213 Miles From Shea

Since the Mets traded Ike Davis, Lucas Duda has actually stepped into the role of starting first basemen. He was ready from the start of the season to be in this role, but Terry, even when saying he was going to go with Duda, kept putting Ike in the lineup (plus there is the whole platoon thing with Satin).

It certainly feels that Duda has been better, but has he? Let’s take a look:

• Season Total: .257 BA, .337 OBP, .446 SLG, .783 OPS
• Before Davis Trade: .275 BA, .341 OBP, .500 SLG, .841 OPS
• After Davis Trade: .235 BA, .333 OBP, .382 SLG, .716 OPS

From the that look, he has not been better. Part of the problem is this survey is suffering from a small sample size where Duda went 2-5 and 4-5 before the Davis trade. I believe the reason for this is because of Ike Davis. Before he went over to the Pirates, he had a BA of .208, .367 OBP, .375 SLG and .742 OPS. On OBP it seems Davis has the upper hand, but the way our memories tend to work, we remember the hits, and batting average race clearly goes to Davis. So when we remember the hits, Duda is getting om base more from hits then Davis.

And for fun, Davis has a .185 BA, .290 OBP, .333 SLG, .624 OPS just with the Pirates, and there there is no debate who has been better since that date.

With today’s win against the Marlins, the Mets improved to 14-11 on the season. They play two games in Philly on Tuesday and Wednesday and it will be May, so they will end the month at the worst with a 14-13 record, which is a winning record. You would think that this would not happen to often in recent years but it has:

• 2013: 10-15
• 2012: 13-10
• 2011: 11-16
• 2010: 14-9
• 2009: 9-12
• 2008: 14-12

Actually every other year, the Mets have done this since the last year at Shea Stadium. However the last couple of years have been miserable, so it is forgivable to forget it (however now through reflection, I remember that glimmer of hope in 2012). The pessimist looks at these records and says nothing is new with the Mets this year if they end April above .500. The optimist says in 2008 (and 2007, 2006 when this also happened), the Mets were competitive throughout the season. The realist says there no true trends in the data just looking at April and then looking at the end of September.

Here’s hoping the Mets keep this going! LGM!

Last night was rough. The Mets led the game at one point 5-1 but had a meltdown in the top of the 6th where they allowed 5 runs to score. They were able to tie the game in the bottom frame and pull the game to extras. The umpiring was also pretty crappy but attributing it to umpiring never feels right. Today the Mets will try to take the series from the fish, end the homestand strong and improve to 3 games over .500 again. Tom Koehler gets the start for the Marlins as he faces off against Dillon Gee.

Dillon Gee is 1-1 over 5 starts, 32.2 innings with a 3.58 ERA. In his last two starts, where he has made both of his decisions on the year, he has pitched 13.2 innings, allowing 2 ER, 9 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. Last year he made two starts against the Marlins where he allowed 4 earned runs over 12.1 innings, an ERA of 2.91. The Marlins have the following numbers against Gee:

• G Jones 4-13, 2B
• Stanton 1-7, HR
• Solano 1-6
• Dobbs 2-5, HR
• R Johnson 1-3, 2B
• McGehee 1-3, 2B

The Mets bats will get a look at Tom Koehler who is off to a career start with a 2.13 ERA over 4 games and 25.1 innings of work. (As compared to last year’s 4.41 ERA in 143.0 innings and the year before where he had an ERA above 5). In three of his four starts this year he has allowed exactly 2 earned runs and one start he has shutout his opponent and in each start he went at least 6 innings. He was tremendous against the Mets last year with an ERA of 1.50 over 24.5 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Murphy 4-11, HR
• Tejada 2-9, 2B
• Wright 2-8, 2B
• Duda 0-7
• Quintanilla 1-5
• E Young 1-6, 2B
• d’Arnaud 0-3
• Recker 0-3

Lets Go Mets!

The 2014 Mets figured out another way to get it done last night and beat the Marlins in the bottom of the ninth with Curtis Granderson having the walk-off RBI for the second time in a week. The game last night followed the majority of the Mets season, great starting pitching, not a lot of hitting and squeaking by at the end. Wins are wins and the Mets are now three games above .500 and are in great position to take the series with at least one more win in the next two games. Tonight Jenrry Mejia gets the start as he goes up against Kevin Slowey.

