213 Miles From Shea

Note on the Series: A tradition at 213 Miles From Shea is walking through Baseball America’s Top 30 Mets prospects, one year after the list comes out. The BA printed book is generally out of date immediately when it’s published, especially when BVW was at the helm trading away prospects. Our goal with this series is to check in with how the prospects are doing. Some of them have been traded away. Because of the pandemic, minor league games did not happen last year, so we are also missing stats. Staying on top of the Minor League camp was not something I did last year, so when appropriate, I’ll link to the actual experts.

The #29 Prospect, Quinn Brodey was skipped from the 2019 list. Same is true for Ali Sanchez. We’ve written about Ali Sanchez a few times over the last few years. Last year we looked at him as an NRI at camp, the year before it was to look at his spot on the 2018 BA list. Our main conclusion last year – we were looking forward to Ali Sanchez to having afull year at Syracuse, despite having Francisco Alvarez right behind him.

Last year BA wrote about his defense. This is the reason why the Mets protected him in the rule V draft, his defense! BA even made a note that if rosters are expanded permanently, it would create a larger market for defense minded catchers.

It’s no secret the last few years that the Mets have completely mishandled catchers. So Ali Sanchez actually made his major league debut last season. He got into 5 games, had 10 PA’s and recorded a hit and a walk – and that’s it. Going into next season he looks to be behind Tomas Nido on the Mets depth chart for catcher. We’ll probably see Sanchez get a cup of coffee again next year.

Note on the Series: A tradition at 213 Miles From Shea is walking through Baseball America’s Top 30 Mets prospects, one year after the list comes out. The BA printed book is generally out of date immediately when it’s published, especially when BVW was at the helm trading away prospects. Our goal with this series is to check in with how the prospects are doing. Some of them have been traded away. Because of the pandemic, minor league games did not happen last year, so we are also missing stats. Staying on top of the Minor League camp was not something I did last year, so when appropriate, I’ll link to the actual experts.

Quinn Brodey is currently assigned to the Syracuse Mets and was at the Mets Alternative site in 2020! Brodey wasn’t in the 2019 Baseball America Prospect Handbook but he was in the 2018 Baseball America Prospect Handbook! Here’s our old write up on him. Basically – he showed power before being drafted by the Mets, but that power didn’t come out in the Mets system. BA said “unlocked, solid-average power”. So what did BA think before the 2020 season?

BA says that the floor for Brodey is an in-between Minor League / Major League player and the ceiling is a fourth outfielder in the majors. They go on to say that he has a “well-rounded set of skills that could carry him to the majors.” Published before Covid, he was projected to go to the upper minors and then the majors this season. He is a 40 grade prospect with high risk.

Brodey’s age and roster spot in Syracuse could lead to him seeing playing time in Queens this year if injuries happen, or the Mets have a roster crunch at some point. He’s not a high ranking prospect but he is part of the depth chart – especially if the Mets don’t make any additional signings (like Non-Roster Invite types)

Note on the Series: A tradition at 213 Miles From Shea is walking through Baseball America’s Top 30 Mets prospects, one year after the list comes out. The BA printed book is generally out of date immediately when it’s published, especially when BVW was at the helm trading away prospects. Our goal with this series is to check in with how the prospects are doing. Some of them have been traded away. Because of the pandemic, minor league games did not happen last year, so we are also missing stats. Staying on top of the Minor League camp was not something I did last year, so when appropriate, I’ll link to the actual experts.

Scott Ota! The Mets selected Scott in the 10th round of the 2019 draft. The outfielder had a tremendous minor league debut in Kingsport hitting .273/.355/.519, collecting 50 hits over 183 AB’s with 21 walks and 7 bombs. BA wrote about how he showed gap power to all fields, and his that his “processional approach to hitting that helps him produce at a level above his average overall tool set.” He has a BA Grade of 40 with High Risk level.

So where is Scott now? Good News: He’s still with the Mets! Bad news: there’s a real dearth of information online about what’s happening with him.

Scott is 23, and last year would have probably played in either Brooklyn or Columbia. With the reorganization of the minor leagues, I’m assuming he gets placed in St. Lucie – which will be the Mets low-A team next year.

All in all, what sticks out to me his discipline at the plate which allows him to over perform against his skill set. Without seeing 2020 games, it’s difficult for me to get a sense as to where this leads Ota in his future. I’m definitely keeping my eye on him in 2021.

The Mets only had a 1.1% if making the playoffs yesterday, so it’s not like the results were heartbreaking. The Mets lost both games they played and were eliminated from a playoff berth by the end of the first game. For a season filled with not making expectations, its fitting (possibly relieving) that the Mets eliminated themselves from contention, and not any other team winning yesterday.

