Big news from late night/early morning: Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the San Francisco Giants signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million extension. Chapman will be under contract with the Giants through the 2030 season.

Chapman was likely to opt-out of his contract this offseason to become a free agent, but now leaves the expected third basemen market this offseason to Alex Bregman and not much else.

The Mets came into Wednesday night’s matchup looking for a clean three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, and they came up big. Jesse Winker started the game with a boom as he hit a first-inning grand slam to put the Mets up 4-0 early. Tylor Megill went four-plus innings while giving up three runs in his start, but the Mets’ bullpen was stupendous, going five innings of shutout ball. The Mets pulled away late as the Red Sox bullpen lost all control, conceding four runs in the eighth inning, ultimately resulting in an 8-3 Mets win. Click here for a full game recap.

The Mets have now won their seventh game in a row, the longest active streak in MLB, and will have Thursday off as they prepare to host the Reds over the weekend. Sean Manaea is slated to open the series on Friday against the 67-73 Cincinnati Reds.

Wild Card Update

The Mets did not gain any ground on the third and final Wild Card spot on Wednesday as the Braves handled business against the Rockies. They remain a half game back.

The Padres and Diamondbacks both won as well. The Mets are 3.5 and 3.0 games behind them, respectively.

Latest Mets News

Kodai Senga, who has been on the IL with a left calf strain, threw 25 pitches off a mound with “noticeably increased intensity,” per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. DiComo added that Senga mentioned that he was transitioning his focus from leg rehab to getting his arm back in game shape.

Staying on Kodai Senga, Andy Martino of SNY.com reported that the Mets organization is increasingly optimistic that Senga will be able to return as a starting pitcher in 2024.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that the Mets expect to get starting pitcher Paul Blackburn back from the IL during their Blue Jays series early next week.

1969 World Series champion Cleon Jones joined the “Erik Sherman Show” podcast to detail the 1960s Mets’ rise from losers to champions.

Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert blasted his sixth home run in his last 13 games for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday night.

Mets assistant GM Ian Levin will be leaving the organization at the end of the season after 20 years with the club, per Andy Martino of SNY. 

The Mets continue to honor former chief photographer Marc Levine, who suddenly passed away on July 4. On Wednesday, Jay Horowitz announced that the club dedicated the first base well to Levine.

Noah Syndergaard joined the “Terry Collins Show” podcast to catch up with his old manager and talk about their memorable times in Queens.

Latest MLB News

MLB released the schedule and club assignments for the 2025 Arizona Fall League, by Brendan Samson of MLB.com. Mets prospects will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, with the season starting on Oct. 7.

The Chicago Cubs placed former All-Star pitcher Justin Steele on the 15-day IL with left elbow tendinitis, retroactive to September 1. The Cubs’ ace southpaw said he vows to return before the end of the season.

The Cubs also placed former Mets RHP Jorge López on the 15-day IL with a right groin strain, retroactive to September 3. 

Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make his return off the IL on Tuesday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Yamamoto has been on the injured list since June 16 with a right triceps injury.

Cubs pitchers Shōta Imanaga, Nate Pearson, and Porter Hodge combined to throw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Imanaga started the game with seven no-hit innings before handing the ball to Pearson and Hodge after throwing 95 pitches.

The Texas Rangers placed star shortstop Corey Seager on the 10-day IL with right hip discomfort.

Elvis Andrus will officialy retire as a Texas Ranger on Friday, per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Andrus spent 12 of his 15 big league seasons with the Rangers, and will be honored on Friday as he will be throwing out the first pitch as the Angels and Elvis’ first big league manager Ron Washington will return to Texas.

Latest on MMO

Francisco Lindor continues his roaring MVP level pace.

The Mets’ bullpen has been lights out during their winning streak.

A Kodai Senga return continues to look more likely.

On This Date in Mets History

2015: Bartolo Colón makes a jaw-dropping behind-the-back toss to throw out Justin Bour at first base. In this start, the 42-year-old Colón became the oldest Met to pitch a shutout and extended his scoreless inning streak to 25.

1969: Tom Seaver throws a complete game en route to becoming the first Met to win 20 games in a season.

1963: The Mets sign outfielder Ron Swoboda for $35,000. Swoboda would end up being a key piece to the Mets 1969 World Series team; hitting .400 in the World Series while making a miraculous grab in game 4 and driving in the game-winning run in game 5. 

Born on This Date: Pablo Reyes (1993), Chris Young (1983), Matt Watson (1978), Rod Barajas (1975)

The post Morning Briefing: Matt Chapman Signs Six-Year Extension With Giants appeared first on Metsmerized.

The day has finally come! Major League Baseball Opening Day is officially upon us!

Unfortunately, the Mets have to wait another day. But let’s take a look at some of the games on the slate for today.

The first game on the docket is the Orioles who will be hosting the Angels while Corbin Burnes makes his Baltimore debut. The Mets’ crosstown rival Yankees go to Houston as they will throw Nestor Cortes against the Astros’ Framber Valdez in a 2022 ALCS rematch. One final matchup to look at will have the reigning champion Texas Rangers hosting the Chicago Cubs in a battle of Cy Young hopefuls, as Justin Steele will be going head-to-head against Nathan Eovaldi. 

What games are the MMO readers looking most forward to? Click here for the full opening day slate.

Latest Mets News

Opening Day for the Mets this season will be delayed as their Thursday game has been postponed until Friday at 1:40 p.m. Click here for more information on Mets Opening Day. 

A non-profit started by Rusty Staub will present the family of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller with a check for $50,000 to help the family through immediate financial concerns.

Kodai Senga played catch at Citi Field as he continues to progress in his rehab.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that DJ Stewart has made the team, following his hot end to the 2023 season. Click here to learn more about the decision and J.D. Martinez‘s status to start the season.

Mike Petriello of MLB.com went into detail on why Martinez is such a good fit for the Mets and Citi Field.

Latest MLB News

The Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Will Smith agreed to terms on a 10-year, $140 million contract extension, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Max Scherzer is progressing well according to Rangers GM Chris Young, as reported by Buster Olney of ESPN. Young does not plan to place Scherzer on the 60-day IL, which could mean a possible May return.

