The New York Mets are in the midst of a miserable stretch.
It wasn’t long ago that the team had a big lead in the National League East.
Things have changed, and today, New York finds itself facing a four-and-a-half game deficit in the division.
The Mets have lost 14 of their last 20 games.
Fans aren’t happy, and neither are folks within the organization.
Team owner Steve Cohen made that perfectly clear on Wednesday.
Cohen Called Out The Team Publicly On Twitter
Since purchasing the Mets, Cohen has maintained a strong Twitter presence.
He hasn’t been shy about engaging with fans, and for the most part, he has been very candid about his feelings on the team’s performance.
His tweets are usually positive in nature, but he’s also not afraid to call it like it is.
That was especially evident on Wednesday when he called out the production of New York’s hitters.
It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive.The best teams have a more disciplined approach.The slugging and OPS numbers don’t lie.
— Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) August 18, 2021
Did Cohen cross a line here?
Maybe.
It’s not great form to publicly humiliate your guys, and it’s probably safe to assume that many Mets players didn’t appreciate the comment.
Sure, accountability is important, but doing it publicly is unnecessary.
Is Cohen Right About The Lineup?
While controversial, Cohen’s assessment of New York’s lineup is accurate.
The team is loaded with hitters who are underachieving.
To name a few, Brandon Nimmo is batting .208 with a .635 OPS over his last 16 games, Dominic Smith is batting .206 with a .458 OPS over his last 11 games, Kevin Pillar is batting .100 with a .229 OPS over his last 14 games, Jeff McNeil is batting .139 with a .323 OPS over his last 10 games, and James McCann is batting .146 with a .430 OPS over his last 12 games.
Obviously, those are horrible levels of production, and that’s a microcosm of New York’s 2021 campaign.
For the season, the Mets average just 3.78 runs per game.
That’s the third-worst mark in all of baseball.
The team added Javier Baez at the trade deadline in hopes of pumping some life into the lineup, but the move hasn’t gone as planned.
He’s currently on the injured list with a hip issue.
Before hitting the IL, he was unimpressive for New York, batting .216 with a .559 OPS over 10 games.
So, yes, Cohen is right.
The team brass assembled a lineup that was widely regarded as one of the best units in baseball before the year started, and it hasn’t lived up expectations at all.
Can The Team Still Make The Postseason?
Truthfully, New York’s playoff chances might be dead.
The Mets have three major factors working against them: health issues, a big division deficit, and a difficult remaining schedule.
Currently, the team is without Jacob deGrom (who might not return this season), Francisco Lindor, and the aforementioned Baez.
#Mets leaning towards shutting down SP Jacob deGrom for the rest of the season, per @ragazzoreport #LGM pic.twitter.com/ioMZwZL6M5
— Uncontested Sports (@uncontestedpod) August 18, 2021
Those are the notable injury woes, but there are plenty more absences.
It’s going to be hard to overcome a four-and-a-game deficit with so many key players out.
To make matters worse, the Mets have the fourth-toughest remaining schedule in the Majors.
They had their chance to do some damage with an easy schedule in the first half, and to be fair, they did so.
But the second half has been a different story.
It might be time for New York to say goodbye to its playoff hopes in 2021.
NEXT: Mets Owner Steve Cohen Disses Own Team On Twitter
Anonymous says
Steve Cohen said what most every Mets fan was thinking and say too. I see nothing wrong with his remarks. I feel better just knowing that he is aware of the team’s struggles and hopefully he will address this at the end of the season. Starting with the front office and getting the team players that can play winning baseball. Thank you Mr. Cohen for giving me hope that our failures and struggles will be addressed during the off-season.