Nieuwenhuis, who made a strong first impression with the Mets last year, came to camp penciled in as the center fielder and first in line to win the leadoff spot. However, a hitless streak at the start of the exhibition schedule punctuated with a rash of strikeouts followed by a deep bone bruise on his left knee made this a washout spring.

It should be fun for a young player competing for a starting job.“Fun?’’ Nieuwenhuis asked. “It should have been fun, but it’s no fun spending time in the trainer’s room. It’s no fun when you can’t get onto the field. This has been a very frustrating time.’’

Nieuwenhuis was injured two weeks ago, and yesterday participated in batting practice and outfield drills. Once he runs the bases, he’ll be cleared to play, but it will be a minor league game.

Perhaps early this week Nieuwenhuis will get in a game, but Collin Cowgill has already leaped past him as well as Jordany Valdespin. Matt den Dekker also made a strong impression defensively, and still has a chance to make the team if he finishes with a hot two weeks with the bat.

Nieuwenhuis doesn’t say it, but despite his youth and inexperience, he’s smart enough to know the score. All he has to do is look at the stat sheet and compare his at-bats to Cowgill’s. Fans think spring training stats don’t matter, but players know better.

“I haven’t seen a lot of pitches,’’ Nieuwenhuis said in about as direct an admission that he’ll open the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. “You need at-bats in spring training. You need repetition, and I haven’t gotten them.’’

Nieuwenhuis was brought up early last season after Andres Torres was injured and got two hits in his first game. Then he rattled off a seven-game hitting streak. Three times he had three hits in a game and at the end of April was hitting .325 with a .386 on-base percentage.

Nieuwenhuis remained productive in May – hitting .294 at the end of the month – and carried it into June and was emerging as an early Rookie of the Year candidate hitting .297 while playing a near flawless center field.

However, by the middle of the month, pitchers started figuring him out and his average plummeted. Anybody can hit fastballs, but Nieuwenhuis was having trouble with breaking balls and off-speed stuff and his strike zone widened for pitchers, who didn’t have to be so fine.

Nieuwenhuis sustained a hand injury in July and at the end of the month was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, where he injured his foot and was lost for the remainder of the season.

At the time of his demotion, Nieuwenhuis was down to .252 with a .315 on-base percentage, and in 282 at-bats had more strikeouts (98) than hits (71).

Although general manager Sandy Alderson had his apprehensions with Nieuwenhuis, his early success last year coupled with the Mets’ wide-open outfield situation, enabled him to come to camp with a fresh start and high expectations.

“Strikeouts are acceptable to a point,’’ Alderson said. “If a player has a high on-base percentage and produces a lot of runs, you can take the strikeouts.’’

Nieuwenhuis got off to a slow start this spring with only one hit and seven strikeouts in 20 at-bats. He was quickly removed from the leadoff spot as manager Terry Collins searched for other options, including Valdespin and Cowgill.

“I know the strikeouts have been a problem,’’ Nieuwenhuis said. “I don’t want to strike out. I need to put the ball in play. Seeing pitches is very important, and you get that through repetition.’’

And, you don’t see pitches when you’re not on the field.

Matt den Dekker, CF

Bats: L Throws: L
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205 lb.
Position: Centerfield
Age: 25 (26 in August)
ETA: 2013
MMO Top Prospect Rank: #12

Background:

Here is a brief player profile from the recent 2013 MMO Top 25 Prospect series:

Matt den Dekker has only been in the Mets farm system for three years, but his name has been relevant since the Mets tabbed him as a legitimate centerfield prospect. Den Dekker torched Binghamton upon his arrival in 2012, but struggled after his promotion to Buffalo and saw his strikeout rate increase to nearly 30%. He has a great feel for centerfield and could get by on his spectacular defense alone as a major leaguer. But his ability to hit advanced pitching will ultimately determine how quickly he makes his way onto the Mets.

Den Dekker is likely the closest outfield prospect the Mets have to being MLB ready. The one downside is that he’s another left-handed hitter which means he would have to outperform the glut of other Mets left-handed hitters to earn a promotion.

He is considered a superior defender to incumbent Kirk Nieuwenhuis, but with his inability to consistently make contact and a poor split-performance, den Dekker is likely to begin the season in Las Vegas and won’t make a trip up to Flushing until he can improve some elements to his offensive game. If he can square up and make more consistent contact, while reducing his strikeouts, Den Dekker could make an appearance later this season and end up playing a significant role this year and next. It’s a big “if” but it’s certainly not out of the question.

