What a punch in the gut… After a rain delay of three hours and 43 minutes, Dillon Gee took the mound and fired eight shutout innings against the Braves as the Mets took a 1-0 lead heading into the ninth. But it was all for naught as first baseman Freddie Freeman crushed a two-run, walk-off homer to give the Braves a dramatic 2-1 win to take the first game of the five game series.

Gee dominated the Braves and held the them to just three hits and one walk before going out for the ninth. But after a base-knock and a blast it was all over. Gee struck out six in 8.1 innings and takes the gut-wrenching loss.

Ironically, Gee drove in the only run of the game for the Mets with an RBI-single in the seventh. Otherwise the Mets were flat except for Lucas Duda, who started at first base and had a big game going 4-for-4 with three singles and a double.

I’m not gonna kill Terry Collins for letting Gee go out to pitch the ninth. It was his game to win or lose and he earned the right to go out there and go for the complete game shutout.

Oh, the pain, the pain…

The Mets will need to shake this loss off as they gear up for their Super Tuesday doubleheader that is bound to be one of the biggest highlights of the season so far.

You won’t want to miss this as we’ll all get a glimpse of what could be the Mets’ future 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation for what we hope will be years to come.

RHP Matt Harvey (5-1, 2.04) will take on LHP Alex Wood (0-0, 3.52) in the first game at 1:10 PM, and then RHP Zack Wheeler will make his major league debut in the nightcap against LHP Paul Maholm (7-5, 3.65) for the Braves at 7:10 PM.

New York Mets (25-39) vs Atalanta Braves (41-28)

Turner Field, Atlanta • 7:10 PM

Dillon Gee (5-6, 4.84 ERA) vs Tim Hudson (4-6, 4.41)

Starting Lineup

1. Juan Lagares, cf
2. Daniel Murphy, 2b
3. David Wright, 3b
4. Lucas Duda, 1b
5. Marlon Byrd, rf
6. John Buck, c
7. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, lf
8. Omar Quintanilla, ss
9. Dillon Gee, rhp

Game Notes

The Braves are 23-8 at Turner Field this season. Their 2.32 home ERA is on track to be a franchise record since moving to Atlanta, topping a 2.48 home staff ERA in 1968. It also is on pace for the best home ERA for any team since the 1988 Mets had a 2.31 ERA at Shea Stadium.

Terry Collins before the game: ”Civilization’s over. We’ve got to rebuild.”

It looks like the Jordany Valdespin one week trial has concluded and now Lucas Duda has shifted to first base.

Justin Turner has been dealing with an intercostal issue that could land him on the disabled list according to Terry Collins. If he goes to the DL, look for the Mets to replace him with Andrew Brown.

In four career starts at Turner Field, all Mets wins, Dillon Gee is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA (six earned runs/21.0 innings). He is the only pitcher without a loss in at least four starts at Turner Field in team history. Only five Mets pitchers have ever won three games at Turner Field (Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, Al Leiter, Rick Reed and Steve Trachsel).

Zack Wheeler met with reporters at Turner Field on the day before his debut on Tuesday. ”I don’t think I’m the savior at all,” said Wheeler, who attended high school about 45 minutes from here, in Dallas, Ga. “We’ve got great arms here and you’ve got great players. We might not be doing too well right now, but I know the talent of these guys and hopefully we can turn it around here soon. I’m just trying to come up here and help the team any way I can.”

Wright is now three hits shy of 1,500 for his career. He already is the franchise holder for career hits. Wright would become the 30th active player to collect 1,500 hits.

Atlanta leads the NL in homers, yet has been shut out nine times this season, tied with Miami for the major league lead.

The Mets have signed the 48th overall pick righthander Andrew Church for $850,000 The Mets were slotted for $1,138,800 for their second-round pick.

Game Preview

The Mets start a four game set with the Braves tonight with the key day being the double-header tomorrow that is also Harvey/Wheeler Day but before we can get to that, we have a Dillon Gee game. Yesterday the Mets somehow won. At points yesterday the defense was so poor that it doesn’t even qualify under the word defense. Anyway Byrd hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the ninth and Kirk followed by a three run homer and the Mets…won. (This team is so Mets) Tonight Dillon Gee goes up against Tim Hudson.

Dillon Gee is 5-6 on the season with a 4.84 ERA while pitching 70.2 innings. This now makes three games in a row where Gee has allowed only one run per game, leaving him with an 1.29 ERA over 21.0 innings and 3-0 record. In his only start against the Braves this year, he allowed 5 ER over 5 innings of work. The Braves have the following numbers against Gee:

Heyward 7-15, HR
Uggla 4-21, 2B, 3B
McCann 3-16, 2B
Freeman 2-14
Upton 3-11, 2B, HR
Johnson 3-5, 2B

The Mets bats get a crack at Tim Hudson who is 4-6 while pitching 83.2 innings this year while posting a 4.41 ERA. Tim had a rough May where he saw his ERA blow up from 3.86 to 5.37. So far in June though he has pitched 21.2 innings over three starts with a 1.66 ERA. In one start against the Mets this year he allowed 3 earned runs over 7.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Tim:

Wright 17-79, 2 2B, 3 HR
Duda 6-23, 2B, HR
Murphy 4-18, 2B
Buck 2-16
Turner 1-9
Byrd 1-5

Lets Go Mets!