The Cincinnati Reds announced that their up-and-coming second baseman Matt McLain had successful surgery to address cartilage damage and repair his labrum in his left shoulder. There is no timeline but the Reds hope to have him back this season.

Major League Baseball’s owners approved the sale of the Baltimore Orioles to David Rubenstein, who released a video message to Orioles fans. 

The Marlins traded infielder (and Mets killer) Jon Berti to the Yankees, per Craig Mish of Miami Herald Sports.

Red Sox RHP Noah Song is undergoing Tommy John surgery, per Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com.

Diamondbacks top prospect Jordan Lawlar will be having surgery on his right thumb and is expected to miss at least a couple of months, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. 

The Boston Red Sox acquired RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, per Jeff Passan. Uwasawa spent nine years pitching in Japan prior to this season. 

The Houston Astros claimed RHP Penn Murfee off waivers from the Atlanta Braves, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The Astros put Kendall Graveman on the 60-day IL to make room. 

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano and starting pitcher Alek Manoah are “likely” to start the season on the IL, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

Latest on MMO

There is a new Metsmerized Pod out with Mets broadcaster Keith Raad!

MMO is giving away a code for Out of the Park Baseball 25!

The Mets are ready for opening day! Read about the players’ feeling towards the 2024 opener!

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Pete Alonso records his first major league hit in the eighth inning of his MLB debut against the Washington Nationals.

Birthdays: Brad Emaus (38), Paul Wilson (51), Craig Paquette (55)

The post Morning Briefing: Happy Major League Baseball Opening Day! appeared first on Metsmerized.

One candidate was crossed off the list and another, more outside the box choice was added to the New York Mets’ search to fill their vacant general manager position on Wednesday morning.

Per SNY, Tampa Bay Rays special assistant Bobby Heck “is not a candidate for a front-office position with the Mets”, quelling previous rumors linking the two.

In an unexpected twist, the Mets have reportedly expanded their search to a former cerebral player and current MLB executive, Chris Young, who has interviewed with the team, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Young, 41, is a Princeton University graduate and spent 13 seasons in the majors with five different teams (79-67, 3.95 ERA), including a 24-start stretch with the Mets in 2011 and 2012 (3.76 ERA).

Shortly after retiring in 2018, Young began his tenure of employment with Major League Baseball, being hired as the league’s vice president of on-field operations, initiatives, and strategy before being promoted to senior vice president, replacing longtime MLB fixture Joe Torre and the league’s umpiring, on-field, and umpiring czar in February of this year.

Earlier this week, Mets president Sandy Alderson announced the team would forgo hiring a president of baseball operations this offseason, as initially planned. Instead, the team would be focusing on filling the vacant GM position.

Per Alderson on Monday, the team had already interviewed a “half-dozen” candidates. Whether Young was included in that earlier count is unknown.

Alderson also intimated the organization’s preference to “find someone […] who is capable of growing into the [president of baseball operations] role”. Whether the Mets feel Young fits that bill is also yet to be determined.

We’ll keep you posted with new developments as they become available.

The post Mets Interview Chris Young for GM Position, Bobby Heck Ruled Out appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jeremy Hefner is busy at work.

The former Mets pitcher is poring through mounds of data, dissecting numbers and preparing pitching and game plans to help the Minnesota Twins gain any advantage they can.

No, he’s not on the 25-man roster, nor the 40-man roster, as he retired from the game of baseball via a Facebook post in January 2017. The 32-year-old Oklahoma native is now onto his second career in the sport: working as an advance scout for the Twins in his second year in the role.

As an advance scout, the title says it all. Hefner prepares for the Twins’ upcoming matchups, always staying one series ahead. He formulates game plans and sorts through all the available information and video to aid in the Twins’ success on both sides of the ball.

Hefner is in a unique position where he bridges the gap between the front office and player, as he readily travels with the team and is available to further explain his reports to the coaching staff and players.

It helps, too, that Hefner’s resume includes two seasons in the big leagues, where he can relate to the players and their day-to-day grind in more than just analytics. Hefner pitched in the majors for the New York Mets from 2012-13, appearing in 50 games (36 of which were starts) and posting a record of 8-15 with a 4.65 ERA.

On a staff that featured Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese and Zack Wheeler in ’13, Hefner made 23 starts, 14 of which were quality. Things seemed to be going right for the then-27-year-old, having cracked the starting rotation after making 13 starts in 2012. Even though Hefner’s right arm was giving him some soreness early on in the ’13 season, he continued to push through since his velocity was still consistent with his career norm and his breaking ball still had sharp bite.

Taking it start by start, Hefner was hopeful that if he needed any type of surgery or cleanup to his arm, it could wait until the offseason.

Unfortunately, the pain worsened, and so too his performance on the mound. On August 9th, Hefner would make his final big league start of the season – and of his career – before undergoing Tommy John surgery later that month.

While working back from his surgery and pitching in Minor League rehab games the following season, Hefner faced yet another setback. This time, he fractured his ulna bone, resulting in his second Tommy John surgery in fourteen months.

Reluctant at first to undergo a second surgery, Hefner and his family decided to move forward with the surgery in hopes of pitching again. He signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2015 and made twenty-one starts for their Triple-A affiliate in Memphis.

Months after the completion of the ’16 season, Hefner announced his retirement via a Facebook post. Hefner explained in the post that for most of the season he had been dealing with a partially torn rotator cuff muscle, which would require either rest and rehab or another surgery.

Satisfied that he was able to get back on the mound after two Tommy John surgeries, Hefner was at peace with his professional baseball career coming to an end.

Using the classic proverb when one door closes, another opens, Hefner transitioned right into his new role as an advance scout for the Twins in 2017.

I had the privilege of speaking with Hefner in late August, where we discussed his time with the Mets, the two Tommy John surgeries he underwent and his new job as an advance scout for the Twins.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Hefner: My favorite position player was Ken Griffey Jr. Pitching wise, Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson and David Wells.

