213 Miles From Shea

The Mets winning streak snapped last night as the Pirates walked-off against the Mets. At some points last night it felt like neither team deserved to win as they left runners on base like children leave vegetables on plates. Anyway Vargas wasn’t great last night for the Mets but the defense behind him made him serviceable and Conforto continued to heat up. Of course the major story of the day was Cabrera being traded to the Phillies.

A story just as big as Cabrera being traded to the Phillies could be the Mets scoring for deGrom tonight. Jacob is 4-4 over 20 games and 131.1 innings with a 1.71 ERA (league leading), 2.28 FIP (league leading), 0.967 WHIP, and 223 ERA+ (league leading). In the month of July he has pitched 24.0 innings over 3 games with a 1.13 ERA. Last year he pitched 8.1 innings against the Pirates allowing 1 run off 6 hits and 1 walk and struck out 10. The Pirates have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Mercer 4-14
• Polanco 3-12, HR
• Harrison 3-12, 5 K
• Marte 1-5, BB
• Bell 0-3, BB
• Frazier 0-4
• Freese 0-4, 4 K
• Cervelli 0-3, K

The Mets bats draw Trevor Williams who is 8-7 over 20 games and 105.0 innings where he has posted a 4.11 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 1.238 WHIP and a 98 ERA+. Hes’s coming off two scoreless back to back starts where he has allowed 8 hits and 5 walks over 11.0 innings. (He preceded this with two of his worst back to back starts allowing 9 runs over 7.0 innings). Last year against the Mets he allowed 1 run over 7.0 innings from 7 hits and 2 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Williams:

• Bautista 0-1, 2 BB
• Mesoraco 1-4, HR
• Conforto 2-3, 2B
• Flores 2-3, 2B
• Reyes 0-1

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets are streaking! Fresh off their first series win since May, the Mets extended their winning streak to three games last night against the Pirates as the beat Pittsburgh 12-6. The real test of their streak comes tonight as Jason Vargas makes his return to the orange and blue. The real story for the Mets last night was how good the players on the trading block performed. Cabrera went 3-5 with 2 runs, 4 RBI’s and a walk. All of his hits were for extra bases (two doubles and a homer). Flores went 2-4, with 2 runs and 3 RBI’s, Bautista went 2-6 with a run, Mesoraco went 1-3 with 2 runs and a walk and Blevins pitched a scoreless inning allowing a walk and nothing else. Trades could happen quite soon for several players on the team so there is a feeling of uncertainty.

Jason Vargas was 2-6 over 9 games and 37.2 innings before straining his calf posting a 8.60 ERA, 6.61 FIP, 1.832 WHIP and 45 ERA+. The last time I could find a start Vargas made against Pittsburgh was in 2015, it was on July 21st and it was his last start of the season where he allowed 1 hit and no runs over 1.1 innings. On pitch #26 that night he tore his UCL. The Pirates have the following numbers against him:

• Rodriguez 3-21, 2B, 2 BB
• Freese 7-13, 2B,2 HR
• Cervelli 1-5
• Ho Kang 0-1
• Marte 1-1, 2B

The Mets bats will get a look at Ivan Nova tonight who is 6-6 over 19 games and 109.1 innings with a 4.28 ERA, 4.57 FIP, 1.262 WHIP and 93 ERA+. In his last three starts he’s been doing a full run better than his season numbers posting a 3.18 ERA over 17.0 innings. He allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings off 5 hits against the Mets at the end of June. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bautista 1-32, 4 2B, HR, 8 BB
• Cabrera 4-11, 2B
• Reyes 3-10, BB
• Mesoraco 1-4, 2B
• Conforto 1-3, HR
• Nimmo 0-3
• Rosario 1-1, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Pirates may have had their winning streak snapped in their last game but they are still red hot as the Mets, winners of a series for the first time since May, come to Pittsburgh. Trade rumors swirling, the Mets roster could be in flux over the next few days as Wheeler, Cabrera and others find themselves scouted by other teams making a late season push.

