Opening Day Plans and Past Experiences

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K-A-L-S-H-I-Kelsi. Trade on anyt hing. Getting everyone together to watch the game is fun until you realize you're running low on snacks right before halftime. That's why shipped is there for you on game day. Whether going for that classic spread, chips and dip, or mixing in even a few healthier options, I can, and so can you, order all the favorites for same day delivery to keep the party going, especially now that March is here. And if that chip bowl is looking suddenly too empty, no stress, just place another order and it shows up the same day. Shipped makes last minute hosting so much easier. You can get snacks, party supplies, decorations, and more delivered from nearby stores. I'm talking grocery runs from places like Safeway or Albertson's, party decor from Michael's, or even a quick target order, all while you're getting ready for guests with shipped. You can order same-day delivery on groceries, gifts, and so much more. 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If you want to listen to that, go back into the archives. Today we focus on the mets of many, many predictions involving our baseball team, how they're going to do as a team, how individuals are going to do. So we go through everything that we expect is going to happen with the 2026 New York Mets and joining us to do it. Die Hard Met fan, the great Sal Akata. He's got his own YouTube channel as well. So subscribe, listen, download, rate, whatever the hell you do on YouTube and podcasts. Sal, I do have a bone to pick with you. I'll address, but first, how are you and thanks for coming on. You didn't say that you didn't say this is gonna be live. I didn't know that. I I would have maybe well I probably wouldn't worn something different but I had no idea this was going to be live. Well what would what what would difference it make? What would you do differently? No, we tape we tape a spot. It's a little bit different than going off. I had no idea. This isn't TV. Come on, man. Tape a spot. Does my mic sound okay? We're all connected okay. Uh by the way, it's don't don't just gloss over it. It's the Salicata Show, available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, wherever you get your podcast. Thank you very much. I thought I gave you a good promotion. I thought that was a nice pro I want to get an extra one. I want to make sure I want to make sure. I know there's a big audience here. Well, I I should also mention SNY. I don't think I'd mention that. But that's that's actually the bone I have to pick with you because I'm just minding my own business. I'm on Twitter and I see SNY, which I love. I mean, I have great respect for SNY and all the staffers put out their baseball predictions. Did you really pick a Yankee Met World Series? Is that genuinely how you feel? Okay, here's the thing with these predictions. You get an email, you're asked to do it. Uh now I will say that this year I put a lot more thought than I normally do into these things. I'm not like breaking down the NL Central normally, although this year I was like, all right, let me just look at it before I just throw stuff at the wall. Here's why I come up with the Mets. And I hate to do it because then it looks like you're a homer for both sides. Mets, Yankees, whatever. Legitimately, I never picked the favorite. So that's ruling out the Dodgers. Okay. I'm taking them off the board. Tell me, like the Mets would fit. Forget that I root for them or want them to win. The Mets would fit my model for a team that's just enough under the radar, has made enough changes that I fully believe in that could be a little bit of an upset. Although I will say I'm seeing every like the odds on favorites to win the NLE somehow are the Mets. That does I that I don't like. But I I I think the Phillies are going the wrong way. I think the Braves are banged up but still dangerous. Nobody in the NL Central to me is a real threat. And anybody outside the Dodgers isn't a real threat. So yeah, I think it's realistic that you can make a case for the Mets. I think it's even easier to make a case for the Yankees and no way, shape, or form, well, I picked the Yankees to beat the Mets. I'm just not doing that end of story. So that I'll admit I'll be a homer there, but that's that's how you got to that result. Yeah. I your your thinking is is fair because I I'm the same way as you. Like I didn't pick the Dodgers to win the national league. It's it's too easy. And it's also baseball. Like baseball is built now where the best team doesn't necessarily get to the World Series. I mean, I know the Dodgers have done it the last two years, but funny, funny enough, they weren't the best team the last two years during the regular season. So I agree with your logic. I think the thing I run into, and maybe this is just the kind of fan I am, is I can't pick my own team. Like there's the loser is so deep inside me that even though your thinking is completely sound, I just don't have the balls to pick the Mets because as a fan, I tend to think we'll fall short somewhere along the line. And so I struggle to do. Oh, fair enough. Understood, but you gotta pick somebody. And then the other thing is you're right, that's one way to look at it from a fan. The other way is I'm not picking against the Mets because I don't wanna root for my pick to be right and and I don't want to root against the Mets. So I've been in that I've been in that spot before too, and I'm just not doing it. Plus, it's four SNY. You know, it's uh I already know what's gonna happen. You can't win with these things, you better off stay away from it. Oh, you pick the match, you're a homer. You pick against the match you stalk. How could you pick the Braves? So let me ask you this way: let's rule the Mets out. If you if you and I both would rule the Dodgers out because they're a favorite, and I'm ruling the Mets out in this case, who's your representative in the national league? I mean, it would probably see and this is how I got to Chicago, even though I think the Cubs are a flawed team. By no means do I think they're the best team in the national league. The next team I would pick would be Philadelphia. Like I think the Phillies, especially if Zach Wheeler can get healthy, and he's certainly on his way back. I know he's got a rehab start coming up soon. I'd pick Philadelphia, but the Phillies in so many ways feel like the Yankees of the national league. They're incredibly talented. They'll win a lot of regular season games. And then they're just going to come up short, like they do every single year, which they have since their great run of 2022. So if I did it based on talent, it would probably be Philadelphia. But I don't know. That's why I ended up on Chicago because they're like a good team. It's a it's a lousy division, first of all. I mean everybody's picking the Pirates won that division. Yeah, I think they'll be better. I think the Pirates are better. I don't I don't have the guts to think they're gonna win. I think I picked the Cubs as well as you, but I but like you think the you really think the Cubs are better than the Mets? No. No, I don't. It's just it fits the model you laid out, which I agree with, which is the Dodgers are the best team by a lot, by a significant margin talent-wise. They're the best team in the national league. But in a best of five series and then a best of seven series, more times than not, with the exception of these last two years, they're not going to get there. The Dodgers had a year. I was reminding people the other day, where they won 111 games and then lost in the division series and won one game. And then they had a 108-win season where they didn't win a division series game. So we almost have to remind ourselves that more times than not, that's what usually happens with these really good teams. And they almost lost in five two years ago in the first round, and it very easily could have, maybe should have lost the world series a year ago. So baseball's hard, man. The fact that they've gotten to two in a row and one two in a row, they come on the odds of winning three. And they're always gonna have the best team, right? They're always gonna be loaded, they're always gonna have the highest payroll. They're not gonna win every year from here on out. It's just not gonna happen. So yeah, at some point, somebody else is gonna beat them. Think about the amount of years, and it's not recently, it's this misnomer about the Yankees. The Yankees haven't mostly been the best team in the American League, but in the 2000s they were. I mean, think about all the years where they were clearly the best team in the American League and they would get tripped up. Because more times than not, that's what happens. Like the late 90s teams are incredibly special, that they could not only be the best team in the AL, but then go on a deep run. I I am curious before we get into these individual predictions, as this offseason was going on, it was it was painful. Like I mean, losing Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonzo within twenty four hours, and I'm not even talking about from an emotional standpoint as, far as oh, I love these guys. Like they're good players. They lost an elite level closer and an incredibly reliable slugger. They eventually pivoted, I thought, in a strong way, the Bobachette signing after losing Kyle Tucker, trading for Freddie Peralta, Luis Robert Jr. , but now that the painting is set and we're on the precipice of opening day, what do you think, or what do you think of what they did this offseason? Do they feel like a significantly better team? We know they're completely different. And that was the thing that was tough to like kind of figure out. Like they are as different as anybody. But did they have a good offseason? Were you pleased with what they did? Well, let me ask you before I answer that. Do you think that they needed to be different from what we've seen in the recent years? Yes. Me too. So that's step number one. They needed to be different. Stearns identified that, took a blowtorch to the core. I needed to see that. Where I think they're going to be better is that they have guys up and down that order that should be able to put the bat on the ball, that should be able to take the extra base, whether it's first to second, on a you know, a