The Mets came into Nationals Park having lost a series in Miami facing a Washington team that had won five straight narrowed the New York division lead. The team emerging as the NL East favorites was trying to withstand a challenge from the presumed favorites at the start of the season.

They came in seemingly vulnerable and four games ahead. They left stronger and seven up. In between was a set of dramatic come-from-behind victories that added to what had already been a magical second half of the regular season.

The opening 8-5 win is remembered by one image: David Wright‘s home plate fist-pump, an unleashing of stored energy waiting to explode.

He took off from first base on a line drive into right-center by Yoenis Céspedes in the seventh inning with the Mets holding a slim lead. As the ball skipped off the fence and was retrieved by Bryce Harper, Wright turned for home.

Not long ago, it was unknown if Wright, diagnosed in May with spinal stenosis, would play again.

But in the middle of a key game—looking to help his team reach the postseason for the first time since he was a rising star in 2006 — the emotion came out after he slid safely ahead of the throw from Anthony Rendon and the tag from catcher Wilson Ramos.

“What a game,” Wright said afterward. “Just, what a game.”

He could say the same when the Mets overcame a 7-1 deficit the next night. New York got two singles and three walks in the seventh inning against a pair of Nats’ relievers, giving Céspedes the chance to face a beleaguered Drew Storen with a full supply of traffic on the base paths. Céspedes connected with a double into the left field corner, clearing the bases and cutting the margin to one. Storen then walked the next three batters — forcing in the tying run and setting the stage for Kirk Nieuwenhuis’s moment in the spotlight.

His homer off Jonathan Papelbon to open the top of the eighth went into the right-field stands for the Mets’ seventh unanswered run.

The post OTD 2015: Mets Stage Comeback-Filled Sweep of Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Another day, another comeback — this time with a greater degree of difficulty and, thus, an extra dose of drama. The Mets’ remarkable resilience was on full display as they overcame a 7-1 deficit complimented by Washington’s faltering bullpen and questionable managerial decisions. This remarkable win further demoralized the second-place Nationals and offered more assurance that New York would be NL East champs.

The deciding hit came from a most unlikely source.

The post OTD 2015: Mets Rally from Six Back in D.C., Capped by Kirk’s Homer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets were in the midst of their 2015 run to National League East on September 7, 2015, which happened to be Labor Day, as it is this year.

The Mets were coming off a walk-off loss in Miami the day before, when Tyler Clippard allowed a 10th inning sacrifice fly to Martin Prado, scoring J.T. Realmuto with the winning run. As the Mets boarded the plan for Washington DC, they held a four-game lead over the Nationals. Mets fans knew this was make-or-break time.

A Nationals’ sweep of the three-game series would cut the Mets’ lead to one game, with four weeks to go in the season. Beating the Nationals on this day would be no small feat, as they were sending Max Scherzer to the mound to take on Jon Niese.

The day started out well for the Mets, as Michael Conforto and Kelly Johnson homered in the top of the second inning to give the Mets a quick 2-0 lead. The Mets would expand their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning, on a solo home run from Yoenis Cespedes.

Niese was pitching effectively, allowing two hits and and two walks over the first three innings, but keeping the Nationals off the scoreboard. When the game moved to the bottom of the fourth inning, Niese’s effectiveness did not last. Ryan Zimmerman led off with a single and Yunel Escobar followed with a single of his own. After walking Ian Desmond, Niese took on Wilson Ramos with the bases loaded and no outs.

Ramos took Niese out of the yard for a grand slam, and a 4-3 Washington lead. Niese stayed in the game, and later in the inning, allowed a run-scoring double to Jayson Werth. Niese was done after 3 2/3 innings, and the Mets were now trailing 5-3, with all the momentum sitting in the Washington dugout.

The Mets immediately began to chip away. In the top of the fifth, Curtis Granderson doubled to score Ruben Tejada. Carlos Torres held the Nats scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Erik Goeddel and Dario Alvarez would do the same in the bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for the Mets’ half of the seventh inning.

