NJDevs4978 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) 21 hours ago, '7' said: And despite all that the 1987 Mets STILL won 92 games and if not for Terry Pendleton (an underrated gut punch moment that sort of gets overlooked now because we were still living in the 1986 afterglow) they may have taken the division that year too. That was yet another year where no Wild Card hurt us since we were the 2nd best team in the NL record wise (and maybe the 3rd best team in baseball behind the Cards/Tigers) Actually I think the Pendelton HR gets overlooked cause of Mike Scoscia in 1988 and how that moment's always portrayed as the great divide from the Mets' era of dominance to the beginning of the end. On a happier note this is a cute, quirky season recap of last year, with clips from players and coaches but also from guys like Hank Azaria and Jim Breuer (and Joe/Evan from WFAN), among others. Edited March 2, 2016 by NJDevs4978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Yeah...in 1987 it was "Man, World Series hangover, some tough breaks, so many injuries to starting pitchers, etc." 1988 felt like "OK, we've gotten our sh!t together again, the Pirates are up and coming but we held them off, now let's go win another World Series." Yeah, Scioscia was the killer, really...that bunch never got back in, despite making some big "right now" moves (like Frank Viola) to try to get there. And of course, Cashen's moves (like trading pieces like Backman for guys who never made it) were starting to backfire (the killer later being Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell for Juan Samuel...and of course, Gregg Jefferies being a trainwreck for team chemistry). There's other things too...like bringing in Kevin McReynolds for 1987, who simply turned out to be all wrong for NY and all wrong for the Mets (despite being a pretty good player). Of course, 1987 also marked the beginning of the end for Hernandez and Carter (though we didn't really fully know it at the time). In some ways Cashen treated the 86 team like a one-year wonder that couldn't possibly be left reasonably intact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 fwiw Granderson has pinkeye McReynolds performed fairly well but was just not emotionally invested in the team and hated the city. He was an Arkansas sportsman not cut out for this lifestyle. I remember a bunch of apathetic quotes from him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) 38 minutes ago, '7' said: fwiw Granderson has pinkeye McReynolds performed fairly well but was just not emotionally invested in the team and hated the city. He was an Arkansas sportsman not cut out for this lifestyle. I remember a bunch of apathetic quotes from him. Some things I remember about McReynolds: After he was traded to the Mets (along with lefty reliever Gene Walter and IF Adam Ging (Ging never got above A ball)), his former Padre teammate Goose Gossage said something very close to "It's good that he's going to the Mets, because he won't get away with dogging it there like he dogged it here." One of the knocks on him that I heard about him as a Met was despite being a plenty good player all-around (a perfect complementary hitter, really), that he mostly got by on simply having a lot of God-given talent. And speaking of Walter, he had a decent 1986 for the Padres (but walked a lot of guys)...in one game as a Met, in 1988, he pulled a Ricky Vaughn and walked the bases loaded on 12 pitches (after getting the first two outs), then gave up a double and nearly walked two more. That wound up being his last season in the majors, despite being just 27 years old and a lefty to boot...though he did bounce around AAA through 1993. In McReynolds' first spring training as a Met, one of his teammates shoved a dead fish into his uniform pants, as a joke. As McReynolds went to his locker to put on his uniform, the Mets players presents were all trying to stifle their laughter, waiting to see McReynolds' reaction. They wound up being very disappointed...because all McReynolds did upon finding the fish was remove it and toss it, after which he simply pulled on his pants and went out to the field. He didn't laugh, he didn't yell, he didn't get angry or even act surprised...didn't say anything or show any reaction at all. All who saw it thought the whole thing was beyond strange...and kind of the beginning of things not quite being right in the clubhouse. His wife once defended him publicly and said because he was a quiet and simple person and never displayed any real emotions, that New York often unfairly gave him a hard time and assumed that he wasn't passionate and didn't care about baseball or the Mets. But yeah, he was one of those "on paper" guys that ultimately was not right for this market and that particular team. Edited March 2, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) First spring training game of the year, vs. the Nats (and Murph)...Montero will get the start (and apparently will be a number of them to keep the spring innings down for the incumbent starters, though it looks like his immediate future with the Mets would be as a reliever). Looks like Montero will be competing with Verrett for a bullpen role. Of course we'd all love to see Montero succeed, but it's impossible to have any faith in him being able to stay healthy. Really curious to see if he can get through spring training unscathed. And apparently the plan for Flores is to get time at all four IF positions (according to ESPN). He can get 400-450 ABs quite easily if that happens, but it's pretty hard to think that this team isn't going to have serious defensive issues all year long...and Wilmer can't continue to get on base less than 30% of the time if he's going to be on the Mets primarily for his bat. This is a big "show me something" season for Flores. As far as the overall team D goes, it's just like nmig said...just hope the Mets can strike out a lot of hitters. http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/114857/travis-darnaud-receives-his-first-base-gloves-at-mets-camp-on-wednesday Meanwhile, Wilmer Flores is far more likely to see time at first base soon in Grapefruit League action. Flores is expected to serve as the primary backup to Lucas Duda at first base. Actually, Flores should be the primary backup at all four infield positions. "As much time as Wilmer has spent on the infield, a