The numbers at a glance clearly favor Hefner. Gee’s edge in both FIP and xFIP are tied to his edge in strikeouts and walks, but we can see that Hefner’s done a much better job inducing weak contact and keeping opposing hitters off base.

There are a few things to keep in mind, however. While Hefner has been relatively consistent throughout the year, Gee’s season has been split in two. His miserable beginning has been somewhat offset by a torrid stretch recently. If he can keep it up, after three more stats for each, the numbers may even out slightly.

There’s also the issue of that abnormally high BABIP for Gee. His worst BABIP in his short career came last season at .301. What’s the reason for such a high BABIP? His batted ball rates jump out at me. He’s allowing more line drives and fewer ground balls this season, and more well-struck balls lead to more hits. His hits-per-nine at 11.2 is considerably higher than any other season in his career. It again should be noted the stark difference in recent Gee and early Gee, but it bears noting that batters have been teeing off on him this season.

Hefner’s low BABIP, while at first glance could be misconstrued as luck because he seems to have an issue with the long ball, doesn’t strike me as a surefire “regress to the mean” candidate. He’s got the fourth-lowest line drive rate amongst qualified starters in all of baseball and his contact rates bear a striking resemblance to those of Hisashi Iwakuma, one of the best pitchers in the game this season. Of course, Iwakuma keeps the ball in the park a bit better and has a remarkable 6.21 K/BB, hence his dominance.

The final thing I want to bring up in defense of Gee is the recent revelation that he’s been pitching with flexor tendinitis around the forearm area. It makes you have to wonder how much that played a part in his early season struggles and his ability to snap off a good slider. His best pitch in 2012, the slider has yielded below-average results this season. His pitch f/x run value is nearly four runs lower than last season and Gee has lost around one mph off all his pitches from the year before. Gee admitted that during his recent gem against the Cardinals, his forearm tightened up in the second inning and that he probably couldn’t have made that start on regular rest had two consecutive rainouts a week ago not pushed him back a few days.

I’m concerned about the tendinitis issue in both Gee and Niese, and before Gee goes out there and pitches for his job, it might serve both him and the Mets well to debate skipping his start entirely after the turn through the rotation that includes Tuesday’s doubleheader. During the turn after that, the Mets might also think about skipping Niese.

The one thing I hope doesn’t factor into the decision, its bullpen credentials. Being able to handle a relief role is a nice plus, sure, but a starting pitcher is far more valuable to a team than a set-up reliever, and my hope is that the decision is based solely on who the better starter is, not who the better reliever is. Before the Mets can make a decision on whether Gee or Hefner moves to the pen, it behooves everyone to get Gee healthy and see how long he can continue stringing together dominant performances.

It’ll be a tough decision, but it’s a good problem to have.

Chicago Cubs vs New York Mets

Scott Feldman (5-5, 3.22) vs Jonathon Niese (3-5, 4.24)

Citi Field, Flushing • 1:10 PM

 Starting Lineup

1. Jordany Valdespin – 2B
2. Daniel Murphy – 1B
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Marlon Byrd – RF
5. Lucas Duda – LF
6. Justin Turner – SS
7. Anthony Recker – C
8. Juan Lagares – CF
9. Jonathon Niese – LHP

Game Notes

Terry Collins said before the game today that shortstop Ruben Tejada is not close to being activated from the disabled list. Tejada has yet to begin running on flat ground; but has been running in a pool. Tejada, 23, injured his quad sliding awkwardly to field a foul popup on the third base side during one of the subway series game against the Yankees. He was initially expected to miss up to eight weeks.

Shaun Marcum allowed four runs in the second inning last night…It was the sixth time this year he’s surrendered three or more runs in an inning…Marcum has allowed 20 of his 34 runs this year in those six innings…Marcum has allowed at least one multi-run inning in each start this year. Marcum dropped to 0-8, the second-longest skid in franchise history to begin a Mets career, as the Chicago Cubs won the series opener, 6-3, Friday night at Citi Field.

David Wright went 3-3 with a walk last night and ended Thursday’s game with three straight singles…He has reached base safely in seven straight plate appearances (six singles, one walk), tying the third-longest streak of his career…Wright reached base safely in a career-best nine straight plate appearances from August 23-24, 2005. Since June 5, Wright is hitting .452 (14-31) with five RBI over a span of seven games.

Daniel Murphy went 2-2 with two RBI tonight with runners in scoring position…Murphy is hitting 16-52 (.308) with RISP this season…Murphy is hitting .522 (12-23) with RISP and two outs.

Jon Niese was 2-0 after his first three starts, and he got a combined 34 runs of support in those two games. However, his record has dipped to 3-5, and the Mets have averaged just 2.6 runs per game in his last nine appearances.

Scott Atchison pitched a scoreless inning tonight for Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League vs. Bowie…Atchison allowed one hit and recorded one strikeout…He’s been on the 15-Day Disabled List since May 14 with inflammation of his right elbow.

Zack Wheeler, the Mets’ top pitching prospect, is scheduled to make his Major League debut Tuesday in the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves. Mets manager Terry Collins on Friday officially announced Wheeler would pitch in the second game of the twin bill, and Collins acknowledged the start would be widely watched, no matter when the 23-year-old made it.

Thanks everybody for the support along this road to the show. It's an honor to be called up by the @Mets Big thanks to my family and friends

— Zack wheeler (@Wheelerpro45) June 15, 2013

And the great fans of NY. It's going to be very exciting for many years to come. Thanks again everybody.

