Two consecutive losses to the elite Phillies ensured the Mets failed to make up any ground on their NL Wild Card rivals. More importantly, though, a nagging injury to a crucial player ensured a rather dark cloud will hover over this team heading into the week.

However, all hope is not lost, and, on that note, let’s dive straight into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 UP

PLENTY TO PLAY FOR

This weekend wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Mets. Yes, they dropped a series at a time when they could ill afford to. And, yes, a certain star player is dealing with an injury that could prove problematic. More on that later. But, despite all of that adversity, the Mets are still right in the thick of things. With Atlanta losing to the Dodgers on Sunday night, New York is still tied with the Braves for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. As a result, this team could send a real statement by taking care of business against the Nationals to start the week. It isn’t over yet. There’s still a hell of a lot of baseball yet to play.

CAREER DAY

David Peterson gave the Mets every chance to clinch the series against the Phillies on Sunday. The lefty tossed a career-high 7.2 innings. He allowed one run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. In other words, Peterson was absolutely money when he needed to be. He did his job, but unfortunately, the offense couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain. Despite that, Peterson lowered his ERA to 2.85 on the year. He has easily been one of the Mets’ biggest surprises of the year.

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

Mets fans finally got their wish during the series in Philadelphia. The team called up highly-rated prospect Luisangel Acuña to The Show, and his first showing did not disappoint. The shortstop collected a pair of hits in his Major League debut on Saturday, recording a pair of hard-hit singles. Acuña also made some nice plays in the field on Sunday, including some fancy glovework to get the final out of the fourth inning. All in all, Acuña flashed some tantalizing signs of what we could come to expect from the prospect down the road.

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

3 DOWN

HOPE AND PRAY

Monday will be a nerve-wracking experience for everyone in Mets land. Francisco Lindor, the team’s MVP of this year, will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of his lower back tightness. Lindor was hindered by back pain all weekend, exiting early on Friday, and not playing in Saturday’s game. He was in the lineup for the finale on Sunday but lasted less than two full innings. The star shortstop was clearly in a lot of discomfort, and we now wait and hope for positive news. Lindor will likely play through as much pain as possible for the final 13 games of the regular season if can. He’s a gamer. However, if he’s forced to miss any time at all, that could act as a fatal blow to the Mets’ hopes of making the playoffs.

SAME OLD STORY

The bullpen has been a major concern for most of the year. It was considered a weakness coming into the season, and despite some high points here and there, the relief pitching could be what ultimately dooms the Mets. That was certainly the case over the weekend. Danny Young, Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek combined to allow three runs on five hits with a walk as the bullpen melted down on Saturday. Then, in the series finale, Edwin Díaz entered a tied game in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a walk-off single to J.T. Realmuto. The Mets need their relievers to be money and clutch down the stretch. If not, October baseball may remain a distant dream.

GOING COLD

Other than Friday’s offensive explosion, the lineup didn’t really produce the goods for the Mets against the Phillies. And, even in the series opener, it took until the fifth inning for the bats to wake up. The offense was shut out for the final six innings of Saturday’s game before being held to just one run on Sunday. All in all, the Mets went just 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position over the final two games of the series in Philadelphia. And, with the top of the lineup not delivering consistently enough, that should be a real concern heading into the final couple of weeks of the regular season. Especially if Lindor ends up missing any more time.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Endure Tough Weekend In Philly appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Despite winning the first two games, the Mets dropped the series finale on Sunday. As a result, their nine-game winning streak came to
an unceremonious end. More importantly, however, they are once again tied with the Braves for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

You have to be ruthless this time of year. The Mets will have to hope their inability to finish off the Reds and complete the sweep doesn’t come back to bite them in a few weeks.

Anyway, on that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

GIVE HIM HIS FLOWERS

The Mets would be dead and buried now were it not for Francisco Lindor and his MVP heroics. But you can also make a compelling case that this team would not be where it is now were it not for the emergence of Mark Vientos. We all know the story by now. Ignored and effectively thrown into the garbage at the start of the year, Vientos has done nothing but rake since being recalled to the Majors. He’s established himself as the guy at third base, possibly the successor to David Wright we’ve been waiting for, while coming up with big hit after big hit. He was huge against the Reds, too.

Vientos’ weekend started with a pair of home runs on Friday, including a walk-off two-run blast in extras. He followed that up by getting on base on Saturday and Sunday with two walks. But, make no mistake: Vientos’ power surge on Friday set the tone for the weekend and provided yet more memorable scenes at Citi Field. More importantly, the 24-year-old has proven that he belongs in the Majors.

GREAT RELIEF 

Reed Garrett is coming up big for the Mets when it matters the most. The righty reliever was stellar all weekend, striking out three and not allowing a run or a hit in 1.1 innings on Friday. Then, on Sunday, Garrett recorded another three strikeouts on his way to retiring all four batters he faced. As a result, the reliever hasn’t given up a single run or hit in his last six outings, striking out nine hitters in that span. Now, that’s pretty good.

STARTING EXCELLENCE

The Mets got to enjoy two stellar starts in the Reds series. José Quintana was first up. The veteran delivered arguably his best start of the year on Saturday. He tossed 6.2 scoreless innings with five hits, two walks and six strikeouts. It also proved a significant and special day as Quintana recorded the 100th win of his MLB career – the first Colombian-born pitcher to accomplish the feat. Then, on Sunday, Luis Severino continued his resurgence with another dominant outing. The righty allowed just one run on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings. If the Mets are to punch their postseason ticket, more starts like these from Severino and Quintana will be a must down the stretch.

