Mets Win in 14!

 

It's not often you see back to back 14 inning games as the Mets played in their past two games against the Phillies. After a tough heartbreaking loss in Friday nights contest, the Mets rebounded strong with a great start from Jacob deGrom. He dominated the Phillies lineup in today's win, striking out 11 over 6.1 innings. The one mistake was a three run home run to Ryan Howard. deGrom has had a nice start to his career and hopefully establishes himself as part of this teams future rotation.

Keys to the Game:

Jacob deGrom- Turned in another excellent start and has run off a few good ones to start his career. As all young pitchers he needs to learn to limit his pitch count, but he is really impressing so far and needs to continue to pitch well for the Mets to compete in the division and also the Mets need to award him with his first career win.

David Wright- The swing doesn't look great but he always gets it done when need be. An RBI single in the bottom of the 14th propelled the Mets to this much needed victory. Hopefully he can find his power stroke as we need to see more extra bases from our captain.

Buddy Carlyle- Buddy did a great job throwing 3 much needed shutout innings in Saturdays extra inning game. Called up from El Paso Saturday morning, he stepped off the plane soon before start time. After emptying the kitchen sink in the first 14 inning game, the bullpen was shot on Saturday. Carlyle earned the win as deserved and the Mets have taken 2 of 3 so far from philly.

Game 55: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-LF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jacob deGrom-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom ( 0-2, 1.83 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Kendrick ( 1-5, 4.65 ERA)

Game 54: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-LF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Rafael Montero-RHP

The pitching matchup is Rafael Montero ( 0-2, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP A.J. Burnett ( 3-4, 3.51 ERA)

Game 53: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Lucas Duda-1B
6. Chris Young-LF
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Zack Wheeler-RHP

The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 1-5, 4.63 ERA) vs. RHP David Buchanan ( 1-0, 3.60 ERA)

Game 52: Mets vs. Pirates Starting Lineup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Juan Centero-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 3-5, 5.34 ERA) vs. RHP Charlie Morton ( 1-6, 3.29 ERA)

Post Game: Mets 4, Pirates 2.

Tonight, at Citi Field, the Mets (23-28) defeated the Pirates (23-28) by the score of 4-2. Tonight was Lamar Johnson's debut as hitting coach for the Mets, relieving Dave Hudgens of his duties.

Need to know: 

Jon Neise pitched 5 and 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs in the 6th inning, allowing a game tying single after issuing a walk to load the bases, before being pulled in favor of Vic Black, who earned his first win in his season debut. 

Juan Lagares made a tremendous catch in the top of the first inning on a deep fly ball of the bat of Andrew McCutchen. Offensively, Lagares hit a double off the wall to put the Mets up 2-0, then ripped an RBI single in the 6th to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. 

Daniel Murphy followed Lagares' single with a double down the line, scoring Lagares, to add insurance to the Mets lead. 

Jenrry Mejia earned his fourth save of the season as he got 6 outs, one coming thanks to a spectacular catch in the 9th by Curtis Granderson. 

Next up, the Mets wrap up their three game series, and home stand, on a get-away-game Wednesday at 1:10 PM when Bartolo Colon takes on Charlie Morton. 

Latest News: Noah Syndergaaard's MRI, Alderson's comments.

Marc Craig, of Newsday, Tweeted out that Noah Synderaard's MRI came back negative, with doctors suggesting Noah simply do more shoulder exercises. Sandy Alderson followed up the report by saying, "Obviously, it's good to know he's essentially fine at this point."

Syndergaard, currently on the DL, is 5-2 with a 4.02 ERA with 10 starts for Triple-A Las Vegas this season.

Earlier today, Sandy Alderson appeared on Michael Kay's ESPN Radio show and essentially said the following (From MetsBlog.com):

“That’s a perception that a lot of people have and I don’t think it’s a fair one,” Alderson said, in regards to people who suggest ownership somehow limits his ability to improve the team.

According to Alderson, his team’s payroll is $85 million this year, as well as last year.

“Look, our payroll is not the highest in baseball, I get that,” he said. However, he added, “What we expect out of ourselves is less than what we’ve gotten. The payroll is not an excuse. … We sign players for a reason and we have expectations of what they can do and it doesn’t always work out.”

In regards to whether his payroll will go up, he said, “I do believe it will go up if we’re able to generate the kind of revenue that will support that, and that’s why we have to win.”

Game 51: Mets vs. Pirates Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-LF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF'
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jon Niese-LHP

The pitching matchup is Jon Niese ( 3-3, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Edinson Volquez ( 2-4, 4.37 ERA)

Quirky Stats about the Mets season so far.

On May 27th, 2014, the Mets sit at 22-28. April saw the team go 15-11. May has seen the team go 7-16. Despite the Mets roller coaster start to the 2014 season, Mets Insider has come out with a list of strange facts surrounding the ball club:

1. The Las Vegas 51s are the best team in all of minor league baseball.
2. David Wright is second in the NL for hits despite his struggles.
3. Murphy is on pace to steal 30+ bases this year
4. deGrom is batting .800 and has more hits than Satin did in 28 ABs
5. C. Young and Lagares have yet to make an error in the outfield. 
6. Gee is in the top 15 for WHIP in the NL (1.06)

How much stock should we put into these facts? None. the truth is the team's offense is dreadful, their bullpen is dreadful, the their starting pitching has come back down to earth. Baseball is not about individual effort, it's a team effort. 

Morning News: Firings, deGrom, What's Next.

Immediately following the Mets 5-3 loss to the Pirates on Memorial Day afternoon, Sandy Alderson pulled the plug on hitting coach Dave Hudgens after four years of being the Mets' hitting coach. Hudgens has been a close friend of Sandy's dating all the way back to his day's as Oakland A's minor league hitting coach and talent evaluator.

Lamar Johnson will replace Hudgens. Lamar had been serving as the team's minor league hitting instructor.

According to Hudgens, the team's offensive struggles at home can be attributed to the size of the ballpark and criticism from fans. Hudgens will be a guest on the Mike Francesa show today on WFAN at 3:00 PM.

In addition to the Hudgens firing, the Mets also released reliever Jose Valverde after his late game meltdown yesterday at Citi Field. Vic Black will be called up from Tripkle-A to take his place.

In yesterday's loss, Jacob deGrom lowered his ERA to 1.86 after tossing 6.2 shut out innings. The first two innings got shaky for Jacob,  as he needed 50 pitches to work in and out of trouble. deGrom will most certainly stay in the rotation when and if Dillon Gee returns.

Next up, the Mets continue their three game series with the Pirates at Citi Field when Jon Neise (3-3 2.70 ERA) faces Edison Volquez (2-4, 4.37 ERA) at 7:10 PM.

Weekly Fantasy Update

Another installment of the weekly fantasy update and this week I dive into some more great players that may be available in your league!

Josh Harrison: Since May 2, Harrison is slashing .345/.390/.582. He has been receiving frequent playing time and has been producing. As long as he is in the starting lineup 6 or 7 days a week he will continue to be a spark plug and produce. Pick him up if you need an outfielder and enjoy while the run lasts.

J.J. Hardy: Hardy has bounced back after a tough first two months to post respectable numbers over the past 7 games and may be turning a corner. He has 10 hits in his last 24 atbats with a double and 4 RBI. Good numbers for a shortstop and hardy has some pop and still is looking for his first home run on the season. He has to hit one eventually so maybe it will be soon.

