213 Miles From Shea

The Mets couldn’t complete the sweep yesterday as they could could get runners on the bases early, but failed to bring them home. Tonight, they welcome the Marlins to town for a critical wild card and division match-up.

The Mets will be looking at Rafael Montero tonight to make his first start of the 2016 season. In his two outings this year he allowed 3 ER and 5 hits over 2.1 innings but that was back in April. Last year he was exactly average allowing 6 runs, 5 earned over 10.0 innings while striking out 13. He’s been a different pitcher since being sent down to AA this year where he has tossed 8 games and 47.2 innings with a 4-2 record while posting an 1.70 ERA. The last time he faced the Marlins was last year where he allowed 4 runs, 3 earned over 6.1 innings. The Marlins have the following numbers against Rafael:

• Gordon 2-5, 2B
• Ozuna 1-3
• Realmuto 1-4
• Hechavarria 0-2
• Prado 0-2
• Suzuki 1-3, 3B

The Mets will get the tall task of facing Jose Fernandez who is 13-7 over 24 starts and 148.2 innings with a 2.91 ERA.  He’s coming off of a strong start where he allowed no runs over 7.0 innings but in general over his last 5 starts he has allowed 14 ER over 28.0 innings, an ERA of 4.50. Today will be his fourth start against the Mets this year, in his previous three he’s 2-0 over 19.0 innings with a 1.42 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Jose:

• Walker 2-13
• Bruce 2-10
• Cabrera 1-11, 2B
• Loney 3-8
• Granderson 4-9, 2 2B
• Cespedes 2-5
• d’Arnaud 1-5
• De Aza 2-5

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets have now won 6 of their last 7 games and look to sweep the Phillies today in Queens. Yesterday, after falling to the Phillies early, the Mets responded with 4 homers and 12 runs as they stomped the Phillies 12-1. Today is the beginning of an interesting stretch of pitchers for the Mets thanks to the injury bug starting with Robert Gsellman making his major league debut.

If Gsellman sounds familiar, you probably remember him in his major league debut bailing out Niese earlier in the week and he stepped in to pitch 3.2 innings of 2 hit ball while walking 3 and striking out 2 allowing no runs. He picked up his first major league win in the process. Overall this year in the minors he is 4-9 over 20 starts with a 3.99 ERA (2.71 in 11 starts in Binghamton, 5.73 in 9 starts in Vegas).

The Mets bats draw Vince Velasquez in the finale who is 8-6 this season over 22 starts and 119.0 innings with a 4.31 ERA. He’s in a rough stretch right now that has ballooned his ERA from 3.33 to 4.31 in only 3 starts. He’s allowed 19 runs over 16.1 innings over that time. Two of his first three starts of his season were against the Mets. In his first start he shut the Mets down allowing 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9 holding the Mets to no runs over 6.0 innings. He then pitched a complete game shutout against the Padres before coming back to face the Mets where he allowed 5 runs, 2 earned over 4.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Vince:

• Granderson 0-4
• Cabrera 2-5, 2B
• Cespedes 1-5, HR
• Walker 0-5
• d’Arnaud 0-4
• De Aza 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets have now won 4 of their last 5 games after taking the series in St. Louis and the opener last night against Philly. Yesterday Colon returned to form and collected two hits as the offense woke up smacking multiple homers early and a grand slam later on to blast the game open. The rest of the field the Mets are chasing also won, but that’s ok because at this point we just need to win. Anyway, Thor looks to keep it going today against Hellickson.

Noah is 11-7 over 25 games and 24 starts in 148.0 innings of work this year with a 2.61 ERA. He’s coming off of one his strongest starts of the season where he tossed 8.0 innings of 2 hit ball in San Fransisco, in a game the Mets won 2-0. The Texan has already faced the Phillies once this year holding them to 5 hits and a run over 7.0 innings while striking out 8. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Galvis 2-9, 2B, HR
• Herrera 1-9
• Howard 2-7, HR
• Franco 2-6
• Hernandez 1-5
• Rupp 1-6
• Bourjos 0-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Jeremy Hellickson who is 10-7 over 25 starts and 150.0 innings with a 3.60 ERA, easily having his best season since 2012. In his last two starts he has allowed 3 ER over 12.0 innings while striking out 15. Jeremy has already faced the Mets 3 times this year going 1-1 over 16.0 innings allowing 20 hits and 10 ER while striking out 16 batters. The Mets have the following numbers on him:

• Granderson 5-25, 2 2B, HR
• Reyes 8-24, 2B, HR
• Cabrera 5-15, 2B
• De Aza 4-16, 3 2B
• Cespedes 5-12, 2 HR
• K Johnson 1-9
• Walker 6-13, 2B, HR
• Bruce 1-8
• d’Arnaud 1-5, 2B
• Loney 2-5, 2B
• Flores 1-3, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets were able to sneak out of St. Louis last night with a series win in a crucial set with the Cardinals and now they come home to start a series against the Phillies, one they have to win in order to have a shot at the playoffs (any series at this point is a must win at this point).

