213 Miles From Shea

Cyclones warming up in Mahoning Valley. Picture taken on 7/11/17.

The Mets and Reds wrap up their series this afternoon with a rubber game. After losing the opener in a huge way, the Mets won in a surprising fashion last night. Rafael Montero, owner of a WHIP above two for a large part early in the season, allowed no runs and one hit through 8.0 innings (and then a couple more hits in the 9th). Now Jacob deGrom looks to finish the job.

Jacob deGrom is 14-7 over 26 games and 172.2 innings with a 3.39 ERA, 3.49 FIP and 1.158 WHIP. After back to back starts where deGrom allowed a total of 10 runs off 19 hits in 13.2 innings, Jacob bounced back against the Nationals holding them to 1 run and 5 hits in 7.2 innings while walking 1 and striking out 10. Very few Reds have seen deGrom in a major league game:

• Gennett 3-10, 2B
• Votto 1-3
• Suarez 1-2
• Lorenzen 0-1

Robert Stephenson takes the mound for the Reds. He is 2-4 over 19 games and 5 starts with 52.2 innings while posting a 5.81 ERA, 5.86 FIP and 1.747 WHIP. He has been a different picture in August though making 3 starts and a relief appearance pitching 18.1 innings with a 1.96 ERA. Opponents are batting .182 against him during that time but getting on base at a .304 clip. He made a start against the Mets last year where he allowed 2 runs over 5.1 innings from 6 hits and 1 walk. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Flores 3-3, 2B
• d’Arnaud 1-2
• Reynolds 1-2, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets opener against the Reds was one to forget as the Mets lost 14-4. The positive note for the Mets would be Dom Smith collecting two hits. On the “needs improvement” side, starting pitcher Flexen allowed 7 runs while Bradford allowed 6 runs, 4 earned in his relief appearance. Also Terry double switched out Rosario even though the point now in the season is not to win but to get time for young bats and arms.

Speaking of getting a chance, Montero will continue his tonight! He is 2-9 on the season over 27 games and 12 starts through 83.0 innings while posting a 5.64 ERA, 4.37 FIP and 1.759 WHIP. His last time out was in relief against the Nationals where he allowed 2 runs over 0.1 innings and 2 hits. Before that in three starts he logged 17.1 innings allowing only 6 runs off 18 hits and 7 walks leading to a 3.12 ERA. The Reds have the following numbers against Montero:

• Cozart 0-1, 2 BB
• Peraza 0-3
• Barnhart 0-1, BB
• Duvall 1-1, HR, BB
• Votto 1-2

Bailey left his start due to pain his right shoulder but he’s going to pitch tonight! He is 4-6 over 12 games and 56.1 innings this season posting a 7.99 ERA, 5.54 FIP and 1.970 WHIP. When he was taken out of his last game early, he was on track to do well allowing no runs and 1 hits over 3.0 innings. If you look at all of his starts, he is either great or terrible, there is only one start of the 12 that is average. The only Mets who have seen him in a game are Cabrera who is 3-9 with 2 walks and Reyes who is 1-5.

Let’s Go Mets!

Today’s Picture of the day is video of Gunnar Kines pitching. The Mets got him from the Frontier League. Video taken on 7/11/17, when he was with Brooklyn and in Mahoning Valley.

Gunner Kines pitching for @BKCyclones. Previously of Schaumburg in the Frontier League (#38) pic.twitter.com/7MHD08ilnG

— 213 Miles From Shea (@213MFS) July 12, 2017

The Mets head to Ohio to start a series with the Reds after splitting a four game set with the Nationals. Almost as important as splitting the doubleheader, the Mets got a day off before this series so they could rest up their pitchers. This is also the last series the Mets play before rosters expand which should take a load off the beleaguered club.

The Mets will send out Chris Flexen who is 3-2 over 6 games and 28.0 innings so far with a 5.79 ERA, 6.91 FIP and 1.929 WHIP. In his last three starts he has tossed 16.1 innings allowing 7 runs off 17 hits and 12 walks. In that perspective, his ERA is much lower at 3.86 but batters are still getting on base against him at a .387 clip. This will be his first game against the Reds in his career and also his first game against a team from the NL Central.