bloop in the outfield where the outfield is being lazy, you still going first to third. Those things throughout the course of 162, they add up to more wins. It's not gonna be as sexy as Pete hitting 50 bombs or Nimo hitting his 25, whatever it may be. But I think that they're better, they're deeper with the lineup one through nine and are going to play. They're going to catch the ball, they're going to throw the ball. Hey, they actually have, a real center fielder for a change. So I like they have guys that that are gonna give you quality at bats, not just post numbers, but give you quality at bats when the game is on the line, when runners are in scoring positions. So I know that for a lot of Met fans, it's tough to transition. For me personally, they checked multiple boxes this offseason. Needed to change it up, check, needed to address the starting rotation, check, needed to get better in the little areas. Defense on the base pass, check. So I think they're gonna be a better team because of that. Yeah, I I wanted them to be different. And it's it's a the I like the way you frame that because it's true. Like, yes, especially coming off of a collapse, which is essentially what last year was, but I think it was how different did they need to be? I mean, they they did blow it up. Like well, they screwed up the Diaz thing. So different. The D what'd you say? I'm sorry. It's they screwed up the Diaz thing. I think everything else. Trading Nimo needed to happen. Mm most people didn't think it was possible. That was a miracle they were able to move Brandon Nemo. Letting Pico, we could argue about that till the Cows come home. We don't need to get into it. D Diaz, they screwed that one up. Outside of that, I have no issue with the offseason. Yeah, the the Diaz thing as the offseason went on, and now sitting here getting ready for opening day, and I start to think to myself, what am I excited about? What am I worried about? I'm probably most worried about the bullpen and most worried about can Devin Williams be that guy? Like I know last year with the Yankees was an odd year. There was a lot of bad luck involved, but there's still that part of Devin Williams where you wonder. You just wonder, can he handle the big moment? I think Edwin Diaz sort of proved that over the years of being here. He's faced a lot of adversity. He came out of it. So I agree with you. I think looking back at what ended up happening, that's the move that makes little sense. Because like you said, I don't think their plan was to lose Edwin Diaz. Their plan was we're not giving Pete Alonso five years. If someone's going to give him five years, we're going to lose him and we're going to be fine with it. The Edwin Diaz thing was almost a miscalculation, and I'm not sure if it was offending him by signing Devin Williams, not telling him, hey, you're still the guy. We still want you. I don't know if it was just he wanted to go to LA. That seems to be the Met fan narrative they're trying to tell themselves. Like up, not our fault. He just wanted to leave. There may have been a lot kind of in the middle, maybe an arrogance and negotiations. But yeah, that ended up being the move that kind of left me more bitter than Alonzo because Alonzo was strategic, whether I agree with it or not. Like it was strategic. Diaz was they eff uped it. They wanted the guy back and something along the way got lost in translation. And as good as Devin Williams can be, they downgraded themselves a closer. I think the bullpen is a strength and is gonna be a strength, but it was supposed to be this plus Edwin Diaz. Or I guess forget Luke Weaver and Ed Edwin Diaz. And who wouldn't rather do that? Right. I don't think they would have gotten Luke Weaver in addition if they brought Diaz back. Probably not. Okay. So just replace, swap those two, and you have a significantly better bullpen. So that one's annoying. And by the way, Diaz and his trumpets, he's annoying me too, because he should have given the Mets a chance. So whether he wanted to be here, whatever his issues were, I am rooting for major failure for Diaz. I hope he implodes every time he sets foot on the mound. I agree with you. I don't know if I agree with you for the same reasons, but I I think it's just because he's a dodger. Like it's one of those things where it's not even about heat? Are you rooting against Pete or Nimmo? No. No. Me neither. Okay. Me neither. I'm rooting against I hope Pete hits 70 home runs. I don't care. Nimmo. I hope he has great success. But but Diaz is different. He left. He left the Mets. Yeah, but wait a second. He did leave, and I guess you could tell yourself that, but isn't it about where they went? Like Pete Alonso, let's just be honest, all right? This is a freaking Met podcast. Let's be honest. He went to a team that we sort of like because he can stick it to the Yankees. That's why we don't mind Pete. He went to a team that we were like, oh, the Orioles, they're cute. We don't mind them. If Pete Alonso ended up with another national league team, certainly in our division, but even a National League West team, I don't think, at least I wouldn't. I wouldn't just be like, oh yeah, great, going with the MVP. He's on the Orioles. The more success he has, the worse it is for our local blood rival. Like fairly factor, bro. Fair enough. I don't I think it's more that he's in the American League and they're kind of out of the way. Okay, yeah. But but I don't really think the Orioles are gonna be a threat to the Yankees anyway, nor do I think the Rangers are. So I'm I'm not looking at it that way. But if they were each in the national league, I'd probably root less for them. Put it this way: if you flip it and say Diaz went to the Angels or whatever in the American League, I'd still be rooting for failure. What he did and the way he operated bothered me. Plus, I'm still not over 2019. I can't never liked the end. I knew I should have never liked them. I stuck with that. I should have stuck with it. That that's a part of his story that's so incredible. That the guy was so bad and broke our hearts in 2019. And I was with you. I was done with the guy. He can't handle New York. That's a part of his story that was so awesome that he turned it around. That the fact that that guy, if I could go into a time machine and say the 2019 Sal or 2019 me, we're gonna fall in love with Edwin Diaz. We'd be like, What are you freaking nuts? There's no way we're gonna fall in love with this guy. It's it's uh it's honestly probably the most shocking thing. Like, I didn't I I knew he was done. I knew he would never survive in New York. It wasn't like, oh, I don't know if I don't think he's gonna do well. It was over. He went from being the worst that I had ever seen based on expectations and results to the best closure that they've ever had. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. 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I'd put him ahead of John Franco as much as I love John Franco. I'd certainly put him ahead of Armando Benitez. I without a doubt would put him ahead of that overrated stiff Billy Wagner. No question about it. Oh, okay. So and there's one more you're missing. There's a lot more I'm missing. No, well, well, to me, Familia, 2015, Jarice Familia was one of the best seasons. Okay. And even 2016, maybe not as great as 2015, but prior to Diaz in 2022, my the best closer that I've ever seen was Familia. So I I would put him still second. Now again, Johnny longevity and I love Johnny Franco. I'm not trying. But like just dominance, sheer dominance from a closer for consecutive years, Familia 15, 16 was the best that I'd seen until Diaz in 2022. Familia for the six out save against the Dodgers in game five. Like that moves him up ten pegs because that was a Mariana Rivera-esque like performance. But I just don't think he did it long enough. So like I have a nice opinion on him. And it still bothers me. This is my big issue with Terry Collins and the 2015 World Series. Like I wanted Familia to get that clean inning in game five. Like I was the one guy in City Field saying, no, don't bring Matt Harvey out. Like he's been great. Get him out. Give me Familia to get a clean inning. And then of course he comes and he stays in for two batters, which I still can't get over. But yeah, familiar is certainly up there and he had his moments. But there might be where we have to appreciate Diaz. That's all I'm saying. What why what what in your mind, what is Edwin Diaz most remembered for with the New York Mets? Because I could think of three th ings. Are you going to say not covering in game one sixty-one against Atlanta? No, not even that. Although that was that was brutal. I mean, it led to a great moment. I'm going to say 2019. I'm going to say the WBC WBC and and and trumpets like those I I don't recall sitting there saying that he's had oh my god multiple great saves or a great postseason run like you could reference Jarice Familia or maybe even Bill Billy Wagner back in the day, or Franco, or even Benitez moments. I look at Diaz. While he was the best Mets closer, I think, for an extended period, I still don't know if we need to celebrate him because I don't remember really a huge save that sticks out to me. It it's funny. His playoff numbers are actually very, very good. And it was odd because it wasn't traditionally like the way you would use a closer. Like he came into a lot of non-save situations and pitched well. But if you're asking me, like, all right, the the best moment, because obviously there's a lot of negatives. Kurt Suzuki in 2019 probably does take the cake of all the the collapses and blown saves of that year. I think probably scaring the crap out of us in game four against the Phillies and putting a couple of guys on base and not being able to find the strike zone, but then bearing down and striking out Kyle Schwarber and getting through the ninth inning to advance us to the NLCS. I mean maybe the pinnacle of that 2024 season in terms of oh my god we're in the league championship series I I would say as a positive moment that would be my number one okay but I get it like he was a mixed bag i but you you like you would you would we're uh we're both Meth fans, but we are different Meth fans. So you would agree that you like to celebrate more anybody that's worn a met uniform, certainly with so long time. And I'm