Some may have considered this game Jon Niese‘s audition to become a Chicago Cub, as the rumors have been circulating the past week about Niese getting traded. He pitched well tonight, going seven innings and allowing one run. Not a bad night for someone on the trading block.
- Curtis Granderson‘s hot streak cooled off, as he went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
- Daniel Murphy came back from the disabled list and started at third base. He had quite the web gem at third base, as he robbed Addison Russell of a base hit in the fifth inning with a diving grab and a throw from the knees. With Murphy at third, Tejada at short, and Flores at second, the infield defense should be a little better than it was before.
- Matt Szczur had the only RBI in the game, as he doubled home Kris Bryant.
- Kyle Hendricks earned the win tonight as held the Mets to three hits over six innings, and did not surrender a run.
- Lucas Duda, Murphy and Kevin Plawecki were the only Mets to have hits in the game. Can we put Steven Matz back in the lineup?
This series is crucial for the Mets going forward, as the Cubs are in the playoff hunt. Bartolo Colon will look to even the series against Jon Lester in tomorrow’s game at Citi Field.
Almost every pitcher looks like Bob Gibson against our Mets, Mr. Alderson. Time to panic?
Niese to the Cubs! Everybody now, “Niese to the Cubs!”
Niese in his last five starts has 33 IP and 11 ER. And somehow he’s 0-3
The offense is pitiful. I don’t blame TC either because he grouped his current four best hitters together in the lineup and put his fastest player 9th in the hope of generating some offense. Unfortunately it looks like the Tejada hot streak has come to an end and he will go back to his old self.
I have said that the success of the Met’s season will depend on Cuddyer. That is not because he is a star, it is because he is a starter. Cuddyer should be getting less playing time at this point but based on past Met history (see Jason Bay) their philosophy is that because they pay him a large sum of money he will play. His replacements have also been a dissappointment. Cecillanni is not a starter and Mayberry can’t hit righthanders. Sandy needs to get an outfield upgrade and an infield upgrade if the Mets are going to compete for a playoff spot in 2015. I doubt Sandy will get an upgrade for the outfield, thus my statement, the success of the Met season will depend on Cuddyer, and that is not a comforting thought.
Cuddyer may have injured himself last night so this may be the perfect time to try Conforto as he is just a short bus ride away.
Jon Niese can always be my 5th starter. He is dependable and gives the team a quality start. Sandy is at a cross roads. Does he trade Niese for an average bat
Or does he trade one of the Future Fab 5 for a great bat? I hope he makes up his mind quicker than the Duda/Davis debacle.
Metsense, as we spoke about this in the chat a few days ago, I would still trade Granderson. This is the best opportunity to get out of that contract. Use the money on a better choice next year like Alex Gordon from KC because Upton will be too pricey, but have to keep the window open. Cuddyer only has $6MM left, Colon comes off the books and Gee and Niese will be elsewhere. Trade Niese for an average bat; he’s an average pitcher after all.
As I write yesterday, the difference between a .350 OBP and a .300 OBP is one on base per week. There is no reason to not put Lagares on top and let his speed create fastballs for Duda and Murphy. Put the two rabbits on top and hope for the best. Bring up Tovar and bat him 8th to have another rabbit and a great glove. Tejada has regained my good vibe, but as has been the case he brings nothing spectacular to the table but a consistent mediocrity even when he’s at his best.
What we all must remember is that we aren’t getting Miguel Cabrera or Trout, so even adding a decent bat doesn’t make this a championship team. Don’t lose track of the goal for two extra wins this year.
Just a quick point. Cuddyer is owed about 17M$ still, not 6. Trade Granny? Hes owed nearly 40M$. You might trade him, but you’re gonna eat 30M$. Hes been hitting well, but no one is gonna buy out that terrible contract, or Cuddyer’s terrible contract. At least there is insurance on Wright’s contract that will or has kick in once he sits out 60 games.
Alderson has hamstrung this this team with what clearly has been very bad contracts for expensive free agents, whether it has been these two, Frank Frank, Chris Young or whoever.