Those late ‘90s early 2000 Yankees and Red Sox teams were always on TV, and then I got all of the Braves games, too, in Oklahoma. So even a little bit before that with [Tom] Glavine, [John] Smoltz and [Greg] Maddux.

MMO: And who introduced you to the game at an early age?

Hefner: My dad, for sure. I’ll forever remember playing catch and having fun out in the yard. He and my mom would take me to games. They were big supporters throughout my career, encouraging me and teaching me the game.

MMO: At what point during your development did you hone in specifically on pitching?

Hefner: I didn’t start pitching primarily until my sophomore year in high school. I was a catcher in Little League, and then in middle school I was shorter and dumpier, I guess. [Laughs.] I don’t know what the politically correct term is. Maybe rounder?

I grew in-between my freshman and sophomore years; I grew six inches. I always had a good arm, and then some circumstances with our team provided me the opportunity to pitch. The rest is history after that.

MMO: You were drafted twice by the Mets – first in 2004 (46^th round) and then again in 2005 (48^th round) – before being drafted & eventually signing with the Padres in the 5^th round of the 2007 Draft.

What made you forgo signing both times with New York before eventually signing with the Padres?

Hefner: Well, one of the issues with growing a lot really quick is you don’t really have control over your body. I was a bit uncoordinated, very skinny, and needed to mature a little bit physically. The velocity was there, but I didn’t really locate that well, and my off-speed pitches hadn’t really taken shape yet.

We thought it was best to start school. Back then, they still had the draft-and-follow process, so it was one of those things where I could go to junior college and do well, and get back in again. Then I did, but I still didn’t feel like I was quite ready.

I felt I had some maturation to do and ended up refusing both times. But I was so grateful, and it’s something I look fondly on with that whole experience [being drafted by the Mets twice].

I went back to junior college for two years and ended up not getting drafted after my sophomore year. We had 13 draft-and-follows on my college team, and nine of them were pitchers. There were not very many innings to go around, so that was part of the reason. I didn’t really have a bad sophomore year; we just didn’t have a whole lot of innings, so I would miss scouts, and it was just kind of bad luck, so to speak.

I went to Oral U., and I got drafted by the Padres and ended up signing there. I gained some weight and gained some velocity over those three years. I gained a good grip on my off-speed pitches, and I was fortunate enough that San Diego wanted to take me.

MMO: Sounds like holding off really helped with your development.

Hefner: For sure. Now, that’s not to say I wouldn’t have developed in the Mets’ minor league system and done all of the things I did in college. Education was important, that was a big factor in it as well. The way it worked out, we thought it was best to go to school first.

MMO: When the Mets picked you up off of waivers in 2011, was it almost like coming full circle?

Hefner: For sure! Sandy [Alderson] drafted me in San Diego, and he and Paul DePodesta were both in San Diego when I was drafted. So, not only getting reacquainted with those guys, but this was the team that originally wanted to give me a chance.

Yeah, it definitely came full circle when I got that phone call.

MMO: In 2012, you pitched in 10 games (9 starts) for the Buffalo Bisons with Wally Backman as your manager. He’s such a polarizing figure. I’m curious, what your impressions are of him and his managerial style?

Hefner: Wally is Wally. He’s intense and he wants to win, and I’m the same way. Now, the way it manifests itself in our personalities is very different, but I am very intense and I want to win. So me and Wally got along great.

It was a good time. [Matt] Harvey, [Collin] McHugh, [Jeurys] Familia, myself and Jenrry Mejia, that was our rotation, and so we were going out and beating some people up.

I didn’t really ever have a problem with Wally; I wasn’t around him a whole lot. I was only down there for maybe a couple of months, but my experience with Wally was very positive and good.

MMO: What memories do you have from your major league debut on April 23, 2012, against the San Francisco Giants at home?

Hefner: Jordany Valdespin and I got called up on the same day. We were in Lehigh Valley, and I was supposed to start that night against the IronPigs. We took a town car from Lehigh to New York. That was the first time I’d ever been to New York.

The driver asked me if we wanted the scenic route or just the straight shot. I was like, ‘The scenic route! I don’t know if I’m ever going to get to come back here.’

He took us where we could see the Statue of Liberty, and took us through town. It was really surreal!

Getting to the park around two hours before the game started, and I’m putting my pants on and going straight to the bullpen. It was the first game of a doubleheader against the Giants, so there weren’t a whole lot of people. It was kind of a dreary, overcast, rainy day so I think that kept some people away.

Sitting in the bullpen and having not ever pitched in relief in pro ball, I didn’t really know what to do. I relied a little on Ricky Bones and talked to Dave Racaniello and Eric Langill – the bullpen catchers – and just tried to get a feel for what other guys do and just try to wing it and do the best I can.

Another piece of this is Buster Posey and all of those Giants guys I had faced coming up in the minor leagues with San Diego, so I had some familiarity, which helped out a lot. But overall, just an unbelievable experience, and I’m grateful I got to do it.

MMO: You had the chance to pitch alongside and watch R.A. Dickey win 20 games in 2012, and Johan Santana pitch the club’s first no-hitter in franchise history. You were also there to see the early rise of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler. What were your interactions like with these guys, and how beneficial was it for you to get to watch and learn from the veterans like Johan and Dickey?

Hefner: Yes, for sure. Those two guys had a big impact on me, along with Chris Young. All of those guys molded me well, taught me how to be a pro, taught me how to read hitters’ swings, how to prepare in-between starts and also the day of.

To watch Johan go out and throw the no-hitter, I sat on the bench and watched him do that. I still go on YouTube and watch the end of that game, just to kind of relive that moment. I got to see him the other day; the Twins inducted him into their Hall of Fame and so he was here just the other day. Getting to talk to him and reminisce a little bit about our Met days was a good time.

MMO: You were on the mound on September 26, 2012, and pitched a fantastic game against the Pirates (7 shutout innings). That was also the night David Wright became the Mets’ all-time hits leader.

What was your experience with Wright, and your thoughts on him, not only a player, but team leader?