Wilmer Flores led off with a single. After a failed bunt by Ruben Tejada that forced Flores at second base, Granderson walked. With runners on first and second, David Wright (having returned from the injured list just two weeks prior after over four months away from the team) tied the game with a base hit. Yoenis Cespedes was up next, and he doubled in the right-center field gap, scoring Granderson and Wright. Wright’s emotional crossing of the plate below is etched in the memory of many Mets fans.

The Mets’ bullpen would shut the Nationals out over their final three at-bats. Washington had no hits and just one walk in their last three trips to the plate. Jeurys Familia would record the save, striking out the side in the ninth inning.

The next two nights in Washington produced two more New York comeback wins, with key home runs by Kelly Johnson, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Cespedes.

As the Mets take the field on Labor Day, 2020, they find themselves playing another important game as part of an important stretch run. The circumstances are different, of course. The Mets are trying to remain relevant in a playoff race unlike any other in MLB history, due to COVID-19’s impact on the season.

But the Mets, no matter how they’ve gotten here, are playing meaningful September baseball.

Let’s hope they can tap into some of that 2015 magic.

The post OTD 2015: Mets Record Stirring Win Against Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On July 12, 2015, Kirk Nieuwenhuis became the first Met to hit three home runs in a home game.

The 2015 season was a magical ride for the Mets. From the near trade of Wilmer Flores, to the acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes, to the late-season march to the World Series, the 2015 campaign provided a little bit of everything (and most of it was good).

When the Mets took on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the last game before the All-Star break, an unlikely player made his mark in Mets history.

Outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis had been a role player since joining the Mets after being the team’s third-round draft pick in 2008. Nieuwenhuis was a multi-sport talent, and had a combination of power and overall athleticism that seemed to predict good things for his career.

Over parts of six major league seasons, Nieuwenhuis – who never quite lived up to expectations – posted an overall WAR of 2.9, with 31 home runs, a .221 BA, and an OPS of .695.

July 12, 2015, however, belonged to him.

He came up in the bottom of the second inning, and hit an opposite field home run off Arizona’s Rubby De La Rosa. In his second at-bat in the bottom of the third, Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run shot to left-center, giving the Mets a 3-1 lead.

Then, all eyes were fixed on him to see if he could be the first Met to go yard three times in a home game. He accomplished the feat off Randall Delgado in the bottom of the fifth. You can see Nieuwenhuis’s three home runs in the video below.

The Mets won the game 5-3.

Nieuwenhuis joined a list of other Mets who had hit three dingers in a game, all of which were in road games:

Jim Hickman, 1965

Dave Kingman, 1976

Claudell Washington, 1980

Darryl Strawberry, 1985

Gary Carter, 1985

Edgardo Alfonzo, 1999

Jose Reyes, 2006

Carlos Beltran, 2011

Ike Davis, 2012

Later in 2015, Lucas Duda hit three home runs in a game at Citi Field. In August of the same year, Yoenis Cespedes achieved this milestone at Coors Field. Cespedes had another three home run game at Citizens Bank Park in 2017. Most recently, Robinson Cano swatted three home runs in a game against the Padres at Citi in 2019.

The Mets will enter the abbreviated 2020 season with a lineup that will feature significant power. Players like J.D. Davis, Pete Alonso, and Michael Conforto have the potential to join this three home run club as well.

The post Amazin’ Memories: Kirk Nieuwenhuis’s Three-Homer Game appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Do you have that Mets jersey or shirsey that you look at now and are like “…. why did I ever purchase this?” Or, do you have that Mets jersey or shirsey that is just so obscure that it draws attention anytime you wear it? If you answered yes to either of these questions, we are right there with you.

Mojo

The most obscure jersey I own would have to be my Danny Muno 51’s jersey. It was a fancy alternate jersey and was being auctioned off online for a relatively small price for a game-worn jersey.

