Just Mets

The last study was performed on June 15 – the colors indicate the trend since that date in the first table and indicate whether the team is above or below league average in the second table.

To see the numbers through June 15, click here.

As the league averages continue to rise in most every offensive category by position, the Mets offense continues to decline. In some cases, the decline has been very sharp over the last 3 1/2 weeks.

The Mets have seen modest improvements from the catcher position since the last study, thanks to at least a brief appearance by Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki having come around at the plate.

Plawecki has hit .321/.367/.415 with five doubles and five RBI over his last 18 games.

“I think I am starting to feel really comfortable at the plate,” Plawecki said in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Still, Mets catchers are a few notches below the league averages in the categories above, and remain in the bottom half of the league. But certainly, they are on the upswing.

The same cannot be said for the rest of the club, however.

The Mets outfield continues to be the biggest drain on the club’s offense, as they are at or near the bottom of every major offensive category. The outfielders combined are at best fifth worst in any of the measured statistics, which considering how much the Mets have invested in Michael Cuddyer, Juan Lagares, Curtis Granderson, and John Mayberry Jr. is beyond mind boggling.

In fairness to Granderson, he had a good run and still maintains marks in the top half of the league. He struggles badly against left-handed pitching, but to say he hasn’t been productive this season in general is not accurate. He’s also second on the club in WAR, according to Baseball Reference, and ahead of Jeurys Familia who is making an All-Star bid this week.

In addition, while Cuddyer and Lagares have been unproductive for most of the year, their bench has been utterly brutal too which helps water these marks down as well.

Players coming off the bench for the Mets have hit .150/.240/.203. To offer some perspective on that line (its terrible without perspective), Mets pitchers have a .166/.174/.213 line. Their pinch hitters have a .144/.244/.183 line.

Yes, Mets pitchers have a higher slugging percentage and higher batting average than their pinch hitters or substitutes in general.

But it’s safe to say the Mets should probably consider bolstering their outfield if they augment the roster this summer.

It wouldn’t be fair to get on the Mets outfield and bench without a discussion about their infield. Generally, their production has declined across the board as well. Lucas Duda is mired in what seems to be an endless slump which is beyond ineffective – he has hit .154/.271/.228 with one home run over his last 34 games.

However, Mets second basemen and shortstops are maintaining higher than league average marks in most offensive categories.

That’s a tribute to Wilmer Flores and Daniel Murphy, although Murphy is now a third baseman which, hopefully anyway, improves their production from that position which has been horrible in the absence of David Wright.

All-in-all, this just isn’t going to function in a pennant race. The Mets will not survive with this offense, especially as it continues to trend downward.