213 Miles From Shea

The Mets look to take the four game series tonight after winning the last two games. Yesterday the Mets got a solid start from Noah Syndergaard and some power from Dom Smith, Jose Bautista and Todd Frazier. The star of the night, for me at least, was Jeff McNeil, who recorded 8 straight hits after his 2nd hit of the night, becoming the second Met to do that this season (Nimmo was the other).

This afternoon Jacob deGrom takes the mound for his third straight start against a staff’s ace. First it was Severino and the Yankees then last time out it was Arrieta and the Phillies and today’s it is Bumgarner.

Jacob is 8-7 over 25 games and 168.0 innings with a 1.71 ERA (league leading), 2.08 FIP (league leading), 0.958 WHIP and 216 ERA+ (league leading). He’s coming off a complete game masterpiece against the Phillies where he allowed 1 unearned run and in the month of August he has posted a 1.21 ERA over 4 games and 29.2 innings. He faced the Giants twice last year allowing 3 runs over 6.0 innings in Queens and only 1 run over 8.0 innings in SF. The Giants have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Belt 3-14, HR, 4 BB
• Pence 6-17, 2B, HR
• Panik 2-14, 2B, 2 BB
• McCutchen 4-14, BB
• Posey 4-14, 2B, HR
• Crawford 3-13
• d’Arnaud 0-4

Madison Bumgarner is 4-5 over 14 games and 85.2 innings posting a 3.05 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 1.296 WHIP, 133 ERA+. Madison is coming off his worst start of the season where he allowed 6 runs, 5 earned over 6.0 innings against the Reds. Before that in August he had a 1.50 ERA over 3 games and 18.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Reyes 3-13
• Flores 1-11, 2B
• Frazier 5-12, 2B, HR
• Jackson 3-9, 3B
• Mesoraco 1-7, 2B
• Bautista 1-2
• Conforto 0-3
• Plawecki 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets! You tease!

The Mets once again teased what could have been this season with a 6-3 come back win. Conforto hit his 18th homer of the season as he continues to show that he is back and McNeil went 4-4 on his path to reclaim all of the lost hits from the Mets refusing to call him up earlier. Matz allowed 2 runs in the first and then kept things locked down through 5 and Corey Oswalt came out of the pen for a solid 3.0 innings allowing only 1 run.

The Mets look to keep the winning going tonight with Noah Syndergaard tonight. Noah is 8-3 over 17 games and 100.2 innings with a 3.40 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 1.252 WHIP and a 109 ERA+. August has been rough for Syndergaard as he allowed 14 runs over 26.0 innings in 4 games with a 4.85 ERA. The Giants have the following numbers against him:

• Belt 0-8
• Crawford 2-10
• McCutchen 1-8,2B
• Panik 2-9
• Posey 3-9
• Pence 1-8, HR
• Longoria 1-3

The Mets will see Casey Kelly who is 0-1 in 3 games and a start this season logging 10.2 innings with a 1.69 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 1.500 WHIP and a 247 ERA+. In the minors this season he has started 23 times logging 130.0 innings with a 4.78 ERA. He faced the Mets back in 2016 where he allowed 1 run over 3.0 innings. The only healthy Met who has seen him in a game is Conforto who is 0-2 against him.

Let’s Go Mets!

Last night was another one for the book of “Mets Things That Happen to the Mets” as the Mets lost in the 13th inning due to an error that in most organizations would never happen. The Mets have been playing Dom Smith out of position in left, partially due to Pete Alonso, partially due to Jay Bruce. The way things have gone down for him, in most places, just would not occur. The Mets are stretched incredibly thin in outfield depth as the team stays as healthy as an iPhone 5 in the hands of a 3 year old. Most organizations, after putting Dom in left, would give him ample playing time, the Mets have not treating him more like a comet that comes around every so often. So while this one was literally off Dom’s glove, it’s really on the front office’s hands.

On the positive side, Wheeler looks more and more impressive after tossing 7.0 innings of 1 run ball and now is getting the deGrom ace treatment of no runs.