Danny Muno’s aunt worked at my high school, so there was a small connection there, so my dad thought what the heck, why not? So I still have my Muno 51’s Jersey proudly hanging in my room, along with my Gavin Cecchini, Kyle Regnault, and Kevin Plawecki game-worn 51’s jerseys. I will always remember the four hits Danny Muno had in his Mets career.

Jack  

I have a Kirk Nieuwenhuis shirsey because I love Kirk Nieuwenhuis, but the better story is the Kaz Matsui jersey I got from a family friend the first time I went trick-or-treating as a baseball player.

I was probably six or seven, and my mom didn’t know where to go to find Beltran/Wright/Reyes since she was new to the whole thing too, but someone she worked with came through. I still have it somewhere. He never asked for it back, or if he did, he eventually stopped trying. Can’t really say I blame him for giving up on Kaz Matsui.

Jacob

I had the very unique experience of co-hosting a season of Kids Clubhouse on SNY, way back in 2012. Talk about an unbelievable experience for a middle schooler, getting my start in broadcast journalism and being able to sit down to interview virtually the entire team (Wright, Murphy, Baxter post-catch, and many others).

My first interview, however, was in spring training with Justin Turner, then a nondescript utility infielder. He was an awesome guy to talk to and even went out of his way to say hello when we would cross paths at the ballpark throughout the rest of the season. So for my birthday that year I asked for a Turner #2 jersey, and now I have a Random Met uni of a guy that turned into a pretty big deal elsewhere. (Runner-up: my #99 shirsey of fellow Quinnipiac Bobcat Turk Wendell).

Sal

I definitely think the most random jersey that I own — wait for it — is a giveaway Brooklyn Cyclones ‘Back to the Future” themed button-up jersey from 2015 (If you’re a real BTTF fan you know why that makes sense).

Now mind you I did not attend that game where a normal person would have gotten it, but saw someone wearing it at Citi a couple of years later and knew I needed that jersey in my life. So l go right on right on to ebay and it was the best $20 I’ve ever spent.

Marissa

I don’t know if I’d say it’s very obscure in terms of the shirt, but I made a bet with some friends that if J.D. Davis hit a walk-off, I’d buy his shirsey. Sure enough, he hit the walk-off, leading to not only me being the shirt, but one of the best mets post game on the field interviews in recent memory

Michelle 

I wouldn’t say it’s “obscure” but I do need to mention my Bartolo Colon women’s size small jersey, just for the sheer irony of the size. My Ryan Church black shirsey is also an honorable mention.

Mike

I have a Kaz Matsui shirsey in white. Honestly, at this point, I don’t remember why or how I got it. I wear it proudly though.

The post MMO Roundtable: What’s The Most Obscure Mets Jersey/Shirsey You Own? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Heading into 2013, Marlon Byrd needed a fresh start. After hitting just .210/.243/.245 in 2012, he was released midseason by the Red Sox and suspended 50 games for PED’s. It didn’t look like any team would give the 35-year-old outfielder a second chance, until the Mets – a team desperate for outfield help – reached out.

With only Lucas Duda, Mike Baxter, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Collin Cowgill in their ranks, New York wanted a more experienced outfielder. This group combined for 1.0 WAR during the entire 2012 season, so the Mets turned to Byrd after missing out on their top targets, like all-star outfielder Michael Bourn.

“Outfield? What outfield?” General manager Sandy Alderson quipped earlier that offseason. “We’re probably gonna have to bring the fences in another 150 feet!”

Not only would Byrd help change the narrative about the Mets’ outfield, he would become a key piece in the rebuilding process, and outperform both of that year’s biggest free agent outfielders. Byrd’s 4.0 WAR ranked higher than Bourn (1.7) and former AL MVP Josh Hamilton (1.3).

It was Byrd’s power that made him such a valuable player for the Mets. He hit 21 home runs, drove in 71 RBI in 117 games, and recorded a .518 slugging percentage – the best mark on the team. His 138 OPS+ was the highest of his career, and it ranked second on the roster behind David Wright.

