Official 2013 New York Mets Thread

[nmigliore]

It's too bad d'Arnaud is hurt, John Buck has been horrible since mid-April.

Edited June 14, 2013 by nmigliore

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Tonight's positive...Wright is 2-for-2 and inching back towards .300. 

 

Hope Valdespin and Lucas Doofus continue to play themselves off the team.   

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

It's too bad d'Arnaud is hurt, John Buck has been horrible since mid-April.

 

I was hoping he'd able to do just enough to fool some GM into thinking he might be worth adding at the deadline.  But they all likely know his at-a-glance pretty good power numbers were built up by those monster first 10 games (.351, 1.215 OB+SLG, 6 HR, 19 RBI).  He's been pretty useless in the 45 games since. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Within one hit of 10 for the night...

 

Wright up to .297.

['7']

Wright is hitting everything now, but that was a horrible play getting thrown out at 3rd with one out in the 7th. Could've had 1st and 2nd one out instead of 1st and 2 outs. Changes the whole makeup of the inning. This kind of stuff has persisted since 2007.

 

Duda actually drives in a run not named Duda. Impressive

Edited June 15, 2013 by '7'

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Wright is hitting everything now, but that was a horrible play getting thrown out at 3rd with one out in the 7th. Could've had 1st and 2nd one out instead of 1st and 2 outs. Changes the whole makeup of the inning. This kind of stuff has persisted since 2007.

 

Dud actually drives in a run not named Duda. Impressive

 

That's kind of why I don't love the Mets' identity being built around Wright.  He's been a part of the futility and failures.

 

Yeah, Doofus is on a hot streak, lol.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Actually went to the game yesterday...got in some great tailgating and some good eating/drinking.  Game was pretty secondary.

 

Mets are 2-10 since sweeping the Yankees.  70 wins is looking like a longshot.  At least Wheeler's coming.

[nmigliore]

Actually went to the game yesterday...got in some great tailgating and some good eating/drinking.  Game was pretty secondary.

 

Mets are 2-10 since sweeping the Yankees.  70 wins is looking like a longshot.  At least Wheeler's coming.

What section? I was there too, section 312 (1B side, 2nd level).

[nmigliore]

Wow that was a fun Walkoff win! Finally something exiting, great for Kirk!

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

What section? I was there too, section 312 (1B side, 2nd level).

 

Oh man, too bad, would've been nice to have met.  I was in 108, front row...we get those tix once a year through my father-in-law.  We got to the game around 9:30 am, went into the game around the third inning, went back out into the lot in the 7th for more eats. 

 

My car is a Stinger Yellow 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee...I was parked by the train.  You may have seen me...my car is impossible to miss, lol.

 

Yeah, great for Kirk...I think we know his days as a major-leaguer are probably numbered (he's not the future here, or probably anywhere else), but yesterday was a moment he can hang on to and remember fondly. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

BTW Ike's numbers through 6 games playing for the 51s are just as putrid as they were on the Mets:

 

6 GP, 4-for-23 (.174 BA), 1 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K. 

 

Starting to think he has the hitter's equivalent of Steve Blass disease,

 

Hate to say it, but I think the Mets have to start planning for a future without Ike at first, though I think Sandy is probably extremely hesitant to do so. 

[nmigliore]

Duda playing 1B! Finally a defensive alignment I can get behind. 

 

This is probably the end of Valdespin's chances, thankfully.

Edited June 17, 2013 by nmigliore

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Duda playing 1B! Finally a defensive alignment I can get behind. 

 

This is probably the end of Valdespin's chances, thankfully.

 

Pretty funny, it was only about 4 days ago that Collins said Murphy wouldn't be switching between first and second. 

 

Great if this means that Valdespin is on his way out, but I really hope Lucas Doofus is next.  This guy sucks.  He's a friggin' strikeout waiting to happen with runners on base.  Let him take his 420-ft solo home run act somewhere else. 

[nmigliore]

I bet it was a mandate from Sandy, though TC doing a 180 on something in a week's worth of time is pretty common.

 

Duda's numbers have come down after the hot start, but I'm hoping he can hit enough to have some value at 1B. He's currently sitting with a 118 wRC+, not good but not bad; that would put him in line with Brandon Moss and Mike Napoli, guys on pace for something around a 2-win season. Anything beats the outfield; he was quite literally the WORST defensive outfielder in baseball. Since 2011: LAST in UZR, LAST in DRS among outfielders with at least 1500 innings out there. Whether you like Duda or not, at the very least getting him out of the outfield is an accomplishment and gives him a chance to have SOME value to this team.

