213 Miles From Shea

Whoa! What a difference an inning can make! Two nights ago the Nationals had a crazy 8th inning that led to the Mets losing two games in a row and feeling of dread building across the fan base. Last night the Nationals took an early lead and for a while it looked like the Nationals would sweep the Mets at home, erasing the Mets trip to DC last week. Then the Mets had a crazy 8th of their own, capped by a Grand Slam by Cespedes, and now they feel invincible again!

The Mets will start a 10 game road trip today with a four game set in Atlanta. The Braves have slowed the Phillies roll this past week and now both clubs are tied for second in the division at 10-7 and have some injury concerns of their own like Sanchez who was scheduled to pitch tonight and was injured in workouts and Freddie Freeman, and early MVP candidate, who took a pitch off the wrist yesterday.

Harvey will make the first start of the roadtrip. He is 0-1 over 3 games and 15.0 innings allowing 8 runs from 18 hits with a 4.80 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.400 WHIP and 79 ERA+. After a great first start of the season where he held the Phillies scoreless over 5.0 innings, Harvey has allowed 4 runs in each of his last two starts lasting 5.0 innings each. Which Harvey will the Mets get tonight? Is he more Tw0-Face than Dark Knight? Last year he was 1-2 over 4 games against the Braves allowing 14 runs from 20 hits and 10 walks in 21.1 innings while striking out 10. The Braves have the following numbers against him:

• Freeman 5-26, 4 2B, HR, BB, 6 K
• Markakis 6-22, 2B, 4 BB, 6 K
• Inciarte 5-21, 2 2B
• Suzuki 2-12, HR, 2 BB
• Swanson 1-7, 3 BB
• Flowers 0-5
• Bourjos 1-3

As of writing this, the Braves still haven’t officially announced which starting pitcher they will utilize tonight as they are deciding between Lucas Sims or Matt Wisler. Sims was 3-6 over 14 games and 10 starts last year pitching 57.2 innings posting a 5.62 ERA, 5.07 FIP and 1.509 WHIP. He has made one minors start this year allowing 3 hits and no runs over 4.0 innings while walking 2 and striking out 7. In two games and a start against the Mets last year he allowed 4 runs from 8 hits and 3 walks in 8.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Sims:

• Lagares 3-4
• Nimmo 1-3, BB
• Rosario 0-4
• Reyes 1-2
• Nido 0-2
• Cabrera 0-1

Last Season Wisler was 0-1 over 20 games and one start in 32.1 innings with a 8.35 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.732 WHIP. In the previous year he pitched 156.2 innings with a 5.00 ERA, 4.85 FIP and 1.328 WHIP. In 11.0 innings against the Mets last season, more than any other team, he allowed 11 runs from 15 hit and 7 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Matt:

• Conforto 5-13, 2B, 4 BB
• Cabrera 3-12, 2B
• Cespedes 2-10, 2B
• Plawecki 2-7, BB
• Bruce 4-8, 2 HR, BB
• Flores 3-9, 2B, 3B
• Gonzalez 4-8, 2B, 3B
• Lagares 2-6

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets find them selves looking to avoid a sweep against the Nationals after the team just could not get the offense going last night. Wheeler gave the Mets a respectable 3 runs over 6.0 innings but the Mets could not take advantage of runners in scoring position as they left a large amount of men on base.

Tonight we look to Steven Matz to put us back on the right path. he is 1-1 over 3 starts and 14.1 innings this year allowing 8 runs, 6 earned from 10 hits and 7 walks while striking out 17. So far this season he has posted a 3.77 ERA, 6.02 FIP, 1.186 WHIP and 104 ERA+. His second start of the year was against the Nationals and it was also his best start of the season where he held Washington to 1 unearned run over 5.0 innings from 3 hits and 2 walks while fanning 8. The Nationals have the following numbers on Matz:

• Rendon 3-14, HR, 8 K
• Taylor 3-12, HR, 2 BB
• Kendrick 2-11
• Turner 2-10, 2B
• Zimmerman 0-11, 2 K
• Wieters 1-6, HR
• Harper 2-11, BB
• Difo 1-2

The Nationals send out Tanner Roark to the hump. Tanner is 1-1 over 3 games and 18.0 innings this season allowing 8 runs, 7 earned, from 12 hits and 6 walks while striking out 18. Over his first three games he has posted a 3.50 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.000 WHIP and 115 ERA+. However if you go into his game log, he has been masterful twice this year allowing 1 run over 7.0 against the Braves and 1 run over 6.0 innings against the Rockies, and horrible once – against the Mets. When he faced the Mets 10 days ago he allowed 5 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks in 5.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Roark:

