The New York Mets have experienced a drastic fall from grace, going from 101 wins last season to missing out on the postseason entirely. In a sport where such a drop-off is rare, it’s even more surprising considering there are three wild-card spots up for grabs. The Mets’ season was marred by players not living up to their potential, as well as injuries that depleted the team.
Tommy Pham had some pretty tough words for the Mets position players pic.twitter.com/hKjrrJ4BA5
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 21, 2023
However, one former Met, Tommy Pham, who is now on his eighth MLB team after being traded to the Diamondbacks, has pointed to a different issue within the team, one that goes beyond statistics. Pham, a seasoned 10-year veteran, didn’t mince words when criticizing the work ethic of the Mets’ position players to Francisco Lindor.
Pham’s blunt assessment was, “Out of all the teams I played on, this is the least-hardest working group of position players I’ve ever played with,” as reported by The Athletic.
Tommy Pham didn't hold back 😳 pic.twitter.com/tQoQBhOwZL
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 21, 2023
Questions and concerns have arisen about why this year’s Mets team failed to meet expectations, especially following their playoff appearance last season. Even their impressive 101-win season ended in disappointment as they squandered a double-digit division lead to the Braves and were subsequently eliminated by the Padres.
Pham did acknowledge that he had “a lot of respect for the work ethics of” Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo. Lindor, in response to Pham’s criticism, thanked him for teaching him how to work hard once again.
Kodai Senga is absolutely dealing today.
He has retired 13 in a row since allowing a two-out single to Tommy Pham back in the first inning. Senga already has 10 strikeouts despite only throwing 76 pitches through five innings. pic.twitter.com/EcXlJBG02i
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 14, 2023
Nimmo emphasized that work ethic is an individual matter, stating, “Each person needs to assess that individually. You can only lead a horse to water; you can’t make him drink. Ultimately, a lot of this comes down to individuals and what they’re willing to do.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen had previously praised Pham’s work ethic after the Diamondbacks trade. At that time, Pham was batting .268 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 79 games.
Wow that is a indictment by Tommy Pham
(Everyone should read the original article because it’s great) https://t.co/WtziprWy1r pic.twitter.com/xn2YoP5HeZ
— Sam (@TreIindor20) September 21, 2023
Pham’s MLB journey has taken him through the St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, and finally, the New York Mets. He signed a one-year deal with the Mets in January, expecting to be part of a title-contending team. However, the Mets’ playoff chances dwindled rapidly, leading to Pham’s comments after a painful three-game sweep by the Atlanta Braves.
Currently, the Mets are 8.0 games behind an NL wild card spot with only 10 games remaining in the season. For Cohen, who aims for contention in the future, Pham’s assertion that the core of the team isn’t the issue may offer a glimmer of hope for the 2024 season.
In response to Pham’s critique, several Mets players, including Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo, defended their work ethic. Pham had praised Nimmo, Lindor, and Pete Alonso as team leaders with strong work ethics.
Buck Showalter was asked about Tommy Pham's comments in The Athletic:
"Tommy is entitled to his opinion. What works for one player may not work for another. It's fine. I see the work these guys put in each day" pic.twitter.com/82aN8BZwkb
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 21, 2023
Manager Showalter said the following: “Tommy is entitled to his opinion. What works for one player may not work for another. It’s fine. I see the work these guys put in each day.”
