213 Miles From Shea

Both games yesterday were quite Mets for different reasons. In the first game, Matt Harvey struggled in his return from the DL allowing 7 runs over 2.0 innings. Not helping matters – Millone allowed 3 runs over 2.2 innings immediately after him. Normally that wouldn’t be a big deal but the Mets offense went off thanks a flurry of homers and the Mets ended up losing 12-8. In the second game, things were going great for Lugo until the 6th and then he just fell apart allowing 4 runs and that’s all the Astros needed. Making the game even more “Mets”, Flores got injured in a freak accident fouling a ball off his face. 2017 has been a career season for him and all of us here wish him a speedy recovery.

So Chris Flexen goes out to the mound today. He is 3-3 over 7 games and 32.2 innings with a 6.89 ERA, 6.90 FIP and 1.990 WHIP and hats off to the FIP/WHIP stats here for supporting the old school ERA stat well. He is coming off his worst start of the season allowing 7 runs over 4.2 innings against the Reds. Before that he was on a better run allowing 2 runs in two of his last three starts.

The Mets bats draw Mike Fiers who is 8-9 over 26 starts and 144.1 innings with a 4.55 ERA, 5.42 FIP and 1.351 WHIP. He is leading the league in hit batters at 12 as well. This is relevant because in last night’s game there was a little tit-for-tat between the two teams. If he hits someone today, hopefully the Mets realize that its probably not because of a retaliation campaign but more this is what Fiers does. He is also coming off his worst start of the season where he allowed 8 runs over 4.0 innings against Texas. A few Mets have seen Fiers before:

• Aoki 6-14, 2 2B, HR, BB
• Reyes 3-8, BB
• Flores 1-2, BB
• Lagares 0-3
• Milone 0-2 (If Milone takes an AB in an American League Park then this is the most bizarre Mets season in history)
• Plawecki 1-1

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Astros play game two of their three game set tonight with Seth Lugo making a start only a few hours drive from his hometown in Louisiana. With it being September the rosters expanded in major league baseball thus starting an important month for the Mets as they look to try out players for next years squad. Two pitchers from trades the Mets made have already arrived and with minor leagues starting to wrap up their seasons, expect more players on the 40 man to make their way to the major league club.

Seth Lugo continues to be a question for next year. Do the Mets make him a starter? Does he return to the bullpen? On the season heis 5-3 over 13 games and 12 starts over 72.1 innings with a 4.85 ERA, 4.26 FIP and 1.396 WHIP. While his ERA and WHIP are both much higher than last year, his FIP is now lower. His last start was his first time back since August 11th and he wasn’t allowed to go too deep in his pitch count. That led to a 3.2 inning outing where he allowed 4 hits and walked no one with 2 runs against the Nationals. The only player on the Astros roster who has seen him is Centeno who is 0-2 with 2 walks.

The Mets will get a look at Brad Peacock who is 10-2 over 29 games and 16 starts with 104.0 innings this year. He has posted a 3.12 ERA, 2.69 FIP and 1.269 WHIP. Brad’s first start in August was terrible where he allowed 7 runs over 6.0 innings. Since then he has allowed 7 earned runs, 9 total over 22.1 innings in 4 starts leading to an ERA of 2.82. Only two players on the current Mets roster have seen Brad in a major league game. Reyes is 1-6 with a strikeout while Flores is 0-2 with a walk and a pair of strikeouts.

Let’s Go Mets!

Another picture of The 7 Line in attendance against the Cards! Picture taken 7/8/17.

The Mets and Astros play the first games in Houston since Hurricane Harvey and the terrible damage it has done to southeast Texas. Our hearts go out to the victims of the storm and if you have the means, please consider helping out in the recovery effort. Many of our readers here experienced Sandy first hand and know how long the recovery process is (and continues to be). Houston has a long road ahead and we can help out.

Sports often play an important role in times of need and the Mets will now be apart of it. If you haven’t heard yet, the teams will play a double header today followed by the series closeout tomorrow.

The Mets will send out Matt Harvey this afternoon who is trying to get his season back together thanks to the nexus of ineffectiveness/inconsistency and injury. Before landing on the DL with a scapula bone / shoulder injury, he was 4-3 over 13 starts and 70.1 innings with a 5.25 ERA, 6.17 FIP and 1.450 WHIP. He has tossed 4 games in rehab pitching 11.2 innings allowing 8 runs, 6 earned. Several Astros have seen Harvey while with other clubs:

• McCann 0-5, BB
• Beltran 1-5
• Marisnick 0-2

The Mets bats will try to get something positive going against Charlie Morton today. Morton, the long time Pirate who spent last year with Philly is in his first season with the Astros. He is 10-6 over 20 games and 118.1 innings with a 3.88 ERA, 3.65 FIP and 1.217 WHIP. August was an average month for Mortion who went 1-2 over 30.0 innings while allowing 16 runs (14 earned, 4.20 ERA) with 26 hits and 10 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Morton:

• Reyes 2-10
• Lagares 1-4
• d’Arnaud 0-3
• Cabrera 1-1, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

This start wasn’t good for the Mets or Matz, but hey, baseball is baseball. Picture taken on 7/9/17.

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!