3 DOWN 

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

MAN DOWN

It wasn’t all rainbows and marshmallows for the Mets this weekend. No, the team was dealt some crushing news on the injury front. Jeff McNeil, who suffered a right wrist contusion in Friday’s game, was placed on the IL with a wrist fracture. He will miss the rest of the regular season. Now, while McNeil could return later in the postseason, the fact he will miss the most crucial stretch of the season is a body blow. McNeil was hitting .289/.376/.547/923 since the All-Star break. He will be a big loss. And let’s hope McNeil has something to come back to.

RARE MISTAKE

Phil Maton has delivered for the Mets since being acquired from the Rays before the trade deadline. However, his first real bad game in a Mets uniform couldn’t have come at a worse time. The righty gave up a pair of runs in the ninth inning on Sunday, allowing a game-winning double from Santiago Espinal. As a result, the team dropped a crucial game, allowing the Braves to pull back even with the Mets for the final Wild Card spot in the NL.

LETTING OFF THE GAS

Maton wasn’t entirely responsible for the loss on Sunday. The offense also played a big role in a frustrating day. The top five hitters in the Mets lineup went a combined 0-for-16 with three walks and five strikeouts. The Mets managed just four hits all day and couldn’t get a rally going at any point. Plus, they went 1-for-6 with RISP and left seven runners stranded on base. Again, you have to develop a killer instinct this time of year. The sweep was right there for the taking, but the Mets couldn’t take advantage.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Fail To Finish Off Reds appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Prior to the game, Francisco Lindor was a late scratch from the lineup due to right-side soreness, making this the first game he didn’t play in all year. The Mets announced during the game that Lindor will undergo imaging tomorrow to hopefully diagnose the issue.

Without one of their best hitters in the lineup, the Mets couldn’t find the big hit against Morton who struggled with command all game. He allowed nine baserunners over the first four innings by issuing a career-high seven walks and allowing two hits, but he was able to keep them all from scoring as the Mets failed to pull ahead early.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Following a 1-2-3 fifth, Morton exited the game after allowing a leadoff single in the sixth. His night ended with a zero in the score column despite throwing more balls than strikes and allowing ten baserunners over five-plus innings.

For the Mets, Megill had everything working for him early, even with some hard exit velocities given up. Through three innings, he allowed just one hit with his fastball topping out at 99 miles-per-hour. Megill’s luck ran out soon after, though. You can only silence the Braves’ lineup for so long.

An Austin Riley double was followed by a Matt Olson broken-bat single and a Marcell Ozuna dribbler that stayed fair to load the bases in the fourth inning. Eddie Rosario took advantage by dropping a ball into center field which cleared the bases after Brandon Nimmo couldn’t field the ball cleanly, putting the Braves ahead 3-0.

The Braves tacked on in the fifth with a pair of runs before adding another run in the sixth to put them firmly ahead, 6-0. This offensive onslaught chased Megill out of the game with one out in the sixth inning. Over his start, he allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three batters. His ERA on the season rose slightly from 5.45 to 5.64.

Jimmy Yacabonis served as the mop-up man for the Mets, finishing out the game by throwing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball. His lone blemish was a solo homer off the bat of Austin Riley in the seventh inning. With a seven-run deficit late in the game, the Mets pulled Nimmo from the game for DJ Stewart, moving Jeff McNeil to center field for the first time in his career.

The Mets couldn’t muster up any comeback, dropping the game 7-0 to fall to 52-63 on the year. They fall to 1-6 on the year against the Braves, with six games still to go against the National League leaders.

Stat of the Game

Per OptaSTATS, the Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to record at least seven hits and nine walks in a nine-inning game and not score a single run. The Mets were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position tonight and bailed out Charlie Morton in what should have been a far worse outing.

The Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to collect 7+ hits and draw 9+ walks in a 9-inning game but not score a single run.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 12, 2023

On Deck

The series with the Braves will continue on Saturday with a doubleheader. Denyi Reyes (0-1, 6.14 ERA) has joined the Mets and will get the start in the first game, while José Quintana (0-3, 3.42) will start the nightcap. Spencer Strider (12-4, 3.94 ERA) and Allan Winans (0-0, 4.15 ERA) will both start for the Braves, though which games they’ll pitch in is yet to be determined.

The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SNY. The second game will start at 7:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX.

The post Mets Set Embarrassing Record in 7-0 Loss to Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

You can’t forget those events of September 11, 2001.  For the world of sports that was a day when fun and games also went dark with the cancellation of Major League Baseball games and the NFL season was temporarily on hold.

In the end, though, it was sports that once again united this country. The first game played as the nation continued to mourn took place at Shea Stadium, 10 days after the attacks on September 21. The Mets and Braves were united that evening, a nation that needed unity after the tragic events.

Tonight, in Buffalo. the Mets continue their stretch to a possible postseason against the Blue Jays. Jacob deGrom will be on the mound. The Mets as a team, once again will observe a moment of silence.

For a majority of the 2020 Mets, the events of September 11, 2001 are told through the memories of others. They read and hear about that tragic day. They hear and read about the Mike Piazza home run at Shea Stadium.