Everything clicked for Byrd from May 29 to Aug. 26. During this time, Byrd slashed .304/.350/.561 with 17 homeruns, and began to build significant trade value with his aggressive and powerful approach.

With the Mets in the middle of their rebuild, they dealt Byrd – along with catcher John Buck – to the Pirates for two prospects, Dilson Herrera, and Vic Black. While neither prospect experienced prolonged MLB success, the trade once looked promising. Herrera was rated No. 46 on Baseball America’s top prospects list, while Black had a 2.83 ERA in 47.2 innings of relief. But his career would be derailed due to multiple injuries.

Even though the trade didn’t work out like fans had hoped, it’s still impressive that the Mets got two solid prospects for Byrd. It was only several month prior that many thought that his career was over.

Some will point to PED’s as the cause behind Byrd’s revival – especially since he was suspended 162 games for a second PED violation in 2016 – but the argument doesn’t add up. If PED’s were what sparked Byrd’s resurgence, he wouldn’t have posted the worst numbers of his career during the year that he was suspended.

There’s more evidence to suggest that Byrd’s turnaround was the result of his new swing. Byrd was one of the early adopters of  the launch angle trend that’s been revolutionizing the game. Byrd worked that offseason with his high school coach to adjust his launch angle.

“I was able to figure out how to get the ball in the air more consistently,” Byrd said to reporters, “with backspin.”

Byrd didn’t hit as many balls on the ground as a result of this approach. His ground ball rate plummeted to 39.2% after being over 40% and higher over the previous seven seasons.

Byrd also taught this approach to Justin Turner, who would transform himself from a backup infielder to a .887 OPS hitter.

“That offseason, even after the Mets let me go, I was hitting five days a week with Marlon,” Turner said to reporters.

Byrd continued thrive after the Pirates trade, batting .318/.357/.486 for Pittsburgh over the season’s final month. He also hit 25 home runs with a .757 OPS the following season with the Phillies, and he would play two more seasons before his second suspension marked the end of his 15-year career.

Even if some still don’t believe Byrd’s defense about his PED suspensions, his 2013 season is still a noteworthy one. With Matt Harvey‘s dominance, and Zack Wheeler’s debut, the Mets’ were starting to trend upwards, and Byrd’s solid season played a role in giving the team more legitimacy.

The post Mets One Year Wonders: Marlon Byrd Relaunches His Career appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Since watching any live-action between New York and Washington has been rendered impossible right now, save for an MLB: The Show simulation, let’s revel in one of the most thrilling and satisfying wins over the Nationals — a victory that all but sewed up the Mets most recent division title.

Heading into a Labor Day series in D.C., New York’s NL East lead was getting less comfortable. The gap between them and the Nationals was now four games. And despite the Mets taking the opener in thrilling fashion (remember David Wright‘s fist-pump at home plate?), Washington had every reason to believe it was about to cancel that out the very next night, taking what seemed to be a commanding 7-1 advantage heading into the top of the seventh.

Here are the highlights:

• Matt Harvey made the start in the wake of an innings limit fiasco which really never came to fruition. He failed to make it out of the sixth, after a bases-loaded inside-the-park homer was made possible because of a Yoenis Cespedes misplay in center field at 1:48:55. Both Harvey and Cespedes’ struggles would soon be forgotten.
• The New York comeback (which begins at the 2:00:55 mark) is credited as much to the Mets’ patience at the plate as it was to Washington’s dumpster fire bullpen. Headed by Drew Storen, the Nats’ relievers allowed six walks, three hits, and a wild pitch in the seventh inning alone which allowed the Mets to tie it up.
• The biggest hit of the seventh came from the Mets’ biggest mid-year acquisition. Yoenis Cespedes cleared the bases (at 2:23:05) to cut the New York deficit to one.
• From the likely to the unlikely, Kirk Nieuwenhuis broke the 7-7 tie in the top of the eighth of Washington closer Jonathan Papelbon at 2:54:45.
• While Washington’s late-inning arms imploded, New York’s bullpen limited the Nats to three hits and no runs after Harvey departed. Jeurys Familia evaded ninth-inning trouble when he induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double-play at 3:26:25.