When looking at den Dekker’s stats, it’s easy to see his numbers took a dive after he made the jump to a higher level. This happened in both 2011 and 2012. What’s promising is how he adjusted at those levels when he started with those teams the following season. He was absolutely destroying Double-A pitching in 2012 after struggling during his first stint there in 2011. In 58 games with Binghamton last year, he hit to the tune of a .340 AVG/.397 OBP/ 8 HR/ 29 RBI/ 10 SB. You can see why he got promoted to Triple-A Buffalo after a sizzling start like that.

Up at Buffalo, he struggled. But as I stated earlier, that seems to be the trend with den Dekker (when he initially makes a jump, he struggles). It will be interesting to see what he does in Las Vegas this year, because if he follows the trend, he should put up some really solid numbers at the Triple-A level now that he got a half season under his belt. If he succeeds in Vegas, he will surely be a candidate to join the Mets sometime in June or July.

Analysis:

Based on the video, den Dekker does have a slight mechanical issue with his swing. It is easily fixable using muscle memory drills. However, he does have a very smooth swing and the potential is there to be a 20/20 type of player at the major league level.

I’m not sure den Dekker will ever be a .300 hitter unless he works out the mechanical deficiency that was described in the video. His front foot opens up during his swing, which causes his hips to open early. This could make him susceptible to off-speed pitches and pitches on the outside part of the plate. Keeping his front foot and hips closed longer should also improve his strikeout rate (since it will help him with the off-speed/outside pitches). If he is going to be a .300 hitter, he is going to have to working on keeping those hips closed and use all parts of the field when hitting.

Here is what a scout had to say about den Dekker via ESPN New York:

He’s a good defender. He throws good enough. He’s got some power — not great power, but he’s got some power. He’s making adjustments. I’ve been there [to watch Binghamton] three times. Every time he’s gotten better with the bat. He’s not flailing. He’s not trying to pull the ball. He’s making adjustments. It looks natural. He will cut down on his strikeouts with this new approach. He’s more patient. He’s going to be OK. I was prepared to not like this kid. He’s really won me over. It’s going to be a very spirited competition for center field between him and Nieuwenhuis, who are both better than Torres.

Those are pretty powerful words from that scout who said that both Nieuwenhuis and den Dekker were better than Andres Torres already, and this quote is from last June. Matt den Dekker should start the season with Triple-A Las Vegas, and you should definitely keep an eye on him in 2013. Depending on how he performs in Las Vegas, he could be in the outfield mix at Citi Field very soon.

To read previous editions of this feature, go to our MMO Prospect Pulse Archives.

Follow MMO Minor League Analyst Mitch Petanick on Twitter at @FirstPitchMitch for even more Mets Minor League and prospect coverage.

Speaking as someone who was content with the idea that it took more than a season to screw this franchise up and that it will take more than a season to fix the mistakes of those that came before him, I tolerated the notion that 2014 might be the year the Mets find themselves back on the map.  So, I waited.  Waited for what, I’m not exactly sure, but I’m pretty sure I expected the framework for such a rebuild in place a mere season away from the self-imposed rebuilding deadline.  For sure, the team would need at least a season to mesh, right?  And still, I wait.

I think I’ve gotten to the point that I’m actually bored with what going on here.  Quite frankly, I don’t care what the team’s financial situation.  Furthermore, the methodical approach of Sandy Alderson seems to do nothing but make the agony of knowing there is little immediate hope on the horizon even worse.  You see there is nothing wrong with signing low risk, high reward players like Tim Byrdak to minor league contracts.  In fact, its good baseball sense.  However, these are not the signings necessary to put the chips in place for a rebuild.

To be perfectly honest, resigning David Wright and RA Dickey only maintains the organization’s current position of limbo.  These are the players that the front office should build around, but even their future is in doubt.  If we’re lucky enough to ink them to long-term deals, I fear that the players filled in around them will simply maintain the status quo.  Two months ago it was unfathomable that fifth outfielder, Andres Torres, might occupy a roster spot next season.  Now it appears borderline likely.  Simply put, scratching the bottom of the bargain bin has become tiresome.

As another spring training draws near, the blueprint for success is no clearer today than it was two years ago.  Addition by subtraction has replaced the big market mindset brought to you by Omar Minaya and Bernie Madoff.  Whether you blame poor investing, poor free agent signings, or even poor player development, the Mets schtick just seems stale at this point.  Resigning Wright and Dickey may pacify some fans, but it will be the players brought in around them that will inspire the imaginations of the masses.  They don’t have to be nine-figure players, but the Ronnie Cedenos of the world just aren’t going to get it done.

