5/14/15

The Morning Report 5.14.2015 | Bullpen/Offense Fails Again, Injuries Taking their Toll, Syndergaard Impresses Scouts, Tulo Interest Downplayed



David Wright Injury Tracker | Still Not Cleared for Baseball Activities

John Harper | NY Daily News- Matt Harvey was about at his pitch limit after seven innings, holding a 1-0 lead with the Mets badly needing a win. “Would it be hard to take Harvey out at that point?” Collins was asked. “Damn right it’s hard,” the manager said. “But we’ve gotta realize what’s best for the organization. And for Matt.” Collins was true to his word on this night, pulling Harvey with his pitch count at 100. And so the reality of life after Tommy John surgery for Harvey, at least in 2015, caught up with the Mets as the Cubs scored in the eighth and ninth innings to steal a 2-1 victory.

(Chris Soto: Ugh...this is getting painful to watch. The Mets need Victor Black and Bobby Parnell back so badly right now as the team continues to trot medium to low leverage guys into high leverage situations only to watch them inevitably fail. As I said yesterday the lack of offense and poor IF defenese, the team's bullpen after Familia is by far their weakest spot right now and it's starting to cost them winnable games.)


Matt Cerrone | Metsblog- It’s hard to ignore the impact of missing Juan Lagares, Travis d’Arnaud, and David Wright, while facing some really good pitching at the same time. In situations like this, guys will press, try to do too much, get in to bad habits and create massive holes in their swings. The fact is, the only guy in the lineup hitting over .250 is Lucas Duda, and he has become a spray hitter the last week or so. Otherwise, the three guys who get the most at bats each game (Curtis Granderson, Daniel Murphy and Michael Cuddyer, who hit 1-2-3 in the order) are each essentially batting .240. The result is a station-to-station offense waiting for an extra base hit to come from guys that don’t get a lot of hits, let alone do it for extra bases. They had been putting the ball in play the first three weeks of the season, but that was a long time ago. 

(Chris Soto: Matt's right...all the hits that were finding holes earlier in the season are no longer finding those holes. The losing streak comes at a terrible time too as the Nationals are HOT right now and gaining ground quickly. The team needs David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud back so badly right now but both are at least 2 weeks or more away from rejoining the club. The Mets need to start making some moves to try and light a spark into the offense.)


Andy Martino | NY Daily News- Last August, I sat in the scout section at Cashman Field in Las Vegas during one of Noah Syndergaard’s starts. The reviews were not good...Checking in with this same evaluator in the wake of Syndergaard’s promotion this week, I heard a very different take. “He’s really impressed me this year,” the scout said. “Last year I thought they should trade him, but he has taken a huge step forward.” This is consistent with another evaluator who said this year that he was impressed by how Syndergaard responded to the emergence of Steven Matz in the Vegas rotation. Every time Matz threw a gem, Syndergaard seemed to respond, and engage in a friendly competition to make it to the big leagues first.

(Chris Soto: Having Syndergaard up here now as part of the Young Guns rotation is the only excitement the team is generating right now. This goes back to what some were talking about in the comments yesterday. The Mets have a TON of pitching...but...at what point does it become a Law of Diminishing Returns? You can throw shutouts every night....but if you can't score runs, guess what? you still lose! The rotation was 2nd best in the MLB WITHOUT Thor, Matz, or Montero. You can't improve something that's already tops in baseball. That's why the Mets need to find a way to use this massive pitching depth and make a move to acquire some offense to start winning some games again.)


Anthony DiComo | MLB.com- Despite Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores' recent struggles, along with speculation that four-time National League All-Star Troy Tulowitzki may soon ask the Rockies for a trade, the Mets have not altered their stance on making a big-splash deal at the position. A team source said Wednesday that nothing has changed since the offseason, when the Mets harbored only cursory interest in Tulowitzki. The New York Post reported earlier this week that Tulowitzki will meet with his agent on Thursday, and could ask for a trade at that time. But the Mets are not willing to dip into their stash of top-flight starting-pitching depth to acquire him, particularly considering how quickly that depth has dwindled.

(Chris Soto: If Tulowitzki really does end up asking for a trade, there really is only two teams that can A) afford the contract, B) have a need at SS, and C) have the prospects to get it done. It's the Yankees and the Mets. So until I see Tulo going somewhere else, I will continue to believe that the Mets will at least be interested in acquiring him.)

20 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I have been groomed by the Mets to not watch this team. Everyone is different, but year-in-year-out offensive futility and blown games turns me off. I'll watch something else and peek in, or go out and do something else.

Harvey flashed back to his 2013 Dark Knight days where, despitebeing incredibly good, he goes out with an injury in mid August with 9 stinking wins. On the 2013 Yanks, he'd have had 16 wins by then.

So - release Kirk immediately. make a statement. And Chris, like you indicate, time to think big trade. Dont wait til this 13-3 team is 33-40 to make a real move.

John Mayberry can go too. How on earth can those 2 clowns (he and Kirk) start the season 6 for 63? The door is that way, fellas, don't let it hit you where you would slide if you ever got on base.

Christopher Soto said...

@TOm

I don't think a trade needs to be done.