Danny Duffy: Duffy has a nice matchup at home this week against the struggling Astros. Duffy is a hard throwing lefty who does not allow many hits as his WHIP of 1.02 shows. He provides decent strikeouts and will battle. If you do pick him up it is because he has a great chance to win against the Astros which will mean a good number of points.

Game 49: Mets vs. Pirates Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-LF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Juan Centeno-C
9. Jacob deGrom-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom ( 0-2, 2.77 ERA) vs. RHP Brandon Cumpton ( 0-1, 4.26 ERA)

Morning News: Eric Young, Dillon Gee, Travis d'Arnaud and More.

Yesterday, the Mets (22-27) split a double header with the Arizona Diamondbacks (21-30). The Mets belted 22 hits on the afternoon but stranded 21 base runners in the process. Dice-K Matsuzaka spot started for the night cap and pitched 6 brilliant innings, surrendering only 2 runs. Jennry Mejia notched his third save for the Amazin's.

Eric Young Jr. appears headed to the DL early Monday morning, and his likely replacement will be Matt Den Decker.  "I just came in one day and it wasn't feeling that good," said Young, "yesterday when I stole that base I felt it a bit more. Young has been hitting .220 on the year with 1 home run and 17 stolen bases.

Dillon Gee had a minor set back as he tries to recover from a strained right lat muscle. Gee did not throw his scheduled bullpen session on Sunday, GM Sandy Alderson said. Gee's goal of a June 5th return is now up in question.

Travis d'Arnaud is eying a return off the DL as well, even as early as Wednesday. Travis went 1-3 with a  two run home run and caught five innings in a double A rehab start for Binghamton on Sunday. Mets said d'Arnaud will DH in another rehab game Monday, catch again Tuesday, and be potentially activated Wednesday. d'Arnaud is recovering from a slight concussion and was placed not the 7-day DL.

Next up, the Mets open a series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field Monday afternoon at 1:10 PM.

Game 48: Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Ruben Tejada-SS
8. Juan Centeno-C
9. Rafael Montero-RHP

The pitching matchup is Rafael Montero ( 0-2, 6.97 ERA) vs. RHP Bronson Arroyo ( 4-3, 4.45 ERA)

Game 47: Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Anthony Recker-C
9. Zack Wheeler-RHP

The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 1-4, 4.53 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Collmenter ( 2-2, 4.02 ERA)

Game 47: Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Juan Centeno-C
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 3-5, 5.34 ERA) vs. RHP Chase Anderson ( 2-0, 5.06 ERA)

How Has Curtis Granderson Improved His Season?

When Curtis Granderson got off to a slow start in April, Mets fans feared that they were going to see a repeat of the struggles with Jason Bay. In April, Granderson only hit .145 with 1 home run and 7 RBI'S. He had 4 doubles. He drew 13 walks. He had 26 walks in 83 at-bats. Fortunately in May, Granderson has turned his season around and has started to hit like Mets fans expected him to. He has hit .310 with 5 home runs and 14 RBI's. He has hit 3 doubles. He also had his first triple last night. He has drawn 6 walks and had 20 k's. I think Granderson's improvements can be attributed to him trying to revert back to his old hitting approach at Yankee Stadium. He has worked on pulling the ball instead of trying to hit to the opposite field. This has helped him get more extra base hits and use his speed to get doubles or triples. Hopefully Granderson can continue to hit with his improved approach. The Mets need him to keep on hitting to remain contenders this season.

Game 46: Mets vs. Dodgers Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Eric Campbell-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Anthony Recker-C
9. Jon Niese-LHP

The pitching matchup is Jon Niese ( 2-3, 2.54 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Grienke ( 7-1, 2.03 ERA)

Should the Mets have signed Bronson Arroyo instead of Bartolo Colon?

Over this past offseason, the Mets addressed the hole atop of their pitching rotation. The hole was left there after ace Matt Harvey needed Tommy John Surgery that would keep him out for all of 2014.

Many names were rumored for the Mets. Bronson Arroyo, Bartolo Colon, Ervin Santana, Johan Santana, Erik Bedard, and others were pieces Sandy Alderson could see fitting into the Met rotation.

On the second day of the winter meetings it was announced that the Mets had recent former Oakland A's starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, 41, to a 2 year $20 million dollar contract to replace Matt Harvey. What was questionable about the move was that the Mets gave $20 million dollars to a pitcher over the age of 40, despite Colon having gone 18-6 one year prior. Also, Colon would be signed through 2015, a year when the Mets expect their young pitching to be contributing at the major league level.

Bronson Arroyo signed later in the offseason with the Arizona Diamondbacks to a similar 2 year, $23 million dollar deal. Arroyo, 37, is four years younger than Bartolo and has had a more durable track record in the big leagues. Instead, the Mets did what they do best, and offered a man many feel will begin a fast decline, a multi-year deal.

Bartolo Colon is currently 3-5 with a 5.34 ERA for the Mets, while Bronson Arroyo is 4-3 with a 4.45 ERA for an Arizona team currently 10 games under .500. The question needs to be asked, were the Mets wise for choosing Colon instead of Arroyo?

Colon has been hit hard this season, thanks in part to hitters feeling comfortable against his fastball. While not lighting up the stat book, Arroyo has quietly pitched consistent baseball for the 14th straight season.

Today's News: Eric Campbell, average with bases loaded, and more.

 Last night, the Mets (20-25) lost to the Dodgers (25-23) by the score of 4-3. Below are the headlines heading into May 22:


In the sixth inning of last night's game, Eric Campbell hit is first major league home run, a two run shot, that brought the Mets within one run. Terry Collins told reporters after the game that Campbell may begin seeing time in the outfield. "With the way he's swinging, you have got to find some place to put him in the line," Collins added.

The Mets as a team in 2014 are hitting an abysmal 6 for 41 with the bases loaded. The Mets stranded the bases loaded twice on Tuesday night, and once last night. Had the Mets recorded one hit with the bases loaded in each game, they may have won. It's becoming an alarming problem for the Amazins'. Their inability to get runners home with productive at-bats, especially at Citi Field, had guided them to a season-worst 5 games under .500.

Second time through the rotation, Mets' youngsters Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom still find themselves without a win. On tuesday night, Montero gave up five runs, all in one inning, in what was his worst of his two outings in the big leagues. While deGrom dominated in his first start against the Yankees, he allowed three solo shots to the Dodgers in last night's affair, picking up his first loss of the season.

Next up, the Mets try to avoid the sweep when Jon Neise faces Zack Greinke in the finale at Citi Field. Game time is 7:10 PM.

Game 45: Mets vs. Dodgers Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-LF
5. Curtis Granderson-RF
6. Eric Campbell-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Anthony Recker-C
9. Jacob deGrom-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom ( 0-1, 1.29 ERA) vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu- ( 3-2, 3.00 ERA)

Post Game: Dodgers 9, Mets 4

Tonight at Citi Field, the Mets (20-24) lost to the Dodgers (24-22) by the score of 9-4. 

Curtis Granderson had his first three-hit game in a Mets uniform, when he went 3-5 with a home run, single, and a double. 