I’m bored Sandy Alderson.  Give me a reason to get excited, a reason to look forward to the future, hell.. give me a reason to come to the ballpark.  Show fans that this organization is still interested in winning.  Enough with the stopgaps.  Lets build something worth the our time..and our money.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Andres Torres, Scott Hairston and Ike Davis all hit home runs to support Jeremy Hefner in the last game of the season, a 4-2 win against the Marlins

Jeremy Hefner had a good outing, going seven and one-third innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out seven. Hefner continually coaxed poor contact, and has continued to show that he may have a role in the 2013 bullpen because he has shown the ability to get MLB hitters out. Hefner may have been one of the unsung heroes, being bounced around and still managing to put together solid starts. While they did not come without their growing pains, he still finished strong for someone who wasn’t on the OD roster

Elvin Ramirez continued his wildness show, giving up a hit and walking two in one-third of an inning. Elvin will need a quality spring training in 2013 to crack the 25-man roster. Manny Acosta relieved Ramirez, and pitched one-third of an inning. As usual, Acosta has had a great second half after a horrible, horrible, horrible first half.

Bobby Parnell came out in the ninth to get the save

The offense today was all thanks to the four-base hit, as Andres Torres hit a solo-shot, his third on the year. Scott Hairston hit a two-run homer, his 20th on the season and Ike Davis added another for good measure, an opposite-field shot for his 32nd on the season. Only two Mets had multiple hits (Davis, Tejada) and three starters went hitless.

Game Notes

Ruben Tejada finishes the season hitting .289, slowed by a quad injury. While this season could have been what cemented him as the shortstop of the future, he will need another season to prove he is ready for the grind of a full season

Davis finished the season with 32 homers, while Hairston reached 20. Hairston became the second player in franchise history to reach that plateau in fewer than 400 plate appearances, joining Richard Hidalgo.

Justin Turner hit his first career triple today

The Mets’ final record: is 74-88, three games worse than last season and good for fourth place for a fourth straight season.

The last game ball of the year goes to the entire 2012 Mets team. It was a rough season, but they gave it their all and didnt finish in last. Hooray!

LETS GO METS!

I know what you thinking.. How on earth could we spend the entire season talking about the bullpen…that woeful bullpen…and suddenly decide that the team’s offense should be the top priority this offseason?  Heres why:

• Mets rank 8th in MLB with 1,169 strike outs.
• Mets rank 22nd in MLB on the year, hitting just .242 with RISP
• Mets rank 24th in MLB with only 407 extra-base hits, resulting in a .383 slugging percentage.  Good for only 24th in MLB this season.
• Mets rank 25th in MLB with a .236 BA since the All-Star break.
• Mets rank 25th in MLB with 51 HR since the All-Star break and 26th overall with just 124 on the season.
• Mets rank 26th in MLB with a .301 OBP since the All-Star break.
• Mets rank 27th in MLB this season with only 71 stolen bases.
• Mets rank 29th in MLB with 204 runs scored since the All-Star break and only 25th on the year with 598.

And while I understand that each of these totals either directly relates to, or is significantly impacted by the teams’ terrible second half, the fact cannot be denied that the Mets lineup isn’t exactly executing at a high level.  All the pitching the world doesn’t matter if the team can’t score runs.  Just ask RA Dickey, who has only received an average of 3 runs of offense in support his Cy Young effort in his last ten starts.

While the blame for such totals should be distributed amongst the group, its the Mets outfielders who’ve been the most disappointing this season.  Everyone knows the obvious, in the fact that Jason Bay has managed only 7 HR with just 18 RBI while posting an abysmal .153 BA, but the outfield as a whole has been much better, hitting just .235 as a unit.  That’s a full thirty-three points lower than the infield, which has seen its catchers and first basemen hit .226 and .234 respectively.

I really don’t mean to throw stats at you all day, but the Mets can’t afford to field a strikeout prone, powerless outfield much longer.  With the writing on the wall that both Wright and Dickey will factor the team’s direction into their decision making process, Lucas Duda can’t be the teams best hitting outfielder.  It simply can’t be…

I’m not sure where they will find them, but the team must track down two, if not three, solid outfield options who can not only hit for average, but can respectfully patrol their position as well.  I realize that those types of players don’t grow on trees, and I understand that both Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher will quite possible be out of the teams price range, but my lord has the current crop of players been bad.

