St. Lucie 7, Tampa 1

Rylan Sandoval blasted a one-out grand slam in the top of the sixth inning Monday night, and the St. Lucie Mets cruised to a 7-1 win over the Tampa Yankees.

Robert Gsellman started the game for St. Lucie but lasted just four innings, giving up two hits, no runs to go with two walks and two strikeouts. Jim Fuller came on in relief of Gsellman, tossing two innings and allowing one run to pick up his first win of the season.

St. Lucie (16-8) got on the board in the first inning after Matt Reynolds drove in T.J. Rivera, who led the game off with a single.

The Mets then added a run in the second inning and a run in the third to take a 3-0 lead before Sandoval’s grand slam.

Tampa scored its lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Dan Fiorito RBI single.

Every St. Lucie batter — save for Aderlin Rodriguez — got at least one hit. Pedro Feliciano returned to action for St. Lucie tonight, tossing a scoreless inning.

Key Stats

Rylan Sandoval: 3-for-5, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 R

Matt Reynolds: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB

T.J. Rivera: 2-for-5, 2 R

Cam Maron: 1-for-5, 1 3B, 1 R

Charles Thurber: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R

Robert Gsellman: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 2 K

Jim Fuller: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 2 K

Pedro Feliciano: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K

Chasen Bradford: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 2 K

Zack Wheeler

Wheeler, the Mets’ top pitching prospect, is currently at Triple-A Las Vegas as he continues to work on control issues before he gets that anticipated call to join the Mets.

Although most knew he was headed for the minors to start the season until his arbitration date passed (April 21, I believe), now many people expect it to be much longer because of the number of pitches he has thrown in games and the amount of walks he has issued.

I don’t care. It’s time for Zack Wheeler to join the Mets.

Why? It’s simple.

The back of the Mets’ rotation is not pretty. Yes, Shaun Marcum is set to make his Mets debut on Saturday, but who knows how that’s going to go? I expect him to be a strong mid-rotation starter, but there are no guarantees, especially with how many injuries he has had over the last two months.

Jeremy Hefner seems like a great teammate, but I don’t think he should be starting once every fifth day.

As for Dillon Gee, I’m still willing to give him some time. He continues to work back from a pretty serious injury that ended his season last year, and I expect him to put things together and be a solid No. 5 starter.

So, why Wheeler? Why now?

Well, as we all know, Matt Harvey has been ace-like through his first four starts, and I expect that trend to continue when he makes his fifth start tonight. But his Triple-A numbers weren’t all that off from what Wheeler has posted.

Let’s take a look …

In 2012, Harvey went 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA. In 110 innings, he issued 48 walks and tallied 112 strikeouts. His WHIP was 1.318.

In 10 Triple-A starts, Wheeler is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA. In 51.1 innings, he issued 28 walks and tallied 52 strikeouts. His whip is 1.383.

So, in exactly half of the Triple-A starts as Harvey, Wheeler has very similar numbers (except for the win-loss record). It’s also very different pitching in Las Vegas than it is in Buffalo.

Yes, Wheeler probably has issued more walks than the Mets front office would like to see, but he was also battling a pretty bad blister on his pitching hand.

Harvey and Wheeler — statistically — are very similar.

Harvey is a gamer. He’s gritty, and he wants to win. You can see it on his face when he’s on the mound. I think Wheeler is the same way.

The other day, Wheeler posted the following on Twitter:

“Snowed out two days in a row here in Colorado. Heading back to Vegas tomorrow. About to turn this funk around and show out.”

If Wheeler got called up, I think he would get it figured out. After all, he is a top prospect for a reason.

And wouldn’t you rather see Wheeler get experience and figure things out at the big-league level than watch someone like Hefner or Aaron Laffey get rolled when they start?

I’m tired of hearing about how he’ll adjust if he gets lashed in an outing. He’s a competitor; he’ll be fine.

Wheeler is ready. And it’s time to unleash him.

Thoughts from Joe D.

This is what I love most about Metsmerized Online… The fact that we can express opposing viewpoints in the most civil and engaging ways. After a post by me suggesting the exact opposite view this morning. my friend Andrew espouses an opposing view and yet both posts have their merits. Now if only the commenting community can be as engaging and civil.