A home run, and heard around the country as the nation continued to mourn and heal.

Last year at Citi Field there were the ceremonies before the Mets took the field against the Braves with over 100 uniformed representatives of first responder agencies participating in on field ceremonies as they stood on the sidelines in between the players and then Mets manager Mickey Callaway.

Callaway said he was proud to be a New Yorker before the first pitch that was thrown by FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro. Tonight up in Buffalo, and during this different 2020 season, Luis Rojas the rookie manager will also reflect.

You see, September 11, 2001 for a good many of us, is a part of that tragic moment in America. And for the Mets organization, the date and home run is a part of baseball history.

That morning of September 11th, as the events were unfolding sports was the last thing to be concerned about. There was no time to contemplate who would win a ballgame that evening. There was no time to think about pitching matchups  or the lineups.

There was only time to be with someone, anyone who also was following the events and saying  this was a script from a movie and not reality.

 It will be no different Friday night. Jacob deGrom, for the second time in his career will start a ballgame on September 11, attempting to win a third straight NL CY Young Award with a NL leading 1.69 ERA. 

Dominic Smith and Michael Conforto, two of the top five in NL batting, will bow their heads before the first pitch. They, too, were youngsters at the time in 2001. They also hear and listen, as we will do, about the events and how a baseball game in New York attempted to bring back normalcy.

But that day, you heard and watched the Towers fall and those running for safety. It was  a city coming together to save others and realize this was a historic loss of lives on American soil.

Yes, it is in the history books and with hopes it will never happen again as we confront other issues as a nation with the Coronavirus and racial injustice. 

Years later, we reflect. Sports still remains the other outlet and diverts attention from the negativity of an everyday society, witnessed this baseball season.  The loss of lives will always be sorrow, and the thrill of victory and agony of defeat from a game or competition will always be sports.

But the events and those who sacrificed that day of September 11, 2001 will always be remembered. Sports and reflection this day are good. Never forget. 

The Mets will always be a part of that healing process. So take that time to reflect. Take your time and bow your heads. Remember, on this day, it is only a baseball game.

September 11, 2001 is in the record books. A record that means more than a baseball game and a Mets win with Jacob deGrom on the mound. 

The post A Day To Remember with Jake On The Mound appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is making a strong push for his third straight National League Cy Young Award, but the Cubs Yu Darvish has been lights out and Arizona rookie Zac Gallen has impressed.

Let’s take a look at how the race is right now with less than a month left in the season.

Jacob deGrom

Going for his third straight and recently he’s been untouchable. His 1.69 ERA ranks him second in the NL, his 0.875 WHIP is second as well, and his 70 strikeouts lead the league.

The Mets have bumped deGrom up to start on Friday, meaning he should get four more starts in this shortened season. He’s currently at 48 innings pitched, which is outside of the top 10.

It’s amazing that you think “how could Jacob deGrom get any better”, but his ERA, WHIP, H/9, and K/9 are all career bests.

Yu Darvish

Despite deGrom being the reigning champ, Darvish looks like the front-runner right now. His 1.44 ERA leads the league, as does his 7.85 K/BB and his 2.2 WPA. His 2.6 bWAR ranks third in the league and that ranks him ahead of deGrom’s 1.8 by a significant margin for a short season.

The right-handed is right behind deGrom with his 0.88 WHIP and his 2.02 FIP is tied with deGrom for the league’s best.

Darvish is scheduled to pitch tonight against the Reds and another 2020 Cy Young hopeful in Trevor Bauer.

Trevor Bauer

The right-hander has two complete game shutouts this season, the rest of the National League has one. Though, he has a 4.08 ERA in his last three starts and that type of run in short season could be a killer.

Overall, he leads the NL with his 0.864 WHIP and 5.1 H/9 while his 2.05 ERA is fourth. He has also been the NL’s second best strikeout pitcher (behind deGrom0 with 12.5 strikeouts per nine nine innings.

As mentioned above, he will take on Darvish in Chicago tonight.

Max Fried

The youngster looked to be a sure finalist before the Wednesday announcement that he was going on the injured list with a left side muscle spasm. The Braves are hopeful it will be a short stint, but missing only one start could certainly hurt his chances.

The left-hander is leading all NL pitchers with his 2.8 bWAR and FanGraphs’ WAR calculation has him third behind Darvish (2.1) and deGrom (2.0). His 1.98 ERA puts him third in the league behind the two previously mentioned pitchers.

The 26-year-old is not in the top 10 with his strikeouts or limiting walks, but his 1.06 WHIP ranks eighth.

Zack Wheeler

Skip this part, Brody.

The former Met has been one of the best pitchers in the NL this season with his 2.4 bWAR ranking fourth behind Gallen, Darvish, and Fried. His 2.47 ERA is good for eighth and his 1.10 WHIP is 10th.

Wheeler has pitched 51 innings placing him fifth in the league, but oddly he has only 36 strikeouts. A big reason for Wheeler’s success in 2020 has been limiting walks at an elite level, his 1.59 BB/9 is fourth in the league.

The Philles haven’t announced their starters past Wednesday, and Wheeler last pitched on Monday against the Mets.

Zac Gallen

Pretty clearly the lesser known name of the entire group, but the 25-year-old is second among NL pitchers with his 2.6 bWAR and that number trails only the injured Fried.