like, eh. For me, it it doesn't do it for me as as as easy as it is with you. Well, look, look, yes and no. I mean, I want the Mets to win the World Series. And if they win the World Series this year with a bunch of transient players, guys that are new to our team, like Bo Bachet and Freddie Peralta and Jorge Polanco, I'll be fine. Like I'll be pretty good. I'll still be naked at the celebration down the canyon of heroes. Please would it be sweeter if everybody was homegrown? I guess it's you know, it does remind me very briefly. I hate to make this reference. It reminds me of what people used to say to me about the Nets when they thought they were gonna win. They would be like, How could you really enjoy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving? Like, how is that gonna be sweet? And I'm like, What are you, an idiot? Of why would it not be sweet? They're they're wearing my uniform. If they win a championship, I don't care if they're hired guns. Like, that doesn't matter. So, yeah, like if we win, if you tell me you're gonna win a championship, then fine, get rid of all these guys that we grew up watching or we grew up or we watched them grow up, I should say. Obviously, I want to win, but yeah, I think that there's that extra loyalty sometimes or that extra belief in players that you saw for a long time. So I would admit that Alonso and DeGrom, that was a factor. But again, if you're telling me they're going to win, and we'll see, like we're about to begin a new season. I don't know what the hell's going to happen. I'd much rather win than root for a guy I like. It's not even close. I know I'm just saying you you've always oh he's a homegrown Matt. Yeah, let's celebrate him. Let's give him the video tribute. I'm just like, move on, man. They didn't done here. Get him out of here. Let's go. Get the next guy in. Try to go win one for the first time in 40 freaking years. I I want to win. I'm with you on that. I do like to appreciate what guys did here. Like, even if it's a mixed bag. I like to say, you know what? Edwin Diaz was one of the best closers. That's why I think I'll boo him when he comes back, but there's a small part of me that wonders, will I give him a nice golf clap? Like, you know what? Thank you, Edwin. That was a good run. I want to say thank you. It's it's possible. I don't know. I mean, I don't know what I'm gonna do that day he returns. All right, let's make some individual predictions. I wrote down a lot of over-unders for offensive players and pitchers, and let's see where we are with some of these guys. Let me start with Bo Bouchette. I was ecstatic when they signed him. It was a quick pivot off of losing Kyle Tucker, who they were going after. I this I read, this is not even me creating an over-under. The over-under on Bo Bachet home runs is 18 and a half. And keep in mind, like he can drive in a lot of runs. He's a productive player. He will hit for a high batting average, which is obviously kind of cool and something we're not necessarily used to. But in terms of hitting home runs, the most he's ever hit is twenty-nine, that and was back in twenty twenty one. He hit eighteen last year in a hundred and thirty-nine games. The over under is eighteen and a half. Where do you feel you're gonna end up with Bobich at home runs this season? I'm gonna go over. I go over slightly. I I just feel like the Mets are going to have a bunch of guys that are going to hit in the 20s. If you didn't last year and still got to 18, I'm not going to pick on the number, but I think you're going to be in the high teens right around 20. I'll say he hits I'll say he hits 20 on the button. 20 homers for Bobichet. Yeah, I'm kind of with you. I'm at 23 home runs. Obviously, health is a big factor because he did miss time last year, but it was at the very end of the season. I think he's going to be situated right in the middle of this batting order. Um I I think also it's a a mega contract year for him. I know we're we got the lockout hanging over us, so I guess that creates uncertainty, but that three year contract is essentially a one-year deal. So I'm expecting like a big offensive season from him. The other number that I think is an easy over is RBIs that set at 80 and a half. You have to think he's in that Pete Alonso role this year. He's going to be the guy who has Juan Soto on base constantly in front of him. Francisco Lindor on base constantly in front of him. So when I saw 80 and a half, I actually think he's gonna drive in over 100 runs for the second time in his career. I think Bobette is gonna benefit in a monster way from where he's situated in this lineup. So I like the over on that one. Also the bottom of the order better and should be on base more for those guys at the top. So if Lindor or Soto don't come through, he'll have more RBI opportunities can you actually bet that because listening to you talk about that I would I would bet the balls off of that can I can I say that live on a I would bet the balls off of that one that he's gonna have in the in the hundreds in ribbies for sure. W ishy it so low at eighty? I yeah, that's that so some of these and I'll I'll be honest when we get to them, some are me just saying, Hey, this is my over under. Some I've read as actual over under. So I mean where I think you have to go to New Jersey because I well you live in New Jersey. I'm in Jersey. I'll put it in first. It's like the voting awards. I can't vote for I can't bet on awards in the state of New York. For whatever reason, it's it's not legal here, but in New Jersey, you're good to go. So it is what it is. Let's get to your guy, Juan Soto. And he's your guy's all of our guys. Over. Over. Every over, baby. Here's the one thing before you get into this: it bothers me that he's not hitting third. I don't know. We I brought this up to Mendy when I was down there. I don't know. I'm sure you're all analytical and I want him hit second. He's the masher. I want Juan Soto hitting third in that order. I don't hear about him walking. I want to see him do damage. Anyway, I'm sorry. No, no, no. I'm glad you said that because I don't want him hitting second. So that's a stereotype on me you're wrong about you want him leading up I but I But I don't want him hitting third. And you can say it's analytical all you want. I'm gonna talk real. Let's have a real like forget the stupid analytics. Let's just have a real convers ation. It's a simple one. But I I remember as a kid talking to my dad, asking him the dumbest questions. I'd say to my dad when I was learning baseball, why do wins matter, Dad? And he's like, What do you mean? I said, Why do wins matter for pitchers? I don't understand. It's it's based on ER, it's based on uh your bullpen protecting a lead and obviously your offense scoring you runs. And his answer was always just the way it is, son. It's just the way it is. And I said, I think it's stupid. Anthony Young, remember Anthony Young's long losing streak? Of course. His ERA during that losing streak at one point was like 3.75. And Jack McDowell, who is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young that year, was like 3.5. And I said, Dad, don't you see how stupid this is? Anthony Young basically has the same ERA as the guy who's going to win the Cy Young. I bring this up because the other thing I used to question is, why wouldn't you lead off your best player? Like, why not? You get them the most played appearances, the most chances to get up in a given game. I don't understand it. And so I know that it will be said as oh, you're being analytical. I'm not being analytical, like the Dodgers do it. Show you Otani leads off. Juan Soto is such an on-base machine. If teams are gonna walk them, why not start a game with a guy on base and nobody out? And in a world in which we have the DH and they have a good bottom of the order, and by the way, I'd have an on-base machine batting ninth. So I would have a guy batting ninth who gets on base. I think it just makes sense to lead off your best hitter. And I went to spring training and I asked that to Mendy. We both met Mendy in spring training and we asked very different questions and the thing I said to him was lead soto off and he went you know he fought back on why he wouldn't but I also said does one not want to do it like is that what I'm missing here is what am I missing that soto doesn't want to do it? He assured me, he said, Wanna do whatever, whatever we want for the team. So I disagree with you. I freaking lead him off. Tell me why your best player, you wouldn't want to get up as often as possible. First of all, you you should have known that Soda would do anything because they moved him last year so many different times. So that shouldn't be a question anymore because they they juggled him in the lineup. I I want guys on in front of him to start. Who's the biggest power threat that the Mets have in their lineup? And this is not like old school principle now. Him, it was Pete. It's no longer Pete. So why wouldn't you want the most instead of the first inning? Well, I want Soto to lead off and get on base with nobody out and have the leadoff guy on. Or would you rather him be up with two guys on in the first inning and a chance to break the game open? Guys have to pitch to him. It's not necessarily about who's behind them, it's also about who's in front of them. And if you have guys that are getting on in front of them, it's just as important as the guy behind them because then the pitcher has to come over and come into soto. And if they do that, he's going to do damage and make them pay. So I think it's more likely he draws more walks with fewer guys on in front of him because they don't have they can pitch around him and then say, I'll let Bo Bichette beat you. I'd rather them say we're screwed. We have to come into Juan Soto and and then you know you get the benefit of having Soto do damage with potential 50 home run back. I think Soto is such a good patient hitter and has such an incredible e ye. I don't think it would change how many times he walked. Like, I think Juan Soto, and I appreciate this about him because I wasn't sure watching him every day, first with the Yankees and now with our team. Like, would there be that syndrome of come on, be more aggressive, get out of the zone? Like we pay you to drive runs in. I'll I'll never forget uh many years ago Chris Russo was killing Wade