The Mets rested many of their veterans after winning the first two games of the series and it paid off, as they emerged with a 3-2 win and a sweep of the Twins Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.

  • The Mets looked primed to blow the game wide open in the first inning, as their first five runners reached base and they had a 2-0 lead with the bases loaded. But the Twins escaped further damage, as Travis d’Arnaud hit a line shot up the middle that was caught and ended up as a double play and newly-activated Lucas Duda reminded us he’s in the Wilmer Flores/James Loney speed category as he was thrown out by three steps on a slow infield grounder.
  • T.J. Rivera continues to turn heads. He had two hits, including a solo homer, and made a nice defensive play at 2B in the ninth inning to help rob Joe Mauer of a hit. He batted second in the makeshift lineup today. He may not bat that high again but it’s likely he’s earned the starting second base job going forward.
  • Gabriel Ynoa got the start and pitched very well. In a curious move, he was removed with two outs in the fifth inning, just shy of qualifying for the win. The pitching change nearly backfired, as the Mets had to use two pitchers after Ynoa to get the final out.
  • Jerry Blevins got the final four outs to earn his second save in September.
  • It was another good outing for Josh Smoker, his seventh straight scoreless outing. After allowing runs in four of his first eight games, Smoker has lowered his ERA to 4.38 for the year, to go along with a 10.5 K/BB ratio. He could be the club’s new seventh-inning guy going forward.
  • The Mets are now 20-7 in their last 27 games. When everyone was anointing the Cubs World Series champs due to their hot start, they were 21-6. And no one mentioned that they were beating up on the Angels, Diamondbacks, Reds, Rockies, Brewers and Braves.

30 comments on “Gut Reaction: Mets 3, Twins 2 (9/18/16)

  • Jimmy P

    Thrilled with the sweep, glad for where the Mets currently stand. Kind of amazing, when you consider the pitchers we are rolling out there.

    It is fair to recognize that the Mets just played the absolute worst team in baseball, late in the season, and they were awful.

    The schedule has broken the right way.

    • Brian Joura

      I’m very happy with the sweep, too.

      If the Mets had played these bad teams earlier in the year, they would have had a better record and likely be a few games up in the Wild Card chase. No one was jumping for joy when the schedule had us playing 23 games out of 26 against over .500 clubs

      And the Mets played the Twins when they were, for them, relatively hot. They had scored 79 runs in their last 14 games. It seems it would have been better to start off the year against them, when they were 0-9, when they scored just 14 runs. Or late April – early May, when they were 1-12 and scored 45 runs.

      I didn’t see the first game but I did not leave the last two games thinking the Twins played awful. I think the Reds looked worse.

    • DED

      I believe if Gsellman and Ynoa had come through the system during a time of scarcity — if Grant Roberts of Jae Seo was the big name, instead of the power arms of DeGrom, Harvey, Fulmer, Matz, Noah — the perception of them would be entirely different. They suffer from the comparison, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t succeed in the Major Leagues.

      • Jimmy P

        Forget perception. Forget forecasts. It is insane that the Mets are winning in the stretch drive of a WC race with an array of guys who have no Major League experience whatsoever. Zero!

        It is a bubble floating in the wind.

        And that’s one of the reasons why this drive is so incredible, so spectacular, so appealing. The pure unpredictable craziness of this happening.

        • Jimmy P

          Found this stat elsewhere:

          >> Ynoa’s start marked the Mets’ 11th game started by a rookie this year (6 by Lugo, 4 by Gsellman, 1 by Ynoa). Combined, they have gone 64 innings with a 2.67 ERA, 1.203 WHIP, and 2.78 K/BB ratio. The Mets are 8-3 in those games. <<

          • Brian Joura

            The Mets went a long time this year only using six starters. That they’ve gotten this production from guys 9-10-11 (approximately) is wonderful.

          • IB

            If the Mets take the wild card, how deep can they go in the playoffs with this staff? Worrisome. But, what a run of good ball and a fun reason to turn the game on every night!

            • IDRAFT

              Nailed it.

        • DED

          Sure, the Mets are getting much more out of these newby’s than anyone had a right to expect; but it’s not as though this sort of thing has never happened before.

          In fact what is happening for the Mets is, if anything, less dramatic than the work the Oakland A’s got out of a cast of rookies in 2012, when A. J. Griffin, Tommy Malone and Jerrod Parker helped to propel their team to a 94 win season.

          Of course, that A’s team had the steadying influence of an old hand, Bartolo Colon, and the strong offensive performance of a newcomer from Cuba, one Yoenis Cespedes, so I guess the parallel isn’t all that exact.

      • Brian Joura

        Yeah, DED, this is right on the money. We even saw this last year with Fulmer, who additionally was a high pick who was succeeding in Double-A and not getting a lot of attention because he wasn’t one of the sexy prospects you mentioned earlier.

        Although, it’s also a lot easier to succeed when all of the good fortune metrics are breaking your way.

  • Jimmy P

    In related news, Yoenis Cespedes left the game early due to dizziness and nausea.

    Ray Ramirez diagnosed him as pregnant. Said Ramirez, “As long as Mets avoid morning games, Cespedes should be okay.”

    • NormE

      Funny!