The Mets will turn to Steven Matz tonight who is 5-10 over 22 starts and 109.2 innings with a 4.60 ERA, 4.97 FIP, 1.368 WHIP and 82 ERA+. His last start was his first off the DL and it didn’t go so well as he allowed 6 runs, 4 earned over 2.0 innings in the nightcap of a doubleheader in Philly. The Giants have the following numbers against him:

• d’Arnaud 1-6, K
• Belt 1-2, BB
• Crawford 2-3
• Hundley 1-3
• McCutchen 2-3
• Panik 1-3
• Pence 0-2

The Mets bats will face off against Chris Stratton who is 8-7 over 20 games and 19 starts logging 101.0 innings posting a 5.52 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 1.554 WHIP and 73 ERA+. His first two outings since returning to the majors have not been good as he has allowed 9 runs over 4.1 innings from 13 hits and 5 walks. He does have potential though. In the first 5 games, 31.0 innings, of the season he had a 2.32 ERA. The only Met who has seen him in a game is Bautista who is 1-3 with a double against him.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets finally return home after a trip that in the last 8 days alone saw the Mets play 9 games in Miami, the Bronx, Baltimore, Philly and Williamsport. On the latter, it was awesome seeing Mets and Phillies players yesterday interact with Little Leaguers yesterday from the bus ride to the LLWS complex, to Syndergaard talking shop with pitchers, the rotation hanging out in the stands and both teams doing “good-game” handshake to end the game. Yesterday was a great day for baseball and the Mets were lucky to be a part of it.

Speaking of yesterday’s game, who would have guessed that Vargas would be one of the key players on the positive side of the ledger? Not me. Vargas had one of his best starts of the season yesterday and the Mets poured on 14 hits. The heart and hustle award has to go to Jeff McNeil who killed it with some nice defensive plays, flipped over a wall at one point and had a key 2-RBI hit.

Zack Wheeler starts for the Mets today and is 8-6 over 23 games and 139.1 innings with a 3.75 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 1.227 WHIP and a 99 ERA+. In Wheeler’s last four starts he has posted a 1.08 ERA over 25.0 innings. In his last 9 starts and 57.2 innings he has a 2.18 ERA. Last year Wheeler held the Girants to 1 run from 2 hits and 4 walks over 6.0 innings. The Giants have the following numbers against him:

• Pence 0-8, 2 BB
• Belt 1-6, 3 BB
• Posey 1-8, HR
• Crawford 3-6, BB
• McCutchen 2-2, 2B, HR, BB
• Panik 0-3
• Hernandez 0-2

The Mets bats will get a look at Derek Holland who is 6-8 over 27 games, 23 starts, pitching 129.1 innings while posting a 3.83 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 1.307 WHIP and a 106 ERA+. Holland is coming off of a good start allowing no runs in 4.2 innings despite allowing 6 hits and 4 walks. Since July 7th, he’s started 6 games, been in 9 and posted a 2.41 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Jackson 7-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 BB
• Bautista 5-27, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB
• Frazier 2-5, BB
• Reyes 3-4

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets end an intense 8 days today with the Little League Classic against the Phillies. This ends a 5 game series with the Phillies on a rubber game and for the Mets an insane road trip that has seen them play in Miami, the Bronx, Baltimore, Philly and now Williamsport.

Jacob deGrom yesterday sent the Mets to Williamsport on a high note tossing a complete game allowing one unearned run in a dominating performance. He was the first Mets pitcher this year to toss a complete game (he was also the last one in June 2017).

Oh also, since this game is for the Little League World Series, have you heard that Todd Frazier played in the LLWS?

Get ready to make the little league jokes now. The Mets are sending out one of the more frustrating pitchers on the roster in Jason Vargas out tonight. Vargas is 2-8 over 13 games and 53.1 innings with a 8.10 ERA, 6.14 FIP, 1.781 WHIP and a 46 ERA+. He’s coming off a strong start against the Orioles where he allowed only 2 runs over 6.0 innings from 5 hits and 3 walks. In a rarity for Vargas this year, he was not the reason why the Mets lost that game. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Santana 9-41, 2 2 B, 5 BB
• Cabrera 7-16, 2B, HR
• Ramos 1-3
• Bour 0-2

The Mets bats will try to close out the series on a strong note against Nick Pivetta. Nick is 7-9 over 24 starts and 125.2 innings with a 4.37 ERA, 3.50 FIP and 1.249 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. August has been great for Pivetta who has posted a 1.50 ERA over 18.0 innings in three games. He hasn’t faced the Mets yet this year but last year he posted a 4.98 ERA in 4 starts and 21.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Nimmo 0-6, BB
• Dom Smith 2-7, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Reyes 1-5
• Rosario 2-4
• Conforto 1-2, HR, BB
• Mesoraco 0-3
• Flores 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets have now dropped two games in a row after scoring 40 runs in the two games before that but they look to turn it around today with Jacob deGrom on the mound. Yesterday Syndergaard wasn’t his best but there were some bright spots. Zamora made his major league debut (Wahl landed on the DL) and he pitched 1.1 innings allowing a walk and striking out 2. McNeil went 2-4 with a double and Jackson had 3 hits on the day.

