Zack Wheeler has been throwing bullpen sessions at the Mets’ complex in Port St. Lucie, multiple sources have told Newsday.

According to the report, Wheeler has thrown off the mound three times, logging just under 30 pitches in his last session on Sunday.

This could be a sign that Wheeler is nearing the start of a rehab assignment which is expected to last about a month long. Barring any further setbacks. that would put his return to the Mets at about mid to late August.

Original Report – July 15

In the midst of a season riddled with injuries to key players on the field, Zack Wheeler has almost become the forgotten man of the Mets’ Fab Five rotation.

But with former ace Matt Harvey‘s decision to undergo season ending surgery to address his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, all eyes now turn to Wheeler to come back strong and dominate opposing hitters. Couple that with the bone spurs and arm fatigue of Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard, and the need for his return becomes even more urgent.

Wheeler, who is currently in Florida recovering from Tommy John surgery, has suffered two setbacks during his rehab.  In April, the righty was shut down due to nerve irritation caused by an undissolved stitch in his elbow.

However, he quickly returned on the comeback trail, feeling healthy until elbow soreness forced another shutdown in early July.  Wheeler expressed disappointment and frustration in his inability to contribute out of the All Star break.

“Them being down sort of makes me wish I could be up there to help out a little bit more and fill in for them,” Wheeler told Mike Puma of the New York Post.

The timetable for Wheeler’s return is now mid to late August, according to Puma.  If his recovery continues on schedule, he will be healthy to pitch meaningful games down the stretch in September and hopefully October.  Because his return to action is coming so late in the season, Wheeler would likely be able to pitch without any innings restriction.

To date, the Mets five young aces are yet to pitch together in the same rotation.  In their combined careers, the staff has pitched to a 3.01 ERA while compiling an impressive 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.  While that window may be closing due to Harvey’s impending free agency, Wheeler still hopes for an opportunity to pitch with all of his talented rotation mates.

“You want to because it would be a freakin’ bad rotation… Hopefully we can all get up there and be healthy.”

The post Report: Zack Wheeler Threw Off A Mound On Sunday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

If you would have told me one month ago that the Mets would play meaningful games in September, I would have laughed it off and then said: “sure, next September.” Now, with 16 games to go, the Mets find themselves just 5 1/2 games out of the second wildcard spot. They trail the Pirates who haven’t exactly shined in the month of September.

Despite a recent 5-game winning streak, the Pirates are 6-5 since the last day of August. While they have the ability to secure the 2nd Wildcard with a solid September, nothing about the Pirates screams playoffs.

The Mets on the other hand have been red hot. They’ve won 8 of their last 10 games and have gotten solid pitching and surprising offense during that stretch. Despite very small odds, the Mets are still alive and are playing meaningful games in September.

“We’ve got to make September mean something” Terry Collins told Mike Puma of The Daily News. “September can be a real long month if we’re not playing for something and we brought it up to the guys that they are not out of the hunt yet, just because they are 10 or 12 or 13 games back in the division, doesn’t mean we’re out of the hunt.”

10 or 12 games might be too much to overcome, but with 16 games to go, 5 1/2 isn’t unheard of. The 2007 Mets had a 7 game lead and wound up losing the division in one of the worst collapses in baseball history. The odds are long but not impossible.

Lucas Duda added that “We have a chance. Everybody in that room thinks we have a chance. If we keep playing well, anything can happen, so be optimistic. Go out there and play hard and see what happens.”

Wednesday night Rafael Montero did his best to keep the Mets playoff hopes alive. He delivered a solid 5 1/3 inning outing, striking out 7. He didn’t allow a hit until the 5th inning.

Montero should get another start at some point this month but for now the Mets turn their attention to the division leading Washington Nationals. They will face stiff pitching with Jordan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez making two of the starts in the series. Spirits seem high and it will be interesting to see how this team fights through the remaining three weeks of September.

The post Mets Keeping Wild Card In Sight With Sweep Over Rockies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

By now, you all have read that Jose Reyes & Josh Thole shared their views of David Wright and the New York Mets as a franchise.

