213 Miles From Shea

The last day of the season is always a great day and last year, 9/25/16, was a particularly nice day.

After taking the opener in Seattle on Friday, the Mets were unable to take the series yesterday forcing a rubber game today. The Mets felt close the entire game yesterday but they just couldn’t get hits to fall in a row, and deGrom uncharacteristically allowed several hits in a row giving the Mariners an early lead. He still had a good game yesterday as he was hurt by a bad throw from Walker.

Seth Lugo looks to send the Mets off to Denver happy today. He is 5-2 over 9 games and 8 starts over 52.2 innings with a 4.10 ERA, 4.25 FIP and 1.348 WHIP. In his last start against the Padres, Lugo was hurt by base runners. He allowed 8 hits over 6 innings which turned into 4 runs, but only 3 earned. Lugo has never faced the Mariners or anyone on the Mariners roster.

The Mets bats will get a look at James Paxton who is 10-3 over 17 starts and 101.1 innings with a 2.84 ERA, 2.43 FIP and 1.105 WHIP. His winning percentage is the best in the majors, which as a stat is rather silly because those numbers are not always in his control, his FIP and WHIP highlight his season. Another important note is his wild pitch count. He has already thrown 11 this year, more than he has in any other season. In his last two starts he has tossed 14.0 innings allowing 10 hits and a walk leading to only one run while striking out 17. The only member of the Mets who has seen him in a game is Jose Reyes who is 1-3 against him.

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday was a whirlwind day! At the start of the game, things were looking good for the Mets who jumped out to an early lead and made a trade for Miami’s closer indicating that the Mets were intent on competing at a high level in 2018. Then Montero faultered and the Mets lost the lead. But they rallied and won the game! So the Mets look to make it two in a row today.

Jacob deGrom starts for the Mets today. He is 12-3 over 20 games and 133.2 innings with a 3.30 ERA, 3.69 FIP and 1.160 WHIP. Jacob has won his last 8 starts pitching 61.2 innings with a 1.61 ERA in that stretch holding opponents to a .180 BA and .222 OBP in that stretch. Jacob has also faced quite a few Mariners over his career:

• Espinosa 0-11, 8 K
• Ruiz 1-9
• Segura 2-9
• Cano 0-3
• Seager 1-2, BB
• Zunino 0-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Yovani Gallardo today. The long time Brewer has hopped around quite a bit since he was traded to Rangers in January of 2015. He was then signed by the Orioles and the following year he was traded to the Mariners. This year he has been more ore less the same pitcher he was last year for the Orioles. So far he is 4-7 over 19 games, 15 starts, with a 5.58 ERA, 4.94 FIP and 1.489 WHIP (last year 5.42 ERA, 5.04 FIP, 1.585 WHIP). His last time out against the Yankees was his first start since June 17th. Prior to that break he had a stretch of 8 games where he posted a 7.84 ERA over 41.1 IP with opponents reaching base at a .374 clip. In his last start he allowed 5 hits and 3 walks over 5.0 innings leading to 3 runs. The Mets have the following numbers against Yovani:

• Jay Bruce 18-57, 4 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB
• Walker 8-36, 3B, 3 BB
• Reyes 5-17, 2 2B, 3B
• Granderson 0-5, 2 BB
• R Rivera 0-5, BB
• Cabrera 1-5
• d’Arnaud 1-5
• Cespedes 1-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The last regular season home game of the season is always one of my favorite days. This picture is looking at the sky on a beautiful fall afternoon.

The Mets make the trip up the West Coast to face the Mariners tonight. Last night the Mets lost Flexen’s major league debut despite a 4-run 7th that brought the game within 2 runs featuring a 2-run homer from Jay Bruce. Last night also marked the first time the Mets played in the post-Duda era. The Mets right now are looking at playing Bruce at first and recalled Neil Walker from rehab as the team looks to shed pieces before the trade deadline.

While dealings with the front office look more interesting right now, a game is still going to be played tonight featuring Rafael Montero. Montero is 1-7 over 20 games and 6 starts over 52.0 innings with a 5.19 ERA, 4.02 FIP and 1.731 WHIP (which is falling). In his last start he allowed 3 runs over 7.0 innings off 7 hits and a walk against the Athletics. In his last two starts he has allowed 7 runs, 5 earned over 14 hits and 2 walks. If the Mets get the average of those numbers for the rest of the time Montero is in the rotation, they (and most of us) will be pretty happy.

