The Crane Pool Forum

When I was on in 2023, I was an unstoppable force. Good God, I wanted to jump back and touch myself. I was, quite literally, The Force of July.

But when I wasn't on, it was like the team was carrying me on a stretcher. I was a photograph of unproductiveness.

I'm Francisco Álvarez, and I didn't even get a nod in Rookie of the Year voting. But hey, even when I'm not hitting, I'm a weaponized defender, confidently handing my pitching staff, impacting the running game, and backpicking like a mofo. I could do a better job blocking breaking pitches in the dirt, but that may be more of a strategic byproduct of me catching from a knee than a lack of skill. And even if I could find two more weeks of productivity than I showed last year, that could be something.

So what am I gonna find? That's what I'm asking.

.265-31-87
And he will use his practiced facility with English for interviews at the All-Star Game.
Later

I love to think that he'll get it all together this year and become a superstar, but I don't think it will happen.

He'll be more consistent behind the plate than at the bat, where he'll still run hot and cold. 22 homers, .235, 70 rbi.

Twenty-two homers would actually be a dropoff in power.

We're looking at .259 / .356 / .550 // .906 with 41 homers and 112 RBI.

Plus there will be some AMAZING FEAT OF STRENGTH. He'll snap a bat in two; or pick up Rowdy Tellez by himself during a brawl and carry him outside the scrum before placing him down ridiculously gently; or he'll somehow catch a fan who has fallen out of the stands.

Get popped for steroids maybe.

If not, 30-90-268/330-470

.220-35-85

Becomes a rock star in 2024, tops in jersey sales by September.

Will even get some MVP votes.

We got a day off from Mets baseball today. And you know what that makes today? A good day to re-evaluate the box o' thunder that is Francisco Álvarez.

He's pretty awesome. The SNY director loves him for how animated and expressive he is

What I love perhaps more than anything is the Groterian (Grotesque?) authority he takes over the staff. Long have I lamented that one of the hardest things about developing a catcher from your minor league system is that it's hard for a young catcher to take that role with veteran pitchers who have more experience than them, or with peers they've come up from the minors with, all while trying to hit enough to stick. The most authoritative catchers the Mets have had (Grote, Stearns, Carter ...) have all come from outside the system.

But Álvarez gives no shits. He's controlling the at-bats and calling shots for his pitchers, and they seem to trust him to do so, and maybe fear him a little bit.

If he had played a full season he'd be an MVP candidate. He still may be.

Edgy MD wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:43 pm What I love perhaps more than anything is the Groterian (Grotesque?) authority he takes over the staff. Long have I lamented that one of the hardest things about developing a catcher from your minor league system is that it's hard for a young catcher to take that role with veteran pitchers who have more experience than them, or with peers they've come up from the minors with, all while trying to hit enough to stick. The most authoritative catchers the Mets have had (Grote, Stearns, Carter ...) have all come from outside the system.

But Álvarez gives no shits. He's controlling the at-bats and calling shots for his pitchers, and they seem to trust him to do so, and maybe fear him a little bit.

Yeah, this is what's impressive even more than the hitting. This is a veteran staff and a 22-year-old kid is taking charge. I thought he'd be a hitting first, defense and gamecalling second and third. But he's all three. I love the way he snap-throws to first to keep runners honest. And he plays with a kind of joy that's fun to watch.

He worked in the past with Yadier Molina, who, as much as we hate him, was probably the best catcher/field general of his generation. A lot of it seems to have rubbed off. It's no accident that Alvarez is #4.