Boggs on WFAN. He's always looking for a walk, Mikey. He's always looking for a walk. And I remember him saying that and it always stuck in my head like, am I gonna think that about Want Soto? And the answer is no. Like to me, take a walk. Like if they're not gonna face you, spit on that crap and go to first base. I think he he do it anyway. I think he do it anyway. I don't think it matters if this guy's on back. Like they will he will spit on close pitches they will pitch him carefully and he'll draw walks either way i killed soto on the fan when he was with the yankees for a spot where he did walk and i'm like dude if you do that with the Mets it's gonna be a problem I don't want him to change who he is, but I also know that who he is is the most dangerous bat that the Mets have. And if you have guys on or from him, it's not about him changing his eye. It's about the pitcher saying, well, I can't put him on now. I've got to come into him and let him do damage. And I would bet I don't Mendy didn't say that. He like I would bet that this is an analytical thing. And also that they will end up flipping Soto and Bachette at at some point and have Soto hitting third in that order. That that's just a early season prediction. So instead of asking over or under on home runs and RBIs because your answer is over, how many home runs and RBIs will Juan Soto have? What is the number? You have an actual number or you made it up? I do. I do. His over under on home runs is thirty-seven and a half, so a little bit less than last year. I go over that. He's gonna hit 45 at least. I I I I uh dude, are you look, he he's the one who said it. First of all Now he's acclimated. He already got loose in the WBC playing you know lights out. He got acclimated to the Mets last year. I think he's got a better surrounding cast. He's more comfortable. He already said that he wants to go after Otani. And if there's anybody who's gonna look Otani in the eyes and do it, forget Judge for a second, talk about the National League MVP, yeah. It's Juan Soto. So I think he's hitting 45 home runs minimum this year. No, I mean, I I I wouldn't put it past him. It's just you're asking him for a third consecutive year to hit a career high in home runs. That's what Juan Soto would be doing. And I I don't put it past him. He's 27 years old. He's in the prime of his career. It's not that crazy. It's just you're that's what you're asking. You know, you're saying, all right, third straight year, Yankees, Mets, Mets, go hit a career high in home runs. I could be a dick and say how many of them will be solo. I mean, because it's a fair question. How many of them will be solo home run? No, that it that is being a dick. And you were doing that last year. I mean, come on. Will you stop? Yeah, but leave leave the guy alone. First of all, I wasn't doing it to be a jerk. I wasn't doing it to hate my own guy. I I love Juan Soto. I am so glad he's a New York Met. He's a joy to watch. He hit an absurd amount of solo home runs. And that doesn't mean I didn't want him to hit home runs because a lot of the times I'd even say, Yeah, I'm glad he went deep. It just happens to be with nobody on base. But you have to admit that it was at times frustrating that he wasn't hitting the three run home run. That's okay. We hold him to a very high standard. It doesn't mean I hate him. It doesn't mean I want him gone. It doesn't mean any of that. It's just, I thought it was a fair critique last year. Those will be there this year. Yeah, but you piled on like everybody else because it's cute. Oh, all his home runs are solo home runs. Okay. Like now that's a problem. Meanwhile, Carlos Beltrand in his first year here hit what, uh uh fifteen home runs total or whatever it was like so soto the knock on soto is that he's so good that it's not good enough to hit solo homers. I know what you're saying, but come on. Like do we not think he's gonna start hitting three or homers. See y but you're misinterpreting the criticism. Like, I get it. No, you don't get it because it's like a piling. I'm a piling on. He was hitting too many solo home runs. You're allowed. You are, I promise you, you're allowed to criticize him. Like, we criticize the people we love. That that's what usually happens, right? Do you think criticizes you because she loves you, Sat. My wife's not as good as Soto. Come on, what are you crazy? Soto produces. I mean, I did have dinner on the table tonight, but it's not the same as 40 plus homers in your first year with the Mets. It's not leaving the Yankees. My wife didn't leave the Yankees to come to me. She just was there. Soto left the Yankees. That's never happened before. As a matter of fact, I think the last time I was on with you was when uh when they got soto and we were all celebrating together. Is that not right? Is that long ago? Damn, I'm a bad guy. I should have invited you sooner. My apologies. You are a bad teammate. Am I? I wanted to give you time. I wasn't gonna just invite you and say, come on, Larico. No, no, no. Please give me free content, Sal. I I appreciate you have me. Thank you. If you're the proud parent of a puppy or kitten, you know you can't pet proof your entire life. There simply isn't a sock drawer high enough or a couch cover thick enough. But you can pet proof your wallet with lemonade pet insurance. Whether it's an unexpected accident or a routine checkup, lemonade can cover up to 90% of the bill. Plus, they can handle claims in as little as two seconds. So before you turn into a complete helicopter pet parent, get a quote at lemonade.com/slash pet . She loves it hot, he loves it cold. However you sleep, the pod by 8Sleep adapts to you. Get up to $350 off with code deepsleep at 8sleep. com. Baseball is back, and the first pitch is on Netflix. The New York Yankees, led by seven-time All-Star Aaron Judge, head to the San Francisco Bay to take on Raphael Dever's San Francisco Giants. This season kicks off with one exclusive opening night game. Watch MLB Opening Night, the New York Yankees vs. the San Francisco Giants live on Netflix. Tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Paci fic. All right. The stolen base one is tough because that overunder is at twenty-three and a half. He stole thirty-eight bases last year, but obviously, prior to last year, the greatest amount of stolen bases he ever had in a season was 12. Uh, I'm not gonna go nuts about losing Anton Richardson. I don't think he like is just the magic elixir of stealing bases. But I mean, do you think 38 again? The over-under's 23 and a half. How about that weapon to Soto's game? I'd go over 23 and a half. I also don't think Richardson is a big deal or like that that's insignificant there. The Mets clearly they valued them, but they believed that they could steal bases without him being there. He's not the reason why that was the case. So I think Soda will go over, but I don't go over 38. I I I can't imagine that. I think it'll be somewhere right around the number, probably 24, twenty-five, something like that. And I, by the way, I don't need him to run. I I don't I want he I'm expecting he's gonna have more hits than he had a year ago, especially in big spots early on. I don't need Juan Soto to steal bases, especially with Bachette hitting behind him. Yeah, I think his numbers gonna go down, not because Anton Richardson isn't there, but because the surprise thing is gone. I mean, I think last year a lot of his stolen bases. I remember Keith Hernandez going nuts about it on the broadcast, even though he's a med announcer, frustrated with the opponent saying, you know, he's gonna run. Like what are we doing? So I think the the the avenue of surprise is probably gone. So I think that I I would actually take the under. I think we're looking at more like 18, 19 stolen bases, which again is not a terrible number. And as you said, it's not necessary. Like it's a nice attribute to have, but if he's getting more doubles and he's hitting a ton of home runs with guys on base, uh, it just may not be as necessary. It may not be an attribute of his game that's needed. But I'll be specific on the home runs and RBIs. I think he's going to go 39110. So I think the RBIs go up. I think the home runs are a tick down. Obviously it's not that big of a deal, 39 home runs, but I think the difference is you're right. And this is not something I ever doubted. I think he's going to just hit a lot more three run home runs. I think that, especially with the bottom of the order and the potential of it, him coming up with more guys on base. I just think we'll see a more clutch year from Juan Soto. Luis Robert Jr., who I'm very excited about because I think it's, you know, what are you really risking? I know Luis Santa Lacuna had a good spring training, but I'm not exactly worried about what they gave up, but I think the key around Luis Robert Jr. is does he play? He's played 110 games in each of the last two seasons. So I'm gonna make that the question. Does Luis Robert Jr. play more than 110 games this season? 110's pushing it, man. Uh, I would take what did he play last ye ar? Yeah, I mean, then then maybe I would go over because I know he's been banged up. I'll tell you this: one of the questions I did ask Mandy when I was down there was give me the play. Like the Mets have a lot of guys who could be boom or bus type players. Give me the guy who you really think is gonna take that big step and be an impactful player. He gave me Sangha for the rotation and he mentioned Luis Robert, and he was the one who stood out. So we know he's got star potential. I need to see it to believe it. I'm just happy, Eb, that they finally have a legitimate defensive center fielder for the first time, probably since Carlos Beltron. All due respect to Taylor and I like him, but I'm talking about an everyday big leaguer in center. field I love defense more than anything, especially up the middle. So I love that. How do you predict if the guy's going to stay healthy when he hasn't before? So I would say that it's going to be around that. Also, they're going to be consciously trying to keep him fresh. So maybe there are going to be games that you'd want to see him out there, but he's going to sit. I don't think you're going to get anywhere near. I wouldn't I would say I would say 120 would be high. So I'll go probably right around that 110. Yeah, I'm kind of in that range. So the last two years to be exact, he played 110 last year. He played 100 the year before that. Obviously, his offensive production wasn't great, but that's probably related to the health and also related to the crappy team he was on. The crazy thing about Robert Jr. is even if he puts up those anemic offensive numbers, it's actually significantly better than the offensive production they've gotten out of center field, which is crazy. So it's exactly it's exactly what I've been saying. The floor for Robert, the floor, which is what he's done the last couple of years has been awful, is far better than what the Mets have had in center field. That's the best th ing. Francisco Lindor's overunder on home runs is thirty-one and a half, which seems like a perfect number considering he had thirty-one last year and 33 the year before that. He's going to be ready for opening day. So any scare that occurred about a month ago, that should be out. Obviously he's getting a little bit older. So there is that worry of is he going to play every day the way he has all these years? 