Spotlight on Mets Fix, an Interview with Jeff Bellone

 

At Mets News and Links we like to the spotlight the all great Mets websites, fan sites, and Podcasts that are out there.  One such site, is Mets Fix 

Jeff Bellone and Mets Fix brings you all the latest Mets news and headlines right to your e-mail every day during the Mets season.  

But what makes Mets Fix standout is the in-depth analysis they provide. 

For example, they recently dove deep into the PECOTA projections noting about Daniel Vogelbach: “A 115 DRC+ would be the highest of his career. If he realizes any of that upside, he is set to be a key cog against right-handed pitching in the Mets’ lineup.”  

They have great graphics and pictures like how Mark Canha’s swing path has changed since 2019 and their “Film School” very clearly shows differences like the clip below on Jeurys Familia’s pitches.


You can get on their email list for free or take advantage of a special 30% discount for our readers by following the link below:  

https://themetropolitan.substack.com/MetsNewsLinks 

Mets Fix also has sister sites that cover the Knicks, Jets and Islanders. 

Jeff is a frequent contributor to SNY’s The Mets Pod and recently appeared to talk Mets and give more information on Mets Fix. 

Jeff Bellone was also kind enough to answer some more questions here: 

John from Albany: How did you get started with Mets Fix?  

Jeff: After the success of Knicks Film School (check it out if you're a Knicks fan), I wanted to explore creating something similar with the Mets. I was lucky enough to randomly find two other Mets fans -- my partners Blake Zeff and Peter Kauffmann -- who were thinking of the same idea. So we decided to team up and create a newsletter similar to the kind we liked to read about politics and business. It just seemed so obvious to create something about the Mets that was easily digestible, got you caught up on all the latest news, but also offered unique analysis. 

JFA: Do you have any new plans for the site this year? 

Jeff: We are toying with the idea of adding a podcast. I also love to come up with new graphic ideas. We create a daily bullpen chart to show which pitchers are rested before each game. We love practical stuff that helps fans better understand decisions while they are watching the game. We also have a subscriber chat that is a lot of fun to connect with other fans. We would like to do more around that and perhaps organize a meet-up among our readers. 

JFA: Are you excited about the upcoming Mets season? 

Jeff: How could you not be? Being a Mets fan hasn't always been the most rewarding experience (to say the least). In fact, in many ways, being a Mets fan meant being the opposite of a Yankees or Dodgers fan. It was about being the underdog, the "lovable Mets" (with a few notable exceptions). But all of that has changed now. The Mets are the big market team spending more than everyone else. They have the targets on their back. It will be interesting to adjust to that as a fan. What excites me about this season is it's all still new. Despite carrying the highest payroll, the Mets still haven't won anything. We get to enjoy the ride. 

JFA: What do you think the biggest difference has been since Steve Cohen bought the team? 

Jeff: See my answer to the question above. Cohen hasn't only changed the Mets as a baseball team, but he has changed the mindset of the fans. They expect him to sign the big free agent. They expect the team to win. That is the opposite of what being a Mets fan has been about for most of my life.  

JFA: When did you become a Mets fan? 

Jeff: The second I was born lol. My dad is a diehard New York sports fan. He has season tickets to the Jets and we were going to Mets games since I was a little kid. 

JFA: If they ever erected a Mets Mt. Rushmore, who would be on it? 

JeffSeaver. Koosman. Wright. Piazza. 

JFA: Who is your favorite all time Met? 

Jeff: I'm going to pick one out of left field, similar to the balls he would play from shortstop. I loved Rey Ordóñez as a kid. He was so smooth out there. Growing up in central Connecticut, most of my friends were Red Sox and Yankees fans. I would always talk up Ordóñez to the point I would get butterflies in my stomach when a groundball was hit his way, both out of excitement for what he would do with it, and nerves that I couldn't bare watching him ever make a mistake. 

JFA: If you could have dinner with 4 current or ex-Met managers, players or executives, who would they be? 

Jeff: Great question. I feel like I already have dinner with Keith Hernandez every night during the baseball season. That's what makes the SNY telecasts so great. You invite Gary, Keith and Ron into your living room each night. So I will go with some people we don't hear from as much these days. How great would it be to sit down with Casey Stengel and talk about those original Mets teams? Of course, the Franchise, Tom Seaver. Wouldn't it be cool to have Jerry Grote there too? Just to listen to him and Tom reminisce about being battery mates. As you can tell, I have an old soul. Trying to think of someone more current for the fourth name. Let's go with Buck Showalter. He's a walking encyclopedia for baseball. You would never be short on conversation with him. 

JFA: Anything else you would like to tell us about Mets Fix or your other sites? 

Jeff: We just invite people to sign-up, even for the free version. We have a really great community of readers. I always joke we might be one of the few spaces on the internet where everyone seems to get along. When we disagree, it's respectful. I love our comment section and the chat. It's a great way to meet other Mets fans and adds another layer to the newsletter.


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