This is a bad place to be for a team that was looking to have all the pieces in place once their premier pitching prospects breached the big league roster.  Those pieces have started arriving, and with Matt Harvey and Jenrry Mejia (at minimum) set to break camp with the club next spring, the time is now to fix one of the all-around worst offenses in baseball.  Once again Sandy Alderson has a tall task in front of him, or perhaps he has dug his own grave, but things can’t continue like this.  Its simple, with pitching help on the way from within the system, the offense much take center stage this offseason.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

First and foremost, the team’s pitching staff desperately needs another overhaul.  To a certain point, that will come in the eventual promotion of the Harvey, Wheeler, Familia and Mejia contingent.  That however won’t get it done in the long run.  While RA Dickey has proven himself as one of the game’s elite (albeit awkward) pitchers, the rest of the starting staff has been disappointing.  Jon Niese remains inconsistent and Johan Santana has been a mess since in June no-hitter.  Then we get to the bullpen…  The truth is bullpens are always in flux as its historically difficult for many relief pitchers to maintain a high level of play from year to year, but the Mets have had extremely poor luck.  From the current crop, its realistic to think only Francisco, Edgin and possibly Rauch find themselves on the roster next season.  That’s a great deal of turnover for a team supposedly headed in the right directly.

A look at the rest of the roster finds a variety of players who were being counted on to take a step forward, but ultimately failed miserably.  Here is a look at just a few:

• Andres Torres, who was acquired last winter as a band-aid in center field, has been repeatedly hampered by injury and has struggled at the plate all season.  For much of the season, he has found himself second fiddle to rookie, Kirk Nieuwenhuis.  Definitely not the situation Mets’ brass hoped for when envisioning the 2012 season in their head.
• Lucas Duda was handed the spot in right field in an effort to find a place for his bat.  His offense, unfortunately, has abandoned him.  That, combined with his defensive liability and what has been described as a poor attitude has found him beached in Buffalo with his opportunity wasted and his value shattered.
• Jason Bay…oh where do we start.  More inuries and more ineptitude at the plate have finally cost Bay his everyday spot in left.  Batting well under .200 this season, Bay is likely on his way out despite what Sandy Alderson recently said about the $19 million he is still owed on his current contract.
• Josh Thole was the Mets best bet coming into the season behind the plate.  As is the case with everyone else on this list, he hasn’t gotten it done.  A team can stomach a singles hitter if they justify their spot on the roster with their defense.  Thole has repeatedly struggled to keep the ball from going to the backstop and can’t throw anyone else on the base paths.  He’s not an everyday major league player, no matter what way you try to cut it.
• Ike Davis has probably been the biggest surprise disappointment this year.  Mired in a terrible slump for the first two months of the season, Ike has never really turned it on this year.  The saving grace to his season will be his power numbers, which have not slumped nearly as much as his average and will ultimately salvage his spot for the time being as the Met’s first baseman of the future.

Much of this didn’t rear its ugly head until the team fell off the pace, but now it has become clear that the organization still has a great deal of work to do before they become a legitimate contender again.  With that said, the resurgence of David Wright is most positive thing to come out of 2012.  He has once again solidified himself amongst the best third baseman in baseball.  Moving around the remainder of the infield, Ruben Tejada’s patient approach at the plate and stout defense have proven to be a quality replacement for the departed Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy has come a loooong way at second base.

The issue remains that outside of those guys, and RA Dickey of course, the Mets as a whole haven’t improved much.  It was fun to field fully home grown lineups, but its obvious the answer to the team’s woes aren’t within the organization right now. The 2012 season hasn’t yielded the results any of us had hoped.  There is no reason to believe the Mets are only a few players away from success and an argument can now be made that the organization has actually gone backwards this year.  Yes, despite the successful first half, the 2012 season has proven to be a costly one for the New York Mets.

Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83

Chris Young was victimized in late innings as has been the theme, the bullpen faltered and despite a ninth inning rally including two solo home runs, the Mets lost the second game of the series, 4-3.

Game Recap

Chris Young had a pretty solid outing, going six innings allowing two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out two. Young was good for the most part, but as has been the case in his last few starts he gave up a late-inning homer that put the Nationals on the board first. The big problem with Young is not endurance, but his variety and sharpness of pitches after the sixth inning. Young does rely fairly heavily on control and drawing weak contact, so that will always doom Young third time around the order.

The bullpen had some major work today, with Miguel Batista allowing two runs on three hits with one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Batista wasn’t particularly ineffective, with one hit coming off a freak ricochet off of Miguel Batista’s shin. However, the most egregious sin was leaving a fastball down the middle that Steve Lombardozzi drilled for a two-RBI double. Josh Edgin came out for a third of an inning, and got Bryce Harper to fly out. Jon Rauch came out to pitch the eighth, and had his best outing in a few weeks, striking out two and allowing no hits. Rauch seemed to have some extra zip on his fastball, turning it up to 93 MPH.

The bullpen still struggles, and Jesus wept. Reinforcements cannot come soon enough.

