Mets must mend Designated Hole in the lineup
Mets pinch-hitter Darin Ruf reacts after he flied out with bases loaded to end the eighth inning against the Cubs during an MLB game at Citi Field on Monday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Remember that DH problem the Mets had before the trade deadline?
It’s actually worse now.
Hard to believe, I know. That one of the teams with the weakest output from the DH spot actually managed to get even less production after trading for two players -- Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf -- specifically to improve that deficiency.
Only now the Mets can’t do much about it, other than try and get creative with the personnel currently on the roster. That’s going to lead to some tough decisions involving the newcomers, and force manager Buck Showalter into some uncomfortable places as the Mets work to keep Atlanta at arm’s length down the stretch.
Staying atop the NL East is going to be even more challenging if the DH spot keeps going AWOL on a nightly basis, as this pre-deadline trend has continued to creep downward. Before Aug. 2, the Mets’ DHs ranked 25th in batting average (.213), 26th in OPS (.624) and 28th in home runs (seven).
The post-deadline stats are even more troubling: 30th in batting average (.180), 26th in OPS (.587) and 19th in homers (four). Sinking lower in these categories figured to be impossible given the Mets’ pathetic numbers -- for comparison’s sake, the Cardinals’ DH spot (Albert Pujols & Co.) is hitting .302 with 11 homers and a 1.052 OPS over that same span -- but GM Billy Eppler somehow outdid himself with the Vogelbach/Ruf platoon combo. Now it’s up to Showalter to MacGyver a solution down the stretch, and the Mets can no longer afford to be patient.
Some of that surfaced after Monday night’s 5-2 loss to the Cubs, when Ruf was sent up to pinch hit against the lefthanded reliever Brandon Hughes with the bases loaded and two outs. Showalter also had the newly-recalled Syracuse masher Mark Vientos on the bench, but he opted instead for the experienced Ruf, whose soft lineout to shallow rightfield extended his personal skid to 1-for-34.
Showalter sounded surprised that the choice was even questioned afterward, and Ruf also seemed taken aback when reporters showed up at his locker.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s baseball,” Ruf said of his slump. “It happens.”
No doubt. But there’s a difference between disappearing at the plate in June and doing it in mid-September, with your team holding onto the division lead by its collective fingernails. Showalter, now in his 21st season as a major-league manager, doesn’t need to explain that to the Mets clubhouse. So they all should understand when Showalter starts making some alterations to the lineup, with an eye toward squeezing some offense from the nearly-invisible DH position.
Given their current AWOL status, that shouldn’t be too hard with a few adjustments. The Mets went with Vogelbach at DH Tuesday night because the data suggested he was a favorable matchup against Cubs starter Adrian Sampson, but the Flushing honeymoon is just about over for Vogey, who was batting .137 (7-for-51) without an extra-base hit or RBI since his last home run on Aug. 22 at Yankee Stadium. That just can’t continue for a player whose sole purpose is to generate offense.
Vogelbach appeared to make a quick transition from the nowhere Pirates to the heat of a pennant race, and became a popular Mets figure in a hurry, both in the clubhouse and among the Citi fans. But that shouldn’t buy him playing time if he’s not providing anything at the plate. When asked about making these tough decisions with his regulars, Showalter explained how much the analytic data can factor into the individual matchups, even if a hitter’s recent performance is ice-cold by more conventional measurements. And that can remove some of the feel-factor when writing out a lineup card.
“There’s so many variables that go into it,” Showalter said before Tuesday’s game. “And that’s kind of black and white.”
But Showalter also stressed how these projections can change over time, as in how a player was swinging the bat two months ago may no longer be applicable now due to other emerging factors. Either way, expect the Mets to explore some different strategies with the DH going forward, and it’s about time.
With the Cubs’ deploying lefty Drew Smyly for Wednesday’s series finale, the expectation is Vientos will get his second start at DH, and the Mets can move some other people now that Luis Guillorme’s return gives them some flexibility. The scorching-hot Eduardo Escobar, currently riding a 10-game hitting streak (.500 BA, five HRs, 1.000 SLG), is likely to see some time at DH as well. Anything to make that spot less of a black hole for a team that’s been way too inconsistent lately in the run-scoring department.
“There’s a different sense of urgency -- I got it,” Showalter said. “Everybody’s searching for a track record. If they’re healthy, and they’re in good shape, sooner or later they’ll chase that track record.”
Problem is, the Mets don’t have time to wait on their struggling DHs. Or they’ll end up chasing Atlanta.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