Charlotte 3, St. Lucie 2

Noah Syndergaard hurled six effective innings on Tuesday night, but the St. Lucie bullpen gave up two runs over the final three innings as the Charlotte Stone Crabs topped St. Lucie, 3-2.

In the first, second, fourth, and sixth innings – Syndergaard set the side down in order. He allowed only three hits and the only run that crossed under his watch was due to a passed ball. This was probably the sharpest we have seen Noah Syndergaard look since he joined our organization. The six innings matched a career-high.

St. Lucie (12-7) got on the board in the fourth inning. Matt Reynolds led off with a double and later scored on a Travis Taijeron ground out.

Charlotte (8-11) tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after Kyeong Kang led off with a single scored on a passed ball with no outs. They also added a run in the seventh and a run in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead.

St. Lucie pulled within one after Dustin Lawley launched a solo home run to left field. Alberto Cordero knocked a one-out double to give the Mets a chance. But with two outs and the tying run on third, T.J. Rivera flew out to right field.

Key Stats

Noah Syndergaard: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Estarlin Morel: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 HR, 1 ER

Hamilton Bennett: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 1 K

Dustin Lawley: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R

Matt Reynolds: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R

Albert Cordero: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 Passed Balls

St. Lucie 6, Charlotte 3

A six-run sixth inning powered the St. Lucie Mets (8-3) to a 6-3 win over the Charlotte Stone Crabs on Monday night.

Charlotte (4-7) took an early lead after scoring a run in the first, second and third innings, but the St. Lucie bats came alive in the sixth.

Travis Taijeron and Gilbert Gomez led the inning off with back-to-back singles. After T.J. Rivera struck out swinging, Cam Maron knocked an RBI single through to cut the lead to 2-1. Matt Reynolds drew a walk to load the bases which set up Brian Harrison, who stepped in and delivered a two-run single, scoring Maron and Gomez.

With the game tied at 3-3, Aderlin Rodriguez brought home Reynolds on a sacrifice fly. Dustin Lawley capped off the huge inning with a two-run home run, his first of the season, on a fly ball to left field.

Domingo Tapia got the start, and despite allowing one run in the first inning, he eventually settled down to pick up his first win of the season. Tapia finished the night with six innings, five hits, three runs (two earned) to go with one walk and eight strikeouts. Tapia’s ERA stands at 3.55. The St. Lucie pitching staff stymied Charlotte over the final six innings.

Pedro Feliciano, who is working on a rehab assignment, threw a scoreless inning. He allowed one hit to go with one walk and one strikeout.

Key Stats 

Domingo Tapia: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 Ks

Brian Harrison: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 R

Dustin Lawley: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Gilbert Gomez: 2-for-3, R

St. Lucie Mets 4, Palm Beach Cardinals 0

Noah Syndergaard, the Mets No. 3 prospect, made his season debut Sunday, tossing four scoreless innings against the Jupiter Hammerheads. St. Lucie won the game 1-0 and are now 4-0 on the season.

Syndergaard surrendered just three hits while walking one and striking out five. He departed after four innings as he continues to get stretched out from a lat injury during the spring.

Syndergaard was part of the Travis d’Arnaud package in the trade with the Blue Jays for R.A. Dickey.

“He has some real discomfort running from his shoulder up through his neck,” said manager Terry Collins during his pregame press conference with reporters at Citi Field.

“What that is, where it starts, what’s causing it, I think we won’t know until he sees the doctor tomorrow.”

Collins also said that Marcum is not expected to come off the disabled list and make his first scheduled start of the season on Sunday and toss as many 90 to 95 pitches.

This isn’t looking so good…

Original Post 3/2

Shaun Marcum was unable to pitch in a simulated game today, and so it seems like he’s headed for a stint on the disabled list.

Marcum has already missed nearly a month and received a cortisone shot for a shoulder problem that is separate from this current neck issue. He officially is on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis which is a third health issue he is dealing with.

While that might not surprise you, the Mets’ rotation continues to shrink. Aaron Laffey is the likely candidate to take Marcum’s spot in the rotation on Sunday.

But looking further into the future, the answer is simple: Call up Zack Wheeler.

If the Mets want to wait for the service-time clock to stop ticking, that’s fine. When April 21 hits the calendar, call Wheeler up — especially if he starts his Triple-A season without any setbacks from his oblique strain.

What do you think? Should the Mets call up Wheeler after April 21? What if Marcum is healthy or isn’t healthy, does that change your opinion?

