If you told me that the Mets were going to take 3 of 4 from the then first place Braves and follow that up with a sweep of the Marlins at home, I would have called you crazy. Now, I’m starting to wonder if I’m crazy for thinking this team has a shot to make a run for it. The Mets have been unarguably been playing their best ball of the season lately: capitalizing with RISP, attacking during every at bat, getting clutch hits, rallying from behind and holding the opponent to four or less runs each game. If this is the team Sandy Alderson had in mind when he made his bold 90-wins proposal, we can see where he was coming from. While it is a stretch to call this team a 90-win team, if they can break the streak of losing records and abysmal play after the All-Star Break, reaching .500–and even a wild card spot– may not be out of the question. This team has been playing like a true team, but even teams have their standout players: your MMO Players of the Week!
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: David Wright
At the close of a first half that he can only build up from, David Wright completed the last week before the break with a bang. Going 11-for-25 with two dingers, five walks and seven RBI, Wright collected his 19th four hit game in Friday’s victory, the second most in Mets history behind Jose Reyes‘ 23. Attacking the inside pitch as well as capitalizing on pitcher mistakes, Wright is driving in runs, getting on base and flashing his power, as any captain should be able to do. While only batting .285 on the year and not looking nearly as well as he has in the past, it is not far fetched to say that David will certainly show flashes of his former self come the second half. Aside from the mere numbers on the field, David is also showing confidence in his squad of young players that if they (and he) can keep this type of play up, the Mets can give the division leaders “a run for their money”.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Daniel Murphy
The defense this week has been consistent at times and dismal at others, but when you turn double plays, make barehanded throws and splay yourself out in the air to prevent a run from scoring in a close game, you have definitely secured your spot as winner of the defensive player of the week. Of course, all of this only applies if your name is Daniel Murphy. Our lone All-Star rep has been slightly lacking at the plate but has certainly made it up with his glove, showing us and the rest of baseball why he truly deserves to wear that red and blue jersey in Minnesota. His newborn son Noah will certainly have a lot to look up to when he gets around to watching highlights of his father on the field!
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Jacob deGrom
It is extremely difficult to pick a pitcher of the week when all of the pitchers have been doing phenomenal, but with two outings totaling 14 IP, 1 ER, 12 hits, 19 punchouts and even his first RBI of the year, Jacob deGrom has absolutely solidified his place within the starting rotation. deGrom is a fan favorite, not only for his luscious hair but for his fantastic four pitch array of a brilliantly located fastball that can top out at 96, a curveball that can make any hitter look foolish, a changeup that has even the best batters fishing and a slider that, while not used often, is still a pitch deGrom can throw for strikes. deGrom was not often included in the conversation of bright young Mets prospects, but if he continues to shock both fans and teams by pitching this way, he may just find himself in a vital part of the Mets’ future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
STARTING PITCHING: The starting pitching we have seen this week is some of the best all season. With Niese’s sudden DL stint, guys like Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee and even Dice-K have stepped up and made up for his absence. Lately, Wheeler has been pitching like he was promised to, getting out of jams and refurbishing his control. On the flip side lies Dillon Gee, whose simply spectacular first outing since coming off the DL proves to everyone that he is more than the fifth starter everyone is making him out to be.
THE BENCH: The entire Mets bench gets a nod this week. Eric Campbell (with a little help from Chris Young) saved the game on Saturday, capping off a stellar comeback on Saturday that Terry Collins called the biggest win of the year. Kirk Nieuwenhuis has been tearing it up, with three hits and two RBI and limited at bats. In addition, Eric Young Jr made a couple fine plays in the outfield on Tuesday and even notched an RBI. We are all aware of the difficulties of being called off the bench and being expected to kill it each time, but lucky for us that is exactly what the bench has been doing.