Rafael Montero was not sharp tonight, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits in only 4 1/3 innings. Montero struck out four and walked four. 

The Mets loaded the bases in this game, tallying 22 runners left on base overall. 

Adrain Gonzales hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, an inning where the Dodgers scored 9 of their 5 runs. 

Jose Valverde and Josh Edgin helped the Dodgers pad their lead in the top of the ninth when they surrendered three runs. 

Up next, the Mets turn to Jacob deGrom against the Dodgers on Tuesday at Citi Field. 

Matt Harvey wants to pitch this season.

Matt Harvey has informed Columnist Tom Verducci that he has every intention of pitching this season.

Harvey said, "Of course, I won't do it unless I'm cleared to do it, but I want to pitch before the season's end."

For those of you who don't know, Matt Harvey had his Tommy John surgery on October 22, 2013. Average for a pitcher to recover and be at 100 percent is 11-12 months.

Harvey is scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time on June 10th.

According to Sandy Alderson, Matt Harvey is a "long term asset," and he needs to be 100 percent healthy by spring training 2015.

Red Sox Reach Agreement On Stephen Drew

The Red Sox announced today that they have reached an agreement on Stephen Drew. Drew will be getting a pro rated version of the $ 14.1 million he received in a qualifying offer. This means he will be getting about $10 million for the rest of the season. Since Drew wasn't on Boston's roster for the entire roster, he will be ineligible to receive another counter offer next offseason. That should improve his chances of receiving of multi-year deal. I think it's smart that the Mets didn't pay $10 million for Drew. I think it's best for them to wait till the offseason and try to sign other free agent shortstops such as Jed Lowrie.

Game 44: Mets vs. Dodgers Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-CF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Juan Centeno-C
9. Rafael Montero-RHP

The pitching matchup is Rafael Montero ( 0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett ( 1-1, 2.38 ERA)

Morning News: Lagares, Wheeler, Katz, and what's next.

This past weekend, the Washington Nationals (23-20) took two out of three from the Mets (20-23)

Juan Lagares finally got a chance to start in center field Saturday, after three days of bench time, and precisely delivered with 3 RBIs and robbed Jason Werth of a home-run. Lagares's benching puzzled many media, fans, and even the Mets' broadcasters. A #FreeLagares campaign  began trending on Twitter.

Zack Wheeler made the start for the Mets in their rubber game against the Nationals on Sunday. Perceivably trying to keep his spot in the rotation, with Dillon Gee's return looming, Zack game up five runs, three earned, on six hits, while striking out five in six innings to fall to 1-4 on the season.

Last week, news broke that Met partner and president, Saul Katz, was trying to sell his share of the ball club. According to a May 17th article in the New York Post, Saul Katz tried to convince Met owner Fred Wilpon that he should consider selling his majority share of the team. "There is no truth to the reports of any intentions of selling," Katz told the media. According to a most recent report, Fred Wilpon, 74, plans to turn the franchise over to his son, COO Jeff Wilpon.

Next up, the Mets and Rafael Montero (0-1,4.50 ERA) return home to play the Dodgers on Tuesday night at 7:10 PM.

Weekly Fantasy Update

This week I will highlight three more players that could very well help you to a Fantasy Baseball win this week. I will talk about some players that should be free agents in 90% of  ESPN leagues for those of you in very deep leagues looking for good players.

A.J. Pollock: This guy is on fire right now, and what really stands out about his play is that he is very well-rounded. His overall season average stands at .302, he has hit 5 HRs and stolen 6 bases. this shows that he can get points in a variety of ways and with the Diamondbacks offense heating up, he should have plenty of opportunities to drive in and score runs. In his last 7 games he is hitting .500 with 2 HRs and totaling 56 points.

David Murphy: Murphy is a solid hitter who won't fill the stat sheet but quietly will produce in a consistent manner. In his last 7 games Murphy has 1 HR but is batting almost .500 with a SB. He has also stolen a base and delivers plenty of doubles. His best quality may be the lack of strikeouts which will not lose him points. He will always produce positive points.

Edwin Jackson: Jackson was excellent in his last start, striking out 11 over 7 scoreless innings against the hot hitting Brewers. He can rack up the punch outs totaling 49 in 51 innings.  He gets a very favorable matchup against the Padres in pitchers haven PETCO Park. The Padres struggle to score runs and cruising through the lineup should not be much of a problem. Jackson is only owned in .9% of ESPN leagues so he should be available to add and I project a dominant start.

Game 43: Mets vs. Nationals Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr- LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Lucas Duda-1B
6. Juan Lagares-CF
7. Ruben Tejada-SS
8. Juan Centeno-C
9. Zack Wheeler-RHP

The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 1-3, 4.53 ERA) vs. RHP Jordan Zimmerman ( 2-1, 3.59 ERA)

Game 42: Mets vs. Nationals Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-RF
5. Eric Campbell-1B
6. Juan Lagares-CF
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP


The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon (2-5, 5.85 ERA) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez ( 3-3, 3.97 ERA)

Game 41: Mets vs. Nationals Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-CF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jon Niese-LHP

The pitching matchup is Jon Niese ( 2-2, 2.17 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Roak ( 2-1, 3.65 ERA)

Post Game: Yankees 1, Mets 0

The Mets (19-21) lost to the Yankees (21-19) by the score of 1-0 at Citi Field. The shut out marks the second time in as many games that the Mets couldn't muster one run. The 2014 subway series was split 2-2.

What you need to know: 

Jacob deGrom pitched seven brilliant innings, surrendering just one run. Jacob featured a 95 mph fastball with  a solid breaking ball and change up. To boot, deGrom snapped the Mets pitchers hitless streak at 64 at bats when he singled in his first major league at bat.

David Wright had a game to forget. His failure to turn a double play, plus striking out three times, plus grounding out with the tying run on third in the eighth inning all equals a game to forget for the Mets' captain.

Josh Edgin and Jeurys Familia each got king-sized outs in the eighth inning, getting Derek Jeter and Jacoby Ellsbury, respectively.

Jenrry Mejia pitched a scoreless frame in his 9th inning debut.

For the second straight game, and the third in four games, Juan Lagares continues to be benched for the struggling Chris Young. 

Game 40: Mets vs. Yankees Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-CF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jacob deGrom-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom vs. RHP Chase Whitley who are both making their ML debuts.

Mets Recall Josh Edgin

The Mets announced today that they are going to recall LHP Josh Edgin from Triple A. This season for the Las Vegas 51's, Edgin went 3-0 with a 4.97 ERA. He allowed 16 hits and 11 walks. He had 12 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. Last season for the Mets, Edgin had a record of 1-1 with 1 save and a 3.77 ERA. He appeared in 28.2 innings in 34 games. The Mets hope that Edgin can become a second lefty out of the bullpen in addition to Scott Rice. They can't afford to overwork Rice and need to give him some rest. Having two lefties would give the bullpen more depth and allow Terry Collins to have more options to go to late in games.

The young arms are here, but will they stay?

All we heard this spring from media, scouts, and fans alike, was that the Mets should and need  to bring up their young arms for no other reason than this: they're flat out good. Many radio personalities cried for the Mets to bring their young guns north and create a buzz that the team lacked. Following Sandy Alderson's handling of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, fans had a sense of how Syndergaard, deGrom, and Montero would be handled. Many figured the three would not break camp with the Mets, and they didn't. Citi Field could expect to see three of the game's top pitching prospects somewhere around June or July, which was the case with Harvey and Wheeler.

