The Mets could use a Quality Start from their starting pitcher ASAP. David Peterson is 6-1 on the year yet has only 4 QS in 12 G this season. Of course, you need to pitch six innings to qualify for a QS and most times, Peterson has been yanked before that. Several times, it’s been the conservative nature of his manager that’s led to early exits. But there are plenty of times where it’s because he’s run up his pitch count. When you’ve thrown 87 or 103 pitches in 4.1 IP, it’s hard to blame the manager for yanking you. If Peterson wants to be considered for the rotation in 2025, he’s got to get a handle on his walks. And tonight would be a great time to start.
Let’s say the Mets get hot again and go another 33-14. Do you trust them to do well in the playoffs? I don’t expect the Diamondbacks and Padres to keep winning 90% of their games, but with Michael Harris coming back tonight for the Bravos, they are getting healthier.
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All year the pitching was handled incorrectly. Megill and Houser had too many starts. Butto didn’t crack the rotation and he deserved another chance. Scott, because of his inning restrictions should have been used as a reliever. Peterson, because he doesn’t give length in his starts, should be a reliever and Butto should be a starter. Is it Mendoza, Hefner or Stearns or a combination of the three to shoulder the blame ?
As for the bullpen, Mendoza has burned out the relief pitchers this year. Many of them went on the IL. His use of the bullpen is very confusing. Showalter was good at handling the bullpen. Hefner was his pitching coach.
I agree with Metsense regarding the perplexing ways that the pitching staff has been used and deployed for most/all of the year. How Hefner has survived all these years as the pitching coach is also a mystery to me.
I also agree with TexasGusCC that the Padres and Diamondbacks wont win 90% of their games from here on out like they have been, but at this stage; winning 60% will easily have them in the playoffs. It would take a year ending hot streak; ala 1973, for the Mets to be included in the post season. I just don’t see it.
Hay,there only two gams behind the Braves
For anyone interested, there is an article written in The Athletic today about the success the Baltimore Orioles have had with producing good hitters. While they are kind of mum about it, there is a belief they draft for Vertical Barrel Angle which is what creates lift.
An excerpt:
“ They draft guys with present power and improve their launch angle and swing decisions,” said a rival assistant general manager with player development responsibilities. “That present power is there in the form of top-end exit velocities, not necessarily slugging percentage. They teach better Vertical Bat Angle to reduce ground-ball rates. Swing decisions plus better VBA equals power production when those top-end exit velocities exist.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. Take raw power, add swing decisions and improve their bat paths, and you start pumping out some really good hitters? And how do they add all that? How do they improve their raw, young hitters?
“They have a lot of young coaches and throw short box with them — so those are relatively live arms, from up close, forcing the hitters to adapt and see the ball out of a release point,” said a rival director of player development. “They use weighted bats at most levels as part of the regular process to keep bat speed up. They focus on making good swing decisions and help hitters internalize that as they come up through the minors.”
This starts to line up with things that even the Orioles will admit they value.
“Our training environments are very competitive, very difficult,” said Blood. “That leads to more efficiency, in terms of learning skills.””
The next 10 games the Mets are facing three good teams. These games are important for the Mets to position themselves for the stretch run and the last 28 games of the season. Arizona and San Diego are ahead of them in the standings. 6-4 would be good. 4-6 wouldn’t be a panic but I think 5-5 expected and reasonable outcome.
What do you think?
What you propose is very reasonable.
But at some point, the Mets have to get hot again and run off a streak somewhat similar to what the Padres and D’Backs just did. And it’s hard to look at the remaining schedule and see where that might happen.
Their best shot is right after the 10-game stretch you mentioned. They play both Sox, the Reds and Blue Jays. But the Red Sox have been a very good road team (10 games over), the Reds have a positive run differential and the Blue Jays have been playing better here recently, 12-10 in their last 22 games. An easier stretch than before but not exactly a cake-walk.
But they better do it then because the close is brutal.
Their final 16 games include 7 against the Phillies and 3 each against the Braves and Brewers. Since 2017, the Mets are 13-29 against the Brewers, including 0-3 this year.
We have another road trip out west, an achilles heel for this team, where we get the top of the wild card contenders in AZ and SD (both +15 over .500 today), not to mention the O’s (+20 over .500) right after playing the “peeing in your punchbowl just for fun” Marlins leave town. Looking into September the Mets have 7 games against the Phillies (+19 over .500), 3 versus the Braves in ATL, and then end the season on the road against Milwaukee (+15 over .500), not to mention sprinkling in Boston (+9 over .500). The only relief in there is the 6 games v the White Sox and Jays. I think an 81 win season is marginally possible right now.