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7/31/14

Morning Report – July 31st – Zack Wheeler, Bartolo Colon, After Dark Chat, Wild Card






Yes, SP Zack Wheeler has improved this season and, yes, he is implanting himself into the SP2 slot; however, he continues to have difficulty going past the first five innings, not because of the runs he gives up but due to the number of pitches he throws. I’m written this a number of times.

Going into yesterday’s day game, Wheeler put up these kind of numbers in his last five starts: 6-30: 6.1-IP, 113-pitches… 7-6: 6.2-IP, 111-pitches… 7-11: 6.2-IP, 114-pitches… 7-20: 6.0-IP, 106-pitches… 7-25: 6.2-IP, 108-pitches.

Is there good news here? Sure, he only gave up five earned runs over the 32 innings pitched, but he has to find a way to ‘get things done earlier’.

Well, yesterday he threw 98 pitches in the first six innings, once again giving up only one run. Improved pitch control through six, but the Mets left him in once again for the 7th inning and he gave up a Jimmy Rollins home run.

So, let me ask you…  in a ‘non-playoff’ season, what’s more important here… taking him out and getting the win, or letting him work his way out of this and try to get through the 8th (especially since you let him hit in the last inning)?

The Mets decoded to take him out.



Mail Box –

            Michael Brandt

                        Hey Mack, do we say goodbye to Bart today?

                                    Mack – Hey Michael.

No, I think he's a goner, but probably in the off-season.

I read something that Sandy Alderson said about him the other day to a gaggle and it made a lot of sense. This is just not the time that Colon stands out as being something special, but take this same guy and move the talks to the off season when bunches of agents are trying to sell all the GM’s their high priced $40, $50, and $60mil packaged starters.

Then, standing over in the corner is ‘little Bart’ who led the Mets in wins, gave up something like three walks, and has a one year contract for a measly $11mil.

This is every General Manager’s dream… a quality starter on a one year deal. They will be all over Sandy for this one… not now when only half the team want to deal off selective pieces… no, at the end of the year when you can pick and choose from their entire roster.
This is how you get that SS of LFer you want.


Michael Scannell

I'm looking at major moves as offseason activity, nothing for right now.  It seems the Mets and the Cards are the two teams that match up with the Rox for a deal. Let's kill two birds with one stone.  The Cards are contending this year and the Mets are not.  They need help at 2B and could use a veteran pitcher.  Send them Colon and Murphy for whatever young talent we can preferably players the Rox would want.  This way we grab the tradable young talent we need AND eliminate our only competition for Tulo.

Mack – Well, whatever you are going to do, it better be today.

I think the better the Mets play through this list 25 game period, the more Sandy and Company will hold their ground regarding their young pitching.

Michael, this team should do nothing in 2014 to jepordize 2015. And, we’ve run out of time to put together a 3-way.
What I worry about now is how Murphy is starting to really stink up the middle infield. No teams wants a SS or 2Bman that can’t field.





After Dark Chat –

Comment From Steve - Do you think the Mets should trade from their pitching depth, and for who?

Paul Swydan: Yes. Trading pitching depth for hitters is always the right play. Not all those guys are going to pop, and even if they do, the Mets won’t have places for them.

Comment From Steve - Do you like the prognosis for the Mets future considering their enviable pitching depth?

Paul Swydan: No, not really. They don’t have enough good hitters, and haven’t shown the willingness and/or aptitude to make the correct moves in free agency that they need to make up for their talent gap. 


Wild Card –

            The Mets win another series. They are now 15-8 in the last 23 games… 105 win pace.

            The Mets were swept by the Braves on June 30 – July 2.  Since then, they have gone 5-1-1 in series.

(look… you can be as critical as you want about this team, the manager’s decisions, and who plays shortstop, but they’ve done just about everything they could in the past 23 games to get back into this thing… give them the credit due…)

The Reds have just been dismal, going 2-10 in the last 12 games. They are now tied with Miami with 54 loses, just two away from the Mets.

This was  big day for the Mets efforts. There are nine teams currently with better win-loss records that are either competing for a divisional title of a wild car slot. ALL SIX TEAMS currently ranked as wild cards lost last night.

Let's look at the Mets growth in another way... there have been 17 loses in the past four days by those nine teams I mentioned above.. The Mets have lost once once over the same fur days.

As of right now, the Mets are 7.5 out of the division lead and 6 out of a wild card slot.

Love it,





 Minor Moves –
St. Lucie SP Michael Fulmer has not allowed a run at home in his last 19 innings…


24 comments:

  1. Mack
    I think you are going to be disappointed if you are waiting for Colon to be traded during the winter for a good young ss or of

    And
    how is Kemp looking now? Especially if the Dodgers payed part of his salary over the years and the Mets didn't have to give up their top young talent.

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  2. Kemp is NOT an option for the Mets.

    He is signed thru 2019 and is no longer considered a CF. This would potentially block not only Nimmo, but Conforto, and even Becerra if he pans out.

    As for Colon I really do think he's going to be Marlon Byrd 2.0.

    Some team is going to have an injury or a SP go cold and is going to panic and pay mid level pieces for Colon.

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  3. UPDATE:

    Washington Nationals have expressed interest in acquire 2B Daniel Murphy.

    4 teams have expressed interest in SS Astrubal Cabrera. 2 of the teams are known to be Washington and Toronto. Rumors are the Mets are 1 of the other 2 teams.

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  4. Lookout for OFs Michael Taylor, Steve Souza or IF Wilmer Difo from Washington. Their OF seems a little crowded with Werth, Harper, Span and potentially Zimmerman. Maybe a Murphy for Espinoza and Souza deal?

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  5. @thunder12k

    I have a hard time believing the Mets will trade in division.

    IF they do...it will cost the Nationals a premium prospect like Lucas Giolito + a ready to contribute player like AJ Cole or Souza

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  6. UPDATE:

    Orioles, Mariners, and Giants have all made inquiries for SP Bartolo Colon

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  7. UPDATE:

    Red Sox SP Jon Lester has been traded to the Oakland A's

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  8. That whole -in the division- thing has got to stop. You trade for whomever gives you the best return. If the Marlins flipped you Stanton would you not do it because whomever you are giving up is within the division? Of course you'd do it. We won't get Stanton, but if Washington will give you ML-ready OF or SS talent in a deal that makes the club better then you do it.

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  9. Chris

    Kemp in no way should block anyone.
    Nimmo & Concerto coming up will be a good thing like the pitching strength the Mets have now. Lagares, Granderson, Kemp, Nimmo, & Conforto give the Mets assets that they can use like today's pitching depth.
    Mets may not want to do it. ....But that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a wise move to increase the talent on the Mets.

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  10. @Bob

    Your right Kemp himself shouldn't block Nimmo/Conforto....but $21.5M per season till 2019 will. And if it doesn't then it cripples the Mets ability to sign Harvey/Wheeler post arbitration

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  11. @Reese.

    Thats why i said trading in division would cost a premium.

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  12. Chris
    all reprots indicate the Dodgers would pick up a good amount of Kemp salary.
    Kemp at $12-15 million/year?
    Comparable to Granderson now?
    You are right. Kemp isn't worth $20 million.
    But he would be a great asset at a reduced price

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  13. Lester and Gomes for Cespedes is a damn good start of the morning,

    Amazing

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  14. The most important thing about this Lester trade is that it was done so early in the day....

    Plenty of time for other teams to gauge around elsewhere looking for pitching.

    May breathe new life into the Colon talks.

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  15. If Colon had been given a one-year deal instead of two then he'd be gone already as a rental. The $11 million due next year for a 42 year old is probably what's putting speedbumps in the way of progress.

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  16. I'm still solidly in the" Go for Rios" camp.He's hitting. 300 and is locked in through this year with an option for '15.

    If he works out, he's ours until Nimmo or Conforto arrives. If not, we wave goodbye in October.

    Where's the downside?

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  17. Steve from NorfolkJuly 31, 2014 at 3:48 PM

    I'm wondering why we aren't in on Marlon Byrd? We know he can hit in Citi Field. Talk about lengthening the lineup! Even if his option vests, we're still going to need somebody off the bench in 2016, assuming there's no hole for him to start. Amaro will trade him to anybody who meets his price, Mets or no Mets.

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  18. @Steve

    Phillies are apparently asking for a Noah Syndergaard type prospect in return

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  19. Mets do nothing. .........

    Sums up this team over the past few years.
    2014 season is officially over

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  20. @Bob

    Well hold on to your horses....

    As we have stated on numerous occasions, the trade deadline is not today for Sandy Alderson.

    Bartolo Colon will easily clear through waivers and will be free to be traded until August 31st.

    All it takes is 1 injury....I have a feeling San Fran may still be interested if Cain's injury is significant.

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  21. Steve from NorfolkJuly 31, 2014 at 4:53 PM

    Chris,

    MAYBE Montero - we all know it would take Joc Petersen to get Thor.

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  22. Chris
    August. 31st deadline is too late to make a big enough trade and too hard to make a big enough trade for the Mets to leap frog the teams in front of them. 
    As of right now would you bet on the Mets making the playoffs?


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