Hefner: David is one of the best teammates that I ever had. The night I made my major league debut, I got sent back to Triple-A in-between games, so I couldn’t even sit in the dugout for the second game.

I remember after the second game, because I watched it in the clubhouse, David came up to me, and said, “You did great today. Don’t think of this demotion like it’s going to be forever. We’ll need you the rest of the year. Go down and work your butt off, and get back up here.”

That really stuck with me, just his words of encouragement. He’s a special player and it’s unfortunate what’s happened to him with all of the injuries.

For me, I’m a huge fan, and I’m pulling for him. I hope that he can make it back and at least produce in some capacity to the way he was before he got hurt.

MMO: How difficult was it when doctors told you that you needed Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2013 season? How does one stay upbeat with that kind of news – especially after finally cracking the starting rotation, and making over twenty starts that year?

Hefner: I kind of dealt with some elbow issues that entire year. I kind of felt like my arm was hurt early in the year, but I could get through with ibuprofen and caffeine, I guess. My velocity was still good, and I still had the sharpness on my breaking ball, so I didn’t want to stop throwing. I was pitching well enough to stay in the big leagues, and I was hoping to make it to the offseason to have the surgery.

It just got to the point – right after the All-Star break – my performance started to go downhill, and my elbow was really starting to bother me a lot. It got to the point that night in Arizona where I just couldn’t do it anymore. I went back to New York and they told me the news that I had a torn UCL.

I knew that the surgery faces everyone that throws a baseball or anything overhand. It’s just unnatural. So we wanted to take it head-on, and we knew that I would be stronger on the other side of it. It’s just one of those things you’ve got to deal with. You try to do everything right: arm exercises, running, arm care. Sometimes it just happens.

MMO: So this was something you and the Mets were monitoring start-by-start that year?

Hefner: Yup, that’s exactly right. Just tried to take it day by day. It’s every kid’s dream to be in the big leagues, so you’re going to do everything you can to stay there, and so that’s kind of what we did. Icing, running, ibuprofen and medication to try and keep throwing. I was throwing fairly well.

MMO: And then of course, the unfortunate news of a second Tommy John surgery just a little over a year later. At what point did you realize that something was wrong, and what were your initial reactions to hearing you needed the second operation?

Hefner: I had the first surgery in August, and by next July, I was in GCL games throwing 92-94 mph like I was before the surgery, feeling good, snapping off breaking balls. I went to Daytona for my first Florida State League rehab start, and it went okay. It was laborious a little bit, and I think at that point is when I kind of hurt it. I didn’t really hurt like before; there was no pain. I had some weakness, I guess, and part of it is my stubbornness. I should have said something. But I thought it’d be okay and that it was just part of the rehab process.

I ended up making a start in Clearwater that went okay, and then the third rehab start was in St. Lucie, actually against Fort Myers, which is the Twins affiliate. Byron Buxton was on that team, and it did not go well. My velocity was well down, and I felt some looseness in my elbow.

After the first inning, I was talking to the trainer, and we decided to pull me out of the game. I went to New York the very next day and got an MRI. I’d actually pulled the anchor out of my bone, so I didn’t actually rip the UCL like I did the first time. I fractured my ulna bone, which is a crazy freak thing.

At that point, I was like, ‘Nah, I’m good. [Laughs.] I think I’m going to hang it up and go be a dad and see what’s next in my life.’

I flew back to Florida, drove from St. Lucie back to Oklahoma, and spent August, September and part of October thinking through options of what we wanted to do.

We ended up deciding to go ahead and have the surgery again because I still felt like I had something to offer. I had the second surgery in early October of 2014.

MMO: When you announced your retirement in January 2017, you said that the decision was mostly based on the fact that you were dealing with a torn rotator cuff muscle, which required rest and rehab or surgery.

First off, how is your rotator cuff now? And secondly, did being able to pitch one more season in 2016 (with the Cardinals Triple-A team) help make you feel more at peace that at least you attempted the comeback, and went out on your own terms?

Hefner: For sure, yeah. To answer the first question, the rotator cuff feels great because I’m not throwing a whole lot. I play catch with my son and my daughters. It’s fine, I can do all of that. To go and try to throw 95 again, I’ve got no chance.

To answer the second part, I think it also helped me with the role I’m in now because I was 29 and all of those Cardinal kids were prospects. I don’t think there was a guy over 24; there may be a couple of 26-year-olds, but it was a very young team and I was very senior to them. But it was a lot of fun to kind of get to be not a coach, but more like a mentor.

All those guys are in the big leagues now with the Cardinals, so getting to see them succeed and kind of feeling like I was a part of that was cool, too. And also getting to pitch and getting back on the mound competitively and doing well until I was hurt. There was probably an opportunity if I hadn’t gotten hurt to get called up again, which was the ultimate goal.

Sometimes you can’t control everything. I’m definitely grateful for the Cardinals organization for my time in Memphis.

MMO: Talk about how the advance scout position came about for you with the Minnesota Twins.

Hefner: I retired in January. I tried to throw but just couldn’t do it. I retired and then like three days later Jeff Pickler – who is the Twins’ director of player development and outfield coach – called me, and I never met Pick before. He introduced himself and his dad is a junior college coach who’s actually going to the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) Hall of Fame this offseason. He’s good friends with my coach from Oral Roberts. So Pick called Rob Walton, who was my coach at ORU (Oral Roberts University), and asked if he knew of anyone that would kind of fit this role, and he said, “Hef just retired. I think he’d be great for the role.”

I refused at the beginning; I was retired. I was going to move on to some other things. But Pick has a way of persuading, so I flew to Florida and met with Derek Falvey, Thad Levine, Paul [Molitor] and the rest of the staff and kind of felt like it would be a good opportunity for me.

MMO: What does a normal day in the life of an advance scout look like?

Hefner: With the old advance scouts, you’d actually go to the stadium, to where the team you’re about to play, and advance and scout them. But the way that technology is now, a lot of teams have moved away from that and either go straight numbers or they’ll hire a guy like me and kind of dissect the numbers and formulate game plans and pitching reports and what the other team’s pitchers are trying to do to the hitters.

