2021 New York Mets season thread

[NJDevs4978]

Btw today is one of those newfangled YouTube only televised games.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Mets come out and string together six hits and four runs in the top of the first, Peterson promptly coughs up half of it right back (and the D'Backs are still batting in their half of the first, with two on and one out, with two runs already in).  Get the feeling Peterson might be coming out of the rotation, if Carrasco and/or Syndergaard can ever get healthy enough to pitch. 

And now another walk to load the bases.  Jesus Christ.

Aaaaaaand fvcking Peterson manages to give back ALL of the runs the Mets scored for him.  Way to go pal.  He gets the hook, having retired ONE hitter.

Seriously, if we wanted to see a completely gutless performance by a lefty, Mets could've just kept Matz (who BTW has a 5.44 ERA in his last 8 starts...guess that hot start was fun while it lasted).  

Edited June 2, 2021 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

And now Gsellman gives up a hit to Bumgarner.  He's a decent hitting pitcher (19 career HR), but geez.  Mets now trailing.

Nice job Stro, getting them all fired up.  

[NJDevs4978]

At least the rest of the pen did the job and they got a needed two out of three here

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

8 minutes ago, NJDevs4978 said:

At least the rest of the pen did the job and they got a needed two out of three here

Yeah very nice bounceback win, especially given that demoralizing first inning.  Diaz never invites confidence when he pitches, but he’s been getting it done for the most part.  Boatload of hits...almost hard to believe that they scored “only” seven runs.  

['7']

That was a rough one last night. Still can't recognize half the roster...down 4-0 to SD on the road. They battled to 4-3...runners on in the 9th and the rally died in typical heartbreaking Mets fashion. But for what they got, this team fights

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

54 minutes ago, '7' said:

That was a rough one last night. Still can't recognize half the roster...down 4-0 to SD on the road. They battled to 4-3...runners on in the 9th and the rally died in typical heartbreaking Mets fashion. But for what they got, this team fights

Yeah all things considered, even though we'll still do it on occasion, it's hard to get on this team for much.  5 over .500 with this bunch (and having gotten next to nothing from McCann and Lindor until recently) is impressive.  And fortunately no one else in the division has enjoyed an extended run of winning ball yet.  

[NJDevs4978]

This is some wild stuff, apparently there's a lot of systematic doctoring of the ball by pitchers going on and that's become the main excuse for why offense sucks

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/06/04/sticky-stuff-is-the-new-steroids-daily-cover

Quote

One National League journeyman reliever, who says he uses Pelican Grip Dip, a pine tar/rosin blend typically used by hitters to help grip their bats, has been flagged at airport security.

“They swab my fingers—and this is after showering and everything—and they’re like, ‘Hey, you have explosives on your fingers,’ ” he says. “I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t, but I’m sure that I have something that’s not organic on there.’ ”

---

“I’m tired of hearing people say that players only want to hit home runs,” says Rockies rightfielder Charlie Blackmon. “That’s not why people are striking out. They’re striking out because guys are throwing 97 mile-an-hour super sinkers, or balls that just go straight up with all this sticky stuff and the new-baseball spin rate. That’s why guys are striking out, because it’s really hard not to strike out.”

---

An SI analysis of Statcast data suggests that one team in particular leads the industry in spin: the defending world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to the data, L.A. has by a large margin the highest year-to-year increase of any club in spin rate on four-seam fastballs, which are considered a bellwether pitch. In fact, the Dodgers’ four-seam spin rate is higher than that of any other team in the Statcast era. There is no proof the Dodgers are doctoring baseballs, but nearly across the board, their hurlers’ spin rates on that pitch have increased this season from last.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by NJDevs4978

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Yeah Cartoon and Evan were talking about this yesterday.  Curious to see what comes of this.

['7']

Guess all Snell needed to see was this pathetic excuse for an offense to get back on track. Try not to get no hit boys

Cant really get too mad at the team as a whole but this is really anemic looking sometimes

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Mets now 2-12 against teams over .500.  Really hope that turns around once they’re healthier.

Lindor now up to .217.  Hope that continues...Mets absolutely need that.

['7']

There are really no more words to describe deGrom anymore. This is a legendary season. An all time great (in sports history) performance thus far. There's a lot of season left and I can't possibly imagine he can sustain this...but somehow, some way he keeps getting more and more dominant (at nearly 33 mind you...I wonder how much he has left...though I don't think his arm has nearly as many miles on it as other pitchers his age of all abilities)

They needed a win last night in the worst way, with what is still a ragtag lineup, and deGrom totally snuffed out a very good team on a road, where the home team hadn't lost in forever. That's special.

['7']

On 6/5/2021 at 1:46 AM, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Mets now 2-12 against teams over .500.  Really hope that turns around once they’re healthier.

Lindor now up to .217.  Hope that continues...Mets absolutely need that.

Added a HR last night...and a double. Though he also added 3 K's. Him busting out and playing like the top 15 MVP vote getter we know he can be would make a world of difference.

Also time for Alonso to start hitting HR's again. I worry this wrist issue may be a season long thing...and sap his power

[NJDevs4978]

I'll be more than happy to be wrong on McCann, looks like he's picking it up lately too.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

If they win this one...hell of a job to split with the Padres, after losing the first two.  Also would be 4-3 on the trip so far.  Impossible to quibble with that.