Mejia is 3-0 over 4 starts this season with a 1.99 ERA over 22.2 innings, 14 BB and 25 strikeouts. He is coming off back to back shutout performances where he has pitched a total of 11.2 innings, 6 hits, 5 walks and 10 strikeouts. He made one start against the Marlins last year allowing 3 ER over 6 innings, walking one and striking out 4. The Marlins have the following numbers against Jenrry:

• G Jones 0-3
• Solano 1-3
• Stanton 0-1, BB
• Yelich 2-3, 2B
• Alvarez 2-2 (Last Night’s SP)
• Baker 0-1
• Dobbs 0-1

Kevin Slowey has pitched in 5 games and one start this season with a 4.15 ERA over 17.1 innings, 4 BB, and 10 K. His last outing was his first start of the year. Against the Mariners on the 20th he pitched 5.0 innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs. Last season he was 3-6 for the Marlins with a 4.11 ERA over 20 games and 14 starts. Against the Mets last year he was 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA over 3 games and 2 starts over 19.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Kevin:

• Abreu 7-18, 2B, 3 HR
• Granderson 6-16, 3 2B, HR
• Wright 6-12, 2B, HR
• Murphy 1-9, 2B
• Duda 3-8, 2B, HR
• Quintanilla 3-6, HR
• Tejada 1-5, 2B
• Recker 0-2

Lets Go Mets!

Only three games left on the 10 game homestand! The Mets played well and took 3 of 4 games from the Cardinals this week to go into the weekend two games above .500 and now the Marlins come to town. There are a few notable similarities between the two teams. First, as of late, the Mets and Marlins have been playing well. Second, the Mets struggle at home. The Marlins struggle on the road. Zack Wheeler looks to keep the streak going against the Marlins as he squares up against Henderson Alvarez.

Wheeler is 1-2 over 4 starts this season with a 4.63 ERA over 23.1 innings walking 8 and striking out 21 batters. In his last two starts here has tossed 12.1 innings with a 3.65 ERA, 6 walks and 9 strikeouts. Last year he faced the Marlins once where he pitched a no decision allowing 2 runs, 3 hits over 7.0 innings while walking 3 and striking out 5. The Marlins have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Hechavarria 0-3
• Johnson 1-3, 2B
• Mathis 0-3
• Solano 1-3
• Stanton 0-2
• Yelich 0-3

Henderson Alvarez is 1-2 over 4 starts with 2.66 ERA and 23.2 innings of work while walking 7 and striking out 14. Alvarez is coming off of a gem complete game shutout where he walked no one, allowed 2 hits and walked 4. He was also great against the Mets where he was 2-0 over 1.26 ERA pitching 14.1 innings allowing 10 hits, 2 ER, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Granderson 3-12, 2B
• Murphy 1-9
• E Young 1-6, 3B
• Duda 1-6
• Wright 2-6, 2B
• Abreu 1-3
• d’Arnaud 1-3

Lets Go Mets!

The Mets might have struck out a ton last night but it doesn’t matter too much as the Mets picked up the W. Now the Mets are in a position to end their gauntlet run to start the season with at worst a .500 record and at best, two games above .500. Today Lance Lynn looks to split the series for the Cards as Colon looks to win the series for the Mets.

Colon’s last start was on Saturday where he allowed 3 ER over 7 innings of work which was a nice bounce back from his 9 ER over 5 innings in his previous start. On the season he is 1-3 over 25.0 innings and 4 games with a 5.40 ERA while allowing 34 hits, walking only 3 batters and striking out 18. Last year he tossed a gem against the Cards allowing one earned run over 8 innings while walking one and striking out 5. The Cards have the following numbers against Colon:

• Ellis 3-15, 2B
• Peralta 2-11
• Bourjos 2-6
• Holliday 3-5, 2B
• Carpenter 2-4
• Molina 0-4

Lance Lynn is 4-0 over his four starts this year with a 3.42 ERA over 23.2 innings of work. In that space he has walked 7 batters, allowed 3 homers and struck out 27. He is in a strong stretch that has seen him pitch 12.2 innings in two starts allowing 1 run, walking 6 and striking out 16. Last year he picked up the win against the Mets allowing 3 ER over 7 innings while walking 5 and striking out 7. The Mets have the following numbers against Lynn:

• Murphy 4-9, 2B
• Wright 2-7, 2B
• Duda 0-5
• Abreu 0-2
• Tejada 0-3

Lets Go Mets!