All of the stuff that the guys used to do in the stands, we just have video now where you can watch a lot more, you can get more quantity, and hopefully get to a better solution, answer or report. So that’s what I do.

Right now, we’re playing the A’s [this interview was conducted in late August], and then we’ll fly to Cleveland to play the Indians. I’ll have all the reports in for Cleveland, and then we go from Cleveland to Texas. So the first day of Cleveland I’ll start advancing Texas, and then so on and so forth. I’m always just one series ahead of our team.

MMO: Do you travel with the team?

Hefner: I travel with the team, and the Twins felt it best for the relay of information to be with the team. That’s kind of how they set it up. I’m not exactly sure how other teams do it, I’m sure it’s similar. Talking with the coaching staff and some of the players and trying to help them out the best I can.

It is available to work from home, but I’m not sure of the impact that you would have. You’re essentially just sending in a report and then leaving everyone to interpret, whereas if you’re there, you can kind of help guide through questions of what did you mean here. You’re there to answer those questions.

MMO: How much do you incorporate advanced stats into your scouting, and what are your overall thoughts on how the game is becoming more analytically inclined?

Hefner: I think the game has always been analytically inclined, we just say different things now. The game has always been around numbers, right? We just have better ways of quantifying things with Trackman and all of the kitschy terms and the popular ones like exit velocity, launch angle and spin rates. We just have a different way of quantifying things. Like guys with high spin rates who throw hard, we used to just say that guy throws a heavy ball.

I’m under the belief after doing this for two years that the game really hasn’t changed that much; we just have different ways of saying things now. So yes, we do use advanced analytics in the way that we prepare, and I enjoy it. I wouldn’t do the job if I didn’t enjoy it. I think it paints a better picture. It helps me game plan for the other teams, like the A’s. It’s no secret; you can get this on any public website. They hit the most fly balls of any team in the big leagues. Whenever I game plan for the A’s, I have that in mind.

MMO: I’m curious, what your thoughts are on the “old guard” way of scouting vs. the way in which scouting has evolved with utilizing video and incorporating these advanced metrics.

Hefner: We always talk about batting average and slugging, and all of those things, the game’s always had numbers. I believe in scouts; I want to make that very clear. I’m not saying that the scouts who sit in the stands and travel city-to-city should go away. I’m very much a fan of sitting in the stands and seeing how a guy moves. If a guy can’t move well on the field but you see that if he makes certain adjustments he could be really good, but if he can’t move that well, is he going to be athletic enough to make that adjustment? You can’t see that on video; you have to be in the stands to see how a guy moves.

So yes, there is an advantage to video and advantages to being in-person. I think merging the two to some capacity, and I’m not sure exactly how that works, but I’ll leave that for people who make a lot more money than me. I don’t think the old guard should go away. I think they’re extremely valuable.

MMO: Have you come across many former big leaguers who have turned into scouts?

Hefner: Pro scouts, I’m not sure. Advance scouts, there was Scott Atchison – he was Cleveland’s advance scout for three years, and now he’s their bullpen coach. Once he retired, he kind of took the same path as me: retired pitching from Cleveland and then went straight from the big leagues to advance scouting.

Dan Haren [is another] who is doing pitching and advance reports for the Arizona Diamondbacks. There are a couple of articles on him, and it’s a good read. Besides those two, I’m not sure of any ex-major leaguers, but there are a lot of guys that played pro ball that are in these types of roles. Trying to bridge the front office and the field.

MMO: Would you say that there’s more of a built-in trust with what you convey to players and coaches because of the fact that you played in the majors?

Hefner: Yeah I think that’s accurate. I think there’s some built-in trust with guys that have played for sure.

MMO: Where do you envision yourself moving forward in the game? Any plans to get back in as a coach someday, or perhaps continue to work in the front office?

Hefner: I don’t know. That’s kind of the beauty of this role is you can kind of get exposed to both sides of the game. And I’ve enjoyed both sides of the game. On August twenty-fifth, I’m not entirely sure. I love players. I love being around players. You know, I kind of alluded to being around younger guys in Memphis and how much fun that was.

I would like to coach, but I also see value in being in a development role or continuing to write reports and be an advance scout. I really enjoy my work now, too, so I’m not entirely sure. I’m grateful for the Twins for giving me an opportunity to kind of grow and learn and learn both sides of the game.

MMO: I greatly appreciate your time today, Jeremy. It was great speaking with you, and all the best going forward with the Twins.

Hefner: Likewise to you. Thank you, Mathew.

Follow Jeremy Hefner on Twitter, @jeremy_hefner53

The post MMO Exclusive: Former Mets Pitcher, Jeremy Hefner appeared first on Metsmerized.

An MMO Fan Shot by Marc M. (Not4)

On the heels of a 79 win season, the big question on everyone’s mind is whether the Mets, as constructed, can win enough to compete for a playoff spot. I agree with many on this site that David Wright’s health could be a huge determining factor on the ultimate success or failure of this team. It is tantalizing to imagine his returning to some facsimile of his former self where he has averaged through his career a line of .298/.377/.494/.871, wRC+ of 134, compared to the pretty feeble .269/.324/.374/.698, wRC+ of 100 that he posted last year – production that I believe was significantly impacted by a bum shoulder that he battled throughout the year.

While Wright’s performance, or lack thereof, can have a dramatic impact on this team, I do not subscribe to the notion that the 2015 season is lost without a bounce back year from Wright. In fact, I remain concerned enough about the health of his shoulder that I am preparing for the worst and assuming that we will not be able to provide solid production out of 3B in 2015, though I am obviously hoping for the best. Big picture, if the 2014 Mets team could win 79 games, I believe there are at least five reasons to really be optimistic about the 2015 Mets, even if Wright is not healthy enough to play or produce as he has in the past:

1. Outfield Production

Even assuming that Juan Lagares and Curtis Granderson put up similar production as they did in 2014 (though I am expecting more out of Lagares), the big difference obviously is the addition of Michael Cuddyer in lieu of Chris Young and Eric Young, Jr. The Youngs combined for 603 PAs last year, which is roughly a full year’s worth of plate appearances and gave us the following production:

• Chris Young had 287 PAs (63 starts) for the Mets, hitting .205/.283/.346/.629 with a wRC+ of 81;
• Eric Young had 316 PAs (67 starts) for the Mets, hitting .229/.299/.311/.610 with a wRC+ of 77.