Offensively, the Mets were kept in check by Jordan Zimmerman for the course of his start, but came alive in the late innings. A Lucas Duda RBI double set up Andres Torres for an RBI single, but in a boneheaded move tried to stretch it into a double down by two. The real comeback began in the ninth, when to leadoff the inning David Wright sent a blast to right field for a solo HR. After Davis & Duda struck out swinging, Jason Bay sent a moonshot off the LF foul pole to bring the Mets within one. Yetserday’s hero, Jordany Valdespin came to the plate to try and recreate his magic from the night before, but struck out swinging to end the game.

Outside of the baserunning error, the Mets were aggressive at the plate today, and it didn’t translate into hits.

Turning Point: Miguel Batista giving up the freak hit. If it goes up the middle, Murphy has a play on it if not Tejada to end the inning. Instead, it caroms into no-mans land and keeps the inning alive.

Game Notes: David Wright – 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run on a solo HR. Can he play any better? On a day where nine hits are totaled, Wright accounts for a third of them. Jason Bay went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run on a solo HR.

On Deck: The Mets will look to finish the series against the Nationals with a win, sending R.A. Dickey to the mound against Gio Gonzalez. Game time is 12:35 P.M.

Chris Young had a good outing but ran out of steam in the seventh, and the bullpen faltered in the 9-2 loss against the Phillies

Game Recap

Chris Young went to the mound and has kept with the theme of quality outings, going seven innings allowing  three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking none with all of his runs allowed in the seventh inning. Chris gave up two big home runs back-to-back, and the issues as mentioned on the SNY broadcast is that Chris doesn’t seem to tire as much as his repertoire becomes predictable. The only concerns with Chris Young are durability and exactly how many innings is Chris Young good for per start.

The bullpen received some work today, with Miguel Batista coming out for the eighth inning to face one batter, and gave up a hit and a run. Tim Byrdak relieved him and gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning on one hit while walking one. Jeremy Hefner came out to do the heavy lifting, giving up three runs on five hits in one and one-third innings including a home run.

The pen has been horrible. Outside of Francisco or Parnell, the Mets do not have another pitcher they can rely on in a situation of any leverage to get a key out, less in fact a strikeout.

On offense, the Mets hitters were fooled by Phillies starter Cliff Lee for most of the game, minus a Scott Hairston solo home run and a sixth inning that saw a series of singles capped off with a David Wright RBI single. After that, the offense was victimized by Cliff Lee and called third strikes on the day.

Game Notes

Mets one through six hitters each had one hit, with Andres Torres and Mike Nickeas both struggling. Torres struggles have been noted, but with the recent development of Kirk Nieuwenhuis and his hand possibly sending him to the DL, he looks to be the starting center fielder for the foreseeable future.

Ruben Tejada went 2 for 4, continuing his hot hitting since his return from the DL. Ruben’s average on the season is now at .331.

Miguel Batista ended June with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Beato-watch 2012 looks like: after the ASB.

Jordanny Valdespin was called up and took the place of LHP Justin Hampson. Whether this is a precursor to a possible DL stint for Kirk or just to avoid playing with a short bench will be decided.

Turning Point

When the bullpen surrendered six more runs. In only two innings of work.

On Deck

The Mets will look to win the series tomorrow, sending all-star pitcher R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.15) to the mound to face-off against the Phillies and Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.08). Game time is 7:10 P.M.

Daniel Murphy hit two home runs, Scott Hairston hit a grand slam and the Mets offense had a banner day in their 17-1 win against the Cubs

Game Recap

Jonathon Niese had a great outing, allowing one run on eight hits while walking one and striking out six in seven innings. Niese consistently drew weak contact, and after allowing a second inning run, settled in to hold the Cubs scoreless for the next five innings. With the offensive eruption, Niese was afforded a large margin for error. Ramon Ramirez pitched two mop-up innings, allowing one hit in two innings while striking out two. A quality pitching effort from the Mets staff today.

Now, for the true story of the day – the Mets offensive. Daniel Murphy broke his home run drought stretching to July 2011 by hitting two home runs, Ike Davis added a three run homer and for good measure Scott Hairston hit a grand slam to add to the ever growing score on the Mets side of the scoreboard. Every Mets starter got on base, and only Lucas Duda didn’t manage a hit, but walked three times on the day. Scoring 17 runs on 16 hits with ten extra base hits is a great way to win.

Notes

Andres Torres stole his fifth base in four games, going absolutely crazy on the basepaths. As long as Kirk continues to struggle, Torres will see more time in the outfield.

Lucas Duda may only be hitting .258, but his OBP is nearly 100 points higher at .349 and his ability to not be rendered ineffective against lefties does add to his value.

