New York Mets 2016 Season Thread

['7']

And that's what Armansel Roblitez should never pitch another big inning on his life. Doesnt have an overpowering fastball...nor does he have much movement on it. Too cocky and always gets smacked down for it.

He's just not that good.

 

[NJDevs4978]

Robles really is a poor man's Benitez, dominates till you actually need him

['7']

Have the Mets even won a game yet when going into the 9th trailing? I'd wager no.

Now 2 back with the Nats winning as Daniel Murphy is still hitting near .400

[NJDevs4978]

11 minutes ago, '7' said:

Have the Mets even won a game yet when going into the 9th trailing? I'd wager no.

Now 2 back with the Nats winning as Daniel Murphy is still hitting near .400

They've only had five wins from the bullpen all year - two by Verrett (his other win was as a starter), two by Familia and one by Blevins and none of them were come from behinds in the ninth inning so probably no.  They have had a couple of last AB wins but in tie games.

Edited June 1, 2016 by NJDevs4978

['7']

The three Loney at bats I saw today, he pretty much hit the ball with Luis Castillo like ferocity.

[NJDevs4978]

Posted in the NYFS IGT:

0-18 when trailing after 8, not looking good.

Yep no come from behinds.

And it sounded like Loney was awful FIELDING-wise too...that was supposed to be his strength I thought

['7']

Yep his muff started the inning where Chicago made it 4-3.

Guess there was a reason this guy was not in the majors

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

One of those losses that every contending team has a few of...that game that seems like it should be an easy W where everything is going to plan, then falls apart somehow.  Doesn't mean losses like that aren't infuriating.  They always are. 

The White Sox were due to break out eventually, and the bullpen was due for some regression...hell, even Matz was due for some...the guy had allowed 6 ER in his last seven starts.  The bullpen been terrific most of the season and is now in a collective slump.  Last night felt like a bit of an "evening out" night for both teams. 

Robles is one of those guys who isn't going to get much of the benefit of the doubt because he's annoying as hell...this is why it's so much better to keep a low profile and just do your job, as Matt Harvey is finding out.  Yeah, he's turned in two absolute stinkers in a row and can't have pitched much worse...but overall, the guy has shown he can get people out in the majors.  Hitters are batting .198 against him in his brief career.  Do I trust him in high-leverage situations?  Not a lot, no...but it's not like he crumbles in ALL of them. 

I think there's a place for him in this bullpen, but I think you definitely have to watch where you use him.  The problem is in a situation like last night, when Reed isn't available, sometimes your next-wave guys don't get it done.  Probably back to lower-leverage games for a while for Robles. 

----------------------------------------------------

Mets go 14-15 for the month of May (Nats didn't fare much better at 16-14).  It took a little longer than expected, but things are FINALLY evening out for the Phillies, who have gone 2-9 in their last 11 GP (12-16 for May...Miami went 15-14, and the Braves went 10-18...not exactly a stellar month for the NL East).  The Phillies have fallen to 26-26 and have now been outscored by 48 runs.  Maybe they recover and flirt with .500 a bit longer, but that offense has been lousy all season...just can't see them overcoming that.  I thought that they might have a shot at 80 wins if everything broke right, but a team like that can only get so much luck...especially one with such a putrid offense (3.15 RPG).  Nats are still wondering how they got swept at home by them.   

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

9 hours ago, '7' said:

Yep his muff started the inning where Chicago made it 4-3.

Guess there was a reason this guy was not in the majors

Loney has at least shown the ability to hit for a good average and not K like crazy, which this team needs desperately.  He can get on base a bit too.  We know his main problem is that he doesn't have nearly enough power for a corner guy...suffice it to say he's the Mets' Plan D (a lot had to go wrong for him to be here), but I gotta see him play for a couple of weeks...I think he can be a decent stopgap (which is all he's being asked to be). 

Going strictly by BA...you know who's currently sixth on the Mets right now?  Steven Matz, at .235.  No one is hitting .280.  Sandy will probably move glacially in trying to improve the offense (and in fairness to him, it's still on the early side to try to pry away one of the better hitters off a non-contender), so for now, you hope that Loney can at least approach the .280-.299 lack-of-power average he managed with Tampa.  At least he's not Eric fvcking Campbell.

[nmigliore]

Robles is going to be one of those real mercurial types where you don't know what you're going to get outing to outing. He can miss bats really well but his control isn't that great and he's prone to flyballs (and thus homeruns). Which, in other words, means he's the kind of guy who can come into a bases loaded jam with nobody out and strike everyone out.... or he can walk in a run and then give up the grand slam.

