Jeff McNeil

New York Mets’ former captain David Wright tells amazing stories involving deGrom and McNeil

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New York Mets, Jacob deGrom

The New York Mets‘ Cookie Club, hosted by Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis, had a special guest on Wednesday’s episode. David Wright, the former captain and club legend, participated in the show and told amazing stories about current stars Jeff McNeil and Jacob deGrom.

If you are a fan of the New York Mets, you probably know by now that deGrom, the team’s ace and one of the faces of the franchise, is one competitive dude. However, according to Wright’s story, he has inner fire.

“Jake is a different type of intense. The fire that burns within him is amazing,” Wright said, per SNY. “And it’s not like outwardly where — you’re not gonna see him break a lot of stuff. Although, I do have a great memento from Jake.”

Wright continued: “He got beat up a couple of starts. … And he came in after like the second or third poor start — which is shocking, that he’d have that many poor starts — and he ripped his jersey off, and buttons are flying everywhere. And he just threw it in the middle of the ground. I’m being serious, but from afar I’m trying not to laugh. So then he tries to pull off his Nike shirt, and he’s like trying to ‘Hulk Hogan’ it, and he’s going and he’s going and he’s going, and it won’t rip! So finally he just sits in his chair and he looks at me and goes ‘I give up.'”

The Mets’ ace wants to “beat and embarrass you”

The former Mets’ captain claims he still has the jersey, and wants deGrom to put his signature on it.

“The fire that Jake has is from within, like he takes it personal,” Wright said. “When he’s on the mound, it’s like a mano a mano thing. Not only does he want to beat you, but he wants to embarrass you. That’s a different level.”

Now, to McNeil: the New York Mets great remembers that the Squirrel’s mouth got him in trouble while he was in the minors.

“I was with McNeil in St. Lucie,” Wright said. “They asked him to come into the front office of St. Lucie. … and they’re like, ‘dude, you gotta cut out the obscenities that you’re yelling out after striking out. There’s like 12 people in the stands, and they can hear everything that you say. Let’s pump the brakes a little bit, guy.'”

New York Mets: Jeff McNeil Heads to MLB the Show Postseason

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The closest thing New York Mets fans are getting to watching them compete at Citi Field is watching All-Star Jeff McNeil control the team in MLB the Show 20. He has displayed his talent on the sticks, putting together a 15-6 record to make the postseason for the MLB the Show Players League.

It is no surprise McNeil has recorded the most hits with himself (23). His offense has been explosive as ten different Mets are hitting over .300. Michael Conforto has led the way with eight home runs while Pete Alonso and Jake Marisnick have four each.

Pitching Success

McNeil has also taken advantage of the vast array of weapons the Mets have in their bullpen. Edwin Diaz and Seth Lugo have been his primary weapons in relief. They have combined for 11 shutout innings with five strikeouts. Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard have been dominant to start games as both have 3.00 ERAs.

McNeil is one win behind the best record in the NL, held by Dodgers prospect Gavin Lux. Heading into the last weekend before the postseason, McNeil is getting himself ready to make a magical playoff run and at least bring a championship of some sort back to Queens.

Here is what some New York Mets’ players are doing to stay in shape

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The current, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is still critically affecting our everyday endeavors. Most states have some kind of restriction to go out and have a normal life, in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading even more. Sports institutions, like the New York Mets, aren’t playing because leagues were canceled until further notice.

However, MLB and the players’ association are talking about a plan that would have baseball return at some point in May. While it seems a little unrealistic, the league probably won’t go through with it if it affects public health or the players’ wellbeing.

The only sure thing is that, at least for the month of April, professional baseball won’t be played. The New York Mets, however, are doing what they can to stay in shape. Most p´layers have been training and getting ready in their houses, and manager Luis Rojas constantly gets in touch with them.

SNY provided an update on some players’ activities during the break. For example, first baseman and outfielder Dominic Smith is taking try hacks and running with J.D. Davis in a hotel parking lot.

Keeping track of the Mets’ players

Mets’ reliever Edwin Diaz, who has a lot to prove after blowing seven saves and finishing with a 5.59 ERA in 2019, has been staying ready while pitching in an empty ballpark.

Instagram and Twitter have allowed us to get closer to right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman’s training routine, including throwing bullpen sessions from makeshift mounds.

The Mets’ starting backstop Wilson Ramos has been catching his prospect brother and most recently was in full gear in his house.

If you are asking about Jeff McNeil, here’s what he said on The Cookie Club: “I’ve just been doing garage workouts with (Brandon) Nimmo. (I’ve) been going over to his house. He’s got a little setup, so that’s all I’ve really been doing.”