The Diamondback rookie has a 2.29 ERA (7th), 0.98 WHIP (7th), and his tied for second with 60 innings pitched.

Gallen just made his worst start of the season on Monday night when he allowed four runs in five innings against the Giants.

Others to Watch

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer ranks fifth in the NL with 2.1 bWAR, but his 3.40 ERA in not in the top 10 and neither is his 1.33 WHIP.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola has a 2.74 ERA and his 1.9 bWAR is tied for sixth in the NL. Also ranks 5th with 12.22 K/9 and 6th with 0.95 WHIP.

The Padres have two pitchers in the top 10 in ERA, Kyle Davies is 5th at 2.23 and Dinelson Lamet is right behind him at 2.24. Lamet is also top 10 in bWAR (10th), WHIP (4th), and K/9.

The Rockies have two pitchers in the top 10 in bWAR, lefty Kyle Freeland is tied for 6th at 1.9 and right-hander Antonio Senzatela is tied for 9th at 1.7.

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The Mets came up short against the Phillies. The Jean Segura two-run homer in the 10th inning off Miguel Castro was the difference Monday. They earned a four-game split and missed an opportunity to move up in the standings. 

This time, Castro was the culprit. He was supposed to fortify a bullpen for games like this. Instead, Castro has allowed go-ahead runs in two of his four games out of the pen.

Edwin Diaz? He threw a scoreless inning and that move to bring in Castro has been questioned. The home run took away the momentum and putting the Mets in great position going into a two game-series with a rebuilding and good hitting Orioles’ team at Citi Field. 

Instead, the Brewers, Rockies, and Marlins are in reach of that final NL postseason spot. The Mets, despite erasing a six-run deficit are four games under .500.

And here we go again. Momentum, putting a string of important wins together begins Tuesday night with 18-games remaining. 

Okay. You, me, every Mets fan will have to get over this gut wrenching loss. From the beginning of this truncated 60-game season it was winning these September stretches of games. It has been the teams that are within reach and compiling a streak of wins.

But, as we see, the Mets can’t sustain any type of momentum. And, this is different from that second half run of last September when the Mets came up short. Again, in a normal 162-game season the April losses come back to haunt you in September.

That loss Monday, well that was equivalent to a September loss or a Mets loss in late July or August, and a win that was within their grasp. Add that gut wrenching extra inning loss last week to the Yankees and Monday, two games that could come back to haunt the Mets if they come up short. 

So, let’s look at the positives that came out of this 9-8 loss. Positives that are important during these final three weeks that could determine any number of possibilities for the Mets to be that eighth and final team.

• Edwin Diaz: Pitched a perfect ninth inning. He lowered the ERA to 2.04. The slider, fastball, like the Edwin Diaz the Mets expected. 18.0 innings, 38 strikeouts. A monster ratio. He needs to work often and build that confidence as the closer down this stretch.
• Dominic Smith: Among the league leaders in average, RBI, doubles, including a good looking one against Zack Wheeler in a three-run fifth with consistent at bats. “Now you are seeing why teams have looked at Smith in trade talks,” said a NL insider who has watched Smith during this progression as a bonafide all-around player. 
• Pete Alonso: The home run swing is resembling the NL rookie record of 2019.  Strikeout ratio is less. Against Davd Phelps he drew a walk and a Jeff McNeil home run followed.  
• Jeff McNeil: 13-for-32 with eight extra base hits since end of August, .381 in past 11 games Three-run homer in the seventh. Another example of a 60-game season that is contrasted to 162. McNeil, is a catalyst. No more to say.
• Michael Conforto:  The cog. Consistency. Conforto had his second three-hit game and also among the league leaders in hits and average.

Some additional thoughts…

David Peterson:  Was not sharp, walked four in two innings. “He would normally would be one or two years away with a 92 fastball, 81 slider, 83 changeup, nor overpowering,” said another scout that watched Peterson throw during his development. Peterson, though, is getting his chance and comes under that category of consistency down this stretch.

Andres Gimenez: Fourth straight start at shortstop. 7-for-15 in series with Phillies. He’s not coming out of the lineup and defensive plays have put Amed Rosario on the bench.  A jump and catch off a Phil Gosselin line drive, a Hoskins’ grounder that could have gone for a hit up the middle. Nailed Hoskins at the plate in the 10th trying to score from third on a ground ball. 

“Showing, he belongs on a MLB roster,” said the same scout who observed Peterson in the Mets’ system. “Can be disruptive if given the chance to use his speed.” Not to jump ahead, the play of Gimenez can fuel more speculation of Rosario trade talk.

Erasmo Ramirez: Five innings of one-hit ball in his first appearance. A veteran, and will see more innings down the stretch that could provide some needed depth out of the pen.  

Again, there are those positives that came for the Mets despite gaining the split.  In the end, the positives need to result in a string of wins and it begins Tuesday night against the Orioles. 

Two wins at Citi Field. Then, take it from there with the surging Blue Jays up in Buffalo.

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Welcome back Todd Frazier. Robinson Chirinos a little too late, Miguel Castro has to be an improvement in the bullpen. However, Brodie Van Wagenen did it again. 

Again, the GM was active at the trade deadline. He said, “We are far from quitting this season.” 

Yeah, there are four weeks remaining. The Mets are within reach in a division that can be won. They are in reach to qualify as one of those eight postseason teams out of the NL. 