Anyway, we say good bye to Mets baseball today. What an odd season. From being only 60 games, to 7-inning doubleheaders and BVW making head scratching trades – the Mets packed a lot of “Mets” into a short time period. Next season starts off a new chapter with the Mets with a new owner and most likely a new front office.

But today is for the current Mets. Seth Lugo looks to close out his season as a starter. He’s pitched 35.1 innings this year with a 3.82 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.217 WHIP and 111 ERA+. Lugo dominated in his first three starts – pitching 11.2 innings allowing only 2 runs while striking out 20. Then he struggled for two starts, allowing 9 runs over 7.0 innings. He bounced back in his last start, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned over 6.1 innings against the Rays. In one outing against the Nationals this year he held the reigning champs scoreless over 2.0 innings. The Nationals have the following numbers against him:

• Juan Soto 2-7, HR, BB, 4 K
• Trea Turner 2-13, HR, 2 BB, 2 K
• Andrew Stevenson 1-4, BB, K
• Victor Robles 1-7, 2B, 3 K
• Kurt Suzuki 1-7
• Michael A Taylor 1-9, 3 K
• Asdrubal Cabrera 0-3

The Mets will end their season against Austin Voth who make his 11th start today. Over 44.2 innings he’s posted a 6.25 ERA, 6.36 FIP, 1.478 WHIP and a 73 ERA+. His last two starts he has really found himself though – pitching 12.0 innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 13. Overall this month he has dropped his ERA from 8.26 down to 6.25. In his one start against the Mets he allowed 3 runs from 6 hits including 2 homers in 4.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Voth:

• Dominic Smith 2-2, 2B, HR
• Luis Guillorme 2-2
• Brandon Nimmo 2-8, 2 2B, BB, 3 K
• Amed Rosario 1-5, 2 K
• J.D. Davis 0-3, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 0-1
• Pete Alonso 0-3, K
• Todd Frazier 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets will be sending out Rick Porcello in the night cap of our two 7-inning games. Porcello and Wacha were signed in the off-season to boost the Mets strength – their starting rotation. Never has a statement from the Mets been so wrong (and the Mets have had plenty of misleading front office statements through the year). The Mets could have signed Porcello as the back up starter and gone after Wheeler to stay in the rotation. Instead the Mets lost Syndergaard and Stroman. Compounded with Matz’s struggles this year – Porcello and Wacha had a tremendous opportunity. But they missed it. The Mets were plagued with roster construction issues this year and this was at the core of it, a Wilpon/BVW creation.

So back tonight, featuring Rick Porcello’s last start of the season. In 56.0 innings he has a 5.46 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 1.429 WHIP and a 78 ERA+. He’s coming off his best start of the year against the Braves where he allowed 1 run and 3 hits over 7.0 innings while striking out 10. He’s also had success against the Nationals this season – pitching 13.0 innings over two starts allowing only 3 runs. It would be wonderful for Porcello and all of us watching if he can build off his last start and his earlier two against the Nationals. The Nationals have the following numbers on Porcello:

• Victor Robles 2-4
• Juan Soto 3-8, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Yan Gomes 6-18, 3 2B, 2 K
• Eric Thames 2-5
• Trea Turner 2-9, HR, K
• Kurt Suzuki 7-29, 2 2B, HR, 4 BB, K
• Asdrubal Cabrera 18-67, 3 2B, 3 BB, 11 K

The Mets bats will get a final 2020 look at Anibal Sanchez. Anibal has had a season to forget. In 47.2 innings over 10 starts he has a 6.80 ERA, 5.48 FIP, 1.741 WHIP and 67 ERA+. He’s coming off of one of his better starts this season, holding the Phillies to 1 run over 5.0 innings (this start lowered his ERA from 7.38 to 6.80). In one start against the Mets this year he allowed 5 runs off 6 hits in 2.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Sanchez:

• Luis Guillorme 1-1, SB
• Dominic Smith 2-3, 2B, BB
• Pete Alonso 3-7, 2B, HR, BB
• Brandon Nimmo 2-6, HR, 2 BB, K
• J.D. Davis 4-9, 2B, K
• Andres Gimenez 1-2
• Wilson Ramos 9-24, 2 2B, 4 BB
• Robinson Cano 6-21, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 1-8, 2B, BB, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Nationals had the night off yesterday thanks to the rain and thanks to San Diego – the Mets are, somehow, mathematically still in it. To stay in the race, they need to win both games today and the Giants need to lose out, not great odds. Basically impossible. But the Mets will start with Jacob deGrom in a 7 inning game to set things off.

