By Sanghee Lee] “We understand the frustration that the fans feel.”
New York Mets manager Buck Showalter토스카지노 (67) spoke candidly about the booing of home fans.
“We know the frustration they feel,” Showalter said in a recent interview, according to Sports Network New York (SNY).
The Mets have a total payroll of $348.47 million this season, ranking first among all 30 Major League Baseball clubs. However, they are only fourth out of five teams in the National League East with a 46-53 record and a .465 winning percentage as of Friday.
They have a whopping 18.5 games in hand on first-place Atlanta. They are also 6.5 games behind third-place Philadelphia. They’re also eighth in the National League wild card race, seven games behind the leaders. Barring a major turnaround, it’s safe to say the Mets won’t make the postseason this year.
New York Mets manager Buck Showalter. /AFPBBNews=News1
With great expectations come great disappointments. As a result, Mets fans have been booing Showalter and his players more frequently, even at home games.
“We understand the frustration of the fans,” Showalter said. “We have a way of controlling that frustration and making it stop,” he said. “That’s what we’re good at. They want us to win, and they want us to do better than we’re doing. That’s what we want,” he defended.
But it’s not getting any easier. The Mets are just 4-6 in their last 10 games. Without a rebound, a five-win season looks unlikely.
The top 10 teams in the major leagues in terms of payroll this season are the New York Yankees, San Diego, Philadelphia, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto, Atlanta, Texas, and Houston. Of those teams, only two have a winning percentage below .500: the Mets and San Diego (.475).
New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor (from right) and Francisco Alvarez watch the game from the dugout. /AFPBBNews=News1
As a result, local media in the United States are suggesting that the Mets could be sellers at the trade deadline next month. The Mets’ roster features some of the league’s best starting pitchers, including Max Scherzer (39) and Justin Verlander (40), as well as a number of quality bullpen options, including Brooks Reilly (35), who previously played for Lotte in the KBO.
“Even if the Mets were to become sellers, they would classify one of their best players, first baseman Pete Alonso, 29, as untradeable and wouldn’t even discuss him with other teams,” SNY said.
Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. /AFPBBNews=News1
The Florida native made his major league debut in 2019 and has since developed into one of the league’s most dominant sluggers, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award after hitting 53 home runs that year. The three-time All-Star topped the Home Run Derby in 2019 and led the National League in that category last year with 131 RBIs. This season, he has 26 home runs and 63 RBIs.
“Alonso will become a free agent after next season,” the source said, “and it’s likely the Mets will discuss a long-term deal with him after this season. If those discussions don’t materialise, he could be traded during next season.”
The Mets’ goal this year was to win the World Series. The media and fans alike expected that. However, the current state of affairs at the end of the season has blown everyone’s expectations out of the water.