lot of times he can visualize things that are happening at first base. He has that in his mind already," Teufel said. "And now, running him over to first base, I think the footwork part of it is going to be something that he's going to be in tune with. It's not going to be a big project. I've already seen him over there taking ground balls. And we're talking Wilmer being over there on a part-time basis anyway. So I don't think it's going to be an issue learning the footwork, learning how to come off the bag, learning how to attack a ground ball. "I think the only thing he probably needs a little bit more reps on are the backhand plays, just because of the angle of the throw. He's got to have a little different footwork than he's had on the left side of the infield and at second base. But, certainly, with the reps that he's going to be taking in spring training, I feel very comfortable he'll be ready for April and be ready to be used at any time during the regular season." Edited March 3, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) Guess today's a radio game, tomorrow's radio and TV. And fwiw I think Gary Cohen's doing the first three ST games (the whole booth is doing tomorrow with a pregame) and then Gary Apple and someone else are splitting them the rest of the way Edited March 3, 2016 by NJDevs4978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 Always fun to check out that first spring training game or two...before you realize that watching spring training games aren't really much fun. But at least the long wait is over... I think the Mets finish with the same record they did last season: 90-72. Lots of question marks in the lineup and the defense will not be good, but the pitching should be terrific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 Ugly first appearance for Montero. 1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) Yeah it's ugly when you get no outs in the first inning before giving up three runs and have the pitching coach make a mound visit in Spring Training. The first inning by Montero's all I listened to cause I was curious and hoping he'd rebound this year but clearly this was the worst possible outing. And one of the three guys he got out was someone thrown out on the bases. Edited March 3, 2016 by NJDevs4978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I sort of see spring training as the NFL pre season. I worry little about what established guys do (especially big pitchers who often don't have their hearts in it or are tinkering with new stuff) but Montero is a different case. He's had a lot of setbacks, he's had is motivation/drive questioned. He needs to put together a solid string and got off to a very bad start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 Had to go to the foot doctor and caught Ed Coleman on the WFAN with Fatso Stammer...Ed basically said Montero looked every bit as bad as his line suggested. I'm not going to make too much out of the very first spring game, but it seems like very little has gone right for this guy since he got his first call-up to the majors. Coleman also talked to Murph and said Murph harbored absolutely zero ill will towards the Mets...understood completely why it didn't make sense for the Mets to want to commit to him long-term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) Verrett goes two innings in a start today and allows a pair of hits (one HR) and two runs (one earned). Duda with an error. Akeel Morris (remember him?) followed up with a scoreless inning. Addison Reed did the same. Blevins in there now, retired his first two hitters before allowing a pair of singles. Just one hit through four innings for the Mets so far. Cabrera with an error...this infield is going to have issues. Hope Walker is better defensive player than Murph was. Edited March 4, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I remember Akeel Morris being thrown to the wolves...I believe it was in Toronto. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as I remember but it seemed like he gave up 20 runs in 1.1 innings or something The infield will continue to have issues yes, but at least Walker/Cabrera are seasoned vets at their position (and Walker a natural 2b unlike Murph) as is Cabrera at SS. I don't expect much range anywhere across the diamond but at least with Walker we probably won't get the boneheaded stupidity we once got with Murph. Duda is emotionally fragile so I would worry that his WS throwing error will linger with him. Something to keep an eye on. He doesn't seem like a "shake it off" personality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) It's kind of maddening that Duda is still a Met, but he's kind of in that no-man's land, as far as trade value goes at this point...he's now firmly in his arbitration years (one more after this one) and no longer has much of a chance to be a bargain. He's put up an .830 and .838 OB+SLG the past two seasons, which obviously isn't bad...but for the most part, it never feels like he's a guy you could ever trust...and like I've always said, he's a guy who quickly gets exposed against the better arms in the league. And the Mets are in the rock-and-hard place zone...they don't really have a first baseman behind Duda ready and rarin' to go, and no one is going to give you all that much for him, even with his power and OB% abilities. Last year he confirmed once and for all what I felt about him for much of his career...that he's a mediocre-to-bad team ballplayer who really shouldn't be on a potential World Series contender, but just enough things have aligned for him to still be here. Hope the Mets can upgrade in 2017. Re: Morris...he basically had been such a beast in A-, A, and A+ ball from 2013-2015 (59 hits allowed in 134 IP, to go with 195K...he did walk 59) that the Mets almost seemed to say, "fvck it, maybe he can do something against major leaguers." Yeah, that one game he got up here (5 ER in 0.2 IP) was ugly and then some. He was good in AA, just not as insanely overpowering as he was in the A leagues. Interesting to see what happens with him...he's already got five minor-league seasons under his belt and is 23. Edited March 4, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 Cespedes 0-for-3 with a K in his first spring training game. How long before someone says (or writes) "Cespedes should spend a little less time buying cars