The Mets dropped the second game of the series last night, but to be fair Adam Wainwright was full-Wainwright last night. Anyway, the Mets get to put last night behind them as they take on Wacha tonight with an opportunity to guarantee a series split with a win. On the hill for the Mets will be Jon Niese.

Niese has not won a start this season but over his first three starts he has a 2.84 ERA over 19.0 innings while walking 5 and striking out 16. Last year he made one start against the Cards where he pitched 7.1 innings allowing 6 hits and 2 runs while walking 2 and striking out 3. The Cards have the following numbers against the Mets:

• Molina 3-11
• Holliday 2-10
• Jay 3-8, 2B
• Craig 1-5, 2B
• Ellis 4-6
• Carpenter 1-3, 2B

Wacha will be making start #5 tonight. On the season he is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA over 4 starts and 26.0 innings with 3 walks and 25 strikeouts. His last two starts are a little more human as he has allowed 6 runs, 4 earned over 13.1 innings with a 2.71 ERA. Last year he picked up the win against the Mets pitching 6.0 innings, allowing 5 hits and 2 earned runs while walking 3 and striking out 4. The Mets have the following numbers against Wacha:

• Duda 0-2
• Murphy 1-3
• Quintanilla 1-3, HR
• Wright 0-2
• Nieuwenhuis 0-2

Lets Go Mets!

The Mets have a winning record! Last night, the Mets beat the Cardinals in a shutout win as they moved one game above .500. Now the Mets will have to face the heart of the St. Louis starting rotation for the next three days, so the order is tougher, but the Mets will be up to the challenge. Today Dillon Gee gets the start as he matches up with Adam Wainwright.

Dillon Gee is 1-0 on the season over 4 starts with a 3.71 ERA and 26.2 innings of work. His FIP this season is 5.03 as he has walked 7 and struck out 17. His last start against the Diamondbacks was by far his best of the season as he shutout them out over 7.0 innings while allowing only 3 hits, no walks and 3 strikeouts. Last year he was 1-1 over 10.2 innings and two starts with a 5.06 ERA while allowing 15 hits, 7 runs, 6 earned, 5 walks and 12 strikeouts. The Cards have the following numbers against Gee:

• Holliday 2-12, 2 2B
• Molina 3-12, 2 2B
• Craig 4-8, HR
• Jay 2-7
• Carpenter 2-4, 3 BB
• Ellis 0-3

The Mets match up against their long time foe in Adam Wainwright who is off to another great start this year where he has gone 3-1 over 4 starts with a 1.80 ERA, 2.28 FIP and 30.0 innings of work allowing 9 walks and striking out 32. Two starts ago were rougher Adam as he allowed 4 ER over 7.0 IP, but last time out he threw a complete game shutout. Against the Mets last year he pitched 13.0 innings over two starts with a 2.08 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Wainwright:

• Wright 5-15, 2 2B
• C Young 2-12
• Duda 2-8, 2B, HR
• Murphy 6-11, 2 2B, 3B
• Quintanilla 4-12, 2 2B
• Granderson 1-5

Lets Go Mets!

The Mets have a tough schedule to open up the season, and this week they end their monster gauntlet with four games against the Cardinals at home. Yesterday the Mets were able to avoid the sweep by the Braves after a 14 inning game and for the second time this season they improve to .500. Tonight Jenrry Mejia makes the start as he goes up against Tyler Lyons.

There were some doubts as to whether Mejia would be able to make this start. He started off well last time out but had finger blister issues that took him out of the game and made his start today questionable. On the season he is 2-0 over 3 games and 16.0 innings with a 2.81 ERA while walking 11 and striking out 18 (and an FIP of 4.52). He has limited exposure to the Cardinals. In his career he faced them in two games and 3.0 innings allowing 4 hits, no runs, one walk and 3 strikeouts. Here are the limited numbers:

• Mark Ellis 1-3
• Molina 1-2
• Craig 0-1

Tyler Lyons makes his first start of the season tonight. Last year in the majors he went 2-4 over 12 games and 8 starts pitching 53.0 innings posting a 4.75 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 16 walks and 43 strikeouts. In the minors this year he is 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA over 3 games and 19.0 innings, 5 walks and 18 strikeouts. Tyler has not faced the Mets at all in his major league career nor has he faced anyone on the Mets roster.

Lets Go Mets!