Jacob degrom is 7-7 over 24 starts and 159.0 innings with a 1.81 ERA (league leading), 2.14 FIP (league leading), 0.969 WHIP and a 206 ERA+ (league leading). On Monday against the Yankees he allowed 3 runs, 2 earned in 6.2 innings while striking out 12. In August he’s pitched 20.2 innings posting a 1.74 ERA while striking out 31 K’s. In two games against the Phillies this year he has tossed 9.0 scoreless innings. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Herrera 7-31, BB, 9 K
• Bour 8-21, 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB
• Hernandez 4-20, 4 BB
• Franco 4-19, 2B
• Ramos 3-17, 2B, HR
• Hoskins 1-7, 3 BB
• Knapp 2-5, 2B, 3B
• Cabrera 1-5, 2B

The Mets bats will have to deal with Jake Arrieta who is 9-7 over 23 starts and 132.1 innings with a 3.33 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 1.232 WHIP and a 126 ERA+. He’s coming off a rough start where he allowed 5 runs over 5.0 innings against the Padres. Before that start he had a 1.29 ERA over 3 games and 21.0 innings. His one start against the Mets this year was a good one where he shut out the Mets over 7.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Jake:

• Bautista 1-16, 4 BB
• Frazier 4-18, 2 HR
• Flores 3-16, 2B
• Mesoraco 1-13, 2 BB
• Conforto 1-6, 2 BB
• Jackson 4-6
• Rosario 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets had a wild day yesterday ending with them winning one game and losing another. In the first game, on Facebook so maybe 7.5 people saw it, the Mets scored 24 runs while the Phillies plated 4. This was the most lopsided win and highest amount of runs scored in Mets history (oddly enough, or perfectly enough for the Mets, coming in the same season as their most lopsided loss in franchise history). Other fun facts: the Phillies allowed double digit unearned runs, Bautista set the franchise record for most RBIs off the bench in Mets history (he had 7, the record was 4). While the Mets lost the second game 9-6, in the last three games the Mets scored 46 runs leaving us some concern as to what happened to the 2018 Mets team we know, are they ok and has anyone heard from them?

Noah Syndergaard starts for the Mets tonight. He is 8-2 over 16 games and 95.0 innings with a 3.22 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 1.221 WHIP and 117 ERA+. In the month of August he has allowed 10 runs over 20.1 innings leading to a 4.43 ERA. Back in April he allowed 2 runs off 4 hits in 4.0 innings against the Phillies who have the following numbers against him:

• Bour 5-17, 2B, 7 K
• Herrera 1-17, 3 K
• Hernandez 2-13
• Franco 4-15
• Ramos 5-15, 2B
• Altherr 1-9
• Knapp 2-5, 2B
• Hoskins 1-1, 2B, 2 BB

The Mets bats will see Aaron Nola today, who leads the league in pitching percentage. Not a stat that tells you too much about Nola specifically but whatever. Anyway he is 13-3 over 24 starts and 154.0 innings with a 2.28 ERA (career best by a wide margin), 2.81 FIP (career best by a small margin), 1.000 WHIP (career best by a wide margin) and a 183 ERA+. He’s in the midst of a solid stretch posting a 1.35 ERA in the last three starts and 20.0 innings. In three starts against the Mets this year, he’s held them to 3 runs over 18.0 innings (1.50 ERA), 18 hits and 7 walks while striking out 18. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Conforto 3-12, HR, 2 BB
• Nimmo 1-8, 4 BB, 4 K
• Mesoraco 0-8, BB
• Rosario 3-9, 2B
• Bautista 1-7
• Reyes 1-7

Let’s Go Mets!

If the earlier game today was the rookie game with Oswalt pitching in his 9th career game and Suarez pitching in his second, then the afternoon part of the doubleheader is the veteran game featuring Matz and Eflin despite both pitchers being quite young.

