Game 60: Mets vs. Cubs Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Chris Young-CF
2. Curtis Granderson-RF
3. David Wright-3B
4. Eric Campbell-1B
5. Andrew Brown-LF
6. Wilmer Flores-2B
7. Ruben Tejada-SS
8. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Jacob deGrom-RHP

The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom (0-2, 2.42 ERA) vs. LHP Travis Wood ( 5-5, 5.15 ERA)

Game 59: Mets vs. Cubs Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Matt den Dekker-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. Daisuke Matsuzaka-RHP

The pitching matchup is Daisuke Matsuzaka ( 2-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Edwin Jackson ( 3-5, 4.81 ERA)

Game 58: Mets vs. Cubs Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Matt den Decker-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. Zack Wheeler-RHP

The pitching matchup is Zack Wheeler ( 2-5, 4.31 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta ( 1-1, 3.20 ERA)

The Mets dominated the Phillies, onto Chicago tonight.

Five games in five nights? That's just what the doctor ordered for the New York Mets, who miraculously have brought their season to respectability, only one game under .500. The Mets did a little of everything in this series, highlighted by even a grand slam from the Mets, something you only see once a decade (it feels like.)

The Mets success in Philadelphia is well documented, after winning their final six in Philly to end the 2013 campaign. A rain-out earlier in the season was added on to an already four game series featuring the Mets and Phillies. As the series began, the Mets were surrounded by a cloud of controversy after firing hitting coach Dave Hudgens due to a severe lack of offense. I said it before the series began and I can now say it with pride: A trip to Philly couldn't have come at a better time.

Zack Wheeler set the pace in game one on Thursday night, providing a strong outing and earning his second victory of the season. In games 2 and 3, the Mets and Phillies battled into the 14th inning, with each ball club splitting the extra innings affairs. In a ballpark where the Mets, and just about every other team, have success driving the ball, Met fans found their team in yet another offensive rut, and another extra inning game. Sunday's game saw the Mets and Phillies play only 11 innings this time. One swing from Lucas Duda in the 11th broke a 2-2 tie, while closer Jenrry Mejia locked down the Phillies in the bottom half of the eleventh and set the Mets on their way to a 27-29 record. Remember, this ball club was 22-28 one week prior.

Bartolo Colon finished the series off strong for the Mets, just as Zack Wheeler and Jon Neise did before him. When the Mets needed to give their bullpen some rest, remember this is an eleven game road trip with NO off day, Colon provided seven solid innings. The Mets offense woke up in a BIG way Monday night, capped off by a grand slam, and six RBI's from Wilmer Flores. Even the slumping Granderson hit one passed a drawn-in-infield to collect two RBI's and extend the Mets lead.

The Mets leave Philadelphia reluctantly, I would guess, after winning four of five and climbing right back to just under .500. Of course, we had to expect this from a Met team that just plays superior baseball on the road. Six more games remain on this trip, three against the abysmal Cubs, where the Mets can re establish themselves as an over .500 baseball team, before flying to San Fransisco and facing the Giants, who own the National League's best record. Maybe this Philly trip was just a mini hot streak, or maybe it's part of something bigger, but Mets fans finally watched all aspects of their team shine---pitching, offense, and defense.

Game 57: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

Mets Starting Lineup
1. Matt den Dekker- 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. Travis d'Arnaud-C
9. Bartolo Colon-RHP

The pitching matchup is Bartolo Colon ( 4-5, 4.73 ERA) vs. RHP Roberto Hernandez ( 2-3, 3.76 ERA)

Weekly Fantasy Update

This week I'm going to mix it up a little bit and show some guys who may help your team in other ways than stats!

Martin Prado- This guy plays every position in the book, being eligible to play the outfield, first base, and second base. The most valuable position out of those is definitely second base, but if you are adding and dropping players based on matchups and off days, you can slide prado around to multiple empty slots. It also doesn't hurt that he is starting to heat up and so is that Diamondbacks offense.

Josh Willingham- This guy just rips the ball no matter where he plays, who he faces, or what he had for breakfast! In the Yankee series, Willingham hit 2 Home Runs and drove in some key runs. This guy is clutch and will drive in some big runs for the Twins if he can get guys on in front of him like Dozier, Arcia, and Mauer. Pick him up while he's hot and don't hold onto him too long as he tends to hit streaks of multiple strikeout games.

Mike Aviles- Another guy that has eligibility at multiple positions, being third, short and second base. He is starting at the moment with Santana injured and he is producing. The eligibility along with the production goes well when setting him in the middle of a great Indians lineup.

Game 56: Mets vs. Phillies Starting Lineup and Pitching Matchup

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


The pitching matchup is Jon Niese ( 3-3, 2.74 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Hamels ( 1-3, 4.43 ERA)