213 Miles From Shea

This has been passed around on social media for a couple of weeks, so its old news, but I still can’t get over the idea of this:

(Source)

The hot dog features a bun that is a Krispy Kreme doughnut (although from the image looks to be a special made doughnut? Not sure) and a hot dog topped with jelly and bacon. This ball park eat looks to go after the sweet and salty movement and is a continuation of the Krispy Kreme burger movement.

Thoughts?

The Reno Aces are serving a smoked pulled pork sandwich this season that features a maple sriracha sauce and is served on a waffle. Check it out below:

Coming to @aces ballpark this year. house smoked pulled pork with maple sriracha sauce, served on waffle. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/XtckKaOxfS

— Reno Aces (@Aces) March 12, 2015

So that looks awesome.

No real commentary to add, love the addition of a waffle to make the already unique combination of maple and sriracha hit home.

I’m a big fan of ball park food, and I’m also a fan of the trend that ball park food is making towards, bigger, unnecessary, etc even if only a few people eat it. The idea of having it around is fun, which is why this burger from Indiana caught my eye.

I didn’t go to college too long ago (2007-2011). At the University of Maryland, we didn’t really have any signature concession items until I left (a crab pretzel at football games), it didn’t really matter though because college students aren’t buying concessions at games. I’ve never really heard of a big ticket food item at a college baseball game, but here we are:

(Source)

For those of you who don’t want to go to the link above, the burger has three patties, three slices of cheese and nine strips of bacon on what looks like an artisan cheese baked on top bun.

With the burger comes a promotion where the first 20 fans who go to the stand after a triple is turned get it for free.

It’s unnecessary, but hey so are sports.

The Mets finished in the correct column for the first time in a few days yesterday, that doesn’t matter but whatever, as they beat the Marlins 6-4. In case you missed the game:

• deGrom reminded all of us yesterday that he is the reigning Cy Young winner and he still has it as he pitched 5.0 scoreless innings, allowed one hit and struck out 1
• Matz, whose stock rose slightly with Wheeler going down had a clean inning of work
• Mejia allowed 2 hits, but that was it in one inning of work
• Kirk came off the bench for one AB and got a double, because that’s been the theme of spring
• Granderson went 1-2
• Monell had a three run jack
• Plawecki had a solo jack

Monell is really making a case to be the back up catcher. He’s showing power, which is the name of Recker’s game, he’s getting on base and he’s from New York, so he’ll be a fan favorite if he makes it.

If you didn’t know yet, Baseball Reference has a page for Will Ferrell.

Drop what you’re doing right now and read it, it’s great.

Baseball Reference has player pages for all players in the minors and majors, plus international leagues and keeps track of Spring Training, so it makes sense they have a page for Ferrell since he was more than technically a professional ball player recording time in the field and at the plate.

He also had to be traded, which is probably the best part of this page, the Transaction section:

• March 12, 2015: Signed by the Oakland A’s as an undrafted amateur free agent.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to Seattle Mariners for Comedic Actor to be Named Later
• March 12, 2015: Joined Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in unknown transaction.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to Chicago Cubs for a washing machine.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to Arizona Diamondbacks for a Churro Dog and D-Bat Dog.
• March 12, 2015: Claimed off waivers by Cincinnati Reds, Norm MacDonald released.
• March 12, 2015: Granted unconditional release by Cincinnati Reds.
• March 12, 2015: Signed by Chicago White Sox as Free Agent.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to San Francisco Giants for unknown compensation.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to Los Angeles Dodgers for unknown compensation.
• March 12, 2015: Traded to San Diego Padres for unknown compensation.

(Copied Exactly From Baseball Reference, please view the link at the top of the article).

Good job to everyone involved.

For once, the Mets may have played a situation correctly.

There was evidence last year that Wheeler was heading down towards an MRI. The Mets front office, despite information from doctors saying that Wheeler up until last week saying Wheeler was fine, kept all of their pitching. Now with Wheeler down, the Mets have depth to absorb the blow.

If the argument was that Gee can replace Wheeler, I’m not sure if a buy it. Wheeler and Gee are supposed to be two very different types of pitchers. However, before going down due to injury last year, Gee was good. He had an ERA under 2.75 over the first 8 starts.

After Gee, the options are Syndergaard, Montero and Matz.

There is an idea permeating around the team and people who talk about the team that Syndergaard is going to be limited to 160 innings. Even if that’s true, do we want to use those in the minors? The only scenario I see that being helpful is having Syndergaard only pitch 4-5 innings in minor league outings, but I don’t think that will mentally prepare him for the bigs.