The post Mets Video Vault: Sept. 8, 2015 at Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning Mets fans! Yesterday the Mets were scheduled to face off against the Marlins in Jupiter, but the game was canceled due to rain in Jupiter. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com notes that the rainout will not impact the Mets’ scheduled pitching rotation. Zack Wheeler, who was scheduled to pitch against the Marlins, will pitch in a minor league scrimmage today.

The Mets are off today. New York will compete in a pair of split-squad exhibition games on Thursday.

Today is opening day for the Oakland A’s and the Seattle Mariners. Oakland and Seattle kicked off the 2019 season in Tokyo this morning at 5:35 a.m. Eastern Time. The Mariners and A’s will finish their two-game series on Thursday before returning to the United States.

Latest Mets News

Jay Jaffe of Fangraphs ranks projected first base production, and the Mets come in at No. 13. Fangraphs projects Pete Alonso to post 1.5 WAR in 2019.

Craig Edwards of Fangraphs ranks projected second base production, and the Mets check in at No. 3 in Major League Baseball, trailing only Houston and Atlanta. Fangraphs projects Robinson Cano to post 2.8 WAR at second base in 2019.

Rian Watt of Fangraphs posts third base positional rankings for 2019. The Mets appear at No. 21, just ahead of the Angels and the White Sox. Fangraphs projects Jed Lowrie to post 1.6 WAR in 2019, a steep drop from his 4.9 fWAR in 2018.

Darren Rovell of Action Network reports that the Mets will add several food options to Citi Field. New selections include ice cream churro sandwiches and Champs Sliders with bacon and cheddar fondue.

Long Island Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff announced that the Ducks have signed former Met Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Nieuwenhuis, who spent parts of four seasons with the Mets, drilled three home runs in a July game against Arizona in 2015.

Nathalie Alonso of MLB.com writes about Omar Minaya and the influence that the executive has held in the Mets front office.

DiComo writes that Mickey Callaway and the Mets organization will prioritize bunting and situational hitting, especially to beat defensive shifts.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Los Angeles Angels are signing superstar center fielder Mike Trout to a 12-year contract valued at more than $430 million. The contract is the largest ever in major American sports.

Mark Berman of FOX 26 reported late last night that the Astros and Alex Bregman agreed to an extension while Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that the deal was for five years and $100 million.

Rovell of reports that Astros third baseman Alex Bregman also has signed an apparel contract with Adidas.

The Astros, meanwhile, also agreed to an extension with Ryan Pressley for two years and $17.5 million as reported by Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Bill Bavasi will run the Arizona Fall League. Nightengale notes that league play will begin in September, moving up from its traditional October start.

Latest NL East News

Mark Bowman of MLB.com writes that Julio Teheran will lead Major League Baseball’s active streak of opening day starts when he opens the Braves’ season against the Phillies. Teheran will make his sixth consecutive opening day start on March 28.

Andre Fernandez of The Athletic writes that the Marlins young rotation is set to break out in 2019.

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post writes that the Nationals are still deciding on a role for pitcher Joe Ross.

Latest on MMO

John Sheridan writes why the Nationals will not win the National League East in 2019.

Logan Barer ranks his top five National League Rookie of the Year candidates. Barer lists Mets first baseman Pete Alonso as his favorite for the honor.

Tim Ryder writes that Michael Conforto is hitting his stride as the regular season draws near. Conforto has slugged three home runs in his last three exhibition games.

This Day in Mets History

1973: Willie Mays fills in for Yogi Berra to manage the Mets in an exhibition game against the Pirates in Puerto Rico. The Mets won 8-3.