and pigs and riding horses and some more time worrying about hitting!" In this market, you just KNOW that's coming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Well if nothing else this is certainly...interesting http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14903295/jenrry-mejia-new-york-mets-says-was-victim-witch-hunt-mlb In a Thursday interview with the Times, the 26-year-old said he was only guilty of the first offense. Mejia said the second positive test wasn't accurate and, after its results were announced, MLB officials pressured him to share information about his doping connections. Speaking through an interpreter, Mejia told the Times that MLB officials told him that if he appealed the results of the second test, "They will find a way to find a third positive." He added that he felt he was being conspired against by the league. MLB spokesman Pat Courtney denied that charge to the Times, saying no one from the league or representing it had met with Mejia. Peter Greenberg, Mejia's agent, couldn't immediately be reached by the Times for comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 Who even knows what to make of the above. Not like Mejia is oozing with anything resembling credibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Considering his own union wouldn't help him I take it far less seriously than I would if the union was fighting it every step of the way. It's certainly a convenient narrative, he should write fantasies cause he sure ain't pitching baseballs anytime soon. And like someone pointed out on NYFS he also initially denied doing anything wrong on the first test which he now admits was the 'only' real flunked test Edited March 5, 2016 by NJDevs4978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Utley's two game suspension for the Tejada slide has been lifted. Nice job MLB for further fanning the flames on this. Joe Torre is in over his head. He's 75 years old. He's not a bad manager or a bad guy...but you know being at the helm of that Yankees team will make anybody look like a legendary manager. Edited March 6, 2016 by '7' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 De Aza having a nice day at the plate so far Francoeur back in Atlanta fwiw. Man he has really bounced around since leaving the Mets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 18 hours ago, '7' said: Utley's two game suspension for the Tejada slide has been lifted. Nice job MLB for further fanning the flames on this. Joe Torre is in over his head. He's 75 years old. He's not a bad manager or a bad guy...but you know being at the helm of that Yankees team will make anybody look like a legendary manager. Torre's best attribute as the Yankee manager was that he was able to somehow keep all of the egos on his team in check...that is an underrated skill for sure. But in a lot of ways he was really wasn't much more than lucky, in that he really was in the right place at the right time. Torre was not an indispensable component of those Yankee teams. With the talent and resources the franchise had while he was there, more than a few managers would've enjoyed similar success...yes, Torre in many ways was a good fit, but definitely not the ONLY fit. Basically, he's gotten a LOT of mileage out of being in the right place at the right time. I agree, good guy and I guess he was a good manager, but I don't think he's necessarily qualified to hold his current position. No way that happens if he doesn't enjoy that run as the Yankee manager. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/115036/david-wright-to-be-held-out-of-games-at-least-another-week Argh...this guy is such a curse. Just wish the Mets could find a way to move on from him...he is so going to get in the way at this point, no matter how much he's babied. Who won't be cringing when he comes to the plate this season? Friggin' Wright and his contract from hell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 (edited) A couple of nice outings from Colon and Matz. Harvey goes today and supposedly has his slider back. Kinda feels like little 1986 in some ways...of course, the 85 team didn't make the playoffs, but they were beastly...98-64 record (Cardinals won 101 that year, after getting off to a very slow start at 16-19), and after starting off 38-35, that 85 team went nuts for a while, winning 30 of 37. Unfortunately that team came up just short enough against the Cards: 8-10 in the season series, and couldn't quite find a way to sweep their final meeting when they needed to. Anyway, it feels like this team is just ready to start playing real games and burst out of the gate...though in some ways, the roster doesn't really suggest that. There's no "ol' reliable" Hernandez in the lineup, no Strawberry who seems like he is on the cusp of greatness (he never quite got there, but was still teasing it at the time), no Carter with a long track record of success...what you really have is a lot of ifs: IF Granderson can be the OB% beast and all-around terrific leadoff hitter he was in 2015... IF Wright can somehow play in 120+ games and not look awful and crippled doing it, and be a semblance of what he once was... IF Conforto can avoid a sophomore slump... IF Cespedes can be close to the hitter he was as a Met and not the one he's been for most of his career... IF d'Arnaud can stay healthy and not be a defensive disaster (and IF Plawecki can be a much better plate presence when d'Arnaud inevitably winds up on the DL)... IF Duda can get some more hits when the Mets really need him to... IF the infield can play better defensively that it appears that they're capable of... Like I said...I'm not sure why I feel the same anticipation as I did with the 1986 team...but it's there for me for sure. Edited March 8, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I would actually sign on the dotted line right now for 100 games from Wright and .270. That's pretty much how little faith I have in him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 7 minutes ago, '7' said: I would actually sign on the dotted line right now for 100 games from Wright and .270. That's pretty much how little faith I have in him. Those are actually very good over/under numbers. I'd put the HRs at 10, and the OB% at .335. OB+SLG at .775. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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