Please, join me as I throw a handful of dirt on the coffin of Jordany Valdespin’s career as a New York Met.

The one I used to call El Dramático for his ability to spark rallies and hit long home runs is getting playing time for one reason: he’s being shopped. Don’t expect him to be with the Mets past the trade deadline.

I’ve been a staunch defender of Valdespin since the Mets’ first intrasquad game. He had the tools to be a starter in 2013. He still has the tools. Whatever the case, it just hasn’t come together.

There are a plethora of reasons why Valdespin’s days are numbered. He’s batting .207/.264/..328 on the season with a 24/6 K/BB ratio and 4-for-7 in stolen base attempts. He’s 3-for-23 with five strikeouts and no walks since taking over the second base and leadoff duties. Additionally, he’s not playing well defensively and the positions he does play are better suited by other players on this year’s team (Juan Lagares and Daniel Murphy). The list goes on longer than his pimped out dingers. Even though his latest audition isn’t going well, I expect he’ll be sent somewhere for cash or packaged in a trade with some farm arms.

Saturday’s game was a microcosm of how he’s performed since receiving more playing time: a few defensive miscues and little offense. He threw a ball over Jonathon Niese’s head, something you’d see in a Little League game…maybe. He also had two force outs at second that could have seriously injured him. When a second baseman makes a force at second, he normally shifts his momentum toward the outfield to avoid a hard slide. Valdespin just planted on the bag and got upended by Cody Ransom twice. He’s just not doing the fundamentals.

Things could have been done differently during Valdespin’s time as a Metropolitan. He was mismanaged by Terry Collins, he handled situations poorly and every negative was put under a microscope by the media, myself included.

It pains me to say, but he’s poisoning the team. Whether it’s his fault or not is moot. I believe he has a long career ahead of him, but it won’t be with the Mets. He’ll probably be one of the many who leaves the Mets and enjoys success in another venue. Some players just aren’t cut out to play under the magnifying glass in New York.

He could thrive in a platoon role in hitter-friendly parks like Coors Field or Great American Bandbox. Just don’t expect there to be many more Valdespin No. 1 jerseys produced in orange and blue.

What are your thoughts on Jordany Valdespin’s recent one-week audition at second base?

When trying to assess the strategy of the post-Minaya/Madoff Mets, I have always found it a bit of a puzzler to try to put a finger on when the “money” element of the so-called “Moneyball with money” approach that had been heralded as the defining element of the Alderson/DePodesta/Ricciardi regime would kick in.

Like many, I’ve regarded Sandy’s assertions that the majority of the team’s spending restraint has been his decision alone with a bit of skepticism; after all, part of a general manager’s job is to manage perceptions about the organization as well as its personnel.

Choosing to convey to the world at large that you have accepted the necessity of a period of mediocrity while the team rebuilds is OK, but attempting to maintain the Mets’ role as a big market team along with affording the Wilpon family a degree of mystery as regards their financial strength has resulted in a variety of mixed messages to the fan base. Aiming for the team to remain competitive enough to sustain interest while doing what is necessary to revitalize a barren farm system is an admirable goal, but clearly one that requires a lot of gambles to pay off. Not surprisingly, the results have been desultory, to say the least.

If the team is now ready to rebound from its largely moribund performances of the past few seasons, we should expect that any infusion of new talent to the roster will properly address the weaknesses that are evident to anyone watching. At the same time, we have to hope that the strengths that the team does possess are not unduly compromised by any personnel shuffling that the future may hold.  Still, I would expect that most of us are ready to have some eggs broken if the resulting omelet becomes a breakfast of champions. Let’s take a look at how the promised makeover could take shape:

OFFENSE: The team’s run production has been deplorable. Other than Murphy, Wright, and the surprisingly resurgent Byrd, there hasn’t been a dependable bat to be found, leaving the lineup bereft of the elements that can generate enough runs to allow even a pitcher of Matt Harvey’s meager support requirements to win consistently. The time has come to make a judgment on the very legitimacy of some of these player’s claims to a major league roster spot. This would appear to be the case now with Valdespin, who has been given an audition at second base to see if he can inject some life into the top of the order. So far the results have been disappointing, but the sample size is pretty small. With a player like that, it might never really happen or you could have a scenario similar to what has occurred with Carlos Gomez, now a world-beater years after being merely a piece in the Johan Santana trade. I’m not sure if anyone has the patience to see if ‘Spin’s tools have a chance of translating into a consistent offensive force before his lapses on the field and in the clubhouse become too great an issue to abide. Regardless, it might well be that he is being showcased with the intention of returning Murphy to the spot he has worked so hard to master.