Bartolo Colon is 11-7 over 26 games and 25 starts with a 3.36 ERA and 144.2 innings. He’s coming off of a good start against the Giants were he allowed 2 ER over 6.1 innings despite allowing 9 hits in a win. He’s 1-1 over 3 starts and 17.2 innings against the Phillies this season with a 2.04 ERA. The Phillies have the following numbers against Bartolo:

• Howard 6-28, 3 HR
• Galvis 5-22, 2B, HR
• Herrera 4-22
• Ruiz 7-21, 2B
• Hernandez 4-15
• Rupp 5-14
• Bourjos 4-13, 2B, 3B
• Franco 0-11
• Paredes 1-5

The Mets bats will get a crack at Adam Morgan who is 1-7 over 16 games, 14 starts and 75.1 innings with an ERA of 6.21. Since returning in mid-August, he’s had a bad start and then a good outing: 2 ER over 3.0 innings and then 1 ER over 6.0 innings. Last year he allowed 5 ER over one start against the Mets in 3.2 innings of work. The Mets have the following numbers against Adam:

• Bruce 1-1, 2B
• Cespedes 0-2
• d’Arnaud 1-2, HR
• Flores 1-2, HR
• Rivera 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets winning streak hit a bump in the road yesterday as deGrom struggled in his second straight start and the Mets offense didn’t make their way to the ballpark. Now the Mets need Seth Lugo to come through tonight to take this crucial series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Lugo is 0-2over 10 games and 1 start over 23.2 innings and a 3.04 ERA. His last outing was his first of his major league career where he allowed 3 ER over 6.2 innings. Not surprisingly he has never faced the Cardinals or anyone on the Cardinals roster in a major league game.

The Mets bats get to face a major foe in Mets lore tonight in Adam Wainwright. Wainwright is 9-7 over 25 games and 151.0 innings with a 4.71 ERA. In his last three starts he is 0-2 over 14.0 innings while allowing 20 hits and 16 earned runs (10.29 ERA). He also faced the Mets at the end of July where he allowed 4 ER over 11 hits and 6.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Wainwright:

• Bruce 12-41, 2 2B, 2 HR
• Loney 16-34, 5 2B, HR
• Granderson 1-12
• Cespedes 3-12, HR
• K Johnson 1-11
• Reyes 0-10
• De Aza 2-8
• d’Arnaud 2-5
• Cabrera 1-4
• Flores 1-3
• Rivera 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets picked up their third win a row yesterday as they started a crucial series with the Cardinals, who hold one of the Wild Card spots. The game started off rough for the Amazins’ with Niese needing to be pulled early, but the Mets kept fighting the whole game and the bullpen was able to pitch 8.2 innings of one run ball. Now the Mets need to keep it going to keep their postseason hopes alive behind Jacob deGrom.

Jacob has a tall task today because not only does he need to keep the line moving, but he also needs to go to deep for the pen. He’s 7-6 over 22 starts and 138.1 innings with a 2.73 ERA. He’s coming off the worst start of his season where he allowed 8 ER and 13 hits over 5.0 innings (coming after 4 starts and 27.2 innings with 2 ER). Last year he held the Cardinals scoreless and to 1 hit with 11 K’s over 8.0 innings. The Cardinals have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Carpenter 1-6
• Peralta 2-6
• Wong 0-5
• Grichuk 0-3
• Molina 1-2
• Garcia 0-2

Carlos Martinez is 11-7 over 23 starts and 144.1 innings with a 3.24 ERA this season. After three less than stellar starts where he allowed 14 runs, 13 earned over 18.0 innings, in his last start he allowed only 1 ER over 7.0 innings. He faced the Mets once this season allowing 2 ER over 5.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bruce 1-15, HR
• Walker 4-16, 3B, 2 HR
• Granderson 2-8
• Cespedes 3-5, 2B, HR
• Reyes 2-6

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets head into St. Louis after splitting a series with the Giants. On Sunday night Syndergaard out dueled Samardzija who was no-hitting the Mets until Granderson hit a double followed by a Cespedes homer which was all the Mets needed to win. Now the Amazin’s start a critical series to gain ground in the wild card race.

Its a crucial series but (most likely) for the health of the arms in the rotation and Steven Matz heading to the DL with arm issues, the Mets are not skipping Jon Niese’s start. Since joining the Mets he has pitched 10.2 innings allowing 12 hits and 11 ER. Niese has not had the greatest track record against the Cardinals this year allowed 14 runs, 13 earned over 16.0 innings while allowing an alarming 24 hits. The Cards have the following numbers against Niese:

• Molina 11-31, 2B, HR
• Peralta 7-20, 2 2B
• Gyorko 6-16, 2 2B, HR
• Carpenter 5-12, 2 2B
• Grichuk 3-12, 2B, 3B, HR
• Moss 4-10, 2B
• Piscotty 4-8, 2B, 3B

