The Put It in the Books Show – Season 8 Episode 23: 28 Days, Spring Flags, and Fresh ArmsWe are officially 28 days from Opening Day, which means spring optimism is undefeated, everyone looks great in shorts, and Farace is already mapping out playoff scenarios like it’s mid-September. Rodriguez is annoyed at an international tournament that hasn’t even started yet, and Producer Joe is behind the wall waiting for the exact moment things get serious so he can derail it with a sound drop.We start with Darryl Strawberry stepping into the time machine and basically saying Pete Alonso might regret leaving the Mets — just like Straw says he still regrets leaving for the Dodgers. That’s not just nostalgia from a caller on WFAN. That’s lived experience from a franchise icon. It opens up the emotional side of Mets history, loyalty, legacy, and whether players really understand what Queens means until it’s too late. Farace will lean into the history. Rodriguez will pretend it’s just business. Joe will absolutely stir the pot.On the field, there’s actual good news. Francisco Lindor is progressing well and looking good for Opening Day after the hamate bone surgery. That’s not a small thing. That’s the engine of the lineup trending in the right direction. A healthy Lindor changes the tone of the entire spring, and you know Farace is going to remind everyone exactly how important that is — repeatedly.Then we hit MLB Network’s Top 10 Right Now at first and second base. Where do Mets land? Are we in elite territory? Are we being disrespected? Or are we right where we should be? Expect stats, opinions, and at least one “how is that guy ranked ahead of ours?” rant before the segment is over.Now let’s talk World Baseball Classic. Rodriguez hates it. Flat out. The Mets have been burned before with injuries in this thing, and now look at the list: Clay Holmes, Nolan McLean, Juan Soto, Huascar Brazoban, Mark Vientos, and a parade of Mets pitchers representing half the globe. It’s great for the sport. It’s terrifying for Mets fans. We don’t hate baseball. We hate important Mets throwing max effort in March. Producer Joe will try to sell the global growth angle just to get Rodriguez heated.Carson Benge is off to a nice start. Good swings. Good at-bats. But so what? It’s spring. Every March somebody looks like an MVP for two weeks. Is this real momentum or just grapefruit league noise? Meanwhile, Jonah Tong is working on a cutter. A cutter. Which either means growth and development or “let’s see how many bats we can snap before April.”Quietly, the Mets’ infield depth looks real. Backup infielders who can actually give starters a day off without turning the lineup into a minor league showcase? That matters. Depth wins in August. Depth keeps you alive in September.And then the rotation conversation. Do you split things up? Do you go to six starters to keep arms fresh for the end of the year? Or do you trust your top five and let them roll? Farace loves being proactive. Rodriguez thinks rhythm matters more than rest. Producer Joe will pretend he invented the six-man rotation somewhere between segments.It’s 28 days until Opening Day. Lindor is trending up. The roster is packing passports. The depth looks solid. The arms look interesting. And for the first time in a few weeks, Mets fans can squint and see a version of this thing that works.Which, of course, makes us nervous.See you in the booth. #PiitB #ThePutItInTheBooksShow #Mets