Listed here are two sentences. Considered one of them is ridiculous. Considered one of them is preposterous. Which one is which?
Number one: Pete Alonso is on tempo to hit 46 residence runs, drive in 231 runs, and have an OPS+ of 153 this 12 months.
Quantity 2: The Mets have been in enterprise since 1962 and have by no means had an MVP winner; they've, the truth is, solely had 11 gamers who ever positioned within the high 5 of the MVP vote (three did it twice), and three of THOSE have been pitchers.
Really, they’re each kind of ridiculous and preposterous. However solely one in all them is rock-solid reality: the Mets are one in all solely three main league groups who've by no means had an MVP; the opposite two, Tampa Bay and Arizona, noticed the Mets a 36-year head begin.
Can Alonso be the one to finish the Mets’ MVP drought? Nicely, we must always in all probability start by breaking light the information that he's in all probability not going to interrupt by 40 RBIs the report that Hack Wilson has alone held since 1930 (although it's solely affordable to imagine he might hit 46 bombs, and maintain his data-point numbers excessive all 12 months).
“I can’t wait to get again to Citi,” Alonso mentioned Wednesday afternoon, after the Mets have been completed dismissing the Phillies 9-6 at Residents Financial institution Park, capturing the rubber sport of a three-game sequence, ending their season-opening highway journey 5-2 and establishing one of many most anticipated residence openers in years Friday. “I’m all-in.”
It's proper that Friday at Citi Subject will begin with the long-anticipated unveiling of the Tom Seaver statue, as a result of it was Seaver who introduced the Mets their first ounce of legitimacy. He completed second to Willie McCovey within the 1969 MVP vote, falling 22 votes shy, the closest a Met has ever come to successful an MVP plaque.
The Mets’ trophy case is definitely liberally sprinkled with different notable items of hardware. Seaver, Dwight Gooden, R.A. Dickey and Jacob deGrom have mixed to win seven Cy Younger awards. 5 Mets have gained Rookie of the Yr: Seaver (1967), Jon Matlack (’72), Darryl Strawberry (’83), Dwight Gooden (’84) and deGrom (’14).
However the reality is there was a dearth of MVP-level on a regular basis gamers via the years — the sort that normally, although not all the time, win the MVP. Strawberry was in all probability the crew’s different legit candidate in addition to Seaver, proudly owning the sort of talent units that win the MVP award, and by rights he ought to’ve gained in 1988 however he cut up the Mets vote with Kevin McReynolds, and so one way or the other Kirk Gibson and his 76 RBIs snuck in.
Typically you want good timing: Mike Piazza in 2000, Carlos Beltran in 2006 and David Wright in 2007 all had years that, in different years, might need carried the day and yielded the award. However not in these years. And so right here the Mets are, 60 years within the books, no MVPs.
Can Alonso be the primary? If not this 12 months, in some unspecified time in the future?
Nicely, he has the instruments. MVP voters nonetheless love gaudy slugger numbers and Alonso is able to that. And in his fourth full 12 months, he appears as snug on the plate as he’s ever been.
“I believe I’ve discovered a lot my first few years,” he mentioned late in spring coaching. “I really feel like my base of information is larger and my consolation degree on the plate is. And I believe I’ve discovered you can have a productive day and never should hit the ball over the wall.”
Though, as has grow to be his newest catch phrase …
“All homers,” he mentioned Wednesday, “are sick.”
In some unspecified time in the future, you'd suppose, chance takes over. In some unspecified time in the future, you'd suppose, the Mets may have a participant who posts a 162-game marketing campaign for the ages. They’ve had loads of seasons like that out of their biggest pitchers; in some unspecified time in the future, it's important to imagine, one in all their hitters goes to channel ’69 Seaver or ’85 Gooden or ’18 deGrom.
Can that be Alonso? Francisco Lindor? Can it's Francisco Alvarez — tearing it up down on the farm, a 1.569 OPS already in Binghamton — in a few years? Sixty years and counting. That’s ridiculous. And preposterous. You possibly can look it up … however, then, there’s nothing to lookup.
Post a Comment