— Zack wheeler (@Wheelerpro45) June 15, 2013

Game Preview

The Mets look to bounce back from last night’s game as they face the Cubs in game two with Scott Feldman going up against Jon Niese. Niese is 3-5 over 12 games on the season while pitching 68.0 innings with a 4.24 ERA. In his last four starts he’s totaled 27.0 innings with a 1.69 ERA walking 7 while striking out 18. He missed the Cubs earlier this season and last year he allowed 8 ER over 14.0 innings against the Cubs who have the following numbers agaisnt the Mets:

Soriano 4-14, 2B
Castro 5-13, 3B, HR
Barney 4-9
Rizzo 1-7, 2B
Hairston 0-3

The Mets bats go up against Scott Feldman who is 5-5 over 12 starts and 72.2 innings with a 3.22 ERA. His last four starts have been a palindrome of sorts as he has gone 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 IP with 2 ER, 6 IP with 2 ER and most recently 6.0 IP with 5 ER. He looked good against the Mets earlier this season as went 6.2 innings (he has only done that twice this season) allowing 7 hits and no runs. The Mets have the following numbers against Feldman:

Buck 3-15, 2 2B, HR
Wright 1-5
Duda 1-3
Murphy 2-3
Cowgill 0-2

Lets Go Mets!

The Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets by the score of 6-3 tonight at Citi Field. The loss dropped the Mets to 14 games under .500 for the first time this season.

Shaun Marcum was in trouble early and struggled with his command, giving up a run in the first and then four more in the second. His record falls to 0-8. All told Marcum allowed a total of six runs on seven hits and a walk in 5.2 innings pitched while striking out four. His ERA is now up to an unsightly 5.43 for the season. I still say he should be bounced from the rotation and not Gee or Hefner. But what do I know…

The bullpen did a good job again… Dave Aardsma relieved Marcum and retired all four batters he faced striking out two. Josh Edgin allowed two hits in the eighth, but stranded both runners, and Greg Burke pitched a clean ninth.

Daniel Murphy drove in the first two runs for the Mets and went 2-for-5 with a run scored. David Wright had a great night at the plate with three hits and a walk, but erred on the basepaths in the seventh when he was thrown out trying to reach third on a Lucas Duda single and was out by a mile on the throw by left fielder Alfonso Soriano. And boy what a drama SNY is making out of it… Gee thanks, guys…

John Buck went 0-for-4 to drop his batting average to .218, and Jordany Valdespin went 0-for-3 and struck out twice in the leadoff spot.

That’s all I got for you… I’m just waiting for Super Tuesday…

Jon Niese (3-5, 4.24).will go tomorrow against Scott Feldman (5-5, 3.22) in a 1:10 PM start. Zoom, zoom…

Looks like Harvey-Wheeler Day is still on… Thanks Mother Nature…

Matt Musico from MetsMinors.net just posted the following:

Zack Wheeler will be making his final minor league start tonight before getting promoted to the major leagues. He’s set to debut on Tuesday at Turner Field against the Atlanta Braves, about 45 minutes away from his childhood home.

He takes the mound tonight against the Tacoma Rainiers at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, and Adam Rubin reported that he’ll be on an 85-pitch limit. Terry Collins doesn’t want his top pitching prospect to be overworked for his next turn in the rotation during his big league debut. He wants Wheeler to get just enough work to feel sharp.

Wheeler is throwing on an extra day of rest tonight, which is what the coaching staff preferred to him having an extra day before next week’s start. Collins wants to ensure he can make as many things normal as he possibly can, especially since Wheeler’s debut will be anything but ordinary.

Original Post 6/12

Terry Collins just spoke to reporters and said when Zack Wheeler is promoted for his first start on Tuesday in Atlanta, the Mets will go with a six-man rotation for at least one turn.

Here is what it looks like:

• Thursday vs Cardinals: Matt Harvey
• Friday vs Cubs: Shaun Marcum
• Saturday vs Cubs: Jon Niese
• Sunday vs Cubs: Jeremy Hefner
• Monday at Braves: Dillon Gee
• Tuesday at Braves: Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey (Doubleheader)

Considering where this season is heading, I wouldn’t mind going with a six-man rotation for the rest of the entire season. Why not?

It would put less wear and tear on Wheeler, Jon Niese and Matt Harvey. Plus once we move Shaun Marcum at the deadline (at least I hope they do), we can make room for possibly Rafael Montero to join the rotation. On Monday, Sandy Alderson said he’d have no reservations promoting Montero from Double-A to the majors later this season when they feel he’s ready.

Hey, you know it was Gil Hodges who ushered in the five-man rotation…

After scoring four times in the top of the tenth, the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets by the score of 8-4 in another embarrassing loss at Citi Field.

It’s the second weekend in a row that the Mets were swept by the Marlins which begs the question; which of the two teams is the worst in baseball right now? A good argument can be made for the Mets.

Jon Niese started in his first game back since a bout with shoulder tendinitis, The southpaw gave the Mets a quality start, allowing just three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. He walked one and struck out four. He left the game with a 4-3 lead, but didn’t figure in the decision.

The bullpen was an absolute disaster for the Mets beginning with Scott Rice who was greeted by a leadoff homer to Derek Dietrich and didn’t stick around to face a second batter. He was replaced by Brandon Lyon who escaped further damage by the skin of his teeth after allowing three hits before getting out of the eighth.

After pitching a clean ninth, Bobby Parnell stayed in for the tenth and was betrayed by his defense when with runners on first and and second, Daniel Murphy booted a potential doubleplay grounder by Adeiny Hechavarria and allowed Logan Morrison to score the go-ahead run.

The Marlins would score three more runs capped by a back-breaking two-run homer by Miguel Olivo off Robert Carson who has now allowed eight home runs in 18 innings this season.

Wow, what a fail…

Aside from his defensive flaw in the tenth, Murphy had a good game at the plate with a stolen base, a walk, and a pair of RBIs including one on his fifth home run of the season in the second. David Wright had a two-run double in the third inning to account for all of the Mets scoring.

What a terrible job by the Mets who continue to get manhandled by the Marlins who have beaten them eight times this season which is all the more stunning when you consider they have just 18 wins on the season. I don’t want to hear anymore excuses – this Mets team is awful.

After the game, Sandy Alderson announced that they have now demoted Ike Davis, Mike Baxter and Robert Carson in the hope that it will shake the team up. But lets face it, this might be a case of too little, too late.

Thankfully, we get a break tomorrow as the Mets have the day off before beginning a three game series against Carlos Beltran and the St. Louis Cardinals who lead the majors with 40 wins. Jeremy Hefner (1-5, 4.36 ERA) opposes Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.40) on Tuesday at 7:10 PM.

Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets

Sunday, June 9, 1:10 PM EDT, Citi Field

Jon Niese (4.40 ERA) vs. Tom Koehler (3.70 ERA)

 Starting Lineup

1. Omar Quintanilla – SS
2. Jordany Valdespin – RF
3. David Wright – 3B
4. Daniel Murphy – 2B
5. Mike Baxter – LF
6. Ike Davis – 1B
7. Anthony Recker – C
8. Juan Lagares – CF
9. Jonathon Niese – LHP

‘Spin and Lagares both in the starting lineup? Shocker… What have they done with the real Terry Collins? – Joe D.

Game Notes

The Mets bolstered their relief core with 31-year-old David Aardsma, who had thrown just one Major League inning since 2010 before being promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas. He had a 2.05 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 22 innings. He threw a scoreless 12th inning on Saturday.

Starter Shaun Marcum came into Saturday’s 20 inning game in relief in the 13th inning and picked up the loss despite an excellent appearance out of the bullpen. He went eight innings and gave up just one run on five hits, which is better than almost every start he’s made this season.

After Rick Ankiel went hitless in four at-bats and struck out three times in Saturday’s 20-inning game off the bench, the Mets designated the outfielder for assignment and will promote Kirk Nieuwenhuis from Triple-A Las Vegas. Ankiel was 2-for-his-last-35.

Matt Harvey plans to make his next start. He insisted his lower-back issue was resolved when it was “popped back into place” during a chiropractic adjustment after departing Saturday’s game.

Game Preview

The Mets got excellent pitching throughout the entire game. Harvey started off well, the bullpen took over well and then Marcum got in 8 innings where he, in a twisted decree of fate, allowed only one earned run in the top of the 20, and the Mets couldn’t do anything. Anyway, Jon Niese looks to keep the good pitching going today as he takes on Tom Koehler.

Jon Niese is 3-5 over 11 starts and 61.1 innings with a 4.40 ERA. Jon has really turned it on in his last three starts posting an ERA of 1.33 over a stretch of 20.1 innings. In that stretch he has walked only 6 and struck out 14 batters. In his one start against the Marlins this year he allowed 8 hits, 2 earned runs and one unearned over 6.0 innings of work. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

Polanco 12-35, 5 2B
Coghlan 2-10, 2B
Ruggiano 2-8
Dobbs 1-4
Olivo 1-3

Tom Koehler is 0-4 this season over 11 games and 5 starts with 41.1 innings while posting a 3.40 ERA. He has pitched 30.0 innings as a starter with a 3.90 ERA. He pitched 3.0 innings against the Mets allowing 1 hit, no runs while striking out 5 batters. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

Murphy 1-5
Baxter 1-3, 2B
Davis 1-3, 2B
Duda 0-3
Wright 0-3

Hopefully, the Mets try to do something after yesterday… Like beat the Marlins for example…

The Miami Marlins scratched out a run in the top of the 20th inning to break the 1-1 deadlock and beat the Mets 2-1 at Citi Field tonight.

Matt Harvey started for the Mets and was solid for seven innings until he was removed with what the team initially diagnosed as “lower back tightness.”  The righthander gets his fourth straight no-decision after allowing just one run on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts. The Marlins’ only run off Harvey came in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Chris Coghlan.

Shaun Marcum was just as solid despite getting tagged with the loss. The veteran tossed seven scoreless innings of relief before tiring in his eighth inning of work and allowing the Marlins to score the game-winner. he allowed five hits, walked none and struck out seven. It was the longest relief stint from a Met reliever in 30 years.

The bullpen as a whole was outstanding with Brandon Lyon, Bobby Parnell, LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Rice, Greg Burke, and David Aardsma combining for five scoreless innings of relief.

The only Mets run came in the second inning when Juan Lagares drove in Ike Davis with an RBI single. Lagares  in the second inning. After that there was nothing but a whole lot of awful offensively…

The Mets were a franchise worst 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position and left 22 men on base. They had plenty of chances to score the go-ahead and squandered prime opportunities the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings.

The good news? Rick Ankiel has been designated for assignment, more on that in an update by my wingman Satish…

The Mets and Marlins will hook up again tomorrow as Jon Niese (3-5, 4.40) will face Tom Koehler (0-4, 3.70) at 1:10 pm in the Sunday finale.

If losing in nine innings to the Marlins is unacceptable, then losing in 20 is [expletive deleted].

— Ed Leyro (@Studi_Metsimus) June 8, 2013

The only thing that will keep the Miami Marlins from losing more games than the 1962 New York Mets is the 2013 New York Mets. #Ducks

— Mets Merized Online (@MetsMerized) June 8, 2013

Tonight’s game between the Mets and Marlins has been postponed due to rain.

The game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on September 14 at 4:10 PM..

Original Post 8:00 AM

Despite Thursday night’s rainout against the Washington Nationals, righthander Matt Harvey will still remain the scheduled starter on Friday when the Mets begin their homestand against the Miami Marlins.

Shaun Marcum, who was initially Thursday’s scheduled starter, will instead pitch on Saturday, bumping lefthander Jon Niese to Sunday. This will give Niese an extra day of rest while keeping Harvey on his regular routine.

On Wednesday, Niese tossed 39 pitches in a successful bullpen session at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. He had no problems, threw the ball free and easy, and was able to get his arm angle to where he wanted to.

“It was nice to throw a bullpen without feeling any soreness or pain,” Niese said.

In case you missed it, lefthander Jon Niese tossed 39 pitches yesterday, in a successful bullpen session at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.

Niese said he had no problems, threw the ball free and easy, and was able to get his arm angle to where he wanted to. He does not foresee any after effects tomorrow and said he felt much better than his previous bullpens in between starts.

“It was nice to throw a bullpen without feeling any soreness or pain,” Niese said.

“He said he felt great,” manager Terry Collins said. “No discomfort. No tightness. So that was a good sign.”

Niese is cleared to make his next start on Saturday, against the Marlins at Citi Field.