31, right there in the middle of what he's done the last two years, over under on Lindor home runs. I'm gonna go under. I I am a little concerned, although from what I saw on I was actually at his uh first spring training game. Uh, you know, was at the game with Jerry Seinfeld. We were sitting there watching, and I saw Lindor. He had it looked like he had his power there, even in that first game back. But I'm still a little concerned. I would go under that number. I think he'll be, you know, hopefully high twenties between twenty five. I'll go twenty seven home runs. Split the difference. Twenty seven homers for Lindor. I am very curious because you have in the past been a a raider of celebrities being real fans or not. Uh the whole Kevin James thing that occurred. Like he's not a real fan. Well, since you sat with Jerry Seinfeld for a significant amount of time, is he a real Met fan or is he kind of fraudish? Yes. And as a matter of fact, that conversation came up. I brought up Kevin James and I go, You're a real fan. Because he was telling me how he used to he was at game six and game seven of the eighty six world series, and he rearranged his schedule to make that happen. And he's done that before for playoff games, and he's there all the time, not just to go promote some movie or show whatever they Seinfeld doesn't show up when he's promoting B movie. He shows up all the time because he's a legitimate Met fan. So yes, not only do I think he's a legitimate fan, I had that exact conversation with him. Uh actually that part of the conversation took place in the owner's box uh because it was raining at that point. So we want to look at that. Look at that. Not concern, because at the end of the day, I don't really care. The one question I've had, Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Lee, they're very similar in this regard. I think they're real fans. I'm I'm not gonna say they're not real fans. Obviously they are. I'm but did they criticize the team? Like that's the thing. Like, did Jerry at any point say to you, boy, you know, I hated when they let Alonzo go? Or something critical about the team? Yes. As a matter of fact, he did. We're not gonna get into specifics, but there was some criticism. I was being the rational one. Jerry, it's okay. They're gonna be No, eventually they they got over, but that was the number one thing that we were talking about. Uh, you know, the Alonzo in the offseason. And yes, not Jerry and his friends that we were with not happy with the Alonzo thing. Yeah. It goes back to something you said at the beginning of this pod of did you want change? And the answer is, yeah, I did, but I would have liked Pete to come back. I wanted change, but I was good with Alonzo and Diaz coming back. But other than that, yeah, go to town. I know, but I said the same thing because I I would have liked Pete's bad in here, but then would have been enough change. I feel better now that it's just now we know for good. They took a blowtorch to it. Let's see. Although like I would have paid Pete to be the DH. I don't know if he would have been happy doing that. Tell me that this mess, this Mets lineup would not look significantly better with Pete Alonzo's bat at DH primarily. He could play a little first, but primarily DH. Look at how that lineup would look if they got him for two or three years. Well, it j it just changes everything because like Bobachette versus Pete Alonso, and I always think they need to be compared. Because if they brought Pete back, they're not bringing in Bobachette, but they're very different hitters. And it's not to say that Alonzo's clearly better, that he's just different. He hits more home runs, but Bo hits for a higher average. Bo puts the bat on the ball. Bo is more clutch. You could certainly argue over the last couple of years, though Pete has been clutch in his own right. It it would be the makeup of the defense would be so different. Like I don't know what Bob Bachet's gonna be at third base. None of us do. And we really can't know until we watch him every day for over a month. Obviously they've got major questions at first base. You're talking about a bunch of guys out of position. So all the talk I ever heard about Pete, especially from you, was running down his defense. Okay. He's a horrible. Who's playing first base now? Like guys that haven't played the position. Doesn't mean they won't be better, but you can't tell me they're better because they haven't played the position yet. Yeah, yeah, but I can tell you that they won't be worse. You can't be worse than what Pete was. I don't want to hear about the scoops. He couldn't throw the baseball and he was a negative defender. You know that. And even at third base. Like they're not replacing David Wright. They're replacing Beatty, Vientos. I mean, they the Mauricio. They had nobody at 30 either. They're already better. I don't want to make a big deal out of spring training because you got to give guys time. But it was three days ago. Jorge Polanco's playing first base. I don't know if he makes a nice diving play. Like, oh, okay, here we go. He flips it to the pitcher covering. It was 30 feet over the pitcher's head. I didn't. And the only compliment, the only fight back you can make is, well, Ev, it was so far over his head, he couldn't have injured the pitcher. Other than that, it made Pete Alonzo blush that throw was so bad. So when you say it can't be worse , let's w let's wait and see. Of course it could be worse. Fair enough, but I still would have wanted Pete back as a DH. I think that would have been the best case scenario just to get his bat in the line. Now, here is my favorite question. I've asked this a lot of times on the Rico. I've asked it to Pete. I've kind of gone back and forth about it. First base. We're just talking about it right now. Which player will end up playing the most innings at first base for the 2026 New York Mets? I think you've got three options on the roster right now in Jorge Polanco, Brett Beatty, Mark Vientos. It could be someone not on the roster if they make a trade at the deadline and that guy plays every inning. It could be Ryan Clifford potentially if he comes up. Uh, but those are obviously the three guys that have the best chance. I don't think there's an obvious answer. How would you answer that? I think that Beatty would probably be the obvious answer if you believe that Carson Benge is not going anywhere. In the event that Benj can't cut it, who's playing right field primarily? Because to me, the answer is gonna be Beatty. Well, then that would take that would take first base at bats away from Beatty because you you want him in right field. So if you assume Benge is going to be primarily the everyday right fielder and stick in the big leagues, because if he doesn't perform, you know, unlike the Yankees, Stearns is going to send him down. They've shown that they will do that. And that would be the right thing to do. Let's just say bench is the everyday right fielder and sticks. I think it'll be Beatty. If you asked me before spring training, I would have said Polanco, but maybe they brought him in here. They said he's gonna be first base. I think there were a little more issues than they initially thought with Polanco, the footwork around the bag, the stuff that you mentioned. So I'd probably lean Beatty because I think he's the most comfortable to do it. Not Vientos, because he's going to be just against lefties. I would say Beatty's going to be that guy. Yeah, I think Vientos is a dark horse in that Polanco's got a long injury history. That that is the reality with him, which is a part of why I prefer him DHing. You mentioned the defensive adjustment he's making. That's a part of it too. But if you look at his track record, he has a long list of injuries and not playing. And DHing would help. It just takes the pressure off, obviously. It gives you a chance to stay healthy. I think Vientos is a dark horse, though, because if Polanco gets hurt and Mark Vientos ever recreates the magic of twenty twenty four and his bat needs to be in the lineup. It's certainly on the table. He ends up playing first base. But I agree with you. I think it's gonna be Brett Beatty. And a lot of it is I think he's a hell of an athlete, man. What he did at second base the other year year, last, like he turned himself into a competent defensive second baseman. And if I would have told you that two years ago when he was learning the position in the minor leagues, I think we would have been very skeptical. He also, I thought, turned himself into a pretty damn good third baseman. Again, not David Wright, but good. So I think his athleticism leads me to think he's actually going to turn himself into a decent first baseman and then hence take the job. You know, this just hit me now as we were talking about this. I think the Mets pulled a fast one on us because when they signed Polanco, it was like not oh well, he might get some reps at first base, it was they are bringing him in to play first base, the replacement for Pete Alonso. Right. Had they not said that, I know myself because I was saying months before that, do not like anytime Andy Martino would be like, Oh, they're fine with Beatty or a Vientos playing first base. Do not tell me that you're gonna let Pete Alonso go and replace him