After taking the opener in the series against the Phillies, Jacob deGrom and the Mets fell tonight, 9-1. The game started off promisingly for the Mets and their ace, when the Mets cashed in on a first inning run opportunity via a Travis d’Arnaud RBI double. This double was one of five for the Mets on the evening. They came off the bat twice from d’Arnaud, and once for Nori Aoki, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Juan Lagares. Cabrera also contributed with a single to give the Mets six hits on the evening. This turned out to be 11 hits less than the Phillies.
On the mound, deGrom was looking for another strong start, but suffered at first from poor defence. An error by rookie first baseman Dom Smith led to three unearned runs. Then, deGrom simply blew up in the fourth, allowing six runs. His final stat line is ugly; 3.2 innings pitched, 10 hits, six earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts. It was one of his worst starts of the season. My Gut Reaction is that deGrom, who has suffered from poor defense as of late, is trying to avoid pitching to contact. This is leading to mistake pitches, which leads to big hits, like the two-run home run from opposing pitcher Ben Lively.
Out of the bullpen, the relievers did not allow a run in their extenuated outing. The combination of Josh Smoker, Jacob Rhame, Kevin Mcgowan, Erik Goeddel, and Jamie Callahan combined for seven strikeouts, and only two walks. All of the relievers allowed at least one hit in their outings though, with Smoker and Rhame succumbing two each. The Mets will look to take the rubber game of the series tomorrow night, at 7:10 pm.
JDG looks gassed. Could use an extra day or two before his next start.
September 5, 2017, the Mets were eliminated from winning the division. There won’t to meaningful games in September and it seems that there have not been meaningful games since April 30th.
d’Arnaud had a good game but as far to the season goes he has a .679 OPS where the average NL catcher has a .720. He does hit LHP well with a .963 OPS. Those type of splits seem to destine him as a backup and an upgrade at the position should be found. Even if they settle for a weak hitter but a strong defensive catcher it would be an improvement.
Smoker did not give up an earned run but boy that bases clearing double sure buried the Mets. Not all stat lines are equal.
Nodding in agreement.
I’m disappointed in the year Travis put together. I believed he was a better hitter than this. The bat seems slow. So many 6-3 groundouts.
Yes, on Smoker. Any real look at relievers demands a great deal of nuance and situational understanding. You just can’t look at a couple of big stats and hope to tell the story. And the sample size issues endless.
One other thing of interest: In the 5th, Ron Darling noted that the Phils 1B was playing back. The score was 9-1 and, at that point, it was understood that the game was likely over. Or, at least, that the Mets weren’t going to steal. One of those unwritten things about how the game is played.
In the 6th or 7th, Nimmo stole a base. Ronnie bit his lip, but I knew what he was thinking. If anyone actually cared, Nimmo might have gotten plunked next AB.
The Catcher position is a cost/benefit question—-there are not many pay and play solutions out there. Lucroy is at a 674 ops…
They need pitching health—or they need to trade the tradeable pitchers and start over
Sandy refused to rebuilt in 2011, and it looks like he’ll follow that same pattern here. Mets Police — a site I’ve particularly enjoyed in these dark times — recently said this isn’t the rebuild, this is the garbage time before the rebuild. But again, I’m not sure there’s going to be a rebuild or even that there should be.
I’d extend Jake this winter. And I wouldn’t burn him out the rest of this season, even if we’ve got pure crap to take the mound.
Again: I’d give Robles a couple of starts, stretch him out a little. Just have this nutty idea he might benefit from a change in roles.
More and more, I’m beginning to think it’s time to break up the gang and go the complete tear-down route.
Watching some of these former first-rounders, I’m really getting depressed. Smith looks somewhat shaky, Rosario has already shown signs of preening and not playing the game as it should be, Nimmo (though I really, really like the guy) doesn’t appear to be an everyday player and Cheech has shown zip, zero, nada.
On top of all of this, we have little reliable pitching (starters or relievers) save for deGrom and likely Syndergaard. d’Arnaud is d’arnothing and Cespedes is either always hurt and/or making a mockery of how the game should be played. Our only truly good player is Conforto.
I absolutely would not extend deGrom. I love the guy, one of my all-time favorites, but this winter he’d have amazing value as a trade chip while still under 30. I’d also trade Cespedes to anyone who would take him (likely no one) and actively look for deals including just about anyone else with the exception of Conforto and Syndergaard.
It’s going to take quite a while for this team to be consistently good. With most of this current group, 2018 will not be pretty. It’s time to own up — we really blew it in 2015 when it was ALL there for the taking.
Pete, your post brings a tear to the eye, but I am not willing to argue it right now. I’d like to say ‘Let’s give it a shot next year’, but, I can see the other side too.
Ive been saying for a while Pete, this team is facing a genuine rebuild. After the comments by Alderson yesterday, it is clear this team will not be spending much money in the off season, or blowing it on one guy, as if the answers can be had that simply. The team with all these quite below grade youngsters is nowhere near being a contender for anything. Both deGrom and Syndergaard will bring really good players in return.