Original Post 6/3

Jon Niese has been scratched from his start Saturday with what the Mets are calling left shoulder tendinitis.

Niese said he was unable to throw his typical bullpen session on Wednesday and has been feeling discomfort for his past few starts and was very sore after his most recent start, Terry Collins told reporters.

He was examined Thursday morning at the Hospital for Special Surgery and an MRI revealed inflammation, but no structural damage.

He will miss at least one start and is expected to rest for three days then throw a bullpen session next Tuesday.

The Mets have no current plan to place Niese on the disabled list and Collin McHugh will start in his place against the Miami Marlins this weekend.

I’m no doctor, but if he was feeling sore after his last few starts, why were they still letting him pitch?

Niese has already suffered with a neck issue earlier this month and had lower back pain in April. At the time, Niese blamed his poor mechanics for it.

“You try to compensate and (then) create a bad habit.”

He recently made another mechanical adjustment just before his run of recent good starts. I wonder if this new shoulder issue is the result of that adjustment?

It’s always something…

Scouting Scale for Starting Pitchers:

#1 Starter: Two plus pitches, average third pitch, plus-plus command, plus makeup
#2 Starter: Two plus pitches, average third pitch, average command, average makeup
#3 Starter: One plus pitch, two average pitches, average command, average makeup
#4-5 Starter: Average velocity, consistent breaking ball, decent changeup, command of two pitches

Jeremy Hefner and Dillon Gee are fighting for their spots in the rotation over their next 1-2 starts as Zack Wheeler readies himself for his Mets debut.

I put up the basic scouting scale for a starting pitcher and wanted to give my thoughts.

Going into the season most scouts viewed Matt Harvey as a #2 because his command was average. However, he has since showed that his command is plus and that his slider might actually be a second plus pitch so he is a borderline #1/#2 starter.

Wheeler has a plus-plus fastball and his curve and slider are above average. His curve has a shot a plus. His command has been average in the minors like Harvey, but if he can make that a plus he moves to the #1/#2 borderline and joins Harvey. Right now, I’d say he he is an overall #2 projection.

Jon Niese has a plus-plus curve and an average fastball with average command and makeup. If his command moves to plus like last year, he’s a #2/#3 borderline. For now, he’s a #3

Shaun Marcum has a basket full of average breaking balls and fastball. His plus command and makeup make him a #3.

Hefner fits the #4/#5 slot and Gee as well, although I think Gee has #3/#4 possibilities with improved command.

Rafael Montero is a prospect that already has plus-plus command, a plus breaking ball, an above average fastball and plus makeup. He can be a #2/#3 borderline.

Noah Syndergaard is far away, but I’d put him in the Wheeler range with better command but slightly less on the curve.

To summarize:

• Matt Harvey – #2/#1
• Zack Wheeler – #2
• Jon Niese – #3/#2
• Shaun Marcum – #3
• Dillon Gee – #4/#3
• Jeremy Hefner – #5/#4
• Rafael Montero – #2/#3
• Noah Syndergaard – #2

So it’s possible that a rotation of Harvey, Wheeler, Niese, Syndergaard and Montero could easily be as many as five #2 starters in a future Mets rotation. And all them are 25 or younger.

Who wouldn’t sign up for that?

Now just sign some free agent bats.

* * * * * * * *

This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO reader El Sid in our comment threads, where some of the best Mets insights can be found daily. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 16,000 Mets fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to GetMetsmerized@aol.com. Or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.

After sleeping on it, considering Jeremy Hefner’s strong start in Washington last night, my choice would be to deal Shaun Marcum.

Marcum has gone six-plus innings in his last four starts showing signs he’s coming around physically. Of the three, Marcum has been the least effective, but his name isn’t mentioned because he’s making $4 million.

Marcum threw a strong six innings against the Marlins until he unraveled in the seventh. But, if you’re a contender trying to fill out the back end of your rotation, you’d be happy with six innings.

Realistically, the Mets might have to delay this decision until they get a read on Jon Niese’s sore shoulder. Niese will throw today, but if he’s not ready he could miss another start or go on the disabled list.

However, should Niese be fine, I’m still for dealing Marcum, and economics are part of the reason as his salary would be palatable to a team looking to add.

On a side note, I couldn’t help but laugh when I read where the Mets might be buyers in July. Have they not been watching this team?

Terry Collins said it best when he told reporters in Washington about Wheeler: “He’s not going to be the savior. There are a lot of pieces that have to work. One guy is not going to turn this around, of course. It takes 25.’’

Yes, it does. We could go on for hours discussing the Mets’ weaknesses and needs, but for the sake of this argument, let’s keep it to the rotation.

Matt Harvey and Niese, assuming the latter is healthy, are safe. The way Hefner and Gee are pitching, they could attract interest, but they have manageable salaries, something the Mets covet.

Marcum, meanwhile, is gone after this season. If Wheeler proves he’s ready, there would be no reason to even entertain bringing Marcum back, so strike when the iron is at least lukewarm to see what they can get.

Hefner and Gee are worth keeping.

Hefner was brilliant Tuesday night in another hard-luck no-decision, one of four he’s had while throwing a quality start. He had another in a loss. Overall, he’s given the Mets at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts.

The Mets be ecstatic to get that from Wheeler.

Gee hasn’t been as sharp, but is coming off his best start of the season last week against the Yankees when he gave up one run in seven innings. Overall, the Mets have won four of his last six starts, so he must be doing something right. Gee worked six innings or better in 13 of 17 starts last season, so there’s a track record of productivity.

Keep Hefner and Gee, who might be valuable in the future and deal Marcum, who’ll be a one-year Met at best.

Two months into the 2013 campaign, Sandy Alderson’s patchwork roster has yielded many more questions than answers.  By all accounts, Matt Harvey, David Wright, Bobby Parnell and maybe Daniel Murphy have secured their spots on the roster going forward.  Thought to be roster locks before the season started, Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada now find themselves in a special sort of limbo that would have seen each demoted long ago if better options were available.  Everyone else, to include Jon Niese and Lucas Duda, finds themselves expendable.

