They're not getting on base. They're not hitting for power. It's kind of a big mess.
In the wake of the Mets going five straight games with four or fewer hits, ESPN stats expert Mark Simon posted this wonderful graph to Twitter.
This graph says everything needed to be said about the Mets offense the last 30 days pic.twitter.com/948PKlcVI5
— Mark Simon (@msimonespn) August 19, 2014You don't have to be a "nerd" or "stathead" to understand what is going on here.
The Mets' offense stinks right now. Everyone is in a slump, and there is no end in sight. Unless you believe in regression (the good kind!) to the mean.
Curtis Granderson, once a shining beacon of on-base and slugging percentage, has completely gone in the tank this month with zero home runs and a .400 OPS. Daniel Murphy is at least batting .296, but only has two walks, two stolen bases, and one home run since the end of July. David Wright isn't producing either, and the captain's injury woes are a concern not only for this season, but for the future of the Mets' offense.
Even Lucas Duda and his home run binge have slowed down.
Of course, the Mets can't possibly hit this poorly forever. The Padres were formerly baseball's symbol of offensive futility, and they now have the highest OBP on Simon's chart. The Mets are going to hit better for the remainder of August and through September. The real question is how much better they will be.
Duda and Travis d'Arnaud have shown the potential to be solid bats at their positions for years to come, but there's a lot to worry about at other parts of the diamond. Wright's poor season could be a sign that he is declining more quickly than we expected. Ditto with Granderson, the only other starter on a long-term deal.
We all love Juan Lagares for his defense, but his lack of offense is starting to become an issue. Murphy has just one year left on his deal and might not be a part of the team's future. Meanwhile, the jury is still out on whether Matt den Dekker and Wilmer Flores can be future starters or mere bench pieces.
While the Mets may be playing themselves out of a playoff spot, there is still much baseball to be played, and how the Mets play that baseball will give the front office a better idea of what it needs to do over the winter. Keep on not hitting, and the "trade pitching for hitting" drum will only become louder. Show some spark for the rest of the season, and the Mets may not have to overpay for the offense that they so desire.