213 Miles From Shea

The Mets wrap their series with the Dodgers tonight as they will try to avoid the sweep. If you liked homers, then you would have liked yesterday’s game. If you also like the Dodgers: first, why are you reading a game preview on a Mets website, second, you would have been ecstatic with yesterday’s game. The Mets hit three solo homers in the first inning and one in the 9th. Between those four runs, the Dodgers scored a bunch and won the game.

Steven Matz is 2-4 over 10 games and 52.1 innings with a 5.50 ERA, 5.05 FIP and 1.510 WHIP. His last start was a half step in the right direction as he allowed 3 runs off 6 hits and 2 walks over 5.0 innings in Colorado. Earlier this season against the Dodgers he allowed 3 runs off 3 hits and 5 walks over 6.0 innings. The Dodgers have the following numbers against Matz:

• Hernandez 3-12, HR
• Turner 3-11, 2B, HR, BB
• Puig 0-10, BB
• Barnes 0-1, 2 BB
• Bellinger 1-2, 2B, BB
• Forsythe 0-2, BB
• Seager 0-2, BB
• Chris Taylor 0-3, 2 K

The Mets bats draw Hyun-Jin Ryu who is 3-6 over 16 games, 15 starts and 84.2 innings with a 3.83 ERA, 4.59 FIP and 1.370 WHIP. He is coming off his best start of the season where he held the Giants scoreless over 7.0 innings and to 5 hits. He faced the Mets back in June and allowed 2 runs off 5 hits and and 2 walks in 5.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Ryu:

• Walker 1-8
• Bruce 3-8, 2 HR
• R Rivera 0-7
• Flores 2-6
• Granderson 3-5, 2B, HR, BB
• Reyes 1-5
• Cabrera 2-4, 2 2B
• Cespedes 0-2
• d’Arnaud 1-2, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

One of my favorite features of the new Coke sign installed last year in the old Pepsi Porch now Coke Corner is the screen in it! The sign was changed to Mets Pinstripes for the Retirement Ceremony, taken on 7/30/16.

The Mets will try again against the Dodgers since yesterday’s game didn’t go so well. Darvish held the Mets down through 7 innings and the Dodgers offense was just a little much for the Mets to handle. End result: Mets got shut out. Now Seth Lugo will take the mound to see if he can get the Mets back on the right track.

Seth Lugo is 5-3 over 10 games and 9 starts pitching 57.2 innings with a 4.53 ERA, 4.43 FIP and 1.370 WHIP. His last two starts haven’t been great as he allowed 9 runs, 8 earned, over 11.0 innings with 16 hits and no walks. Lugo has never faced the Dodgers before and has never faced a batter on Dodgers while they were with other teams.

The Mets bats will try to get through Rich Hill who is 8-4 over 15 games and 78.0 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 3.71 FIP and 1.179 WHIP. Rich Hill had a filthy July where he went 5-0 in 5 games and 31.0 innings striking out 40 and walking only 5. His ERA at through the month was 1.45 and opponents hit only .171 against him and got on base at a .220 clip. In June he held the Mets to 1 run over 5.0 innings while walking 3 and striking out 8. The Mets have the following numbers against Hill:

• Reyes 3-8
• Granderson 2-5, HR
• Cespedes 0-3, BB
• Bruce 0-1, 2 BB
• d’Arnaud 1-3
• Flores 1-3, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

Piazza invited some familiar Mets faces to his number retirement ceremony at Citi Field. Picture taken on 7/30/16.

The Mets lost another game late to the Rockies yesterday, which is becoming a theme this season with certain pitchers. Anyway, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Mets who are finally back in New York after a 10 game road trip to San Diego, Seattle and Denver. The Mets will be welcomed home by the Dodgers, who have been torching opponents in the last couple of months and the Mets will get Yu Darvish’s debut with the Dodgers.