By contrast, over the past 4 seasons, Cuddyer has hit .299/.356/.503/.859 with a wRC+ of 124. Expanding it to 6 seasons, it is .288/.349/.488/.837 with a wRC+ of 120 and over 9 seasons it is .283/.350/.475/.825 with a wRC+ of 117 – so we are not talking about a fluke here. The increased production from this one OF slot, coupled with the impact of simply having another legitimate bat in the lineup instead of the Youngs, is likely very meaningful.

2. Shortstop Production

Ruben Tejada had 419 PAs (101 starts) for the Mets, hitting .237/.342/.310/.652 with a wRC+ of 89, 5 HR and 34 RBI. There is no meaningful sample size to go on with Wilmer Flores. His performance in the minors is promising, but not particularly germane. I’d argue that his 101 PA in 2013 are similarly not particularly germane because he was playing on a bad ankle and it was a small sample size. His overall line last year in a whopping 274 PAs (another SSS) is nothing special, but certainly an upgrade over Tejada. If we break it down further, though, and focus on his production when Flores was regularly starting beginning with August 2^nd, his production looks a lot more promising. Again, although this accounted for 2/3 of

Flores total PAs last year with the Mets, it is still a very small sample size of 181 PAs, in which he hit .266/.306/.426/.732 with an wRC+ of 106. I believe that is more indicative of what we will see from him (and perhaps even better), which translates to 15+ HR and 65+ RBI and a very meaningful improvement over what we got from the SS position last year.

3. Catcher Production:

A tale of two halves with Travis d’Arnaud. If he can simply continue what he did in the 2^nd half of 2014, for the full year 2015, that is also a meaningful upgrade at the C position. He was that putrid the first half before getting sent down and seemingly figuring it all out – 1^st half: 145 PA, .180/.271/.273/.544 with a wRC+ of 53!, 3 HR and 9 RBI; 2^nd half (after being recalled on June 24^th): 276 PA, .272/.319/.486/.805, with a wRC+ of 128!, 10 HR and 32 RBI.

4. Starting Pitching Production

Obviously, the addition of Matt Harvey is potentially huge and the same thinking that applies to d’Arnaud also applies to Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom.

Wheeler was actually interesting in that his standard stats took a huge jump forward, but the more advanced stats do not bear out the improvement as much. In the first half, Wheeler was 3-8 with an ERA of 4.25 in 17 starts; whereas in the second half, was 8-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts. Wheeler’s K% and BB% slightly improved in the 2^nd half, but the big drivers to his improvement were a 44 drop to his BABIP and stranding a higher percentage of men on base, plus going a little deeper into games which allowed him to see a couple more batters each game. I’d also argue that the “eye test” showed a pitcher that was much improved in the 2^nd half, with a real need for him to still become more efficient so he can go deeper into games.

DeGrom did not get called up until mid-May, and following his promotion his first 7 starts were a bit of a mixed bag – some very good, mixed in with some good and average and a real clunker. Overall he logged 7 starts, 41 IP, 0-4 record with 4.39 ERA (his actual pitching was better than these numbers look). But starting with his June 21^st start, he was pretty dominant over his final 15 starts, with 99.1 IP, a 9-2 record, a 1.99 ERA and solid improvement in his K% and BB%. While it is hard to count on him to be as dominant for an entire year (though I am hopeful he will be as he seems to really understand the art of pitching), a full year of a somewhat regressed deGrom is another pretty big boost to this team (compared to the production we got from that spot from Jenrry Mejia, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese and deGrom’s first 5 starts).

Harvey is obviously another big boost, though it is probably unrealistic to count on him to pick up where he left off (although, again, I am hopeful that he’ll be better than expected as a full 18 months will have passed since his surgery by the time he picks up a ball in ST and almost 20 months by the time he throws his first regular season pitch.) Either way, the improvement over Gee/Niese will be meaningful and potentially really meaningful.

5 Bullpen Performance

The back end of the bullpen was just brutal during the early part of last season, as Terry Collins relied on washed up veterans (who could have been useful as middle relievers but were out of their depth closing out games). But once Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Vic Black stepped in, the back end of the pen suddenly became a true asset. In addition to the actual blown saves and losses early in the year, it is impossible to fully account for the impact that a bad bullpen can have on a teams’ collective confidence and performance. Having a back-end of a pen you can actually rely upon for a full season will be another big boost for this team.

Of course, implicit in this optimism is the assumption that several players will produce at or around last year’s levels, including the aforementioned Lagares, Granderson, Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy and Bartolo Colon, Gee and Niese (or their eventual replacements, which could include Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Matt Bowman). Like all assumptions, this assumption carries some risk but in each case, it seems that those assumptions are pretty reasonable and have a good chance of occurring – some will no doubt underperform and some will likely outperform last year. But on the whole, assuming a repeat of repeatable years (as opposed to career years, other than Duda, but given his age and progression, did not feel like a one-time occurrence) does not seem out of line. Most importantly, even assuming no upgrade in third base production compared to last year, it is not hard to believe that the above five reasons for optimism could easily generate an additional 5-10 wins in 2015.

* * * * * * * *

This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO reader Marc M. (Not4). Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 25,000 Met fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to us at  FanShot@MetsmerizedOnline.com. Or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.

The post Featured Post: 5 Reasons for Mets Optimism in 2015 appeared first on Metsmerized.

It’s so easy to look at the Mets’ offseason so far and shrug your shoulders when asked if they did enough to snap their streak of six consecutive losing seasons – the longest active losing streak in baseball.

The ultra-optimistic Met fan will point to rebound seasons by David Wright and Curtis Granderson as reasons for a return to relevancy in 2015. Others say that getting Matt Harvey back will have the same impact as adding a Jon Lester to the rotation.