Ike Davis has homered in three of his last five games, all while finally raising his average to .201. This season will more then likely wind up with Ike hitting below .270, but the improvements in June and patience seem to be paying off now

Player Of The Game

Daniel Murphy went 3 for 5 with two home runs, two runs scored and four RBI. Murphy may be showing some signs of life at the plate, and if he can keep going in the right direction, then the Mets will be significantly better on the offensive side of the ball.

On Deck

The Mets will travel to Los Angeles to begin a series against the now-floundering Dodgers. The Mets will send Chris Young (1-1, 3.42) to the mound against former Met Chris Capuano (9-2, 2.60). Game time is 10:10 P.M.

Chris Young looked good in his first start since May of 2011, but a comedy of errors lead to a thrilling game that was decided in the twelfth in the Mets 7-6 loss.

Game Recap

Chris Young coming back to the Mets in his first start in over a year pitched admirably, going five innings while giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits, walking one and striking out two. Young consistently coaxed weak contact, and was only victimized in the fifth inning, when a serious of mistakes that ended in an Omar Quintilla throwing error lead to an unearned run. Young maintained the velocity he had pre-operation, pitching around 84-86 MPH with his fastball. The key factor to remember with Young is that it isn’t about velocity, but it is about location and sequencing.

With the short bullpen today due to Jon Rauch getting a few days off and the Mets going with a six man rotation, Miguel Batista fresh off his DL stint came out and pitched two very effective innings, allowing no hits while walking one and striking out two. Tim Byrdak came out for one-third of an inning, and allowed one hit. Byrdak just barely missed getting a double-play, but the transition was fumbled by Murphy and only turned into one out. Frank Francisco came out for a five-out save and after getting one out, gave up an RBI single that was charged to Tim Byrdak to tie the game in the eighth. Francisco pitched a solid ninth after blowing the save, getting two strikeouts and allowing one hit. His final line would read one and two-third innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. Bobby Parnell came out in the tenth to save the game, and his defense was very unkind to him. Parnell gave up an unearned run, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out two. Elvin Ramirez came in and after allowing a leadoff walk, struck out the next three hitters. Ramirez had much more trouble in the twelfth, giving up two doubles including one for an RBI, a wild pitch and a walk-off RBI single.

The Mets offense was quiet until the sixth inning, when Jordany Valdespin had his third hit of the season, which was also his second pinch-hit home run on the season. David Wright hit his seventh home run of the season shortly after, bringing the Mets to within one run. Andres Torres hit a two-RBI triple in the eighth to put the Mets ahead. Scott Hairston got a leadoff single in the tenth, stole second, advanced to third on an out and scored on a wild-pitch. Scott Hairston would come through with another heroic blast in the eleventh inning.

Game Changing Moment: Elvin Ramirez losing any effectiveness in the twelfth inning.

Player Of The Game: Scott Hairston, coming through in a huge way today going 2 for 2 with three runs, a home run and a stolen base. Scott had his best performance as a Mets player today.

On Deck

The Mets will continue the series against the Nationals tomorrow at 7:05, and will send RHP Jeremy Hefner (1-2, 5.60) to the mound against RHP Edwin Jackson (1-3, 3.17).

The 2012 New York Mets season has already seen its share of injuries, tough luck losses  and just outright poor, frustrating play. However, the positives in defeat, losses and watching players fail is you can determine what are your weaknesses as a team, and how can it be improved. So far, some hitting flaws have been exposed, some hitters have adapted better to new roles under the tutelage of Dave Hudgens while others have struggled to combine patience with a selective approach. Some bullpen pitchers have seen their stars fall, while others have capitalized on learning new pitches to help equalize the competition.

Ike Davis has come out of the gate, and been just about as bad as someone could have hoped. After yesterday’s game, Davis is hitting .170 with five home runs, 20 RBI and a 11/46 BB/K ratio. Ike has been getting killed on breaking balls, seeing less and less fastballs while swinging at more breaking balls on the outside corners and in the dirt. Defensively, Ike has been as stable but a few times it seems his struggles have come with him into the field.

The Verdict: The fans and possibly management itself overplayed how ready someone with just over 600 at-bats would adapt after a long lay-off. Ike has shown some signs of resurgence, but consistent ability to make quality contact has killed him. The BABIP will have to rise (.208) which is well below league-average.