What has really jumped out at me this year is the inability of the “supporting” bats, that is, the 5-6-7 hitters, to get a big hit with any regularity when the game is on the line.  Even as the team struggles to hold down the opposition thanks to the as-always porous bullpen (we’ll get to them in a bit), there have been instances in game after game where “half rallies” have been staged, with runners getting on only to be left high and dry. There has been no spate of 3-run homers, bases-clearing doubles , or even timely bloops despite what seems to be regular opportunities for the lower part of the lineup. With most of these at-bats seeming to fall to John Buck and Lucas Duda, one is acutely aware of the former’s severe dropoff after his blazing start and the latter’s propensity for restricting his power displays to times when the bases are empty.  It is clear that if the heart of the order is reasonably healthy with Wright and Murphy, the lungs and liver are showing signs of distress. Duda is still young enough and shows sufficient potential for me to want to see if he can step his game up as the season progresses, but to be frank, Buck is just killing them at this point.  As we likely won’t be seeing Travis D’Arnaud before rosters expand in September, I think Terry Collins would be better off running Anthony Recker out there three times a week if only to give Buck some much needed rest. Ultimately, what we need to see is another legitimate bat find its way into the order behind the 3-4 slots so that somebody starts knocking those runners in. The most obvious spot for this to happen is first base, so the clock is ticking as far as Ike and a possible non-tender later this year.

BULLPEN: Boy, is this getting to be a tired topic or what? Now that Dillon Gee has largely regained his form, the rotation has been one of the few strengths of the team. Still, even if you get a quality start on a regular basis, you can’t have the bullpen cough up a couple of runs as often as this one has and stand a chance of winning with the anemic offense just described. It might be overwork (certainly in the case of Scott Rice), but there are other flaws in the design of the Mets’ pen that can’t be traced strictly to frequency of use. One of these is the seeming inability to get a strikeout when it’s needed. Despite ranking 6^th in the league in relief innings pitched, the Mets’ pen is ranked next-to-last in strikeouts. The amount of contact permitted to the opposition has led to a bullpen ERA that is the highest in the league. Mr. Leathersich can’t get here soon enough, but in the meantime, reinforcements must be found in the form of anyone who can miss some bats for a change. I’m hoping that the return of Scott Atchison and possibly Pedro Feliciano can address this need to a degree, but clearly an emphasis on power arms is needed.

Looking farther ahead, if we anticipate a lineup that will eventually be bolstered by the addition of legitimate bats at catcher, the outfield, and first base (not too tall an order, eh?), and yet another makeover of the bullpen, the legitimate resources of the starting staff could be given a chance to make their presence felt in the form of ACTUAL WINS.  This ain’t gonna happen overnight, but I’d love to see something start happening soon.

(Photo Credit: Gordon Donovan)

This morning at Citi Field, Sandy Alderson, Terry Collins, and a few of the players, participated in a Q&A session with season ticket holders. We have John Delcos there and will file a full report later, but here’s a quick summary for you to chew on until then.

• Alderson said that he believes the team has reached the stage where he can begin to add veteran major league talent to the roster now. He expects to add some players in the next six months.
• Alderson cited that with some of the organization’s top young prospects either here already or coming soon, that now is the time to start filling in the gaps with seasoned major league talent.
• “What I’d like to be able to do is maybe acquire a player or two who will not only be with us this year but into the future,” Alderson said. “That makes sense and is consistent with what we’ve been trying to do longer term. We’re going to keep working at it and I’m sure you’ll see some different faces between now and say the end of July or the All-Star break.”
• Alderson described this new strategy as a shift in organizational planning, and they intend to seriously pursue major league talent from outside the organization within the next six months, and that fans should expect to see some new faces between now and the All Star break
• “I do believe that over the next six months or so we will be in position to make some significant acquisitions, whether it’s through free agency or trade,” Alderson said. “We’re certainly looking forward to that possibility.”
• Alderson said that while there will larger amounts of money on hand to to invest in these veterans for the short-term, and acknowledged that the team has not gotten the return they wanted on money invested in players in recent years.
• “When I got here,” Alderson said, “I always understood that I was looking at some of these contracts, from which we were either going to get production, or simply have to wait for them to expire. Now we’re in a time frame where in another half-season, because the players didn’t perform for various reasons (injury to Santana, total ineptness from Bay), those contracts will expire.
• “Listen: The reality of our situation is that we owe Bay and Johan a total of around $52 million, out of a payroll of about $107 million. One of them is hurt and one of them is gone. But we’re still paying them. When you take away that money, you are talking about a payroll that is in the bottom three or four. For now. That’s not an excuse, that’s the fact of our situation.”
• Alderson wants to build a team that fans will be happy and proud of and urges just a little bit more patience.
• “We’re working at it, The problem is, at some point, the best thing you can do is have a little patience and unfortunately I’ve been preaching that for two-and-a-half years and it’s wearing thin. But we’re almost there.”
• “All I care about is happy Mets fans,” Alderson said Saturday morning, on his way to talk to season-ticket holders, whoever they are at this point. “That is my motive in life. And I know that’s not happening right now. And if they’re unhappy, believe me, I am even more unhappy.”
• Wilmer Flores could be promoted to the Mets at any time. (Unless Valdespin turns it around quickly, he will be the player that is replaced. – Joe D.)
• Sandy has no say in whether Gary Carter’s number should be retired, but if it were up to him his number would be on the wall next to Seaver, Casey, Hodges, Shea and Robinson.

(Photo by Mets)

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 Ike Davis saga lasted about a month and a half too long and the team paid the price with a dead out in the heart of their lineup for the first-third of the season.

On Tuesday, Terry Collins announced that he would go with a six-man rotation. At least for now, it buys him a week or two to decide who between Jeremy Hefner, Shaun Marcum and Dillon Gee will go to the bullpen to make room for Zack Wheeler in the rotation.

More indecision to be sure, but this time I can hardly blame the team for buying themselves some additional time. Lets examine all three…

With $4 million worth of bonus escalator clauses built into his contract, mostly based on innings pitched, you can bet the MLBPA would raise a stink if they try sending Marcum to the bullpen. Even though he delivered one of the best relief outings in franchise history during the 20-inning loss to the Marlins, his spot in the rotation is pretty secure whether that stature is deserved or not. He has been wildly inconsistent and in his last six appearances dating back to May 10, he has allowed 6, 2, 4, 2, 4, 1 earned runs. His 4.95 ERA reflects just how inconsistent he has been, and for a pitcher who initially presented as a No. 2 type starter, he’s been more of a No. 5 starter on a bad team and has the highest ERA among all Mets starters.

Then you have the good yet underrated Hefner. Nobody expected much from Hefner and saw him mostly as place holder for Zack Wheeler. But of the three pitchers on the line he has been the most consistent by far.  It’s hard not to root for the Moore, OK native who is sitting atop a 1-6 record, with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He’s currently riding a streak of four quality starts in a row, allowing just seven earned runs in his last 25 innings pitched while striking out 21 and walking four. What’s not to like? Like Matt Harvey, Hefner has been victimized by some bad Mets defense and lack of run support. He could easily be 7-2 for the year.

That brings us to Dillon Gee, fresh off a gem that saw him go 6.2 innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out seven. Gee has finally begun to make some strides after a horrid start to his season. In his first 10 starts, Gee posted a 6.34 ERA with an MLB high .909 OPS allowed. For the year, Gee has posted a 5-6 record with a 4.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP in 70.2 innings while walking 20 and striking out 63. However, after his last start, manager Terry Collins revealed that Gee has been battling tendinitis in his right elbow and in fact was almost going to be scratched from his last start.

As I said, I don’t believe there’s any chance that Marcum gets pulled from the rotation so it basically comes down to Gee and Hefner. If you want to base it on merit or 2013 results, then Hefner is your man. If you want to base it on seniority and past results, then you go with Gee.

Personally, in a season that has spiraled out of control for the Mets, I would like to see them get into the habit of rewarding players who perform the best and keep Hefner in the rotation. It might not be a bad precedent to set.

Plus, we already know what we have in Gee. I’d like to see more of Hefner and find out what we have in him before shuffling him off to the side. What do you think?

There is an old football saying that states, “the most popular guy in town is always the backup quarterback.”  Although that phrase may not directly translate to the game of baseball, I think we can all relate it to the Mets current managerial situation.  The incumbent skipper, Terry Collins, has seen his tenure dominated by poor play thanks in part to a poor roster.  Lurking in the distance is current Las Vegas manager, Wally Backman, who at the very least has developed a bit of a cult following amongst Mets fans.

The weaker the Mets have looked, the stronger the cry for Backman to take over has gotten.  As you would imagine, Dave Lennon’s piece in yesterday’s Newsday that Collins’ job is not only safe, but that Wally has no chance of the big league managerial spot, wasn’t well received by those residing in Backman’s corner.  Whether or not that’s accurate is currently a non-factor, but I can’t help but wonder what difference, if any, Backman would have on the current state of affairs in Queens?

I think its safe to assume that there are very few Mets fans who have actually watched Backman manage a game.  Therefore, I’m forced to believe that his popularity is due to both his comments to the press, and his theatrical, profanity laced ejections that you can find on YouTube with little effort.  While I admit they are comical, I question whether or not they have a place in today’s game.