[NJDevs4978]

And they got the split, after the first two games I really did think okay now here's where all the IL guys come back to bite us and we get hammered by a real team, especially after the 2-15 or whatever it was they were against teams with a winning record.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

They manage to keep finding ways not to fall apart...the pitching staff overall has been doing the job.  And they’ve been hitting some lately.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Matt Harvey scheduled to pitch against the Mets on Wednesday.  Curious to see how that goes.

Peterson tomorrow.  He's lucky that Carrasco (and Thor) both had setbacks.

Speaking of which, is anyone going to be surprised if neither one of them so much as faces a hitter in the majors this season?  Reminds you of how BVW's complete disregard for young arms has really hurt, in terms of organization depth.

Gotta admit though...Anthony Kay hasn't done a whole lot since going to the Jays (apparently scouts are still pretty high on him though)...Stroman accepting the QO and pitching well is making that deal look pretty good for now.  Justin Dunn is on the IL and has walked 6.2 per 9 IP in just under 100 major league innings.  

As for Kelenic, he has really just completely disappeared after a big early game (his second in the bigs) where he had a couple of doubles and a HR.  In 75 AB (84 PA) since, he has an OPS of .273.  Not his BA, not his OB%...that's his friggin' OPS!  Gotta wonder how long the Mariners allow THAT to continue...if that doesn't reek of a guy being completely overmatched, I don't know what does.

Gimenez is hitting a bit in the minors, but isn't exactly lighting it up.  Rosario's actually been hitting pretty well over his last 30 GP (.295/.347/.464)...not sure how he's been fielding.  His overall season numbers are about what you'd expect...a .690 OPS (.703 career), FWIW.  Overall still having a better year than Lindor (.647 OPS)...really hope this hot streak Lindor is on isn't just a quick law-of-averages burst kind of thing, and then he settles into being a lesser version of what he was overall last season.  There was no way Lindor was going to finish the season hitting under .200...the question is does he finish with a "respectably lousy" year in 2021? 

 

And one last update...Matz's last 9 starts:  5.72 ERA, 45.2 IP (barely 5 IP per start), 1.37 WHIP, 8 HR allowed.  Basically Same Ol' Matz.  

Edited June 7, 2021 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[NJDevs4978]

The M’s just sent Kelenic down today. Yeah ironically they got burned being caught on tape admitting they were going to manipulate service time, they were pretty much stuck rushing Kelenic up after that fallout 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Was the right move, regardless of the circumstances (wasn’t aware of the service time manipulation).  Kid clearly wasn’t ready.

[NJDevs4978]

As usual Twitter sleuths are hunting for every innocuous movement from everyone as ‘proof’ they’re gooping the ball. When some rando on Twitter posted deGrom went to his belt before pitching the Mets predictably jumped to his defense.

I don’t really envy deGrom the rest of the season. If his ERA goes from .6 or whatever it is to (gasp) 1.5 by the end of the season - which is still an all time great year in the modern era - is that somehow proof he was doctoring the ball? He really is setting an impossible bar.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Meh, if someone comes forward with irrefutable evidence that deGrom's up to anything, talk to me then.  I think it's simply a case of the guy really is that friggin' good.

As for his ERA...impossible to think that it's not going to be well into the 1.00s by the end of the season (maybe even low 2.00s)...as great as he's been, finishing a full season with an ERA under 1.00 with at least 150 IP doesn't seem possible. 

Anyway, just for the hell of it, deGrom's numbers since the start of the 2018 season:  85 starts (somehow he only has 30 wins to his name for this stretch), 547 IP, 378 H, 118 ER, 39 HR, 116 BB, 721 K, 1.94 ERA (2.17 FIP), 0.903 WHIP...his per 9 IP averages:  6.2 H, 1.9 BB, 11.9 K

These look like the kinds of career numbers a top-notch closer might put up.  Also scary that at one point, deGrom was a prospect who we had ranked behind Thor and...Rafael Montero.  RAFAEL FRIGGIN' MONTERO!

At any rate, I love that the friggin' absolute BEST pitcher in baseball is doing his thing as a New York Met...even if there's been times where I've felt bad for him, being stuck here, with all of the crap that goes on.  

Worth debating:  if he takes home a third Cy this season and manages to snag a fourth next year...is that enough to put him in the Hall-Of-Fame, for short-term dominance, even if he never threw another pitch?  Because let's face it...he'll have won four "full season" Cys, and for a nine-year period will have been anything from good to beyond excellent...not one single bad or even mediocre year in that time frame.  He won't have the wins, but hopefully people realize that wins don't have anything to do with "knowing how to win" (oldsters love to say this)...it has to do with getting friggin' run support.  And his ERA+ (156) for his career is better than every other starting pitcher ever to play the game...Koufax, Pedro, you name it.  Only pitcher ahead of him on that list is Mariano Rivera.  

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Jesus Christ...Peterson is really doing a great Matz imitation this season.  Seems like hitters have really figured him out.  

['7']

Getting real tired of Peterson. Can't get smacked around by the bottom feeding Orioles like this after being spotted a 2-0 lead. Especially after two nice wins out west. He's not long for this rotation. Someday I think he may be ok...but as of now he's hurting the team. Mets may need to slug their way out of this one.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

They’re really teeing off