You would never know, though, that the Mets will be one of those teams after the last four games. But, Brodie thinks differently. So, again, at the deadline, he makes the moves.

And once again, the Mets get some reinforcements. Except, again, two of the three that come to Flushing are past their prime. Frazier, 34, and  Chirinos, 36, obviously the reinforcements for an injured JD Davis and as the backup to Wilson Ramos.

Frazier, is a  welcome and returned addition to the clubhouse. Chirinos,  no longer an everyday player,  and both with club options. Miguel Castro, 25, under club control until 2022, and throws hard.

Yes, Frazier and Chirinos provide the bench with more right handed reinforcements. But that age is on their side, and with a history of injuries that seem to always hidner the Mets.

Time will tell where this trade rates. Brodie Van Wagenen, possibly a lame duck, is under the radar.  Steve Cohen, the pending new owner,  had to be observing this move from the sidelines.

Have to believe this could be the last chance for Brodie. 

But here it is. Once again, the Mets got older. They did not get younger and all you have to do is take a look at the standings. The San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays, younger, and structured with that player development system that has propelled them to contention in this weird 2020 baseball season.

Monday, though, the Padres, and with a rich line of prospects parted with seven in trades. The key was obtaining Right-hand pitcher Mike Clevinger from the Indians.

The Padres, are in the now we can win it mode. The Mets, still with a  mentality of winning now. But it is more likely to be that fight to the finish for the Mets as they continue to be inconsistent.

The Padres sacrificed, but the prospects are not under that MLB ready category, and won’t have an impact anytime soon as minor league systems have been shut down. 

The Mets, and more so under Brodie, give away another prospect. Castro comes from the Orioles, a team that is rebuilding. In return, Brodie sacrificed another prospect, 23-year old lefty Kevin Smith drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 draft.

A high ranking NL scout, with knowledge of Smth said, “Average fastball with remarkable command. Will be an asset when he gets the opportunity.”

So here we go again. Brodie, though, this time did not sacrifice more than one prospect to obtain Castro. And it’s easy to understand that the Mets prospect list is very thin.

Attribute an exodus of prospects, pitchers in particular, to obtain that player or two that would get the Mets over the hump and play baseball in October.   

And under Brodie are these moves. It hasn’t worked outside of the Davis deal with the Astros. 

Brodie said Monday, “We wanted to make sure that we were looking in a way to continue to keep our business model in place which is contested right now, and also not lose sight of what the short-term and long-term future is for the organization.” 

Okay, the short-term and the long-term. 

Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

Justin Dunn, Anthony Kay, Simeon Woods Richardson and Jordan Humphreys.  You remember, prospects and homegrown like deGrom Harvey, Matz.

Dunn, with the Mariners, threw six scoreless innings Sunday. Kay has a 2.93 ERA with the Blue Jays. Regardless, young and the prospects that are used as the same formula put into play with the Padres and Rays.

Prospects that are sacred and important in winning, pitching in particular, that is such an important commodity.

A great baseball man, the late Tom “T-bone Giordano”  who was at the highest levels in the game for over 70 years, veteran front office scout scout with the Orioles, Rangers, and Braves  would always say two things about trades.

 “No one is untouchable, if they have what you want, make the deal and that if you want filet mignon you have to give up filet mignon.” 

The other, “They are just prospects. Some may turn out good and some may turn out bad. Get what you need to win now.”

Brodie Van Wagenen? He gave up another prospect. The Mets got some needs with that feeling they can win now. This time, though, the GM can’t  afford to be a loser with this deal.

The post Another Pitching Prospect Gone Under Brodie appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As of mid-evening on Wednesday, the MLB and the MLBPA are still talking and appear to be nearing an agreement that would save the 2020 season.

Commissioner Rob Manfred and Player Association representative Tony Clark met earlier in the day and the meeting was called productive. A few hours later, Manfred released a statement acknowledging the meeting with Clark.

“We left that meeting with a jointly developed framework that we agreed could form the basis of an agreement and subject to conversations with our respective constituents. I summarized that framework numerous times in the meeting and sent Tony a written summary today. Consistent with our conversations yesterday, I am encouraging the Clubs to move forward and I trust Tony is doing the same.”

According to several sources, the framework that Manfred alludes to consists of a 60-game season with a 100% prorated salary. In addition, it also includes a $25 million postseason pool.

Further, the MLB asked for inclusion for a universal designated hitter for not only the balance of the 2020 season, but for the 2021 season as well. With the CBA expiring after the 2021, it seems a foregone conclusion that it will be added to a new CBA, bringing the DH to the National League long-term.

A proposal for an extended playoffs is also being included by MLB. It would expand the playoff field to as many as 16 teams.

So should we be hopeful as baseball fans?

Joel Sherman of the New York Post, is still pessimistic about a deal, claiming he’s been to this dance before. Yet he did tweet this earlier in the day:

“It probably should be assumed if Manfred flew to meet with Clark that he was authorized by his bosses (the owners) to deliver an offer that was either acceptable or pretty darn close to it. Even the most pessimistic folks I am texting with right now say momentum is toward a deal.”

Jon Heyman suggests optimism as he tweeted at 8:25 PM:

The framework of the deal between Manfred and union chief Clark included: 60 games at 100% full prorated pay, waiver of grievances, 16-team expanded playoffs for 2 years, universal DH, more. Owner sources say it was agreed to pending constituency approval, meaning owners, players

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 18, 2020

Please stay tuned to MMO for all the latest as it is likely this will be updated as more information unfolds.