People have to realize that there is quite a difference between motivating young players in the minor leagues, who still have much to learn, and established big league players with established big league egos.  Its foolish to assume that such tirades would simply light a fire under the current roster, and its extremely possible that he would ostracize as many players as he would motivate.  Those thinking that the current roster is comprised of minor league caliber talent are correct, but on the off chance that the Mets do bring in better talent in the coming months, there is a much better chance that Backman’s criticisms could fall on deaf ears.

The other, and quite possibly more devastating effect of Backman’s antics is the impact it would have on the media.  Fans needn’t look back any farther than last month, when Terry Collins made a comment about not having to answer to the fans, to see how managerial comments can be blown out of proportion.  That was a rare lapse in judgement for Collins.  For Wally, that’s a Tuesday.  While I genuinely enjoy it when a manager gets ejected and I agree that the more animated the disagreement, the more fun it is to watch, Backman could be a few press conferences away from turning Flushing into a three ring circus.

Perhaps I’m wrong.  Perhaps Wally Backman not only possesses the ability to set his ego aside, but also brings with him the surgical precision necessary to manage the egos of a big league baseball team.  Perhaps he could better manage the bullpen, and find a lineup that works on a daily basis.  Perhaps he is the right man for the job.  I’m not saying he isn’t.  What I am saying, is that Backman’s campaign (if you will) to be Mets manager is not one based on great managerial decisions, its one focused on a very blunt and very boisterous technique that fans find entertaining.

Whether or not Backman’s entertainment would produce more wins is an answer we may never get.  Has he put in his time with the Mets organization?  Yes.  Is he deserving of the managerial spot if it should become available?  Probably.  It would even be beneficial to add a connection to the 1986 World Series winning team into the current fold.  But for all the positives, the potential for disaster would always be present with Backman at the helm.  For an organization still searching for positive consistency, that may not be a risk the Mets can afford to take.

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Current Mets manager Terry Collins has been named as National League coach alongside former Mets skipper Davey Johnson for the 2013 All-Star game at Citi Field.

The two were designated by Bruce Bochy on Thursday, the current skipper for the San Francisco Giants, who will manage the National League at this years Midsummer Classic.

The announcement marks Collins’ second straight year coaching for the All-Star game after serving under Tony La Russa in last years rout of the American League.

Currently in his third and final season managing the Washington Nationals, Johnson, led the 1986 Mets to a 108 win season and their second World Series title.

The opposition also received additions to their coaching staff, as AL manager Jim Leyland named Robin Ventura and John Gibbons to his team, both of which have ties with the Mets organization.

Ventura was with the Mets when they won their last NL pennant in 2000, while Gibbons had a brief stint with the team back in the 80′s.

The All-Star game will take place on July 16. The last time the Mets hosted the event was in 1964 at Shea Stadium.

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…

The Mets have assured Terry Collins that his job is not in danger and his future with the team will be discussed when his contract expires at the end of this season, two sources told Newsday.

Not only is Collins safe, there have been no conversations about Wally Backman as a potential replacement, either for this year or beyond. In fact, Backman’s bold guarantees this week about fixing Ike Davis have rubbed some in the organization the wrong way after so much time and effort trying to help Davis at the major-league level.

When asked about the possibility of Backman eventually taking over for Collins, one person familiar with the situation replied, “There’s zero chance of that happening. Zero.”

That’s pretty funny… Before even reading this report from David Lennon, I was asked my opinion by several friends and I even got a call from my long lost cousin who I haven’t spoke to in 3-4 months. “Did you hear Backman on WFAN,” he asked. “It sounds like he’s going to be the next Mets manager”.

He and the others were excited about that, but I on the other hand knew better.

“There is no chance in hell that someone like Sandy Alderson would ever hand his team over to the likes of Wally Backman.”

That was my response to them.

I love Wally… I  mean what Met fan doesn’t? I get the emotional ties that many fans have with Wally and I completely understand the fascination. In the past 15 months alone we’ve interviewed him exclusively three times – twice while chilling out with him in his office before a game. He’s a likable guy… the kind of guy you want to hang out with, have a few beers, and just talk baseball. And boy, can Wally talk baseball… His players would go through a wall for him…

But then you have Sandy Alderson…

You have his clean cut approach to things…

Sandy loves things to be perfectly organized with everything in its proper place. The people he chooses all need to fit into his master plan. Alderson is the most methodical general manager this franchise has ever had. He overthinks everything… sometimes to a fault.

The bottom line? Backman just doesn’t fit into Sandy Alderson’s grand scheme of things.

Collins on the other hand is perfect… To Sandy, Collins is just right…

Terry Collins projects the image that Sandy wants his team to project. Collins is the good soldier who always follows orders and there’s no chance that he would ever embarrass the front office or the organization. He’s always well spoken and professional… He takes the rotten hand he’s been dealt and never complains about it… He has David Wright in his corner…

Before Wally Backman’s interview on WFAN, there was another interview. And in that interview the man who will make the final decision gave Collins a ringing endorsement that the manager job is his until the end of this season. He also left listeners with the strong possibility that he’ll get a new deal to stay on as manager of the Mets.

