- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 394,138
- Reaction score
- 43
HOUSTON — Most people will tell you that three games is way too early to draw conclusions on a trend.
Francisco Lindor will tell you he needs to be better.
Both can be true after the Mets' season got underway with two losses in three games in Houston this weekend.
A sluggish start for the Mets continued in the series finale with the Astros on Saturday as the offense collected one total hit — a Juan Soto first-inning double — and fell short, 2-1, in front of 41,742 fans at Daikin Park.
"They pitched very well. They moved the ball, they located their spots, so you've got to give them credit," said Lindor, who is 0-for-11 to start the season. "From our point of view, from our offense, I got to do a way better job to be on base and to make things happen. I think once I do that, I think the offense is going to continue to get better.
"I feel like the guys had quality at-bats the whole entire weekend."
As the Mets fell to 1-3, they ended up with five total runs as they embark back to Florida for their second series of the season against the Marlins.
Some of it was a credit to quality pitching performances by Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. But on Saturday, they were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and manager Carlos Mendoza believes there was some meat left on the bone for the team's offense against right-hander Spencer Arrighetti.
"I thought we were in between a little bit," Mendoza said. "He left a lot of cutters down the middle that we didn't attack. Then he started mixing, and I feel like guys were in between overall today. We didn't hit that many balls hard today."
After his third straight hitless games to begin the season, the looming question finally came: What can Lindor do to end his opening drought?
"That's a fantastic question. Everyone is trying to figure it out," Lindor said. "Focus on not hitting it to opposing players. Today, I felt a bit better than yesterday. I think I had a couple of at-bats where I hit the ball 90-something-plus (mph) right at people. Just continue to work, put my head down and grind and hopefully this is not a monthlong thing."
In Saturday's loss, Lindor had a pair of hard-hit balls (more than 95 mph) but nothing to show for it. Maybe the narrative would have changed if his first at-bat — a 96.1 mph line drive — had not been gloved by a leaping Jeremy Peña on Thursday afternoon.
The Mets star shortstop, who opened last season mired in a 1-for-31 slump, feels in a much better spot than he did this time last year. He has hit five balls over 90 mph, taken a base on a hit by pitch and cashed in on a sacrifice fly so far.
"Last season, it was 30 degrees. It was cold. I felt like I was nowhere near the baseball," Lindor said. "I feel like I'm putting better at-bats. I feel like every at-bat as the game goes on, it gets better. There's just no balls that have gone through.
"Last year, we were 0-3. This year, we came out of it 1-2. Rest tomorrow and come back and try to win the series."
Despite continuing to await his first-born son, who could come at any time, Lindor was not willing to go down that rabbit hole for an excuse.
"It's life. I'm sure I'm not the only one going through it, so there's no excuses," Lindor said. "There was no baby last year and I was in the same spot. It's not my kid's fault. It's not my wife's fault. If I own up to it, I just didn't get any hits."
With a rough opening series, Lindor may have taken some added barbs, but the whole offense has been sluggish out of the gate.
The only excitement on Sunday came when Siri drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mets newcomer stole second base during the next at-bat. Then, he moved over to third base on a fly ball.
Juan Soto knocked a sharp ground ball up the middle that was gloved by Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti. Siri feigned as if he were going back to the base and took off as Arrighetti lobbed a throw over to first base. Siri slid in under the tag for the Mets' lone run.
"That's instincts right there. That's why he didn't go right away on contact," Mendoza said. "As soon as he sees the pitcher giving him the whole bag, he took off. I think it was a pretty good play by him."
After Brandon Nimmo walked in the first inning, the Mets would go their next 13 at-bats without a baserunner. Soto is the only Mets player who collected more than two hits in the season's opening series.
The Mets missed their big opportunity in the late stages when Luis Torrens drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning and Luisangel Acuña came in as a pinch runner and stole second base. But Brett Baty and Siri struck out and Lindor grounded out sharply to second base to end the threat.
Soto drew a walk to lead off the ninth inning against Astros closer Josh Hader but Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos made three straight outs to end the game.
The Mets' lack of offense ended up costing Griffin Canning in a strong first outing as a member of the Mets.
He finished with two earned runs allowed on four hits and two walks while striking out four in 5⅔ innings and was dealt the loss. After allowing a leadoff infield single in the bottom of the first inning, Canning recorded 11 outs without allowing a hit.
"The slider was good, the changeup was good. The velo, when you look at the first couple of innings, the fastball was up to 96 (mph), something that we didn't see in spring training," Mendoza said. "He kept attacking. He kept mixing his pitches. I thought overall, he had a really good outing."
The right-hander worked around a leadoff walk in the fourth with a double play to Vientos. The first damage came when Jeremy Peña lined a hanging slider into the front row in left field to put the Astros ahead 1-0.
And with two outs in the sixth inning and a runner on first in a 1-1 game, Canning could not execute a slider down and Yordan Alvarez plated the go-ahead run on a double to straightaway center field.
"I think it's a really good one to build off going forward," Canning said. "I've had some tough battles with Yordan, so that's unfortunate to end it that way, but yeah, it felt like it was the right pitch there, just didn't quite execute it."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Francisco Lindor, offense offer no excuses for slow start
Continue reading...
Francisco Lindor will tell you he needs to be better.