Steven Matz is 4-8 over 19 games and 101.0 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 1.287 WHIP and 104 ERA+. He’s coming off a rough start against the Yankees where he allowed 5 runs on 9 hits and a walk over 5.0 innings after a streak of four starts where he posted a 2.52 ERA in 25.0 innings. That streak includes a start against the Pirates where he allowed 3 runs from 6 hits in 7.0 innings of work. The Pirates have the following numbers against him:

• Freese 2-6
• Harrison 3-6, 3B
• Marte 0-6
• Mercer 1-5, BB
• Polanco 2-5, HR
• Cervelli 0-2, BB

Nick Kingham gets the start for the Pirates tonight. The rookie is 5-4 over 10 games and 57.0 innings with a 4.11 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 1.105 WHIP and a 97 ERA+. Across AA and AAA this season he is 4-2 over 10 games and 54.1 innings with a 2.65 ERA (so he has a similar amount of work in the majors and minors this season to make comparisons on). In his last three starts he has posted a 2.89 ERA over 18.2 innings. This will be Nick’s first start against the Mets in his career.

Let’s Go Mets!

In another universe, Noah Syndergaard is pitching today. Maybe in that universe the Mets are in a pennant race, Jacob deGrom is getting run support and I’m not going to WebMD every day to read about what ancient ailment is crushing the Mets today.

But we live in this universe where Syndergaard is on the DL with hand, foot and mouth disease so Corey Oswalt is back. I was quite unhappy when the Mets sent down Oswalt last week to get ready for Vargas, so I’m glad he’s back. Before we jump into his numbers it’s important to note that every time Oswalt has struggled it has been when his pitching schedule was disrupted which has been often. He is 0-2 over 5 games and 4 starts in 22.1 innings with a 5.64 ERA, 5.08 FIP, 0.985 WHIP and 69 ERA+. His WHIP is what is giving me hope. His FIP and WHIP are quite separated and it is unclear right now which one is telling his story (my gut tells me this is because he was near perfect in his last start until he allowed a 3 run double from 3 walks to a pitcher).

The Mets will face Clayton Richard who is 7-9 over 21 starts and 127.0 innings posting a 4.82 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 1.346 WHIP and 82 ERA+. He is also leading the league in hits (120) and earned runs (68). He is coming off his worst start of the season where he allowed 7 runs over 3.0 innings and in his last 5 starts he is 1-4 over 27.0 innings with a 7.00 ERA. At the end of April he faced the Padres allowing 3 runs over 6.2 innings from 6 hits and 3 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Richard:

• Reyes4-18, HR, 3 BB
• Cabrera 8-16, 5 2B
• Flores 2-8, 2 HR, BB
• Conforto 1-7, 2B, BB, 5 K
• Mesoraco 1-6
• Bautista 1-6, HR
• Rosario 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!

Last night was another frustrating night for the Mets as they got another great start from Jacob deGrom but the offense fell flat and one error in the outfield led to what became the deciding run. For positives, since the season has basically became Spring Training: Amed Rosario looked good. He dropped a perfect bunt, got a stolen base which changed the defensive alignment of the Padres. Flores hit the ball right up the midfield and brought him in. Next frame, Rosario made an amazing defensive play. Lets see if he can build off that tonight.

Wheeler will get the start tonight in what is starting to look like audition for other teams. He is 3-6 over 18 games and 107.1 innings with a 4.44 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 1.342 WHIP and 86 ERA+. In his last start against the Nationals he allowed 4 runs but he also pitched 7.2 innings. In his last four starts he has allowed 9 runs over 25.2 innings where he has posted a 3.16 ERA. Earlier this season he allowed 2 runs over 5.0 innings against the Padres. The Padres have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Galvis 2-8
• Hosmer 2-5, BB
• Ellis 1-4
• Margot 1-3
• Villanueva 0-2, BB

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Eric Lauer who is 5-6 over 16 games and 77.2 innings with a 4.87 ERA, 4.59 FIP, 1.674 WHIP and 82 ERA+. Lauer was supposed to start last night but got pushed back a day. He is coming off a rough start against the Cubs where he allowed 5 runs over 2.0 innings. Before that he had an impressive streak where he went 2-1 over 30.2 innings in 5 games with a 1.76 ERA with only one terrible start (before that streak his ERA was 6.20). This will be his first game against the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets!