• Bruce 3-16, 2B, 4 BB
• Lagares 3-17, 2 2B, BB
• Cespedes 2-16, 2B
• Conforto 4-12, 2 2B, HR, 3 BB
• Flores 2-13, 2B
• Cabrera 3-10, 2B, HR, 2 BB
• Frazier 2-8, HR, 4 BB
• Nimmo 2-3, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

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The good times for the bullpen couldn’t go on forever and ended in calamity last night as the Mets look to bounce back today and take game two of the series with the Nationals. Yesterday the Mets extended a 6-1 lead off a deGrom masterpiece and small ball from a host of players including deGrom on a squeeze play and Lagares while Frazier continued to rake. Everything fell apart in the 8th inning where deGrom lost his steam and 4 Mets relievers just couldn’t get the job done.

The Mets look to show perseverance tonight through Wheeler who picked up a win in his first start of the season where he held the Marlins to 1 run over 7.0 innings from only 2 hits and a walk while striking out 7. In two starts against the Nationals last year, Wheeler held them to 6 runs, 5 earned over 11.2 innings from 9 hits and 6 walks while recording 10 K’s. The Nationals have the following numbers against Zack:

• Rendon 7-20, 3 BB, 4 K
• Harper 4-19, HR, BB, 9 K
• Zimmerman 8-18, 2 HR, BB, 3 K
• Eaton 0-4, BB
• Turner 1-5
• Kendrick 0-3
• Taylor 3-3, 2B
• Weiters 0-3

The Mets bats get to see Gio Gonzalez again who is 1-1 over three starts this season allowing 5 runs, 4 earned over 16.1 innings while striking out 20. In the small season sample, he has a 2.20 ERA, 1.408 WHIP, 2.69 FIP and 72 ERA+. His second start of the season was against the Mets where he held the Amazin’s to only one run off 6 hits and 3 walks in 5.1 innings in a game the Mets eventually won 3-2. The Mets have the following numbers of Gio:

• Lagares 17-44, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Cabrera 8-34, 2 BB
• Brue 6-26, 5 2B, 3 BB
• Flores 5-25, HR, 3 BB
• Gonzalez 2-19, BB
• Reyes 7-19, 2 2B, 2 HR
• Cespedes 7-16, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB
• Frazier 3-13, 2 2B, 2 BB
• Rosario 0-5
• Confortio 0-2
• Nimmo 0-3

Let’s Go Mets!

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For the first time in team history the Mets have won their first 5 series to open up the year and they start another big one tonight as the Nationals come to town. Yesterday the Mets won behind a strong, albeit short, start from Syndergaard and a walk-off homer from Flores. The Mets swept the Nationals earlier in the season at home, so we can assume they are going to come in angry and ready to play.

The Mets will counter the energy that the Nationals come with by a start from Jacob deGrom who is 2-0 over 3 starts and 17.2 innings where he has allowed 7 runs, 6 earned, over 17.2 innings with 18 K’s. Over his first three starts he has a 3.06 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 1.132 WHIP and 125 ERA+. His second start of the season was against the Nationals where he held them to 2 runs, 1 earned, over 4 hits and 3 walks in 6.0 innings of work. The Nationals have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Harper 9-26, 2 2B, HR, 6 BB, 7 K
• Rendon 2-21, 2B, 5 BB, 6 K
• Kendrick 2-23, 3 K
• Taylor 1-21, BB, 11 K
• Zimmerman 5-19, 2 HR
• Turner 5-18, 2B, HR, BB, ( K
• Eaton 4-10, 2 2B

The Mets bats will see Jeremy Hellickson make his first start of the season. The long time Tampa Bay Ray found his way to Arizona in 2015, Philly in 2016 and last year he split time between Philly and Baltimore. In a quest to wear the uniform of all major mid-Atlantic cities, he now finds himself in DC. Last year he was 8-11 over 30 starts and 164.0 innings where he posted a 5.43 ERA, 5.77 FIP, 1.262 WHIP and 78 ERA+. He faced the Mets once last year where he allowed 4 runs off 7 hits and 2 walks in 6.1 innings while striking out 4. The Mets have the following numbers against Hellickson:

• Reyes 12-33, 3 2B, HR, BB
• Gonzalez 5-26, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB
• Cabera 9-23, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB
• Cespedes 6-19, 3 HR
• Bruce 1-14
• Lobaton 1-11
• Conforto 1-5, 2B
• Lagers 2-5, HR
• Nimmo 2-4, 2B (Who also had a tremendous day at the plate yesterday)
• Flores 1-3, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

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Well, the winning streak had to end eventually. The Brewers beat the Mets 5-1 last night due to the one weakness for the Mets this season: the long ball. After a quick first inning, Harvey allowed a 3-run shot in the 2nd and the Mets could never recover. The rubber game is still to be had today on this rainy Sunday.

