Do it for your frustrated fans. Do it for your future.
This season is a wasteland for the Mets, especially when it comes to position players. The Mets have an opportunity to do the right thing over the last two months to get a read on their future.
When shortstop Amed Rosario plays, bat him in the leadoff spot. You can still give him two tutorial days a week when he can learn the finer points of the game, but when he does play, make sure he bats leadoff.
He appears more engaged at leadoff and can better utilize his speed.
And while you are at it, Mets, leave Jeff McNeil batting second and see what happens.
On Sunday at Citi Field, Rosario led off the bottom of the first with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on McNeil’s grounder to second. McNeil gave himself up with that first at-bat to get the runner over to third with less than two outs.
They used to call that baseball.
Rosario scored on Wilmer Flores’ smash infield hit off pitcher Julio Teheran’s glove. The lead would grow to 3-0, but the Mets’ young pitchers gave it all away and the Braves beat the Mets 5-4 in 10 innings.
In the third inning, Rosario walked with one out, and this time, McNeil drove him home with a double to the right-field corner. Once again, Rosario was given the opportunity to show off his speed. It was fun.
“That’s my favorite thing — to score from first to home, I enjoy that the most,” Rosario said after the game.
Yes, Rosario has had a learning year. As one Mets official put it, it has been one step forward and two or three steps back. Rosario could probably benefit from more minor league time, but he is here and he is the ninth Met to have double-digit stolen bases (10) before his age-23 season.
Rosario went into the day with only 54 plate appearances at leadoff. Give him two months there.
He has had 300 plate appearances at the bottom of the order, seventh, eighth and ninth.
Rosario has the tools to be a leadoff hitter and perhaps will better utilize those tools batting leadoff. Perhaps he will get on base more. Perhaps he will take more walks, steal more bases, score from first on a double. He has frustrated the Mets with his inability to lay off the slider, but perhaps leadoff will bring out the best in Rosario.
The bottom line is the Mets have nothing to lose by getting a complete read on Rosario the rest of the year at leadoff. The Michael Conforto-at-leadoff days should be over, and on those games Rosario is given a tutorial day, lead off Brandon Nimmo.
The Mets have to get Rosario on the road to success just so the year is not a total washout.
McNeil is off to an interesting start and looks to be the kind of hitter who can handle the bat in the 2-hole. My goodness, he even chokes up. He has an idea at the plate, and the Mets need more baseball players who have a clue.
See if he can handle such a spot in the batting order.
If Rosario and McNeil are successful going into spring training, the Mets will have a head start on 2019. Such a move gives the Mets fans who actually show up to these meaningless games something to look forward to. Even though Austin Jackson homered Sunday, no fans are coming to see veterans like Jackson, Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista (0-for-23).
The fan frustration level is off the charts when any of those three come to the plate.
Sell the fans a glint of hope. Is that too much to ask?
If Rosario fails, it’s on him to improve for the future. No more babying him. If McNeil can’t succeed at second base, go out and hire a free agent second baseman. It’s really not that hard, Mets. Stop making life so difficult for your team and your fans.
Try to do the right thing for a change.
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