Birthdays: George Altman is 86. Blas Minor is 53.

The post Morning Briefing: A’s and Mariners Open Regular Season Action appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jeff McNeil/Photo by Rick Nelson, MiLB.com

Week In Review

The Las Vegas 51s (17-27, fourth in the Pacific Coast League Pacific Southern division) were swept in Tacoma over the weekend, where former Mets Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Daniel Muno, and Rob Whalen helped the Mariners affiliate help outscore the 51s 20-9.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (22-20, fourth in the Eastern League Eastern division) took two out of three from Erie, then three out of five from New Hampshire, one of Double-A’s hottest squads. Binghamton’s 50 home runs, which include 23 between Peter Alonso and Jeff McNeil, are tops in the league.

The St. Lucie Mets (17-20, fifth in the Florida State League South division) split a doubleheader with the Florida Fire Frogs on Tuesday and squeaked out a 2-1 victory over the Fort Myers Miracle on Friday; the rest of their scheduled contests were disturbed by rain.

The Columbia Fireflies (22-20, fourth in the South Atlantic League Southern division) won a thriller on Tuesday, scoring three runs in the bottom of the tenth to beat Delmarva 9-8.

Mets Minors News & Buzz

Dominic Smith made his first professional appearance in the outfield on Saturday, starting in right field for Las Vegas. There hasn’t been any indication that this experiment will coincide with an internal promotion.

The Mets signed a pair of minor league free agents on Friday, bringing infielder Christian Colon and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera into the fold. Carrera, who was originally signed by the Mets in 2005, has the most Major League experience between the two, although Colon did play for the Kansas City Royals in the 2015 World Series. Both players will join Las Vegas.

Infielder Joey Wong has also joined the organization, as he’ll join Binghamton from the independent Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the team announced. A career minor leaguer, Wong has reached the Triple-A level with Seattle and Colorado.

Outfield prospect Wuilmer Becerra made his 2018 debut with Columbia on Friday. No longer on the 40-man roster, Becerra had been rehabbing an injury in Extended Spring Training.

Rumble Ponies catcher Patrick Mazeika was named to MLB Pipeline’s team of the week for the period ending on May 13.

Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Who’s hot: 

David Peterson, the Mets’ first-round draft choice in 2017, has finally been unleashed, after only working 3.2 innings in his pro debut last summer and having to rehab a knee injury to begin 2018.

Since he got going, the 6’6″ southpaw has been as advertised, outsmarting Low-A hitters and posting above-average South Atlantic League numbers. Peterson’s specialty is inducing weak contact (13.7% FB rate, 21% pulled FB rate), but his strikeout numbers are not lacking, as the man who once punched out 20 as an Oregon junior has fanned 32 thus far (26 swinging) in 37.2 innings with a 1.91 ERA.

The organizational plan for Peterson has him staying in Columbia at least through the All-Star break, at which point they’ll determine whether he’s ready for the jump to the Florida State League, a promotion that the likes of Merandy Gonzalez (pre-trade) and Jordan Humphreys (pre-surgery) succeeded in. Should Peterson keep pitching the way he is, however, a jump to Double-A will be in the conversation sooner rather than later.

Who’s not: 

Rigoberto Terrazas is 3-for-his-last-26 and is down to a .208/.268/.243 line for Columbia. Vance Worley was placed on Las Vegas’ disabled list, but not before allowing nine runs in back-to-back starts. The Major League veteran has yielded 29 hits in 16.2 innings.