“Don’t blame any of this on Terry. This is not a Terry issue, it’s a player issue and that’s on me. Terry is doing a heck of a job.”

Trust me… Terry’s not going anywhere.

As for Backman?

If he is ever going to be a major league manager, it will not be with the Mets. He probably deserves a shot somewhere, but as long as Sandy Alderson, Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi are running this ship, the likelihood that Backman will one day manage this team range from slim to none.

That’s not a knock on Wally… That’s just the reality of the situation…

It’s a shame because there really isn’t anything positive to write about this team these days. Even during our most downtrodden times we’ve been able to find that silver lining that offers us a bit of hope. That silver lining has faded into the ether for most of us. It definitely has for me.

I give the bloggers here and on other sites so much credit for trying to find that fresh, inventive angle when writing about the Mets. I still don’t know how we haven’t stuck our collective heads in our electric ovens is beyond me. Yet, we carry on.

I do feel bad for Ike, who wouldn’t? I’m sure he’s had everyone give him their two-cents about fixing him going on two years now. At some point, unless there’s a physical problem, you can only walk away with two possible reasons for Ike’s downfall. Either he’s not focusing enough and taking direction well or and I hate to say it, maybe he’s just not that good.

Sure the guy can hit a ball 500 feet but, so could Rob Deer. So could Steve Balboni. So could Butch Huskey. Remember his illustrious Met career? I think we’ve allowed our own hopes and aspirations of Ike to cloud the reality of his situation. We’ve replaced the actual, unfortunate and ugly truth with our hopes and dreams of the player Ike should be.

Some have said that if Ike could just hit .220 with 30 to 40 homeruns and 100 RBI with 100 walks then so what if he strikes out 200 times. He’d be a clone of Adam Dunn and at this point, I’d take it now and twice on Sunday. But unfortunately he’s not even a bad Adam Dunn; he’s a bad version of the bad Adam Dunn. But at least Ike can field. Yeah I wanted to inject something positive about him but I couldn’t do it with an honest key stroke.

So here we are, two years into this and it now falls on Wally Backman’s shoulders to fix Ike and to return him (or with him?) to his proper self, hopefully later this year in Flushing. It’s sort of fitting that it all comes down to Backman.

While Alderson has publicly said that Terry Collins and his staff are safe, he didn’t go so far as to offer any of them contract extensions – not that any of them have been all that deserving. You can bet Wally is keenly aware of it all.

Backman has gone on record saying he knows what Ike’s doing wrong and that it’s just a few but apparently simple fixes. I’m not sure what he sees’s that Collins and his staff haven’t but at this point, do I care? Do you? I just want Ike back on track.

Hopefully all he needs is to get his mechanics and his mind right but unfortunately for Ike, history and plain and simple odds are against him. Here’s hoping the anachronistic Ike Davis can do what so many have tried and failed in Las Vegas and beat the house.

Dillon Gee was dominant for the Mets as they beat the St. Louis Cardinals by the score of 5-1 tonight at Citi Field to even the series at one game apiece.

It was the third consecutive solid outing for Gee who is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in that span. The righthander held one of the most potent offenses in the game to just one earned run tonight in 6.2 innings pitched, scattering just six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Just a tremendous effort from Gee who improves to 5-6 for the season.

The Mets roughed up highly touted pitching phenom Shelby Miller for three home runs tonight. Lucas Duda went deep in the fourth inning to put the Mets up 3-0, David Wright launched a towering drive in the sixth, and Marlon Byrd blasted his ninth homer of the season in the seventh to complete the trifecta. All three homers were solo shots.

Jordany Valdespin and Omar Quintanilla went 0-for-8 at the top of the order, but Mets 3-4-5 hitters saved the day going 5-for-11 with four RBIs and four runs scored.

The bullpen did the job with 2.1 perfect innings of relief from Scott Rice, Brandon Lyon and Bobby Parnell.

Breaking News: We cannot confirm or deny reports that Josh Satin was abducted by aliens en route from Las Vegas on Sunday. However we do believe that Satin may have become the victim of foul play at the hands of a menacing manager who goes by the name of Terry Collins and is known to prey on rookies.

With the win the Mets improve their record to 24-36. Weather permitting (there’s a wicked storm brewing) dueling aces square off with Matt Harvey (5-0, 2.10 ERA) opposing Adam Wainwright (9-3, 2.34) at 1:10 PM.

Lets Go Mets!

Two years ago, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be typing the first six words of this post, but it’s true. Daniel Murphy has proven himself as a formidable second baseman in 2013, and jerking him around the diamond is not going to do him or the Mets any favors.