at first base with a Beatty Vientos platoon. Like I would have lost my you know what, and I don't think I would have been alone. So maybe the Mets threw the Polanco, well he's gonna be our first baseman, threw it out there. And they're obviously testing it out, but maybe they knew all along that the better option for first base was going to be Beatty andor Vientos. They just didn't wanna hammer the Meth fans with that. Losing Pete. Yeah, I think the the the fast one was Bichette. Bichette was the game changer because if you think back to when they signed Polanco, which was early, early-ish on. It was like one of the answers to losing Pete Alonzo. The idea was Beatty's the third baseman. So for Beatty to be in the mix at first base created a new hole at third base. So once they signed Bo Bachet, which we were all, I think pretty much ecstatic about, like it was what a hell of a pivot after losing Kyle Tucker. It just started to make more sense. Like, well, what are you gonna do with Brett Beatty unless you're trading him for someone else? So would you think I it ended up falling in a place where it made sense for Beatty to be in the mix at first base. Would you prefer a team with Pete or Bich ette? It's it's tough, man, because I think Bichette as an all-around hitter is obviously better. But Pete Alonso is that fearsome slugger. Like he's the guy who will scare you, who can change a game on its head by hitting a three run home run. But the other thing is it's the contract stuff. Like Boubichette signed a one-year deal. Let's let's be perfectly clear about it. And there's a really good chance, lockout or not, he's gone. He's not going to be a career New York Matt. And that we're looking to replace Bo Bachet a year from now. Maybe it's something homegrown or maybe it's adding someone else that we're not thinking of. So it's also along the lines when you ask the question of well, you're bringing peep back on what kind of contract? Like is he re-signing a long term deal? Well, one year deal. What is it? We're doing sports talk here. Let's just say hypothetical. Pound for pound, equal contract, one player for one player in your lineup. Do you think they're a better team with Pete being on this on this team in that lineup or Bo Bich ette? I would say P ete. Yeah, I would go Bachet on that one. I but I think it's close. I think it's close and I'm trying to not use my yeah yeah homegrown yeah no you you can't help yourself you love Pete you love the homegrown guys just that that that's a part of it you love him Okay I I love him fine I admit it I love him uh is he not a true? You didn't shave for like a year because you wanted Pete to come back. What do you mean? Okay, okay. I accept it. I love him. But now I'm asking you, you don't think having a 45 home run threat if that's what he is obviously hasn't hit that amount of home runs having that guy in the middle of the lineup a guy who drove it a hundred million runs last year you don't think there's an aspect that makes your lineup deeper when you have that guy in it compared to Bo Bachet who,'s a fine player. He's had one bad year in his career, doesn't it for the pop, hits for a higher average. I think certainly last year Bo Bouchette was incredibly clutch, but you don't admit that it's close. It can go either way. No, and I ideally you'd want both. And even if it couldn't be Pete and Bichette, it should have been Pete plus a player like Bichette. That's really what they needed. But I think Bo Bichette, if if there was one at bat with the game on the line, and I know Pete has been clutch. It's not a knock on that. It's just that the way Bachet was taught to hit and the way he has produced in the clutch consistently, I think he'll help you win more ball games than not. And I I it's not a knock on Pete and I know it's gonna be people will take it like that. I just think all around Bachet will do more things to help the Mets win ballgames. I let's look at the pitching rotation. Let me start with Kodai Senga. You mentioned earlier that he's the guy called here. Geez. Who do I invoice? How long are we going here? Who do I invoice for this? Hoff, I guess, afterwards. Half. Hoff will take care of you. You know, I could use the money. I lost the job this year. I don't know if you're aware of that. I I don't have money to give you, but I have your Met tickets. I mean if you want to go to a Met game, like I can get I can give you med tickets. Fair enough. No, just plug the Salicata Show, YouTube, Podcast, Apple, Spotify, wherever you make sure you subscribe. We appreciate it. There you go. Yes. Subscribe. And and really, look, I I've watched your YouTube show and you're good, you're fine. It's about bada booms. I mean that guy's a great talent. Oh no, you just guess he he you he almost didn't get the job because he loves you too much. I'm asking him. He's like, oh, do you know Evan Roberts? I'm like, what do you mean? I know Evan for like 20 years. Yeah, I know. Oh, I love Evan. Oh, I love Evan. I mean, a guy loves you. It's disgusting already. Well, listen, feelings mutual. I think he's an incredible talent. Love that bottom booms. But yes, subscribe to the Salicata YouTube page to watch Sal or Bottom. It doesn't matter why. He don't care. Just subscribe and watch. He don't care. Don't care. All right. Kodai Senga. I'm gonna create an over-under of a hundred innings because I think the key with Kodai Sangha is pitching. That's it. Like it's if he pitches, he's mostly effective, other than that stretch last year, obviously. And I think he was out of whack once he came back from that injury. But a hundred innings, does Kodai Senga hit that number or is he below that number? You have his career in front of you there of what he what do you want to know? Uh well just give me the give me the three years of whatever it's been that he the innings tot al. All right. So in his rookie season of 2023, he threw a hundred and sixty-six at a third innings. Okay. Obviously in 2024, it was that one start, five and a third innings, that great night, that Friday night, where you tried to jinx the Mets that night. It's okay. Oh, come on, dude. That night, wild card race over. Dude, Alvarez hit the bomb. Everybody was going nuts. You tell me you didn't feel it. We all felt it. No, I felt it. No, it was electric that night. I I was it was you were there right? I'm assuming I was watching the home. I felt it. It was electric. It it did feel like the air came out of the sails when Senga got hurt. And if you remember, they almost blew the game in the ninth inning. They did hold on and win, but it was like one of those wins that felt like a loss. It was a very weird night. Uh by the way, sorry, I've let the record show they did, in fact, win the wild card. So there was no jinx. Although it reminds me, because I forgot about that with Senga, dude, that's two years in a row that he got hurt and it just changed the entire feel of the season. Thousand percent. Two years in a row, like his injury wasn't just an injury, it felt like it mattered, like it changed the season in a way. They did recover, like you said, and all all well, but yeah, it was weird that night. Last year he got to a hundred and thirteen and a third innings. So he eclipsed that number last year. Last year was such a weird year. His final numbers are good. Like he pitched to a 302 ERA, made 22 starts. It's like, oh, what's the problem? The problem was the way it started and the way it ended. It's like David Peterson's year. Like you gotta look at it and where it went. So with Senga, you have three years in the major leagues. You are dealing with this. They're using a five-man rotation for now. They may use a piggyback tag team for Kodai Sanga, which is how I would use Shaw Manaya to begin the year. And obviously the questions of him staying healthy. So a hundred innings. He's done it two out of three years. You've never been a Sangha guy. You don't like him. No. Not personally, just as a player. What do you think? Yeah, it's not that I don't like him. It's that I don't like the fact that it's he needs the extra day of rest, everything's gotta be perfect. The fact that the Mets desperately needed and all like they almost called you from the fan to go out there and start. They couldn't get a starter to give them two or three innings. They desperately needed Senga. He couldn't cut it last year. So those are all turnoffs. And by the way, they were done with him until they said they wanted to trade him. Then it was like Sangha's like, Oh no, no, I don't want to go anywhere else. And that kind of woke him up. And since then, it's been great. Mendy now, all of a sudden, he's the guy that's opening eyes, and the V low is up. So I I know that he is very particular. I have a good feeling that he's gonna go over those hundred innings. I would go over that and probably say, I don't know if I could go much over. I don't think you're going to see the 160 from him. I don't even know if they would want that from him. Maybe they give him some extra rest, whatever. I'll say 130-ish, something like that. Yeah, I'm I'm bullish on him. I've liked him since he's come up here. I get the concerns, I get the frustrations about he needs the extra day. I think a lot of that was the Mets giving him the extra day. Was the Mets saying, hey, this is your track record, so let's not screw with it. I I think that was kind of the issue, but I I'm bullish on him. I think he's gonna have a very good year. It's funny. I go through this entire Met rotation. I'm bullish on everybody. Like at the end of the day, I think Clay Holmes is going to have a better ye thanar he had last year. Nolan McClain feels like the next Jacob de Grand. Maybe I'm speaking hyperbole, but it feels that way. You have to figure Freddie Peralta's gonna have a good year in a contract here. So as I talk about every med pitcher, really outside of Shawmania, it's like, damn, I think we're really, really good, which leads me to this question. Who will lead the New York Mets in innings this season? To give you a quick perspective, last year, by the way, you want to guess who led the Mets in innings last year? Yeah. Um, I'm gonna guess it's gotta be Peterson, no? You are correct. David Peterson, not by a lot. One-eight and two-thirds innings.. H Hololmesmes section Clay. Yeah. Was 165. Yeah, that would have been my other guess, Holmes. Yeah. So those two guys were in that range. 