Six weeks into the Mets' season, deGrom and Montero are here. Hopefully, they will stay. As Michael Kay pointed out on his radio show this afternoon, Sandy Alderson, for once, did not take super two status into account when deciding to bring up two of his three young guns. For those of you who are not familiar with super two status, essentially calling up a minor leaguer before the super two deadline allows that player to enter arbitration a year earlier. The fact remains that Montero and deGrom were not only ready for the big leagues, but the two were growing bored with Triple-A. The Mets, at 19-20, have actually overachieved throughout the first six weeks of the season. Facing a tough April schedule, the Mets rolled through at 15-11. Following a tough stretch early this month, the Mets are hitting stride again and find themselves hovering around .500.

Sandy Alderson's famous words of "winning 90 games," can only be taken seriously if he takes them seriously and shows the fans he's committed to winning. This seasons bullpen has been a mess, to put it lightly. From Parnell's opening day injury, to the implosions of Jose Valverde, to Kyle Farnsworth's May 14th release, everything has gone wrong in the bullpen. Yet, they have gotten just enough starting pitching to stay at .500 and be competitive.

Finally, Sandy Alderson has listened and brought up some young pitchers who can spark life into a franchise that has been in the doldrums for over four years now. Next year, Mets fans can envision a starting rotation with Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, and Jacob deGrom. Of course, Jon Neise and Dillon Gee are still very much apart of this team. We all expect the Mets to trade some of their pitching in order to acquire a power bat to place in the middle of the Mets' order. Until then, Mets fans can thank Alderson for caring, and bringing up what most believe will be an exceptional group of starting pitchers.

Morning News: Montero, Farnsworth, deGrom

Last night, The Mets (19-20) lost to the Yankees (20-19) by the score of 4-0. Tanaka blanked the Mets' offense through 9 complete innings.


Rafael Montero was good--not great in his major league debut. As advertised, he threw a lot of strikes, but had trouble putting the Yankee batters away. Had Eric Young decided to not dive in the 2nd inning, which resulted in the first Yankee run, Montero may have given up one less run. Nevertheless, he needed 108 pitches to get through three innings. A few solo home runs put the Yankees up by double digits, and against Tanaka, Montero had no chance. In any event, the Mets and Mets fans were overall pleased with Montero's debut.

After last night's game, Kyle Farnsworth was released by the Mets--for the second time this season. If you remember last, Farnsworth nearly blew the save Monday night against the Yankees, if not for Texiera's lack of base running and Lucas Duda's fine diving catch. The move saves the Mets $750,000 but I'm not sure Kyle deserved a spot on this team anymore, even if he was free.

Tonight, Jacob deGrom, the Mets' third pitching prospect, makes his major league debut against Chase Whittley, making his major league debut as well for the Yankees. The reason to start deGrom came after ace Dillon Gee went to the DL with a lat strain. GM Sandy Alderson hopes to have Gee back within two weeks. deGrom was 4-0 with a 2.58 ERA in Triple-A Las Vegas.

State of the Mets Future Rotation

With the recent call-ups of Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom, I wanted to address my personal opinions on the subject of the Mets future rotation. As we Mets fans know, there seems to be a surplus of arm talent developing within this organization. With Harvey, Wheeler, Montero, Syndergaard, and recent addition of deGrom to that list that's five guys right there that put their names in the hat for a starting spot without even considering the veterans Niese and Gee who are also young and pitching well. In the end I believe that two of these guys will be traded, and in my mind it should be Montero and Gee for the right deal. Harvey, Wheeler, and Syndergaard are untouchable in my mind and can be the future top 3 of a staff with Niese sticking around in his late 20's and early 30's to anchor a young staff with a veteran presence. If Gee continues to pitch well, even with his injury history, I believe a package od Gee and Montero along with another Minor league prospect could be able to land an All-Star quality bat, which is a desperate need as soon as possible to protect David Wright and be a force at the outfield position. I loved the Idea of trading for Carlos Gonzalez, who is in the prime of his career and is a 5 tool player that does not rely on power to be a great player which is what the Mets need. The current lineup is strikeout prone and will slump throughout the season as shown because they have too many one dimensional hitters that have low averages and low on base percentages.

 

Back to the rotation, I would target an arm in free agency to be the number 5 starter, someone like Jordan Zimmerman who will be a free agent in 2016, or a guy similar that may not be an ace but will be a solid pitcher and will give the team a chance to win every five days, and gives another veteran presence to a staff. He will also be 29 years old which means he will be ready to make a run. The Mets really need to address the catcher, corner outfield and shortstop positions and add some good average hitters and a good power hitting/average hitting combo corner outfielder. I also do not like the idea of a catcher who strikes out a lot, has no power and hits 8th in a National League lineup with the pitcher behind him. D'arnaud's strengths are his ability to walk and hopefully hit for a higher average than the average catcher. He has failed to exhibit power early on though and by him walking or singling in the 8th hole, he will be stranded on base most of the time with the pitcher batting behind him. I would like a catcher similar to John Buck who can call a good game and handle young pitchers while also providing doubles and home runs.

 

These are just my personal comments and opinions, and obviously I am not a GM and I dislike when people criticize Alderson as we do not know what happens behind the scenes, with an unlimited budget and fantasy GM's we would all make perfect trades. I believe he has done an admiral job in trading old superstars for young pitchers we have and has made some good trades on paper that just haven't worked out on the field but I do believe that with this future crop of talent his phone may be ringing a whole lot more.

 

Thanks to any who read and keep supporting your hard-working Queens Faithful Writers!

Game 39: Mets vs. Yankees Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-CF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Rafael Montero-RHP

The pitching matching is Rafael Montero who is making his MLB debut vs. Masahiro Tanaka ( 5-0, 2.57 ERA)

Mets Bulpen Continues To Be Incosistent

Ever since Bobby Parnell was lost for the season after Opening Day, the Mets have been trying to find a closer to replace him. They have tried multiple pitchers, but none of them has been able to solidify the closer's spot. They first tried Jose Valverde as closer, but he only had 2 saves and an ERA of 4.11. Once Valverde lost his closer's spot, they made Kyle Farnsworth the closer. Farnsworth has a record of 0-3 with 3 holds and 3 saves and a ERA of 3.18. Even though his numbers appear to be decent, he gives up a lot of base runners and always puts Mets fans on their edge of their seat whenever he comes in the game. His age and lack of command makes him unable to be the long term solution for closer. Daisuke Matusaka has been a very pleasant surprise out of the bullpen posting a record of 1-0 with 1 save, 1 hold, and a 2.60 ERA. He can serve as a long man, set up man, or closer. Carlos Torres has also been solid out of the bullpen with a record of 2-2, 1 save, 4 holds, and a 2.95 ERA. I think Torres is best suited in the 8th inning. The Mets recently moved Jennry Meija to the bullpen after calling up Rafael Montero. Meijja's stuff translates better to the bullpen since he has struggled as a starter after facing the lineup for a 3rd time. It is yet to be determined what Meija's role will be. Jeurys Familia is another young pitcher that the Mets aren't sure of where he fits in the bullpen. They are hoping that he can eventually become the closer, but he needs to work on his control and throw more strikes consistency. If the Mets want to become contenders this season, they need to find a closer to add stability to the bullpen. Once they are able to find a closer, then the rest of the bullpen can fall into place.

