4/14/15

The Morning Report 4.14.2015 | The Harvey Effect, Stanozolol Links, Duda vs. Lefties



Jay Schreiber | New York TimesBack in 1985, Dwight Gooden was Matt Harvey, and more. Gooden also drew fans to the ballpark. And why not? He was a sensation. In the 18 games that Gooden started that season at Shea Stadium, the Mets’ average attendance was 40,072. In the 60 other dates the average attendance was 34,005. Last season, the Mets sold 42,442 tickets for opening day at Citi Field, against the Nationals. Game 2, two days later, sold 29,146 tickets, according to the Mets, although the actual crowd that night appeared to be a good deal smaller. On Monday, the Mets sold 43,997 tickets for the home opener, a jump from a year ago. As for Tuesday, and Harvey’s Citi Field return, the Mets said they expected to sell around 35,000 tickets, or maybe more. That’s a lot for a midweek Game 2. And it doesn’t hurt that forecasts have been calling for nice weather, too.

(Chris Soto: The Harvey effect is in full swing at Citi Field. After some same day ticket sales I would expect today's attendance to be in the 37,000 range which would be a near 30% increase year over year. You can hear it in the players voices, the bloggers, beat writers, and fans.....the sense of optimism....a sense of pride and determination. A feeling that hasn't been around in quite some time.)


Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- 
Commissioner Rob Manfred says Major League Baseball is investigating four recent positive tests for the steroid stanozolol along "the same model" as its 2013 Biogenesis probe. Injured New York Mets closer Jenrry Mejia was suspended for 80 games Saturday, the fourth player in 16 days banned under the major league drug program following a positive test for stanozolol, a steroid popular with body builders. "Whenever we have a series of tests for a single substance, we undertake an investigative effort to determine whether there's a connection and what that connection might be," Rob Manfred said. Mejia's discipline came after positive tests and suspensions for Minnesota pitcher Ervin Santana, Seattle pitcher David Rollins and Atlanta pitcher Arodys Vizcaino.

(Chris Soto: BioGenesis round 2? Maybe...maybe not...however stanozolol is one of those "old school" type of steriods that kind of disappeared for a while. It certainly is interesting that it's popped back up all of a sudden with a series of guys all testing positive for it in a short time span.)


Tyler Slape | Mets 360- It has been talked to death about how Lucas Duda struggled heavily against left handed pitchers. His lefty struggles were part of the reason that both Michael Cuddyer and John Mayberry Jr. were brought in this past offseason. It is a small sample size so far, but Duda has hit well off of lefties so far this season. In seven at-bats against lefties so far this season he has three hits. Over the next few weeks the Mets will not be facing a lot of left handed starting pitchers. The Mets will miss Cole Hamels in this series with the Phillies. They then move onto the Marlins who do not have a lefty in their rotation. 

(Chris Soto: Duda has looked sharp so far this season and doesn't look completely helpless against lefties anymore. He still seems to be struggling with breaking pitches from the left side, however, he IS doing a better job of laying off them to get himself into more favorable counts. From there, pitchers have to come in with a fastball which Duda sits on and has been poking around the field. As Tyler said....not many lefties over the next few days so look for Duda to catch fire here.
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LETS GO METS!

14 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I'd like the Mets' hitters to catch fire, not just Duda. A 10-0 win tonight would be nice.

Why would Mejia take the stuff, considering the downside. Mind-boggling.

Big house tonight, LETS GO METS.

eraff said...

The bad baseball and extra outs have been piling up... that won't pass as quickly as a collective batting slump. Lagares 1st to third w two outs a couple of games back....collins bunting with flores with none out and a man on second... the lack of defensive playmaking...pitchers who don't bunt well...

...some of this is basic talent---Duda has no range..Ok! But the DUMB stuff...the lack of execution on Bunts, Pick Off/Run Downs...baserunning decisions.... this team is days out of Fundamentals Camp (SPRING TRAINING)!!!

Tom Brennan said...

eraff, you are correct - it is the little things that kill you

Reese Kaplan said...

The would-be journalist in me was looking for a connective thread on the four recent suspensions and I thought I had one in that three of the pitchers were from the Dominican Republic and perhaps shared some supplier in common. However, the 4th was from Texas so there went that theory.

Mack Ade said...

the lack of offense in baseball might be something we all need to get used to...

in the case of the Mets, better defensive work will bring more victories...

the team is already 3rd in the National League with a 2.55 ERA -

Tom Brennan said...

Howdy, Mack

I agree offense league-wide could be a truism.

However, if you go position-by-position from last year to this, most are improved, and we have shroter fences, so we should score more.

Maybe my 740-750 projection (vs last year's 629) will prove too optimistic, but I would be shocked if we don't get to 700 this year. That plus better pitching (despite Mejia's stupidity) should lead to a lot more wins.

eraff said...

Tom-

You're Hopeful..Optimistic.. ...Unrealistic.

I believe there were FIVE teams in 2014 that had over 700 runs---one of the teams was Colorado---I believe 3 of the others were in the AL...and I believe the Dodgers.

On that basis alone, you cannot forcast 750 Runs...or 720.

670,80,90????

As for Positional Projections--- I believe the Mets ARE and wil be better...but Flores is a straight out unknown. Allll of his stats are against guys who CAN'T.... frankly, he doesn't look the part with a bat in his hands.

Lagares--- he's already showing you that the same approach is NO APPROACH-- 2014 versus 2013 was a Result, not a true improvement. He's capable of so much more---I think he's do it, but he (Obviously) has a hard head--failure is actually his best friend right now---It's the only way for him to accept the change he needs.

Grandy?... IDK..the ab's are ok--- I will be patient.

Tom Brennan said...

I sure hope you're wrong, eraff.

I hope Flores (or Reynolds) gives us a lot more out of SS than last year. Last year's roughly 440 at bats by guys not named Flores at SS totaled .234 and 37 RBIs. If he can't significantly do better, he shouldn't be SS.

On Lagares, I'd see how he settles in - I expect better than last year.

Grandy was So much better in spring training than last year, both in on base % and in hitting to all fields, that I'd be stunned if he does not significantly improve on last year's .227.

Wright should be better. So should d'Arnaud, who got over the "will I ever hit in the bigs" hump mid-year last year, and should not re-encounter that hump this year.

Shorter fences added in - that better all add up to more than a 50 run increase.

I also don't want to draw too many conclusions on the weak Mets offense so far - they've faced a lot of above average pitching in the first 7 games. That has to even out over time. Get those crappy pitchers in here! We need some BP.

Mack Ade said...

Spring training is over. Whatever someone did there means nothing.

I have a lot of doubts right now about Granderson being able to be successful anymore early on in a baseball season. I see nothing different in his swing from last year.

Christopher Soto said...

@Mack

For what it's worth....Granderson's OBP right now is .370

That's in the Top 25% of all MLB players right now.

His K rate of 11.1% is also the lowest in his entire career.

Tom Brennan said...

Chris, I'm siding with you on Grandy. I love the low K rate that if a follow-thru from his great spring training K ratio. To me, he's different than last year in positive ways, though his 1 for 18 is not indicative of that. I hope to see him break out tonight. If not, unlike last year, I don't see him having extended swoons. Like you said, getting on 10 times in 7 games not so bad.

Mack Ade said...

Tom/Chris -

It amazes me how people can make a 1-18 streak into something positive.

I still don't like what I see

eraff said...

GRandy's ab's have been positive and Not Ugly--- he's driving the at bats and getting everything but hits--of course, that cant continue at .056

Tom Brennan said...

Grandy single first atbat. Think positive!