The 28-year old Jacksonville-native has had a remarkable year on both sides of the diamond this season, most impressively in the progression of his fielding. Coming off a season in which he was an eye sore at second in 2012 and looked very inexperienced, Murphy has busted out this season to emerge as one of the better defensive second baseman in the National League. Murphy has had improved range, better footwork and has just looked more like a middle infielder, not to mention he leads all NL second baseman with 42 double plays turned.

There is no doubt that Murphy’s advancements at second are a direct result of his getting consistent time there to learn the ins and outs of the position. When I spoke with Murphy last month, he confirmed this.

“Having more time there has made me become more consistent, more comfortable, and has given me a better understanding of how to position myself and how much time I have,” said Murphy.

Now that he is finally settled into his new home on the diamond, Terry Collins has opted to throw a monkey wrench into that plan and send Murphy over to first with the demotion of Ike Davis and stick Jordany Valdespin at second when facing right-handed pitching.

I understand wanting to get the best righty/lefty matchups and I especially would like to see Valdespin get some consistent at-bats, but not only is it not fair to Murphy to unroot him from the position he has taken the better part of three season to learn, but it also isn’t right to have Josh Satin ride the pine until a southpaw comes along after he has worked so hard all year in Triple-A Las Vegas.

They cannot do to Satin what they did to Lagares and have him rot in the dugout. They called him up, he should be getting regular at-bats.

I get that Collins wants to get a good look at what their young guys can do now that the white flag has been all but waved, however Murphy is presumably the Mets second baseman of the future, not Valdespin. Valdespin’s future in orange and blue is in the outfield.

Murphy along with David Wright have been the primary offensive producers this year in 2013, and disrupting Murph’s defensive groove could potentially also affect his bat, which the Mets cannot afford to happen if they have any hope of finishing above the Marlins.

The Mets have spent three years making Daniel Murphy a second baseman, now keep him there. 

Alderson said that he does not consider Ruben Tejada or Lucas Duda as part of the team’s core.

You know what? Neither do I, but I doubt that Duda or Tejada care what I think.

Alderson also said he “does consider” Ike Davis to be part of the core. He of course being the player that was just demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday.

Obviously, Davis is a former first round pick and naturally has a higher ceiling, so again, no disagreement there, but the way he went public with his feelings about Duda and Tejada rubbed me the wrong way.

It reminded me of M. Donald Grant’s style when he was running things. Grant openly criticized his players publicly and believed it was a good motivation vehicle. Is that what Sandy was doing? Motivating?

Just before that he took a shot at a great deal of players without mentioning names.

“We have too many players who don’t approach our hitting philosophy the way they should be.” Alderson said.

“What I mean by that is putting yourself into hitting counts. When you have a preponderance of players who don’t follow that approach it becomes infectious. Right now we have too many players like that.”

Are Tejada and Duda two of those players?

Hey, it’s no skin off my back. Terry Collins is the one that has to deal with the aftermath not me…

But what a strange thing to say about two of your current players, one of whom is still just 23-years old, the other one who’s on pace for a 30 homer season.

Core players? Not at all… But what other GM devalues his players publicly rather than elevating them?

Well, after last night’s debacle and the recent stretch in general, I would say that hope is on life support and if nothing improves before the end of June, the chord will be pulled.

With that being said, the timing was right for the Mets to shake things up and shake them up they did. In almost one fell swoop Ike Davis, Rick Ankiel, Mike Baxter and Robert Carson were sent packing.

My biggest issue right now with the Mets is how the playing time was being distributed. While I agreed with cutting Ankiel to make room for Kirk Nieuwenhuis, I don’t agree with having Jordany Valdespin and Juan Lagares spending so much time on the bench. We need to see what they can do.

Lagares has hit decently over the past couple of games and defensively he has flashed the leather and a strong arm. Valdespin has had a few clutch moments and is toolsy, but still very raw. How do you polish up a player like that? You play him. So either send him down to Triple-A where he can play everyday or commit to starting him 4-5 times a week and continue to develop him. Maybe the best move for now is a demotion at least until we have more clarity after possibly trading Marlon Byrd at the deadline.

Apparently, Collins is starting to see the light as he claimed that Valdespin will start to get more playing time on Sunday, but we’ve heard him makes such claims before.

I hope that this time Collins means it, and not just with Spin, but with all the youngsters that now also include Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Josh Satin in addition to Spin and Lagares.

Heading into next season, the front office needs to identify what pieces need to be acquired and which current players can supplement our team’s core that for now includes Matt Harvey, David Wright and possibly one or two others.

Thoughts from Joe D.

Albin raises a big issue…

My biggest fear is that Terry Collins is only concerned with saving his job, and in his mind that means winning as many games as he can to keep the season relevant. Wrong approach… Realistically, he should be using the rest of this season to determine which players, if any, can serve a useful role in 2014 either as a core player or as a bridge until other prospects are ready to take over.

That he doesn’t get that is a big problem. That him and the front office still think it’s about winning games this season, is a huge problem. Listening to Collins and Sandy Alderson talk about results yesterday tells me they don’t have their priorities in order.

