Like a shark senses blood in the water, a team will jump all over a pitcher when it detects a weakness, especially when it’s somebody such as the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard, who doesn’t have many.
The book on Syndergaard is you can run on him. No, make that you can run all over him – that is, if you can get on base.
Runners have been successful in all ten of their stolen base attempts against Syndergaard, but what the Mets have to figure out is if it is a big deal or something they can live with.
The Giants’ running game resulted in four runs in San Francisco’s 6-1 victory Sunday over the Mets.
“We have to do a better job of holding runners,’’ manager Terry Collins told reporters. “He can’t be that slow to the plate. He can’t be that deliberate. What I don’t want is to get him out of sync.’’
Scoreless going into the fourth, the Giants had runners on the corners with one our following singles by Matt Duffy and Buster Posey. With the count full, Giants manager Bruce Bochy sent Posey to stay out of the double play, which undoubtedly would have been the case on Brandon Belt’s hard-hit ball to second.
So, instead of being out of the inning with no runs, the Giants scratched out a manufactured run, andHunter Pence followed with a two-run homer.
The Giants eked out another run off Syndergaard in the sixth when Duffy singled and stole second. After a walk to Belt chased Syndergaard in favor of Hansel Robles, . Pence followed with a RBI single to pad Madison Bumgarner’s lead.
“The last few starts I haven’t felt very comfortable on the mound in terms mechanically, which is allowing base runners to get better jumps as I make my delivery towards home plate,” said Syndergaard. It’s just a slight mechanical issue that I’m still trying to work on.”
Syndergaard allowed three steals Sunday – the Giants stole four overall – and five in his previous start against Cincinnati. In his short 15-start career, runners have stolen 27 bases in 29 attempts.
Collins said Syndergaard could incorporate a slide-step to the plate, which is harder for runners to time. The downside is a possible loss in velocity, or worse.
“You don’t want him to lose command,’’ Collins said.
Another downside of a slide step is it could force Syndergaard to tip his pitches, telling the hitter a fastball is coming.
As it is, if a runner gets on against Syndergaard, especially a speed guy leading off an inning, it’s almost a sure double.
Syndergaard is a rising star, but his Achilles Heel is not being able to hold runners. It hurt him Sunday, and will continue to do so in games in which he doesn’t have his best stuff or when the Mets don’t hit.
It’s a flaw that can be corrected, but pitching coach Dan Warthen isn’t likely to make any major mechanical adjustments during the season. This is something the Mets will work on with Syndergaard during spring training.
Or, they could decide Syndergaard is pretty good now the way he is and don’t want to mess with him.