McNeil went on to say he really misses the game. “I miss everything,” he said. “I miss the grind. I miss going in every single day and competing. I miss my teammates. It kind of sucks right now, I mean we are with no one. We are all quarantined by ourselves. It sucks, but I’m looking forward to when the season starts up again. Get all the boys back and hopefully win a championship.”

New York Mets: Jeff McNeil’s aggressive approach continues to work for him

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Jeff McNeil, the New York Mets‘ hitting machine, has a way to conduct himself in the batters’ box, and it’s pretty evident. He is an aggressive hitter, and the numbers back that up.

According to information provided by MLB.com’s Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo, McNeil swung at the first pitch at a 44.4 percent rate in 2018, good for 14th in the league. Last season, he did it at a 50.7 percent clip, which not only led MLB but it made him the only qualified hitter to swing at the first pitch more often than not.

McNeil understands that pitchers usually want to get ahead in the count and often throw strikes with the first pitch. It is an approach that he has used since he was very young, and given that he accumulates a career .321 batting average in 815 plate appearances.

In September 2019, McNeil was offering at the opposing hurler’s first pitch 55.9 percent of the time.

“I’ll keep hacking,” McNeil said to MLB.com. “I’ll still walk if they’re going to walk me, but yeah, if I get a good pitch early in the count, I’m going to try to do some damage.”

The Mets’ best spring training performer and a lifelong style

Before Saturday’s games, McNeil was leading the New York Mets in spring training hitting with a .556 average. He had 10 hits in 18 at-bats, and had scored four runs with one RBI, three doubles and a home run.

“There are so many things that are just natural about him,” Mets hitting coach Chili Davis said. “He’s a natural ballplayer. Those are the kinds of guys that — they’re here, they’re in the game, but I don’t think you see as many of them anymore because they’re being coached a certain way from Little League on up.”

As you can imagine, McNeil spent years ignoring coaches’ instructions to see more pitches. In fact, the New York Mets previous front-office regime implemented a policy at the lower levels of the Minors that required randomly selected batters to take a strike with the objective of helping young hitters learn the strike zone.

It worked for some hitters, but for McNeil, it was very annoying.

“You only get three strikes,” McNeil said. “I don’t want to give the pitcher one. I know I’m good enough that if it’s in the strike zone, I can usually put a pretty good swing on it and get a hit. So yeah, you only get three strikes I guess, so why waste one?”

Baseball is not necessarily a game of patience for all hitters. For some, like McNeil, is about taking advantage of the best pitch to hit in the at-bat.

New York Mets players are convinced that “Jeff McHits” can win a batting title

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Winning a batting title is more than just showing talent in the batter’s box. It requires endurance, bat-to-ball skills, bat control, consistency, and a little bit of luck, too. The last New York Mets‘ player to win it was Jose Reyes back in 2011.

If there is a player on the current Mets’ roster that has shown capable of finishing the season with the top batting average in the National League, it is Jeff McNeil. The infielder/outfielder has a fantastic .321 average in 815 career plate appearances.

His .318 mark last season was close to that of batting champion Christian Yelich, who finished at .329. Could McNeil be the first player of the New York Mets to win a batting title since the great Reyes?

“I think he’s fully more than capable. He’s Jeff McHits,” Pete Alonso told The New Post. “I would not be surprised if he were to win a batting title one day. He’s extremely dynamic at the plate. He’s probably just as tough of an out as they come. He very well could. I hope he does. I hope he wins more than one.”

Not only is McNeil a threat to knock base hits at a higher rate than the average, he has also developed power. Last season, he hit 23 homers and tied with Pete Alonso for the team lead in wRC+ (143 each.)

The Mets’ hitting machine

As the Post says, McNeil has proven he belongs not only in the Mets’ plans, but also, in the MLB’s elite when it comes to contact hitters.

“It was always kind of a goal of mine in the minor leagues. I always wanted to be the best hitter,” McNeil said. “I like to see my name at the top in average.”

“I think his competitiveness as a player, as a person, I think that’s gonna get him over the hump,” fellow New York Mets player Dominic Smith said. “He’s a perfectionist. He’ll go 3-for-4, and on his fourth at-bat not get a hit, and he’ll be upset.

“He’ll eventually win a batting title because his hand-eye coordination, bat-to-ball skills are off the charts, and he finds holes. If you come inside, he’ll pull you, if you go away, he’ll slap it that way. He’s very hard to defend, he can lay down bunts, he’s pretty fast, so it makes it tough on a defense.”

New York Mets: Young Stars Showcase Personalities Against Cardinals

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New York Yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

Wednesday’s game between the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals featured more of the usual from Spring Training. A strong starting pitching performance and Jeff McNeil‘s continued dominance with the bat. The game was televised on ESPN and the Mets certainly had fun being mic’d up with each other.

