PORT STREET LUCIE — In parts of three seasons with the Mets, Jay Bruce never produced a lasting highlight moment. Nothing in SNY’s infinite loop.
But his influence has lasted on the franchise, and not just because he was a financial match for Robinson Cano in the trade with Seattle that brought Edwin Diaz to New York.
During Brandon Nimmo’s first three major league seasons, Bruce was his teammate on and off. But a bond is formed, and Nemo cites Bruce’s advice to “act smarter, act harder” as a foundational influence on his progression from bankable to bankable. .
From 2017 to 2021, Nimmo was placed on injured reserve six times. In 2022, Nimmo played in a career-high 151 games and earned the largest free agent contract in Mets history ($162 million over eight years). Nimmo then left the team in 2022, playing in 152 games.
Part of the Play Smarter program in recent years has included relaxing spring training, which led Nimmo to postpone its first exhibition game until Sunday. Nimmo feels he has found a routine that specifically strengthens his legs for a long season without taking any time away from playing in the Grapefruit League.
“Brandon and I have had a lot of conversations over the years, and one of the things we talked about a lot is finding a balance between too many things. [work] But it’s not enough,” Bruce, now an advisor to the Astros, said by phone. “Each player has to find their own sweet spot. It’s a personal journey.”
Nimmo’s found durability not only made him money, but also gave the Mets some certainty on a roster divided into key groups with some of the most destructive players in the game — especially Think Edwin Diaz, Starling Marte, Kodai Chiga, and Luis Severino. –The Mets’ season will largely depend on how well they can play.
Not all injuries are preventable. Genetics is important. The same goes for fortune. However, we are increasingly learning that better diet, flexibility, hydration, sleep, and mental health can help prevent it. Adam Ottavino took care of all of that and even gave me his 2 1/2 minute tutorial on “Positional Breathing”. I was hooked, especially since Ottavino has played the most games in the past 6 seasons, the most he has played in any season. Do you know who is second? his new teammate, Jake Diekman;
How about this. Over the past two seasons he has had 39 pitchers appear in at least his 60 games. The Mets have five (Diekman, Ottavino, Phil Bickford, Jorge Lopez and Brooks Lally). No other team has more than three players. You may not like this group, but durability keeps the Mets away from the group you might like next. From 2017 to 2022, Diaz was one of the most enduring relievers, appearing in the seventh-most games. Could he return to that form after being injured in 2023 with his patella tendon tear?
Positionally, Pete Alonso’s biggest strength may be his toughness — he’s played in the third-most games since his rookie year in 2019. Francisco Lindor will back up 160 games in 2022, up from 161 last year when he played with a bone spur in his right elbow. Jeff McNeil played in 148 and 156 games over the past two years. And Nimmo played the sixth-most outfield innings in 2022-23.
“I think it’s 1000 percent that it’s part of the team culture. The younger players see the veterans play through things and get on the field every day, and it influences them. ,” Nimmo said.
It’s central to the Braves’ ethos, especially last season when starters played many innings to camouflage a questionable reserve group. As Carlos Mendoza said, “You don’t want to be a bench player for the Braves because you’re never going to play.”
There’s no guarantee that previous durability will strengthen this Mets roster. But the best guide to predicting health is health. People who play well tend to stay healthy throughout their careers. and vice versa. For example, Minnesota’s Byron Buxton could be a Hall of Famer if he stays off the IL. One of the many reasons Gerrit Cole is arcing toward Cooperstown is his metronomic ability, having started 30 games.
Regarding “playing smarter, not harder”, Bruce stressed that this does not mean less effort. He said, “That’s not a real question for Brandon.” It’s more like “listening to the game,” and what Bruce meant was the score, the innings, the time of year, and so on. What is the wisdom of running into a wall or sprinting when your team is losing by seven points? 1 point in the 8th inning? As Bruce said, “If you’re not playing, you’re not worth it.”
As Nimmo said, “What Jay told me is that we all see you doing your best. What you have to learn is when to take chances. It’s about grabbing it. Every game is important. But playing 150 games is more important than one game.”
Therefore, Nimmo said the right decision was to learn his full range and allow himself a double, rather than hit a wall like he did when he missed three months in 2019. He plans to play more in the drop this spring to get used to left field (Harrison Bader is center) and to get enough effort at Clover Park to maximize his chances at Citi Field. is part of the overall program.
“The skill, and I think it’s the skill, is learning what you need to do to stay healthy,” Nimmo said. “It was a learning experience and it changed my career.”