Thoughts from Joe D.

The more and more I hear rival executives, scouts and coaches say that Zack Wheeler is ready the more I keep leaning toward bringing him up once he’s past the service time issue. If he truly is ready, then what do we have to gain by letting him waste his time in the desert where he will get his bell rung more frequently than not in the hitter friendly PCL?

Who cares about any Super Two ramifications? If Wheeler is as good as everyone says, wouldn’t he be signed to an extension deal that would buy out all his arbitration years anyway? Much like Jon Niese?

I don’t think I can take a back end of the rotation of soft-tossers Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner and Aaron Laffey. I can already see opposing offenses licking their chops to get to them. How long do you think that will last?

Is everyone wrong about Wheeler being ready? Was the rival NL scout that said Wheeler throws four pitches and all of them are plus pitches guilty of SUI? (Scouting Under the Influence)

Apparently Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins are the only two people in the Milky Way who think Wheeler isn’t ready to start in the majors and that he has to go lead the minors in pitching and then maybe they’ll consider it. they’ve both made it a point to say Wheeler isn’t MLB-ready a few times each this week alone. Whatever. I don’t but that for a second. This team needs help and it needs it now. Unless you believe Aaron Laffey is a better pitcher than Wheeler, then essentially you’re waving the white flag in April by not bringing up Wheeler in my opinion. It tells me that you’ve already give up on the season.

This past weekend, I visited Viera and Port St. Lucie to catch two Mets spring training games: Thursday vs. the Nationals, Friday vs. the Cardinals.

There wasn’t much to be excited about in Thursday’s game. Shaun Marcum was supposed to start, and, as we all know, he was scratched. His status is still up in the air for the start of the season.

Single-A prospect Domingo Tapia got the start, and you could tell he’s pretty raw. The Nationals played most of their starting lineup, and Tapia had a difficult time finding the strike zone. It didn’t help that Anthony Recker couldn’t block a ball for his life.

The Mets only salvaged two hits, and it was more about being out in the nice weather instead of being in the office.

Friday’s game against the Cardinals was much better, especially since my boss is a lifelong Cards fan.

The Mets played what ended up being a good chunk of what will be the Opening Day lineup. Matt Harvey was on the mound, and the Mets won.

But I wanted to touch on a few thoughts as the Mets get ready for the Padres …

No. 1: I believe the Mets will surprise people this year. Why? Lucas Duda couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag when spring started. That turned out pretty quickly. Let’s just hope he didn’t hit all of his homers during March. Also, I’m a believer that Collin Cowgill will hit more than 15 home runs this season. He is aggressive and provides something a little different that what is on the Mets’ roster.

Duda, Cowgill and Marlon Byrd have more power than the Mets outfield has had the last few seasons. So, while it’s still not a bunch of household names, I think the outfield has the potential to be better than a Triple-A outfield.

No. 2: Coming into March, many believed starting pitching would be the backbone of this year’s team. Santana and Marcum would provide depth. Well, Santana is out indefinitely, and no one knows what Marcum’s deal is — not even Marcum himself, I don’t think. Dillon Gee and Jeremy Hefner, despite struggling over the final few days of the spring, should get back on track. But until the Mets give in and call up Zack Wheeler, it will be up to Matt Harvey and Jon Niese will to be a good — err, great — one-two punch.

No. 3: Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud will be called up quickly. Not because of injuries necessarily, but because they will be ready. And once they are ready, why wait?

Spring is over. Games count starting tomorrow. LGM.

Ya Gotta Believe! ~ Tug McGraw

About a week ago, I posted an opinion piece about having hope in the spring. Why? Because there is no reason to be negative and already count your team out just days before or after pitchers and catchers report.

I got a lot of feedback on the post — both good and bad.

As I sit here on Feb. 16 to write a follow-up post, I watch college basketball with my New York Mets hat on with the door wide open in my family room because it’s nice and cool outside here in Florida.

And as we get closer to yet another season, I can’t help but think to myself, “What if?”

What if the Mets surprise people and can grab a Wild Card? What if they stay healthy, play technically sound baseball, and make a run at the division title? Once they get into the playoffs, what if everything clicks and it goes further?

All of those are what ifs, which, essentially, mean nothing. But they are reasons to hope that the losing is over. They are reasons to hope that this team is turning the corner — or, better, turned the corner.