['7']

2 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Loney has at least shown the ability to hit for a good average and not K like crazy, which this team needs desperately.  He can get on base a bit too.  We know his main problem is that he doesn't have nearly enough power for a corner guy...suffice it to say he's the Mets' Plan D (a lot had to go wrong for him to be here), but I gotta see him play for a couple of weeks...I think he can be a decent stopgap (which is all he's being asked to be). 

Going strictly by BA...you know who's currently sixth on the Mets right now?  Steven Matz, at .235.  No one is hitting .280.  Sandy will probably move glacially in trying to improve the offense (and in fairness to him, it's still on the early side to try to pry away one of the better hitters off a non-contender), so for now, you hope that Loney can at least approach the .280-.299 lack-of-power average he managed with Tampa.  At least he's not Eric fvcking Campbell.

He's not a slugger and never was. Kind of a weird 1b over much of his career. Low power despite being a big dude, good average, few K's. Heck last year even after .280 and a .322 obp he was not even on a major league roster this year (and he just turned 32) I mean he's still a solid professional hitter who you can leave in against lefties.

Campbell had like 9 fvcking lives with this team. I know it was speculated that last year he was a very hard luck hitter, but this year he's proven to be pretty much AAAA and nothing more. He's gone now but no doubt we will see him back here sooner than later.

Wright with the neck and back thing...really we have to start planning for him to play very little the rest of the way. I would target Martin Prado if Florida falls out of it. That or Neil Walker to 3rd.

I think Kelly Johnson will find his way back here too. And Dilson Herrera has to be here soon (I'm sure they're waiting for some deadline) he has slumped some in Vegas but got a few hits last night. I think he's pretty much proven that he can hit at AAA. Not much more for him to do down there (he could be getting bored)

Edited June 1, 2016 by '7'

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I don't know why, but Herrera is becoming one of those guys I'm not expecting much from.  His AAA work has really been uneven and underwhelming this season...hard to tell if he needs more seasoning, but his slash line is nothing special for the PCL.

52 minutes ago, '7' said:

Campbell had like 9 fvcking lives with this team. I know it was speculated that last year he was a very hard luck hitter, but this year he's proven to be pretty much AAAA and nothing more. He's gone now but no doubt we will see him back here sooner than later.

This is my main issue with the Alderson Era (the seemingly endless opportunities some guys get)...it was one thing to see these retread stiffs when the team wasn't contending yet, but now it's enough.  Campbell should never play another game for the big club...there is absolutely nothing there.  He's been a friggin' .186 hitter since the beginning of 2015.  He brings nothing to the table...great, he can play more than one position, but this team has to start employing some actual HITTERS.  And stop with the AAAA parade of zilches who continually contribute nothing when they're up here. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 hour ago, nmigliore said:

Robles is going to be one of those real mercurial types where you don't know what you're going to get outing to outing. He can miss bats really well but his control isn't that great and he's prone to flyballs (and thus homeruns). Which, in other words, means he's the kind of guy who can come into a bases loaded jam with nobody out and strike everyone out.... or he can walk in a run and then give up the grand slam.

Pretty much sums him up.  He'll have memorable moments on both sides of the spectrum. 

['7']

FWIW Marlon Byrd tested positive for PED's again

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

46 minutes ago, '7' said:

FWIW Marlon Byrd tested positive for PED's again

Ouch.  Goes back to something I've brought up before...some will say "How could he be so stupid?!", but the reality is that he can't earn nearly as much doing anything else, and he obviously knows he's not good enough without enhancements, and who knows how many people are financially dependent on him or how deep in debt he is...so he rolls the dice and simply hopes his number is never called.  Doesn't make him right and I don't feel sorry for him, but as long as there's ways for marginally talented players to become better than they have any right to be, some guys will take that chance and hope that they get away with it for a while. 

deGrom getting two timely DPs (one a strike-him-out, throw-him-out) to keep his pitch count from blowing up through four (still on the high side though, at 63).  Mets O doing what it does.  7 baserunners in 4 innings and one run to show for it. 

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I should probably start going easier on the Phillies' offense...the Mets' O isn't far behind at this point. 

We'll see if deGrom gets to start the 7th...92 pitches through 6 IP. 

Going to be hard to keep asking the pitching staff to keep making one- and two-run outputs stick. 

