Due to Coronavirus destroying the sports landscape, all we have left is our sports memories. During the time where there is not much New York Mets news, here is the start of looking at some of the more underappreciated Mets players.
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Juan Lagares instantly became a fan favorite due to his magical defense in the outfield. It seemed no ball could beat him, and he earned a 2014 Gold Glove award due to his spectacular defense. He also played center field with a swagger and confidence that had been missing since Carlos Beltran vacated the position. Lagares trademark was making an excellent catch, then firing the batch of sunflower seeds he had in his mount.
Defensive Specialist
Only over the last four seasons has Statcast kept track of defensive metrics. Although these years are not his best, he still had 16 outs above average, and the metrics showed he was very balanced in his ability to get balls in any direction. Despite not being a strong hitter, his glove consistently kept him on the roster.
Lagares is no star by any means, but he was a Met you were happy to watch succeed. He was one of the original holdovers from the rebuilding Mets to the NL championship Mets and had a final renaissance during the second half when he received playing time due to the Mets’ need for outfield defense. Outside of his hitting, injuries had always been Lagares’ Achilles heel. It hurt him the most in 2018, where he started the season hitting .339, then lost his season to a toe injury.
Lagares is now with the San Diego Padres and hopes to land a spot on a young Padres roster.