You see, the biggest problem with the Mets right now isn’t their record, its the fact that they’re not progressing.  The 2013 season wasn’t supposed to be about winning the World Series or even winning the division, it was about simply taking the next step towards relevance.  The blueprint called for playing out the season, allowing the youngsters to arrive when it was their time, and then supplementing the roster with free agents when the books cleared this upcoming winter.  That was the plan, but yet again things have changed.

The Mets unfortunate start to this season has done more than open holes to fill going forward.  Thus far, the team has averaged more than 1,300 fewer fans per game and SNY viewership is down over 20%. We can only expect those numbers to worsen as the situation grows more dire.  In fact, with nothing but the promotion of prospects to draw fans to the ballpark, it should make us wonder what impact this season may have on ownership’s ability to spend this winter, regardless of how much money is coming off the books.

Is this speculation? Sure.  However, as things continue to get worse instead of better, so too does the possibility of Sandy Alderson turning this ship around.  While he has excelled when it comes to maximizing value via trade, he is yet to show the ability to draw the big free agents to town.  Should our high hopes for the likes of Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada and others fall flat, the onus will turn to free agency if this franchise hopes to stop the bleed.

Asking Mets fans, who have enjoyed only five playoff runs in the previous twenty-eight years, to remain vigilant for yet another season is not only unreasonable, its foolish.  While the season as a whole may be lost, the franchise needs to turn the corner in the coming months.  Perhaps the promotion of Zack Wheeler and eventually Travis d’Arnaud nudge things in the right direction, but if that isn’t the case it all falls back on Sandy Alderson.  Both he and the Mets are reaching a breaking point.  Progress is necessary, for it not only hints at the idea that a plan is in place, but it also provides fans with hope.  Hope at this point, may be all we have left.

** Like what you’ve read?  Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83 **

Updated by HoJo At  2:30 PM

A day after Mets prospect Zack Wheeler rebounded with a solid performance for Las Vegas, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets are considering a variety of factors in setting a date for Zack Wheeler’s major league debut and he could arrive on the next homestand.

The Mets next homestand is the target, with the organization sensitive to putting Wheeler in an optimum position to succeed for his debut. That would mean a strong preference to pitching Wheeler against the struggling Cubs on the weekend of June 14-16 instead of against the NL Central leading Cardinals in the previous series. Team brass also isn’t high on the idea of having Wheeler make his major league debut in Atlanta – despite the fact the Mets will need another starter for a scheduled doubleheader on June 18 – because of the proximity to Wheeler’s hometown of Dallas, Ga. The Mets believe Wheeler will have enough jitters pitching in the majors for the first time and won’t need the added pressure of pitching in front of a large contingent from his hometown.

After two years of waiting for Wheeler to arrive, it looks like the wait is finally over. Puma says that the Super 2 cutoff is still being monitored and it is factoring in the decision regardless of what the team says publicly. It’s always about the money with the Mets and that hasn’t changed yet.

I’m looking forward to seeing Wheeler team up with Matt Harvey and Jon Niese for the rest of this season. The hope is that all three will form the core that the Mets can build around in future seasons.

Original Post 12:30 AM

Well, well, well… that’s how you go out there and inspire everyone to believe in you again, Mr. Zack Wheeler. You go out there and toss six innings of one-run ball, allow only three hits and one walk, then strike out six as the cherry on top of the cake. I was a little worried about Wheeler before this game started, ranging from his mechanics to whether he was going to run into more command issues.

Whether it was mechanics, mental, or just plain rust – Wheeler responded to doubters in a big way. He gave up his only run in the second inning when he gave up a single, induced two ground outs, and then allowed a two-out RBI single to Carter Jurica. After that, Wheeler turned on the cruise control switch and pitched the next four innings while allowing only one hit (to Jurica once again) and recording all six of his punchouts.

Wheeler was afforded a lead after the top of the third when he scored a run himself on a two-run homer from Kirk Nieuwenhuis. I personally think Wheeler turned it up a notch in this game once he was given that lead because he was absolutely dominant moving forward.

He was removed after 95 pitches – 62 of them being strikes. His fastball sat between 92-96 MPH on the evening. With the Super Two date basically becoming a non-issue now, once Wheeler strings   together a few starts like this, expect him in Flushing. It’s imminent.

So I’ll leave you all with his final line for emphasis: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 6 K, 62:33 Strike/Ball Ratio.

The month of May for Jon Niese will hopefully become a microcosm for the New York Mets season, it’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish.

In what was a horrendous start to the season for Niese, the Mets young southpaw has put together a nice stretch over the past three outings to put his year back on track after seeing his ERA balloon to 5.93.

In his first two starts on the month, Niese allowed 15 runs, all earned, in just 8.1 innings of work, amounting to a 16.20 ERA. Since then, Niese has been significantly more effective, hurling 20.1 frames allowing just three earned runs in the last three times he’s been handed the ball.

The most impressive of the three, in fact of the year, came last night in the battle of the Big Apple; the Subway Series. Niese’s seven innings of work against a depleted, yet still formidable Yankee lineup showed not only a continuation of his bouncing back, but a flash of ferocity in what will likely be one of the biggest stages for the Amazin’s in the 2013 season.

A few weeks ago, SNY showed some video during Niese’s outing against St. Louis of him working with Dan Warthen on mechanics in the bullpen. They focused on his release points and wrist movements; from the video it looked like his cutter grip.

Since those sessions with Warthen, the adjustment to his release has allowed for Niese to put more bite on his cutter with more command in comparison to when he would just hang it over the plate as he did earlier this month.

Consistency has been one of Niese’s weak spots in his career so far, however this last string of outings he has put together have been encouraging. Despite the lack of run support, Niese has closed out the month of May strong, and will hope to continue to do so into June.

Let me speculate… Harvey, Niese, Marcum, Wheeler, Montero… Just keep saying it and it’ll come true…

Jon Niese started and despite not having his best stuff, he cruised through five scoreless innings. But then in the top of the sixth, centerfielder Brett Gardner tagged him for a leadoff triple and came around to score when Jayson Nix singled him home in the next at-bat for the first run of the game.

