It started with a stat—one that the Mets fans weren’t quite ready to believe. A quiet 46-33 record, just a game and a half behind the surging Phillies, who’ve clawed their way back with an 8-2 stretch. While the baseball world continues to treat the Mets like a punchline, their win column says otherwise. And yet, a familiar storm swirls: criticism, panic, and hot takes, especially as the Mets reshuffle their roster, call up rookies, bench others, and brace for Frankie Montas’ big return. Cue the outrage. Cue the fear. And then… cue a voice that cuts through it all.
Enter a former MLB team president, David Samson, who unleashed a scathing defense of the Mets on his Nothing Personal podcast, firing back at what he calls uninformed noise. “Do you know that the Mets are still in playoff positioning?” He asked pointedly, “Do you know that Juan Soto is playing better? Do you know the Mets are getting Montas back starting today?”
Samson’s frustration was aimed not just at fans but also at media voices misreading Montas’ 12.05 ERA during his minor league rehab. According to him, that number is not only irrelevant, it’s misunderstood. “A front office is not paying attention to the results in a rehab start,” Samson said on his YouTube Channel. “You think that somehow, with Montas with the 12.05 ERA, that he can’t perform at the big-league level? You don’t know what pitches he was using, what order he was throwing, what percentage of effort he was allowed to give. It’s all planned.”
And that’s the part fans often forget. Rehab starts aren’t about box scores. They’re carefully scripted training sessions, not audition tapes. Samson broke it down in typical blunt fashion, explaining that teams often tell players to work specific pitch sequences or simulate stressful situations just to see how the body holds up. The 57-year-old added, “First start? Throw 80% fastballs at 75% effort. Second start? Mix in breaking balls, pitch from the stretch, and throw over three times. That’s the actual conversation.”
He wasn’t done. Samson also addressed the team’s controversial lineup moves, like pivoting away from young stars Francisco Álvarez and Luisangel Acuña. “It’s really hard to have a big leaguer come up as a rookie and have uninterrupted service,” he said. “That only happens with generational superstars.”
The Mets have demoted both stars to the minor leagues. For this season, Acuna carries a .241/.293/.283 line with no home runs and a poor 68 OPS. This means that he was 32% worse than the league average hitter. Replacing him would be outfielder Travis Jankowski.
With this, Acuna joins Alvarez in Syracuse. Even Alvarez’s struggles through the season were evident. He hit .236/.319/.333 with just three home runs and 38 strikeouts in 35 games. Further, he had fractured his hamate bone in his left hand during spring training and didn’t make his season debut until April 25.
For all the panic surrounding the Mets’ shakeup, Samson offers a blunt reality check: this is what recalibration looks like when you’re still in the hunt. Behind the chaos lies a franchise that hasn’t folded, just one learning to breathe through the noise.
Not a Mets ace, but definitely a name worth knowing
Dicky Lovelady’s stat sheet won’t stop traffic. A 5.26 career ERA over 110 big-league appearances isn’t the stuff of Cy Young chatter, and he’s spent much of his professional journey bouncing between bullpens and waiver wires. But Lovelady brings something the Mets desperately need right now, reliable left-handed depth and a veteran arm willing to take the ball whenever he’s called. In a bullpen riddled with injuries and inconsistency, that kind of no-frills contribution matters a lot more than fans like to admit.
What sets Lovelady apart isn’t just his experience, it’s how he wears it. He’s the kind of pitcher who understands his role. He’s not here to strike out the side or dominate headlines (well, not because of his pitching). But to eat innings, face tough lefties, and keep the Mets afloat in close games. When the team is in the middle of a season grind, having such a presence can truly make a difference behind the scenes. Though the scores may not show it every time, the players in the locker room understand the significance of those moments.
Still, it’s impossible to ignore the charm factor. Dicky Lovelady isn’t just a viral name, it’s a rallying cry waiting to happen. The jersey alone could be an instant fan favorite. And while the baseball world chuckles and retweets, Lovelady just keeps doing his job. If he locks down a few key outings, that name might start showing up in postgame highlights for more than just laughs.
After all, in New York, legends aren’t always born from dominance; sometimes, all it takes is a name and a moment.
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