The Mets ran into a buzzsaw named Gerrit Cole and lost the opening game of the series to the Pirates, 4-1, Friday night. Cole pitched 8.1 innings and hit 99 mph in the ninth.
- Noah Syndergaard showed flashes of dominance, recording the first four outs via strikeout. But he couldn’t keep up with Cole. He also didn’t get a ton of help from his defense, including himself. Syndergaard threw away a pickoff throw and later allowed the runner to walk to third base. That runner ended up scoring the fourth run.
- After a three-hit game Thursday, Michael Cuddyer reverted back to season form, taking the collar, including a weak groundout as the tying run in the ninth. He doesn’t look good either in the batter’s box or in the field yet Collins continues to write his name in the cleanup spot day after day. He needs a day off and when he comes back he needs to be dropped in the order.
- The Pirates catcher threw out two Mets trying to steal. The Pirates successfully stole on all three attempts.
- Erik Goeddel bounced back nicely from allowing his first two runs of the season in his previous outing by pitching two scoreless frames. It was the third time in his last four games that he pitched two complete innings.
Michael Cuddyer absolutely needs to be dropped in the order.
Duda and Granderson are the only two starters playing above average offensively. I agree that Cuddyer needs a rest. It also would be nice if you could drop him in the order but there is no one to move into the cleanup role. That will change when Wright and TdA come back.If the Mets want to generate more offense then maybe it is time to play Cuddyer at 3B, platoon Ceciliani/Mayberry and Monnell/Recker. Campbell and Plawecki are not getting the job done.
I like the idea of the 6 man rotation (at least until a trade is done) because it will reduce the inning load on Harvey, deGrom and. Syndergaard and have them ready for the playoffs.
Have no problem mixing it up a bit, but Cuddy is not a 3B any more. Last year he played 18 innings there and that’s where he got hurt diving for a ball; the previous appearance was 2010. Have no problem platooning the catchers; Plawecki is overmatched.
Have not problem resting Cuddyer, but as far as moving him out of cleanup, your point is right: for whom? It would be nice if Collins realized the need for small ball and getting runs whenever he can by sacrificing, hit and running, and any way he can. However, he’s stuck looking at the back of their baseball cards instead of what’s going on in front of him, and reminiscing about the one time in three weeks they scored double digits. The guy is lost.
At this point, you could put Flores at cleanup, since everyone’s making a big deal of him leading the team in homers. If nothing else, let’s stop batting him and Lagares back-to-back.
Would you guys do Dillon Gee for Alex Guerrero? He is instant offense and when Wright comes back, he can take Tejada’s place on the roster. The Dodgers need a pitcher and the Mets need a hitter. Of course, there’s the obligatory legal clause that all trades are subject to other team paying X dollars because our Coupons won’t pay…
And I wonder what the Astros would give for Colon. I know it’s not much, but they need a veteran front end guy and for a AA prospect, they may be interested. I can live with Harvey, Syndergaard, Niese, deGrom, and Matz.
Colon is worth didly squat. No team is stupid enough to give up anything for him, even if the Mets pay the entire contract.
Just eat the contract and release him already.
He’s had two horrible games, but many pitchers have bad stretches. Did you see the names available after Hamels and Cueto? Yuck! And those two boys will be expensive! I wouldn’t just cut him. Someone will give a prospect.
He’s had a lot more than 2 horrible games. Despite his 6 wins, which he should thank the offense for, he’s been more bad than good this year.
He’s had 3 starts of 1 run. These games that the team should absolutely win.
He’s had 2 starts of 3 runs. Not a great individual performance but the team has a chance to win.
He’s had 4 starts of 4+ runs, games where the team has very little shot of winning.
That’s 6/9 games where Colon hasn’t given the Mets a solid shot of winning… not very good. Only someone stupid (like Alderson) would continue to let him pitch for their team and only someone stupid would give up a prospect for him, which i guess is theoretically possible because there are stupid GMs.