Tag Archives: Mets

Jul 22

Three Mets’ Storylines: This Is Why They Got Reyes

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The Mets gambled bringing back Jose Reyes because they needed a leadoff hitter to spark their listless offense. What they envisioned came to fruition Friday night in Miami in what truly can be described as a must-win game.

Reyes ripped three hits, scored two runs, drove in another, stole a base and had several sparkling defensive plays in a 5-3 victory to pull them within a half-game of the Marlins for the final wild-card spot.

REYES: Huge spark tonight. (Getty)

REYES: Huge spark tonight. (Getty)

“I needed to step up my game a little bit and set the tone,” Reyes told SNY. “We know we had to win the first game of the series because they have [Jose] Fernandez going tomorrow and he’s one of the best pitchers in the league.”

The Mets’ offense still has holes, but if Reyes keeps having games like Friday’s, leadoff won’t be one of them.

“This guy produces runs,” manager Terry Collins told reporters. “We have a lot of games left to play and hopefully he’ll be a big part of our line-up. … Hopefully, he’ll have a lot more like this.”

In addition to Reyes, the Mets got two sacrifice flies from Yoenis Cespedes and a two-run homer by James Loney.

Reyes did commit a throwing error, but overall his defense at third has exceeded expectations. More games like Friday’s will greatly increase Reyes’ chances of coming back next year.

The following are the other two storylines in the game the Mets needed:

BULLPEN SCRIPT: In their perfect world, the Mets want a bullpen script of Hansel Robles in the seventh (he also got the last two outs in the sixth), Addison Reed in the eighth and Jeurys Familia in the ninth.

Of course, with Familia it isn’t always easy. Cespedes misplayed Christian Yelich’s line drive into a double and Familia walked Marcell Ozuna to bring the tying run to the plate.

However, as he did in Chicago, Familia regrouped and struck out Derek Dietrich, and after Martin Prado’s RBI single, Adeiny Hechavarria grounded out to lock down his 50th straight save.

The bullpen picked up Logan Verrett, who gave up two runs in 5.1 innings, which should merit another start in the rotation. However, I’m not sure if he’s shown enough to prevent the Mets

WALKER STRUGGLES: Second baseman Neil Walker, who captivated Mets’ fans with nine homers and 19 RBI in April, continued to flounder as he went 0-for-5 to see his average drop to .242 and on-base percentage slide to .311.

Walker has only two hits in his last 32 at-bats in the last nine games he’s played.

With Fernandez being a tough nut to crack, it might not be a bad idea of resting him Saturday and letting Wilmer Flores play second.

Jul 21

Mets Should Hope Cespedes Leaves

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If the Mets were truly honest with themselves, they might secretly be hoping for Yoenis Cespedes to exercise is one-year opt out and hit the market, where they can let him walk and develop their young outfielders.

There’s been speculation lately of giving Cespedes an extension now, which would create a splash but wouldn’t be in the best long-term interest of the Mets. It could set them back a few years.

CESPEDES: Let him Go. (AP)

CESPEDES: Let him Go. (AP)

The upside of letting Cespedes go is it would enable the Mets to develop their young outfielders: Juan Lagares, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.

It would also allow them to funnel some of the money Cespedes would receive to signing some of their young pitching: Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Considering he’s coming off surgery and how poorly he’s pitched this year, signing Matt Harvey has dropped on the priority meter.

It must also be considered if Harvey and Zack Wheeler don’t bounce back, and they don’t have Bartolo Colon return, they would need to spend for a pitcher in the off-season. They must also address their bench and bullpen needs.

One of the obstacles to bringing back Cespedes is where to play him – and everybody else – if he won’t play center. I’m not crazy about having the player dictate where he will and won’t play. If Cespedes can’t, or won’t, play center he should leave. The Mets wanting him back was predicated on him playing center.

What the last few weeks with Cespedes’ strained quad taught us is: 1) he really doesn’t want to play center, which is something GM Sandy Alderson should have resolved before re-signing him, 2) neither Conforto and Nimmo have much experience in center, which is where they would figure to play, and 3) Lagares, who is on a long-term deal, would be the odd-man out.

Also bothersome in keeping Cespedes have been his brain and hustle lapses. And this year, in addition to his quad, his wrist, ankle and hip have slowed him down this year.

When Cespedes was playing for a contract last year it was with the drive of having something to prove. However, this year he’s proven to be too brittle and problematic.

If the Mets can get out from under Cespedes’ contract they’ll be lucky.

Jul 20

Three Mets’ Storylines: Just A Mess

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The buzz after Tuesday night’s escape was it was the type of game the Mets could parlay into a run that would enable them to make another run at the playoffs.

Instead, with a patchwork lineup, the Mets’ sizzle turned to fizzle in one of their worst games of the season.

FLORES: Needs to play. (Getty)

FLORES: Needs to play. (Getty)

Bartolo Colon didn’t have it from the outset and the Mets’ offense was a rumor in Wednesday afternoon’s 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

The Mets are now 11-37 when scoring three runs or less, and their impotent offense goes into Miami, where they have always had a hard time.

“They are all big now,” Collins told reporters. “We have to go in there and win two. No doubt it will be a big weekend for us.”

Perhaps it is their biggest of the season.

Wednesday’s other storylines were:

MAKESHIFT LINEUP: With the off-day Thursday, Collins decided to rest Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker and Yoenis Cespedes, which would give them two days off in a row.

