213 Miles From Shea

The Mets look to split the series with the Diamondbacks this afternoon as the Mets and Diamondbacks play an early afternoon game in Queens. Last night was a night for the young members of the team as Rosario, Dom Smith and Flexen carried the Mets to victory. While the jury is still out on the projection and role for Flexen in the future, Smith and Rosario flashed what has been long hoped by Mets fans. Lets’s hope they keep it going.

Speaking of prospects rising to their projections or falling, the Mets send out Rafael Montero tonight who has been interesting to watch as of late. He is 2-8 over 77.1 innings and 25 games with 11 starts. He has a 5.47 ERA, 4.48 FIP and 1.733 WHIP. In his last two starts he has allowed 3 runs over 12.0 innings with 11 its and 5 walks while striking out 11. That is also a WHIP of 1.333 which is much lower (albeit a small sample size) than his season struggles. The last time he faced the Diamondbacks he allowed a walk off homer without recording an out in the 11th inning. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against him:

• Goldschmidt 1-3, K
• Pollock 0-2, 2 K
• Herrman 1-1, HR

Robbie Ray is returning from the 10-Day DL for a concussion. On the season his 9-5 over 20 starts and 118.2 innings with a 3.11 ERA, 3.88 FIP and 1.230 WHIP. The last time he pitched was in July where he started off with two good starts and struggled against the Nationals. He was hit with a line drive in the 2nd inning against the Cardinals at the end of July. The last time he faced the Mets was back in 2015 where he allowed 6 hits over 5.0 innings with a walk and no runs. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Flores 2-8, K
• d’Arnaud 2-4, K
• Lagares 1-2
• Plawecki 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost again last night as their downward spiral continues, but in what has also become a theme, they did rally late. The Mets were losing 7-1 going into the 9th largely due to a poor start from Tommy Milone but the Amazin’s were able to scrap together 3 runs thanks in large part to a double by Smith and a triple by Rosario. The Mets will look to get back in the win column tonight behind Chris Flexen.

Chris Flexen is already making his 6th start of the season. Where has the time gone? I’m not really sure, I’ve lost all sense of time since mid-July, thank you Mets. Anyway he is 2-2 over 5 games and 22.0 innings with a 6.55 ERA, 7.27 FIP and 2.000 WHIP. In his last two starts however he has tossed 10.1 innings allowing 5 runs off 11 hits and 8 walks leading to an ERA of 4.35, which is trending in the right direction (however the OBP against him is still .396, so not good).

The Mets bats will get a look at Zack Godley who is 5-6 over 18 starts and 112.0 innings with a 3.13 ERA, 3.27 FIP and 1.089 WHIP. His FIP is a full run lower than his previous best and his WHIP is nearly .200 points lower than his previous season best. That being said, he’s coming off a rougher start where he allowed 4 runs off 9 hits and 2 walks in 5.1 innings, but still struck out 10. When he faced the Mets in May he held the Mets to 1 run and 1 hit (with 5 walks) in 6.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Conforto 0-3
• d’Arnaud 0-3
• Flores 0-1
• Reynolds 0-1

Lets Go Mets!

Today’s picture of the day is Matt Winaker, infielder drafted out of Stanford in round 5 by the Mets this year taking an at bat as a Cyclone in Mahoning Valley. Picture from 7/11/17

The Mets dropped another game last night, this time to the Diamondbacks. Gsellman gave the Mets a fine start but the bats couldn’t get much done so the game went into extras where the bullpen gave in two runs (worth noting that the Mets bullpen has been excellent of late). Conforto hit his 27th homer of the season in the bottom half of the frame but it wasn’t enough as the Mets fell 3-2. Tonight Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks as Tommy Milone fills in for Steven Matz.

Tommy Milone returns the field in a Mets uniform. Previously he was 0-2 as a Met over 3 starts and 12.0 innings with a 10.50 ERA, 8.30 FIP and 2.167 WHIP. That’s a result of 19 hits and 7 walks leading to 15 runs, 14 earned. Before coming back with the Mets he went to Binghamton where he tossed 20.0 innings over 4 games with a 4.95 ERA. One of his three starts with the Mets was against the Diamondbacks where he allowed 5 runs off 6 hits and 3 walks in 5.2 innings of work. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against Milone:

• Iannetta 5-14, 5 BB (.550 OBP)
• Martinez 5-16, 2B, HR, BB
• Mathis 3-10, 2B, BB
• Blanco2-5, BB
• Goldschmidt 2-5, HR, BB
• Marte 0-5
• Descalso 0-2, BB
• Drury 1-3, 2B

Patrick Corbin is 10-11 over 25 starts and 144.0 innings with a 4.25 ERA, 4.07 FIP and a 1.472 WHIP. Corbin has been on a tear in his last two starts allowing no runs and 9 hits with 2 walks in 15.1 innings including 8.2 shutout innings in his last start. He did face the Mets back in May where he allowed 4 runs off 9 hits and and a walk in 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Patrick:

• Lagares 2-12, 2B, HR
• Flores 3-9
• Plawecki 0-5
• Conforto 1-3, HR
• Reynolds 1-2, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

Granderson is one of my favorite players so I try to take at least one picture of him every game I go to. Here’s Grandy vs the Cards on 7/8/17.

The Mets had a forgettable weekend against the Marlins after a forgettable week against the Yankees and look to the Diamondbacks tonight. Yesterday things were going ok until the 7th inning where the floodgates opened and the Marlins were able to take a 6-1 lead that the Mets just couldn’t overcome.