Noah Syndergaard will make his 4th start of the season today. So far he is 2-0 over 16.0 innings allowing 8 runs, 7 earned from 15 hits and 4 walks while striking out 22 leading to a small sample size 3.94 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 1.188 WHIP and 67 ERA+. The last time Thor faced the Brewers was back in 2016 where he held the Brew Crew to 1 unearned run over 7.0 innings with 6 hits, no walks and 11 strikeouts. The Brewers have the following numbers against Noah:

• Yelich 2-14, 2B, 6 K
• Cain 2-9
• Braun 1-6
• Perez 2-3
• Villar 0-3

The Mets bats draw Jhoulys Chacin for the last game of the series. Chacin will make his 4th start of the season with his new team. After pitching for the Rockies from 2009-2014. He was released in Spring of 2015 when the Indians, who released him before he could make a start and he was picked up by the Diamondbacks. He then signed as a free agent with the Braves and was later traded to the Angels. Last season he pitched with the Padres and he signed a deal in December this year to come over to Milwaukee.

With the Padres last year Chacin was 13-10 over 180.1 innings with a 3.89 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 1.270 WHIP and 106 ERA+. He is not off to a good start with the Brewers as he has allowed 13 runs, 10 earned, over 13.2 innings from 19 hits and 7 walks while striking out 7. His small sample size season numbers include a 6.59 ERA, 6.61 FIP, 1.902 WHIP (oof) and 60 ERA+. He made two starts against the Mets last season. His first start was the worst of his season where he allowed 7 runs from 8 hits and no walks in 0.2 innings. He did much better at the end of July where he allowed 2 runs from 4 hits and 3 walks in 5.1 innings . The Mets have the following numbers against Chacin:

• Gonzalez 8-22, 2B, HR, 3 BB
• Cabrera 2-12, HR, 3 BB
• Bruce 3-10, 2B, 2 BB
• Conforto 4-10, HT, BB
• Flores 4-8, 2B, 2 BB
• Frazier 1-8, HR
• Lagares 3-9
• Cespedes 2-6

Let’s Go Mets!

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Tonight the Mets will look to win their 12th game of the season, their 10th in a row, and take the first series of the home stand against the Brewers. Last night the Mets continued their trend of scoring after the other team scores. After taking an early 2-0 lead, the Brewers tied the game at 2-2 on one swing. Frazier immediately responded with his second homer of the night and the Mets would build a lead that would be chipped at, but never taken again for the night.

I almost forgot to with you a Happy Harvey Day! Matt makes his third start of the season tonight. On the season so far he has pitched 10.0 innings in two games allowing 4 runs from 10 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 posting a 3.60 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.200 WHIP and 106 ERA+. Last year, Harvey’s start against the Brewers was not good as he allowed 5 runs from 7 hits and 5 walks in 5.0 innings while striking out 6. The Brewers have the following numbers against Harvey:

• Yelich 5-21, 5 K
• Cain 3-7, 3 BB
• Villar 1-5, BB
• Bandy 1-3, 2B
• Braun 0-3
• Broxton 1-3
• Perez 2-3, HR
• Shaw 0-3

The Mets bats draw Chase Anderson making his 4th start of the season after a breakout 2017 campaign. Between Arizona and Milwaukee, Anderson never hand an ERA below 4.01 for three seasons. Last year he was 12-4 over 141.1 innings with a 2.74 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 1.090 WHIP and 160 ERA+. So far this year he is 0-1 over 16.0 innings with a 3.38 ERA, 5.96 FIP, 1.125 WHIP and 66 ERA+. He faced the Mets once last year and it was a very good start where he held the Mets scoreless over 7.0 innings and to only 3 hits and a walk while striking out 7 in a game the Brewers eventually won 2-1. The Mets have the following numbers against Chase:

• Gonzalez 9-18, 2 2B, HR, 5 BB (.609 OBP)
• Bruce 1-14, HR, BB, 8 K
• Frazier 0-9, 4 K
• Reyes 2-8, BB
• Cabrera 1-4, BB
• Conforto 1-5, HR, BB
• Flores 1-4, BB
• Lagares 3-5, HR
• Cespedes 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets did it again on Wednesday night! The Mets were no-hit through 6 innings while the Marlins were only able to scratch out one run against Zack Wheeler. Then Plawecki got a rally started after being hit by a pitch, a few batters later and the Mets have a 4-1 lead, their 8th win a row and their 10th on the season!