A trip to the Brox is just what the doctor ordered.

Last night, the Mets (19-19) defeated the Yankees (19-19) by the score of 12-7. The loss marked the fourth straight for the yankees and six straight against the Mets. On the other hand, the Mets have won three in a row and took advantage of Yankee Stadium's dimensions to club six home runs in two games. Tonight, the second half of the four game subway series shifts to Citi Field, where runs will be much harder to come by. There's no doubt that beginning with Sundays come-from-behind win, plus the drubbing of the New York yankees, the Mets have a swagger back in them. How long will it last? Who knows. Below are the positives and negatives to take out of the Mets two game sweep in the Bronx:

Positives

Curtis Granderson began hitting as soon as the calendar turned to May, but never did he display the power he did when the Mets entered Yankee Stadium. In two games, Granderson went 4 for seven with two home runs, and five RBIS. For the first time all year Granderson is hitting above 200 at .205.

Lucas Duda deserved the game ball Monday night, helping turn two spectacular double plays and contributing with an game-tying RBI single in the eighth. After battling a virus over the weekend, Duda has returned looking like he is at his physical peak. His movement off first is sensation, and last night he once again contributed with an opposite field RBI hit. With runners in scoring position this year, Lucas is 8 for 19.

David Wright has an eleven game hitting streak, tallying 10 RBI over that span. Wright didn't benefit so much from Yankee Stadium, but overall Wright has gotten hot just when the Mets have as well. He 's become a streaky hitter his entire career, but when he hits, the Mets win.

Daniel Murphy clubbed a 3 run homer off the foul pole in last night's game, putting the game out of reach for good. Like Wright, Murphy has been in a hot streak since returning to his familiar number 2 spot in the lineup. On the other side of the ball, Murphy has made some nice defensive plays to go along with his overall production in a lineup that needs all it can get. Murphy is leading the Mets in batting average this season, sitting at .320.

Negatives

Starting Pitching- Blame it on Yankee Stadium all you want. Just as the lineup hitting is mostly attributed to the hitting haven that is Yankee Stadium, the dreadful starting pitching can also be attributed to Yankee Stadium. The fact is, Bartolo Colon and Zack Wheeler have not been pitching well all season. With a good start thrown in here and there, Colon and Wheeler have struggled. On Monday, Bartolo Colon was roughed up for seven runs in five plus innings. On tuesday night, Zack Wheeler was handed an 11-4 lead and could not get enough outs to qualify for a W. From the first inning, Zack lost command of the strike zone. Overall, Wheeler walked six. The Yankees hit their share of home runs in the series as well. and as the saying goes, "both teams have to play here," when referring to the friendly hitting confines of Yankee Stadium. The positive side is that it's still early. Colon is aging so he scares me, but Wheeler is most likely going through growing pains. If he's still struggling come July 1st, then there may be some concern.

Tonight, Rafael Montero makes his major league debut against Tanaka and the Yankees in Citi Field at 7:10 PM.

Game 38: Mets vs. Yankees Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-DH
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-LF
5. Curtis Granderson-RF
6. Juan Lagares-CF
7. Lucas Duda-1B
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Ruben Tejada-SS

The pitching matchup is RHP Zack Wheeler ( 1-3, 4.35 ERA) vs. LHP Vidal Nuno ( 1-0, 5.47 ERA)

Mets take game 1 of subway series

The Mets defeated the Yankees by the score of 9-7 last night at Yankee Stadium. This marks the fifth straight win over the Yankees for the Mets, dating back to last year. The Mets belted four home runs on the night for the first time since 2005.

Bartolo Colon got roughed up, surrendering seven earned runs in 5 plus innings, giving up a grand slam to Brett Gardner in the 2nd.

Travis d'Arnaud his a Yankee Stadium cheap home run over the right field fence to cut the Yankee lead to 4-2.

Curtis Granderson hit his 65th home run in Yankee Stadium, when he tied the game on a  two run homer in the 5th.

Eric Young jr. continued his red hot hitting, clubbing a two run home run to get the Mets within 7-6 when he also clubbed a two run homer.

Lucas Duda was the defensive hero of the game, turning two key double plays in the eighth and ninth innings, and also delivered the game tying RBI in the top of the 8th.

Chris Young capped off the Mets offensive onslaught in the 8th with a two run homer to put the Mets up 9-7.

Jenrry Mejia pitched two solid innings out of the bullpen.

Kyle Farnsworth walked a tight rope and can thank Lucas Duda for his nifty double play to end the game.

Morning News: Granderson, Montero, deGrom

Last night, the Mets (18-19) defeated the Yankees (19-18) by the score of 9-7. Tonight, Zack Wheeler (1-4, 4.35 ERA) gets the nod for the Mets in game two of the subway series. Below are the headlines heading into this Tuesday afternoon:


Curtis Granderson hit a two run home run last night and was 2 for 5 overall. Curtis is hitting over .300 in May with 3 home runs and nine RBI after an April which saw him him .130 with 1 home run and 7 RBI.

Rafael Montero has been called up to replace Jenrry Mejia in the starting rotation. Montero will start Wednesday's game at Citi Field, opposing Masahiro Tanaka. Jenrry Mejia has been moved to the bullpen.

Another top Met prospect, Jacob deGrom, has been been called up to replace Gonzalez German in the bullpen. German went on the DL late Monday night with a virus. There is no telling how long deGrom will be in the big leagues, or how long German will be on the disabled list, but I am guessing they are just testing the waters with deGrom.

Game 37: Mets vs. Yankees Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Bobby Abreu-DH
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Chris Young-CF
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Ruben Tejada-SS

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 2-5, 5.36 ERA) vs. Hiroki Kuroda ( 2-3, 4.43 ERA)

Mets Call Up Rafael Montero

The Mets announced today that they are going to call pitching prospect Rafael Montero for Wednesday's start against the Yankees. This means that Jenrry Meija will now be moved to the bullpen. Montero had a record of 4-1 for the Las Vegas 51s this year. He had 41 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 41.2 innings. He had an amazing WHIP of 1.152. Montero possesses a fastball with life that can go from the low 90's to as high as 95 mph. He also has an above average slider and changeup. I think that is a great decision for the Mets to add Montero to the rotation. Montero has always profiled as a starter. Meijja is better suited for the pen. I'm excited to see what Montero can do and when other young pitchers will be called up such as Jacob Degrom.

What's Next: Subway Series

Tonight in the Bronx, the Mets take on their cross town rival Yankees in a two game set. Following their two games at Yankee Stadium, the two will play two more in Flushing at Citi Field.

Bartolo Colon (2-5, 5.36 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets opposed by Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 4.43 ERA) for the Yankees.

Last season, the Mets swept the four game set from the Yankees in dominating fashion.

The Mets are coming off a tough stretch where they have lost seven of nine, and three straight series. Yesterday, the Mets gained some momentum with a thrilling come from behind win over the Phillies in 11 innings. The Mets are 17-19.