The ultra-pessimistic Met fan will say that giving $21 million to a 36-year old Michael Cuddyer and sacrificing a first round pick, smells a lot like the Moises Alou fiasco and will probably yield the same results. They say a middle infield combination of Daniel Murphy and Wilmer Flores will spell doomsday for the rotation and kill any chance to best a .500 finish.

The hopeful see the Mets winning 90 games and advancing to the postseason. The downtrodden see another losing season that hinges on way too many “if” scenarios and not nearly enough certainty.

While I wish the Mets could have done more this offseason, I do believe we not only will snap our cold streak, but with a little luck we might even nudge our way into a wild card spot. Even the latest World Series betting lines are looking increasingly good for the Mets. I know that sounds insane to a lot of you, but keep an open mind and hear me out.

As I take a good hard look at the NL East as a whole, there’s a good argument that every team in the division got worse while we improved, even if the improvement was incremental.

I think we can all agree that the Braves and Phillies are now in full rebuild mode and will be battling for last place.

The Marlins have certainly made some noise, but have hey gotten any better? It’s debatable. You could say Dee Gordon was certainly an improvement at second base, but at what cost? Martin Prado is an upgrade over Casey McGehee, but it’s not as big an upgrade as you think. The Marlins lost two of their top three young pitchers for these upgrades in Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi. Can you imagine us trading Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard for upgrading shortstop from Ruben Tejada to Gordon, and right field from Chris Young to… to Marlon Byrd? That’s basically what they did.

The Nationals have done nothing this offseason and so far have lost a huge part of their offense in Adam LaRoche, plus they’ve lost Asdrubal Cabrera, Nate Schierholtz and Ross Detwiler. They traded for a minor league second basemen and signed about 6-7 players to minor league deals. That’s it. This team is significantly worse than last season’s version.

So back to the Mets. Yes, Cuddyer comes with a lot of risk but you can’t say he isn’t a significant upgrade over Chris Young. And even if just one of Wright or Granderson delivers a big bounce-back season, it’s still an improvement, right? And what of Zack Wheeler, Travis d’Arnaud, Juan Lagares and Wilmer Flores? Is it that much of a stretch to assume at least two of them will improve on their 2014 numbers? And yes, getting Harvey back is also a huge factor.

Whether you choose to believe it or not, this Mets team, as currently constructed, is not only headed for some definite improvement, but they’ve also taken a huge step forward within their division and that’s a fact you can’t ignore.

We are also blessed with some incredible depth in the high minors that can step in right away if help is needed. That hasn’t been the case for most of the last six years.

So for all these reasons I really believe we are well positioned for a very significant season in 2015 and you don’t have to look very hard to see why.

The post Mets Are Well Positioned To Dominate In Their Division appeared first on Metsmerized.

If you were to go to Baseball-Reference to look up particular player, you can always see who the top ten players that have a similar statistical profile either overall and also through their current age.

I thought it would be fun to see which MLB players throughout history, some of our current Mets compared to through similar aged seasons. There’s nothing scientific about this whatsoever – so sit back and here we go:

Daniel Murphy

Billy Werber – Werber played in 11 MLB seasons (1930, 1933-1942) with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He appeared in 1,295 games, batting .271 with 78 HR, 539 RBI and 1,363 hits. Other similar players: Todd Walker, Martin Prado

Lucas Duda

Dan Pasqua – Pasqua played ten MLB seasons (1985-94) with the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, appearing in 905 games with 117 HR, 390 RBI and 638 career hits. Other similar players: Mike Young, Dick Gernert

Curtis Granderson

Ron Gant – Gant played 16 MLB seasons (1987-93, 1995-2003) with the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Anaheim Angels, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres. He appeared in 1,832 games, hitting .256 with 321 HR, 1,008 RBI and 1,651 career hits. Other similar players: Bob Allison, Roger Maris

Juan Lagares

Jeremy Reed – Reed played eight MLB seasons (2004-2011) with the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Milwaukee Brewers. He appeared in 483 MLB games, batting .252 with 12 HR, 110 RBI and 315 hits. Other similar players: Endy Chavez, Leon Culberson

David Wright

Scott Rolen – Rolen played 17 MLB seasons (1996-2012) with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cincinnati Reds. While we recently featured Wright’s statistical similarities to George Brett through his age 31 season, his closest match was Rolen (Brett was #2). Rolen appeared in 2,038 games, hitting .281 with 316 HR, 1,287 RBI and 2,077 hits. Other similar players: George Brett, Aramis Ramirez

Ruben Tejada

Jose Offerman – Offerman played 15 MLB seasons (1990-2002, 2004-05) with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets. He appeared in 1,651 games with a career .273 batting average with 57 HR, 537 RBI and 1,551 hits. Other similar players: Bucky Dent, Jack Barry

Eric Young Jr.

Mike Felder – Felder played ten MLB seasons (1985-1994) with the Miwaukee Brewers, San Fransicso Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Houston Astros. He appeared in 899 MLB games, hitting .249 with 14 HR, 173 RBI, 161 stolen bases, and 564 hits. Other similar players: Gregor Blanco, Milt Cuyler

Bartolo Colon

Jamie Moyer – Moyer pitched for 25 MLB seasons (1986-91, 1993-2010, 2012) with the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, and Colorado Rockies. In 696 games (638 starts), he had a record of 269-209 with an ERA of 4.25 in 4,074 innings. Other similar players: Orel Hershiser, David Wells

Jeurys Familia

Roger McDowell – McDowell pitched for 12 MLB seasons (1985-96) with the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Baltimore Orioles. In 723 games (mostly as a reliever) he had a record of 70-70 with a 3.30 ERA and 159 saves in 1,050 innings. Other similar players: Randy Moffitt, Jim Park

Dillon Gee

Cal Eldred – Eldred pitched for 14 years (1991-2001, 2003-05) with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals. He appeared in 341 games (192 starts) with a record of 86-74 and an ERA of 4.42 with 9 saves in 1,368 innings. Other similar players: Pascual Perez, Brandon McCarthy