 

ZiPS and Steamer, two good projection systems, aren't high on his bat the rest of the way; both see him finishing with a wRC+ of 108 and 109, respectively. That really won't cut it at 1B, especially for a guy who is unlikely to be any good with the glove there, so hopefully he does better than that. 

Edited June 17, 2013 by nmigliore

[Devils Dose]

4-hit game for Duda. He missed a home run by just a few feet.

[Devils Dose]

Oy! That hurts.

[nmigliore]

Of course they blew it.

 

I didn't even watch, way too late of a start. Glad I didn't watch this one.

Edited June 18, 2013 by nmigliore

[nmigliore]

Whatever though, this team is going nowhere anyway. More encouraging is Duda with 4 hits and Gee tossing a gem. And today's Harvey/Wheeler Day, very exciting. 

['7']

Gee's pitch count was creeping up. Upton just got a hit...Freeman had Gee's number all game

Earth to Terry. Use your fvcking closer

But all logic goes out the window at Turner Field. The Mets will get swept all 5 games you can count on that. And the 86 Mets would likely get swept there too.

['7']

Whatever though, this team is going nowhere anyway. More encouraging is Duda with 4 hits and Gee tossing a gem. And today's Harvey/Wheeler Day, very exciting.

Even when the team is going "somewhere" the results are the same. It's a deeper issue for the Mets in Turner Field

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Whatever though, this team is going nowhere anyway. More encouraging is Duda with 4 hits and Gee tossing a gem. And today's Harvey/Wheeler Day, very exciting. 

 

Can't say they really blew it...it was the usual formula:  starting pitcher has a strong game, team doesn't score.  It's amazing, that the ERAs for each starting pitcher (save Marcum) are all falling nicely, and the losses keep piling up for all of them. 

 

Harvey:  we know his story.  1-1 in his last 10 starts, despite these numbers: 68.0 IP, 58 H, 18 ER, 10 BB, 70 K, 2.38 ERA

Niese:  last five starts:  32.2 IP, 33 H, 7 ER, 11 BB, 23 K, 1.93 ERA.  1-2 record 

Hefner:  last five starts:  30.0 IP, 30 H, 8 ER, 5 BB, 26 K, 2.40 ERA.  ERA is a little misleading, in that the Mets' defense has screwed him, to the tune of 7 unearned runs in his last two starts.  Hef is 1-1 in those five games.

Gee:  last four starts:  29.1 IP, 24 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 32 K, 1.53 ERA.  3-1 record   

Marcum:  if you want to include his 8-inning relief stint as a "start", his last six appearances have been up-and-down.  2 ER or fewer in three of them, 4 ER or more in the other three.  4.28 ERA overall in those six games.  He's 0-5 in that time.

 

Remember how bad the rest of the Mets rotation was, except for Harvey, in April and into May?  Not the case anymore.

 

The funny thing is, as excited as we all are to see Wheeler, and as great as it is that he's pitched himself into getting called up, starting pitching is clearly not the Mets' problem.  Just about everyone in the rotation has been superb lately, save Marcum, and though he's been inconsistent, he hasn't been flat-out terrible.  Clearly Wheeler has the potential to be more dynamic than the Gees, Hefners, and Nieses (maybe even Harvey), but will a raw Wheeler be much better, results-wise, than these guys have been lately, in the short term? 

 

Just sucks that the losses are going to keep piling up, because these guys need their friggin' starting pitchers to drive in runs.  But as I've said, that's how it goes when your top hitter is a complementary hitter on a contending team, and your second-place hitter is decent but clearly not a star.  And great that Doofus had a 4-for-4 day and is out of the outfield, but I've seen enough of this guy to know that he's not an everyday answer at any position. 

 

And if the Mets have already given up on Valdespin...good for them.  A cocky big mouth who talks himself up, annoys teammates and accomplishes little on the field is EXACTLY the kind of the guy the Mets should be avoiding like the plague.  Some of his numbers are intriguing, but let some other team take a chance on him.  Murph has worked hard to be a decent second baseman and has a good attitude...upgrade around him so his weaknesses (and Wright's) are diminished. 

 

7, in fairness, the Mets are going nowhere, and Gee was pitching his fourth straight terrific game.  I kind of like that Terry was giving him a pat on the back and a vote of confidence.  Yes, you can make the argument that bringing in Parnell was the right move, and if the Mets were in a playoff race, Collins probably does that.  And Parnell probably wants the ball there.  But with the team hopelessly irrelevant, what the hell, why not give Gee a shot to finish what he started?  I'm OK with that. 

