213 Miles From Shea

The Mets will play their 7th game against the Marlins this season as they close out their four game set with the Marlins? Are you tired of seeing the Marlins? I am. Anyway, Happy Easter and Happy Harvey Day! Let’s dive in.

A lot more eyes than usual will be on Matt Harvey tonight. Harvey made the start in the game in Philly when the Mets launched 7 homers. The only sour note on the game is Harvey left with an out to go in the 6th inning with a tight hamstring after covering first. The Mets have been saying its minor all week but I’ll believe when I see it. He’s 2-0 so far this season allowing 4 ER over 12.1 innings while walking 1 and striking out 10. Last year against the Marlins he went 0-1 in two games allowing 7 runs, 6 earned in 10.2 innings while walking none and striking out 7. The Marlins have the following numbers against Harvey:

• Yelich 4-18
• Ozuna 5-17, 3B
• Stanton 2-15
• Dietrich 4-14, 2 2B
• Realmuto 5-12
• Bour 1-10, HR
• Gordon 3-10
• Koehler 3-4 (Really)

The Mets bats will get a look at Dan Straily who is 1-1 this season over 2 games and 8.1 innings allowing 9 runs, 8 earned. Last year as a member of the Reds he went 14-8 over 34 games, 31 starts, totaling 191.1 innings with a 3.76 ERA, his best year in the majors by far. Fun note, he’s been on 5 different teams in the last 5 years (Oakland, Chicago Cubs, Houston, Cincy, Miami). The last time he faced the Mets was in 2014 where he allowed 7 runs, 5 earned in 5.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Reyes 2-7
• Cabrera 2-3, 2B
• d’Arnaud 1-3
• Duda 0-1, 2 BB
• Granderson 0-3
• Bruce 1-2, HR
• Lagares 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets streak couldn’t last forever and last night the Marlins were able to walk-off the Mets snapping their win streak at 5. So tonight, the Mets look to start another streak!

Remember that strange looking pinch hitter from Friday night? He’s getting the start tonight! Jacob will be looking for his first win tonight. He’s 0-0 on the season over two games where he has allowed 2 ER and 8 hits over 12.0 innings while walking 3 and striking out 9. Last year he was 1-2 in as many starts against the Marlins allowing a whopping 22 hits and 10 ER over 15.2 innings with 7 walks and 18 strikeouts. The Marlins have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Yelich 11-26, 2 2B
• Ozuna 7024, 2 2B
• Gordon 5-18
• Stanton 7-15, 2B, 3 HR
• Bour 5-9, 2B
• Dietrich 3-10
• Realmuto 2-9
• Rojas 1-8
• Ichiro 0-4

The Marlins will be sending out Adam Conley, again. He’s 1-1 on the season over 1 game and one relief outing going 6.0 innings allowing 2 ER. His relief outing came in 16th inning where he allowed the winning run to the Mets. Now the Mets will get to see him as the actual starter in a game like they did back on 4/8. On 4/8 he pitched 5.0 innings against the Mets holding them to a Lucas Duda solo shot and nothing else while striking out 6. The Mets have the following numbers against Adam:

• Cespedes 1-13, 2B, 7 K
• Cabrera 4-11, 2B
• Granderson 1 -11
• d’Arnaud 2-10, HR
• Flores 1-10, 2B
• Lagares 1-8
• Bruce 2-8, 2B
• Duda 1-3, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets are streaking! After playing almost two games worth of baseball last night, the Mets won their 5th game in a row and moved to an even 2-2 against the Marlins this season. It was a real back and forth game as the Marlins jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before the Mets tied it up and then took a 7-4 lead. More odds and ends later and the game 8-8 until the 16th where the Mets got a lead off homer from d’Arnaud and two scoreless innings from Hansel Robles.