The Mets bats will try to get to Jaime Garcia who is 10-8 over 24 starts and 142.1 innings with an ERA of 4.11. He’s coming off of a rough start where he allowed 5 ER over 5.0 innings to Houston, his second bad start in his last four. In his one start against the Mets this year he was average allowing 3 runs, 2 earned over 5.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Garcia:

• Bruce 11-47, 2B, HR
• Reyes 4-17, 2B
• Loney 4-10, 2B
• K Johnson 1-5
• Flores 2-5, 2B
• Walker 1-5, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets finally won a game yesterday! Wooo! The Mets had a good day at the plate yesterday highlighted by Cespedes and De Aza. Yoenis had an RBI Double and two solo homers while De Aza smacked a 3-run shot that separated the Mets away from the Giants and propelled them to the win column. Now Noah Syndergaard looks to continue the trend tonight as he faces off against Jeff Samardzija.

Noah is 10-7 over 24 games and 23 starts and 140.0 innings with 171 strikeouts and a 2.76 ERA. In his last start he allowed 4 runs, 2 earned over 5.2 innings adding to a mediocre August where he has pitched 16.2 innings allowing 11 runs, 9 earned. His start against the Giants earlier this year was also mediocre as he allowed 4 ER over 5.2 innings on a sorta miserable May afternoon weather wise. The Giants have the following numbers against Noah:

• Belt 0-4
• Pagan 0-5
• Posey 3-6
• Crawford 2-5
• Panik 1-3
• Span 0-4
• Bumgarner 0-2

The Mets bats will get a look at Jeff Samardzija tonight who has done a lot of traveling over the last few seasons. In 2014 Jeff was traded mid-season by the Cubs to the Athletics only to go back to Chicago, this time to the White Sox in the off-season. After one year with the Sox he then signed as a free agent with the Giants. He’s 10-8 over 24 starts and 152.2 innings with a 4.24 ERA this year. He faced the Mets back in 2014 where he allowed 7 ER over 3.2 innings, the Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bruce 9-34, 5 2B
• Walker 5-25, 3B, 2 HR
• De Aza 3-17, 2B
• Reyes 4-15, 2B, HR
• Cespedes 4-13, 2 HR
• Loney 2-6, 2B
• Granderson 2-4

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to reverse the slide this afternoon as Bartolo Colon takes the mound against Matt Moore. Bartolo is 10-7 over 25 games and 24 starts over 138.1 innings with a 3.38 ERA. He’s coming off of a rough start where he allowed 5 runs, 2 earned over 9 hits and 4.0 innings after two solid starts in a row where he allowed 2 runs over 13.2 innings. Last year he faced the Giants once allowing 3 runs, 2 earned over 6.0 innings with 10 hits. The Giants have the following numbers against Bartolo:

• Span 2-14
• Pence 6-11, 2B, 2 HR
• Pagan 4-12, 2B
• Crawford 4-9
• Blanco 4-10
• Posey 3-7, 2B
• Belt 2-8, HR
• Panik 2-4

The Mets get a look at Matt Moore this afternoon who was traded at the deadline this year for a package of prospects and Matt Duffy. Moore, the long time Ray, has been exactly average over his three starts with the Giants going 0-2 over 18.0 innings allowing 9 ER. With the Rays this season he was 7-7 over 21 starts and 130.0 innings with a 4.08 ERA. Since he was with the Rays for the vast majority of his career, it is not a surprise that this afternoon with be Matt’s first start against the Mets, however there are quite a few Mets who have seen him before in a game:

• Cabrera 1-8
• De Aza 3-6
• Granderson 0-7, 3 K’s
• Reyes 0-7
• Cespedes 2-6, 3B
• K Johnson 2-5, 2B
• Ruggiano 2-4, 2B, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets dropped the opener with the Giants last night as the pitching duel did not live up to the hype. Jacob deGrom allowed a career high 8 runs while Bumgarner allowed a grand slam to Ruggiano. Anyway, Seth Lugo makes the start for the Mets tonight. In his first 9 major league games he pitched 17.0 innings with a 2.65 ERA. Tonight will be his first major league start. Vegas this year hasn’t been the best to him this year posting a 7.73 ERA over 21 games, 14 starts and 73.1 innings but last year he posted a 4.33 ERA over 5 games and 27.0 innings. This will be his first time facing the Giants and no one on the Giants has faced him in a major league game.

The Mets bats draw Johnny Cueto tonight who is 13-3 over 24 starts and a tie for the league lead in complete games at 4 (2 shutouts) while posting a 2.97 ERA. In his last four starts he’s 0-1 and the team is 1-3 as he has allowed 15 ER and 22 K’s over 24.1 innings of work with a 5.55 ERA. The Mets missed Cueto earlier this season but faced him in the World Series last year where he pitched 9.0 innings allowing 2 hits and 1 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Cueto:

• Walker 9-50 2B, 2 HR
• Granderson 3-15, 2 HR
• Eeyes 4-19, 2B
• Loney 2-15
• d’Arnaud 3-8, 2 2B
• Flores 1-9, 2B
• K Johnson 1-6, HR

Let’s Go Mets!