The New York Mets fell to the Chicago Cubs yesterday afternoon by the final score of 6-2, and unfortunately the Mets lost in the same fashion that they have all season. Wilmer Flores saved the Mets from a shutout with a 2-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, but it wasn’t enough. 

The Mets belted 11 hits yesterday but were only 2-9 with runners in scoring position. For the season when the Mets have runners in scoring position they are dead last in the league with a .207 average. Only one team, the 1969 Padres have a lower average for a full season dating back to 1960 which was .201. That average sinks even lower when the Mets have runners in scoring position with two outs, as the team has a putrid batting average of .167. Yes that .167 average is also dead last in the league, and is on pace to set an MLB record if they keep it up.

The Mets also have a collective team batting average of .237 which is tied for last in the league with the Atlanta Braves. The MLB record for lowest batting average for a team that won the pennant was the 1906 Chicago White Sox with a team batting average of .228. The Mets actually hold the National League record which is .242 and that was done in 1969 with the Miracle Mets. Just think about this, this current Mets team with all the offensive potential they possess are on pace to be outhit by the Miracle Mets.

To put it in even more perspective the only player with an average of .300 or higher on the team with RISP is pitcher Steven Matz with a .300 average (3-10) and a .400 average (2-5) with two outs and RISP. With RISP and two outs both James Loney (.313) and Yoenis Cespedes (.304) each carry their own weight, but the drop off is significant after Cespedes as the fourth highest average on the team is Rene Rivera with a .211 average.

So what does all this mean? It means what you guessed correctly, the Mets have a historically bad offense currently. Sandy Alderson is most likely not going to trade for a bat at the deadline as the Mets are more likely going to make a deal for a pitcher. A pitcher  may be more affordable to trade for than a slugger, as I don’t believe the Mets farm system is as deep as it was last year to acquire a bat. The Mets are going to have to turn this thing around themselves, and they certainly have the team do it. Remember there are still many offensive players on this team from last year that went on an offensive tear through the second half of last season.

I believe Michael Conforto is the key to the second half for the Mets. If Conforto can regain his prior form he would be the equivalent of the Mets dealing for a bat at the trade deadline. The Mets have gotten next to nothing out of Conforto since the beginning of May and he was expected to play a huge role in this team’s offense, and he has shown capable of it last season and the beginning of this season.

The Mets can’t afford to go down as one of the worst offensive team’s in history and miss the playoffs. They certainly have the talent to become a league average offense, if not better, and if they can at least be league average, they can make a serious push at the postseason in the second half.