Noah Syndergaard will take the mound tonight and will try to carry the sleep deprived Mets. Noah is 1-0 over 2 games this season logging 13.0 innings allowing 10 hits, 2 runs only 1 earned. His last start was against the Marlins where he held them to 2 runs, 1 earned over 7.0 innings while walking none and striking out 9. The Marlins have the following numbers against Noah:

• Ozuna 3-11, HR
• Stanton 0-11, 6 K
• Yelich 2-12, 2 2B, 5 K
• Bour 4-11, 2B, 5 K
• Dietrich 5-10, 2 2B
• Gordon 2-9, 7 K

The Mets bats will get another look at Edinson Volquez who is 0-1 over 2 games and 11.0 innings this season with a 3.27 ERA. After a good opener against the Nationals, where held them scoreless over 5.0 innings, the Mets hit him hard in his last start allowing 7 hits and 5 runs, 4 earned over 6.0 innings. He still managed 7 strikeouts although he gave up 2 homers. The Mets have the following numbers against Volquez:

• Bruce 9-19, 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB
• Duda 5-17, 2B, 5 BB
• Walker 4-22, 2B
• Granderson 2-16, 2 HR, 5 BB
• Cabrera 6-18, HR
• Reyes 8-15, 2B, 3B
• Cespedes 4-15
• Lagares 3-10, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets start a series with the Marlins today in Miami. If this feels redundant, it is! The Mets just wrapped up a three game series with the Marlins at home where Miami took the first two games and the Mets were able to salvage the third.

Robert Gsellman wasn’t the best in his first start of the season as he allowed 3 ER over 5.0 innings and 6 hits against the Marlins but he only walked 2 batters and he struck out 7 (and gave up a massive homer to Ozuna). Coupled with his Opening Day outing, he has now allowed 3 ER over 6.0 innings this year, or exactly average. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

• Bour 0-2, BB
• Pzuna 1-3, HR
• Realmuto 1-3, 3B
• Rojas 1-1, 2B
• Stanton 3-3 (All singles, so that’s an accomplishment, right?)
• Yelich 0-3

The Mets will see Wei-Yin Chen for the second time this season. He made his debut against the Mets where he held them to 1 ER over 6.0 innings and 7 hits with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Last year he went 5-5 over 22 games and 123.1 innings with a 4.96 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Cabrera 3-22, HR
• Granderson 5-20, 2B, 2 HR
• Cespedes 5-19, HR
• Reyes 4-15, 2B
• Rene Rivera 4-10, 2 2B
• Walker 2-7, 2B
• Flores 1-5

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets will close out their series with the Phillies tonight before hopping on a plane, going down the coast to start another weekend with Marlins. Tonight, the Mets are hoping that the Zack Wheeler got the yips out in his last start as he goes against Vince Velasquez.

As a positive, it was great to see Wheeler on the mound again last week. He’s been away for two years with numerous health setbacks. He struggled, but that’s not unexpected at this point. The Mets, and the rest of us, hope that he continues to take strides forward in the right direction tonight. He picked up the loss in his first start as he allowed 5 ER over 4.0 innings while waking 1 and striking out 4. In 2014 he was 2-0 in 3 starts against the Phillies allowing 6 ER and 14 hits over 19.0 innings (2.84 ERA) while walking 5 and striking out 18. The Phillies have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Blanco 1-2, BB
• Hernandez 1-2

The Mets bats draw Vince Velaquez who picked up a loss in his first start in 2017 allowing 4 ER over 4.0 innings and 5 hits with 3 walks with an astounding 10 strikeouts. Last year he was 8-6 over 24 starts and 131.0 innings with 45 walks and 152 strikeouts. He was 1-1 in three starts against the Mets last year where he held the Amazin’s to 6 runs, only 3 earned over 15.1 innings (1.76 ERA) while walking 4 and striking out 20. The Mets have the following numbers against Vince:

• Granderson 0-4, 2 BB
• Cabrera 3-6, 2B
• d’Arnaud 1-6
• Cespedes 1-5, HR
• Conforto 2-5, HR
• Duda 1-5
• Walker 0-5
• Flores 0-2, 2 BB

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Phillies continue their series tonight in the city of Brotherly Love as the Mets look to make it three wins a row behind Matt Harvey. The Phillies outhit the Mets last night but the Mets got larger hits including two homers from Jay Bruce that put the game in the win column. Actually, most off the offense last night went through Jay Bruce who had 2 RBI’s, one from each homer plus an additional run.

