday evening, Mets fans were understandably excited when it was reported that general manager Sandy Alderson was targeting Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.
The Daily News' Kristie Ackert reported that Alderson offered Travis d'Arnaud in a straight-up catcher swap, but Milwaukee general manager David Stearns unsurprisingly said no. Still, as of Sunday night, according to Ackert, the two teams were in talks.
Enthusiasm was curbed on Monday when The Record's Bob Klapisch reported that a Lucroy-to-the-Mets deal was "not happening."
Alderson seemed to confirm this report when he told reporters that a rumor circulating about a trade -- he was almost certainly referencing Lucroy -- was "dead on arrival."
Well, unless Alderson is playing all of us -- he's done that before -- that's that.
It's a shame, because Lucroy, who is batting .301 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs, would have been a perfect fit in the Mets' lineup. And d'Arnaud, in this writer's opinion, should be on the table in all potential deals for a bat.
And a bat is what this team desperately needs.
Sure, they could use some help in the bullpen -- and it appears that Alderson will try to acquire a reliever or two before the end of the month -- and the pitching staff is in worse shape than it was at the start of the season. But, simply put, the Mets just aren't scoring enough runs. And if they're to have any hope of making the playoffs, let alone return to the World Series, they'll need to get more production out of the offense.
New York is currently 13th in the National League in runs (362), tied for last in average (.237), last in hits (764), last in stolen bases (23) and last in average with runners in scoring position (.210).
Going around the diamond, this offense looks fairly imposing on paper. But it's just not getting it done. D'Arnaud continues to show flashes of the player many thought he would be, but the clock is ticking down to him officially being labeled a bust. James Loney has done a wonderful job in Lucas Duda's absence, but he's nowhere near as impactful as the injured slugger he's replacing. Neil Walker is in a dreadful slump, Asdrubal Cabrera can't buy a hit with runners in scoring position and Jose Reyes, who's had some big hits and added an element of speed to the lineup, isn't the player he once was, nor is he as good as David Wright would have been had he not gotten injured.
In the outfield, Michael Conforto has had a nightmarish sophomore season and Curtis Granderson, though still a power threat and a smart, patient hitter, hasn't played quite as well as he did last year.
Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares are very good bench players, but that's all they are -- very good bench players. Nothing more, nothing less.
Yoenis Cespedes has played like an MVP and is one of the most feared hitters in baseball, but he can't do it alone. And right now, he's the only real legitimate threat to opposing pitchers. You've seen what New York's lineup has looked like without Cespedes this season. It's not a pretty sight.
MORE: Palladino: Mets Need To Ensure Return of Yoenis Cespedes After This Season
That's why Lucroy would have been an absolute perfect fit. He would have hit cleanup behind Cespedes and made the order, one through eight, fairly formidable. With the Mets starting staff --they still have Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Jacob deGrom, Bartolo Colon and a returning Zack Wheeler, I'll remind you -- and Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia at the back end of the bullpen, the added punch from Lucroy would have made a huge difference.
But there's no point in getting up false hope. By all accounts, that deal won't come to fruition. Alderson even admitted, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin, that it's unlikely he'll acquire a position player.
Unlike at the trade deadline last year, Alderson doesn't need to acquire a Cespedes. But I do think he needs to add a Lucroy type -- a professional hitter who probably can't carry a team, but can be counted on to hit the ball in the gap, drive in runs, get on base and complement a superstar.
Alderson is clearly betting on the fact that he has the horses to get back to the playoffs, and it's just a matter of them getting hot. It's a risky bet, but it's not insane. To put it into perspective, he's not exactly betting on Eric Campbell and John Mayberry, Jr. to suddenly come alive. He has plenty of talent in Reyes, Cabrera, Walker, d'Arnaud, Granderson and Conforto, all of whom are underachieving at the moment. Will they suddenly flip the switch and turn it on? Maybe, maybe not. There is, of course, no way of knowing.
And it also must be noted that Alderson is understandably hesitant to deal top prospects Dominic Smith and Amed Rosario for players who might not drastically improve the lineup and will potentially be nothing more than rentals.
The Mets unquestionably need a hitter, but Alderson's job is also tougher now than it was a year ago, and the need isn't nearly as pressing as it was in 2015.
On the field, meanwhile, the Mets sit five games behind the Nationals in the division and are tied with the Marlins for the second wild-card berth in the National League. (The Dodgers lead both teams by 2 1/2 games.) The Cardinals are a half-game behind New York for that second berth, and the Pirates are just 1 1/2 back. The Mets have a crucial three-game series with the Cardinals beginning with a doubleheader on Tuesday, and, back at Citi Field, anything less than two out of three against a team on their heels will be a disappointment.
Brad Kallet is the managing editor of TENNIS.com and a frequent contributor to WFAN.com. Follow him on Twitter @brad_kallet