Edited June 18, 2013 by Colorado Rockies 1976

['7']

I understand the whole "going nowhere" thing...but Collins job is to win games, not leave Gee in because he thinks he "deserves it" manage with your head not your heart. I'm sure Gee really wanted to finish what he started but he was not the best man to do so. My take on this is that it's just a waste and depressing. 

 

I agree Valdespin is likely not a major leaguer, the Mets have separated themselves from more talented hot dogs in the past (milledge) and it hasn't come back to hurt them. I generally don't think Valdespin is a clubhouse cancer type, but more a clown that rubs people the wrong way. Still the Mets were wrong with the way they handled his beaning, and Buck using the pie to as a legit opportunity to legit punch him in the face was scummy as well.

 

Ike btw had a hit and 2 walks in Vegas yest. Baby steps I suppose

 

Wilmer Flores is batting .432 in his last 9 games in AAA. He has 10 RBI in that span. He looks major league ready...but where the hell do we play him? He can play a little bit of first. 2b should be given to Murphy, plays hard, hits, and is continuously  trying to improve his defense. Flores came up a SS in 2008 but was moved from there for obvious reasons, SS was supposed to be locked up for us with Reyes. Now it would be a good time for him to go back to SS

Edited June 18, 2013 by '7'

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Hear what you're saying 7...the situation's almost like an NFL team that's, say, 1-8, but has just scored a TD with less than a minute left in the 4th quarter to pull within a point of an 8-1 opponent, with the extra point attempt coming up.  Sometimes, the 1-8 team will say "fvck it, let's go for two, why play for OT?"  This isn't the best analogy in the world, just an example of a team that has nothing to lose taking a chance that a contending team clearly wouldn't.  Some will say Collins should've gone by the book, others will say Gee deserved a shot at a CG shutout.  At any rate, Parnell has hardly been on fire lately...his last two outings have been good, but he's been giving up his share of hits of late.   

 

re:  Flores...playing in the PCL sucks.  I have no idea what to make of Flores' numbers.  Friggin' Quantinilla was hitting .333 out there.  As for Ike...the Mets shifting Murphy back to second and Doofus to first tells me two things:  1) the Valdespin thing was half-hearted, and I think the Mets were actually hoping he wouldn't do much with his chance...they bailed on him pretty quickly, and 2) Ike staying at Vegas is going to be a long-term thing.   

['7']

I see what your mean, it just annoys the heck out of me to throw away games at Turner Field. I just hate that franchise. 

 

re Flores/Quintanilla, Flores has the larger sample size. About 150 more AB's. I think if Quintanilla had that kind of minor league sample his stats would normalize in the .270 range or so. He's also older and not a prospect. Flores still has some room to grow

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I see what your mean, it just annoys the heck out of me to throw away games at Turner Field. I just hate that franchise. 

 

re Flores/Quintanilla, Flores has the larger sample size. About 150 more AB's. I think if Quintanilla had that kind of minor league sample his stats would normalize in the .270 range or so. He's also older and not a prospect. Flores still has some room to grow

 

We all hate the Braves.  That's part of being a Met fan. 

 

Quintanilla/Flores wasn't really a comparison, more a statement on how hard it is to try to evaluate PCL players by the numbers.  You've got non-prospects like Quintanilla and Satin hitting well out there, as well as several other non-prospects.  I hate the PCL for that reason...that it bloats hitter numbers and messes with pitching prospects' heads.  I'm just glad Wheeler came though it all relatively unscathed (and quickly). 

 

BTW, I missed it, but Rafael Montero is now pitching in AAA, having been promoted.  He made a spot start back in May, but is now with Vegas for good.  In his first start since being promoted, he gave up 5 runs in 5.1 innings (7 hits, no BB), but only one of the runs was earned.  Maybe he gets a September call-up...I think Sandy mentioned him coming up before the end of the year.  He's only 22, and if you don't know anything about him, the guy basically walks no one...in 271.2 minor-league innings, he's walked just 43 (less than 1.5 per nine IP), and struck out 260.  He's also blown through the minors and has pitched well at pretty much every level to date.   

 

Of course, you can never have too many arms, but Harvey, Niese (especially because he's a lefty), Wheeler, and Montero likely figure into the Mets' 2014 plans, if no one gets hurt.  Which leaves only one spot open for someone else.  Snydergaard will probably get moved up to AA soon (doing pretty well in A+ ball).

 

Basically, the Mets seem to have a surplus of pitching (if there's any such thing).  God I hope Captain Passive turns some of it into a major-league outfielder.