The Yankees, who had been playing better baseball, lost two of three to the Brewers in Milwaukee. Pitching injuries continue to mount for the Bombers as they lost C.C. Sabathia to a knee injury. Sabathia joins an injured list including Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova. The Yankees are 19-17.

Mejia to the bullpen? Familia to close?

Reports surfaced around that Daisuke Matsuzaka may have been in line to start Wednesday's game against the Yankees, with Jenrry Mejia switching to the bullpen. Other candidates to replace Mejia in the rotation include prospect Rafael Montero.

"We'll have to see what's going on to happen there," said Collins in regard to his number five spot in the rotation.

In Mejia's mind, staying in the starting rotation will better suit the 24-year old's right arm which as been the subject of many injuries since his call up in 2010.

In recent reports, and quotes from Terry Collins,  it seems Jeurys Familia is close to being the team's next closer. Familia has allowed just one run in his last nine innings of work.

"Three days in a row, pounding the strike zone, throwing his breaking balls for strikes, the confidence is really mounting oh him," Collins told ESPN.

The deeper we get into Spring and eventually Summer, the more shakeups I expect to see in the Mets' bullpen. Management does not want to throw away another season and they have the prospects to keep this interesting well into the summer. Collins has already had four closers have one save this season. The search for consistency continues. 

Fantasy Update

Im here with another Fantasy Update, giving you the information you need each week to dominate your league! This week I'll profile another three free agent players that may just put your team over the top this week.

Seth Smith: This Padres outfielder has been on fire recently totaling 71 points over the past 7 days. This guy can hit not only for power with his 3 Home Runs at PETCO Park, but also his .321 average meaning he makes contact and even without the power stroke he will get good points. This week he has a great matchup against the Reds and Rockies which are two of the best hitting ballparks in the league.

John Danks: He's been solid all year except for two starts. He was solid in a win against the cross town rival Cubs in his last start. Averaging 10.7 points per game this season that will likely go up after two great matchups against Oakland in a big ballpark and in a two start week he also gets to face Houston which has the worst offense in the league. Great pickup and the strong possibility of two quality starts and wins.

Chris Young: With 3 wins in a row Young is on a roll. The former Met is pitching strong out in Seattle, and he will be facing the Twins in Minnesota. Chris sports a 2.63 ERA and as that will probably not last, he is a good pickup this week as I believe the Mariners could win another for him.

Also this week, as an owner of Jason Vargas, I am going to sit him against the Colorado Rockies as that will most likely be a rough start for him at Coors Field where the Rockies score a million runs per game, which is not much of an exaggeration.

Game 36: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-RF
5. Eric Campbell-1B
6. Juan Lagares-CF
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jon Niese-LHP
This is Campbell's first start at first base this season.

The pitching matchup is LHP Jon Niese ( 2-2, 1.82 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Hamels ( 0-2, 7.02 ERA)

Cuban Missile Crisis Part III

We all know about Yoenis Cespedes the Cuban sensation by now as he wows fans daily with long power shots and long balls. If you are a baseball fan you certainly have heard of Yasiel Puig with the Dodgers, batting almost.500 in his inaugural month and competing for rookie of the year in his first season. These are two well known Cuban studs that have taken the MLB by storm: bat flipping, lollygagging, and showing up pitchers across the league. Well there's a new name in town and he's bucking the trend.

Jose Abreu, no relation to Bobby, is a 27 year old Cuban born animal who is making pitchers look like little leaguers in only 1 month of MLB action. This season as a rookie, Abreu is hitting .279 with 13 Home Runs and 37 Rib Eye Steaks! He leads all of MLB in those categories, and oh he also hit 11 doubles in the first month. While he did all that in the first 35 games of his career, most players sit by and wish those were their season numbers.

While doing all of this he is also a very humble man, never standing to admire his massive blasts, or bat flipping in a pitchers defeat. He hits the ball, runs hard and touches 'em all. This guys going to be a star very soon and we should see him highlight his talents at the summer classic in Minnesota this year. Be on the prowl and watch out for this guy dropping bombs in a stadium near you.

Game 35: Mets Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Dillion Gee-RHP

The pitching matchup is RHP Dillion Gee ( 3-1, 2.51 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Kendrick ( 0-3, 3.58 ERA)

Game 34: Mets Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Josh Satin-1B
7. Wilmer Flores-SS
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Jenrry Meija-RHP

This is Flores's first start at shortstop this season.

The pitching matchup is Jenrry Meija ( 3-0, 5.23) vs. RHP Roberto Hernandez ( 2-1, 4.50 ERA)

Update On Juan Lagares's Season

The Mets have had a lot of problems so far this trying to get any offensive production. Centerfielder Juan Lagares has been one of the few players to hit on a consistent basis. He has hit .316 with 1 home run and 9 RBI's. He has hit 8 doubles. He has drawn 3 walks. He has scored 11 runs. He had a 13 game hitting steak. He also has played outstanding defense in Center Field. The Mets need Lagares to continue hitting and playing great defense if they want to remain contenders in the National League East this season.

Current standings and a look ahead

The Mets (16-17) take on the Philadelphia Phillies (15-17) this upcoming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. After that, the Mets head to Yankee Stadium to begin the four-game Subway Series. Below are the current standings in the National League East:

NL East standings courtesy of MetsBlog

Need to Know:

Jenrry Mejia (3-0, 5.38 ERA) will start the first game for New York, followed by Dillon Gee (3-1. 2.51 ERA) on Saturday and Jon Neise (2-2, 1.82 ERA) will toe the rubber on Mother's Day.

Wimer Flores is expected to be promoted in time for Friday's game, but it is unknown whether he will be starting in place of the struggling Ruben Tejada or not.

The Mets are 1-0 against the Phillies this season. Their one win came back on Tuesday, April 29th before their April 30th game was rained out.

The Mets offense needs to desperately wake up if they want to climb back over the .500 mark for the season.

Juan Lagares has hit in 17 of 19 games this season.

Morning News: Puello, Flores, Syndergaard & Montero.

The Mets are off today. Beginning Friday, the Phillies come to town for Mother's Day Weekend. Below are the biggest stories heading into the off day for the New York Mets:


Cesar Puello- Triple-A manager Wally Bachman told MetsBlog's Toby Hyde that OF prospect Cesar Puello is away from the team for personal reasons. He is due back in the lineup on Friday however. Puello only has 94 at-bats in 26 games, hitting .236. If you remember, he was suspended 50 games in 2013 due to his biogenesis connection.

Wilmer Flores- Yesterday, the Mets demoted back-up SS Omar Quintanilla. The Mets announced that his replacement would be an internal option. Earlier today, the Mets announced 22 year old Wilmer Flores will indeed be called up in time for Friday's game with the Phillies. Flores is batting .307, with 11 extra base hits, 25 RBI and seven fielding errors (mostly at short stop) in 29 games in Las Vegas.

The Mets are currently having internal discussions on when to promote pitching prospects Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, and Jacob deGrom. Columnist Andy Martino tweeted that Montero is more likely to be promoted than deGrom. Mets assistant GM John Ricco told WOR 710 that promoting young pitchers and throwing them into the bullpen to be the "saviors" is not an avenue the team wants to explore at the moment. It has been widely predicted that the Mets' young pitching will be promoted by June or July.

Mets demote Omar Quintanilla, what's next?