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When reviewing second basemen who have worn the orange and blue of the New York Mets, one finds a lack of cohesion and a plethora of change. There were not the stars at second that graced other infield positions and those that did get recognized as Met heroes, often left the team and made their mark elsewhere. Others had consistent careers for the Mets on a long term basis, but failed to have that one standout season necessary to make this list. There were parts of Mets history where the position was like a turnstile lacking a constant presence for an important up-the-middle position in the field.

Since Charlie Neal opened at second in 1962, 27 other players have started on Opening Day for the Mets at second base. A total of 156 players have played at least one game at second in Mets history, including some surprises such as Richie Ashburn who started twice and Larry Bowa, who left his perch at shortstop to play second four times for New York. Only two players, Felix Millan and Wally Backman, opened the season at second five times, with two others starting the season there on four occasions. Not surprisingly, Backman has played the most games at second for the Mets franchise starting 680 times, while Millan was close behind at 674.

Ron Hunt was a staple at second for the Mets in the early sixties, but the turnstiles were busy thereafter and there was not consistency at the position until Ken Boswell took over in 1969. Boswell, along with Millan, anchored the position for most of the seventies until Doug Flynn, who came to the Mets as part of the infamous “Midnight Massacre” on June 15, 1977, took over in late seventies.

The eighties were dominated by Backman and his platoon-mate Tim Teufel. A decade later, Gregg Jefferies burst onto the scene and played into the early nineties, with Jeff Kent taking over as the decade reached its mid-point. Carlos Baerga was most commonly seen at second as the nineties came to an end.

As the new millennium dawned, Edgardo Alfonso, who was originally a third baseman, came onto the scene and started three seasons (1999-2001). After Alfonso left for the San Francisco Giants, Roberto Alomar took over in 2002 and played two seasons at second for New York. Luis Castillo took over at in 2006 and played on and off for four seasons. Daniel Murphy followed for four seasons, from 2012-2015. (Murphy played some second in 2011 but Justin Turner, with 79 starts, played the most). Neil Walker started on Opening Day in 2016 and 2017 while Asdrubal Cabrera manned the bag to start things in 2018. Robinson Cano played 90 games at second in 2019.

There were many more players who played second base for the Mets, some had some success while others were in Flushing to grab a cup of coffee. But it is a diverse group, not without some good to excellent players who made memorable contributions to Mets history. Their five best campaigns follow. It is not a list of the five best players as some of the better second basemen the Mets have had only made the honorable mention and some did not make the list at all. Please list your five top seasons in the comments following the article.

5.  Ron Hunt — 1964

No doubt a surprise entry to some, Hunt was the first ‘star’ the Mets had in the early sixties. He was the first All-Star in Mets history in 1964, a game that was played in Hunt’s backyard at Shea Stadium. Hunt’s motto in his professional life was “(s)ome people give their bodies to science; I give mine to baseball.” This refers to his propensity to get plunked, as no one got hit by a pitched ball more than Hunt during his playing career. He still ranks near the top in all-time HBP with 243. (The current leader in that category is Craig Biggio with 285).

In 1963, Hunt had a fine rookie season hitting .272 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs. He finished second to Pete Rose in Rookie of the Year balloting for the NL in ’63. In 1964, Hunt had his career-year, stroking .303 with six homers and 42 RBIs. Taken in context, not bad at all on a team that went 53-109. Injuries hampered Hunt in 1965, but he bounced back with another All-Star year in 1966.

Ron Hunt is certainly not the first person that comes to mind when Mets second basemen are discussed. But his early contribution to the team in his short, but nice, career with the Mets certainly deserves remembrance and his 1964 season in particular deserves recognition.

4. Wally Backman — 1986

If an analytics department could measure grit, determination and fire, then Wally Backman would head this list easily. As it is, Backman is one of the top second basemen to ever don a Mets uniform. He was the Mets first round pick in 1977 and made it to the big club in September of 1980.

Throughout the first years of his major league career, Backman did not receive steady playing time, playing behind Brian Giles, Bob Bailor among others. A frustrated Backman was sent to the minors in 1983 where he had the fortune of meeting Davey Johnson , the manager of the Triple-A Tidewater Tides. Johnson was promoted to Mets manager in 1984 and named Backman his starter.

Although a switch-hitter, Backman hit much better from the left side of the plate batting .306 across nine seasons with New York. He hit only .164 from the right-side and this caused him to be platooned even during large portions of the Johnson era. In 1986, the Mets acquired right-handed hitting Tim Teufel from the Minnesota Twins and for the next three seasons, Teufel and Backman platooned at second, both proving excellent at setting the table for the big hitters in the lineup.

Backman’s best individual season came in the Mets championship year of 1986. He hit a career-high .320 and had one home run, 27 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a .376 on-base percentage while scoring 67 runs. Backman was better still in the World Series stroking .333/.429/.333 for the Mets. He scored the game-tying run in Game 7 against the Boston Red Sox.

The scrappy, do-it-all Backman won hearts with his grit and determination as a player and later as a manager. His offensive production, by the numbers, does not place him as an all-time great, but if the Mets needed a runner sacrificed to another base, or an important start to a double play, or a bag to be stolen, Backman was the man. His willingness to do whatever it took to win was infectious, and his fiery persona helped the Mets win a championship in ’86 as well as an NLCS appearance in 1988.