Andres Torres went down on opening day with a flare-up of the calf injury that kept him out of the majority of the spring training games. While many Mets fans were prepared to see some combination of Hairston/Baxter/Bay patrolling center (yeah, looking back that was crazy), the Mets did something many fans wished they would, and called up Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Despite a major problem with striking out (53 on the season, tied for fifth with Cincinnati Reds CF Drew Stubbs), Kirk has managed to make his contact count, still hitting .288 with a .358 OBP and some solid, if not great center field defense. The performance merits playing time, but once Jason Bay returns, it will be interesting to see the utilization

The Verdict: Kirk was infact MLB ready, and the strikeouts are the only issue, but most expected him to have a high strikeout total. With better knowledge of how MLB umpires call games, Kirk will turn the strikeouts into walks and hits. While he may not be an All-Star, Captain Kirk is one of many reasons these Mets are six games over .500

Bobby Parnell, who has witnessed his stock and future role with the Mets waver every year came into the season expecting to be a situational righty,  especially with the additions of Jon Rauch, Ramon Ramirez and Frank Francisco. What he has become is the most consistent right-handed option in the bullpen who has finally learned to harness his stuff, as evidenced by his 3/21 BB/K ratio over the course of the young season. His ERA of  2.75 is only bested by Tim Byrdak’s 2.57, but Byrdak has been a machine himself. The knuckle-curve he learned from Jason Isringhausen seems to have made a difference, as hitters are forced to guess in any strikeout count: Will he throw me a fastball anywhere from 92-101, or paint a corner with an 83 MPH curve?

The Verdict: Parnell pitches much like a hitter hits – in streaks and stints. Parnell hasn’t really had any poor outings yet, and four of the six earned runs he’s allowed have come in two different outings. Bobby just may have figured out how to pitch now, and increased his value in the Mets bullpen drastically.

This isn’t to say there aren’t other stories to be spoken about such as the emergence of Mike Baxter as the best pinch-hitting option off the bench, Manny Acosta rendering himself incapable of getting out MLB hitters, Johan Santana returning to his old form or David Wright borrowing MJOLNIR from Thor to become one of the best hitters in the NL. It just means, when all things were assumed bad – there was an upside to it. Finding out what we thought we know wasn’t true, and finding out what we didn’t know was a lie.

Through the use of the scorecard, let’s take a look at how David Wright did this week:

Wright continues to impress everyone this year, and his batting average for the entire year sits at .412. His strikeout count has decreased quite a bit this year, he is not chasing many pitches out of the zone and thus is also getting more walks this year.

Honorable Mentions

These players, although not winning the Player of the Week award, had a very strong showing this week and deserve to be recognized. We will also show how strong a showing they had through the use of the scorecard.

Mike Baxter

Lucas Duda

Miguel Batista (Now on DL)

Tim Byrdak

Rob Johnson (Catcher in Relief)

Not So Hot

The Not So Hot area mentions a few players who did not have a good week this week.

Manny Acosta

Jon Niese

Jon Rauch

Dillon Gee

Mike Nickeas

Andres Torres

Ike Davis

Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

This area shows the scoreboard of the Players of the Week, and who has won already this season and how many times.

1. David Wright – 3

T2. Kirk Nieuwenhuis – 1

T2. Johan Santana – 1

T2. Andres Torres – 1

Trivia

To finish off the Player of the Week announcement each week, I’ll be asking you a trivia question. The answer will be announced during the next Player of the Week announcement, as well as the first person who answered correctly. Another question will then be asked. Last Week’s Answer is: 16 wins for Tom Seaver in 1967. Adam was the first person to correctly answer the question. So here is this week’s question:

When did David Wright make his Major League debut and against what team?

Through the use of the scorecard, let’s take a look at how David Wright did this week:

Wright continued his stellar year with another great week. This year, he has looked much better, both at the plate and in the field. He is showing why he deserves an extension when the time for an extension comes.

Honorable Mentions

These players, although not winning the Player of the Week award, had a very strong showing this week and deserve to be recognized. We will also show how strong a showing they had through the use of the scorecard.

Daniel Murphy

Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Lucas Duda

Ike Davis (Hotter than he has been)

Tim Byrdak

Jon Niese

Not So Hot

The Not So Hot area mentions a few players who did not have a good week this week.

Frank Francisco

Manny Acosta

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

This area shows the scoreboard of the Players of the Week, and who has won already this season and how many times.

1. David Wright – 2

T2. Kirk Nieuwenhuis – 1

T2. Johan Santana – 1

T2. Andres Torres – 1

Trivia

To finish off the Player of the Week announcement each week, I’ll be asking you a trivia question. The answer will be announced during the next Player of the Week announcement, as well as the first person who answered correctly. Another question will then be asked. Last Week’s Answer is: Doug Sisk. Alex68 was the first person to correctly answer the question. So here is this week’s question:

Tom Seaver was the NL 1967 Rookie of the Year by winning how many games for the New York Mets?

Dillon Gee struggled through his outing today, but the Mets would put across nine of the ten runs they scored after the sixth inning, and the Mets walked out of Philly with a three-game sweep, winning today 10-6.

