When Francisco Lindor arrived in Queens in 2021, he brought with him an unquestioned pedigree and enough flash for the entire borough. What he didn’t bring upon his arrival was leadership.

That isn’t to say that Lindor arrived a head-case. Far from it, Lindor was always a smiling face who seemed happy to be under the bright lights of the Big Apple. But leadership rears its head, good or bad, when the going gets tough. The first time the going truly got tough was late during his first season with the Mets, and Lindor did not respond well.

We all remember the “thumbs-down” fiasco. During the low point of another failed playoff bid, Lindor joined some immature teammates in clapping back at booing fans. It was a gross response by the man who just signed a $341 million contract. He certainly didn’t look like a leader.

But fast forward to 2025, and he has become the heart and soul of the entire franchise. His latest quote gives us a look into his mindset and proves yet again why he is the perfect leader for the Mets.

This is the mindset the Mets need now more than ever

At media day yesterday, Lindor was asked about how he stays motivated during the “long and difficult season.” He scratched his beard, flashed that trademark smile reminiscent of Magic Johnson, and gave us a brief quote that speaks volumes.

“This is good. I’m not motivated, I’m disciplined. Motivation comes and goes. I’m disciplined in what I’m going to do, day in and day out.”

Sometimes, inspiring quotes are generic, corny, and forced. This one, however, contains great depth once you dig. There is a lot of insight in these few short sentences. And it all comes back to the unique slog of a long baseball season.

Not every sport has a marathon-style season. Look at the NFL. When I think of the great leaders of the 21st century, my brain goes to Ray Lewis, Brian Dawkins, and James Harrison. These are loose cannons who recognized that even during the regular season, they only get 16 (or 17) chances at this. In MLB, you have 162 games to get through. You can’t be that uninhibited all the time; you’ll burn out by the 70th game.

When I think of great leaders in baseball, I think of Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr., and our very own David Wright. These are steady, well-adjusted individuals who manage their emotions and lead by example as a result. This is what Lindor has become – a positive and soft-spoken leader who remains even-keeled from game one to game 162.

It’s amazin’ (pun intended) that he has gotten to this point. As previously mentioned, it was an ugly sight to see him attack Mets fans in 2021. He was likely influenced by Javier Baez, a mid-season addition, who decided he was offended by the fans booing their struggles. This turned into the pair of middle infielders flipping their thumbs down toward the crowd after home runs. The idea is that they were “booing” back at the fans. It couldn’t have been more ridiculous.

Hand-up, I for sure thought that the Mets had just locked themselves into a clubhouse cancer for the next decade in Lindor. I was certain that we had signed an A-Rod-level diva. You could not have convinced me that he would become what he has become.

Since that point, he has led the Mets to a 101-win season, carved a role as the undisputed captain and clubhouse spokesperson, given fans the beloved “My Girl” walk-up song, and brought the team to the brink of the World Series off the strength of his MVP-caliber 2024. And he just recently made his first All-Star team as a Met.

So he has come a long way. It’s a beautiful sight to see. As the Mets look toward the second half, amidst a brutal 3-12 stretch, they must keep their heads. They have the talent; they just need to get healthy and stay the course. The good news is, their leader knows this. And he’s ready for what’s to come.