3. Daniel Murphy — 2015

Daniel Murphy lands in the third spot on the list largely due to his hitting ability and an insane, almost unimaginable post-season he had in 2015. A natural third baseman, he was forced to play other positions early in his major league career  (left-field, first-base) due to the imposing presence of David Wright at the hot corner.

During parts of seven seasons with the Mets, Murphy amassed 967 hits. He slashed .288/.331/.424 and knocked 228 doubles. Of course, Murphy’s true breakout season didn’t come until he left New York. Still, he did plenty while wearing the Mets uniform and his historic playoff run in 2015 made him a permanent fixture in Mets lore.

After coming off an All-Star season in 2014, Murphy had a solid regular season hitting .281/.322/.449 in 2015. (Throughout his time with the Mets, Murphy hit below .280 only once and that was in his first full season). He had 38 doubles in the ’15 season and finished his Mets career second in doubles hit all-time, with only David Wright besting him. He played first, second and third base that year, but started 77 games at second, the most of any of the three positions he played.

Not known as a power hitter, Murphy struck only 14 homers in 2015 so the offensive explosion that followed in the postseason came as a surprise. Over the course of the NLDS and NLCS, Murphy became the first player in major league history to hit a home run in six consecutive postseason games, beating a record set by Carlos Beltran, and became the second person, after Lou Gehrig, to have a hit, a run and an RBI in seven consecutive postseason games. He also broke a Mets franchise record for most home runs in the postseason, previously held by Mike Piazza. He hit .529 with four home runs, a double and six RBI in the NLCS and was named the series MVP.

And as an addendum, the home runs he hit were off the likes of Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. This trio finished 1-2-3 in Cy Young voting in 2015. Although Murphy cooled down in the World Series against the Kansas City Royals, his postseason exploits were cemented in Mets history.

Muph landed in Washington after the 2015 season where he his power numbers skyrocketed and as all Mets fans know, became a Mets nemesis.

The 2015 regular season was a typical one for Murphy. His post-season was otherwordly. For this, he more than belongs on this list as one of the preeminent infielders the Mets have ever had, owner of one of the most incredible postseasons in MLB history.

2. Edgardo Alfonzo — 1999

A flip of the coin could determine what was the best individual season a Met has had at second base. Both were crafted by Edgardo Alfonzo and in consecutive years. His 1999 season was chosen as second best but could easily rank number one with the 2000 season second.

Before examining the two extraordinary seasons a little bookkeeping first. Some will argue that Alfonzo doesn’t even belong on this list as he split his time almost evenly between third and second base. He appeared in 524 games at second and 515 at third throughout his eight years with New York. Since second base has had a dearth of star talent in Mets history, it seems fitting that Alfonzo should land here.

In his Mets career, Alfonzo stroked 120 home runs hitting to an average of .292 and an .812 OPS. He compiled a 29.6 WAR with New York, more than the next two prolific Mets second basemen combined. He was certainly the most athletic of Mets middle-infielders and his slick fielding landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1999 as the magazine postulated that Alofonzo, Robin Ventura, Rey Ordonez and John Olerud may have been the best defensive infield ever.

Fonzie was also known as a terrific clutch hitter. His .318 BA with runners in scoring position still stands as a Mets record.

In 1999, Alfonzo shifted to second base when Ventura arrived and went on to have one of  his best seasons. He set career-highs with 27 home runs and 108 RBI and won his first and only Silver Slugger Award. He also had 123 runs scored, 191 hits, 41 doubles, a career high 315 total bases, and a .385 on-base percentage. He had many important hits and set a Mets record by going 6-for-6 with three home runs and scoring six runs in a game against the Houston Astros. He finished eighth in MVP voting in 1999.

1. Edgardo Alfonzo — 2000

Alfonzo picked up where he left off in 1999 by having another terrific year in 2000. He made his one and only All-Star appearance in 2000 and helped the Mets get to the World Series. Alfonzo set a career-high with a .324 average to go along with 25 home runs and 94 RBI. He also had 109 runs scored, 176 hits, 40 doubles, a remarkable career-high .425 on-base percentage and a career-high .542 slugging percentage.

Alfonso’s clutch hitting continued into the playoffs as he had important hits in Game 1 and Game 3 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants. He also stroked .444 in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals. Many pundits believe Alfonzo was just as important as Mike Piazza in the Mets 2000 playoff run.

Injuries hampered Alfonso for a good part of the 2001 season. He returned to form in 2002 once again hitting over .300.

The team announced that Alfonzo would enter the Mets Hall of Fame in 2020, which he called “a dream come true for me.”

“The Mets have had so many great players in their history, and I’m so proud to receive this honor,” Alfonzo said after the induction announcement. “This is something I never thought would be possible when I started out. I was never much for individual goals, I just wanted to help us win.”

Although Alfonzo’s prime years were few, he nevertheless made an indelible mark on the Mets franchise. His 1999 and 2000 seasons rank as the best two a Mets second baseman has ever had in their 59 years of existence and, to many, place him atop the list as the best second baseman the Mets have ever had.