You know, it’s funny to me. With Reyes, you have a guy who had his career built here in New York – a guy who took a big contract with a BAD team, talking about how he just wants to win? And he feels bad for Wright in his current situation?

Let me break this down for you Jose. In 2007, the Mets had one of the most epic collapses in baseball history – you hit .205 in September, Wright hit .352.

The Mets followed up said that epic collapse with an encore performance – you hit .243 that September, Wright hit .340.

So Jose when you say things like:

“After a little while, you just want to win, it’s not about the money, because we are already set. We’ve got a contract and it’s now about winning. We’re not getting any younger, you know? What is he, 31? I’m 31. I want to win. So I know about that.”

“At this point, we want to win. I’m tired of being in last place. I want to play meaningful games in September. The year that we went to the playoffs in 2006, oh, man, that was an unbelievable feeling. Just every game that we played, like wow, the intensity and stuff. I loved that. We’re in a good position this year to have a good year.”

Maybe you should focus on YOUR role in the Mets recent failures rather than feeling sorry for the guy who chose to stay here and try to see things through? You are one of the reasons why the Mets are where they are. Had you performed to your ability in 2007 or 2008, things could be different yet. You’re not a victim, you’re a cause.

In fact, Reyes not only was a MAJOR factor in the 2007 and 2008 choke jobs – but he also played a major role in not one but TWO teams with HUGE expectations falling flat on their face (Miami 2012, Toronto 2013). Where was Jose’s views of the Mets in 2012 and 2013? Oh right he was too busy contributing to another failure. 

You want to feel bad for David Wright because he is here now? How did you feel when you let him and everybody down in 2007 and 2008 with a AAA performance when things were falling apart? Oh but wait, at that point you apparently were not intrigued by playoff baseball as you are now since you’re team is 40-30. I guess back then you didn’t care about meaningful games in September.

Say whatever you want about the Mets, and Sandy Alderson – but Jose Reyes CHOSE to go to a bad baseball team for the money. Yeah, the Mets could have matched it if they wanted to, but I believe Reyes wanted to leave regardless – he wanted his money, he didn’t care about winning when he signed with Miami. He cared about the paycheck.

Then you have Josh Thole, the backup catcher who only kept a job because he could catch a knuckleball. Thole couldn’t even stay in the big leagues in 2013 and now suddenly is a bit chatty since he has 18 hits in 68 plate appearances.

“It was there from ’09 through ’12 and it was ‘wait till next year, wait till next year,’ ” said catcher Josh Thole, who came to the Blue Jays in the R.A. Dickey, Travis d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard deal. “I always tell the guys: The hardest thing in the baseball world, in my opinion, is to play in New York for the Mets. No. 1, you have a bunch of young kids coming up. Every day, there’s something.  A story. Everything is a story there. So you can get caught up into that quickly. It’s just a tough place to play. I would say it’s been the hardest for David. He just signed that bangin’ deal. It’s just weird.”

No Josh, the hardest thing in baseball is watching you swing a bat. Stop acting like you’re some established veteran, you’re lucky to keep a big league job. You’re a backup catcher right now, and you’re 27 – keep quiet. The rest of the sentence in your quote should have read “wait till next year maybe we will find a new catcher.”

When it’s all said and done, Reyes got his money, and coincidentally he has had his three worst big league seasons since signing that contract that many of us felt he was not worth. So yet again, a guy had his career year just in time for a new contract – funny how that happens huh?

Still, the Blue Jays are leading the AL East (in a down year) – and maybe he will get his wish and play meaningful games in September (and hit .220). Good for him.

So I guess if playing for the Mets is the hardest thing in baseball, we know what the easiest thing to do in baseball is, right?

Riding the coattails of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.

The post The Easiest Thing To Do In Baseball? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Former Mets shortstop Jose Reyes said he feels sorry for his former teammate David Wright writes Anthony Rieber of Newsday.