Hopefully the Mets stayed dry last night as last night’s rubber game against the Yankees was washed out. Being cold and damp is a great way to spread colds to each other. Speaking of viruses, in another edition of “How More Mets Can This Mets Team Get?” Noah Syndergaard landed on the DL yesterday with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, and incredibly painful ailment. We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery.

Jacob deGrom will take the mound tonight to help us all forget about Syndergaard’s Syndrome, Reyes’ increase in playing time, the Familia Trade, Cespedes’ heels and general roster woes. Jacob is 5-4 over 19 games and 123.1 innings with a 1.68 ERA (league leading), 2.33 FIP (league leading), 230 ERA+ (league leading) and 0.973 WHIP. In the month of July he has allowed 1 run over 16.0 innings from 9 hits, 2 walks and 15 K’s. In San Diego in April, he allowed no runs off 5 hits and 3 walks in 7.1 innings of work. The Padres have the following numbers against him:

• Galvis 10-28, 7 K
• Myers 2-13, HR, BB, 6 K
• Ellis 1-6, 2 BB, 3 K
• Pirela 2-6, 2B, BB
• Hosmer 2-5, BB
• Renfroe 1-3, HR

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Eric Lauer who is 5-6 over 16 games and 77.2 innings with a 4.87 ERA, 4.59 FIP, 1.674 WHIP and 82 ERA+. He is coming off a rough start against the Cubs where he allowed 5 runs over 2.0 innings. Before that he had an impressive streak where he went 2-1 over 30.2 innings in 5 games with a 1.76 ERA with only one terrible start (before that streak his ERA was 6.20). This will be his first game against the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets!
In case you were wondering how 8 pitchers the Mets acquired during the 2017 Trade Deadline are doing (Smith, Ramos, Nogosek, Bautista, Callahan, Ryan, Hanhold, & Rhame) click here.

The Mets traded for 8 pitchers over 6 trades last year before and after the 2017 Trade Deadline. Five trades were to move pieces for prospects, one trade was to bring AJ Ramos this season (womp womp). So how are the new pitchers doing?

Trade 1: Drew Smith (For Lucas Duda)
Drew Smith is back in the majors right now. So far this season he allowed 1 run over 3.0 innings from 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2. His three games were between 6/23-6/29 and was recalled this past week. Across Binghamton and Vegas this season he has recorded a 2.68 ERA over 25 games and 37.0 innings with a 1.108 WHIP (right around his minors average), 8.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. He’s major league ready for 2019, which is good because the bullpen just doesn’t exist next year.

Trade 2: AJ Ramos (For Ricardo Cespedes / Merandy Gonzalez)
If the Mets were going to make a run in 2018, it was going to be with the bullpen of Blevins, Familia and Ramos. Oops. Ramos is out for the season recovering from shoulder surgery and he didn’t deliver while he was here. Before being traded in 2017 he had a 3.63 ERA over 39.2 innings. In 19.0 innings with the Mets he posted a 4.74 ERA. Then this year he posted a 6.41 ERA over 19.2 innings. Not good. Not good at all.

Trade 3: Stephen Nogosek, Gerson Bautista, & Jamie Callahan (Addison Reed)
Addison read was the big trade chip the Mets has last season and they received three players in return.
Stephen Nogosek  with the St. Lucie Mets posting a 3.06 ERA, 3.34 RAvg over 23 games in 32.1 innings. This was a radical improvement from his time with the St Lucie last year where he posted a 5.06 ERA over 16.0 innings. Since being called up to Binghamton, where he is 1.4 years below the average age, he has posted a 14.14 ERA in 7.0 innings. He will probably return to Binghamton next year. Barring a crazy jump in performance, probably a 2020, 2021 arrival in Queens.
Gerson Bautista is a flame thrower. Unfortunately in his short call up to Queens this year he was all over the place allowing 6 runs from 8 hits and 5 walks in 4.1 innings leading to a 12.46 ERA.  He hasn’t performed much better between Vegas and Binghamton this year posting a 5.18 ERA over 24.1 innings in Vegas and a 4.82 ERA over 9.1 innings with the Rumble Ponies. His career numbers, for comparison, are a 2.98 ERA over 241.2 innings. It’s hard to say no an arm like Bautista and hopefully over the course of the next year he can find the strike zone again.
Jamie Callahan was the most major ready player at the time of the trade. He’s currently injured. Last year he posted a 4.05 ERA over 6.2 innings during his late season call up with the Mets. Before getting hurt, he allowed 10 runs, 9 earned over 8.1 innings in hitter friendly Las Vegas. Last year he was dominant in Vegas with a 1.80 ERA in 10.0 innings. Once he’s healthy he won’t be too far away from Queens, once again with the amount of players who won’t be Mets in the bullpen at the end of the season.

