Frank the Tank Interview

**Craig Carton** (0:00)
The Mets are trying to trade Francisco Lendor. Let's talk to a Met fan and see what they think about it. Frank the Tank is here from Barstool, of course.

**Chris McMonigle** (0:08)
Frank the Tank, ladies and gentlemen.

**Craig Carton** (0:10)
By the way, you walking around here all by yourself. What happened to the entourage, the security guards? Where are your people at, buddy?

**Frank Maratta** (0:17)
They didn't want to come today, so I'm by myself. I'm getting swarmed out here, I tell you.

**Craig Carton** (0:22)
You're never by yourself. I've never seen you alone in my life, Zahn.

**Frank Maratta** (0:28)
I came for the cards mainly. Yeah.

**Craig Carton** (0:30)
There you go.
So, all right, you know the deal. Last night, they announced it that there's five or six Mets that are untouchable in trades. Most of them the young guys plus Soto, meaning Francisco indoors on the trade block. Your take on that?

**Frank Maratta** (0:46)
I just tired of the stuff that surrounds him. The fact that it's always like he's fighting with somebody in the clubhouse.

**Craig Carton** (0:55)
Seems like it.

**Frank Maratta** (0:55)
And the fact that he's been so cold to want Soto. Look at opening day when they had the introductions. The way he... Then of course with the other team, it's like, how are you doing?
He just commits an error and he's standing there smiling next to the guy on second base. It looks like he's more friends with the enemy than he is with the Mets. I'm just tired of his act. I find me... I'm all for getting rid of Lindor.

**Craig Carton** (1:25)
You are.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:26)
Would you be willing to trade him anywhere? In division to the New York Yankees? Is it just... Would it get the best deal?

**Frank Maratta** (1:31)
I'd love to send him to the Yankees.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:33)
You would.

**Craig Carton** (1:33)
Because you think he'll ruin the Yankees' chances of winning a World Series match.

**Frank Maratta** (1:36)
Well, he ruined the Mets.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:39)
He did carry them in 24

**Frank Maratta** (1:40)
Yeah, but I think he's the main reason... I think there's a lot of what Lindor does.
Drove away Alonzo.

**Craig Carton** (1:48)
Well, I think, look, the story out there was not so much Alonzo, but Nimmo for sure, that they didn't get along, their wives didn't get along, it might have been politically motivated. I don't know what the true story is. But obviously, if he did get along with those guys, I think at least two of those guys would still be here. Maybe not Alonzo because Sterns didn't want Alonzo back when they gave him the one in one deal.

**Frank Maratta** (2:12)
Well, Sterns is a moron. I mean, I'm tired of this guy with these analytics, analytics this, analytics that.
You know, the Mets put out these stats like Oakspa or XWOBA.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:25)
XWOBA.

**Frank Maratta** (2:26)
XWOBA.

**Craig Carton** (2:26)
What is XWOBA?

**Frank Maratta** (2:28)
Expected Weight On Base Average.

**Craig Carton** (2:30)
I don't even know what that is.

**Frank Maratta** (2:31)
That means that if someone makes a good catch against you, yes, that gives you points in XWOBA.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:38)
You get credit for hitting the ball hard. You get credit. It's expected.

**Craig Carton** (2:41)
You get credit for an out?

**Chris McMonigle** (2:42)
It's expected. Yes. Expected.
If you hit the ball that hard, with that trajectory, blah, blah, blah, it's expected you would get on base this many times.

**Craig Carton** (2:52)
You're just trying to make bad players feel better about themselves.

**Frank Maratta** (2:54)
Yes. That's all analytics is.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:56)
It's looking at how things went instead of the end result.

**Frank Maratta** (2:58)
They don't care about batting average. They don't care about continuity. Yes. The fact that if you're going to get rid of Pilonzo, you better bring in a good first baseman. You have to fight with Polanco? Not Polanco who's always hurt and not Mark Vientos, who is quite simply the worst first baseman I have ever seen. Yes.

**Craig Carton** (3:17)
He's no Keith Hernandez. I'll tell you that.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:19)
That's the other thing. Run prevention.

**Frank Maratta** (3:20)
Keith Hernandez is actually probably a better first baseman than Mark Vientos today.

**Craig Carton** (3:24)
Yes.

**Frank Maratta** (3:25)
He's got a bad back, a bad neck, two replaced knees, a replaced hip and is 73 years old.

**Craig Carton** (3:33)
He's not going to be a grandfather.
So you've got to add that to the list also. Has this been for you the most frustrating Mets season in a long time or are they all frustrating?