Organizational Leaders

AVG — Peter Alonso .345 (BNG), Jeff McNeil .328 (BNG), Jeremy Vasquez .309 (COL), Kevin Taylor .302 (BNG), Gene Cone .299 (STL)

OPS — McNeil 1.118, Alonso 1.110, Vasquez .908, Bryce Brentz .878 (LVG), Scott Manea .871 (COL)

HR — McNeil 12, Alonso 11, Zach Borenstein 8 (LVG), Brentz 7, Matt den Dekker 7 (LVG)

RBI — Alonso 35, McNeil 31, Quinn Brodey 28 (COL), Borenstein 26, Ty Kelly 24 (LVG)

SB — Andres Gimenez 10 (STL), Ian Strom 8 (STL), Jacob Zanon 7 (STL), Anthony Dimino 6 (STL), Raphael Gladu 6 (COL), Champ Stuart 6 (BNG)

STARTER ERA — David Peterson 1.91 (COL), Justin Dunn 2.15 (STL), Joe Cavallaro 2.21 (COL), Nabil Crismatt 2.80 (BNG), Harol Gonzalez 3.15 (STL)

RELIEVER ERA — Joseph Zanghi 0.48 (STL), Matt Pobereyko 1.06 (STL), Carlos Hernandez 1.17 (COL), Aaron Ford 1.59 (COL), Joshua Torres 1.80 (BNG)

SO — Tony Dibrell 52 (COL), Drew Gagnon 49 (LVG/BNG), Cavallaro 44, Crismatt 44, Tim Peterson 38 (LVG)

SV — Tyler Bashlor 6 (BNG), Trey Cobb 5 (COL), Eric Hanhold 5 (STL), Peterson 4, Stephen Villines 4 (COL)

WHIP — Ford 0.71, Hernandez 0.72, Peterson 0.86, Stephen Nogosek 0.87 (STL), Pobereyko 0.94

Transaction Report

5/14

Joander Suarez and Jan Cabrera signed as international free agents….Justin Dunn reinstated from St. Lucie’s disabled list….Thomas McIlraith transferred from St. Lucie to Extended Spring Training….Dominic Smith optioned to Las Vegas.

5/15

Dominic Smith added to Las Vegas’ active roster….Corey Oswalt optioned to Las Vegas….Jacob Rhame and Buddy Baumann recalled from Las Vegas….Jeff Glenn reinstated from Las Vegas’ disabled list….Gavin Cecchini placed on Las Vegas’ disabled list….Chase Ingram and Colin Holderman transferred from Columbia’s 7-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

5/16

Corey Oswalt added to Las Vegas’ active roster….Phillip Evans recalled from Las Vegas.

5/17

Jose Garcia reinstated from St. Lucie’s disabled list; transferred to Binghamton….Tyler Moore placed on Binghamton’s disabled list.

5/18

Ezequiel Carrera and Christian Colon signed as minor league free agents….Vance Worley placed on Las Vegas’ disabled list….Wuilmer Becerra transferred from Extended Spring Training to Columbia….Jay Jabs transferred from Columbia to Extended Spring Training….Andrew Church transferred from Binghamton to Las Vegas….Scott Copeland transferred from Las Vegas to Binghamton.

5/19

Tomas Nido and Chris Flexen recalled from Las Vegas….Buddy Baumann optioned to Las Vegas.

5/20

Oliver Pascual transferred from Extended Spring Training to Binghamton

Upcoming Schedules

Las Vegas: @ Sacramento (5/21-24), Tacoma (25-29)

Binghamton: OFF (5/21), Richmond (22-24), Bowie (25-28)

St. Lucie: Clearwater (5/21-23), @ Daytona (24-27)

Columbia: West Virginia (5/21-24), Greenville (25-28)

As a reminder, all 51s, Rumble Ponies, and select Fireflies games can be seen on MiLB.tv.

The post Mets Minors Weekly Report: Peterson Excelling for Columbia appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

And of course the Pacific Coast League has named Las Vegas 51s infielder T.J. Rivera Player of the Month for May. Because, why not?

Rivera, 27,  batted .373 in May with five home runs and 31 RBI, and currently leads the Pacific Coast League with 48 RBI.

He is batting a team leading .358 with a .398 on-base and .912 OPS for the season, and is a career .322 hitter in six minor league seasons.