So rather than Porcello vs Scherzer, we will get deGrom vs Scherzer, a much better pitching match up to watch. Jacob will be making his 12th and final start of the season where he tossed 63.0 innings with a 2.14 ERA, 1.99 FIP (league leading), 0.921 WHIP and a 197 ERA+. He is also leading the league in K/9 at 13.4. If he records 6 strikeouts, he will reach 100 on the season this afternoon. After a hamstring shortened outing, he bounced back his last time out against the Rays with a 7.0 inning outing where he allowed 2 runs and the Mets somehow lost. He tied his season high with 14 K’s in that game. This will be his first game in 2020 against the Nationals, and the Nationals have the following numbers against him:

• Brock Holt 2-6, HR, 3 K
• Yan Gomes 1-2, K
• Victor Robles 3-10, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• Juan Soto 3-13, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Andrew Stevenson 1-4, 2B, BB
• Trea Turner 11-38, 2B, BB, 13 K
• Josh Harrison 3-12, 5 K

The Mets bats draw Max Scherzer’s last start of the season. He has pitched 61.1 innings over 11 starts with a 3.67 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 1.386 WHIP, and 125 ERA+. After a terrible start on 9/13 where he allowed 6 runs over 5.1 innings he rebounded in his last start allowing 2 runs, both unearned, in 5.2 innings against the Marlins. In a fun, meaningless stat – he’s tossed 119 pitches in back to back games. He had two starts against the Mets in 2020. He left after the first inning in one start and then the next time he allowed 1 run over 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Max:

• Luis Guillorme 3-4, 2B, K
• Andres Gimenez 1-3, 3B, K
• J.D. Davis 4-9, 2B, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-21, 2B, HR, 6 BB, 12 K
• Jeff McNeil 3-13, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Robinson Cano 3-21, 2 HR, BB, 5 K
• Amed Rosario 4-15, 2B, 7 K
• Wilson Ramos 4-20, 2B, 2 K
• Todd Frazier 1-13, 2B, 4 K

Let’s Go Mets!

I guess last night was thanks to BVW?

The Mets held off being eliminated last night thanks to Robinson Chirinos, the catcher the Mets inexplicably acquired at the trade deadline with Todd Frazier from the Rangers. Robinson had two hits including a homer thus knocking in all three runs for the Mets. The Marlins and Phillies each won yesterday as well. The Mets continue to have a nearly impossible odds of making the post-season, but they aren’t gone yet.

Rick Porcello will look to keep the Mets in the hunt for another night as he makes his 12th and final start of the year. In 56.0 innings he has a 5.46 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 1.429 WHIP and a 78 ERA+. He’s coming off his best start of the year against the Braves where he allowed 1 run and 3 hits over 7.0 innings while striking out 10. He’s also had success against the Nationals this season – pitching 13.0 innings over two starts allowing only 3 runs. The Nationals have the following numbers on Porcello:

• Victor Robles 2-4
• Juan Soto 3-8, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Yan Gomes 6-18, 3 2B, 2 K
• Eric Thames 2-5
• Trea Turner 2-9, HR, K
• Kurt Suzuki 7-29, 2 2B, HR, 4 BB, K
• Asdrubal Cabrera 18-67, 3 2B, 3 BB, 11 K

The Mets bats draw Max Scherzer’s last start of the season. He has pitched 61.1 innings over 11 starts with a 3.67 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 1.386 WHIP, and 125 ERA+. After a terrible start on 9/13 where he allowed 6 runs over 5.1 innings he rebounded in his last start allowing 2 runs, both unearned, in 5.2 innings against the Marlins. In a fun, meaningless stat – he’s tossed 119 pitches in back to back games. He had two starts against the Mets in 2020. He left after the first inning in one start and then the next time he allowed 1 run over 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Max:

• Luis Guillorme 3-4, 2B, K
• Andres Gimenez 1-3, 3B, K
• J.D. Davis 4-9, 2B, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-21, 2B, HR, 6 BB, 12 K
• Jeff McNeil 3-13, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Robinson Cano 3-21, 2 HR, BB, 5 K
• Amed Rosario 4-15, 2B, 7 K
• Wilson Ramos 4-20, 2B, 2 K
• Todd Frazier 1-13, 2B, 4 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost last night, securing a losing season. They still aren’t eliminated from the playoffs but in order to back their way in now, they would have to win-out the rest of the season and the Phillies/Marlins would both pretty much have to lose every game for the rest of the season. Very unlikely. So in year where more than half the league makes the playoffs, the Mets are not playing meaningful games in the last weekend of the series.