The Mets will send out Jacob deGrom tonight on Jacob deGrom jersey night. Jacob is 12-4 over 21 games and 139.2 innings with a 3.29 ERA, 3.56 FIP and 1.153 WHIP. In his last 9 games he has gone 8-1 over 67.2 innings with 68 K’s and a 1.73 ERA. Opponents are hitting .185 against him and getting on base at a .228 clip. Although he lost his last start in Seattle (3 runs, only 2 earned), Jacob reached double digit strikeouts for the first time since July 14th. Last year deGrom tossed 14.0 innings allowing 3 hits and 3 walks leading to 3 runs while striking out 11. The Dodgers have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Utley 4-15, 2B, 4 BB
• Turner 5-16, 3 2B
• Pederson 1-12, 2B, 3 BB
• Grandal 2-11, 2B, BB
• Puig 2-11, HR, BB
• Seager 4-12, 2 2B

Yu Darvish starts his dodger career today after being a Ranger since he came to the majors in 2012. The 30-year old is 6-9 over 22 starts and 137.0 innings with a 4.01 ERA, 3.98 FIP and 1.168 WHIP. He is coming off his worst start of the season by far where he allowed 9 hits and 2 walks over 3.2 innings to the Marlins leading to 10 runs. This will be his second time facing the Mets. His first time he allowed 3 runs off 3 hits and a walk while striking out 9 over 7.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Yu:

• Cespedes 3-16, 2B, HR, 3 BB
• Cabrera 5-13, 2 2B, HR
• Reyes 0-11
• Granderson 1-9, 2B, BB
• Bruce 4-6, 2 HR
• d’Arnaud 0-4, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

Piazza coming out to Shea Faithful. It was a great day. Picture taken on 7/30/16.

The Mets have a chance to take the series today against the Rockies. After dropping the first game in a back and forth affair at the end of the game, the Mets won yesterday in a come from behind fashion. The Mets bullpen which has mostly been a garbage fire this season, recorded 6 shutout innings in Coors Field, evidence that anything can happen in baseball. Today Rafael Montero will look to get the job done against German Marquez.

Montero is 1-7 over 21 games and 7 starts with 56.2 innings posting an 5.72 ERA, 4.26 FIP and 1.747 WHIP. He had back to back statistically average starts before his last one in Seattle where he allowed 5 runs over 4.2 innings off 3 hits and 5 walks in a game the Mets came back to win 7-5. Several Rockies have seen Montero before:

• Arenado 0-2, BB
• Blackmon 0-3
• Parra 0-2, BB
• LeMahieu 0-1, BB

The Mets draw German Marquez who is 9-4 over 17 starts and 97.0 innings with a 4.08 ERA, 3.64 FIP and 1.289 WHIP. The youngster (22 years!) has been incredibly consistent in his last two starts allowing 2 runs in each start, 3 hits over 7.0 innings. In the first start he allowed 2 walks and struck out 9, in the last start he walked no one and struck out 10. He has never faced the Mets before or anyone on the Mets roster.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets got the details correct on Piazza induction day. Picture taken on 7/30/16.

The Mets lost the game yesterday in the 9th inning, but really the important game note was Amed Rosario. Rosario made his major league debut last night collecting an infield hit as his fourth AB as his first hit. He also made four consecutive put outs until he tapped his gloved before tossing a first just barely missing the runner (which in recent memory is the most I have seen baseball pundits break down a fairly routine play, but it’s a prospect so it make sense). Anyway, Matz was doing great until he wasn’t in the 6th and after that point the game became a back and forth affair until it was over.

Chris Flexen will make his second start for the Mets tonight as they continue to take a look at the 22 year old arriving straight from Binghamton. In his debut in San Diego, he allowed 5 hits and 4 walks over 3.0 innings leading to 4 runs, 3 earned and his order for game two doesn’t get easier as he draws the stronger Rockies team in Colorado. Before being called up he was 6-1 between Binghamton and St. Lucie this year tossing 10 games and 61.1 innings with a 1.76 ERA and a 0.815 WHIP.

The Mets bats draw Tyler Chatwood who is 6-11 over 20 games and 9 starts with 107.1 innings posting a 4.78 ERA, 5.12 FIP and 1.463 WHIP. He’s also leading the league in walks at 62. He is making his first start since facing the Mets back on July 15th where he allowed 4 hits and 4 runs with 3 walks while recording 1 out. He tossed an inning in relief between these starts where he allowed 1 hit and 2 walks leading to a run in 1.0 innings. In his last 17.0 innings over 5 games he has allowed 20 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Cabrera 2-10, HR, 3 BB
• Bruce 3-7, HR
• Cespedes 1-7, HR
• Conforto 1-4, 3 BB
• Reyes 2-7, 3B
• Granderson 1-5, HR, BB
• Walker 1-5, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

The field was set up spectacularly for Piazza day on 7/30/16.