It wouldn’t be the Mets though if everything was all roses. Earlier in the day on Wednesday, the Mets released a statement that Travis d’Arnaud has a partially torn UCL in his elbow. Plawecki getting hit on the hand doesn’t make things much better either.

Steven Matz will look to build off his last start against the Brewers tonight. On the season he is 0-1 over 2 games and 9.0 innings from 7 hits and 4 runs with a 3.00 ERA, 4.94 FIP, 1.333 WHIP, and a 129 ERA+. His last start against the Nationals was much better than his first start where he held the Nationals to 1 run, not earned, over 5.0 innings from 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. The last time he faced the Brewers was in 2016 and he had two very different starts. At home he held the Brewers to 2 runs from 3 hits in 7.0 innings with no walks and 8 K’s. The following month in Milwaukee he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned over 6.0 innings from 9 hits. The Brewers have the following numbers against Matz:

• Yelich 3-14, K
• Villar 2-7, 3 K
• Perez 1-6
• Broxton 2-5
• Braun 1-2, 2B
• Cain 1-3

The Mets bats draw Zach Davis who is is 0-1 over two starts this year with a 5.40 ERA in 11.2 innings allowing 8 runs, 7 earned from 12 hits and 3 walks while striking out 14. Last year he was 17-9 over 33 starts and 191.1 innings posting a 3.90 ERA, 4.22 FIP, 1.354 WHIP and 112 ERA+. In two starts against the Mets last year, he allowed 6 runs from 13 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. The Mets have the following numbers against Davies:

• Bruce 1-14, HR, BB
• Gonzalez 4-10
• Conforto 2-7, 2 2B
• Cabrera 3-6, 2B
• Cespedes 3-6, HR
• Plawecki 2-6, 2B
• Frazier 1-4
• Flores 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

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During the 5th inning, there was a glimpse that the ride was over. The Marlins scored 4 runs in the frame taking the lead, Bour woke up, the Mets were going to lose a game. But this is the 2018 Mets and they have fight! They tied, and then Bour did it again, and it that losing feeling started to creep back. Except not for the Mets who immediately responded with a Flores homer and then a Cabrera homer to tie the game. Cespedes, slumping, pushed the winning runs across and now the the Mets have the best start in franchise history! They look to keep the good times going tonight.

Wheeler makes his first start of the season tonight. Wheeler struggled in Spring Training and it looked like he was going to be bumped from the rotation for sure with Vargas on the team. Then Vargas got injured and a window opened for Wheeler however he struggled so much in Spring, he was sent to Vegas and Lugo took his spot. In a surprise turn of events, Lugo ended up being such an asset in the bullpen that the Mets find themselves turning to Wheeler. Last year he was 3-7 over 17 starts and 86.1 innings with a 5.21 ERA, 5.03 FIP, 1.587 WHIP and 81 ERA+. In his one start against the Marlins last year he allowed 5 runs off 6 hits and 1 walk in 4.0 innings of work while striking out 4. The Marlins have the following numbers against Zack:

• Prado 3-8
• Dietrich 2-6, 3B, 2 BB
• Castro 2-6
• Maybin 1-4, BB
• Bour 0-2

The Mets bats will get the first career start for Jarlin Garcia tonight who has already tossed 10.0 innings of relief this year over 2 games. In that stretch he allowed 2 runs off 5 hits and 4 walks while striking out 8. Last year he pitched 68 games out of the pen totaling 53.1 innings with a 4.73 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 1.200 WHIP and 86 ERA+. He was very good against the Mets last year. In 4.0 innings over 5 games, he held the Mets hit-less with 2 walks and 2 K’s. The Mets have the following numbers against Jarlin:

• Bruce 0-3
• Cabrera 0-1
• Flores 0-1
• Gonzalez 1-1
• Reyes 0-0, BB

Who’s hotter than the weather warm up coming this way at the end of this week?
Cespedes who has a game winning hit in two games this road trip!

Who’s colder than a car battery on a January morning?
Cespedes, who’s only two hits in his last 22 AB’s have been game winning hits. That helps make him not cold though.

Let’s Go Mets!