Marcus Stroman took the mound and had a terrific outing. Over three innings, he only allowed three baserunners and struck out four Cardinals. Things started off rocky when he hit and walked the first two batters. After Rene Rivera threw out a base stealer for the first out, Stroman induced a double play to end the inning. Through the rest of his start, he showed how clever of a pitcher he is. Stroman used his incredible body control to vary his motion which threw off the hitter’s timing drastically.

Bats Waking Up

Jeff McNeil continued his red hot pace with two more hits to move to 10-for-18 (.556), the best mark in Spring Training. Brandon Nimmo chipped in another hit as the 1-2 combination of McNeil and Nimmo have proved to be deadly so far. Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, and Wilson Ramos all supplied hits as they are picking up the pace after short skids at the plate.

One of the best parts of the ESPN broadcast was their live microphones. They picked the right guys in Pete Alonso, J.D. Davis, Dom Smith, and Jeff McNeil. Alonso dropped an accidental f-bomb, Smith poked fun at Davis and could not hear anyone at one point, and all of them hyped up an Eduardo Nunez triple. It showed how close this group is and there is truly something special going on at Port St. Lucie.

Zamora Rises

Daniel Zamora has always been seen as a lefty specialist for the Mets, but his stock is rising. Through four outings so far he has only allowed one hit, walk and hit by pitch. Zamora even has five strikeouts and the most impressive part is his ability to put away hitters from both sides of the plate. Dellin Betances still is not a lock for Opening Day and Zamora is asserting himself as the top guy to replace him.

Rick Porcello takes the mound on Thursday when the Mets take on the Cardinals in Jupiter. Porcello has allowed one run over three innings so far in the Spring.

New York Mets: McNeil Stays Red Hot in Loss to Marlins

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Tuesday’s matchup between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins featured Noah Syndergaard‘s second Spring start. It was not as dominant as his first, and the three early runs he allowed were too much for the Mets to make up.

In the first inning, Syndergaard retired the first two with ease before allowing a homer to Garrett Cooper. The second inning also led to some two-out magic for the Marlins. A hit by pitch and fielder’s choice moved Harold Ramirez to second base, and Chad Wallach knocked him for the Marlins second run. An ill-advised throw from Amed Rosario on a fielder’s choice allowed Lewis Brinson to score for the third run.

Syndergaard put together a 1-2-3 third inning to complete his outing on a high note. Overall, he threw three innings, allowed three runs (two earned), two hits while striking out five. One of the positives for Syndergaard is the five strikeouts to zero walks he produced.

McNeil Carries the Offense

The Mets have been dead last in runs through the early part of Spring Training, but none of that is Jeff McNeil‘s fault. The All-Star supplied two hits, including a leadoff home run. He is hitting .533, the highest mark in Spring Training. Andres Gimenez also continued to stay hot by supplying a double off the bench to move his average to .333 with a 1.010 OPS.

Brandon Nimmo is quietly hitting .357 after his 1-for-3 game today, but the rest of the lineup is in the dust. Robinson Cano is hitting .200, Pete Alonso is hitting .143, with a .333 OPS, and Amed Rosario still has not recorded an out yet. Thankfully there are multiple weeks left in Spring Training, so the pressure to right themselves is not high yet.

Bullpen Work

Robert Gsellman threw two innings, allowing one run after Syndergaard left. Jeurys Familia followed up with one strikeout over his inning of work. He still has not allowed a run in the Spring. Brad Brach and Paul Sewald also pitched scoreless innings. Despite allowing two runs, Adonis Uceta, struck out three batters in the ninth.

Marcus Stroman faces the St. Louis Cardinals once again for his third Spring start. He should be the first Met to get to the four-inning plateau in Spring Training.

 

deGrom and Wacha Shine in Split Squad Outings

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The New York Mets starting pitching has been nothing short of elite through the first ten games of Spring Training. While the bats are still shaking the rust off, the pitching has exceeded expectations so far. In their split-squad games on Sunday, they beat the Nationals 3-1 and lost to the Marlins, 7-2.

Jacob deGrom picked up where he left off in 2019. The back to back Cy Young winner threw three scoreless innings, only allowing one hit and striking out two batters. He a majority of the Nationals everyday players and made it look easy to cruise through the lineup once.

Michael Wacha also pitched well against the Marlins. Over his three scoreless innings of work, he allowed a walk, two hits and struck out one. Wacha still firmly believes he is a starting pitcher, and his two Spring starts show he should be a starter.

Diaz Settles In

If you did not hear about Edwin Diaz’s outing, there were not any problems. He threw a scoreless fourth inning with the only blemish being a Ryan Zimmerman double. Justin Wilson followed by striking out the side in the fifth inning. He has retired all six batters he has faced, and four of them are on strikeouts.