For Matz its his first start since being sidelined with a strained flexor pronator. On the season he is 5-9 over 21 games and 107.2 innings with a 4.35 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 1.337 WHIP, 87 ERA+. His last start was uncharacteristic for this season for Matz, and the injury probably played a role as he allowed 7 runs off 8 hits in 0.2 innings against the Nationals in a game that raised his ERA from 3.79 to 4.35. But even before that Matz was struggling of late allowing 9 runs in the 11.0 innings before that night. Against the Phillies in May he allowed 1 run off 5 hits and 4 walks in 5.0 innings. The Phillies have the following numbers against Matz:

• Ramos 2-9
• Bour 0-6, 2 K
• Hernandez 2-6
• Herrera 1-5, HR
• Hoskins 0-4, BB
• Santana 0-6
• Franco 2-5
• Altherr 0-2
• Williams 1-1
• Alfaro 1-2

The Mets bats will finish their long day against Zach Eflin who is 8-4 over 16 games and 90.2 innings with a 3.57 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 1.103 WHIP, 117 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed 5 runs off 9 hits in 14.0 innings, a 3.21 ERA. The Mets saw him back on July 9th during the first game of a double header where he allowed 3 runs off 5 hits in 5.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Reyes 3-9, 3 2B
• Conforto 1-7, HR, BB
• Bautista 1-5, BB
• Nimmo 1-5
• Smith 1-5
• Flores 1-3
• Rosario 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets made up for all of their disappointing play against the Orioles last night beating the birds 16-5 in Baltimore. The most surprising part of the score – only three homers (Frazier, Plawecki, Flores) in a homer friendly ballpark, this game was the Mets just pouring on hits including a 4 hit day from Frazier who is has been turning it on in the last couple of days and a 5 hit, 3 run day from Brandon Nimmo. Now the Mets head to Philly to play a double header with the first game being a Facebook only game (how great. so exciting. great idea major league baseball).

Corey Oswalt is 1-2 over 8 games and 7 starts pitching 39.1 innings with a 5.03 ERA, 5.06 FIP, 1.068 WHIP and 75 ERA+. In both August starts he has allowed 3 runs off 6.0 innings while allowing 1 or fewer walks. The Mets have lost both games. Back in July, in the second game of a double header, he faced the Phillies where he held them to 3 runs over 6.0 innings but this was the game that doesn’t make sense from a stat line perspective. The only hit he gave up was a bases loaded, bases clearing double to the pitcher. He was perfect for a while in that game. The Phillies have the following numbers against Oswlat:

• Hernandez 0-3
• Hoskins 0-3
• Santana 0-2, BB
• Williams 0-3
• Alfaro 0-2
• Bour 1-2
• Altherr 0-1, BB
• Nola 1-2, 2B

Oswalt and the Mets will face off against rookie Ranger Suarez who is making his second career start. In his last outing, he got the win after allowing 4 runs off 6 hits and a walk in 5.0 innings while striking out 3. In AA and AAA this year he was 6-3 over 18 games and 106.0 innings with a 2.89 ERA. In 2016 his ERA was 2.81 over 73.2 innings and in 2017 it was 2.27 in 122.2 innings, so this is a trend.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost to the Orioles last night and surprisingly it wasn’t Vargas’s fault. Jason Vargas, who has struggled all season, pitched into the 6th inning allowing 2 runs before the bullpen came in behind him and then allowed a few runs. The Mets bats couldn’t score on Cashner and now face the Orioles best pitcher today in Dylan Bundy.

The Mets turn to Wheeler today who is 7-6 over 22 starts and 134.1 innings with a 3.82 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 1.221 WHIP and 99 ERA+. In Wheeler’s last four starts over 27.0 innings he has a 1.33 ERA and in his last 8 starts and 52.2 innings he has a 2.22 ERA. Earlier this season he shut out the Orioles over 7.0 innings in one of his first strong starts of the season. The Orioles have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Trumbo 1-6
• Villar 1-6
• Davis 1-3
• Jones 1-3
• Mancini 0-2
• Sisco 0-2
• Bundy 0-2

Dylan Bundy is 7-10 over 22 starts and 126.1 innings with a 4.70 ERA, 5.14 FIP, 1.314 WHIP and 90 ERA+. Bundy has allowed a league leading 29 HR’s. He’s coming off a terrible start where he allowed 8 runs over 5.0 innings. In his last 6 starts and 30.1 innings his ERA has ballooned to 7.71. The last six games have raised his season ERA from 3.75 to 4.70. One of his best starts this season was against the Mets where he shut out the Mets over 7.0 innings in a game the Orioles won 1-0. The Mets have the following numbers against Bundy:

• Frazier 0-11, 2 BB
• Bautista 0-8, 3 BB, 6 K
• Conforto 0-2, BB
• Jackson 1-3, 2B
• Nimmo 0-3
• Plawecki 1-3, 2B
• Rosario 0-2
• Wheeler 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!