NEW YORK It is unlikely that the New York Mets’ players-only gathering on Wednesday will keep their season alive. Can they at least play more responsibly, though, since one of the enduring lessons is about accountability?
Regardless of where the Mets end up in 2024, finishing strong and enhancing the clubhouse atmosphere would at least help them appear more enticing to big-time free agents.
Otherwise, if the top names decline to go with a club that has a superior record, what good is owner Steve Cohen’s money? Cash talks. It has been demonstrated under Cohen. However, it is not always everything, even the greatest players—Juan Soto, anyone?—do occasionally favor victorious outcomes.
“It definitely plays into it,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “What it’s going to take for us is selling the organization, where it’s going, and the people that are running it. I think that’s the most important thing. … Again, it’s one of those things you can’t change right now but a lot will depend on how we finish, how we do the rest of this year.”
Mets 3, Diamondbacks 2: The Mets triumphed in baseball the day following a disaster. Lindor hit a home run and was 4 for 4. In the eighth, J.D. Martinez hit another home run. Garrett made the save. New York is between 23 and 33.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) May 31, 2024
The day following a players-only meeting, the Mets defeated the Diamondbacks of Arizona 3-2 on Thursday. Even though they made two mistakes, they managed to win narrowly thanks to improved at-bats and more skillful all-around play. They will accept it for sure.
It will be interesting to watch how the Mets handle things going forward following their latest disaster. Even if three wild-card slots are up for grabs in a weak league, it could be too late for New York (23–33) to stage a memorable comeback that sparks postseason hopes. However, there is still plenty of time to increase the debate around them, considering the season only has four months left. Because during the past few weeks, many in the league, including executives, players, and agents, have been perplexed as to how a club with excellent players can find numerous ways to lose games that it should win.
Teams start to falter. Teams experience several things. Simply put, the Mets have been through so many humiliating situations throughout the years that it is difficult to shake the impression that they are a bad team. That is unfair to Cohen, who was meant to be a welcome change following the Wilpons, and he has been; the majority of the problems predate his time as owner, and he has made significant positive contributions to the company. However, even club members would likely argue that winning is necessary to dispel those worries and that perception counts.
The Mets departed from their 2024 pattern against Arizona. The Mets have struggled to execute the simple things and have frequently faltered when it matters most for a third of the season. The main causes of late-game difficulties, according to Nimmo, Adam Ottavino, and Francisco Lindor, were deficiencies in personal preparation and ineffective procedures.
“Yes, this is a team game, but individually you have to hold yourself accountable,” Nimmo said before the game. “And, we are going to have to start implementing holding each other accountable in different ways because what we’re doing right now isn’t working.”
It seems like a really good plan. Moreover, an essential one. Tommy Pham, a former outfielder for the New York Mets, claimed last year that the position players he had played with were the least hardworking group. Pham said that he respected Lindor, Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and other Mets leaders for their work ethic. Pham continued, “Coaches put in a lot of effort and were always available.” The Mets have seen a lot of upheaval this season, but their core group is still there. Once more, athletes blamed themselves rather than the coaches.
The average age of the Mets’ roster is among the oldest, which has long presented a challenge for team captains. Players claimed it is difficult to speak up to a fellow veteran. However, that can not be a defense anymore.
“It’s harder to say something when a guy has spent 10 years or 15 years and if they’ve been doing it for that long,” Jeff McNeil said. “But we gotta treat everyone as equals in this clubhouse. If you see something, say something.”
According to Nimmo, it was a good idea for the group to have a verbal discussion on accountability in order to raise awareness of the issue and give people the confidence to speak up without being rude.
“You can say we had a come-to-Jesus meeting,” Nimmo said. “Things are going to be brought to people’s attention, don’t take it the wrong way.”
What then does implementation entail? Players stated that it is important to pull someone aside and give them the truth, without insulting them in public.
“It’s obviously not going to be a thing where it’s, ‘Hey, you messed up one time, and you gotta go,’” Nimmo said. “But it’s going to be something like, ‘Hey, I noticed this today. … You’re a little lost today … What’s going on?’ And I think there’s just going to be more accountability from all sides.”
That was one of the main things Nimmo and a few others remembered from the conference. They maintain their positive attitude and believe that the mentality has not been a problem. It is more of a matter of execution and preparation.
“It’s more so the little mistakes that are happening on the field,” Nimmo said. “We want to try to nip that stuff in the bud. Usually, that mistake has been led up to a series of decisions throughout the day.”
The players left the discussion with a sense of confidence regarding the circumstances. According to J.D. Martinez, it was one of the best meetings he had ever attended. Martinez added that during it, he informed the group, “No one thinks we’re going to win 100 games this year. Guarantee it. Everyone is going to put all their money that we’re not. We have no pressure on us. The pressure is on everyone else right now. If we lose, we lose — they already think we are the worst in baseball. So let’s go out there, do what we do; we know we have a really good roster, we have a legit, competitive team day in and day out.”
The Mets demonstrated that better the following day. Maintaining a high level of play is the challenge. Three weeks have passed since they last won back-to-back games. However, the conference signified an acceptance of the need for change, which should be beneficial for the present as well as the future. as long as participants do not quit.
“We feel like, OK,” Nimmo said, “we’re in a much more unified spot moving forward of everybody holding each other accountable.”
(Photo of Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