The Mets draw Ariel Miranda today. The 28 year old made his major league debut with the Orioles last year and was traded for Wade Miley. This year he is 7-4 over 20 starts and 115.0 innings with a 4.30 ERA, 5.18 FIP and 1.157 WHIP. He opened up July with two rough starts allowing 11 runs off 11 hits and 3 walks over 10.2 innings but returned to Earth in his last start allowing 2 runs over 5.1 innings.

Let’s Go Mets!

Citi Field at dusk is just beautiful. Picture of Gsellman taken on 4/8/17.

If you have gone to a Mets game this year or last year, you already know the story behind this. Just in case you don’t: Cespedes comes out to the Lion King. Taken on 4/8/17.

The Mets have now won 6 of their last 7 and last night guaranteed at least a split with the Padres here in San Deigo. Last night the Mets were able to score 4 runs off Kyle Lloyd making his major league debut as Chacin got bumped to tonight’s game with a back issue. The game was back and forth for the majority of the night, but the Mets ended up on top.

Steven Matz looks to put himself back on the right track tonight. He is 2-3 over 8 games and 44.1 innings with a 4.67 ERA, 4.88 FIP and 1.398 WHIP. His last start wasn’t as terrible as his previous two where he allowed 12 runs over 5.1 innings. Last time he allowed 3 runs over 5.0 innings scattering 9 hits and was probably taken out of that game too early. Matz faced the Padres last year and held them to 1 hit and 2 walks over 7.1 innings. The Padres have the following numbers against Steven:

• Szczur 3-6, 2B
• Blash 0-3
• Chacin 1-3
• Myers 0-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Jhoulys Chacin who is 9-7 over 20 games and 114.0 innings this year with a 4.26 ERA, 4.38 FIP and 1.289 WHIP. He has been much better than his season numbers in his last 8 games going 5-2, (Padres are 6-2 over that time), pitching 50.1 innings with a 2.50 ERA. Batters are hitting .210 against him in this stretch and getting on base at a rate of .294. One of his worst starts this year was against the Mets where he allowed 8 hits in 0.2 innings leading to 7 runs. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Cabrera 1-9, HR, 3 BB
• Duda 3-6, 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB
• Granderson 2-6, 3 BB
• Bruce 3-8, 2B, BB
• Conforto 4-7, HR, BB
• Flores 4-6, 2B, BB
• d’Arnaud 1-6
• Reyes 1-4
• Cespedes 1-3
• R Rivera 2-3, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

Final warm-ups for Reyes, Bruce and Cabrera before the game on 4/11/17 in Philly.

The Mets will end their first West Coast series of the current trip this afternoon with Chris Flexen making his major league debut. Flexen joins the Mets to replace Wheeler, who went to the DL with a stress fracture after his last start. Flexen, a right-hander from Newark, CA, was drafted in the 14th round of the 2012 draft. The 22-year old has pitched in both Binghamton and St. Lucie this year, totaling 10 starts with 61.1 innings. In that time he has posted a 1.76 ERA and 2.35 RAvg. These are both way better than his career numbers of a 3.28 ERA and 3.82 RAvg. He has really started to rise in the minors more recently as he spent all of 2012 and 2013 in rookie ball down in Kinsport.  (“all”, he was in only 7 games in 2012 and 11 in 2013). In 2014 he played in Savannah with a 4.83 ERA and the following year he was in rookie ball again (Gulf Coast), Brooklyn and Savannah. Last year he played for St. Lucie. Is he breaking out? I guess we will find out.

The Mets bats will get a look at Luis Perdomo who is 4-5 over 17 starts and 91.2 innings with a 4.71 ERA, 4.31 FIP and a 1.538 WHIP.  After a horrible start against the Rockies on July 17th, where Luis allowed 7 runs, 5 earned, in 2.1 inning, Luis sort of bounced back in his last start. He allowed 8 hits and 2 walks over 6.0 innings and errors left 4 runs crossing the plate, but only 1 was charged to him. He hasn’t faced the Mets yet in his career and the only Met who has seen him in a game is Jay Bruce who is 1-3 with a homer.

Let’s Go Mets!