It’s a game of rookies folks! The Reds will be sending out the only slightly more experienced Sal Romano who is 3-5 over 10 games and 52.2 innings with a 4.96 ERA, 4.78 FIP and 1.538 WHIP. After a terrible start to August where he allowed 16 runs, 15 earned, over 19.0 innings, he has flipped a switch and has allowed only 3 runs over 14.0 innings holding batters to 11 hits and 5 walks. Sal was 1-4 over 10 starts in the minors this year pitching 49.1 innings with a 3.47 ERA and 1.338 WHIP. It will be his first start against the Mets in a major league game.

Let’s Go Mets!

Today’s picture of the day is Mets Prospect, Jose Miguel Medina, an outfielder in Brooklyn. This was taken on 7/11/17 in Mahoning Valley.

Ender Chavez is the manager of the Kingsport Mets and younger brother of Mets legend Endy Chavez. In the game I was at in Bristol, you can hear Ender talking to his players the entire game. Great experience. Picture taken 7/7/17.

The Mets bring their future and Sunday baseball playing talents to the national stage tonight as they closeout a 4 game series (really 3 + 1 rainout) with the Nationals. The afternoon game featured plan B, possibly plan C pitchers for both teams and on the National stage, the Mets and the Nationals go with their more “established” pitchers (a possible stretched name for Lugo, but given the state of the Mets rotation it fits).

Seth Lugo returns from a right shoulder impingement and will probably be on some form of an inning or pitch limit (which makes sense). He is 5-3 over 12 games and 11 starts over 68.2 innings with a 4.85 ERA, 4.47 FIP and 1.413 WHIP. Before the shoulder injury was announced he was in the midst of a disastrous run allowing 17 runs, 16 earned over 22.0 innings (6.55 ERA) including 6 homers. Opponents were getting on base at a .340 clip during this time. He also has struggled against the Nationals this year losing both starts allowing 10 runs, 9 earned in 11.2 innings off 17 hits and 4 walks. The Nationals have the following numbers against Seth:

• Murphy 4-10, 2B
• rendon 1-6, BB
• Lind 1-6
• Lobaton 3-4, HR, 2 BB
• Taylor 1-6
• Zimmerman 1-6
• Difo 1-3

The Mets bats draw Tanner Roark who is 10-8 over 25 games and 24 starts with 143.2 innings of work posting a 4.64 ERA, 4.29 FIP and 1.364 WHIP. He has been better than his season numbers and pitching consistently in the month of August allowing 10 runs, 9 earned over 25.0 innings (3.24 ERA). The last time he faced the Mets was back in April wherehe allowed 3 runs off 7 hits and 3 walks in 6.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Lagares 2-14, 2B, BB
• d’Arnaud 1-13, 2 BB
• Flores 2-10, 2B
• Reyes 1-8, 2 BB
• Cabrera 2-8, 2B, BB
• Reynolds 1-2, BB
• Plawecki 1-1

Let’s Go Mets!

The 7 Line’s outing in St. Louis was a blast! Here’s a picture of all the Mets fans. 7/8/16.

The Mets lost to the Nationals yesterday in a clunker. Gsellman allowed 5 runs early and it looked like a lost afternoon for the Amazin’s. Eventually the Mets brought it to 6-4 with two outs and the go-ahead run at the plate in Taijeron, but he grounded out and the bullpen imploded after that. You know what the Mets need after dropping yesterday’s game against the Nationals? TWO SUNDAY GAMES! The Mets have been horrendous on Sundays this year and today they will be faced with the tall task of the two of them.

The Mets will send out “I’m not fun Tommy Milone and my nickname on my jersey is Milone” (unless he has changed this, I’m not sure, I try to avoid Milone news). Milone is 0-3 this year with the Mets over 4 starts and 16.2 innings allowing 21 runs, 19 earned off of 24 hits and 8 walks. His last start out was his first since the end of May and he allowed 6 runs, 5 earned over 4.2 innings from 5 hits and a walk. The Nationals have the following numbers against Tommy:

• Kendrick 10-29, 2B, 2 HR
• De Aza 0-7, BB
• Wieters 0-6, 2 BB
• Lind 0-4
• Rendon 0-4
• Lobaton 1-2, 2B

The Mets bats draw rookie Erick Fedde who will be making his third major league start. He is 0-1 in two starts and 9.1 innings allowing 11 runs from 18 hits and 6 walks. His last start, which was 20 days ago, was better than his major league debut. In his last start he allowed 4 runs over 5.1 (debut was 7 runs over 4.0 innings). In the minors this year he is 4-5 over 90.1 innings between AAA and AA with a good 3.69 ERA and 3.89 RAvg. This will be Erick’s first time facing the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets!