Good morning, Mets fans, we hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend!

Michael Wacha takes the mound for the Mets tonight as they open a two-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 pm EDT. SNY and MASN 2 will have the coverage of tonight’s matchup.

Mets vs Phillies 

The Mets dropped a heart-breaker to the Philadelphia Phillies last night, losing 9-8 in extra innings. Erasmo Ramirez threw 34 strikes over 54 pitches thrown in five innings of relief.

Latest Mets News

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mets’ 3B coach, Gary DiSarcina returned to the team Monday after being out for a few weeks due to a player and coach from the Mets’ organization testing positive for COVID-19.

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, The Chicago Cubs claimed OF Billy Hamilton off of waivers from the Mets

Steve Cohen’s deal to buy the Mets is getting closer, awaiting MLB approval. Joe D discusses this in-depth in an article on MMO.

Latest MLB News

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Blue Jays have placed Teoscar Hernandez on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain.

Per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the Chicago Cubs claimed OF, Billy Hamilton off of waivers from the Mets, added INF Ildemaro Vargas to the active roster, optioned and DFA’d LHP, Matt Dermody, and signed Pedro Strop to a minor league deal. They also added RHP, Duncan Robinson to the 60-man player pool and released catcher, Jose Lobaton. Following those transactions, the Cubs’ 60-player pool stands at 59 players.

Per Jake Kaplan of The Athletic, The Astros have placed Blake Taylor and Chris Devenski on the IL with elbow Soreness and have recalled Humberto Castellanos and Chase DeJong.

Latest NL East News

JT Realmuto hit his tenth home run of the season tonight against the Mets.

Rhys Hoskins has hit eight home runs in his last 13 games, homering today against the Mets.

With just three weeks left in the 2020 regular season, the Braves lead the NL East, with the Phillies two games back, the Marlins three and a half games back, the Mets five and a half games back, and the Nationals nine games back.

Latest on MMO

MMO is doing a giveaway. Head over to twitter to win a five-card park of David Peterson Bowman Rookie cards. Five winners will be selected Wednesday.

Sam Lebowitz and Jack Hendon posted episode three of the “Pleasant Good Evening Podcast” in memory of Tom Seaver and talked all things Mets. Follow the podcast on Twitter @PGEPod_MMO for all the content.

Rich Sparigo recalled the Mets’ 2015 record-stirring win against the Nationals in article on MMO.

Checkout Ryan Finkelstein’s article looking at the Mets’ push for playoffs.

On this Day in Mets History

On September 8, 1964, The Mets announced the signing of 18-year old right-handed pitcher, Bill Denehy.

On September 8, 1967, The Mets honored former Dodger pitcher, Sandy Koufax, who threw a n0-hitter against the Mets in 1962 and retired in 1966 due to arthritis.

On September 8, 1969, the Mets defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-2 at Shea Stadium. Jerry Koosman was credited witht the win for the Mets.

On September 8, 1993, Darryl Kile no-hit the Mets at the Astrodome in the Astros’ 7-1 victory over the Mets.

Birthdays: Bobby Parnell (36), Don Aase (66),

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Lose Extra-Innings Heartbreaker to Phillies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Tonight, the Mets will take on the Cincinnati Reds at 7:10 p.m. Seth Lugo will take on St. Johns alumni, Amir Garrett.

Last night, the Mets won by a score of 7-2 thanks to strong pitching and the bat of Brandon Nimmo. Matt Harvey rebounded well from his last start and looked more composed as the game went along. Brandon Nimmo’s OBP is now up to .416 on the season. His wRC+ skyrocketed to 130 after two homers in the win.

Jeurys Familia has his best outing since returning from injury with two scoreless innings.

Latest Mets News

David Wright wants another chance at getting back on the field. He also does not plan on managing the Mets.

Wilmer Flores is out for the season with his broken nose.

Noah Syndergaard threw two innings yesterday, giving up three runs in the process. He hit 100 MPH with his fastball and got to 92 with his slider.

Latest NL East News

The Nationals called up their top prospect, Victor Robles, yesterday. Robles is highly rated and could be the future very soon.

The Braves are offering free Marlins tickets for this weekend. Anyone who left Florida to Georgia to weather Irma has that option. Nice gesture by the Braves.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote about Luiz Gohara‘s MLB debut.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com answers questions from Phillies fans.

Latest on MMO

Joe D. provides a snapshot at the 2018 payroll.

Mets Minors provides a look at catcher Francisco Alvarez, a top 10 IFA that the Mets are the favorite to sign.

This Day in Mets History

2015: Mets were trailing the Nationals 7-1 with two outs in the seventh inning but rallied for six in the inning to tie it. Kirk Nieuwenhuis homered in the eighth inning of Jonathan Papelbon to give the Mets the lead.

Birthdays: Bobby Parnell turns 33, Don Aase turns 64

The post Morning Briefing: Glimpses of Hope for Mets Pitching appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As an educator, particularly as one of the social studies variety, part of my responsibility is to make sure students are corroborating evidence from multiple sources in order to form an educated and unbiased opinion of certain historical events.  This is a valuable skill, as it encourages them to seek various point of views and infer the truth for themselves.

I believe it is time for us as Met fans to do the same for a certain encounter that occurred on Tuesday March 3rd, 2015 between Noah Syndergaard, David Wright, and Bobby Parnell.  The alleged ‘lunch police’ incident occurred nearly fifteen months ago, and it was only last night that I was able to formulate my truth from that event.

To refresh your memory, let me review the story that was covered by every beat writer under the Florida sun last Spring.  During an intrasquad scrimmage, David Wright strolled into the clubhouse and noticed the then highly touted pitching prospect, now turned New York superhero, taking his lunch alone most likely reflecting on one of his adventures in a netherworld us mortals can not begin to fathom.

The Captain, David Wright, confronted Noah on the issue and gave him some ‘advice’ to join the rest of the team instead of rolling solo to ponder the fate of the human race.  Bobby Parnell, who was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery at the time, joined in the fun by tossing young Noah’s tray of nourishment in the trash.  Parnell later told Marc Carig of Newsday, “If a kid’s not playing nice, you take his toys away”.

It was not until last night that I came to the realization of the 100% authentic truth.  On the forgettable Tuesday in March in question, it was not Noah Syndergaard who chose to eat in the clubhouse during the scrimmage. No, not even close.  It was his silly teammates that chose to play a meaningless game while this elite specimen was eating.  The team may have been better served watching his methodical mastication than practicing fundamentals on the field.  Because frankly, this guy is not like everyone else, he is something special.  Something to watch.

Why last night? Well, it was a combination of things.  Sure, his seven terrific innings pitched where he yielded just five hits and walked none were great.  His ten strikeouts were picturesque.  I enjoy watching them on replay to not only see the masterful diversity of high nineties heat, fall off the table curves, and unhittable sliders, but to hear the reactions of Keith Hernandez in the booth.  His oohs, ahs, and uhs, give you a little taste of the mindset of a hitter when this absolutely filthy (in a good way) repertoire is unleashed upon them.

His 32 regular season starts since he was robbed of his food have resulted in 203 1/3 innings pitched with 231 strikeouts.  You also may remember he got the only World Series win for the Mets last year, a win in the NLCS, and though he was credited with a loss in the NLDS vs the Dodgers, you also may recall his seventh inning relief appearance in the clinching game five where he struck out two.

And the Lunch Police? Lets start with the one who layed waste to the food: Parnell.  What did he do in 2015? Oh, I’m sure you remember.  He allowed more hits than innings pitched and contributed a 6.31 ERA.  He never really recovered from the surgery and was not even kept as a reserve for the post season roster.  As I was pondering writing this, I decided to check in on Parnell.  He is currently pitching with the Detroit Tigers’ AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, and has shown some improvement.  Sporting a 4.73 ERA , he walked two and yielded three earned runs while recording just one out in this last appearance.

As for the one who started the ruckus? The Captain? Yes he holds a special place in our hearts as fans.  Yes he has put up some great numbers in his time with the club and was always available to the media.  However, he could not answer the bell last night.  He was physically unable to contribute in the Mets’ biggest game of 2016.  Relegated to a spectator due to his degenerative spinal condition, Wrights absence created a hole in the infield that could only be filled by a player, Matt Reynolds, who was making his MLB debut at a position that was not his natural spot.  Reynolds went 0-3 but recorded a putout and two assists.  He even threw overhand to first for the final out of the game, a play that would have made Mets fans hold their breath if Wright was out there.

The lesson here? Thor can eat wherever he wants, whenever he wants.  If he chooses to order Shake Shack while on the mound in his next start vs the Brewers, Wright should stand at his side with a napkin at the ready.  We can even get Parnell to serve it to him.

Sit back, relax, and let Thor ride…

The post Revisionist History: The Lunch Incident appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Detroit Tigers have signed former Mets closer Bobby Parnell to a minor league contract with an invite to major league spring training.

Parnell, 31, appeared in 30 games for the Mets last season, posting a 6.38 ERA in 24.0 innings.

Once boasting a 100+ MPH fastball and a wicked knuckle curve, Parnell parlayed his repertoire to deliver an outstanding season in 2013. He posted a 2.11 ERA, 0.990 WHIP and 166 ERA+ that year and took over the closer role midseason to save 22 games.

Unfortunately, Parnell needed offseason surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck, and that was just the beginning of increasing health issues that eventually culminated in Tommy John Surgery after making one appearance on Opening Day in 2014.

Parnell later admitted that his torn UCL may have been caused indirectly by the issues with his neck.

When Parnell returned last Summer, after nearly 20 months of rehab, his velocity took a huge hit, averaging between 92-94 mph.

In his 8-year career with the Mets, he has a lifetime 20-28 record and 3.78 ERA while saving 37 games in 329 appearances.

The post Bobby Parnell Agrees To Minor League Deal With Tigers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Reliever Bobby Parnell came on to pitch for the Mets in a much needed positive appearance. Parnell went 1.1 innings for the Metropolitans on Sunday giving up one hit and striking out one, and not allowing a run.

“I’m so happy for Bobby Parnell, I can’t stand it.” – Terry Collins stated after the Mets 10-7 extra innings win against the Atlanta Braves this past Sunday.

Since August 1st, Parnell has made just nine appearances for the Mets, including a stint on the disabled list. During this span, the former closer has tossed six innings of relief while letting up nine runs, nine hits, and seven walks while striking out only two batters.

Getting Parnell back on track could be another huge bullpen boost for this club. It will be interesting to see with the Mets now having the lead they have in the East if Collins may start to give Parnell more high leverage situations to handle in order to give his big two, Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia some more rest.

It’s easy to say this past outing was against a very bad, Atlanta Braves team. That said though, it was still a big situation, one in which Parnell has not fared too well in recent months. Hopefully for the Mets and Parnell, this is a building block on the road back to success.

The post Terry Collins Was Thrilled With Bobby Parnell On Sunday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

9/2 Update:

Addressing reporters at Citi Field on Wednesday, Mets manager Terry Collins said that Bobby Parnell will only be used in low-leverage situations until he re-establishes himself.

Brilliant…

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Bobby Parnell picked up right where he left off on Tuesday night in a 14-8 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The defeat snapped the Mets’ 10 game winning streak over the Phillies, as well as their eight-game home winning streak against them.

The last time Parnell pitched, as you might recall, was when he came into the 7th inning of a 1-1 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after a 42 minute rain delay. That inning turned out to be a nightmare as Parnell gave up four runs on two hits while walking two. The Pirates ended up winning that game 8-1, allowing them to complete the series sweep of the Mets.

After that outing the Mets gave him the choice of getting either designated for assignment, sent down to Triple-A, or put on the DL. Parnell chose to be put on the DL with what the team called “arm fatigue.”

Last night, in his first game back from his short stint on the DL, Parnell showed no improvment at all from his last appearance.

After the Mets had put up four runs to inch closer to the Phillies in the bottom of the 5th, Terry Collins decided to go with the former closer in the top half of the 6th. It proved to be another questionable decision by Collins.

Parnell started the inning by walking the first two batters he faced, and then botched a throw to first base that plated a run on a routine sacrifice bunt.

That was the end of the night for the beleaguered right-hander, but it completely took the wind out of the Mets sail after they had climbed back in the fifth. The crowd booed Parnell very loudly as he left the field.

“Things aren’t going my way right now,” said Parnell, who showed life on his fastball, but no command of it. “It’s not where I want to be.”

Terry Collins explained his decision after the game. “Bottom of the order. After what he’s been through, thought it might be a lift for him.”

Unfortunately for Collins he thought wrong, and Parnell has now taken the loss in his last three appearances, and  in those outings he has faced 12 batters and retired just two of them. His ERA for the season now stands at 5.59 with an ugly 1.863 WHIP in 23 appearances.

After Parnell was removed from the game, Eric O’Flaherty walked the only batter he faced to load the bases. Then in came Carlos Torres who got slammed and gave up seven more runs to make it a 14-4 ball game.

If there was one bright spot in the bullpen for the Mets, it came a little too late. Sean Gilmartin pitched a scoreless 7th inning, and newly acquired Addison Reed was able to do the same in the 8th. Reed didn’t allow a hit and struck out one batter. Erik Goeddel also pitched a scoreless 9th inning.

For some reason it seems as though Terry always opts to go with Parnell over other viable options. Last night, you could have made the case for Addison Reed. Why not bring in the guy you just went out and got to help strengthen your bullpen? Why Parnell in that spot, a guy the Mets nearly released two weeks ago?

Even Gilmartin, who has been consistently solid all year with a 2.25 ERA would have been a better choice than Parnell. That kid has been getting it done.

Bottom line, if Parnell doesn’t start to get his act together, the Mets will have an important decision to make. If he continues to struggle, will the team sacrifice a roster spot on him if they make the playoffs?

You have to feel for Parnell a little bit after battling back from Tommy John Surgery, but he just hasn’t been getting it done. And with the team in a pennant race you can’t afford to give away innings, and unfortunately for Parnell, he’s been giving away far too many of late. He can’t be trusted right now.

The post Parnell Will Be Used In Low-Leverage Situations Until He Reestablishes Himself appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Andy Martino of the Daily News was told by team sources that reliever Bobby Parnell was not happy about being placed on the disabled list on Monday.

A team source also told John Harper of the News the same thing.

“This is where the day started, as the Mets put reliever Bobby Parnell on the disabled list − against his wishes, according to a club source − as he deals with the after-effects of Tommy John surgery.”

“Collins, who thinks the world of Parnell, seemed to be feeling the weight of such a tough decision, but he admitted the obvious, that it sent a message there is no time for patience in a pennant race.”

As another beat writer put it, “Hey Bobby, we love you, but you’ve just developed a bad case of shoulder fatigue and replacing you want to DL.”

Martino reports that several teams inquired about Parnell before the July 31 trade deadline, but Alderson determined that he was not going to part with a commodity that took so long to develop. Then Parnell went into a 14.40 ERA downturn.

“Parnell joins Dillon Gee in Alderson’s Bermuda Triangle of exile, a tough Met ending for a good guy. Could we see him again? We’re not ruling it out, but we’re not betting on it, either. Either way, this story is just about over, as Parnell becomes a free agent after this season.”

I actually forgot about that… The last thing on my mind right now is the 2016 season and who will or won’t be with us that year. But Martino has a point, we could have just seen the last of Bobby Parnell our one-time phenom.

The post Parnell Was Not Happy About Being Placed On Disabled List appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets (48-44) defeated the St. Louis Cardinals (58-34) by a score of 3-1 in 18 innings today at Busch Stadium.

Jon Niese tossed his eighth quality start in a row this afternoon, going 7.2 strong innings, allowing zero runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking three. His day came to an end when he drilled Randal Grichuk with a pitch, and was removed in favor of Bobby Parnell who struck out Jhonny Peralta to end the eighth.

Unfortunately for Niese who has pitched to a 2.78 ERA over the span of those last eight starts, the Mets offense was missing in action yet again, as they couldn’t even give the lefty a solitary run to work with, as he is forced to settle with a no-decision.

The Mets had runners in scoring position in eight separates innings before they were finally able to convert a run in the thirteenth inning, after Curtis Granderson doubled and was driven in by Kevin Plawecki. However, a bigger problem is still at hand, as the Mets only went 1-for-26, with 25 runners left on base today.

With a 1-0 lead, Jeurys Familia came on to shut the door for the Mets in the bottom of the thirteenth, but Kolten Wong took him deep to tie the game, as Familia blew a rare save.

With countless opportunities to pull ahead in the game, the Mets were finally able to get ahead for good in the eighteenth inning.

The Mets loaded the bases with nobody out after Wilmer Flores and Curtis Granderson singled, and Kevin Plawecki reached first after he dropped down a bunt and it was botched by Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez.

Ruben Tejada, who went 3-for-6 with two walks on the day, hit a sacrifice fly to break the tie, 2-1 Mets.