  • Name

    Personally, i would like to see Duda out there everyday, since a wild card game is all but guaranteed at this point.

    • Brian Joura

      Yes, if Duda is physically able to, he should be starting and getting as many ABs as possible.

  • Eraff

    Name…that’s just over the top

  • Metsense

    Another sweep! The Reds, the Marlins and now the Twins were swept. That is tough to do.
    I wonder why TC pulled Ynoa after only 76 pitches and one out away from a win?
    TJ Rivera is making the most of his playing time. Two hits from Conforto was good to see. It would be nice to get Duda as many at bats as possible with the caveat that he has to get some hits to continue playing. Right now Blevins looks like the 7th inning man with very adequate support from Smoker, Salas and Robles as second tier relievers.
    Lets hold onto the homefield playoff advantage and take the series from Atlanta.

    • Jimmy P

      * On the quick hook: Appropriately, TC went into the game thinking that he’d have Ynoa on a short leash. He hasn’t started in a while. And despite Ynoa’s success thus far in the game, TC may have felt unconvinced. I admit to sharing those feelings. I was not thinking “hook” at that precise moment, but I understood the concerns behind the move.

      Edgin, again, did well and the lefty hitter was lucky to bloop that soft fly for a hit.

      * On 7th-inning guy: I don’t really see the need for a strict definition, especially where it concerns Blevins, whom I see as a tactical weapon. I know there’s a bias here against the lefty specialist, but when a team’s dangerous left-handed bat comes up in a high-leverage situation, Blevins is the bullet I’d still like to have left in the chamber. Seems like Smoker, Salas, and Robles are three clear guys to join Familia, Reed, and Blevins. After that, there’s room to debate the 3 G’s: Gilmartin, Goeddel, Gsellman, as well as Henderson, Edgin & Verrett. Choices, arms.

      * Great sweep: Taking care of business and, considering Saturday night’s nail-biter, working overtime. I was constantly aware & grateful we were playing the Twins, a very bad baseball team. We handled Dozier well, and that pretty much ended the threat.

      * I loved Joe Mauer for years — one of the great swings in the game, and a catcher too — but he’s almost just a singles hitter now. Nice to see him play, but at 1B, and at this point, his career is in the rear-view mirror. It’s difficult for teams to ease out that kind of franchise player. Polanco was the only other interesting guy. If I was Twins, and Buxton was my #2 overall, I’d be nervous. He’s only 22, but a lot of swing-and-misses. They whiffed on Hicks, too. Super athletic, toolsy picks who can’t play. Sets the rebuild back another 5 years.

      • Eraff

        Buxton will be 23 at Christmas… he’s been wearing that Top Prospect Tag for a long time!

        They can afford to give him ab’s….the danger is that he could treat them as “free”…. the talent and power are fairly well established, and expected. He has a .329 BABIP plus an ISO of almost .200, while striking out 40% of the time…. 250 or so ab’s.

        Those are some extreme stats…. He’s adjusting, but he’s obviously trying to put on a Light Show. They need him to grow out as a hitter while they are playing meaningless games—not meaningless for Him!

  • ROBERT E WYANT

    Editor’s Note – This post deleted for violating our Comment Policy.

    • NormE

      All caps?

    • TexasGusCC

      Please do not capitalize words in your post, as that is a violation of our Comment Policy.

      • Brian Joura

        He made a post yesterday doing the same thing. I adjusted it and put in the note but to no avail. Thanks to you and Norm for chiming in.

        • Chris F

          That one single policy I believe makes a world of difference regarding the tone of dissenting, even strongly dissenting, views. I applaud you for keeping that a guide for all contributors.

          • Brian Joura

            Thanks Chris, I really appreciate that.

  • Eraff

    Caps allows my Inner eecummings to be expressed…and it also helps with my poor typing skills.

    I “Cap” for emphasis and Rhythm…. while I do plainly agree with the concept that All Caps is both unreadable and rude (often Purposely so), I believe the “policy” here is over-thought and over-wrought. I believe we should decide between that which is shouting and that which is effective and expressive.

    That said, I have great respect for The Editor and the work of all editors…and even more respect for any BlogMeister–most especially our BlogMeister who sets a nice surface for our word play and interaction. It’s a tough job to manage so many “non-commissioned writers”…so, my held beliefs are expressed respectfully, and my expectations bowed to the decision of our worthy and watchful Mr. Joura.

  • MattyMets

    I sure hope we can at least get Matz back. Hard to imagine battling the Cubs with only 1 of the big 5 healthy. And if Noah starts the wild card game, that means he’d only get 1 start in the division series.

  • Eraff

    There is a Gentleman posting elsewhere who explains his “all caps” as a consequence and coping device for his specific disability— I don’t know the disability and the specifics.

    • Chris F

      I am certain if such a person wanted to post here with that disability a note to Brian explaining that would be welcomed. I’ve never seen the boss discourage participation in this forum. The all caps policy is a basis of civility, and from my perspective, very appreciated. There are *ways* to get “emphasis” that accomplish the same thing without the inherent yelling attached to caps.

      🙂

  • Eraff

    BTW—Terry Collins is the Manager of The Year…imho

    • IDRAFT

      +10.

      A remarkable job.

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