“After a little while, you just want to win,” Reyes said. “It’s not about the money, because we are already set. We’ve got a contract and it’s now about winning. We’re not getting any younger, you know? What is he, 31? I’m 31. I want to win.”

Reyes, who has settled in with the first-place Toronto Blue Jays, says he was tired of the losing and waiting.

“At this point, we want to win. I’m tired of being in last place. I want to play meaningful games in September. The year that we went to the playoffs in 2006, oh, man, that was an unbelievable feeling. Just every game that we played, like wow, the intensity and stuff. I loved that. We’re in a good position this year to have a good year.”

Blue Jays catcher Josh Thole also chimed in, saying that the Mets are tough to play for.

“It was there from ’09 through ’12 and it was ‘wait till next year, wait till next year,” Thole said.

“The hardest thing in the baseball world, in my opinion, is to play in New York for the Mets. No. 1, you have a bunch of young kids coming up. Every day, there’s something. A story. Everything is a story there.”

“I would say it’s been the hardest for David,” Thole concluded. “He just signed that bangin’ deal. It’s just weird.”

The post “Hardest Thing In Baseball Is To Play For The Mets” appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud is now 0-for-15 with six strikeouts after failing to record a hit in three at bats in Sunday’s Mets 2-1 loss to the Reds at Citi Field.

Slow starts are nothing new for d’Arnaud, who began his career by going 1-for-15 through his first six games last season and ended up hitting .202 (20 for 99) overall.

“I’ve been through this before,” d’Arnaud said, “so I’m just going to keep my head up and keep moving forward.”

The 25-year old catcher has his manager Terry Collins somewhat worried. “It certainly is a concern if it starts to get in his head that he can’t hit at this level. That’s your biggest fear that all of a sudden someone feels they can’t do something.”

“Are you concerned? I’m worried about his mental approach more than anything.” Collins told reporters before Sunday’s game, “Travis certainly came into the season as an integral part not only of the defense, but the offense — his spot in that lineup, we gotta get some production out of it.”

“We told him he has to battle through this; go up there with a game plan and stick with it.”

D’Arnaud is coming off a spring training that saw him bat .163/.241/.388 in 49 at-bats which led Keith Hernandez to remark that he looks lost at the plate. However, TDA says he’s fine and that eventually the numbers will come.

“I feel good. Just having that short swing and keeping my eye on the ball, and they’ll start falling eventually. I still feel pretty confident, slowing everything down. That’s what I’ve been doing the past couple days. And I’ve hit a few line drives, so it’s been working out.”

Team captain David Wright pointed out that d’Arnaud hasn’t let the slump at the plate affect his defense.

“He’ll be fine,” Wright said. “He can hit. He’s hit at every level. So he’s off to a slow start. He’s caught very well, thrown some runners out, called some good games. We’ve gotten quality starts, and that’s because of Travis. Defensively, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and offensively, he’ll come around, because his track record says he’s going to hit.”

For the Mets to have any shot at playing some meaningful games in September, they’ll need d’Arnaud to breakthrough in a big way this season. So far, they continue to wait for that to happen.

[polldaddy poll=7948773]

The post Collins Worried About d’Arnaud’s Mental Approach appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog weighed in on the $100 million dollar player issue and explains why the Mets won’t go there.

There are revenue reasons, I’m sure, no question. But, also, regardless of budget size and your team’s financial situation, I just don’t think Sandy Alderson believes in those sort of commitments when building a baseball team. What’s more, thanks to some of Omar Minaya‘s handy work, ownership sounds skeptical of getting bogged down in those sort of deals again. So, I think when you add these three things together (less revenue, Alderson’s principals and ownership’s fear), it makes sense.

So there you have it… Blame 3M – Money, Methodology, Minaya

Class dismissed…

Original Post 11/7

Rather than draw up another post on something I already touched on yesterday, I wanted to update this with something that Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo reported.

Hitting on something I’ve been saying for nearly two months now, I don’t believe the Mets are in a position to offer any player a $100 million contract – even if it was “hypothetically” for players like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper or Giancarlo Stanton.

