Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared insight on a few topics before Saturday's game against the Reds.
Celebrating the Wright Way
David Wright will become the 10th player in franchise history to have his jersey retired when the Mets unveil his No. 5 in the rafters at Citi Field during a pregame ceremony. While his tenure in New York ended years before Mendoza's arrival, the skipper praised the former third baseman's legacy.
"It's a special day for the organization, for all of us," Mendoza said. "A special career, but what a special human. Over a year and a half now with the organization, one of the highlights for me was meeting David last year in spring training… I was a big fan of his, watching him throughout his career… It's an honor for all of us. Congrats to David, I'm going to be a big fan today."
When asked about the attributes he looks for in a clubhouse leader, Mendoza stressed humility. And it didn't take long for him to see how Wright treats people with respect and represents the Mets with class.
"The first thing that sticks out to me is, humble," Mendoza said. "You've got to be able to communicate and meet people where they're at. From the very first second I met David, I was like, 'Wow, this guy's impressive.' It was easy to see why he was able to do what he did, on and off the field… Accountability, responsibility. The care. Being around him, it's pretty easy to see it."
Alvarez keeps mashing in Triple-A
It's only a matter of time until Francisco Alvarez is called up from a weeks-long stint with Triple-A Syracuse that's allowed him to correct offensive and defensive flaws. At some point, the Mets won't be able to ignore the power he's producing.
Alvarez crushed his ninth homer in Triple-A on Friday, a 427-foot blast to left with an exit velocity of 111.8 mph and a launch angle of 23 degrees. Since his demotion in late June, the 23-year-old catcher has slashed .250/.329/.691 with 20 RBI across 68 at-bats (19 games).
Mendoza didn't put a timeline on when Alvarez's promotion will happen, but he's fully aware of the power numbers and particularly pleased with the progress reports on his efforts behind the plate.
"He continues to be in the conversation. He's doing everything we're asking him to do," Mendoza said. "[A promotion] could happen at any moment… We've seen the power, obviously, with the way he's been driving the ball to all fields. But the defense, the reports we're continuing to get are pretty impressive.
"The receiving, the blocking… We…