There’s probably nothing more depressing than being released by the worst team in baseball. However, Rick Ankiel, who was released by the Astros last Sunday and signed by the Mets on Monday, luckily has another opportunity with a starting job. The Mets, however, have shown that they are truly desperate by signing the pitcher-turned-outfielder to a major-league deal. The deal is obviously not a big one and is considered to be low-risk, but what’s the…
Mets prized right-handed pitching prospect Zack Wheeler has had some trouble early this season. Wheeler is currently pitching at Triple-A Las Vegas and it’s a bit of a concern to see the Mets prospect struggle at the level that supposed to get him ready for the Majors. However, just because he’s had a bad start to the season doesn’t mean he’s going to be a bust. Wheeler has been doing what he’s known for doing…
The Mets’ starting rotation has been frustrating this season. Starters Jonathon Niese and Matt Harvey have turned out consistent — and at times superb — starts this season, however the rest of the rotation has been mediocre at best. Granted, it’s early yet, but no one has been more of a disappointment this season than Dillon Gee, whose starts have been solid at times, yet at other times he has struggled. Gee’s problems can probably…
This past week, rumors leaked that Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson was considering pursuing Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. The reports were that a package to get Stanton would likely include highly touted Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler and catcher Travis d’Arnaud. From the standpoint of the Mets’ needs, this trade could make sense, however it might be too high a price to pay. Nothing is wrong with Stanton, performance-wise. He’s only 23 years old and has…
Last Thursday night, Mets right-handed pitcher Matt Harvey did everything right. In his first start of the 2013 season, Harvey overpowered hitters with his fastball, dazzled with his slider, and kept them off balance with his changeup. Using these pitches in the right situations proved effective as Harvey allowed only one hit while striking out ten batters, and only giving up two walks. Harvey’s performance reminded Mets fans just how good the Mets staff will…
The Mets’ season starts on Monday and the roster is set. John Buck will be the catcher on opening day, and Jeremy Hefner will start the year off in the rotation. Prized catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud and pitcher Zack Wheeler are starting the 2013 season at Triple-A Las Vegas. With Wheeler, this was foreseeable because he was sent to the Minor League camp midway through spring training. However, some believe that d’Arnaud could have started…
On Friday, The Wall Street Journal published an article about the longevity of New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera and lefty Andy Pettitte. The article noted how both pitchers, who are in their 40’s now, have been able to pitch at such a high level so deep into their careers. It highlighted that Pettitte in particular, as he aged, learned how to pitch smarter. Pettitte understood that he didn’t need to throw 97 MPH to…
This past week, Mike Trout’s agent, Craig Landis, struck controversy when he stated that his client, an L.A. Angels outfielder, deserved a significant raise. Landis essentially suggested that the current major league free agency system, in which a player has to wait six years to obtain true market value, is unfair considering that younger players are some of the top producers on their respective teams. The Angels’ lack of accommodations to Landis’ complaints will probably…
Last week Mets fans saw something scary: Jenrry Mejia made his first spring-training appearance. The outing was less than ideal. In only one inning of work, Mejia gave up five runs total — four of them coming from a grand slam by Casey Kotchman. Mejia’s performance has come as a bit of a shock. The Dominican right-hander has been on the radar for a while as a Mets top prospect, however it seemed as though…
This past week, rumors bounced around about the idea of trading utility-man Justin Turner. It was reported that the Mets would not necessarily shop around Turner, but that they would listen to any offers that came along. On the one hand, trading Turner would make sense for a multitude of reasons, however Turner does offer some value in certain situations. The Mets may have a legitimate roster crunch. The combination of signing Latroy Hawkins, Pedro…
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