The Mets have announced that SS Omar Quintanilla has been designated for assignment.

The Mets also announced via twitter that his successor will come internally. This ends any speculation as to whether the Mets would sign free agent short stop Stephen Drew.

The likely option will be Wilmer Flores, who the Mets saw a lot of last summer. Flores had been auditioning at shortstop this spring. As for Quintanilla, he was 6-for-29 this season with three RBI in 15 games for New York.

Of all the people to be sent down, I didn't think think it would be Omar. I realize Quintanilla is not an offense player, but neither is the starting shortstop Ruben Tejada. All I heard in spring training was that scouts do not like Wilmer Flores at shortstop. He's too big. Flores profiles at more of a third or first baseman. So far this season in Triple-A, Flores has not done anything to stand out in the organizations mind. A recent twitter post stated the Mets are not optimistic he can be the team's every day shortstop. An interesting move indeed, and one we will have further coverage on. 

Mets waste a golden opportunity.

When the Mets left Citi Field last, they were 16-11. Fans and media alike were astonished how well the Mets were playing even though they're schedule was nothing less than daunting in April. Nontheless, the Mets were getting timely hitting, excellent starting pitching, and average bullpen pitching. The Mets left Citi Field ready to build on a 16-11 start, and make some noise. How did they fare? Not so well...

Colorado has always been a tough place for the Mets to play, but never was it as bad as the four game set the two teams played last weekend. Three straight Mets' starters were tagged for seven plus earned runs. On top of that, each pitcher lasted no longer than five innings. Where would the Mets be without Dillon Gee? Dillon was the lone pitcher to survive the fifth inning in that series. In fact, Gee pitched a shut out and the Mets escaped Colorado by the skin of their teeth. It's worth noting Curtis Granderson began performing like a $60 million dollar free agent in Denver. When the Mets began hitting, their starting pitching took a nose dive. Next came Miami...

This afternoon, the Miami Marlins completed a three game sweep of the Mets to send them one game under .500. Sure, if someone told me the Mets would be around .500 30 games into the season, I would've signed up for it. The Mets' starting pitching rounded back into form in Miami, but sadly, their offense acted like they were at Citi Field. Most know the Mets have a better record on the road than in their own home ballpark the past few seasons. Bullpen meltdowns, inconsistent hitting (Mets were shut out in back-to-back games) and poor defense cost the Mets a golden opportunity over this road trip to keep climbing over .500.

Game 33: Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup


1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Anthony Recker-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Zack Wheeler-RHP


The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 1-3, 5.13 ERA) vs. RHP Tom Koehler ( 3-2, 2.41 ERA)

Game 31: Mets vs. Marlins Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 2-4, 5.65 ERA) vs. Henderson Alvarez ( 1-2, 3.28 ERA)

A Comparison Between Carlos Beltran And Curtis Granderson's Numbers

When the Mets signed Curtis Granderson and the Yankees signed Carlos Beltran this past offseason, it was assumed that they would both put up big numbers and play a key role in each of their respective lineups. So far, they have both gotten off to slow starts. Beltran is .hitting 245 with 5 homers and 13 RBI's.  He's hit 9 doubles. He's drawn 6 walks. He has 11 runs scored.
Granderson is hitting .173 with 2 homers and 12 RBI's. He's only 4 doubles. He's drawn 14 walks. He also has 11 runs scored.

I think it's very interesting that even though Beltran and Granderson have hit for low averages, they have still found ways to get on base and score runs. This shows that as veteran hitters, they know the importance of getting on base and scoring. Granderson has shown a good eye this season with drawing 14 walks. He is typically prone to high strikeout totals and to not draw as many walks.
I find it surprising how their RBI totals are almost identical. Beltran has had more opportunities to drive in  runs since he plays in a better lineup and in a more hitter fielder ballpark. I expect Beltran's RBIs to increase as the season progresses. I'm hoping that Granderson is able to get more opportunities to drive in some more runs.

I think that Granderson will have some more extra base hits and become the power hitter the Mets expect him to. If the Mets and Yankees want to become contenders this season, both teams needs big production from Granderson and Beltran.

Game 30: Mets vs. Marlins Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-CF
5. Bobby Abreu-RF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Omar Quintanilla-SS
9. Jon Niese-LHP

The pitching matchup is Jon Niese ( 2-2, 2.20 ERA) vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi ( 2-1, 2.58 ERA)

Weekend Review: Colorado, Eric Young's injury, Granderson, and more

This past weekend saw the New York Mets drop three of four to the red hot Colorado Rockies. Looking ahead, the Mets try to keep climbing over .500 against the Marlins in Miami. Here are the highlights from the weekend that was:


Colorado is now a place of horrors for the New York Mets. The Mets entered into Denver with a 15-11 record, only to see is fall to 16-14 by weekend's end. Three of the four Mets' starters failed to get past the fifth inning. Jenrry Mejia surrendered eight runs on Saturday night, followed by a Kyle Farnsworth blown save. Dillon Gee was sensational in game four, helping the Mets run out of Denver with a W.

Eric Young Jr. was struck his cheekbone face by a batted ball while watching batting practice on Sunday, resulting in his removal from the lineup. E.Y. had a CT scan that came back negative, and he passed a concussion test.

Curtis Granderson woke up in Denver, belting a two run homer Friday night, and driving in three more runs in the remaining games. While not hitting many doubles, Curtis has gotten on base, driven in runs, and scored. In fact, the entire Mets' outfield hit in Colorado over the weekend combining to hit .403 with five RBI.

Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy, and David Wright all saw their batting averages climb over the weekend series against the Rockies.

Long-time Met fan Kyle Paul (@FLMetsFan973) put it this way, "If anything, I'm glad that this series was played this early in the season. Losing 3 out of 4 now practically means nothing. Losing 3 out of 4 in August or September could mean the difference between going to October and going home."

Jon Niese takes the ball for New York tonight in Miami, first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM and can be seen on SNY and heard on WOR 710.

Post Game: Mets 5, Rockies 1

On sunday afternoon in Denver, Colorado, the Mets (16-14) defeated the Rockies (19-14) by the score of 5-1. The Mets salvaged the last game of their four game set. Dillon Gee kept his scoreless inning streak intact at 16. Below are the highlights from today's contest:


Dillon Gee pitched seven brilliant innings. In a series where Mets' starters have failed to pitch past the fifth inning, a start like Gee's was exactly what the doctor ordered. The more you slice it, Gee is pitching like the Mets' ace.

Curtis Granderson continues his hot series with another RBI single in the first inning. Grandy's batting average has risen into .170s, and he's increased his RBI total from 7 to 12 in this series. Lets hope Curtis can keep it up in Miami and beyond.

Juan Lagares wasn't supposed to start today, but an injury to Eric Young forced Juan into action. What did he do? Only went 2-4 and kept his batting average over .300 for the season. On top of that, his defense never misses a beat. Lagares has looked solid since his return from the DL a few days ago.

Lucas Duda also kept up his hot hitting, adding an RBI double in the eight inning.

Jeurys Familia pitched the eight and ninth innings today, allowing one run in the ninth on a solo home run from Justin Morneau

Next up, the Mets travel to south beach to face the Miami Marlins in a three game set starting tomorrow at 7:10 PM

Weekly Fantasy Update

Hey everyone I'm back again with another weekly fantasy update. This week I'll highlight three more players that may interest you as a Fantasy Baseball Enthusiast in the coming week.