Harvey had a good start his last time out going 6.2 innings allowing 3 hits and 2 ER while walking none and striking out 4. The blemish was both runs came off solo shots to Matt Kemp. Last year he made only one start against the Phillies picking up the loss after allowing 3 ER over 6.0 innings and 6 hits including a homer while walking 2 and striking out 3. The Phillies have the following numbers against Harvey:

• Galvis 3-9
• Herrera 2-12, HR
• Kendrick 1-9
• Hernandez 3-6
• Blanco 2-3
• Franco 1-3
• Rupp 1-3

The Mets will get their first look at Clay Buchholz who was traded from Red Sox to the Phillies in December. In his first Phillies outting he allowed 4 ER and 8 hits over 5.0 innings. As a member of the Red Sox last year he posted a 4.78 ERA and 8-10 record over 21 starts and 37 games totaling 139.1 innings. Clay has never faced the Mets before but several Mets have seen him while playing as members of other teams:

• Reyes 8-32, 3B
• Granderson 2-17, HR
• Cabrera 6-14, 2B, 2 HR
• Rivera 0-6
• Cespedes 1-5, 2B
• Walker 1-2, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets start their first road series in 2017 today as they head down 95 to Philly to meet the Phillies. Coming off the late game last night, the Mets avoided being swept and returned to .500 on the young season. Meanwhile, Philly beat the Nationals for a second straight day as their offense has been clicking. The Mets on the other hand, had a couple of solo shots last night and one rally, but it still feels like our offense is stuck in neutral.

Jacob deGrom didn’t pick up a decision in his first game of the season but he allowed only 2 hits and no runs over 6.0 innings while waking 1 and striking out 6. Jacob went 2-0 in as many starts against the Phillies last year allowing 1 ER over 15.0 innings while allowing 6 hits and striking out 13 (1 walk). The Phillies have the following numbers against Jacob:

• Herrera 3-15
• Galvis 5-14
• Kendrick 1-13
• Hernandez 2-8
• Rupp 1-6, HR
• Franco 0-6

The Mets bats will take a crack at Jerad Eickhoff who is 0-1 over 6.2 innings with 5 hits and 2 ER in his first start of the season. Last year, his first full season in the majors, he went 11-14 over 33 starts and 197.1 innings with a 3.65 ERA. Last year he went 0-2 in 4 starts against the Mets holding the Mets to 8 runs, 7 earned over 24.0 innings (2.63 ERA) while walking 7 and striking out 23. The Mets have the following numbers against Jerad:

• Granderson 2-15, 2B, HR
• Conforto 5-14, 2 2B, HR
• Cespedes 2-12, 3B
• Cabrera 4-9, 2B
• Duda 2-8, 2 2B
• Walker 1-8
• d’Arnaud 1-6, 2B
• Bruce 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Marlins close out their series in a Sunday night game tonight! The Mets will head to Philly for a few days tomorrow before heading to Miami to play the Marlins again starting on Thursday.

Noah Syndergaard will make his second start of the season tonight coming off of a strong first start and a blister injury that pushed him back one day. On Opening Day he pitched 6.0 scoreless innings allowing 5 hits, no walks while striking out 7 Braves. Syndergaard faced the Marlins three times last year pitching 20.0 innings allowing 18 hits and 4 runs (1.80 ERA) while walking 2 and striking out 29. The Marlins have the following numbers against Noah:

• Ozuna 3-8, HR
• Stanton 0-8, 5 K
• Yelich 2-9, 2B
• Bour 4-8, 2B
• Hechavarria 2-8
• Dietrich 3-7, 2B
• Gordon 1-6