Collins said they were tired, which is odd considering the All-Star break was last week and Cespedes has played in just three games since July 8. However, if he used Wilmer Flores on a rotation basis to rest his infield, and Cespedes was on the DL as he should be, there might be a different edge to the offense.

Flores hit another home run today and is batting .412 with seven home runs and 13 RBI in 11 games since July 3. However, he has started only two of the last six games.

Collins said Flores would start Friday against Marlins lefty Adam Conley, but he should be playing more. Much more.

Kelly Johnson started Wednesday and went 4-for-4. He usually produces when given the chance and should be in there Friday.

Last year, Collins said if players were hitting they would play. Both Flores and Johnson should play Friday.

GRANDERSON’S BRAIN CRAMP: One of the few Mets remotely hitting is Curtis Granderson, but his inexplicable brain meltdown in the first seemed to set the tone for the game.

Granderson attempted to bunt his way on but fouled off the pitch. It’s not a bad thought because he had the element of surprise, but gave that away with two more bunt attempts, including with two strikes that he fouled off.

What was he thinking?

 

Jul 20

Mets Should Have Placed Cespedes On The DL

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The Mets’ handling of Yoenis Cespedes’ strained quad by manager Terry Collins and GM Sandy Alderson has been ridiculous and isn’t getting smarter by the day.

CESPEDES: Should be on DL. (Getty)

CESPEDES: Should be on DL. (Getty)

Looking at the Mets’ all-or-nothing offense – constructed by Alderson – I see the urgency of why they want to play Cespedes, but the prudent thing would have been to place him on the disabled list retroactive to July 9.

On July 8, Cespedes misplayed a ball hit over his head that resulted in him straining his right quad. He sat out the next four games – which spanned the All-Star break – before returning to the lineup, July 17.

Remember, stints on the DL are measured in days and not games. The Mets made the right call in giving him the break to see if he could have bounced back. However, it was clear Cespedes wasn’t ready when he returned to the lineup, July 17. Since then, Cespedes has played and looked terrible in three games, going 1-for-10, and did not play Wednesday.

Even worse, by playing him the Mets lost the opportunity to back-date the time on the disabled list. Had the Mets done the right thing, Wednesday would be his 12th day on the disabled list, which means if everything went well, he could play Sunday in Miami.

But, after what Collins told reporters prior to the game, Cespedes isn’t ready and figures to be a liability against the Marlins. That is, if he plays at all, or doesn’t hurt himself further and eventually goes on the disabled list.

If that happens, nobody knows when the Mets will have a reasonably healthy Cespedes.

“We know his leg is, by far, not close to being 100 percent,” Collins said. “We saw it last night. We do not need him to blow that out in a day game after a night game, especially with a day off tomorrow.”

If Cespedes isn’t close now, then what was he a week ago?

As it is, the Mets’ outfield is muddled and will remain so with Cespedes at half-speed. And, even when Cespedes plays, it will be restricted to left field, leaving Collins to figure out who will play right and center.

The Mets’ outfield remains a cluster, and neither Collins nor Alderson seem capable of unraveling the mess.

Jul 19

Three Mets’ Storylines: Syndergaard Answers Questions

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SYNDERGAARD: Answers questions. (Getty)

SYNDERGAARD: Answers questions. (Getty)

Unquestionably, the most important storyline from Tuesday’s Mets’ game was Noah Syndergaard came out of it physically unscathed.

In his previous start 11 days ago, Syndergaard left his last game against Washington with the abstract diagnosis of “arm fatigue.” Of course, his early departure came on the heels of a bone spur in his elbow. And, the spur came after two exams of that elbow this season.

And, the spur came after two exams of that elbow this season.

The Mets’ 2-1 victory, while important, it wasn’t as significant as Syndergaard’s health, which was tested with 105 pitches.

“The arm fatigue is obviously gone,” manager Terry Collins told reporters. “He had to really work hard [to get out of trouble]. I thought it was a good outing for him.”

The Cubs had runners on second and third in the first two innings, in which he wriggled out of; scored an unearned run in the third; and had two on in the fourth.

The Cubs could have blown the game open if they could run the bases and hit with runners in scoring position, a problem evidently not exclusive to the Mets.

Of course, we’ll know more about Syndergaard tomorrow, but currently, all signs are positive.

The other key storylines are:

FAMILIA, UNBELIEVABLY, STAYS PERFECT: Jeurys Familia’s consecutive saves streak was over. How could it not have been when the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth?

Familia walked the first two hitters, then Jose Reyes misplayed Javier Baez’s bunt attempt by not letting the ball foul.

With the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Matt Szczur grounded to first and James Loney made a perfect throw to the plate for the force.

Kris Bryant followed with a grounder to third that Reyes converted into a 5-4-3 game-ending double play.

“He’s a fighter,” catcher Rene Rivera said of Familia’s ability to escape. “He had the focus to come back and throw strikes and get the ground ball.”

Familia has converted 49 straight save opportunities dating back to last season, and 33 in a row this year.

RIVERA HAS HUGE GAME: Rivera, who doesn’t play nearly enough, had three hits, including driving in the game-winning run with a single to right in the ninth inning.

Rivera also made a snazzy tag at the plate to nail Jake Arrieta, with the out coming on an instant-replay reversal.

He also made a throwing error that allowed the Cubs’ run to score, but it can’t all be perfect, although on this night the ending sure was.