Before the first game of the 2020 season, Keith Hernandez speculated that the hitters would be ahead of the pitchers. Then the first game the Mets won, 2-1 and the second game was 2-2 before the Mickey Mouse rules of extra innings added four more runs to the final ledger. But is that because the [...]
There are two thoughts about the Mets’ starting pitchers that most people have, even if they don’t typically go together. The first is that the team will be successful largely on the backs of their starters. Few would predict the Mets to make the playoffs if Jacob deGrom came down with a season-ending injury in [...]
The Mets addressed their need for a true center fielder by acquiring Jake Marisnick from the Astros for two minor leaguers. Marisnick had a very good year in 2017, when he posted an .815 OPS over 259 PA. Other than that season, it’s been an offensive profile similar to Juan Lagares, with an OPS+ right [...]
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the Mets have gone 15-1 in their last 16 games. And their strong play started before that, with their nearly unbeatable stretch only interrupted by three extra-inning losses in San Francisco when the Giants were playing their best ball of the season. Everyone is looking [...]
There are always wild and wacky stats early in the year. Perhaps my favorite Mets-related one is that the team is undefeated when they have a lead after six innings. When starting pitching was supposed to be a strength of the team, this would seem to add up to a great record for the club. [...]
In some ways, Amed Rosario is one of the most important guys on the team. With no true backup shortstop on the roster, the Mets are counting on Rosario to stay healthy and be able to play in 150 games this year. And most feel if he’s able to duplicate his offensive output from the [...]
Most of us know better than to judge pitchers by their win totals. At the same time, we want to see pitchers, especially starters, get rewarded if they pitch well with the W. That’s what made Jacob deGrom’s season last year frustrating. It was the best pitching performance by a Mets hurler in a generation [...]
The hope with the hiring of Brodie Van Wagenen is that it won’t be business as usual for the Mets. Perhaps nowhere does this have more potential to help than with how the club handles its young players. We all remember last year when Sandy Alderson brought in Adrian Gonzalez for his age 36 season [...]
Michael Conforto has homered in three straight games, two behind the club record of five straight contests, set by Richard Hidalgo back in 2004, when three of them came against the Yankees. Conforto hit his first two against the Phillies and then last night’s blast came against the Marlins. But Conforto’s hot hitting extends further [...]
Neither Steven Matz nor Zack Wheeler got off to promising starts in 2018. Through games of May 19, Matz had a 4.42 ERA and had only pitched six innings in one of his eight games. And Wheeler had a 5.92 ERA after seven games and allowed 6 HR in 38 IP. Both were healthy. After [...]
You know you’re off to a rough start when you allow 4 ER in 4 IP and your ERA goes down. But that’s what free agent acquisition Jason Vargas is going through right now. He’s made three starts, managed just 12.1 IP and has allowed 19 ER, which works to a 13.86 ERA. He’s allowed [...]
One criticism of the Mets of recent vintage is that they let the tail wag the dog, especially when it comes to Matt Harvey. So it was both surprising and encouraging to see them act decisively in sending Harvey to the bullpen, soon after he declared to the world that he was a starting pitcher. [...]