I think they need to call up a Hot bat or 2 to produce a spark.

Like when Campbell was tearing it up in AAA and was called up and was a beast the 1st 7-10 days before being overexposed.

Call-up Ceciliani for Kirk and Castellanos for Monell (who is not even playing)

Sit Lagares one more day to heal up and Murphy for a day and see if these guys can carry over their hot hitting to jump start the offense.

Ernest Dove said...

Regarding bullpen: this offense means EVERY game is going to be a high leverage situation for them.
Without a healthy wright and tda this team is going nowhere.
They don't have time for Plawecki growing pains. Herrera can stay because he's defensive upgrade over murph and hits ball harder than him.
I no longer care what happens to murph.

Michael S. said...

If the Mets are the only real suitors for Tulo, it becomes a buyers market.

Ernest Dove said...

Oh and before anyone continues the cubs trade partner thing, quick fyi both Baez and Alcantara aren't doing much in aaa other than still strikeout a lot......
That means no more thor for baez talk outta old Mack ;)

Michael S. said...

Russell should be the target anyway.

eraff said...

Very disappointed with Harvey's Bunt last night---it's the 3rd time I've seen him fail this season, and two of those times were absolute disasters.

I'm not sure I've seen a Met Pitcher lay down a successful bunt this season---other than Colon!!!...????

When you're scrapping, there are things that help you win/help you lose.

Ernest Dove said...

Michael hes doin things already that haven't been done as a rookie in a cubs uniform since the 40s (regarding his on base streak as I heard watching sny broadcast)...... probably too late to get him now.....
And if Thor throws another 98mph quality start next week, itmight be too late for anyone who wanted him too ;)

Tom Brennan said...

Chris, I'd prefer Monell over Recker. This team is into another of its multi-generational, season-destroying hitting swoons. I think Monell gives us more hitting.

Even with Mayberry, I'm sorry but there are days I wish George Steinbrenner were the Mets' GM. Recker, Kirk, and Mayberry (the triumvirate of ineptitude) would all have been exiled to Borneo by now.

Christopher Soto said...

@Tom

I would prefer Monell's bat too....but he's just so bad defensively. When it comes to a back-up catcher...I want defense 1st, offense 2nd.

IBfromWhitePlains said...

Eraff points out something that's been making me nuts. Can anyone on this team lay down a sac bunt?

It seems to me that the bulk of BP for pitchers should be sac bunting. Harvey has been particularly dismal. It's costing games.

Ernest Dove said...

Has anyone noticed that since Plawecki call up and everday play, the rotation is still throwing up lots of quality starts?
Remind me again what Recker's value to this team is, because I thought it had something to do with that.

Reese Kaplan said...

@Chris

What is the point of bringing up hot hitters from AAA if Terry Collins is the manager? He routinely sits them until they get ice cold, then when they have an 0-4 night he wonders why they can't get it done?

Christopher Soto said...

@Reese

When Campbell was called up HOT he played almost everyday.

@Ernest

Recker's value is providing defense on days that Plawecki does not catch. That's every back-up catcher's job. That's why catcher's aren't used as pinch hitters.

Ernest Dove said...

@soto
Tell that to monell, who along with a huge insurance runs hit this past week to help ensure victory, also saved a loss on multiple stops of Familia wildness before that walk ;)
Monell looks ok to my amatuer eyeball test

Dallas said...

I think the bullpen is really the least of the worries. Yeah they gave up 1 run last night, but that doesnt make it a glaring weakness. As mentioned they have to walk a tight rope with each outing. Andres Torres struckout the side the other day with the bases loaded by Gee the other day, he isnt going to do that every time (and they still lost). The bullpen just looks bad because giving up any runs means losing the game. The offense is just so abysmal I can barely watch. When they do get men on they promptly hit into double plays or make baserunning blunders to erase themselves. Who thought the Mets were going to win the game once C Torres gave up a run? You guys are right, no one can get down the sac bunt either its embarrassing. What I wouldnt give to have Cruz on the team over Cuddyer right now. Also worth noting that Herrera is outhitting Murph OPSwise.

Christopher Soto said...

@Ernest

and grounded out into 2 inning ending double plays....Your point?

Back-up Catchers have no strategic value and carrying a 3rd C in Monell who's only used against lefties, after we've already used Mayberry, is just limiting our late game abilities.

Look...I like his bat more than the next guy...but his roster spot is better served in Castellanos hands.

Same with Captain K for Ceciliani

Bob Sugar said...

Thomas, I agree with you on your first comment. I wasted my time watching the Mets last night and it's been that way for the past couple. But for Harvey to perform that was and the Mets not get a win is a joke. I'm gonna lay off the games for a little bit and see if they get they get they act together injuries aside.

Ernest Dove said...

More trolling sarcastic comments coming in 3-2-1....
Has anyone noticed that cuddyer hits more grounders to SS than josh thole? At least thole was batting down in order whenever he did it and contributed every 5days when Dickey pitched.

Michael S. said...

It very well might be but it's known that Sandy covets him of all the Cubs infielders.

This is something that would be an offseason move I think. No Tulo this year and Sandy will continue to evaluate. I like what he's done so far but everything with him is at a glacial pace.