Recently, the Mets have been on the decline, a combination of shaky offense with less than stellar pitching. Because of this decline, the Mets have made a series of changes to the roster. This includes the demotion of Josh Satin, banishment to the bullpen for Jenrry Mejia, the arrival of Wilmer Flores, and Jacob deGrom’s call up (not Gonzalez Germen’s fault). This has led the Mets to change the clubhouse to more of a youth movement, and the hope is that the youngsters can provide a nice energy. With all these changes, the rotation could be a little different than it is now.
Rotation:
1) Dillon Gee
As if there was any surprise to this. Gee has been amongst the best starting pitchers over the past year, and is showing zero signs of slowing down. Unless a crazy trade goes down, Gee will continue to be the underrated ace of the staff and a fan favorite.
2) Jon Niese
Another obvious one, Niese is currently one of the top pitchers in the National League. He is under a team-friendly contract through 2018, and his main competitor is still a while away (Steven Matz). Niese will be the rock of the staff until the day the season ends.
3) Zack Wheeler
While many are already having serious doubts on the talented righty, the critics should look at the extremely solid 3.15 FIP. This shows that theoretically he should be giving up at least a half-run less. If Wheeler goes on a crazy stretch mid-way through the season do not be surprised. Wheeler should solidify himself as one head of the three-headed monster that will be the Mets rotation.
Making his MLB debut on Wednesday, Montero is still a toss-up. In all likelihood his season will be bursting out of the gate, struggle in the middle, and finish strong. It’s hard to really say anything on him, as many have not seen him pitch in person or on television. All in all he should be pitching in the rotation by the all-star break.
What is there to say about the kid? He is an incredible talent with a quenching thirst for the big leagues. Bartolo Colon will not be starting in this spot either because of his poor pitching resulting in a release or he is traded to an American League contender. Syndergaard will spring up ready to take his spot. Many do not predict him to actually make an immediate impact, which is okay because he still holds a ton of talent.
Disagree. For a couple of weeks I have said that Wheeler is the one that needs to go to the bullpen to work on his stuff. So, after listening to Darling and Hernandez tonight breaking him down (how he slows down to throw curves) and seeing his lack of control, he needs to be fixed. Bullpen! Colon may be wild in the strike zone, and but hopefully we are all wrong and he does indeed care, but as of now I am hoping he gets on a roll. Wheeler on the other hand has things to work on.
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Montero and Syndergaard have never pitched a major league inning. Colon and Wheeler still need to work on their stuff. Mejia and deGrom appear headed to the bullpen but let’s not forget they also can start. Matsuzakis would probably be a 5th starter on many pitching poor teams. That leaves seven pitchers for three spots ( or 5 if you eliminate Mejia and deGrom) because Gee and Niese are established and performing. It looks like at the all star break there will be plenty of options so that the five best performers will earn their rotation spot and I hope the front office sees it the same way.
I think you gave a good assessment of the Mets starter. Watching Wheeler pitch last night against the Yankees was torture. None of his secondary pitches where thrown as strikes. Also season he has pitched into deep counts, getting two strikes, but unable to put away the hitter. He’s only 23, and has growing pains. Putting a starting pitcher in the bullpen, who has control problems isn’t prudent. I think fans, including my, expectations for Wheeler coming coming into the season were to high. We thought he was going to develop as fast as Harvey. That is not happening. The Mets might be bring him on to fast. Don’t lose your confidence in him, because Wheels will be one of the best pitchers in baseball, but maybe not this season.
As for Colon, if the Mets can get anything for him, get it. It was a terrible pick up, with all these young arms. I didn’t like it when the Mets signed him, and do don’t look for big things from him.
Meija shouldn’t look at going to the pen as a demotion. Someone has to be consistent as a closer or late inning. Baseball is the most individualist of team sports. I his move, it’s being done for the team. He should look at it like when the Braves moved Smoltz to the closer for a few seasons.
I didn’t get the Met broadcast last night, and had to listen to the Yankee side. The Yankee broadcasters were waiting for the Mets relievers to implode, and felt the game wasn’t over, even though they were six runs behind. Due to injuries to the Yankee hitters this never happened. After 3 games at home and 3 in Miami, the Mets line-up exploded for the three games at Yankee Stadium a hitters paradise. It was like they were let out of prison.
This is a GM/coaching staff that stayed committed to Ruben Tejada without a large contract or any real established track record.
Do you think, even for a second, that Bartolo Colon is not part of this rotation through *at least* the ASB? Can’t happen. Zack Wheeler gets sent to the pen long, long, long before Colon.
Gee Niese Colon Syndergaard Wheeler
and Montero in the pen (if he is even still in Queens).
If Wheeler is going to be sent anywhere to work on his control, it should be down to Las Vegas. His stuff is electric. A 96 mph fastball with movement, I mean come on! But he has absolutely no idea where those pitches are going to land. If he has to take it down to 94-93 in order to locate, then so be it. He can always ratchet it up when needed. It’s just really disheartening right now to see the Mets score runs, then have a starting pitcher give those runs right back while walking 6 in 4.1 innings. That’s bad pitching.
Hope deGrom will do well. Can’t wait for Harvey’s return…
By the way, can anyone explain to me what Dice-k’s contract is? I’ve heard that he told Japanese media when he got first save, ” I’m not as happy as I thought I would be”, ” I don’t intend to stick around in the bullpen”. They think he’ll try to get out of Mets by June if he doesn’t get to start,( which is foolish because it doesn’t seem anyone wants him as a starting pitcher anywhere else, either) but I’m not sure he can do that, as far as Mets keeps him in the major?
pssst:
don’t make too much noise about it, don’t attract any attention … you might make the mojo go away.
But check out the Mets splits for May. Wright Grandy Murph all around 1000 OPS for the month.
Thank you Coors and Yankee stadium.
I might just still be traumatized from watching Jason Bay swing & miss for three years, but the Mets are not a meritocracy. They are not going to release $20 million.
We are not going to release Colon and pay him his remaining 17 million to pitch for another team who will definetly pick him up. Colon will pitch for the Mets at least to the trade deadline. If the Mets think they can go with Montero and Syndergaard for the rest of the year then maybe they;ll trade Colon if he’s pitcher better… but remember both those pitchers will be on innings limits, so we’ll have to keep Dice-K for depth.
A more likley scenario is that if colon does not continue to picth well, he’ll “develop” an injury in july.august to put him on the DL for a few weeks and after that he’ll be given some time to work out his problems in the minor with some rehab starts. If he gets it together and has agood end of the year.. then he’ll be a starter in the playoffs (yes you heard me right.. i went there) and then he’ll be traded to a desperate team in the off season.
How about a trade,? How about Sandy going for that playoff spot and that 90 wins? Trade one or two of Neise,Wheeler, or Mejia and get the shortstop and young hitter that they need.
Poorly thought out analysis. Alderson and the Wilpons will not release Colon and certainly will not trade him now when his value is down.
Look for Gee to be traded for a bunch of high level prospects similar to what the Padres did when they traded Jeff Latos to the Reds two winters ago. They received back 2 blue chip prospects and a major league pitcher. Those prospects will fill outfield, relief, shortstop or 1st base holes. The Wilpons will not go to $100 million in salary with attendance down so that is the only alternative.
That is the play either at the trading deadline, August 31 or in the off season.