The next batter, Eric Campbell, dropped down a suicide squeeze to score Curtis Granderson, but was thrown out at first after a video review, however, it wouldn’t matter as Carlos Torres threw a 1,2,3 eighteenth to give the Mets a win, and salvage the final game of the series.

Despite the lack of offense, an admirable job by the Mets bullpen today, as Bobby Parnell, Jenrry Mejia, Hansel Robles, Sean Gilmartin and Carlos Torres combined to pitch 9.1 scoreless innings and keep the Mets afloat, and eventually earning the win.

On deck:

What a crazy game. Now it’s off to Washington for a series that may very well make or break the season. Matt Harvey (8-6, 3.07 ERA) faces off against Gio Gonzalez (6-4, 3.99 ERA) for the series opener. First pitch is at 7:05 PM.

The post MMO Game Recap: Mets 3, Cardinals 1 (18 Inning Edition) appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As we prepare for the final 73 games of the New York Mets’ (regular) season, this seems like as good a time as any to take a quick look back at the club’s ten best moments of the first three months of 2015.

Honorable Mention:

Noah Syndergaard’s Debut (May 12)

Though it may have been in a losing effort, Thor’s first time taking the mound for the Mets showcased why he belongs at this level and that he has the tools to be a future ace. Striking out the first batter faced of his career was just the start of a strong first five innings before finally tiring in the sixth. This day was a year-plus in the making for Syndergaard, and for Met fans, and allowed us to see with our own eyes what scouts have raved about for years.

Jeurys Familia Exceeding Expectations

Where, oh where, would the Mets be without this guy? One of the best closers in the MLB this season may never have gotten his chance should Bobby Parnell have been healthy earlier in the campaign, or if Jenrry Mejia hadn’t been suspended for 80 games. Though he has had many–probably too many–clutch five-out saves and been the near perfect fire extinguisher this team has needed more than it knows, there aren’t an excess of Familia performances that particularly stand out. And for a closer, that is more than alright with me. So here’s to Jeurys, being the boring, automatic rock he has been this far for the Mets.

Number 10

Kirk Nieuwenhuis’ 3-Home Run Game (July 12)

Opening up our top 10 is a man who has had quite the past three months–hitting under .100 over his first Major League stint of 2015, being designated for assignment before being traded to the Angels for, as Randy Moss might say, straight cash, homie. Then, after only 10 games with Los Angeles, he is released and, to the dismay of many New York fans (myself included), is picked up by the Mets and sent directly to AAA. A hot streak in Las Vegas (2-22) leads to his promotion and a big game in San Francisco, and an even bigger game–a historical one too–against Arizona in the Mets’ final pre-All Star break contest. Congratulations, Kirk Nieuwenhuis. You are the only player on the team who may have had a weirder first three months of the season than the team itself. While the chances are that he will return to his .100 self post-break, at the very least his three homers and curtain call on Sunday gave Captain Kirk some momentary validation for his spot on the roster.

Number 9

Noah Syndergaard’s Home Run (May 27)

If only the Mets could play the Phillies 162 times this year… Just as Steven Matz did in his MLB debut (we’ll get to that in a bit), Syndergaard overshadowed a great pitching performance with his bat on this day late in May. I think Yeah Yeah from The Sandlot would be the best candidate to describe most people’s opinion of Noah’s stat line of 7.1 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 6 K that day. Because with one out and the bases empty in the 4th inning, Thor swung his hammer and hit a pitch (one that was low and away, mind you) an estimated 430 feet, further than the average in-game home run distance of seven of the eight 2015 Derby participants. His 7+ scoreless innings on the mound were great, but what Met fan will forget Thor’s bomb to center that day?

Number 8

Noah Syndergaard’s 13 Strikeouts (July 10)

I promise, this entire piece is not an ode to Noah Syndergaard. But what the rookie did to the D-Backs about a week ago needs to be recognized. Easily the best start of his Major League career, he pitched 8 incredible innings, giving up only 4 hits, 2 walks, and a single 1st inning run over 116 pitches (74 strikes), a team-high for 2015. Oh, and he also struck out 13 batters, two more than any other Mets pitcher has up to this point in the season. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who can physically feel Ron Darling’s drool over Syndergaard coming through the TV each time he pitches. Thor’s start against Arizona gave us a glimpse at why 2016 should be the beginning of many years of 200+ strikeouts for him, as it looked like he was toying with hitters at times, choosing to finish off a batter with a curve instead of a fastball just because he felt like it.

Number 7

Bartolo Colon Doing Everything

For the purposes of this post, all Bartolo-related moments will be included here. Let me first mention his pitching, which has gone slightly downhill since his 4-0 start, but is still well above average for a 42-year old, back of the rotation pitcher. And while the term “veteran presence” is trending in the “he’s just a winner” direction of overused sports terms, Colon really does fill that role for this young team, especially when only one other starting pitcher (Jon Niese) has ever pitched a full season in the MLB. Now to the fun stuff. Where do I begin?… There was his first hit of the season (come on, of course his helmet fell off), a broken bat bloop in Atlanta. There’s his 3-game hitting streak, which included the longest RBI double, time wise, in MLB history.* His one-man pick off of A.J. Pierzynski. His quote about a blister on his finger affecting his breaking pitches, but being OK because he doesn’t throw breaking pitches. His childhood donkey named Pancho. Thank you, Bartolo.

*Completely unofficial, but highly probable

Number 6

Matt Harvey’s 2015 Citi Field Debut (April 14)

This one is a little personal for me, since I made the 10-hour bus ride from Columbus, OH to New York to see it in person. While Harvey may not have lived up to the somewhat unreasonable expectations thrust upon him for this year, he is still a borderline elite pitcher, and that night in mid-April was still a special one. For the first time in 20 months, New Yorkers got to see their Dark Knight pitch in his home stadium. A near sellout crowd did its best to power Harvey through a relatively rough start, with lots of “Har-vey, Har-vey” chants throughout, and he and the team were able to pull out the victory. No, it wasn’t the complete game, 2-hitter performance most of us had wanted to see. But it did signal that the Mets had their guy back, and their fans got to witness it in-person.

Number 5

Jacob deGrom”s Near Perfection (May 21)

After a single in the first, Jacob deGrom threw a perfect final 7 innings before leaving with a final stat line of 1 H, 0 BB, 11 K in 8 shutout innings. Arguably the finest (and most #deGrominant) start of his blossoming career, deGrom’s ace abilities were on full display. Starts like these have propelled him to become the staff’s uncontested best pitcher this year, a first-time All-Star, and a possible Cy Young candidate if he continues on his current trajectory. Keep the hair long and the great starts coming, Jacob.

Number 4

Mets Comeback vs. Atlanta (June 14)

Or, if it would help you rememeber, the Dilson-Herrera-wearing-paper-Gatorade-rally-cups-on-his-ears game. With New York in danger of dropping a third consecutive home series the night after losing a 5-3 heartbreaker in 11 innings, the Mets did the same thing I do when I’m struggling on the golf course and need to turn it around–draw a line on the scorecard to designate a fresh start. Though this was undoubtedly more of a metaphorical line for the Mets, it still represents the same belief– what’s done is done; the time to start over and turn it around is now. This line came in the middle of the 4th, at a time when the Mets trailed the Braves 8-3. And from the bottom of the 4th on, New York outscored Atlanta 7-0. Home runs from Darrell Ceciliani, Dilson Herrera, Travis d’Arnaud, and Juan Lagares paved the way for the rally. This was a huge win that brought out the fight in the club and made clear that they would not quit until out number 27. Or longer if the game goes into extras. Which leads me to…

Number 3

Mets Extra Inning Comeback vs. Toronto (June 15)

The following night, New York seemed to be riding the same clutch, come-from-behind hitting from the previous game. After trailing 1-0 from the get-go, the Mets retaliated in the 6th to take a 2-1 lead. It appeared as if that would be the game, and the narrative would be that they rally from a deficit once again, albeit a much smaller one this time. Instead, Jeurys Familia picked up the second of his two blown saves on the year, and the game went to extras. When the Blue Jays scored in the top of the 11th, it felt like a lost cause for the Mets. ‘Well, another loss after quality pitching and no offense. Plus the game was already in the bag, and even Familia couldn’t win this one.’ But then Ruben Tejada walked, and Lucas Duda took advantage of one of the most extreme shifts he’s faced and blooped a ball into left with two outs to tie the game before Wilmer Flores’ walk-off single. In back to back games, the Mets had stolen wins. This Mets squad would battle, not just be tossed aside as many previous versions of the team had.