After Niese’s second single of the game, Brett Garner made a great leaping catch to rob Daniel Murphy of a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. A shocked Murphy smashed his helmet in disgust as he was trotting to second base.

The Yankees got back to back, one-out singles off of Niese in the seventh, but the Met lefty was able to get out of the inning without any damage. The final line on Niese was one earned run on eight hits and a walk in 7.0 innings pitched with five strikeouts.

In the bottom of the seventh, third baseman David Wright led off the inning and walloped a tremendous solo home run to tie the game at one.

Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless eighth after allowing a single to Nix and then inducing a doubleplay by Robinson Cano to end the inning.

With one out in the eighth, Mike Baxter laced a ground rule double to bring up pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin who had a great at-bat and worked out a walk. A passed ball with Ruben Tejada at the plate put runners on second and third. Tejada then hit a grounder to Cano who fired home to nail Baxter at the plate for the second out. That set things up for the hot-hitting Murphy who came through with a hard single to drive home Valdespin with the go-ahead run. Wright was up next and he took a pitch to the elbow to load the bases and bring up Lucas Duda who went down swinging for the final out. But not before the Mets took the 2-1 lead.

Bobby Parnell came in to preserve the lead in the ninth and after getting the first out he issued a four-pitch walk to Ichiro Suzuki. But he retired the next two batters to earn his ninth save of the season.

So the Mets take round one with a solid win… The series continues tomorrow at Citi Field at 7:10 PM with the Real Deal Matt Harvey on the mound. Lets Go Mets!

Series Preview

This year, for the first time ever, the Mets and Yankees will be playing a four-game series with two games in Queens and two in the Bronx. After complaints from fans and new changes to the schedule this year, Bud Selig was forced to shorten these marquee interleague rivalries from six games to four. That’s probably a good thing for the Mets considering how good the Yankees are this year, and how bad the Mets have played thus far.

This year, the Yankees have been devastated by injuries. In fact, the payroll of those players on the DL is approaching $100 million, which is higher than the actual payroll of about half of baseball. Nonetheless, against all odds, the Yankees are tied for first place atop the American League East at 30-19. They haven’t scored as many runs as a typical Yankee team would, and they are actually the lowest-scoring team in the division, but they have gotten stellar pitching from both the bullpen and starting rotation. Andy Pettitte returned and has continued to be a rock the Yankees can rely on. C.C. Sabathia has been a workhorse, tossing 72.2 innings in 11 starts. Thankfully, however, the Mets will not have to face either of those two as they get the bottom of the rotation. The bottom half is still nothing to joke about, as Hiroki Kuroda and David Phelps each have sub-four ERAs in the still-tough AL East.

The bullpen hasn’t been as good as the rotation, but it’s been one of the better units in the game, even after losing Rafael Soriano to free agency last offseason. The ‘pen ranks 11th in baseball in ERA and fourth in batting average agains with men on base. Mariano Rivera hasn’t pitched at all like a 43 year-old, posting a 1.40 ERA in 19.1 innings this year. He has given up just 14 hits and two walks while striking out 16. He hasn’t allowed a run since May 4 against Oakland.

All in all, this team is one of the best the Mets have faced all season, even despite the injuries the Yankees have suffered. It could be a long four days.

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Jon Niese, LHP (3-5, 4.80 ERA, 54.1 IP, 5.1 K/9, 4.5 BB/9) vs. Phil Hughes, RHP (2-3, 5.51 ERA, 47.1 IP, 8.0 K/9, 2.5 BB/9)

Hughes has been inconsistent over his seven-year career with the Yankees, and has some convinced that his best role would be in the bullpen. After posting a 4.23 ERA in 191.1 innings last season, Hughes’s ERA has gone up, and is now at 5.51. His strikeout and walk numbers are right where they should be, but he is giving up more home runs than ever, almost two per nine innings. He is getting hurt badly on his fastball which, after being average last year, has been worth about seven runs below average this season, meaning hitters are hitting it, and hitting it hard. He has already given up ten homers on the season, eight of which have come off fastballs.

Game 2: Matt Harvey, RHP (5-0, 1.93 ERA, 70 IP, 9.5 K/9, 2.2 BB/9) vs. Hiroki Kuroda, RHP (6-3, 2.67 ERA, 60.2 IP, 5.8 K/9, 2.1 BB/9)

Kuroda, even at age 38, has continued to dominate. Despite moving to the American League two years ago, he has held steady. This season, his ERA is a career-best 2.67 through ten starts. He doesn’t strike out a lot of guys, but he gets ground balls more frequently than most without allowing many walks. And unlike Hughes, Kuroda hasn’t given up many home runs this year, despite pitching most of his games at Yankee Stadium.

Game 3: Jeremy Hefner, RHP (0-5, 4.76 ERA, 51 IP, 6.5 K/9, 3.5 BB/9) vs. David Phelps, RHP (3-2, 3.96 ERA, 50 IP, 8.8 K/9, 3.2 BB/9)

Phelps, 26, slowly pitched his way through the minors after being taken in the 14th round in the 2008 draft, and pitched well at every level before earning a promotion to the big leagues last year. He started 11 games due to injuries in the starting rotation, and posted a very solid 3.34 ERA. This season, he again got the nod due to injury, and has a 3.27 ERA as a starter. In his last start in Tampa Bay, his pitching arm was struck by a line drive. However, he suffered only a bruise and will most likely be out there for his start on Wednesday.

Game 4: Dillon Gee, RHP (2-6, 6.34 ERA, 49.2 IP, 6.7 K/9, 3.1 BB/9) vs. Vidal Nuno, LHP (1-1, 1.93 ERA, 14 IP, 4.6 K/9, 2.6 BB/9)

Nuno, a 48th-round pick, isn’t a big name, but has certainly earned an opportunity with his domination of the minors the past two seasons. After bouncing around for a while, even pitching for an independent league team, Nuno, posted a 2.54 ERA in 21 starts between Single-A and Double-A last year. This season, he had a 1.54 ERA in four starts before earning the promotion. So far, he has been a solid option for the Yankees as a swingman.

