When the Atlanta Braves commit three errors in one inning, it better be pretty easy to score seven runs. Of course, having the game kept at 1-1 through the seventh certainly helps, too. Thank Zack Wheeler for part of that as he had another strong start on Sunday, going three innings, striking out three while allowing only three hits and one walk. Wheeler tossed a nice assortment of fastballs and breaking balls, and has showed improved command as he now has six Ks to just 1 BB so far this spring. Wheeler wants the ball on Opening Day, and he’s at the very least making his case a good one.
Noah Syndergaard didn’t fair quite as well, but that’s not necessarily a terrible thing. His Saturday numbers were three innings, two runs, three walks and three strikeouts. It might have been zero runs, but Eric Young, Jr. wasn’t able to come up with the ball after a diving play at second-base. Syndergaard knows that he needs to show a constant command, as well as add a third pitch to his already sterling fastball and curve. His changeup was finally feature in the third inning, and if he can develop that into even a decent third option to go along with his fastball touching 98mph and the “hook from hell”, then we could be looking at something very special for the future Mets rotation.
This is a complete side note but since Syndergaard already has the moniker of Thor, and the curveball is sometimes referred to as “dropping the hammer”; wouldn’t it make sense to call his curveball Mjolnir? Maybe that’s a little too nerdy.
So Wheeler did great, again. Syndergaard got his cape twisted, but if that helps him grow as a pitcher all the better. It was finally time to close out the weekend, and who better to do that than Bobby Parnell. After the Mets scored those seven runs against Atlanta on Sunday, it seemed the perfect time to put Parnell in. A no pressure situation, it would allow him to get his work in and give Met fans and the front office a chance to finally see if he’s ready or not to come back. It was a shaky outing at first, as Parnell wound up with the bases juiced and no one out, thanks in part to an error and some catcher interference. But in true closer fashion, he got a grounder that Danny Muno and Anthony Seratelli turned into a nice double play, allowing one run to score. Then he struck out Atlanta third baseman Tyler Greene on three pitches to end the game.
It was a sight for sore Met fans’ eyes this weekend. Three pitchers that the Mets will count on not just in 2014 but hopefully for years to come, all did well. Sprinkle in some fine play by young guys trying to make the club, or at least the 40-man roster, and it was a weekend for fans to stand up and cheer about. Sure there were some errors, and there’s lots of spring to play let alone the regular season. But after the way the first few games went, it was nice to see some winning for a change. Spring training games may not count toward winning a championship, but they do mean something.