Every year, the beat writers — who, undoubtedly, have the most access to the team/organization — predict wins/losses. Yet again, it appears as if most of them don’t think this year’s Mets team will be much of a contender.

You know what? That’s fine. I’ve always been the kind of person who roots for teams who are underdogs. (I’m a lifelong Jaguars fan, after all.)

On paper, it might not look like the Mets have the most daunting starting rotation or lineup.

Or do they?

On the hill, Matt Harvey can win 15 games this season. So can Jon Niese. And, if healthy, Johan Santana, too. We don’t know what we’re going to get with Marcum or Gee this season, but I’d bet they are consistent.

The bullpen is basically brand new. And can it be any worse than last year? Yes, but not likely.

Ike Davis could hit 30 home runs and more than 90 RBIs. He has the potential to be the best first baseman in the National League, and I expect him to perform. Daniel Murphy knows he is the second baseman, and how many times last season did you say, “Woah, Murph, what a play.” By the way, he should hit over .300

Ruben Tejada is so smooth at shortstop, and I expect to him to consistently get better ash e matures and gets older.

David Wright is at third. Nothing more needs to be said. I think he’ll be even better this year, because he knows how much time he has to win. And this is his team.

In the outfield, Lucas Duda has great power potential, which we all know. I think he finds consistency to go with that power.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Collin Cowgill, Mike Baxter are scrappy players. And I think Marlon Byrd will be a huge surprise, because, well, why not?

Oh, and don’t forget, no matter who is behind the plate — John Buck or Travis d’Arnaud — the offensive performance behind home plate won’t even be comparable to last season. They’ll play strong defense, too.

Yes, they are weaknesses to the New York Mets. There are for every team. And I know this is making it sound like they are going to win the World Series, but that’s not what I’m trying to convey. I’m trying to point out the positives this team possesses, not just the negatives, which seems to happen so often.

What do you think, though? What’s your feeling on this year’s team? If you’re just going to say they are going to be awful, don’t even both commenting.

I’ve told you why I think the Mets have a reason to believe in 2013, what are your reasons? I know you have some.

I’ve always been a person of gut feeling, and I don’t know why, but I have had a gut feeling since December that the Mets are turning things around. I have a feeling that 2013 is going to memorable — for many reasons.

Everybody has a chance in March

It’s a cliché, but it is always worth mentioning: Hope springs eternal.

And it’s never truer than with baseball. As we sip our coffee — and some of you shovel snow in the northeast — on this final Sunday before pitchers and catcher report, cool breezes and temperatures in the mid-70s welcome the start of Spring Training.

Really, this is the best time of the year, in my opinion. For the next six weeks, all teams — and fans — think they have a shot at the postseason, or better. And there is no reason to think otherwise.

No team has enjoyed wins or suffered losses yet. For the most part, teams are healthy — or healthier, at least compared to last year.

And then there are all those fancy offseason moves that general managers have done.

For the Mets, it’s a little bit of everything.

There hasn’t been a whole lot of hope since 2006. But I think a lot of Mets fans sense success is coming, and it might not be as far as we think.

This Spring Training, to me, marks the first spring out of the Omar Minaya era — notably Jason Bay and Mike Pelfrey.

The Mets starting rotation has huge upside if it can stay healthy. That if is a huge question mark, but when isn’t it? Of course, Zack Wheeler is chomping at the bit to make his splash in the big leagues, as are all fans.

The bullpen, although they are always a crapshoot, has been revamped. It needed to be after last season, when it allowed one of the worst ERAs in Major League Baseball.

While the outfield remains a question mark (including if the Mets sign Michael Bourn), the team has locked up David Wright for the long term. Ike Davis likely won’t have as bad a first half as he did last season. Daniel Murphy has yet another season under his belt. Everyone wants to see what Travis d’Arnaud will do. I mean, how excited will it be to have a catcher who can produce at the plate, not just behind the plate?

There are a lot of things that need to happen for the Mets to compete for the postseason. (The fact that they likely play in one of the best divisions in baseball doesn’t help).

To me, they are on the border of coming out of rebuilding and into contending. But every team is a contender on Feb. 11.

Side note: Because I live in Florida and will be heading south to Port St. Lucie a few times over the coming weeks, follow me on Twitter at @aobrien7.