The Mets bats will get a look at Edinson Volquez who the Mets know well from the 2015 World Series. After being with the Royals last year he signed as a free agent to the Marlins this year and had a strong outing for his Marlins debut going 5.0 innings allowing 4 hits, no runs with a walk and 6 strikeouts. He faced the Mets at the start of last year and went 6.0 innings holding the Mets to 2 hits and no runs while walking 3 and struck out 5. That was about the only positive game for him on the season as he finished going 10-11 over 34 games and a 5.37 ERA with a league leading 113 earned runs. The Mets have the following numbers against Edinson:

• Granderson 2-16, 2 HR, 5 BB, 6 K
• Bruce 8-16, 2B, HR, 4 BB
• Duda 4-14, 2B, 5 BB, 3 K
• Walker 3-19, 2B
• Cabrera 5-15, HR
• d’Arnaud 1-12
• Reyes 8-12, 2B, 3B
• Cespedes 3-12

As a team the Mets have 131 AB’s against Edinson with 35 hits and 22 walks, making a .365 OBP.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to strike back tonight against the Marlins after last night’s drubbing. Wheeler wasn’t the best in his first game back on the mound in two years but that’s ok, it is his first game back in two years. I’m not ready to panic yet. The Mets offense on the other hand fell into some of the same pitfalls from last year of getting runners on and then not doing anything with them.

On the mound is Robert Gsellman who make his first start of the season, but not his first game of the season. On Opening Day he pitched the 9th inning allowing 2 hits and striking out 1 while allowing no runs to close out the win (non-save situation). Originally scheduled to pitch tomorrow night, Syndergaard’s blister moved him to Saturday. Last season Gsellman went 4-2 over 8 games and 7 starts pitching 44.2 innings while walking 15 and striking out 42 while posting a 2.42 ERA. This will be Gsellman’s first game against the Marlins and the only Marlin who has seen him in a major league game is A.J. Ellis who is 0-2 with a strikeout.

The Mets bats will try to break out against Adam Conley who is will be making his 2017 debut. Last year he went 8-6 over 25 starts and 133.1 innings with a 3.85 ERA. He never picked up a decision in three starts but held the Mets to only 2 runs over 15.0 innings, a 1.20 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Conley:

• Cespedes 1-11, 2B, 6 K
• Cabrera 3-8, 2B
• Granderson 1-8
• d’Arnaud 1-8
• Flores 1-8, 2B
• Bruce 2-6, 2B
• Reyes 3-5, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets welcome the Marlins to town for the first time this year after taking two of three from the Braves. The Marlins are coming up 95 from DC where they just beat the Nationals for their first win of the season in extra innings.

The real story of this game is Zack Wheeler. Wheeler last pitched in a major league game in 2014. That year he went 11-11 over 32 games and 185.1 innings with a 3.54 ERA. In March of 2015 he required Tommy John and was slated for a May/June 2016 return. Instead Wheeler encountered multiple set backs delaying his return to tonight. In spring his ERA was high, but that’s not the important part of Spring. His fastball had life and he was hitting 97. Ultimately the debate boiled down to allowing Zack to stay down in Florida, pitch more to get his feet back under him or send him north so he wouldn’t waste innings not in games. The Mets hand was forced with the Matz injury (and later the Lugo injury) and Wheeler is here!

Wheeler was 2-0 over 5 games and 32.1 innings against the Marlins in 2014 with a 1.11 ERA, 13 BB’s and 39 K’s. The Marlins have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Stanton 2-15, HR
• Hechavarria 2-16, 2B
• Yelich 1-13
• Ozuna 2-13, 3B
• Dietrich 1-4
• Moore 0-6
• Bour 0-1

The Mets draw Wei-Yin Chen who make his 2016 debut as he starts his second campaign with the Miami Marlins. He was 5-5 over 22 starts and 123.1 innings for the fish last year. Chen picked up a win in his only game against the Mets last year holding the Mets to 1 run and 3 hits over 7.0 innings while walking 1 and striking out 5. The Mets have the following numbers against Chen:

• Cabrera 2-19, HR
• Granderson 3-17, 2 HR, 8 K
• Cespedes 5-16, HR
• Reyes 4-12, 2B
• Rene Rivera 2-8, 2B
• Walker 1-4, 2B
• Flores 0-3

Let’s Go Mets!