After Tuesday night's loss to the Reds, Sal Licata wasn't in the highest of spirits when it comes to his Mets.
"How many more signs do you need before you realize that this year ain't it?" Sal said after the 7-6 loss, in which Max Scherzer was scratched from the start because of neck spasms.
"How much did they spend on this payroll? I guess it doesn't go as far as it used to."
Sal's big gripe with the loss was with Daniel Vogelbach taking two walks with two runners on, and how the Mets eventually got next to nothing out of those two rallies, mainly because the team's philosophy doesn't lead to success in those situations.
"They look at the data and analytics for a guy like Vogelbach and a guy like [Mark] Canha, and they believe that works," Sal said. "That type of 'pass the baton' offense, a walk is as good as a hit,' bullcrap. Anyone who says a walk is as good as a hit doesn't know what they're talking about. You know when a walk is as good as a hit? When the kid can't hit.
"I don't ever recall a player being so afraid to actually swing a bat, other than the little league days, as I do with Daniel Vogelbach…when you have a guy like Vogelbach up with guys on, he should be looking to drive the baseball, hit with power, do damage. Instead, he's looking to walk. Great, right? Wrong. Because who's behind him? The eighth hitter in Mark Canha."
Canha bounced into a double play after Vogelbach's walk in the seventh, and was pulled for Luis Guillorme after Vogelbach walked again to load the bases in the eight, and Luis Guillorme struck out in his place. Sal wants to see Vogelbach look to drive the ball and drive in runs rather than hunting walks, which he says takes up too much of the Mets' motivations when building a roster.
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