Number 2

Steven Matz Debut (June 28)

You know the story. Boy grows up playing baseball, gets drafted to play for his favorite childhood team, fights through injury to get there six years later, and notches four RBI while going 3-3 at the plate in his first game. Pretty incredible path, especially if he gets paid to pitch. Steven Matz’s hitting slightly overshadowed his impressive first outing as a Met, and for good reason. After all, it’s not every day (never before, in fact) that a pitcher records four RBI in his debut. But without his strong showing at the plate–his first at bat specifically–that great pitching performance may not have happened. Anyone watching the game could see how crushing that double over Billy Hamilton’s head helped him to really settle into the game and get through 7.2 IP, giving up just 2 runs.

Number 1

Mets 11-Game Win Streak (Apriil 12-23)

What could possibly be better than a fantastic, long-awaited debut from yet another young pitcher that also happened to drive in four runs? The answer is simple: winning. Thanks to April 2015, the Mets can now check “Have a 10-0 home stand” off of the franchise’s bucket list. That almost-two week stretch at the beginning of the season set the tone for the team early on and gave them the cushion that they needed and have unfortunately since blown. It’s slightly scary to think about where the Mets might be without it. Following the 11th and final win of the streak, New York sat at 13-3. Since then, they have gone 34-39, good for a win percentage below that of what the Braves have posted in 2015 (.466 vs .472). Even though the team’s record has taken a sizable hit since April, that 11 game stretch provided the Mets with an early spark and got them off on the right track. And for any of you on the pro-Terry Collins side of things, a strong start to the season was certainly a must.

Whatever happens between now and October, we can only hope that it’s as nerve-wracking and entertaining as the first half has been. No team endures as many ups and downs as the Mets seem to, but that’s what makes following them so special; you never know what is going to happen. Is Captain Kirk going to get DFA’d today or hit three home runs again? Will any of our young arms hurl a no hitter? Most importantly–might Bartolo break Twitter by going yard? All of these questions, and many more, will be answered in the remaining 73+ games this year. Here’s to “Reaching the Postseason” making the list of top ten moments from the entire 2015 season.

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The post Top 10 Met Moments From the First Half appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets (33-30) fell 5-3 to the Braves (30-32) in 11 innings on Saturday evening at Citi Field.

Jacob deGrom pitched for the Mets and was terrific, giving up just one run on five hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out nine.

DeGrom fanned the first two hitters he faced and seemed primed to start out his day with a zero. But as Gary Cohen began to discuss how careful the Mets had been with Atlanta’s #3 hitter Freddie Freeman in the previous night’s game, Freeman showed everybody why, crushing the first pitch he saw out to the Shea Bridge in right field to stake Braves starter Shelby Miller to a 1-0 lead.

For most of the game, it appeared that the Atlanta ace would make that lead hold up. The Mets got several runners on base, but most of the action came with two outs, and New York, unable to string hits together failed to cash in. The Mets seemed certain to score in the bottom of the sixth when Wilmer Flores tattooed a double that just missed going out of the park, and Darrell Ceciliani followed with a single, but Flores was held up at third, and Miller got out of the jam.

DeGrom settled back in after the homer and kept the Braves off the board from that point, working out of a few tough spots along the way (and helping himself by throwing out a runner at the plate in the third). With a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, an exhausted deGrom got some major help from Flores, who made a great play on a ball up the middle and fired to first to retire the side and save a run.

The Mets finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh. Juan Lagares hit a pinch-hit single with one out and moved to third on a double by Curtis Granderson. Travis d’Arnaud drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a single to center, taking second on an error. Miller was pulled for former Met Dana Eveland, who threw a wild pitch that allowed d’Arnaud to reach third and then surrendered a double to Lucas Duda which gave the hosts a 3-1 lead before Nick Masset came in and stopped the bleeding.

With deGrom’s day done, Terry Collins called on Jack Leathersich, who was greeted with a double by Cameron Maybin, who then stole third (a lengthy video review confirmed that he just did beat the tag). But Maybin’s luck ran out on the next play, as he was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a shallow fly ball in foul ground. Ceciliani made a terrific play in left, catching the ball at an awkward angle and making a quick turn to fire the ball to d’Arnaud at the plate. Bobby Parnell came in for his first appearance since Opening Day of 2014, and, after allowing a bloop single, got the third out of the inning.

