11
2011
MetsMerized Player Of The Week! (Week 1)
An article by 
It feels good to be doing this again – it means the season is in full swing and Mets baseball is starting to matter again. I refuse to be too pessimistic against anyone but Blaine Boyer this early in the season. The Mets have the potential to be a good team…probably not great, but we can look forward to seeing meaningful baseball on the field. So far, Terry Collins seems to have instilled a little energy in the team and I can only hope he stresses fundamentals to the letter – I can’t deal with a player not running out a ground ball or Roger Dorn treatment while fielding. I may not be the biggest fan of Reyes not being run in the 10th yesterday, but that’s a whole different story…
Anyway, for all of you who read my posts regularly, you know that I am an advocate for pitching – so this year’s inaugral choice was extremely easy.
My choice for MetsMerized Player Of The Week is…Chris Young!
So far, Chris Young has made Alderson look like a pretty smart guy. It’s too early to go out and call him a gem or an amazing signing but I’ve loved watching him pitch so far. Something special about Chris Young that I was discussing in the ShoutBox was that his build and pitching rotation make him a better pitcher. That is, the fact that he’s nearly 7 feet tall on the mound and he holds the ball a little longer than most pitchers, which makes his 85-86 MPH fastball seem like an explosive 92 or so.
Young was excellent in his two starts last week. In 12.1 IP, he allowed 6 H and 6 BB but only 2 ER – leading to a sharp 1.46 ERA. He also managed to strike out 12 in 12 innings which is uncharacteristic of his pitching style, but it sure didn’t hurt his efforts on the mound. His previous start was especially impressive where he allowed only 1 H and pitched to Citi Field perfectly. He also went 3-6 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI (and serious damage to Cole Hamels’ ego.)
Young’s pitching style is a way of pitching that I’ve come to appreciate – a.l.a. Greg Maddux in his later years. No, I did not just call Chris Young, Greg Maddux…but that pin point control, great location, and smart pitching style is something I think a traditional baseball fan will appreciate with ease. Congratulations to Young!
Who’s Hot And Who’s Not
Jose Reyes: .407/.429/.481 (11-27 ; 2 2B), 2 RBI, 4 R, 13 TB, 3 SB/0 CS
Ike Davis: .364/.423/.500 (8-22 ; 2B, 3B), 7 RBI (team-leading), 2 R, 2 BB, 11 TB.
Mike Pelfrey: GS, ND: 2.0 IP, 7 R (6 ER), 8 H, BB, K. ERA of 27.00
Blaine Boyer: 3 G, 12.60 ERA, 5.0 IP, 10 H (2 HR), 7 ER, HBP, BB, K.
Of Note 4/3 – 4/10
The Mets struck out at an insane rate last week. There are too many strikeouts for me to count. Harris led the way with 9, Wright second with 8, and Davis third with 6.
3 HRs combined last week and two of them came from Beltran in one game. In contrast, Mets pitching gave up 6.
Dickey is statistically the Mets’ best hitter right now – batting 1.000.
Rockies and the Braves this week. Two series that can actually be won. I look forward to watching this week.
LGM!
About the Author: Satish Ram
I am a Senior Writer and Editor here at MetsMerized - where I specialize in Minor League coverage. I have been on the staff since 2007 and I am currently in my third semester of college in New York City. You can find me at www.facebook.com/SatishRam or @SilverHeatMMO. Feel free to message me - I love talking about the Mets or baseball overall with anybody.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Great pick Satish, I agree 100%. Sandy looks like a genius with this pick up, lets hope Capuano gets better (not that he has been horrid so far). I kept waiting and waiting for Omar to make a move like this!! At least after one week, Young is the man!!
Dude, if its too early to call for Alderson’s job, then it is too early to call him a genius.
“Stuff” wasn’t the question with Young. It’s his durability.
Here we go with the “genius” talk again. Unbelievable. So any good move a GM makes he’s a genius? Or is it only when Alderson makes a good move he’s a genius? And it’s still early you know, right?
So what is he? A genius so far? What about the worst bullpen on the Mets in many years? I agree with the latest cuts and bringing up Izzy and Iggy so maybe the bullpen gets better but he did make a decision and came north with a completely awful bullpen.
You do realize there are other successful GMs working in baseball right now do you? Are they all geniuses. Is Sandy more genius than the other guys who’ve already been in the post season and won World Championships?
He made a move that’s working so far therefore he’s a genius. Nice.
You should have stayed in school longer, you read words, but comprehend nothing that is written.
WHERE does it say anything about genius? WHERE?????????
Mountain meet the molehill!
Holy crap you are nuts about this already…….those words were NEVER mentioned in this thread, but go ahead read what you want.
Actually, it says it right there.
“Great pick Satish, I agree 100%. Sandy looks like a genius with this pick up…”
and he continues on. Just making sure you see that.
man Bayonne, Daniel Murphy really sucks at second base.
it was a really great play and I’m absolutely stunned. But it was one play, let’s see more of the same before i am convinced. Usually people that open their mouths so fast usually wind up eating crow. Let’s see more before I start to believe.
“I kept waiting and waiting for Omar to make a move like this!!”
Did you forget about R.A Dickey?
I’ll clarify something before I get killed.
I wrote “So far, Chris Young has made Alderson look like a pretty smart guy. It’s too early to go out and call him a gem or an amazing signing but I’ve loved watching him pitch so far.”
My premise for this is that Chris Young has looked like a good signing and I was giving Alderson a hat tip for going out and getting him. Nothing more – nothing less. Calling him a smart guy was only in the regard of signing Young – I’ll leave my opinions on his other moves so far reserved for now, lol.
You don’t have to apologize Satish, it’s a nice article and an accurate one. Chris Young should be Mets player of the week. He’s a god send so far. It’s the other folks that are so quick to annoint our GM a “genius”. There’s still a lot that can go wrong you know. The rest of his moves outside of Young don’t seem to be working out to well.
DId anyone call Omar Minaya a genius for signing R.A. DIckey? I think that move is more of a shot in the dark than the Young signing. People already knew Young was good it was his health that was the issue.
As far as I can tell, Dickey is a journeyman, who got lucky and happened to have one good year. After Friday afternoon’s outing I wouldn’t go running around saying that was a great signing by anyone.
You would’ve called Alderson a genius if he signed Dickey so who are you kidding.
So now he got lucky, huh? But after 2 starts by Chris Young Alderson’s a genius but after a FULL season by Dickey he’s lucky.
What a load of CRAP.
Wo, wo wo, who are talking to? I’m not your wife there Bayonne. I’m entitled to my opinion. What gives you the right to judge me? Little uptight today no?
You just said Omar got lucky with Dickey after a full season yet you call Alderson a genius when it comes to Young after 2 starts.
You’re wrong. It’s as simple as that. That’s my opinion- you’re WRONG. And biased too.
What are you basing my bias on? Go back and read my post, I said Alderson looks like a genius, not that he is one. Again, point to something specific that I’ve written that makes you think I’m biased.
You called Alderson a genius for signing Young – and after only 2 starts. Dickey pitched a full season and was even signed to a 2 year contract. But you say he got lucky. That’s bias.
And you’ve declared Emaus a failure at second after week. Double standard much?
“It’s too early to go out and call him a gem or an amazing signing but I’ve loved watching him pitch so far.”
Agreed.
Chris Young looks like he knows how to pitch, has a plan and tries to execute it. Cool, calm and collected.
He also looks like John Schuelholz.