After watching the Mets’ recent call-ups in action, manager Terry Collins probably has a good idea why tigers eat their young.
“You think some of these guys will grab the opportunity that’s in front of them because of the injury issues on our club and say, ‘Here’s my chance to show I’m a major league player,’ ” Collins said. “And we’re not seeing it.”
Lucas Duda, Travis d’Arnaud, Matt den Dekker, Zach Lutz and Ruben Tejada are among the arrivals over the last month who have struggled offensively. On Thursday, the Mets scored two runs or fewer for the fourth time in five games, allowing the Nationals to complete a four-game Citi Field sweep with a 7-2 victory. The loss was the Mets’ ninth in 11 games overall.
Collins later admitted he addressed his team earlier in the week about maintaining a proper mindset. He indicated he may need to speak again to his team before the Mets open a four-game series against the Marlins beginning Friday at Citi Field.
The manager said it’s essential his young players understand self-pity is unacceptable.
“I will not stand for that,” Collins said. “Not in this clubhouse, not in this league, you don’t feel sorry for yourself. Nobody feels sorry for you in the game. Our guys in that room, because a lot of them are young, they better learn that lesson real fast, because if they’re going to play here they better know how to bounce back.”
The Mets’ lack of power was underscored during a four-game series in which the Nationals out-homered them 13-0. The last homer by a Mets player came in Cleveland on Sunday, when Justin Turner cleared the fence.
Josh Satin said the team’s recent skid could be a result of too many players trying to become the hero in the absence of a true offensive force. David Wright remains on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring and two veteran offensive players, Marlon Byrd and John Buck, were traded to the Pirates last month.
“Look at our lineup, we’ve got like seven rookies that played today,” Satin said. “[Washington] has got a great team, but that is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to compete. We’re inexperienced and young, and not playing well. [The Nationals] are older and veterans and playing well. You put that together and it’s a rough series.”
The team’s lack of offense is most frustrating to Satin, who is 6-for-31 (.194) over the team’s last 11 games. D’Arnaud — who didn’t play Thursday — is stuck in a 3-for-30 (.100) tailspin and Duda has only one home run in 15 games since returning from Triple-A Las Vegas.
“When nobody is hitting, everybody wants to be the guy that does it,” Satin said. “I haven’t swung the bat well in the last week and I know the team needs me to do better. I just want to do better so bad.”
Collins said work ethic hasn’t been a problem with the Mets.
“This could be the time of year I think they may be working too hard,” Colllins said. “I see them in the cage, I see them taking 200 swings a day trying to work on stuff. You’ve got to save something for the game.”