Robert Gsellman gets the start for the Mets. He is 5-5 over 18 games and 15 starts in 81.1 innings with a 5.98 ERA, 5.18 FIP and 1.598 WHIP. His last start against the Yankees wasn’t terrible as he allowed 3 runs, 2 earned over 5.1 innings off 4 hits and 3 walks. It was his best start since June 10th. Back on May 17th he faced the Diamondbacks allowing 1 run off 1 hit and a walk in one inning of relief (blown save). The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against him:

• Drury 0-1
• Goldschmidt 0-0, BB
• Lamb 0-1

The Mets get a look at Taijuan Walker who came over from the Mariners in a 5 person trade back in November. Walker is 6-7 over 20 games and 115.0 innings with a 3.83 ERA, 4.21 ERA and 1.313 WHIP. He is 0-3 in his four starts and 21.2 innings allowing 24 hits and 8 walks leading to 16 runs, 13 earned (5.40 ERA). Walker hasn’t faced the majority of the Mets lineup, which makes sense given the moves the Mets have made over the last month. Cespedes is 1-6 with a homer and Lagares is 0-2. No one else has seen him.

Let’s Go Mets!

Please ignore Molina being presented with a jersey in the background (although he’s not in the shot). Taken on 7/9/17.

Picture of Curtis against the Cardinals taken on 7/9/17 in St. Louis.

The Mets finally snapped their losing streak last night as the Mets and Rafael Montero beat the Marlins. For a second straight outing, Montero was successful and this time the bats showed up scoring 8 runs and the bullpen continued their recent dominance. It has been a while since all three areas clicked for the Mets and it was refreshing to see it again last night. Now the Mets will fight their demons and try to be successful on a Sunday in 2017.

Jacob deGrom is 13-6 over 24 starts and 158.2 innings with a 3.35 ERA, 3.66 FIP and 1.160 WHIP. His last start was the first time since June 6th that he allowed more than 4 runs in a start as he allowed 5 runs over 7.1 innings against the Yankees. Before that he was on a tear and let’s hope he gets right back on it. He hasn’t faced the Marlins since April 15th wehere he allowed 2 runs over 7.0 innings while striking out 13. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

• Yelich 11-29, 2 2B, 2 BB
• Ozuna 8-27, 2 2B, HR, BB, 9 K
• Gordon 5-21, 7 K
• Stanton 7-18, 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB (1.421 OPS)
• Dietrich 3-13, BB
• Realmuto 2-9
• Rojas 2-10, BB

The Mets bats will get a look at Adam Conley today who is 5-5 over 13 games and 12 starts over 66.0 innings with a 5.32 ERA, 4.83 FIP and 1.485 WHIP. August has not been kind to Adam who has pitched 16.2 innings over 3 starts allowing 22 hits and 7 runs leading to 12 runs, 11 earned (5.94 ERA). His first three outings this year were against the Mets. His first start was good where he allowed 1 run from a solo homer (the only hit as well) and 3 walks in 5.0 innings. Then he allowed the solo shot to d’Arnaud in the 16th inning of the long game against the Marlins in April. Two days later he pitched 6.0 innings against the Mets allowing 3 runs of 4 hits and 2 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Adam:

• Cespedes 1-16, 2B, BB, 8 K
• Cabrera 4-14, 2B, 2 BB
• Flores 2-13, 2B
• Lagares 1-9, 2 BB
• d’Arnaud 2-10, HR, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

As the Mets wind down their “fire” sale (in quotations because everyone traded/claimed so far off the team was in their last year of contract control) the Mets head into the off-season with some clear gaps in the roster.

The Mets so far have traded:

• Addison Reed – Bullpen (Closer)
• Lucas Duda – First Base
• Curtis Granderson – Outfield
• Jay Bruce – Outfield
• Rene Rivera – Catcher
• Neil Walker – Second Base

They could still trade Cabrera (who has an option for next year) as well. I see the Mets essentially doing one of two different solutions in the off-season. In addition to signing free agents / trading for Bullpen and Rotation depth, they should focus on either infield bat OR an outfield bat. We could (probably should) live in a world where the Mets can spend money on an infield bat, outfield bat, bullpen and rotation, but reality (and the team owners) stinks.

Outfield – Infield Solution 1: Focusing on CF

Let’s say the Mets make CF a priority in the off season and go get Cain. Cain makes the most sense for this team that hasn’t had a true CFer that can also hit above average for quite some time. This would make the outfield Cespedes-Cain-Conforto (Hey! Alliteration!). Second and Third base in this scenario becomes some combination / triple platoon of Flores/TJ Rivera/Cabrera. Offensively, I’m still holding out on the first two. All three (although I’m not sure so much on TJ) are a defensive liability. (Flores has made significant improvements though).

Outfield – Infield Solution 2: Focusing on 3B

In this solution the Mets go after Mike Moustakas. I’m not a fan of this solution as I’m not convinced at how much Moustakas, outside of his name, adds to this team against the money it would cost to bring him in (and the missed opportunity to bring in Cain to the outfield). Here the outfield would be come Conforto – Nimmo/Lagares – Cespedes. Then Cabrera and TJ would split time at 2nd with Flores getting scattered AB’s everywhere. Once again, I’m not a fan of this solution.

Outfield – Infield Solution 3: Only Focus on Pitchers

Yeah, I lied earlier, there is a third scenario, a default scenario, where the Mets don’t spend any money on their lineup. The outfield would look like what it does in the second solution, and the infield looks like the first solution. Here the Mets hopefully go bananas on relief pitching.

Finally, all of this gets thrown out the window if the Mets make a blockbuster trade with someone. This could look like trading Dom Smith + other talented players? (or maybe a starter?) for something (third base?) and then the Mets go into the much deeper first base free agent market. Who knows. I’m just trying to cope with my post-Curtis Granderson life.