Mack’s Morning Report – 8-17-15 – Jon Niese, Eric Goeddel, Bobby Parnell

Good morning.

Next week’s lighter schedule features no games against the Cubs or Pirates. There’s a day off today, then two games in Baltimore, a travel day on Thursday, and three games in hapless Colorado.

Washington will also be off today, then travel to Colorado for three games, followed by three, at home, vs. the Milwaukee Brewers.

 Michael Baron talked about ‘focus’ –

On Saturday night in the first inning, his temperament was put to the test once again after he failed to get a strike three call to Andrew McCutchen, walking him instead.

Niese became visibly frustrated at home plate umpire Bob Davidson, an official known for his own short fuse, floating strike zones, and reputation for finding the most subtle movements on pitchers for balk calls.

And in fairness to Niese, he had a beef. That pitch was a strike. It had enough of the plate and certainly was at or slightly above the knees.

But the call didn’t go Niese’s way, and he got mad and lost his focus.

On the very next pitch, Niese grooved a fastball to Aramis Ramirez, who slugged a two-run home run and put the Mets behind in the first inning for the third consecutive day.

Mack – We talk about the mental side of this game all the time here on Mack’s Mets. Ballplayers are taught early on to contain their emotions even to the point of not communicating with fans before the games even start.

There’s always been an unwritten law in baseball, especially to the working press… keep away from the guy that’s going to start that day. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the pitcher himself to stay focused and, once again, the emotional Niese let an umpire cause him to lose his.

Erik Goeddel's rehab assignment has moved to Double-A Binghamton. He could definitely come into play come September, either as a spot starter or a member of the Mets bullpen. Goeddel made 25 starts with 2013 B-Mets before moving to bullpen, and eventually the Big Leagues, in 2014. We tend to forget that he has had 22 relief appearances already this year for the Mets with a stat line of 0-0, 1.96, 1.04, 23.0-IP, 23-K.

Look, this is just opinion… and you know how opinion always seems to get me in trouble here… but the Mets need to seriously consider stopping sending Bobby Parnell to the mound this season. It is obvious that he is not the same pitcher before all his injuries, plus it is becoming more obvious that no one is going to offer him a contract to come back next season. He cost the Mets any chance for a victory yesterday and a team just can’t afford to be swept at home during a pennant race.

I’m not offering up who should replace Parnell. I’ll let all of you discuss that. I simply don’t want he again this season.

Additionally, I’m going to volunteer to be the campaign manager for Reese Kaplan here and call out Terry Collins for a horrendous decision to hang out Parnell to dry on Sunday. No… even worse than that… how do you even put him in a critical 1-1 tie when he’s coming off another horrible outing?

Parnell should be sat down and convinced to come out of that meeting complaining about something that will place him on the disabled list… but this whole mess falls on Collins.

Another loss to the Pirates, four in a week. Remember this series if this team doesn’t get where it wants to go this season, but the real loss is what's going on in the West Coast to the Nationals. Now THAT'S a lost opportunity.

Maybe the solution to the Parnell problem is in this post. Maybe the Mets could step up the Goeddel rehab assignments and get him to Philadelphia a week from Monday