Jeff McNeil continued to stay hot with two hits in the same amount of at-bats. His average is now .500 for the Spring. Michael Conforto homered for the first time and now has hits in three consecutive games after starting 1-for-8. Robinson Cano also added a two-run double to open up the Mets scoring in the first.

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Pete Alonso lined a single to center field for his only hit in three at-bats. The concerns were only small for 2019’s home run champ, and the single took the stress off the Polar Bear. Eduardo Nunez has started the Spring hot, his two hits Sunday moved him to 5-for-15. Nunez was a non-roster invite but could easily steal a spot away from Luis Guillorme.

Amed Rosario continued his struggles at the plate. He went hitless in three at-bats and is hitless in all five of his games so far. Only two of the at-bats ended in strikeouts, which is a good sign for the young shortstop. As he settles in more, the hits should follow.

The Mets get a day off on Monday before welcoming in the Marlins to Port St. Lucie. Noah Syndergaard will make his second start of the Spring.

New York Mets Pick Up Second Win of Spring Against Cardinals

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yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals squared off in their fourth matchup of the Spring. Marcus Stroman and Adam Wainwright squared off against each other, both looking to improve on their first Spring outings. The Mets also feature a lineup of mostly regulars and Tim Tebow.

Stroman pitched decently, allowing two hits, one run, one walk, and struck out one over two innings of work. He allowed a first innings home run to Paul Goldschmidt, but it would be the most damage he allowed. Stroman ran into trouble in the second.  A walk, bunt single, and Dominic Smith error led to a bases-loaded, no one-out jam. Stroman induced a lineout and a double play to end the jam and complete his outing.

Big Heart and a Big Paycheck

Brandon Nimmo returned to the lineup after a health scare which forced him to miss two games. He went 1-for-2 with a run scored and also mixed in a good call on a “sun ball double.” Robinson Cano made his Spring debut as the designated hitter. He walked and flew out to center field in his only two plate appearances.

Jeff McNeil, Dom Smith, and Wilson Ramos were the other regulars who tallied hits on Friday. McNeil and Ramos are hitting .400 and .444 in the Spring, respectively. Both are picking up from where they left off in 2019.

Andres Gimenez improved on his strong start at the plate. He blasted his first home run of the Spring and is 4-for-12 at the plate. Two of his four hits have gone for extra bases. It is a promising sign for the 161-pound shortstop who has been known more for his defense than offense. Should Gimenez continue to hit the ball well, it could make the choice to send him to minor league camp harder than expected.

Tebow Struggles

It is hard to write a Mets article without leaving out the blooper from Tebow. Not only did Tebow strikeout in both of his at-bats, but he also fell flat on his face trying to secure the final out of the ball game. Tebow looked to be under the ball but tripped over his feet, and the ball lightly plopped about a foot away from the quarterback once known as mobile.

On Saturday, the Mets head to West Palm Beach to face the Houston Astros at 1:05 p.m. Steven Matz makes his second start of the Spring as he tries to secure a spot in the Mets rotation.

 

New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo vs. Jeff McNeil in the Leadoff Spot

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The New York Mets have one of their most dynamic lineups in years, but one of their biggest questions is on who the leadoff hitter will be. Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil both have been successful leadoff hitters, but both offer different approaches at the plate. Which one will be the best table-setter for the Mets?

Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo struggled in 2019 due to his neck injury. During 2018 he emerged as an everyday player hitting .263/.404/.483. Nimmo is the best the Mets have at getting on base and working into deep counts. Even in a down season, he still managed to put up a .375 on-base percentage.

He is not going to hit above .270 due to his approach. Nimmo will be good for over 100 strikeouts, but he will also be good for close to 100 walks as well. If Nimmo hits leadoff, McNeil will be the two-hitter, which makes an easy fix for where McNeil hits. Nimmo has a career .378 on-base out of the leadoff spot, but his highest is .430 out of the six spot.

Jeff McNeil

During Nimmo’s absence, McNeil took over the role as the Mets leadoff hitter. He slashed .320/.386/.521 out of the leadoff position and only struck out 60 times in the 93 he hit leadoff. McNeil’s added power to go along with his Tony Gwynn-like ability to find base hits making him an enticing option as the Mets leadoff hitter.

Should McNeil leadoff, Pete Alonso would likely hit second as he did in 2019. This would move Nimmo to the lower part of the order behind the power bats the Mets have. McNeil will likely play in more games than Nimmo, which should make him a more enticing leadoff option since he will play there every day.

Approach is Key

The Mets could not have two more polar opposite options. McNeil swings at the first pitch more than anyone on the roster, and Nimmo does his best work deep in the count. There is no wrong answer to the leadoff hitter. It will fall on Luis Rojas’s preference out of a leadoff hitter along with his plans for the rest of the lineup. The best part of this year’s Spring Training is that the Mets have options throughout their team, which they have not been able to say in a long time.