The Mets have backed themselves right into a nook with Daniel Vogelbach. The group hasn’t used Vogelbach for the final week, having benched the designated hitter for the final 5 video games.
The state of affairs with Vogelbach is especially unusual. The Mets are selecting to play a person down every night time with out their left-handed hitting designated hitter regardless of alternatives to make use of him, particularly in late-game conditions.
It’s unusual to hold a participant with out utilizing him in any respect, however Vogelbach isn’t injured and the group didn’t need to discover an damage for him, so he continues to work on discovering his stride once more with the group.
“I’ve been working on stuff that can hopefully lead to me getting the ball in the air like I like to get the ball in the air,” Vogelbach mentioned Wednesday earlier than the Mets hosted the Yankees within the second Subway Series recreation of the yr. “Just being able to get in the cage and really dial into stuff that I can really go after and not have to worry about repeating it in the game the same night. I always use the term muscle memory and I always try to repeat swings so that you don’t have to think about it and you just go back to doing what I do.”
An analytics darling with a capability to get on base and take pitches, the Mets have continued to play the slugger even when although he hasn’t slugged a lot this season. The membership and their analytics group like his exit velocity, however as Vogelbach himself famous, he isn’t hitting the ball within the air proper now. He’s been hitting it on the bottom. The 30-year-old Fort Myers, Florida native is strolling greater than he did final season however he’s additionally hanging out extra. He’s hit solely two dwelling runs this season.
The state of affairs turned untenable and the Mets needed to do one thing, however losing a roster spot wasn’t what anybody anticipated. The Mets must designate him for project to get him off the 40-man roster, however they’d threat dropping him on waivers. General supervisor Billy Eppler and his analytics group really feel very strongly that Vogelbach can assist the group, however even Vogelbach understands he isn’t serving to a lot proper now.
“That’s probably the ultimate goal, boil things down to winning,” Vogelbach mentioned. “To win, you need everybody. I need to be at my best, just like everybody else needs to be at their best. When you’re not, you get down to why you weren’t your best and try to get through it.”
The Mets aren’t going to make use of him till they assume he’s capable of get the ball within the air repeatedly once more, however it’s robust to know precisely when he’ll be prepared when he isn’t taking any aggressive at-bats.
“I think the problem with saying when exactly it’s going to end is, what’s making you do that?” Showalter mentioned. “Are you seeing something that’s getting back, progressively, to what he’s capable of doing and has done in the past? So just to put a closed lid on it and then not meet some criteria to get there is probably not very wise. But he’s in the process of meeting that criteria and he’s getting close.”
PUMPED UP KICKS
Francisco Lindor debuted a brand new model of his signature shoe, the Lindor 2 Summer Storm, this week on the Subway Series. The Mets shortstop has lengthy been a vogue fanatic however because of his partnership with New Balance, he’s been ready so as to add shoe designer to his resume — type of.
“New Balance does a lot, but I do tell them what I want, what I’m thinking and my vision,” Lindor mentioned. “Then they draw up the shoes and we go from there.”
Lindor lets the professionals maintain the engineering of the 2 sneakers — a cleat and a pre-game efficiency sneaker — however he designed the brand new colour schemes and included particular components, like a wire rather than laces and velcro straps. Using a wire and straps helps him get them on faster earlier than going out to take batting observe, and he felt it might be useful for folks of youngsters who’re making an attempt to get their sneakers on faster to get out the door or go to observe as nicely.
EXTRA BAGS
Right-handed depth starter Elieser Hernandez has been sidelined as soon as once more. While rehabbing from a proper shoulder pressure, Hernandez lately reported facet discomfort. He had beforehand been on a rehab project however has taken a step again and is now going by way of a throwing development.
Right-hander Stephen Nogosek cleared waivers and outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse. However, he rejected the project and elected free company.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com