2013 is not about results. If it were, then shame on Sandy Alderson for the way he handled the offseason – he gets a big Fail. This season is about development and evaluating players. At some point they have to stop half-assing this rebuild process. The sooner they can do that, the faster this team can become relevant again.

Terry Collins just told reporters that Matt Harvey will make his next scheduled start on Thursday against the Cardinals.

Go ahead and plan accordingly for Harvey Day…

In the eighth inning of last night’s 20-inning 2-1 loss to the Marlins, Harvey was removed from his start with tightness in his lower back. He was cruising before being pulled and held the Marlins to just one earned run in seven innings while striking out six.

After singling in the bottom of the seventh, Harvey looked uncomfortable as he walking slowly to the dugout after an inning-ending groundout. When he came out to warm up for the eighth, it was clear something was wrong and within a minute trainer Ray Ramirez, manager Terry Collins and the entire Mets infield converged on the mound. Another minute later and the Mets’ prized righthander reluctantly handed the ball to his manager and headed for the clubhouse to get checked out.

The good news is that Harvey said he’s fine and should make his next scheduled start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.

“It’s fine now,” Harvey said. “I think it was after the last pitch in the seventh I kind of felt a little tightness kind of in my lower back, right on the hip area. It was a matter of a little alignment in the hips and as soon as I came in and they worked on it, it kind of popped right back into place.”

Harvey said he’s dealt with this back issue before in college and a simple chiropractic adjustment would usually resolve the issue.

“I was fine to pitch, I could have stayed out there but obviously, I’m risking more injury and that wouldn’t be good,” Harvey said. “I’m ready to go for my next start, whether that’s Thursday or Friday.”

The Mets’ unofficial ace lowered his ERA to 2.10 on the season, but took another no-decision, his fourth in a row. His record remains stuck at 5-0 and he leads the league with eight no-decisions, seven of which he gave up three runs or less. With a little bit of run support, he’d be looking at an 11-0 record right now. He ranks in the top three of the National League in WHIP (0.91), BAA (.196) and strikeouts (93).

The New York Mets transferred RHP Jeurys Familia from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

It’s just a procedural move to open a spot for RHP David Aardsma on the 40-man roster.

Familia underwent surgery Wednesday to remove bone spurs from his right elbow and is likely out for the season.

Original Post

Terry Collins told reporters before tonight’s game that Jeurys Familia will likely miss the remainder of this season.

“I don’t think we’ll have him this year,” Collins said.

Familia underwent surgery to remove loose bodies and bone spurs in his elbow. Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek performed the operation.

Familia was initially diagnosed with biceps tendinitis until being reexamined by team doctors yesterday who discovered the problem in his elbow.

“He’s a good worker and I know he’ll bounce back,” Collins added. “I’m just happy there’s no other damage.”

The starter turned reliever complained that he was unable to extend his arm fully in his delivery and has been on the disabled list since May 12.

Familia, 23, posted a 3.48 ERA in 10 1/3 innings pitched for the Mets this season.

Sad to see his season cut short like this. Look for him to be added to the 60 day disabled list at some point when the Mets need o open up a spot for a promotion.

Saturday’s marathon was the longest game ever in Citi Field history and the longest in the majors since April 17, 2010, when the Mets beat St. Louis, 2-1 in 20 innings. The previous long at Citi Field was October 3, 2010, a 14-inning, 2-1 loss to the Nationals.

Saturday was also tied for the fourth-longest game in franchise history and the longest since the April 17, 2010 game in St. Louis. The last home game to go at least 20 innings was the longest game in franchise history, a 25-inning affair on September 11,1974 vs. St. Louis. Yesterday’s contest was the third-longest home game in franchise history. The other games of at least 20-innings are below:

The Mets went a franchise-worst 0-19 with runners in scoring position in Saturday’s 2-1 loss. They had gone 0-15 twice, last on May 30, 2006 vs. Arizona. Since 1974, only two other teams have gone hitless in at least 19 at-bats with runners in scoring position: Boston at New York, April 24, 2004 (0-19) and Pittsburgh against San Diego, June 11, 1977 (0-19.

Over the last 22 home games, the Mets are hitting .158 (26-165) with runners in scoring position and for the season they batting .237 with runners in scoring position this season. The Mets also stranded 22 runners on base last night, prompting manager Terry Collins to say:

“I wish I could give you all the philosophies we talk about, the things we go through, moving runners over, productive outs, using the field to hit, but the bottom line is we’re just not getting it done,” Terry Collins said. “We’re not doing the things that got a lot of us to the big leagues. We’ve got to be better than that. I wish I had an explanation.”

Over the Mets’ last 19 games at home, dating back to April 25, the club is batting .200 (129-645). They are 5-14 during this span and are averaging 2.2 runs (42 total) per game.

Last night was an epic fail on many fronts for the Mets…

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