Honorable Mentions

Some notable seasons that Mets second basemen have had that are not listed above:

Felix Millan—1973 season

Tim Teufel—1987 season

Gregg Jefferies—1990 season

Jeff Kent—1993 season

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From the very moment Ron Blomberg stepped to the plate on April 6, 1973, the designated hitter rule has been one of the most heated arguments in all of baseball. With this being the penultimate year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the traditionalist who dislike the DH appear to be losing the argument as it is oft reported the universal DH is a fait accompli.

Much of the arguments in support of a universal DH surround aesthetics of the game while rationalizing the implementation will be good for the game. What is interesting about many of these arguments is the underlying data is rarely analyzed. To that end, here is a look at the current data and the universal DH arguments.

No One Wants To See Pitcher’s Hit

Looking at attendance figures, the last time an AL team had the highest attendance was 2010. This year, three of the top five and six of the top 10 teams in attendance were NL teams. By the same token, nine of the worst 11 teams in attendance were AL teams.

This is something which holds true year-in and year-out. If the DH is really a drawing point for fans, it’s not showing up in attendance figures.

Pitchers Kill Rallies

The scenario always painted is based loaded, two outs, your team down one, and you lose because the pitcher comes up to the plate. Frankly, this doesn’t happen.

On that front, from the seventh inning on, NL pinch hitters have a 78 wRC+. That’s slightly higher than AL ninth place hitters with their 77 wRC+. Fact is, when the game is on the line, NL and AL teams are sending the same caliber of hitter to the plate.

As for the pitchers being rally killers, it’s hard to argue they’re not even if the case is grossly overstated. In 2019, there were 2,079 PA by batters with two outs and runners in scoring position. Only 97 of those PA (4.7%) were from pitchers.

Really, as we move towards increased bullpen use, pitchers are not batting much at all. In 2019, Stephen Strasburg led all pitchers in plate appearances averaging 2.3 plate appearances per game. This is just further evidence pitchers are out of the game with the game on the line.

Really, when you break it down, pitchers aren’t getting the plate appearances in high leverage situations proponents of the DH want you to believe.

DH Means More Offense

Now, there’s no doubting a DH is a better hitter than a pitcher. After all, in 2019, DHs had a 104 wRC+ as compared to the pitchers -18 wRC+. That’s an astronomical difference. Even with the difference between the two, it’s not making the difference in run scoring and offense as people will have you believe.

In 2019, NL teams hit .251/323/.431, and AL teams hit .253/.323/.439. On average, NL teams scored 4.8 runs per game, and AL teams scored 4.9 runs per game.

Even with disparity in the caliber of hitter a DH is to a pitcher or even a NL pinch hitter, in terms of runs per game, there isn’t a real discernible difference between the leagues. The reason for that, as noted above, most pitchers get two PA per game, and pitchers not batting in high leverage situations.

DH Keeps Veterans Around Longer

This has always been a curious argument. At its core, this argument is saying fans would want to see older players with diminishing skills over exciting young players.

Putting that aside, that’s not how teams utilize the DH. Last year, the 10 batters who had the most PA as a DH were:

• Nelson Cruz (39)
• Khris Davis (32)
• J.D. Martinez (32)
• Renato Nunez (25)
• Jorge Soler (27)
• Miguel Cabrera (36)
• Shohei Ohtani (25)
• Daniel Vogelbach (27)
• Yordan Alvarez (22)
• Shin-Soo Choo (37)

If you’re looking to discern a pattern here, it is these are players teams have decided they don’t want in the field. That applies to the 22 year old reigning AL Rookie of the Year to the 2013 AL MVP.

Looking at Cabrera, he is a DH not because teams want to see him finish up his Hall of Fame career and give him a chance to put more numbers. Rather, it is because he has a long-term deal, and the Tigers have to play him somewhere.

Cabrera and players like Cruz are a dying breed in the AL. Teams are increasingly using the DH for poor fielders or as a way to keep players fresh. Accordingly, Hall of Famers like Vladimir Guerrero aren’t being given the same opportunities to hang on to compile for a few years at the end of their careers because teams want to move in a new direction.

Pitcher Injury Concerns

Whenever this issue comes up, we undoubtedly hear about Chien-Ming Wang‘s season ending injury. It was unfortunate, but let’s revisit it.

Wang injured himself running. It did not occur into a base or in a collision with a fielder. Rather, he injured himself stepping on a base. Realistically speaking, this is no different, than pitchers running to cover first, which is something Wang had done countless times.

Another factor with respect to Wang’s unfortunate injury was it occurred over a decade ago, and we haven’t seen another pitcher suffer a similar injury since that time. We also very rarely see pitchers suffer injuries batting, and those who do rarely suffer significant injuries.

When re-examining Wang’s injury, this is something which happens maybe once a decade, and perhaps not even that frequently.

MLB Is Only League Where Pitchers Hit

This is just flat out false. In fact, the NPL Central League also has pitchers batting. When you look at it that way, the two very best professional baseball leagues have pitchers batting.

In the minors, we also will see pitchers batting when NL affiliates square off against one another.

Overall, when you incorporate Triple-A, three of the absolute best baseball leagues in the world have pitchers batting. In reality, it is only the lesser professional leagues who have implemented the universal DH.

Perhaps, this is indicative of the substantial number of baseball fans who love the National League style of baseball. Those fans opine they prefer the strategy associated with the game. Whether or not you agree with them, the data shows the National League brand of baseball generates higher attendance and larger revenues while having a game with substantively speaking the same amount of offense.

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