Trade 4: Ryder Ryan (Jay Bruce)
23 year old Ryder Ryan is one of the pitchers to watch in this group of 8. He has pitched across two leagues this year with St. Lucie and then Binghamton. With St. Lucie he posted a 1.77 ERA over 20.1 innings. Then with the Rumble Ponies, he has posted a 2.25 ERA over 20.0 innings. Combined this season he has a 1.017 WHIP and 9.8 K/9. Before coming to the Mets he had a 3.86 ERA and 4.79 ERA in two seasons with the Indians so he has come into his own in the Mets organization. If he keeps this up he is looking at a 2019 arrival in Queens.

Trade 5: Eric Hanhold (Neil Walker)
Similar to Ryder Ryan making major steps forwards in the Mets organization, so did Eric Hanhold. His career ERA is a 4.93 over 235.2 innings. In Binghamton he posted a 2.84 ERA over 25.1 innings with a 1.184 WHIP. This earned him a call up to Vegas where although he allowed 9 runs over 9.0 innings, he did post a 11.0 K/9 (11.4 K/9 in Binghamton, 7.3 K/9). He is also injured now thus derailing his journey to Queens.

Trade 6: Jacob Rhame (Curtis Granderson)
Rhame may be the most well known name on this list since he has played with the Mets in 2017 and this season. Overall he has a 6.93 ERA in 24.2 innings, doing a bit a better this year with a 5.74 ERA over 15.2 innings. He was one of the better pitchers for the Mets in Vegas this year posting a 3.76 ERA over 26.1 innings. The question for Rhame: can he make the next step with Mets in the long term?

The Mets will try to distract the world from the embarrassing weekend they have had so far by playing the rubber game against the Yankees last night. Things for the Mets started to go downhill after they won Friday’s game. Cespedes revealed to reporters that he needs a surgery with 8-10 months recovery time. The next day, the Mets front office and management were all on different pages with regards to the Cespedes injury. No one wanted to talk about the Syndergaard early exit outside of him having a dead arm. His early exit caused Lugo and Gsellman to both be unavailable which combined with the not yet final Familia trade left the Mets short handed. (We won’t even get into the details of the trade).

The game went all right until the 4th inning that put den Dekker all over the field booting balls on difficult catches and leading to a massive Yankee lead. It looked like the Yankees were going to steamroll the Mets with a score of 7-3 but the Mets were able to make 7-6 in the ninth leaving the tying run on third base.

With all of this craziness, it is nice to get back to sense and sensibility with Jacob deGrom. Jacob is 5-4 over 19 games and 123.1 innings with a 1.68 ERA (league leading), 2.33 FIP (league leading), 230 ERA+ (league leading) and 0.973 WHIP. In the month of July he has allowed 1 run over 16.0 innings from 9 hits, 2 walks and 15 K’s. In June he allowed 3 runs, 2 earned over 8.0 innings from 4 hits and 2 walks against the Yankees who have the following numbers against him:

• Stanton 9-25, 2B, 4 HR, 3 BB
• Gardner 4-14, HR, 2 BB
• Gregorius 2-12
• Hicks 2-8
• Judge 1-5, 2B, 2 BB
• Sanchez 2-6
• Walker 2-6
• Tanaka 0-4
• Andujar 0-3
• Bird 0-3

