NEW YORK — Mets first baseman Mark Vientos raised eyebrows on Wednesday night when he ran through a stop sign from third-base coach Tim Leiper, getting thrown out at home plate by several steps on a Marcus Semien double in the sixth inning.
Vientos’ postgame comments, and how he didn’t show any remorse for ignoring Leiper, was enough for manager Carlos Mendoza to take action.
Mendoza revealed on Thursday afternoon that he pulled Vientos aside to discuss the play and what he said to the media after the game.
“It was addressed,” Mendoza said. “We handled it. I talked to him. Can’t have that.”
It helped Vientos that he delivered a go-ahead single later in the game, the decisive hit that ended the Mets’ 12-game losing streak. Getting thrown out in the sixth didn’t turn out to doom his team in a 3-2 win over the Twins.
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Evidently that conversation with Vientos was enough for Mendoza to move forward as the first baseman was back in the starting lineup for Thursday’s series finale against Minnesota.
Vientos’ justification for blowing right through Leiper’s stop sign on Wednesday was that he was following his “instincts.”
“Once I saw the ball that was hit like off the wall,” Vientos said, “I was like I’m gonna go score on that.”
Vientos then added: “I’m always going to be aggressive. I’m not going to play passive on the baseball field. I’d rather be aggressive. I’d rather make a mistake aggressive than passive.”
Aggressiveness is productive so long as it’s not irresponsible. Had Vientos been apologetic and accountable about the play when he spoke after the game, this would’ve been a different discussion altogether as well.
“We’re going to be a better team if that’s our thought process,” Leiper told NJ.com. “Now, we just want to make sure we execute.”
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