Personally, I would like the Mets to break camp with Syndergaard in the rotation. Gee is probably the wiser choice, but for a team that hasn’t taken a lot of risks, they need to find one somewhere to roll the dice. When Syndergaard reaches his pitch cap, throw Gee back into the mix, bring up Matz, have Montero start. Have a situation where Syndergaard pitches 3-4 and then another pitcher always pitches 3-4 (I’m not so into this idea).

The Mets brass has already spoken to Gee getting the spot. I think that’s a little premature. Let the rest of spring happen and see who earns it. The most likely scenario is, unfortunately, probably by May something else unpredictable will happen that will mitigate the importance of this decision right now.

The big headlines in Mets land yesterday had nothing to do with the game as an MRI helped to determine that Wheeler will need Tommy John surgery and will be gone for the 2015 season. This comes on the heels of the Mets losing Edgin to TJ surgery and a season after the Mets lost Harvey and Parnell to the same fate. While it is easy to lament the Mets medical staff for this, this seems to be more of an epidemic around baseball not just isolated to Queens (just look at the Braves the last few years). Anyway, here’s what happened in the game:

• Lagares, Cuddyer and Mayberry all had double hit days. Mayberry is now hitting .480 in spring, Cuddyer .333 and Lagares .440.
• Harvey pitched 4.0 innings, allowing 3 hits, striking out 3 batters and nothing else.
• Syndergaard allowed 2 ER, a walk and struck out 2 over 2.2 innings
• Gilmartin allowed a run over 0.2 innings and 3 hits as he continues to squander his opportunity to make the club

So the Mets have some offensive pieces working, Harvey was working.

The Mets now have another potential position battle open between Syndergaard and Gee for the rotation, lets see what happens!

The Mets started a two day road trip to the opposite coast of Florida yesterday, but that doesn’t matter of course. Anyway here are some notes from the game:

• Flores went 2-4 with a double. He started the game off with two hits and that time he raised his Spring batting average to .500, but he’ll settle with with .462
• Duda went 0-4 with 3 K’s 🙁
• Monell 2-4 with a homer. He’s making a strong case this spring.
• Kirk and Muno both added two hits
• Colon allowed 5 earned over 2. He walked 1 but allowed 7 hits
• Robles allowed an earned run over 1
• Leather Rocket had a second strong outing with a clean inning
• Torres continued to have a quiet and strong spring

Today the Mets continue their road trip playing at the Red Sox Spring home.

For a third straight day the Mets scored over 10 runs, and for the second straight day that total was 13. A lot happened so let’s break it down:

• David Wright hit a mammoth homer over the huge batter’s eye in center field. It was his first homer since July 11th and maybe it’s a good sign that he’s healing.
• Cuddyer and John Mayberry also added in homers. Actually it was good day all around for Cuddyer
• Plawecki hit a bases clearing double when the Mets went from controlling the game to washing the Nationals out
• Lagares added two hits including a double and a triple
• Gee had an unfortunate line. He had two balls hit hard against him early but should have gotten out clean but a misplayed ball between Reynolds and Murphy allowed 2 runs to come in
• Rice, Mejia, Familia and Morris all had good to great relief outings

So how long can the Mets keep up the offense? Right now the team is in a collective hot streak. Can they stretch this out into the season? Is this more indicative of the team developing? Time will tell!

For the second day in a row the Mets put up over 10 runs on their opponents. I guess that’s good. Hard to tell in fake games. Anyway, here’s the key information about yesterday’s game:

• As a leadoff hitter, Granderson collected two hits and two runs with an RBI over 3 AB’s
• Flores was the offensive star of the game going 3-4 with a double and a 3 run bomb, he’s now hitting .455 in Spring
• Wright collected a hit and a walk in two AB’s and crossed the plate twice
• Mayberry got a double, is maintaining a .421 BA
• d’Arnaud had a pair of RBI’s on a double
• Not to be outdone by Flores, Tejada collected a pair of hits including a double over three AB’s
• Niese held the Braves scoreless for 3.2 IP
• Gilmartin allowed a run over 1.2, Leather Rocket was scoreless for 1.0. Probably the best outings by LHP relievers for the Mets in quite some time
• Kirk got a double in 4 AB’s, hitting .440 in spring

Stocks on the Rise:

• The Hitters had a great day. The pitchers had a good day. Happy feelings for everyone!

Stocks on the Fall:

• Flores defense took another hit, his third error of the spring.