168, 165 as the leaders. Yeah, a lot of candidates for this. I mean, Freddie Peralta's a candidate. Uh, even though he was not an innings eater in Milwaukee, I'll be curious to see if they're more aggressive and pushing him late in the games here with the Mets. Obviously, Nolan McLean feels like just a man. Feels like a bull. Don't you think they're gonna keep him limit ed in his first poll? I don't know I don't know if they are because I think that I know he's making the third start of the year, but I don't think that matters. I don't think that had anything to do with limiting him. I think it was probably just splitting up Peralta and Nolan McClain. I mean, I no, honestly, I guess I'll answer that by saying no, I don't think they're going to limit him. I think not that they're going to abuse him, not that you know he's going to throw 120 pitches, but I think Nolan McLean's going to get a chance to pitch. So I think he's a legitimateate candid to lead the team in innings. Um I'll go first. I'm gonna I'm gonna say Nolan McLean. Like I actually think he's gonna stay healthy. He's gonna make every start. I I think he ends up getting to about 175 and leads the team in a next patch. 175. Yeah. I'll go Peralta. I think even if I don't think McLean's getting 175. I think Peralta, he's been consistent certainly the last two contract year you men,tioned that New York, better. Well, we can't say better team. The Brews are great, but just maybe a different environment for him pitching into a contract year. Seems like the vibes are good with him already. Maybe they push him a little bit more. I think he'll be around that 175, 180. And I don't think anybody else is going to come close to that. I think they'll trade Peterson at some point. I I'm down on Peterson or he'll be moved to the bullpen. I used to love Peterson. I can't after what I saw in the second half last year. I don't know what to believe. Obviously you're down on Mania. I mean I don't know what the hell's going on with Manaya, but that's a problem to start. I don't think Sang I gave you the one thirty. So I I and I I don't believe they're gonna push McLean, nor would I. So I'll go Peralta with that the the leader. David Peterson's gets a bad rap because it really went bad in like mid-August, bro. Like his season was so it was seventy-five percent good. And then maybe it's running out of gas. Maybe it's the whole innings thing. Like I'm asking for a big jump from Nolan McClain and it seems like innings limits are gone now. Like teams almost just look at the biomechanics to decide if they want to slow a guy down. David Peterson clearly hit a wall. And so I'd hate to throw him out for really six or seven bad starts because when you look at what happened, when you look at the numbers, and it was bad, like I am not defending it. He was unpitchable by the end of the season, but it was really not that extended period of a time. It was a short period of time where he struggled like that. But it was the most important time. I remember there was one start in particular, I forget who was against, but it was like he had a few bad ones in a row, and they were in desperate need, as you know, everybody knows, of a win. And I'm like, all right, I'll forget everything that happened before. Like, we need you tonight. You gotta give at least five innings. And again, it was two innings. I'm like, gee, like what's going on? You were an all-star. I don't mind that there's gonna be a dip along the way. Uh you know, tired whatever but when they desperately needed them down the stretch the final weeks all they needed was one start where he could pitch into the fifth inning and he couldn't even do it and I just and and plus I'm not into this but the analytics and the numbers show the metric show that it was more of the aberration what he did in the first half. That's the other problem. All right, what is your boldest prediction for this upcoming Met seas on? Guy I love, I think he's gonna have a monster year. I said this on baseball night in New York earlier, and I've been saying it kind of in the offseason so far. I think Simeon's gonna be a star for them. I think Marcus Simeon, I think he's gonna hit 25 homers, 30-something doubles. You know what kind of defense you're gonna get. I think he's gonna be a leader in that clubhouse, something that I don't believe that I know everybody looks at Lindor as the captain, you know, pseudo captain. I think a different kind of leader, a veteran leader who's won before, who's been around and who's been a part of really strong clubhouses. I think Lindor and everybody else could benefit from it. I think Marcus Simeon is going to be a key cog on this team, not just defensively in leadership, but I think he's going to hit as well. I give you uh my bold prediction and it's I guess it's negative, but you could take it as a positive. It really depends on how you want to spin it. I think Luke Weaver is going to end up becoming the closer of this team. And I think Luke Weaver is going to end up having like a really good season as the closer. The way I envision it is that Devin Williams is going to struggle. And the Mets will make that kind of quickish big decision, similar to what happened with last year with him, where they take him out of the closer's role. And I think he'll be fine. Like I think he'll adjust and end up being a valuable Ethan and guy. But I think once Luke Weaver settles back into a role that he had not that long ago with the Yankees, I think he takes it. And I think that Dream Weaver playing over the uh city field uh speaker system is going to be the thing that riles the fans up. Like he's gonna become like a favorite med. It may not be like the trumpets with Edwin Diaz, but I think Luke Weaver ends up having a really good season and he does it leading the team in saves and ends up being the closer of this te am. God, I hope that doesn't happen. How can you even say that? A day before opening day, you're talking about Luke Weaver replacing Devin Williams? That would be disastrous if that happens with the Mets. Hold on. It would be disastrous in the moment, right? It would be disastrous when we have the discussions of replacing Devin Williams. But if then Luke Weaver takes the Bulls by the reins or the rein by the bulls, whatever the hell it is. Bulls by the horns. Thank you. Look at you. And then Devin Williams settles in to a seventh or eighth inning role, is it a disaster? Like I get it. In the moment it would suck. I'm not I'm not arguing that it wouldn't, but if it ends up working and both guys settle into their roles, and both guys have done that before, Devin Williams ended up as the eighth-inning guy for the Yankees last year. And two years ago, Luke Weaver was the closer of a team that was in the World Series. Like, it's not insane for that to happen and for it to actually be okay. But Devin Williams is far, far superior to Luke Weaver. I know what you're saying. And I like the Mets bullpen. Minter, get him back, Brooks Rayleigh, whatever. Maybe they add an arm of the deadline. I wouldn't shock. Hopefully this time better than Helsley turned out to be. But Williams, prior to last season, Devin Williams was the best closer in the game for multiple years. Even better than your boy Edwin. It's called a bold prediction. No, no, I get it. Oh, also, no., I get it One more thing on that. The Subway series game last year. I can't get over Luke Weaver giving up a bomb to Jeff McNeil. Dude, come on. When you Jeff McNeil turned you around like that, that's gonna be the closer. Oh that's a that's a bad bold prediction. I'm not saying it's happened. Wait, can can you be positive? And I'm don't oh tell you're so negative. That's a that's a bad bold prediction. You know what? I'll make you feel better. They're gonna trade for Tarek Scooba because the Tigers are gonna be surprisingly bad and they're gonna add Scooba before the trade deadline. Is that better for you? You like that one? Yeah, yeah. Can I do one now? How about this one? The Padres are bad, and the Mets take Tatis and Mason Miller. And that get that get those salaries. Wanna dump some money. However, you want to, whoever goes back, doesn't matter to me. But maybe that's a blockbuster move that could be in the works. There was there. No, I I remembered during the offseason all the Padres, not Tatis, because it feels like they weren't trading him, but the Mason Miller stuff and Jonathan Tong, like those are some of the names mentioned. And boy, looking back on it, I didn't love the idea of trading Jonathan and a deal from Mason Miller, but screw it. I just send them out. Come on. What are you kidding me? You wouldn't do that? You take them all. Outside of McLean. That's it. They could have everybody else. All right. So what's your uh final win total for the Mets this seas on. And are they winning the division too? I know you haven't winning the pennant, but you laid out earlier in the pod about how hey, I'm not picking the Dodgers. There needs to be a team that makes it, gets hot, all that. So do they win the division? How many wins do they get? Who wins the division? The NLE. Can I ask you a favor? Yeah. Can I be because I feel like I kind of lost my right to pick the Mets to win the division based on you know what happened in 2022? And I wasn't saying it to get attention. I was saying it because I truly believed it we're going to win the division. But I feel like I kind of lost my right after that to pick the Mets to win the division. Can you at least give me a little bit of blessing, Meth fan and Metfan, that I that I'm allowed to predict the division, the NL East again. I I'm gonna give you the blessing in this regard. When you said the NL East is over, I remember we came, I brought you on the Rico a few minutes later, mad at you about burying the braves. It had nothing to do with chinxing the Mets, it had nothing to do with even putting the Mets over too much. Like the Mets were playing great. I believed in them too. It was more I didn't like the burial of Atlanta. So for everybody listening, it wasn't jinx. It wasn't I'm saying this to get attention. Like the last thing this guy wanted was to become the joke of the Braves locker room. I mean, come on. Who wants that? And I've admitted since I stuck by stood by my prediction because I believed it, but what I where I made the mistake is that I disrespected the Braves and didn't take them seriously. And and they stuck it to me. That was a big mistake. Okay, with all that out of the way, it's not being a homer, it's not betting picking it based on hope, it's that I really am a law of averages guy. The Mets have not won a division since twenty fifteen. That's that's like there's no way that should happen, especially under Steve Cohen's ownership here. They should have already won the they should have won in 2022. You could argue they could have won any point over the last couple of years. I really believe the Mets got better this year and the other teams, the Braves are ravaged by injury, they didn't get much better. I think the Phillies are going the wrong way. I really believe the Mets are the best team in the division. And I do think finally they will be able to hang another pennant next to the 201 5. Dude, you talk about law of averages. Yeah, 2015's a long time. They've won two divisions in thirty eight years. It's unbelie vable. That's stupid. That is stupid. Two divisions in 38 years. So yeah, I mean the law of average is on your side. So they will win the NL East. What do you got? 93 wins, 94 wins. What's the win? Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna go. I was sitting around 92, 93. I'll go ninety-three wins for the Mets. Yeah, I'm a little bit below you. I got them at about eighty-nine wins. I got the Phillies winning the division at what? What? 80. You were just talking about the rotation as if it was the Orioles in the 70s, and now you're talking about they're gonna win 89 games? Well, because that doesn't include what the bullpen's gonna do. It doesn't include with the consistency of the offense. I mean, there's a lot of things that go in to win. And by the way, I said 89, you said like 92, 93. That's a three-game difference. Those are the three blown Devin Williams saves I have that makes the difference in this. I think they're a playoff team. I do think that I mean look, they better be a playoff team. We cannot be sitting here talking about a non-playoff se ason. That cannot happen. Come on. I mean, obviously, if they're not a playoff team, we're not going to be going down a spring train and talking to Mendy next year. And I think I think he's aware of that. The question would be will Stearns even be there? All right. So you have him at 89. What about the div ision? I think the Phillies win the division about with with about 93 wins. Like I think they'd be in a pennant race. Look, I think the Philly rotation, especially once Zach Wheeler is healthy, and I don't believe he's done. Like I believe he'll come back. Like I just think they're incredibly talented. You know, as much as I can't stand them, and I know their fans have turned on them, they're like the Yankees. The Yankees and the Phillies have like this mirror image of disrespect from their fans, but at the end of the day, they have a really good lineup, they have a really good rotation. They now have an electric closer and uh Duran. Like, I just think they're a little bit better than us. I hope I'm wrong. I hope you're right. I think overall on this pod, you've been more positive than I have. I don't think I've been negative. I'm not saying they're gonna lose 95 games, but I have them at about 89 wins. And and look, the Mets have been extreme the last two years. I said this the other day, like, can they just have a normal season? Because last year they're the best team in baseball and then they're the worst team in baseball for the last half of the season. The year before that, the complete opposite. How about like a normal functioning season where they're just good? Where they're just good from beginning to end, kind of like 2022. I know it didn't well that year, but the last two years, bro, it has been a roller coaster that has been just, it's not good for our mental health seasons like the last two. I think we're gonna get it because of the way that Stearns built this team too. I think that that type of ball play should be able to be played consistently throughout. Meaning you're not relying on home runs. You're gonna put the bat on the ball, you're gonna catch the ball, throw the ball, run the bases. Well, that should be consistent throughout the course of 162 game season. I think you're right. Well, thank you very much for hanging out. Giving another plug for your uh YouTube channel, by the way. Yeah, and and by the way, we'll be giving away a pair of Subway series tickets. You can come sit with me and bada boom to all you have to do is subscribe to the Sal A Kata show on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast, all that stuff, but subscribe to the YouTube channel, pair of subway series tickets, that Friday night game, that first one. Oh, and I appreciate you having me. Seriously, this was fun to do. Well, I I need to know this. What are you doing for opening day? Because now with the schedule shift, you got a one for did you already did you already take off? Where are we at with opening day with you? I will I will tell you that for the last month and I I give my bosses credit because they've tried and then I I brought in the heavy artillery, artillery, whatever that is. I tried to find a way to do the show from City Field. I just tried. And there's no room, there's no place to do it. And I will tell you, I'm not going to say this on the record. I have tried so many desperate things to do the show from opening day, and it's just not gonna work out. So I'm gonna be late. I mean it is what it is. Uh it sucks. I've I've been late a lot for opening days over the last decade. I'll be there, but I'll I'll probably have to miss the first few innings. It is what you'll you'll be late for the game. Yeah. Okay, not for the show. But the one year, I don't was that last year where you were late for the or maybe it was two years ago because it was with Spike, where you were late for the show. You went to the game. Is that what happened? Right? Didn't that happen? You were late. Yes. No, I'm serious. I'm trying to remember what happened was so and you know what's funny? I was talking to my dad about this because he forgets. Since we lost the Mets, and I know we have the Mets because the Mets are on Odyssey, but we don't have the Mets on FAN. And back in the day, it was easy. Like the Mets are on the station, so I'd never miss anything because if there's a game, I'm not on the radio. But since 2014, the Mets would start at 110, I'd be off the air at one o'clock. Like I'd missed the first pitch consistently for opening day. It sucked, but it is what it is. I got used to it. Obviously then during the afternoons it became like tricky. Sometimes I got lucky because the Yankees played a game. But yes, in 2024, uh I was on the air at two. And so I saw the ceremonies. I saw the first pitch. I got into an argument with Spike. And then yes, I was late. I ended up getting to the show at like 3.45. So I missed a little bit of it. Gave my report about my day at spring uh at opening day. So I was technically at opening day, even if I missed like the last five innings. Uh, and even last year, last year I was late too. Me and Jet went, did a part of the show or did the show, but it was a Yankee game at like 3 30 or something like that. Ran on the subway, missed the first inning, and it was fun. He had a good time. I'm doing the same thing. So yeah, we get there by the second inning, but that counts. Counts as being an opening day, right? I think I remember watching you and Jet run past me and Sal as we were we were talking outside. That's what it was. Yeah, it's right. You guys were taking your sweet ass time leaving work. I flew out like 20 minutes early, and me and Jed are just like bang, and I'm like, I think I hit Sal in the head. I'm like, yeah, sorry, gotta go. Yeah, that was last year. Good, good, good memory there, Pete. Whatever. I mean, opening day is like a sacred day, but yeah, there's only so much you can do. You know what I mean? I get it. I went to like 20 something straight from 95. So you would you've been to everyone since what year? What year to start going? Well, here's the caveat. So I've been there since 1991. But in 2021, while I was doing the afternoons, flat out missed the home opener. Did not go, but I went to the season opener a week earlier. And my thought was I got through the system. I got to opening day. I didn't go to the Mets home opener, but I went to opening day. Was the game Michael Conforto stuck his ass out and got hit by a pitch? Yeah. And in fairness, it was also the opening day sal with 10,000 people because they still had modified attendance coming out of the pandemic. So that is the only home opener I've missed since 1991. And I like to think I technically skirted it by going a week earlier to Mets Phillies in Philadelphia for the season opener. I hate to burst your bubble. The streak was broken. However, you want to talk about oh yeah, yeah. Undertaker WrestleMania, streak was broken. You got beat. Do you remember real this real quick? Because I do have to go. You have to go too. Ninety, I started my streak in 95, and the 95 home opener was the year after the strike where everybody was running on the field throwing money all night long, which was chaos. 96 Ordonias. And then the reason why I bring up 97 is because that was the year I left my SATs. It was the year I was graduating from high school. SATs on that day, left them early to get the day. Rain out. It was a rain out. And I didn't know I didn't end up, but I was there. I was staying at the stadium. So I counted that as part of my streak. Yes. I was there. I just didn't go back to the game during the weeknight, but I was at opening at Chase Stadium all uh afternoon with that rain out. I absolutely I think that counts. That was that was such a screw job thing too because they they were opening on a Saturday because they didn't want to go up against the Yankees who are opening on a Friday. And so then they don't open on a Saturday and it gets rained out. Now it's a double header. It was just, it was a mess. 1998, though. How about that one? 90 degrees or 85 degrees on March 31st, and that was the game where Alberto Kio got the game winning hit. Yeah. One nothing, right? Wasn't that like uh one-nothing? Yeah, one-nothing game. He drove yeah. I used to love going. The worst opening day ever was the Tom Glavin 2004. It was freezing cold out.