Here is what DiComo said:

Speaking this month with a number of people both inside and outside the Mets organization, I came away with the impression that no one really expects general manager Sandy Alderson to commit a $100 million contract to any one player.

Looking at the current free agent crop, that would eliminate players like Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, and if the bidding gets out of hand, Brian McCann and Curtis Granderson too.

It would also take potential trade targets like Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and others out of the equation too…

You can read my reply to a mailbag question below…

Andrew asks…

Well now that the Mets say they will be willing to give up a draft pick to sign a free agent who received a qualifying offer, do you feel more confident that we will have a good offseason and play meaningful games next September?

Joe D. replies…

The fact that Sandy Alderson said a draft pick wouldn’t prevent him from signing one of those free agents doesn’t sway my opinion of this upcoming offseason one bit. It was said in a vacuum and he was appealing to those fans who needed to hear him say that. I operate at a different level.

The real question is will the Mets be able to win a bidding war for any of those top tier free agents that will require big dollars in addition to the loss of a draft pick?

Remember that all of those players who will become free agents are walking away from a guaranteed $14.1 annual salary. Consider that the starting point for most of those players and then multiply that by the 3-7 year deals they will all get. That is the starting point in any bidding.

Also consider the flood of revenue all the teams will be getting from the new National TV deal. To most teams that is found money and they will spend it. Even the lowly Astros have said as much. The Mets on the other hand, will be using that money to pay down mounting debt.

The way I figure it, the Mets will likely spend $25 million of the $40 million coming off the books. Assuming that’s correct, do you think they will spend more than half of that budget on just one free agent? I don’t.

I’d expect them to spread that $25 million around to sign or acquire 4-5 players. The Mets have stated needs at shortstop, two outfield spots, at least one starter if not two, two bullpen pieces, and a backup catcher. This is what general manager Sandy Alderson outlined in an interview with WFAN after the season ended.

Realistically, with all those needs and so little money to fill them all, how can Sandy target and sign any top tier free agent this offseason?

The answer is he can’t.

So of course it’s safe to say he won’t let a draft pick stop him from signing any free agent. That’s because it will never come to that.

This is still about money and financial flexibility… Or a lack of it…

The post Why The Mets Won’t Invest $100 Million On Any Player… appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

An MMO Fan Shot By Andrew Doris

The two-year plan

The past two seasons, the Mets have finished 74-88. Over that time, they’ve dumped all their albatross contracts (except Bobby Bonilla…) and resolved the Bernie Madoff lawsuit, such that management finally appears capable of investing in the team. Whether they will or not remains to be seen, but Sandy Alderson has said the team has about $30 million to spend this off-season if he chooses. This post assumes they are serious, and aims to shed light on the wisest way to invest that money.

It’s reasonable to assume that without any major off-season additions, the Mets might finish 74-88 again in 2014. That might even be optimistic, because they’ve lost two key producers from last season already: Matt Harvey and Marlon Byrd. Perhaps young players will develop and improve enough to replace those losses, but even if that’s the case, they would still just be treading water to match last year’s output. It’s safe to say the current roster is no better than a 74 win team.

With that in mind, it is highly unlikely the Mets will win the World Series next season – there are just too many holes to fill in one off-season with the money and trade chips at Alderson’s disposal. A more realistic approach is to view the next two off-seasons as stepping stones to serious contention – a sort of “two-year plan” to get this team among the league’s elite.

Phase one of this plan should be to improve the team by enough that the fans take notice and tune in for 2014. The piqued interest would increase ticket sales and TV revenue, and ideally enable additional payroll expansions (read: player acquisitions) in phase two – next off-season and beyond.

However, doing this will require a team that, as Fred Wilpon famously put it back in 2004, is “playing meaningful games in September”, and a 74 win team does not match that criteria. How much does Alderson need to improve the roster to make that team a reality?