Masahiro Tanaka is 7-2 over 15 games and 83.1 innings with a 4.54 ERA, 4.91 FIP, 1.128 WHIP and 95 ERA+. Since coming off the DL in July he has allowed 5 runs in 10.2 innings from 12 hits and 3 walks. He pitched well against the Mets in June allowed 1 run over 5.0 innings from a homer but left the game due to an injury from running the bases. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bautista 10-39, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 11 K
• Cabrera 0-10, 5 K
• Reyes 3-7, HR, BB
• Conforto 1-7, 2B
• Flroes 1-5
• deGrom 2-4
• Mesoraco 1-3
• Nimmo 1-2, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday was an odd day for the orange and blue. Cespedes returned from the DL and hit a big homer and Conforto had 3 RBIs as the Mets avoided giving up a once 6-1 lead and beat the Yankees 7-5. We knew something else was up though when during the 9th inning, Familia wasn’t warming up. During the game the Mets moved close to a deal to trade their long time closer. Also after the game Cespedes revealed that he may need a surgery with an 8-10 month recovery time. Layered with Syndergaard’s velocity drop and early exit, it was a whirlwind, not exactly happy feeling, Mets win in the Bronx.

Steven Matz gets the start for the Mets today. He is 4-7 over 18 games and 96.0 innings with a 3.38 ERA, 4.81 FIP, 1.250 WHIP and 114 ERA+. In three starts in July he has tossed 18.0 innings with a 2.00 ERA from 16 hits, 4 walks while striking out 15. When he faced the Yankees in June he allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings from 5 hits and 4 walks. The Yankees have the following numbers against him:

• Stanton 4-12, 2 HR, 2 BB
• Gregorius 5-10, 2B, BB
• Hicks 1-6, 2B, 2 BB
• Sanchez 1-6, 2B
• Garnder 2-5, 2B, BB
• Judge 0-5
• Austin 2-5
• Andujar 1-3, HR
• Bird 1-3
• Drury 2-3, HR

The Mets bats will get a look at Sonny Gray who is 6-7 over 18 games and 90.2 innings with a 5.46 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 1.511 WHIP and 79 ERA+. He is coming off a good start where he shut out the Orioles over 6.0 innings allowing 3 hits and walk while striking out 8. Prior to that in three starts he totaled 11.0 innings posting a 12.27 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Gray:

• Bautista 6-20, 2B, HR, BB
• Cabrera 2-11, HR, 2 BB
• Reyes 1-10, 2 K
• Cespedes 3-6
• Conforto 1-2, BB
• Flores 0-2, BB
• Rosario 0-2, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets return from a long All-Star break to a trip to the Bronx tonight as they start away portion of the Subway Series. The Mets are now in a full pivot towards trading away pieces as over the course of the next two weeks Familia, Cabrera and others are expected to be traded. The question hanging over the Mets in this series particularly is, “Will they trade deGrom? Will he go to the Yankees?”.

With all the noise around the team, there’s a baseball game tonight two featuring start #2 for Syndergaard since returning from the DL. He is 5-1 over 12 games and 69.2 innings on the season with a 2.97 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 1.220 WHIP and 129 ERA+. In his first start back he allowed only 1 run over 5.0 innings to the Nationals from 7 hits and 2 walks. Noah hasn’t faced the Yankees since September 2015 where he allowed 5 runs over 6.0 innings. The Yankees have the following numbers against him:

• Stanton 0-11, BB, 6 K
• Bird 1-3, 2B
• Cole 0-3
• Frury 0-2, BB
• Gardner 1-3
• Walker 0-3
• Gregorius 0-2

The Mets bats draw Domingo German who is 2-5 over 18 games and 12 starts in 78.2 innings with a 5.49 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 1.297 WHIP and 78 ERA+. His last start right before the break was a bad one where he allowed 6 runs over 4.0 innings. Since May 12th he has posted a 6.48 ERA, he has moments of dominance and bouts of terrible performance, the latter winning out in frequency. He had an average start against the Mets on June 9th where he allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings from 5 hits and no walks while striking out 9. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Bruce 0-3
• Cabrera 1-3, HR
• Conforto 0-3
• Frazier 1-3, HR
• Nimmo 1-2, 3B
• Rosario 1-2
• Plawecki 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!