After the New York Mets suffered a demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, falling to 11 games below .500, star shortstop Francisco Lindor took a decisive step. In an effort to address the team's struggles, Lindor called a players-only meeting that lasted about 20 minutes. Once the locker room doors reopened, Lindor shared insights about the meeting and the motivations behind it.
The Purpose Behind the Meeting
When asked why he felt the timing was right for the meeting, Lindor explained, "I felt like it was the right time for us, as a group collectively, to sit down and look each other in the eye and hold each other accountable. It was good for everybody. A lot of players talked. That's really good. And a lot of knowledge was dropped. Now we just got to put it together."
Lindor emphasized the importance of direct communication among teammates, saying, "Something in my gut, my instincts were telling me it was the right time to just get everybody out and just the players. Let us talk. We don't really get an opportunity to talk like that. We have buses and then we have team dinners that, yeah, we have an opportunity to talk, but not like today."
The Content of the Discussion
During the meeting, players were encouraged to speak openly. Lindor highlighted the value of these interactions, noting, "You have the offense that talks and then the pitchers, they talk. But when everybody is in meetings like this and we look each other in the eye when somebody says something and you say, yeah, you mean that, okay, I got you. It goes a long way."
Addressing the current state of the team, Lindor was candid about the urgency required, "We still got time. We still got, I think, 100-plus games, 110 games, 105, something like that. We still got time. We have to get it done. We have to get it done. We got to have a sense of urgency and we have to get it done."
Team Dynamics and Accountability
Lindor also touched on the emotional state of the team, "When we lose, everybody is just looking at their phones or writing their notes or off to the showers, off to the gym. Whatever they got to do, everybody focuses on that. When they win, everybody is talking and interacting a little bit more. And I just felt like it was just the time to do it. We just needed to talk, to look each other in the eye, everybody."
He reiterated the importance of unity and mutual respect, stating, "Okay, if you have one day in the big leagues or you have 14 years in the big leagues, we are all teammates. What matters is winning, and I'm proud to be here. And I feel like we needed to look each other in the eye and say, we got to get it done."
Addressing Specific Incidents
Lindor also addressed an incident involving teammate Jorge Lopez, who threw his glove into the stands after a heated exchange with an umpire. When asked about Lopez's actions and his lack of remorse, Lindor responded, "It definitely doesn't look good. And if our manager says it's unacceptable, it's unacceptable. With that being said, it's one of those where I'm sure tomorrow, I hope tomorrow he feels completely different. He's still in the heat of the moment. He's somebody that carries things a little longer than other players. So hopefully tomorrow he feels a little bit different."
Lopez's post-game comments reflected his frustration. He described the incident as a "misunderstanding" with the umpire and expressed no regret over his actions, saying, "I don't regret it. I think I've been looking [at] the worst team probably in the whole MLB, so... You know, whatever happens, happens." He added, "I'll be tomorrow here if they want me, you know, whatever they want to do."
Lopez was asked if he had spoken to Manager Carlos Mendoza or Team President David Stearns; he said he had not. It should be noted that he gave the interview in front of his locker, which appeared to have already been cleared out. A few hours later, Lopez was designated for assignment, which is the first step in the Mets cutting ties with the reliever. Lopez has appeared in more than half of the Mets' 55 games and is 1-2 with 2 saves and a 3.76 ERA.
Adam Ottavino's and Brandon Nimmo add Perspective
Veteran pitcher Adam Ottavino also shared his thoughts on the meeting. When asked what the group got out of it, Ottavino said, "You know, it's hard to say until you look down the road a little bit, but I do feel like it was needed. You know, we've had a couple meetings with Mendy and stuff, but I think it was needed to open the floor to everybody. A bunch of people talked that don't usually talk."
Ottavino emphasized the importance of self-evaluation and adaptability, stating, "One of the messages I want to get across, you know, it even applies to myself, is, you know, you play a process, but if you don't like your process, better change your process. And that's just the reality of this game is you've got to self-evaluate really well individually and as a group. And I think we're trying to do that as best as we can every day and turn it around."
Reflecting on the team's recent struggles, Ottavino remarked, "I mean, it’s hard to put your finger on, like, specific differences. Obviously, a lot of things went our way in 22, and it hasn’t gone our way since, I think. What I just said about the process, you know, maybe being wrong at times. You’ve got to be honest about that, you know. Individually and as a group, I think we’re just not getting it done. We’re not throwing up zeros when we need them, and we’re not getting the hits when we need them. We’re not putting the at-bats together, not playing the defense. It’s really all over the board. I mean, we stink right now. That doesn’t mean we’re going to stink going forward, but that’s just the reality of the situation."
Brandon Nimmo also spoke about the meeting, highlighting the team's effort to focus on maintaining a positive mindset and improving their process. "It's no secret that things aren't going the way that we want around here. And so we just opened the floor and talked about ways we can turn it around, ways that we can still have a good process moving forward, and ways that we can stay positive even through this tough time," Nimmo said. He emphasized the importance of being present and not letting past mistakes affect current performance.
Nimmo further elaborated on the timing of the meeting, describing it as a boiling-over point that necessitated open conversation. "Just felt like a boiling over point. Felt like the right time to do it. You try and give space... but sometimes you have to just come up and confront the issue," Nimmo explained. He also mentioned that while the Lopez glove-throwing incident was not directly addressed, it was seen as part of the overall frustration.
Moving Forward
On the topic of process and improvement, Lindor remarked, "So part of the process, when we talk about process, a lot of us have had success with certain ways, doing certain things. And most of us are not having success right now. So we got to look ourselves in the mirror and say, am I doing the right thing? Am I doing everything I got to be better, to represent the New York Mets, and to go out there and win ballgames because that's all that matters."
Reflecting on the emotional tone of the meeting, Lindor described it as constructive, "I think it was grown men talking, not fighting, just having conversations. We're all professional, and we all can look at each other in the eye and agree to disagree or to just agree. I think it felt very good. It felt very, very good that guys were able to have a conversation and learn from each other and get some new knowledge in the world."
Francisco Lindor's initiative in calling the team meeting underscores his leadership and commitment to turning the Mets' season around. His focus on accountability, communication, and unity could be the catalyst the team needs to start performing at their best. Adam Ottavino and Brandon Nimmo's insights further reinforce the importance of adaptability and perspective. As the Mets look ahead to the remaining games, the sense of urgency instilled by Lindor's actions may prove to be pivotal in their quest to turn the season around.
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