Conforto on his way to the Golden Sombrero.  Not surprised...he's learning from some of the best strikeout machines in the majors.

Wow...a Met K with runners on...who saw that coming?  EVERYONE.

And of course...just like that, a tie game, because this merry band of unclutch zilches and AAAA never-weres can't find a way to come up with a big hit.   

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[nmigliore]

Not following, but goodness, White Sox pitchers have walked 7 in 6 innings and the Mets have only been able to muster 1 run?!

Ugh.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Gutty inning by deGrom to limit the damage.  24 K in his last 19 IP (also a un-deGrom-like 8 BB).  Also only 13 hits allowed. 

Hopefully Sandy won't be an arrogant a$$hole this year and will realize that he needs some reinforcements a lot earlier than he did last season.  Not saying he has to make moves right this second, but hopefully something in the next 2-3 weeks. 

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[NJDevs4978]

12 minutes ago, nmigliore said:

Not following, but goodness, White Sox pitchers have walked 7 in 6 innings and the Mets have only been able to muster 1 run?!

Ugh.

Miguel Gonzalez walked deGrom TWICE...this is just not done. But this current offense gives the Devils a run for their money on ineptness.

[NJDevs4978]

6 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Gutty inning by deGrom to limit the damage.  24 K in his last 19 IP (also a un-deGrom-like 8 BB).  Also only 13 hits allowed. 

Hopefully Sandy won't be an arrogant a$$hole this year and will realize that he needs some reinforcements a lot earlier than he did last season.  Not saying he has to make moves right this second, but hopefully something in the next 2-3 weeks. 

Problem is who's left to trade? Rosario? Cecchini? Wheeler? They traded a lot of their expendable pieces last deadline.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

11 minutes ago, NJDevs4978 said:

Miguel Gonzalez walked deGrom TWICE...this is just not done. But this current offense gives the Devils a run for their money on ineptness.

We're firmly back in pre-deals 2015.  It's amazing.  And what's sad is though I know it would definitely be better if the Corner Losers were in the lineup, I'm not sure HOW much better it would be. 

And Conforto Ks for the fourth time...BRAVO!

9 minutes ago, NJDevs4978 said:

Problem is who's left to trade? Rosario? Cecchini? Wheeler? They traded a lot of their expendable pieces last deadline.

Sandy's going to have to be creative AND lucky.  Basically get a bench/hitting version of Reed...a guy who's not a massive improvement statistically, but exceeds expectations once he puts on the Met uniform.  Sandy's definitely struck out on enough bats...Young, Mayberry, Cuddyer, now De Aza.  Would be nice to see him get some luck the other way.

He may also have to take on a not-ideal contract, due to the lack of assets in the system...the equivalent of overpaying a free agent.  But he can't punt 2016.  And he has no excuses...Sandy knew that Wright could either be a severely diminished version of himself or unable to play (looks like both so far), and Lucas Duda is no stranger to underperforming and/or missing games.  If he's as good as ("apparently I revitalized the Mets all by myself...not like I didn't inherit a lot of good young players or good fortune) he thinks he is, he'll find a way to at least make some improvements by the deadline.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Ninth walk of the day issued by the White Sox.  NINTH!  Can we get one fvcking run this inning?!

Nope...the latest AAAA scrub in Ty Kelly grounds into a DP.  Bleech. 

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[NJDevs4978]

6 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Ninth walk of the day issued by the White Sox.  NINTH!  Can we get one fvcking run this inning?!

Nope...the latest AAAA scrub in Ty Kelly grounds into a DP.  Bleech. 

They should seriously start pinch-hitting the PITCHERS for some of these clowns, maybe that'l light a fire under them.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

6 minutes ago, NJDevs4978 said:

They should seriously start pinch-hitting the PITCHERS for some of these clowns, maybe that'l light a fire under them.

Syndergaard and Matz could probably do more damage than some of these nothings.  Heaven forbid one of them ever got hurt swinging a bat or running the bases...

Oh well, the staff did all it could do today...Reed and Familia both did their jobs.  Now it's up to these clowns to find a way to manufacture one friggin' run. 

Yikes...it sure can get ugly for Cespedes when he's slumping.  And even uglier for this team.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[nmigliore]

With Wright, Duda, and tDA all down and out, and Cespedes getting a breather, this lineup might be one of the worst in MLB. Walker and Conforto are the only hitters with an OPS above .800 and one of those two is in an ugly 1-month slump.