Series Notes

• Curtis Granderson, who just got back from the DL, will have to sit out another month thanks to a broken finger he suffered earlier this week after getting hit in the hand by a pitch. Granderson hit 43 home runs last season. However, he only batted .232 (compared to .262 in 2011) and struck out in 28.5 % of his trips to the plate.
• Lucas Duda extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games going 3-4 last night…Duda is hitting .351 (13-37) during his run, which dates to May 16…His previous best was a seven-game hitting streak done two previous times, last, June 16-24, 2012.
• David Wright is tied with Mike Piazza and Cliff Floyd for the most regular season home runs by a Met against the Yankees with eight.
• Bobby Parnell converted his fifth straight save chance last night in New York’s 4-2 win vs. Atlanta…Parnell is 3-1 with five saves in May and has been unscored upon in 10 of his 11 games this month.
• Daniel Murphy has at least one hit in 11 of his last 14 games,batting .400 (22-55) with two home runs and eight RBI over that clip.Murphy has 15 doubles, tied for the second-most in the NL…He has seven doubles this month, tied for the sixth-most in the NL…Since the start of the 2012 season, Murphy has 55 doubles, the third-most in the National League, two behind Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt and one behind Milwaukee’s Aramis Ramirez.
• Since 2009, the Mets are 0-3-1 in season series vs. the Yankees…The Mets have dropped five straight individual series to their crosstown rival…The last series the Mets won was May 21-23, 2010 at Citi Field…The last time the Mets won the season series vs. the Yankees was in 2008 (4-2)…The Mets are 2-8-6 in all-time season series against the Yankees.
• The Mets along with the other 29 teams will wear specially designed caps and jerseys featuring an authentic military digital camouflage design licensed from the United States Marine Corps tonight…MLB will donate 100 percent of its net proceeds from sales of the caps and jerseys to Welcome Back Veterans…Since 2008, MLB has committed $23 million to Welcome Back Veterans.

Starting Lineup

1. Ruben Tejada, SS
2. Daniel Murphy, 2B
3. David Wright, 3B
4. Lucas Duda, LF
5. John Buck, C
6. Rick Ankiel, CF
7. Ike Davis, 1B
8. Mike Baxter, RF
9. Jonathon Niese, P

Game Notes

According to Mark Simon of ESPN, Shaun Marcum is the third pitcher to have a 12-strikeout, no-walk game in which he got a no-decision this season. The other two are his teammate, Matt Harvey, and Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.

Ike Davis had a walk and two hits, including the game-winning two-run single in last night’s win. It was Davis’ first hit with a runner in scoring position since April 19, snapping a stretch in which he was 0-for-26 in those situations. The two hits raised his batting average to .158 for the season.

Lucas Duda had three hits last night including a solo home run against Braves starter Julio Teheran in the fourth innings. It was the ninth homer of season for Duda, who now has a 10-game hitting streak and has raised his average to .242 for the season.

Sandy Alderson had high praise for Yankees GM Brian Cashman whose team is in first place and has gotten great contributions from many of his scrapheap signings. ”They’ve continued to play well in spite of their injuries,” Sandy Alderson said. “They’ve gotten tremendous contributions from many of the players whom they acquired late in spring training or early in the season. You have to admire that. It’s shone a different light on the Yankees and the Yankees franchise what Brian Cashman has been able to do there.” Cashman’s hands were tied this offseason as the owners mandated that he reduce payroll. His signings and trade acquisitions are a big reason the Yankees are in first place despite injuries to Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and others.

Mariano Rivera should make his final appearance ever at Citi Field as the Mets take on the Yankees this week. The Mets plan to honor Rivera with a video tribute before the game on Tuesday. Rivera has 20 regular-season saves in 22 chances against the Mets. His 91 percent conversion rate is third-best among the 17 pitchers with at least 20 save chances against the Mets.

Relievers Scott Atchison (disabled list on May 14 with elbow inflammation) and Jeurys Familia (DL on May 9, biceps tendinitis) each pitched one scoreless rehab inning Saturday for High-A St. Lucie. One more for Atchison could get him back to the Mets while Familia likely goes to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Subway Series Game Preview

It’s rivalry week where most teams are playing their Interleague partner. Of course it feels different this year as there is always an interleague series happening and one rivalry pair (Houston/Texas) is no longer interleague so they aren’t playing right now. Anyway, the Mets won last night and look to continue that into a long streak to reverse the direction the team is moving. Tonight Jon Niese takes on the Yankees and Phil Hughes.

Jon Niese is 3-5 over 10 games this season while pitching 54.1 innings and a 4.80 ERA. In his last 13.0 innings of work he has allowed only 2 ER (although thanks to the Mets defense its 5 runs). Last year he faced the Yankees twice where he allowed 4 runs, 2 earned over 13.1 innings while striking out 11 batters. The Yankees have the following numbers against Niese:

Cano 4-9, 2B
Nix 2-4
Boesch 2-2, HR
Hafner 1-2
Wells 2-3

The Mets bats will get a crack at Phil Hughes today who is 2-3 over 9 games this season over 47.1 innings while posting a 5.51 ERA. His last start (6.0 innings, 2 ER) is went much better than the start before that where he allowed 7 ER in 0.2 innings which was on the heels of a 5.2 inning 6 ER game. Last year he allowed 2 ER against the Mets in a 6.2 inning outing. The Mets have the following numbers against Phil:

Buck 2-7, HR
Davis 1-5
Wright 3-9, HR
Murphy 0-5
Byrd 0-3
Ankiel 2-2, HR

Lets Go Mets!

I caught that in Adam Rubin’s Morning Briefing today on ESPN New York.

I guess if you go by their won-loss records you could certainly make that claim, but it’s not that simple.

With all the latest reports now confirming what we’ve all been waiting for since Carlos Beltran was shipped off almost two years ago, the question now is:

If Zack Wheeler is in, then who’s out?

