213 Miles From Shea

Neil Walker and Cabrera running to the field on 4/11/17 at Citzens Bank Park.

Cespedes runs to the outfield in Philly on 4/11/17. This was the night he smacked three homers at CBP.

The Mets go for the sweep of the Rockies this afternoon behind Steven Matz. Last night the Mets got off to a quick start again putting up 7 runs in the first two innings including a 3-run homer from Bruce. They would later stretch their lead thanks to solo homers from Lugo and Reyes. Also for the second straight night the Mets got good starting pitching and efficient bullpen work.

Matz is 2-2 over 6 games and 38.1 innings with a 3.05 ERA, 5.10 FIP and 1.122 WHIP. After back to back starts shutting out opponents for 7.0 innings each, Matz’s last start was the roughest of the season allowing 5 ER over 4.1 innings against the Cards before the All-Star break. Last year he held the Rockies to 2 runs over 6.0 innings despite allowing 10 hits with a walk. The Rockies have the following numbers against Matz:

• Blackmon 3-4, 2B
• Arenado 0-3
• Gonzalez 1-3, 2B
• LeMahieu 1-2
• Reynolds 1-3, 2B
• Story 1-3

Jeff Hoffman gets start for the Rockies. He’s 5-1 over 10 games, 9 starts and 56.1 innings posting a 4.15 ERA, 3.48 FIP and 1.154 WHIP. July has been pretty average from Jeff as he allowed 7 runs over 14.0 innings in his last two starts. Before that, he allowed 1 run in 5 of 8 starts and only had bad start in that stretch. Hoffman has never faced the Mets nor has he faced any Mets players when they were with other teams.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets started the second half off on a strong start firing on all cylinders. On the rubber, Jacob deGrom dominated the game throughout 8 innings, dicing the potent lineup of the Rockies. At the plate the Mets notched 19 hits and scored 14 runs including a 6 run 3rd inning. Hopefully, the Mets can keep this up tonight as Seth Lugo takes the mound.

Seth Lugo is 3-2 over 6 games, 5 starts he has pitched 33.1 innings with a 4.59 ERA, 4.41 FIP and 1.470 WHIP. His last start on the 4th was one to forget as he allowed 6 runs off 10 hits and 2 walks against the Nationals over 5.0 innings. His last outing though was on the last day of first half where he pitched 3.0 innings, 2 hits and a walk allowing 1 run.  Last year he came into relief against the Rockies allowing 2 runs over a hit and a walk over 3.0 innings. The Rockies have the following numbers against Seth Lugo:

• Reynolds 0-2
• Blackmon 1-1, 2B
• Gonzalez 0-1
• LeMahieu 0-0, BB

The Mets bats will try to keep the hitting going against Tyler Chatwood who is 6-10 with 106.0 innings with a 4.42 ERA, 4.89 FIP, and a 1.415 WHIP. In his last three starts before the All-Star break he recorded three consecutive losses allowing 13 runs, 11 earned, over 15.2 innings. His last start was the best of the three where he allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings. Before that though, Chatwood was on fire allowing 5 runs over 26.0 innings. In two starts against the Mets last year he allowed 4 runs over 14.0 innings, winning both. The Mets have the following numbers against Tyler:

• Cabrera 2-10, HR, 2 BB
• Reyes 2-7, 3B
• Bruce 2-6
• Cespedes 1-6, HR
• Conforto 1-4, 2 BB
• Granderson 1-5, HR, BB
• Duda 0-4

Let’s Go Mets!

The last of our pictures from Columbia, South Carolina. Grounds crew watering the field on 4/12/17.

The Mets will kick off the second half of their season with the Rockies at home. One of the lowest points of last season was the end of July home series with the Rockies, who won 3 of the 4 games. It would be the next week that the 2016 Mets started their run at the Wild Card. Can the Mets do it this year? Do the Mets start to break the team apart this week?

Rather than jumping into those questions, lets look at tonight’s game featuring Jacob deGrom. Jacob is 9-3 over 17 games and 111.0 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.216 WHIP. He is coming off his first rough start in a while where he allowed 4 runs off 8 hits and no walks against the Cardinals, a game he still won. In the previous four starts he allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, over 32.0 innings. He had an average start against the Rockies in May of 2016, allowing 3 runs over 4 hits and 3 walks in 6.1 innings. Then in July he had a tremendous start allowing no runs on 5 hits and a walk over 7.0 innings in a game where the Mets lost 2-1. The Rockies have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Arenado 1-12, 2B
• Blackmon 0-11, BB
• LeMahieu 2-11, 2B, BB
• Parra 1-12, HR
• Reynolds 0-12, K
• Gonzalez 3-7, 2B, HR, 2 BB
• Story 1-6
• Wolters 1-3

The Mets will get a look at Jon Gray who is making his third start since returning from injury. Last year he was 10-10 over 29 starts and 168.0 innings with a 4.61 ERA, 3.60 FIP and 1.262 WHIP. This year he is 2-0 over 5 starts and 24.0 innings with a 3.75 ERA, 3.36 FIP and 1.458 WHIP. In his two starts since returning he has tossed 11.2 innings allowing 5 runs, 4 earned over 15 hits and 2 walks. He faced the Mets in May of last year where he allowed 2 runs over 7.0 innings with 5 hits and a walk. The Mets have the following numbers against Gray:

• Granderson 2-9, 2B
• Cespedes 2-8, 2B, HR
• Duda 2-8
• Conforto 0-5, BB
• Bruce 2-3, 2B, HR
• Cabrera 1-2
• d’Arnaud 1-3, HR
• Flores 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

Back on the 9th we showed you the first picture from the Bobblehead Hall of Fame taken on 4/13/17. Here’s #2.

As you probably have seen over multiple photos this week, the Mets have a beautiful affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina. Here is a view from the outfield taken on 4/12/17.

If you love how minor league baseball teams weave theme into everything they do, you will the Mets affiliate, the Columbia Fireflies. This is their team store. Picture taken on 4/12/17.

Billy Wagner threw the first pitch in Columbia, SC, the home of the Mets low A (now just called A) affiliate, the Fireflies on 4/12/17!