Original Article – June 2

Maybe it’s time for the Mets to try on an unconventional hat. For many individuals and even for some sports teams, success comes as a result of taking a risk, of thinking out of the box, of being true to themselves. How else would you explain R.A. Dickey’s Cy Young success for the Mets several years ago?

It’s human nature sometimes to be cautious to overly analyze all the reasons something may not work choosing to stay with the original plan without taking the risk of making changes. Yet history shows when people find the courage to dare, the ability to take a “leap in faith” and pursue an unconventional path, great things sometimes happen.

Our New York Mets have reached a challenging juncture in the current baseball campaign. The Mets team was built around solid pitching and the home run power to score runs. That plan has worked admirably throughout the first quarter of the baseball campaign, but injuries shelving three of the eight original position players threaten to derail the Mets baseball train. It’s not time for “Panic City” but to steady a rocking ship. The Mets need some offensive support.

Is it possible that help already exists in the Mets system? What would be the harm of finally giving T.J. Rivera a chance to prove that he can hit at the major league level? The kid has hit at every level he’s played in professional baseball, and he’s simply ripping it up in Las Vegas. Concerns about his lack of defense range are secondary if Rivera is given a shot to prove his worth at third base.

But let’s not pretend that spinal stenosis has not already reduced David Wright to a shell of his former self on the defensive side of the field in the first place. It’s Rivera’s bat that we could use at the moment.

I am aware that if Rivera is elevated to the big squad, someone currently on the 40-man roster becomes vulnerable. There is an old saying that growth and comfort do not coexist. Sticking with the plan as originally devised is not the answer when aggressive risk-taking behaviors positioned us for success in the first place.

The Mets could easily make room on the 40 by removing Akeel Morris, Eric Campbell or if the news on Wright is true, put him on the 60 day DL or Lucas Duda for that matter. The point is the 40 is a weak excuse for not bringing up Rivera.

In just under 200 at-bats this spring in Las Vegas, T.J. Rivera has a .365/.399/.531 slash line. A proven contact hitter, Rivera has 12 doubles, 6 home runs and leads the team with 45 RBI’s, the top RBI total in the Pacific Coast League.

A recent PCL Player of the Week, Rivera recently led the conference in batting average although currently he has dipped to second in the batting title race. The Las Vegas infielder might provide the Mets with some small ball run production during a time when their HR production is lagging.

In an ESPN story on Rivera Adam Rubin wondered if there might be something in Rivera’s swing that is blocking his final step to the big leagues.

But, a National League scout threw water on that fire quickly:

“No there is not,” the scout told Rubin in reference to a possible flaw in his swing. “He just needs and opportunity. The kid hits and keeps hitting.”

In the spring it was Kevin Plawecki who marveled at Rivera’s work in the batter’s box and wondered out loud what it would take for someone to recognize that this kid could hit in the major leagues.

Even Ty Kelly, who recently got his major league shot with the Mets, heaped praise on Rivera to Rubin and was shocked he was promoted over Rivera.

“He swings at everything and hits everything, basically. One of the first basemen in the last series asked if there was a magnet on his barrel. He’s one of those guys. He doesn’t ever have to take pitches. He’s going to get hits because he can hit from his eyes to his ankles.”

For his part, Rivera keeps a bulldog mentality confident that if he continues to do what he always does – hit – his dream of becoming a major leaguer will come true.

When you look at the batting average numbers over other 51’s who got at least a cup of coffee at Citi Field over the past two seasons, you have to scratch your head at why TJ hasd’t received a shot.

T.J. Rivera .322
Dilson Herrera .301
Eric Campbell .288
Darrell Ceciliani .287
Ty Kelly .280
Kirk Nieuwenhuis .276
Matt Reynolds .275
Danny Muno .274
Johnny Monell .270

But, it’s not just about T.J. Rivera earning his shot. It’s more about the Mets utilizing a tool available in their own system to combat a troubling offensive drought.

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