Both can be true after the Mets' season got underway with two losses in three games in Houston this weekend.
A sluggish start for the Mets continued in the series finale with the Astros on Saturday as the offense collected one total hit — a Juan Soto first-inning double — and fell short, 2-1, in front of 41,742 fans at Daikin Park.
"They pitched very well. They moved the ball, they located their spots, so you've got to give them credit," said Lindor, who is 0-for-11 to start the season. "From our point of view, from our offense, I got to do a way better job to be on base and to make things happen. I think once I do that, I think the offense is going to continue to get better.
"I feel like the guys had quality at-bats the whole entire weekend."
As the Mets fell to 1-3, they ended up with five total runs as they embark back to Florida for their second series of the season against the Marlins.
Some of it was a credit to quality pitching performances by Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. But on Saturday, they were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and manager Carlos Mendoza believes there was some meat left on the bone for the team's offense against right-hander Spencer Arrighetti.
"I thought we were in between a little bit," Mendoza said. "He left a lot of cutters down the middle that we didn't attack. Then he started mixing, and I feel like guys were in between overall today. We didn't hit that many balls hard today."
Francisco Lindor makes no excuses for slow start
You must be registered for see images
After his third straight hitless games to begin the season, the looming question finally came: What can Lindor do to end his opening drought?
"That's a fantastic question. Everyone is trying to figure it out," Lindor said. "Focus on not hitting it to opposing players. Today, I felt a bit better than yesterday. I think I had a couple of at-bats where I hit the ball 90-something-plus (mph) right at people. Just continue to work, put my head down and grind and hopefully this is not a monthlong thing."
In Saturday's loss, Lindor had a pair of hard-hit balls (more than 95 mph) but nothing to show for it. Maybe the narrative would have changed if his first at-bat — a 96.1 mph line drive — had not been gloved by a leaping Jeremy Peña on Thursday afternoon.
The Mets star shortstop, who opened last season mired in a 1-for-31 slump, feels in a much better spot than he did this time last year. He has hit five balls over 90 mph, taken a base on a hit by pitch and cashed in on a sacrifice fly so far.
"Last season, it was 30 degrees. It was cold. I felt like I was nowhere near the baseball," Lindor said. "I feel like I'm putting better at-bats. I feel like every at-bat as the game goes on, it gets better. There's just no balls that have gone through.
"Last year, we were 0-3. This year, we came out of it 1-2. Rest tomorrow and come back and try to win the series."
Despite continuing to await his first-born son, who could come at any time, Lindor was not willing to go down that rabbit hole for an excuse.
"It's life. I'm sure I'm not the only one going through it, so there's no excuses," Lindor said. "There was no baby last year and I was in the same spot. It's not my kid's fault. It's not my wife's fault. If I own up to it, I just didn't get any hits."
Jose Siri single-handedly provides offense in defeat
You must be registered for see images
With a rough opening series, Lindor may have taken some added barbs, but the whole offense has been sluggish out of the gate.
The only excitement on Sunday came when Siri drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mets newcomer stole second base during the next at-bat. Then, he moved over to third base on a fly ball.
Juan Soto knocked a sharp ground ball up the middle that was gloved by Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti. Siri feigned as if he were going back to the base and took off as Arrighetti lobbed a throw over to first base. Siri slid in under the tag for the Mets' lone run.
"That's instincts right there. That's why he didn't go right away on contact," Mendoza said. "As soon as he sees the pitcher giving him the whole bag, he took off. I think it was a pretty good play by him."
After Brandon Nimmo walked in the first inning, the Mets would go their next 13 at-bats without a baserunner. Soto is the only Mets player who collected more than two hits in the season's opening series.
The Mets missed their big opportunity in the late stages when Luis Torrens drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning and Luisangel Acuña came in as a pinch runner and stole second base. But Brett Baty and Siri struck out and Lindor grounded out sharply to second base to end the threat.
Soto drew a walk to lead off the ninth inning against Astros closer Josh Hader but Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos made three straight outs to end the game.
Griffin Canning done in by two big hits
You must be registered for see images attach
The Mets' lack of offense ended up costing Griffin Canning in a strong first outing as a member of the Mets.
He finished with two earned runs allowed on four hits and two walks while striking out four in 5⅔ innings and was dealt the loss. After allowing a leadoff infield single in the bottom of the first inning, Canning recorded 11 outs without allowing a hit.
"The slider was good, the changeup was good. The velo, when you look at the first couple of innings, the fastball was up to 96 (mph), something that we didn't see in spring training," Mendoza said. "He kept attacking. He kept mixing his pitches. I thought overall, he had a really good outing."
The right-hander worked around a leadoff walk in the fourth with a double play to Vientos. The first damage came when Jeremy Peña lined a hanging slider into the front row in left field to put the Astros ahead 1-0.
And with two outs in the sixth inning and a runner on first in a 1-1 game, Canning could not execute a slider down and Yordan Alvarez plated the go-ahead run on a double to straightaway center field.
"I think it's a really good one to build off going forward," Canning said. "I've had some tough battles with Yordan, so that's unfortunate to end it that way, but yeah, it felt like it was the right pitch there, just didn't quite execute it."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Francisco Lindor, offense offer no excuses for slow start
Continue reading...
