Mets offense in middle of familiar funk despite completely different lineup
One of the most glaring issues for the Mets' offense last season was its inability to capitalize on chances with runners in scoring position. Six games into this season, that problem is rearing its ugly head.
The Mets went out and made some drastic changes to their roster over the offseason after a hugely disappointing season, which ended without a playoff berth. A lot of those changes were to their lineup, breaking up a core that had been together for some time in order to give the team a new look and a fresh start. One of the most glaring issues for New York's offense last year was its inability to capitalize on chances with runners in scoring position.
In fact, not only did the Mets overhaul their lineup, but they also retooled their hitting department by bringing in new hitting coaches in hopes that they could correct the RISP problem that plagued them so often last year. But just six games into the season, that problem is rearing its ugly head. One day after being shut out and held to three hits, New York went 0-for-11 with RISP and left 11 men on base in a 2-1 loss to the St.
Louis Cardinals . The worst of it came in the top of the 11th inning when the Mets loaded the bases with one out, a golden opportunity to push across at least one run, but came up empty. Before that, New York was unable to drive in the free runner in the 10th inning and couldn't get pinch-runner Jared Young home in the ninth after Jorge Polanco 's leadoff double.
Even in their series-opening win on Monday, the Mets finished 1-for-14 with RISP. In Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, they went 2-for-10 with RISP and on Saturday, a win, 3-for-14. Aside from Opening Day's 11-run outburst, New York is averaging 2.