In a division with the Braves and Nationals, I suspect the Mets will need to win at least 85 games to even compete for the playoffs. Last year the Nationals won 86 and still finished 4 games out of the wildcard race. To actually make the playoffs, they may need to win 90, but I think Mets fans would be satisfied with 85 if it meant they stayed in the hunt until late in the season.

The question Alderson must answer, therefore, is this: how can he improve the team by 10 wins or more this off-season, without impeding his flexibility to make even more acquisitions next year? If the Mets are to navigate this question successfully, it behooves them to consider what options might be at their disposal next off-season. This foresight is particularly necessary at their positions of need, because those are the spots at which the greatest improvement can be made.

As I see it, the Mets’ greatest positions of need are OF, SS, 1B and SP, in that order. I put SP last because it is the only one of those holes that exists only in the short term. With the return of Harvey and the ascent of Syndergaard, Mejia, Montero, DeGrom and even Robles all expected by 2015, pitching shouldn’t be a problem over the long term (unless some of those names get traded filling one of the other three holes). By the time we’re seriously contending for a world series, that hole will ideally have filled itself. Neither OF, SS, nor 1B, however, have any promising minor leaguers nearing an MLB arrival date, so it makes the most sense to target external additions at those positions.

The options at shortstop:

Let’s start at SS. As Mets fans know, this was one of our biggest areas of need last year, with Ruben Tejada and Omar Quintanilla combining for a woeful -1.7 WAR on the season. The 2014 free agent class has two primary options at SS: Stephen Drew, and Jhonny Peralta. Although these are good players, both are on the wrong side of 30 with health concerns, and both may cost around $12 million a year on a multi-year contract. The 2015 class, by contrast, features a whole host of interesting names: Asdrubal Cabrera, J.J. Hardy, Hanley Ramirez, and Jed Lowrie. Furthermore, each of those players play on teams that are often open to trading players in contract years, such that Sandy might be able to land them in a deadline deal this upcoming summer depending on where everyone is in the standings.

For this reason, I recommend the Mets hold off on signing a big-name SS this winter, when the market is thin and prices are high. This has the added benefit of giving Ruben Tejada a few more months to turn things around. Even if the Mets don’t view Tejada as their SS of the future, it is unwise to sell low, and Tejada’s value has never been lower. A solid start to 2014 might improve his trade value and net them something better in return than they could get right now.

The options in the outfield:

Next up is OF. Even if we assume that light-hitting Juan Lagares is the answer in CF, the Mets have only one MLB caliber starting outfielder on their roster, with no help from the minors in sight (short of Cesar Puello, who has some questions to answer). If they are to get away with Lagares in CF, they desperately need some offense from the corner OF spots. Thankfully, the 2014 free agent class has several big name outfielders that could serve as the power-hitting cleanup hitter Terry Collins needs. Shin-Soo Choo, Curtis Granderson, Carlos Beltran, and Nelson Cruz could all fit that mold, while Jacoby Ellsbury could busy our competition on the market and make those other names more affordable (higher supply of marquee OF’s = lower price for each one). Additionally, there are several big name outfielders rumored to be on the trading block this winter, from Jose Bautista to Giancarlo Stanton to Matt Kemp to Andre Ethier. 2015, by contrast, has very few exciting names under 35 years old. Colby Rasmus is pretty good, but after that it goes downhill fast: Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, Jonny Gomes, Emilio Bonifacio, Nate Schierholtz, Norichika Aoki, Chris Denorfia…you get the picture.

For these reasons, it’s imperative that the Mets land at least one marquee, power-hitting outfielder this offseason, even if they have to sign him to a long term deal. Ellsbury and Choo may be outside our price range, but I think Curtis Granderson could be an excellent fit. He’s certainly comfortable in New York; in his first three years with the Yankees, Granderson was a superstar, averaging 36 homers per season with an 11% walk rate. Before you argue that was inflated by Yankee stadium, realize that Granderson averaged 18.5 road home runs from 2011-2012, which is more than any current Mets OF could provide in an entire season.