Game Recap

Dillon Gee had a mixed outing today, giving up four runs on ten hits, while striking out four. Gee was leaving most of his pitches over the plate, and he was paying for it. The most surprising fact about Gee’s outing – all of the RBI’s he gave up were from the eighth and ninth hitter. If you can’t get out the lower portion of the order, but can the top maybe you are taking too much off.

Tim Byrdak came out for a third, and got the Mets out of the sixth and nabbed the win thanks to his effort in the seventh while the offense was rallying. Manny Acosta came on for the seventh and gave up one hit while striking out one batter. Jon Rauch would come out to essentially mop up the game, and would allow a run on two hits, striking out one. Rauch will live or die by contact, as he has struck out six batters in 14 innings. D.J. Carrasco received his first work in mop-up duty, and gave up one run on two hits, striking out one in his inning of work.

The Mets offense today was struggling early on, with a Daniel Murphy RBI double in the first and a David Wright RBI single in the sixth being the only runs the Mets would push across the plate off of Cliff Lee, fresh off a DL stint and on a pitch-limit. However, once Lee left is when the game, as most games in this series have blown open. The Mets would push across three in the seventh to get into the lead on a Justin Turner RBI double, a Lucas Duda HBP and an Andres Torres RBI groundout. The eighth inning would be much of the same, with David Wright scoring on an RBI double by Scott Hairston, and the hibernating Ike Davis obliterating a three-run home run off the facade in RF to give the Mets a 9-4 lead at the time. Andres Torres, now in a 9-5 game belted a solo shot, the first of his Mets career.

Game Notes

- Five Mets had two hits, which is always a good sign for life in an offense.

- Vinny Rottino was 0-2 with 2 strikeouts. Why would Rottino survive the cut expected on Friday for Ronny Cedeno being 0 for 5 on the season, but Valdespin would be sent down?

- Ike Davis appears to have broken out of his slump possibly, going 2 for 4 with a HR, three RBI, two runs and a strikeout. The most positive thing about Ike is seeing him be aggressive on pitches in the zone, and spitting on breaking balls that are in the dirt.

- Andres Torres continues his hot hitting since his return from the DL, going 2 for 4 with a HR, a walk, two RBI and two runs. Also made a great catch in the first to get Dillon Gee out of a jam.

Player Of The Game

For the sole purpose of this being the first game where he has looked like his former self, Ike Davis. It takes a good day against a good team to jump start some people, and he has grinded to hopefully see the light. Lets keep it up, Ike.

On Deck

After the sweep in Philly, the Mets will have Thursday off and travel to Miami to face the Marlins at 7:10 P.M. Johan Santana will face off against lefty Mark Buerhle.

Through the use of the scorecard, let’s take a look at how Andres Torres did this week:

I honestly don’t think I’d ever expect to say Andres Torres would win the Player Of The Week award, but he did well this week and produced for the Mets. While I still don’t feel he should replace Kirk Nieuwenhuis, he did quite well this week. I will also note he had a stolen base.

Honorable Mentions

These players, although not winning the Player of the Week award, had a very strong showing this week and deserve to be recognized. We will also show how strong a showing they had through the use of the scorecard.

Daniel Murphy

David Wright

Ruben Tejada

Frank Francisco

Bobby Parnell

Ramon Ramirez

Not So Hot

The Not So Hot area mentions a few players who did not have a good week this week.

Jon Niese

Chris Schwinden (now demoted)

Manny Acosta

Jon Rauch

Josh Thole

Ike Davis

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

This area shows the scoreboard of the Players of the Week, and who has won already this season and how many times.

David Wright – 1

Kirk Nieuwenhuis – 1

Johan Santana – 1

Andres Torres – 1

Trivia

To finish off the Player of the Week announcement each week, I’ll be asking you a trivia question. The answer will be announced during the next Player of the Week announcement, as well as the first person who answered correctly. Another question will then be asked. Last Week’s Answer is: Harry Chiti. Alex68 was the first person to correctly answer the question. So here is this week’s question:

When the Mets won Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, what Met pitcher was warming up in the bullpen to pitch the next inning if Mookie Wilson had made out?

Andres Torres and D.J. Carrasco will begin their rehab assignments tonight with St. Luice. Torres has been out since opening day with a lingering strained calf muscle.

As for Carrasco he twisted his ankle during Spring Training and was placed on the DL by the Mets prior to the start of the season. Last season in 42 games with the Mets, Carrasco went 1-3 with a 6.02 ERA.

Depending on the play of Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Andres Torres may wind up in a platoon role in center field. As for Carrasco, he could be a good addition to a bullpen that in recent days has struggled in the late innings.