Daniel Murphy dazzles, Bobby Parnell ponders and Johan Santana surges

Daniel Murphy was one of several Mets to have a big game in Thursday’s come-from-behind win against Jonathan Papelbon and the Phillies. Lost amid the ninth-inning heroics was the excellent defensive play he made in the top of the eighth that saved at least one run. Murphy ranged far to his right to snag a [...]

The 2012 Mets: What Can We Expect In The Second Half?

The first half ended with a bang, the second began with a whimper. In game #81, attended by a Citi Field record 42,516 souls – of which I was one – that rare bird, a Met laugher, the Mets became a 44-37 team. As Jonathon Niese set down Phillie after Phillie, as Daniel Murphy flirted [...]

Roundtable: Which prospects are the Mets most likely to trade?

I reached out to friends in the Mets blogosphere recently to ask the following question: What three prospects are the Mets most likely to trade before the end of the 2012 season? These guys all do great work and their names are hyperlinked to their blogs so please go ahead and click on them to [...]

Feeling Good About The 2012 Mets

I never thought that would be a headline. Coming into the year, I mostly bought the MSM narratives about the Mets’ awfulness. I steeled myself against the inevitable onslaught of negative news stories, ridicule from the Bronx and Philadelphia, braying on the airwaves and early-season rain. Even after a 4-0 bolt out of the gate, [...]

Being stingy with walks fuels Jonathon Niese’s hot stretch

In the last five games the Mets are 4-1 while the Phillies are 0-5. Combined with New York being six games over .500 and Philadelphia nine games under, it’s understandable why the Mets come into their three game-set with the defending NL East champs almost a bit cocky. Josh Thole is shooting to go 5-1 [...]

Omar Minaya, Sandy Alderson share credit for 2012 Mets success

This year has been a lot of fun for the Mets and their fans. Expectations were low coming into the season and the Mets have instead played like a team that has designs playing in the postseason. After what the team has been through the past three years, 2012 feels like a cool breeze on [...]

Mets in the market for an ace like Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke?

The Mets are 42-36 as the All Star break draws nearer.  It’s become clear that they will be in the market for one or more relievers, with their eyes on a closer who might be more effective than the hit-or-miss Frank Francisco.  They also need to be a little worried about the rotation as pitchers [...]

Will Bobby Parnell seize this new opportunity at closing games?

In his first chance at closing a game in the absence of Frank Francisco, Bobby Parnell threw a flawless ninth inning and slammed the door shut, preserving the Mets 3-2 win over the Dodgers on Thursday night and recording his first save of the season. So the age-old question arises once again. Is Parnell ready [...]

Tim Byrdak’s dominance, Torres’ BB rate, Wright’s records

If you ask most National League lefty batters which southpaw they hate to face in the late innings, undoubtedly most would say Aroldis Chapman of the Reds, who has limited LHB to a .367 OPS while recording an 8.67 K/BB ratio. But the Mets have quite a weapon of their own to neutralize big lefty [...]

Mets Still Struggle (Slightly) in Toss-Up Games

Well that was fun, wasn’t it? A day after the immediate future of the Mets was bemoaned in some circles – this one, in particular – they blasted four homeruns, stroked six doubles and posted a 17-1 rout of the Chicago Cubs. (I almost called them the “Flubs,” but then I remembered the Metsian follies [...]

Ike Davis breaking out of slump in big way

Well, that 17-1 trouncing of the Cubs on Wednesday was exactly what the Mets desperately needed in more ways than one. First, the Mets ended a four-game losing streak and expunged the bad taste left in their mouths by losing their last two games to the Yankees, while also exorcising their demons of comic mishaps [...]