The 2013 season was lost to fluke injuries stemming from two stray fastballs, but before that Granderson was extremely durable, averaging 153 games a season from 2010-2012. His speed and defense will decline with age, but keep in mind what it’s declining from: a speedy, gold-glove caliber centerfielder. If the Mets shift him to LF to accommodate Lagares, he’d still offer plus defense and base-running in the short term, without being anything close to a liability in the long run. Granderson also has a reputation for being one of the most amiable players in the game, making him a fan favorite and a great locker room presence. He does strike out a lot, but that’s nitpicking, especially when you consider the much larger flaws of any 2015 option. In a deep market, Granderson could probably be had on a 3-4 year deal at $14-15 million per year, which still leaves Alderson enough flexibility to sign a SP and some role players for 2014. If they miss out on Granderson, I’d suggest Carlos Beltran or Nelson Cruz as high-ceiling fallbacks. If we felt like signing two outfielders, Nate McLouth might warrant consideration.

The options at first base:

Finally, we have 1B. With Jose Abreu gone to the White Sox, this year’s free agent class features interesting options like Mike Napoli, Kendrys Morales, and Corey Hart. 2015, by contrast, has very few good options under the age of 35 (assuming the Royals use their club option to pick up Billy Butler’s contract). Using the above logic, this would seem to imply that if the Mets are to get an external option to man 1B, this is the offseason to do it. If Sandy chooses to go that route, I’d support the decision.

However, I don’t think first base is such a dire necessity as is the outfield, for the simple reason that the Mets have better in-house options to man the former than they do the latter. Between Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, Josh Satin, Wilmer Flores and Daniel Murphy, the Mets have five candidates for one position. With the exception of Flores, none of those candidates have a career OPS below .746. Even if only one or two of those options work out, Terry Collins could probably cobble together moderate levels of production by riding the hot hand. The options in the OF, by contrast, inspire much less confidence: Eric Young Jr., Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Jordany Valdespin, and Matt den Dekker. None of those guys have a career OPS over .672 – none have a track record to prove they are major league caliber hitters. Until Cesar Puello (who has his own question marks) gets called up, these four AAAA guys would be competing for two vacancies, and the result would be woeful even if nobody got hurt.

TL;DR:

The bottom line is this: if the Mets are serious on improving the team in 2014 while maintaining the flexibility to make additional improvements next winter, they should devote this off-season to acquiring at least one marquee OF, either via a trade or via free agency. Then, they should sign a high-upside veteran starting pitcher to a short, cheap, incentive laden deal, as well as a backup catcher and some affordable bullpen arms. However, they should hold off on acquiring a SS upgrade until the market thickens, and if money’s tight, they should also hold off on committing to an external 1B until they have more information on the viability of their internal options.

By following this blueprint and getting a little lucky, the Mets should be able to plug all their holes with capable and exciting players in a cost efficient way before the 2015 season, while still improving enough in the short term to make 2014 exciting. Only time will tell if Sandy Alderson agrees.

The post Does 2015 Free Agent Market Influence Mets 2014 Offseason Strategy? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I hope the Mets give Mejia a lot of rope to see what he is capable of doing. Remember he spent a lot of the season in the bullpen, so his innings aren’t what they could be had he been in a rotation all year. Even so, I’m sure they will watch his pitch count.

By rope, I mean let him work his way out of jams and if he gets mauled early, let ’s see how he reacts. I don’t want to hear how getting rocked will shake his confidence, because if he’s as good as the Mets think he’ll learn from it.

This is obviously the right thing to do, as the Mets finally have realized his future is as a starter. Five starts won’t be enough for him to develop another pitch, but it is a start. Even after five starts he might need more time in Triple A to develop, but that’s all right.

I thought they pushed the envelope with him in the first half of the season with how they handled him in the bullpen. There were glimpses where you could tell what all the fuss is about, and there were other times when you knew he wasn’t ready.

The season is lost, so it’s time to plan ahead. For every fifth day at least, when Mejia pitches, there will be meaningful games in September. Let him take his lumps and learn from it. Both he and the Mets will be better off.

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