It’s been a tough go for Francisco Lindor, who is 5-for-39 (.128/.209/.154) with 10 strikeouts and two walks in his last 10 games.
Last year, when Lindor was in a slump, you may have ended up with something like rat vs. raccoon – but the Buck Showalter era is a new era, and Lindor is
“It’s not a topic of conversation; he’s always upbeat, the guy that stays consistent with his personality, at least since I’ve been around him,” Buck said prior to Thursday night’s game in Philadelphia. “If there is something else, he’s all about the Mets winning. He’s one of those guys where he could be 0-for-5 with an error, and if we win, he’s sincerely happy. There’s a real sincerity from a team standpoint. The baseball gods always pay you back if you keep that mentality.”
That’s how Don Mattingly was, according to Showalter, and while Lindor may not be happy with the line overall, he must be happy that the Mets are 18-9 and have a 4 ½ game lead in the NL East four weeks into the season.
Perhaps, as Showalter noted, it’s a matter of trying too hard to live up to his contract and the New York hype?
“He’s so capable. He’s such a talented young man, that we know what he’s capable of, and when it doesn’t happen on every at-bat, you’re almost a victim of his skillset,” Showalter said. “He does so many things for us.
Sometimes, it’s not always exactly like it’s gonna be. But sometimes, you can want something too much. He’s one of those guys. His want to (succeed) is way out there.”
Credit that turnaround to Showalter, according to Harold Reynolds, who preached about Buck’s influence on a player like Lindor on Tiki & Tierney on WFAN hours earlier.
“I have a real strong belief in this, because it happened to me: don’t tell me a great coach or manager doesn’t matter, because that changes everything. Buck Showalter has changed Francisco Lindor’s outlook,” Reynolds said. “He’s managed in New York all these years, and the first thing he said to Francisco after the lockout was, ‘you go play baseball, I’ll handle everything else. Go back to being who you were, I’ll handle the rest,’ and that’s what we’re seeing.”
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