Omar Infante: At the second base position, which is a thin one, infant can be a guy that you can trust to produce points over a week. A great hitter, Infante has been hot as of late producing 55 points in the past week in standard ESPN leagues. He is batting in middle of a good hitting lineup where he will have plenty of opportunities to score and drive in runs. Owned in only 50% of the leagues, he should be imidiately added if you need a reliable second baseman.

Jarod Saltalamacchia: Owned in 27% of leagues, Salty has been on fire in the past week. He's batting .500 with 2 Home Runs and 4 RBI in the past 7 games. More importantly hes scoring runs and getting points scoring 7 times and knocking two doubles around the spacious Marlins Park outfield. The catcher position is thin so add him while you can as he is a great source of power and needs to be owned while the Marlins offense is on a roll.

Brandon McCarthy: My reach for the week is a pitcher who has had two great starts now back to back. Throwing 7 shutout against the Padres and in his previous start striking out 12 Phillies in 7 innings. McCarthy has suffered through injuries in recent years but looks healthy now. He is pitching against the Chicago White Sox this week, who is a team that has a lot of strikeout guys. If you need a swing or miss type of start, things could go either very well or terribly wrong for McCarthy.

Tune in next week for another installment.

Game 29: Mets vs. Rockies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Eric Young Jr-LF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Curtis Granderson-RF
5. Chris Young-CF
6. Lucas Duda-1B
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Omar Quintanilla-SS
9. Dillion Gee -RHP

The pitching matchup is Dillion Gee (2-1, 2.88 ERA) vs. RHP Jhoulis Chacin who is making his 1st start of the year. Last year, Chacin posted a record of 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA.

Game 28: Mets vs. Rockies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-LF
5. Curtis Granderson-RF
6. Anthony Recker-C
7. Lucas Duda-1B
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Jenrry Meija-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jenrry Meija ( 3-0, 3.49 ERA) vs. LHP Franklin Morales ( 3-1, 4.40 ERA)

Game 27: Mets vs. Rockies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup

1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Chris Young-LF
5. Curtis Granderson-RF
6. Josh Satin-1B
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Zack Wheeler-RHP

The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 1-2, 3.99 ERA) vs. LHP Jorge De La Rosa ( 2-3, 5.23 ERA)

Mets miss the mark on Hanrahan

The Mets missed out on a huge potential deal Friday as reliever Joel Hanrahan signed a deal with the Detroit Tigers. The deal is reportedly worth a guaranteed $1 Million dollars with incentives that could raise the contract to $3 Million. This deal would have been right up the Mets alley as they have the money to offer and desperately will need a proven closer that isn't past his prime ( see Farnsworth, Kyle and Valverde, Jose). Hanrahan has 80 saves over the last 3 seasons with 76 of those coming in the first two seasons with the Pirates before hurting his elbow with the Red Sox last season.

In 2010 Hanrahan struck out 100 batters in 69 innings which is approximately 1.5 strikeouts per inning. He routinely was throwing 100 MPH with a nice slider to go with the heat. Although coming off of the surgery, we will have to see what the gun reads when he throws. The tigers must have liked what they have seen to sign him as their 8th inning guy behind Nathan who has rebounded himself in past years to his old form. With a nice 1-2 punch at the back end of the pen, along with albuquerque in the 7th, the tigers look poised to be contenders for another World Series run.

Tonight's game: Lagares, Colon, and more

The team announced Thursday that outfielder Juan Lagares has been activated from the 15-DL. As a result, Kirk Niewenhuis has beens sent to Triple-A Las Vegas.

In tonight's game, the Mets will send out Granderson in right, Lagares in center, and Chris Young in left. Terry Collins recently sat down all four outfielders on the team and explained to them who will pay and when. Eric Young sits down tonight, but will he play when Granderson sits, or will Abreu? Maybe Abreu is strictly going to be used as a pinch hitter? Many questions are still to be answered, but for tonight, at least, the Mets go with what was projected to be their opening outfield back on March 31st.

Bartolo Colon (2-3, 4.50 ERA) will get the start for the Mets tonight. Many baseball fans know that Colorado may one of the top five places to hit in all of the game. It's no secret that the Rockies have three of the top five National League batting average leaders on their team, headlined by surprise youngster, Charlie Blackmon. What scares me tonight is that Colon, a fly ball pitcher, may get hit hard in that ballpark. Like against the Angels, Colon may be susceptible to the home run ball. Expect a high scoring game from both sides, even with the 18 game winner Colon on the hill.

Finally, I want to address the letter the Mets sent out yesterday. I received this letter at 1:22 PM. Not knowing what the heck it was, I opened it, only to read about how Mets fans are "true" New Yorkers. The letter reads on that we, fans and players, won both world series in 1969 and 1986. The connection between the players from the past and fans is emphasized over and over again. An apparent marketing scheme from the very beginning, the letter closes asking Mets fans to show their pride in the upcoming Subway Series match-up with the Yankees. I won't rant and rave for the next hour, and believe I could, over this letter, but I will just say that this was a joke. Fans from all over social media are doing nothing but mocking the Mets' newest pitch to get more fans in the ballpark. How about spend some money, and raise that payroll by say, $10 million more. Is that too much to ask?

Game 26: Mets vs. Rockies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Juan Lagares-CF
2. Daniel Murphy-2B
3. David Wright-3B
4. Lucas Duda-1B
5. Chris Young-LF
6. Curtis Granderson-RF
7. Travis d'Arnaud-C
8. Ruben Tejada-SS
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 2-3, 4.50 ERA) vs. Juan Nicaso ( 2-1, 5.27 ERA)

Mets can add bats and payroll, but a playoff run?

Sandy Alderson told the NY Times yesterday that the Mets have strong minor league pitching depth and the ability to make an impactful trade this summer.

Sandy Alderson's opening day payroll was $89 million dollars, significantly low for a New York based team. Sandy added, "We have the authority to go higher if it's necessary at the trade deadline."

As the Mets keep playing over .500 baseball, us baseball fans can't help but look ahead and ask how the Mets can get themselves better and try for a playoff run. Sandy's statements couldn't have come at a better time, when the team has been winning and looking ahead. The way I see it, Sandy has said a lot of things over his time here and New York regarding payroll flexibility, but the Mets opened the season in the bottom of the league payroll wise.

There's no doubt that the Mets have a ton of minor, and major league pitching. I've posted on this blog before that next year's starting five may be totally different from this years. Every current Mets starter is under contract for next season, and the Mets hope to add Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, and Rafael Montero in 2015. Where does that leave Gee, Neise, Colon, Mejia, and others?

Looking ahead at the summer trade deadline, I'm not quite sure exactly who will be available. I say, if  Sandy is able to add payroll, then go spend it on Stephen Drew. Ruben Tejada hasn't given the Mets a single prayer that he can be the starting short stop over the long haul. Trade wise, it would be ideal for the Mets to go after a big outfield bat such as Carlos Gonzales, Giancarlo Stanton, and others. Is it worth dealing two young starters for an impactful hitter? Tough question, and one that Sandy Alderson's legacy may rest on.