The emergence of David Peterson was a key bright spot for the Mets this season. Next year the rotation is full of question marks but the Mets depleted farm system still managed to produce Peterson – which is to say that BVW didn’t trade away a pitcher with the ability to start major league games. This year, over 42.2 innings, Peterson has a 3.80 ERA, 4.77 FIP, 1.289 WHIP and 112 ERA+. He’s coming off of his first double digit strikeout game in his career, a game where he allowed 1 run on 3 hits over 6.0 innings while striking out 10. In his only start against the Nationals he held them to one unearned run over 5.0 innings from 1 hit. The Nationals have the following numbers against him:

• Yan Gomes 1-2
• Juan Soto 0-1, K
• Trea Turner 0-2, BB
• Michael A Taylor 0-2
• Asdrubal Cabrera 0-2

The Mets bats will look to back Peterson up as they take on Patrick Corbin tonight. Patrick has pitched 58.2 innings over 10 starts posting a 4.76 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 1.534 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. He’s leading the league in hits allowed at 75. He’s coming off a fairly disastrous start against the Marlins where he allowed 7 runs from 14 hits over 6.0 innings. Against the Mets this year he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned over 11.2 innings (13 hits). The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Michael Conforto 9-25, 2B, 5 HR, BB, 7 K
• J.D. Davis 6-22, 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 7 K
• Todd Frazier 6-21, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Pete Alonso 5-20, 2 2B, HR, BB, 9 K
• Wilson Ramos 3-17, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 2 K
• Robinson Cano 2-11, HR, BB, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 3-12, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 4-18, BB, 8 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday it felt like the Mets season was over. Today – not so much. The Mets beat the Rays yesterday and the Marlins/Phillies both lost. The Mets now find themselves only 2.5 games back in the wild card and 3.0 games back from the automatic playoff berth in the division. Time is still slipping away from the Mets but there is a path for them to back themselves into the playoffs. Wild.

Working against the Mets – they are at the part of their rotation that has struggled this season. Michael Wacha will get the start for the Mets. In 7 games, 6 starts, he has pitched 28.0 innings with a 6.75 ERA, 5.04 FIP, 1.679 WHIP and 63 ERA+. He’s coming off one of his best performances of the season, a relief outing in Philly, where he allowed 1 run from 5 hits over 4.0 innings in a game the Mets won 5-4. That game knocked his ERA down from a season high 7.50. Anyway, the Rays have the following numbers against Wacha:

• Hunter Renfroe 1-1, 2B, 2 BB
• Manuel Margot 2-9, 2B, K
• Mike Zunino 0-1, BB
• Kevin Kiermaier 0-5, BB, 2 K

The Mets bats will get a look at Tyler Glasnow tonight. Through 10 starts and 51.1 innings this year he has a 4.21 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 1.188 WHIP and 102 ERA+. Tyler had a bumpy start to September allowing 7 runs over 12.1 innings in two starts but bounced back in his last start allowing only 1 run over 5.0 innings while striking out 10. The Mets have the following numbers against Glasnow:

• Brandon Nimmo 0-0, 2 BB
• Robinson Chirinos 1-2, K
• Jeff McNeil 0-0, BB
• Michael Conforto 0-3, 2 BB, K
• Amed Rosario 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

Jacob deGrom gave the Mets everything he had last night but the Mets bats fell completely silent in a 2-1 loss. Now the Mets are three games out of a wild card spot with basically about a week left to play. The playoffs are still mathematically possible but things have to go perfectly.

And the Mets haven’t been playing that way.

Seth Lugo tries to bounce back tonight in Queens. On the season he has pitched in 14 games and made 5 starts with 29.0 innings pitched, posting a 4.34 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 1.310 WHIP and 99 ERA+. His last start basically crushed his season stats. Last time out he allowed 6 runs from 8 hits over 1.2 innings against the Phillies including 4 homers. Not good. Only a few Rays have seen Seth Lugo in action before:

• Manuel Margo 5-6, 2B, K
• Hunter Renfroe 1-5, HR, 2 K
• Mike Zunino 0-2, 2 K

The Mets draw the former AL Cy Young Award winner tonight – Blake Snell. Snell has made 10 starts and pitched 44.1 innings this year with a 3.05 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 1.150 WHIP and 141 ERA+. He’s coming of his best back to back starts of the season, allowing 1 run and 7 hits over 10.2 innings of work, lowering his ERA from 3.74 to 3.05. The Mets have the following numbers against Snell:

• Brandon Nimmo 1-3, 2B, BB
• Robinson Cano 2-5, BB, K
• Robinson Chirinos 1-5, BB
• Todd Frazier 1-8, BB, K
• Amed Rosario 0-2, BB
• Michael Conforto 0-3, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!