The situation with the offense is in fact “panic city,” to take a quote from our fearless leader. The fact we now have seen Collins in a presser like in the good old days when he is mad and swearing to the beat reporters says all we need to know. Everyone can see the team is highly unbalanced, and unbalanced systems tend to have bad outcomes. We have the pitching staff the envy of all but a couple teams. It has an upside to be one of the best rotations ever. However, the inability to hit, catch, throw, and run to support the gunslingers is shocking. How could a GM somehow reach a place where a starting rotation of the quality we have come to Show, yet not have a support system around it to utilize its strength. As I have mentioned a number of times here, the candle is burning at both ends and being able to have these arms to use and be able to write the check has a real window. Wasting any moment is a tragedy.
Prior to the resignation of their GM, the rumour out of Anaheim was that the Angels were in the market for a left fielder that hits for power from the left side. If the Mets were inclined to trade Granderson then there is your trade partner that could afford the contract. In order to do something like that then Sandy would need to have something else in place.
Chris, Cuddy was signed at 2/$21MM, with $15MM of it this year? Am I wrong?
Quite wrong
2015: 8.5 M$ of which about 4.3M$ remain
2016: 12.5M$
So he’s still due for about 17M$ of guaranteed salary.
Ok. Sorry. I don’t want to dump Cuddyer yet anyway. Hoping a team can help with Granny first while he still looks nice and shiny.
But I realize there will be more money on the payroll next year than I originally thought. Well, between Murphy, Colon, Niese, Gee and hopefull Granny coming off, the Mets can absorb one more year of Cuddyer.
Your math is faulty.
There’s no one-answer fits all because it depends on how many PA you’re going to consider a full season.
You’re essentially making the same argument that people made for Eric Young Jr. in that sure, he may get on base fewer times but he makes up for it with his speed and stolen bases. It wasn’t true then and it’s not true now.
Brian, I used 500 PA and times it by .300 OBP(150 times on base per season) and .350 OBP (175 times on base per season) and each season is about 26 weeks. If you want to go to 600 PA, then it’s just over time per week. My point is, is it really worth wasting a home run bat at leadoff to gain one extra time on base per week at the cost of an extra run unless Collins just expects no one to get on?
Also, take into account the extra fastballs hitters will see with speed guys on and not the off speed stuff pitchers have been feeding Duda.
That’s no better than a 125-game season. I know that Lagares has yet to reach that mark but that’s not a full season. FWIW – Met leadoff hitters had 749 PA last year.
Lagares is not a bigger threat on the basepaths than Eric Young Jr. and EY did not have the impact that you are hoping for.
So Brian, based on this team right now, with a 750 PA season as you asked for, do you not agree that Granny’s home runs aren’t getting the full benefit? If we’re happy getting only a single run from each bomb, why not put him at #5 and hope to get a second run and use a lesser OBP guy at the top that may get your other hitters better pitches to hit? One run is guaranteed. On each home run anyways. That was my point in answering Metsense’s original statement that TC isn’t to blame.
I think it’s an easy move for the manager to make – in order for him to look like he’s doing something. I think it’s a move that’s more likely to appease the fans than produce tangible results. Just batting lower in the order is not a guarantee that your homers will come with men on base. Just ask 2013 Lucas Duda.
I think this is a random thing. I expect his homers going forward to have more of a typical 60-40 split between solo shots and runners on base. I’d rather address the holes at 2B, SS and LF than worry about this.
I would definitely trade a young arm, but I wonder if mid-season is the right time. So many teams are in the hunt for the playoffs that they couldn’t possibly consider making a deal now. So that leaves the also-rans, the Brewers, the Marlins, and maybe there’s an opportunity there.
No question that the 2015 Mets would be better off if they subtracted, say, Syndergaard and added Carlos Gomez or Ryan Braun or whomever you like.
I suspect that the right time to do this is in the off-season, which is why last off-season was so frustrating (again).
Ruben Tejada still sucks btw. He will always suck, and as long as he’s a Met he will stand as a blemished symbol of Sandy Alderson’s lazy, incurious reign as GM. He just refuses to go out and get better from outside the system. Too much effort.
While Ruben might be a #2, he should not bat #2.
Team needs d’Arnaud back in the worst way.
Murphy had some fire going last night. The most passionate player on the team.
Bring up Conforto now.
They say Cuddyer should be fine as long as he can continue to stay off the basepaths.
Nice one James.