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The 2017 Mets never won more than 5 games in a row. The 2018 Mets surpassed that already last night! The Mets won their 6th game in a row behind the same elements that have gotten them through each game so far this year: good to average starting pitching, a stellar (although sometimes stress inducing) bullpen and timely hitting. The Mets will look to make it 7 games in a row tonight.

Jacob deGrom makes his third start of the season tonight and will also look to be the first Mets starter this season to get into the 7th inning. He’s 2-0 over 11.2 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, from 8 hits and 4 walks while striking out 12. That’s led to a 1.54 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 1.029 WHIP and 247 ERA+ in a super small sample size. In two starts against the Marlins last year he allowed 7 runs over 13.1 innings from 14 hits and a walk while striking out 21. The Marlins have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Dietrich 3-16, BB, 9 K
• Castro 4-13, BB
• Bour 6-12, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Rojas 3-13, BB
• Maybin 0-9, BB

The Mets bats draw former Yankee pitcher Caleb Smith tonight who will make his third start of the season. He is 0-1 over 2 games and 8.1 innings allowing 4 runs from 6 hits and 9 walks while striking out 12. This has lead to a 4.32 ERA, 4.95 FIP, 1.800 WHIP and 86 ERA+. Just for fun, early on he has a 13 K/9 and a 9.7 BB/9. He got into 9 games for the Yankees last year allowing 16 runs in 18.2 innings from 21 hits and 10 walks while striking out 18. In the minors last year between AA and AAA he had a 2.31 ERA over 100.2 innings. He has never faced the Mets before nor has he faced any Mets while they were members of other teams.

Who’s hotter than hot?
Familia – already has been lock down in terms of runs with 5 saves already (although saves as a stat is questionable)

Who’s colder than cold?
Familia – In two games so far he has flirted with disaster. But this is the Familia (stress inducing, expecting every possible outcome, etc) that we know.

Lets Go Mets!

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That was fun! We should do it again sometime. The Mets are coming off of a three game sweep in DC, where they were behind the Nationals in all three games at some point. Last night Harper got to Harvey early but the Mets responded two innings later with a Gonzalez Grand Slam. The Nationals pushed the game into extras but the Mets came back, got the win in the 12th and leave DC with 3 wins.

The Mets make their first trip to Miami tonight to face a different looking Marlins team. Meanwhile the Marlins snapped their losing streak yesterday and are now 3-6 on the season thanks to a 6-3 win against the Phillies who wish they could move some of their runs from their 20-1 beating of the Marlins on Saturday to Sunday.

Noah Syndergaard makes his third start of the season tonight. In his first two starts he has alloed 6 runs from 10 hits and 2 walks while striking out 17 from 10.0 innings of work translating into a 5.40 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.200 WHIP and 74 ERA+. He pitched two starts in back to back games against the Marlins last year allowing 2 runs, 1 earned in each start over 13.0 innings from 11 hits, no walks and 13 K’s. The Marlins have the following numbers against Syndergaard:

• Bour 5-14, 2B
• Dietrich 5-13, 2 2B
• Realmuto 1-8
• Prado 1-6
• Castro 1-5, 2B
• Rojas 3-4

The Mets bats draw José Ureña who will also make his third start of the season. So far he has allowed 6 runs over 11.0 innings from 10 hits and 5 walks while striking out 9 and a league leading 3 HBP. To put that in perspective, last year he also led the league in HBP at 14 over 169.2 innings. Anyway he has a 4.91 ERA, 5.98 FIP, 1.364 WHIP and 78 ERA+ so far this year. Last year he posted a 3.82 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.273 WHIP and 107 ERA+. Last year he pitched 5 times against the Mets making 3 starts totaling 24.0 innings and holding the Mets to 8 runs, 6 earned (2.25 ERA) over 17 hits, 1 walk and 12 K’s. The Mets have the following numbers against Ureña:

• Reyes 6-18, 2B, 3B
• Bruce 4-13, 2B, 2 HR, BB
• Cabrera 1-14
• Cespedes 3-11, HR
• Conforto 3-8, 2B
• Flores 1-7, HR
• Gonzalez 2-7
• d’Arnaud 2-5, BB
• Nimmo 1-3, HR
• Plawecki 2-3

Who’s hotter than the Mets finally going to warm weather?
The whole Mets squad. 5 games in a row with a sweep in DC. Last time they swept in DC was September 2015 when they pushed the Nationals out of the race for good.

Who’s colder than the rest of left behind up north?
That one Mets fan who decided to take his shirt off after the game last night, poured beer on himself and then flipped the cup towards the feel. Not cool man. (Or way too cool man).

Let’s Go Mets!

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