Hansel Robles came in to pitch the ninth, going for his first career save. Robles allowed a walk and a single to start the inning before fanning a batter for the first out. Robles then got Jace Peterson— who Flores had robbed in the seventh— to hit a far more routine play to the Met shortstop, but Flores bobbled it and was only able to get one out on the play, extending the game. Cameron Maybin then singled to left to score a run and put the tying run on second with two outs.

Alex Torres came in to face Freddie Freeman and got ahead 0-2 on the slugger, but Freeman worked it back to 3-2 (and might have gotten a call on the corner), then singled up the middle to tie the game and take away deGrom’s chance to get a win. After Torres struck out Markakis to end the inning, the Mets came to the plate looking to take a bullpen-proof lead with a walkoff win, but went down in order against Jim Johnson, and the game headed to extra innings.

Carlos Torres and Jason Grilli traded zeroes in the 10th, but Atlanta took the lead for good in the top of the 11th. Simmons led off with a single up the middle, and Juan Uribe lined one that a diving Dilson Herrera deflected but could not reel in, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Peterson laid down a poor bunt which landed just fair in front of Eric Campbell, and Campbell picked it up and fired to first for the out rather than letting it roll foul, putting runners on second and third. With Freeman on deck, Torres had to go after Maybin, who ripped a single to drive home a pair and put the Braves up 5-3.

Williams Perez came in to close things out for the Braves and quickly allowed hits to Ceciliani and Herrera. But John Mayberry‘s liner landed right in the glove of Simmons at short, and Ceciliani was unable to scramble back to the bag in time to avoid the double-play. Lagares then grounded out to end the ballgame.

That would have been a great win, but after the comeback, the wheels fell off at the very last moment, and it became a pretty bitter loss.

DeGrom has been phenomenal of late, and it was great to see the Mets rally in the seventh to take him off the hook and put him in line for the win. Unfortunately, the bullpen coughed up the lead in the ninth, and so the W-L historians will say Jacob never pitched in this game.

Wilmer botched a double-play ball for the second consecutive game. However, his play in the seventh was terrific, and he’s been much better in the field since the opening weeks of the season. It’s hard to get on him too badly for that mistake, especially when he’s hitting well. But if he turns that double-play instead of mishandling the ball, the game is over right there.

Danny Muno had a bit of rough luck in this game, but he really has not looked good. He made three errors (although one was a throwing error he committed after making a fantastic play to get to the ball in the first place) and went hitless (although he did draw a walk, and was robbed of a hit at one point by Andrelton Simmons). He needs to pick it up if he wants to stay in the Majors. As does Leathersich.

Travis d’Arnaud was hailed as a great defensive catcher as he was coming through the system, but was subpar as a rookie behind the plate. He’s looked much better this season, and that’s crucial. This team can’t afford more bad defense.

Ceciliani came up big today. He was doubled off in the 11th, but that was more due to bad luck than bad judgement. He looks like he could be a solid player off the bench. I just hope the Mets don’t try to get him in the starting lineup, overexpose him, and send him spiraling into the sub-Mendoza abyss with Eric Campbell and former Met Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

There were bright spots in this game defensively for the Mets, but overall, the gloves really let the rest of the team down. Despite what some will tell you, this is not a pathetic team. This team is in first place. But unless the Mets become an offensive dynamo, they won’t win in the long run with such sloppy defense.

The Mets don’t have the deepest bullpen, and with Jeurys Familia getting the day off, that was especially the case today. The Torres’s have been underwhelming, Leathersich is not reliable, Robles is inconsistent, and Erik Goeddel just went on the Disabled List. But with Familia back in the mix, Parnell finally back (it remains to see if he can regain his old form), Vic Black apparently close, and, of course, Jenrry Mejia nearing the end of his 80-game suspension, things should hopefully turn around for the ‘pen before long.

The Mets announcers are always good for a couple good laughs a game. Ron Darling‘s speech in the sixth about how the Mets should send Flores from second on any hit whatsoever was interrupted by a hit on which Wilmer had absolutely no chance of scoring. If Ron were an MMO commenter, the replies to that comment would have come in spades.

That soul-crushing line-drive double-play thing happens to the Mets far too often. Time to see if they can inflict some heartbreak of their own in the rubber game.

Up Next: The Mets will look to win their three-game series with the Braves at 1:10 PM on Sunday Afternoon. Dillon Gee (0-3, 4.50 ERA) will face Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 3.72 ERA) at Citi Field.

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