Obviously, Jon Niese is safe so the choice will come down to either Jeremy Hefner (5.00 ERA), Dillon Gee (6.04 ERA) and Shaun Marcum (6.59 ERA). The early consensus has the one with the lowest ERA as the odd man out, Hefner’s 0-5 record I’m sure will weigh heavily in the decision, but he also has a lot less experience than the other two and we all know how Terry loves his veterans… Right, Ike?

Jared Diamond of The Journal calls Hefner “unlucky,” and to a point he’s right. “Jeremy Hefner pitches for the Mets on Friday,” he writes. “Therefore, the Mets probably won’t win.

“Baseball isn’t always fair, especially when you play for the Mets. All eight of Hefner’s starts this season have ended in a Mets loss, putting him in an unfortunate and lonely club: He is the only regular starter in the majors whose team has lost all of his starts.”

Honestly, Hefner hasn’t been nearly as bad as his record would indicate, and as Diamond points out, after a tough first couple of games his ERA has been just a tick above league average which is exactly what one would expect or hope for from their fifth starter. The right-hander has has a 4.06 ERA over his last five starts, while the National League average comes in at 3.77.

The Mets’ offense hasn’t exactly had Hefner’s back whenever he takes the mound, averaging about three runs a game whenever he pitches. He could just as easily be 3-2 instead of 0-5 when you examine a few of his last five starts, especially his April 30 start when he took a shutout into the ninth inning against the Marlins. In his start before that, he tossed seven solid innings against the Dodgers and allowed just one run. Of course the Mets lost both of those superbly pitched games.

I do agree with the majority opinion and that Hefner will indeed be the one that Wheeler ultimately replaces, but it might not be a bad thing either for Hefner or even the Mets. Hefner seems to have trouble once the opposition gets that third look at him as do most pitchers. The problem with Hefner is that he doesn’t have those plus-pitches that could help him navigate through a lineup late in games. He doesn’t possess any electric stuff and eventually the other guys can figure him out. That’s a problem for a starting pitcher, but not so much for a long reliever. Hefner could be what the Mets have lacked ever since Darren Oliver bolted for the Angels after the 2006 season.

Zack Wheeler may not spell the end for Jeremy Hefner, but it might mark the beginning of something new and possibly better.

The Cincinnati Reds (25-18) shutout the New York Mets (17-25) by the score of 4-0 tonight at a sparsely crowded Citi Field.

Left-hander Jon Niese started for the Mets and and after getting the first two outs in the first inning he allowed a hit and a pair of walks to load the bases. Niese had a chance to come out of the inning unscathed and induced a hard grounder to third for what should have been the third out. However, David Wright committed his fourth error of the season as the ball went under his glove and through his legs allowing two runs to score. Niese was rattled after that and allowed another run to score before finally getting the third out to put the Reds up 3-0. All of the runs were unearned.

Niese threw 48 pitches in that wild first inning and it appeared he was heading for an early shower. But to his credit he gutted out five scoreless innings after that and wound up giving the Mets a very solid effort allowing just five hits and three walks in six innings while striking out seven. Niese took the loss, but saw his ERA improve to 4.80 for the season.

The Reds score their fourth and final run in the ninth when Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco greeted Collin McHugh with a home run to leadoff the inning.

Offensively, the Mets had nothing but blanks… Nothing but the same sorry, pitiful offense that has plagued the team all season. Reds starter Mike Leake hurled seven scoreless innings and allowed the Mets’ only three hits of the game – one each by Lucas Duda, John Buck and Daniel Murphy.

It’s getting pretty hard to watch this team and I thought Sandy Alderson would address that while he visited the with gary Cohen and Ron Darling in the third inning, but he was at a loss for words. He said he was going to continue to hang in there with Ike Davis a little longer, which is the last thing anyone of us wanted to hear. Davis batted seventh and went 0-for-three tonight and saw his batting average fall to .149 for the season. Pathetic.

The Mets will wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 PM when right-hander Matt Harvey (5-0, 1.55 ERA) takes on Mat Latos (4-0, 2.91 ERA) and tries to avoid the sweep.

We wonder nowadays if the team will ever score more than 5 runs a game, which they have not done in the last 15 games or who will be in the lineup for each game and will those players actually produce. Rick Ankiel must have read my last post, “Will Ankiel Answer the Mets Need for Their Powerless Outfield?” Since joining the team, he is hitting .304, 2 HR in 7 games, but the verdict is still out on this move and it will take sometime to see if the move was worth the money spent. Without including Ankiel’s numbers the Mets five outfielders combined are hitting .224, 16 HRs, 50 RBIs, which I am sure that Ankiel can top that alone if he continues to get comfortable at the plate.

The team may not have the talent us fans have been accustomed to watching and as the players are aware, Mets fans are very passionate about their team, which Terry Collins recently eluded to when he went after the fans in the media.

He chose to take out his frustration on the fans recently by saying, “They (fans) have no idea what goes on in there. They have absolutely no idea what it means to be a professional teammate at this level.” That may be true to some extent, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t see the writing on the wall. It doesn’t mean that we are not educated baseball fans, plus we feel we understand the game better than most that actually play the game. We may be fooling ourselves, but we just want what other successful teams and organizations have, and that is a chance. A chance to watch our team go out each day and play the game the way it is supposed to be played.

I hope other fans feel the same way I do, but I can do without all the drama. If you have a good player on the team, play him and if you don’t care to then don’t, but make a right decision and leave it out of the news. Give the fans hope that maybe just maybe this team, our team will turn it around. This is baseball, a game we all grew up loving and some playing and we just hope that ownership gets the concept that in order to keep the fans happy, you have to put together a team worth rooting for. They won’t win all the games but have something to build on.

In a recent NY Daily News article, Collins actually said he regret his remarks about the fans, “Of course I regret the choice of words. I certainly respect the New York fans; they’re the most knowledgeable fans I’ve ever been around.” See Collins even admits how smart we are and he goes on to say “They know the game. They know the people.”

We know what we expect and we know that unless there is some sort of hope, this ship will continue to sink and when it finally goes down, usually the captain goes down with it and I am not referring to David Wright.