Jenrry Mejia

Joe Kerrigan – Kerrigan pitched in four MLB seasons (1976-78, 1980) with the Montreal Expos and Baltimore Orioles. He appeared in 131 games with a career record of 8-12 and an ERA of 3.89 with 9 saves while pitching 220 innings. Other similar players: Bo McLaughlin, John Wetteland

Jon Niese

Odalis Perez – Perez pitched in ten MLB seasons (1998-99, 2001-08) with the Braves, Dodgers, Royals and Nationals. He appeared in 252 games with a record of 73-82 with a 4.46 ERA in 1,335 innings. Other similar players: Matt Garza, Denny Lemaster

Carlos Torres

Matt Wise – Wise pitched eight MLB seasons (2000-02, 2004-08) with the Angels, Brewers, and Mets. He pitched in 209 games (18 starts) with a record of 17-22 and an ERA of 4.23 with 2 saves in 317 innings. Other similar players: Rene Arocha, Chris Sampson

Zack Wheeler

Vance Worley – Worley is still pitching, and has been in the majors for five years (2010-14) with the Phillies, Twins, and Pirates. Worley has appeared in 81 games (73 starts) with a record of 27-22 with a 3.75 ERA in 437 innings. Other similar players: Josh Johnson, Eddie Stack

Bobby Parnell

David Riske – Riske pitched for 11 MLB seasons (1999, 2001-2010) with the Indians, Red Sox, White Sox, Royals, and Brewers. Riske had a record of 20-20 with an ERA of 3.67 and 22 saves in 462 career appearances (all out of the pen) in 497.2 innings.Other similar players: George Frazier, Brandon League

The post Which MLB Players Do Current Mets Compare To? appeared first on Metsmerized.

ESPN’s Adam Rubin speculated about whether .500 was a legitimate goal and if it mattered. Turns out the Mets fell short of that goal. He also correctly alluded to the trading of Ike Davis. He correctly speculated that Chris Young was overrated by Sandy Alderson but thought the same of Bartolo Colon. Colon ended up being a strong point for the Mets.

One of the funniest things to look back on were the bullpen projections. Names like Jose Valverde, Kyle Farnsworth and Bobby Parnell were quickly replaced with Jenrry Mejia, Vic Black and Jeurys Familia. In the end, Rubin had the Mets finishing in 4th in the NL East with a 76-86 record. They ended up winning three more games and finishing in 2nd.

Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Sean Cunningham made some of the more amusing predictions. He had Chris Young finishing in the top 10 in home runs in the NL, Travis D’Arnaud becoming a first time All-Star and Daniel Murphy finishing in the top 5 for the batting title. Murphy’s .289 average puts him at #13.

Cunningham did get two things spot on. He predicted that Zack Wheeler would have the team’s worst winning percentage and that Juan Lagares would win a Gold Glove. While Wheeler’s wasn’t quite the worst at .500, it wasn’t good and Lagares could easily take home center field’s top award next month.

Sports Illustrated’s Joe Lemire made a few bold predictions that got away from him. Among them were that the Mets would have a winning season with 82 wins. We know now that this wasn’t the case.

The prediction game is fun but it’s meant more as an exercise than a critique. Predicting sports is near impossible and baseball is probably the trickiest of them all. I’ll be sure to make my predictions for 2015 well known so that one year from now I can see how wrong (or right) I was!

The post A Look Back At 2014’s Boldest Mets Predictions appeared first on Metsmerized.

This afternoon, the Yankees signed outfielder Chris Young to a minor league contract according to Jon Heyman of CBS. Young was released by the Mets on August 15th after hitting just .205. He will report to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The post Yankees Sign Chris Young To Minor League Deal appeared first on Metsmerized.

When your ballclub is cruising toward another mid-70s win season and seeing its attendance in continued decline you try everything you can think of to get fans out to the park.

The Mets have tried promotions like fireworks nights, concerts by name entertainers, and have given bobblehead dolls out of everyone from Ed Kranepool to Joe Biden.

Nothing is working and those fireworks are pricey.  So are the prices the club has to pay to bring in a Huey Lewis and those News guys.  The Boyz II Men group is another one that needed to be paid like men, not boys.

So when all else fails the team’s approach has shifted to a scary less traveled path: honesty (or their version of it).

Here’s the script of a proposed promo to be read on SNY pleading for fans to come out to Mets games.

“Hi, I’m Jeff Wilpon, one of the owners of ‘your’ New York Mets.  My father, my uncle Saul, and I know that you fans have been impatient waiting for our team to get good again.  We sympathize and, believe me, want it even more than you do.

It’s clear to us that you would like to see our club’s payroll be higher and we want that too.  But to get there we need to have more fans coming out to games.  We must all do our jobs in order for us to get to the promised land, the playoffs.  And the job for you most loyal of fans is to come out to the games at Citi Field and root your team on.

We want you to know that we have been listening to your complaints in the so-called blogosphere.  And even though it may appear we are moving a bit slow for your liking you must admit that there has been movement in the correct direction.

For instance, you made it clear that you didn’t want to come to games to watch pitchers like Scott Rice, Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde.   We heard you and now they’re gone.  You must admit that we’ve punched up the bullpen from early on in the season.

And more recently you told us and showed us that you had no interest in seeing 40 year old Bobby Abreu or our free agent bust Chris Young out there.  We bit the bullet on Young and will pay him for the rest of the year to not be on the team.  How’s that for responsive?

And while we still have Ruben Tejada and Eric Young, Jr. on the active roster you have probably noticed how little we are playing them these days.

So think of all this when you consider coming or not coming to Citi during the final month and a half of the season.  Think of all the players you don’t like who you’ll now not have to see: Rice, Farnsworth, Valverde, Abreu, and Chris Young.

Next year with a returning Matt Harvey and hopefully a rejuvenated David Wright we look forward to your coming out to the ballpark to see people you want to see.  But for now please come out to not see all those folks you don’t want to see.”

The post Di-JEST: Desperate Mets Try New Promo Tactic appeared first on Metsmerized.