Week 7 Mets Pitching Review: Thor Brings The Thunder

A review of the latest turn through the Mets’ starting rotation:

Name	Innings	Hits	Runs (Earned Runs)	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA (Season)	WHIP (Season)	Quality Start? (Starts/QS)
Matt Harvey (3-4)	6.0	4	2(2)	10	2	4.50	1.48	Yes (7/3)
Steven Matz (5-1)	6.0	6	2(2)	5	1	2.86	1.18	Yes (6/5)
Jacob deGrom (3-1)	7.0	8	2(2)	4	0	2.12	1.21	Yes (5/3)
Noah Syndergaard (3-2)	8.0	6	2(2)	6	1	2.53	1.07	Yes (5/4)
Bartolo Colon (3-2)	5.0	7	5(5)	3	0	3.53	1.15	No (6/3)

Best Start: Not only did Noah Syndergaard go eight innings against the NL West leaders, but he paced the offense Wednesday night at Chavez Ravine. However, there were other starts during this turn in the rotation that were more impressive.

OK, maybe not as impressive but positive signs going into a long summer playing in what is quietly the best division in baseball …if you let things like wins and losses (8 MLB teams have at least 20 wins. 3 of them play in the NL East) dictate your ideas instead of previous season’s results and preseason hype.

In a 4-3 win on Mother’s Day, Matt Harvey regained the velocity on his fastball and had command of his other pitches, making the 96-MPH heat look that much faster. The result was 10 strikeouts, but more importantly just two walks.

It’s been his lack of command and walk numbers that pushed up his pitch count, led to longer innings and early negative results. He still hasn’t pitched out of the sixth and who knows what will happen in Denver.

I was certain that Jacob deGrom wouldn’t be in line for a quality start on Tuesday, watching the Dodgers jump on pitches early in the count for extra-base hits. I was watching on MLB Network and made it to the fourth before I tapped out, turned over and went to sleep. deGrom’s only clean innings were his final two, going seven strong and giving the bullpen more time to rest.

There was talk in spring training about his velocity, how it was topping out at 93 MPH. But the caveat I don’t think got enough attention paid to it was “but he’s still getting people out”.

There was a time when every starter didn’t throw 97 MPH, when location, location, location wasn’t just describing home reality and pitchers knew how to pitch and not just throw as hard as they could. deGrom is a throwback to that time and it’s clear he’s going to be good every time out, with or without his ‘best stuff’.

Worst Start: While it’s obvious that Bartolo Colon’s Thursday night start was easily the worst statistically speaking, his approach of always being around the plate plays right into a free-swinging team like the Dodgers. But when I played Little League baseball, the guy who pitched dominantly and scored all the offense also threw a complete game. So I’ll let you decide…

Best of the Bullpen: This was a no-brainer. Last Sunday, Jim Henderson allowed a run in the seventh cutting the lead down to just one. Jerry Blevins entered in the eighth and allowed a hit, then Addison Reed followed with a game of “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Twice As Bad”, allowed back to back hits.

Antonio Bastardo entered with the bases loaded, no one out and a one-run lead. He sandwiched an infield popup between two strikeouts for the biggest hold of this young season since the eventual win would propel the team into first place.

It’s the kind of hold that a wise producer will note during the 2016 season recap video…if they still make those.

Next Big Thing: I got my wish, sort of. Steven Matz’s start in Colorado will be skipped due to a sore forearm. Logan Verrett will start Saturday, Sean Gilmartin is up from AAA and looked good throwing three scoreless innings. He will solidify a pitching staff that will get a day off before the series we’ve all been waiting for starts on Tuesday.

The Washington Nationals come to Citi Field. The pitching matchups are: