The Morning Report 10.20.2015 | Cubs Prepare for "Must-Win" Game 3, Murphy's Improving Free Agency Stock, Harvey Dealing with Sore Tricep

Peter Marzano | Call to the Pen- So far, things have not broken in the Cubs favor. After dropping both games at Citi Field to the New York Mets, the Cubs find themselves in an 0-2 hole heading back to Wrigley Field. For Chicago, 25-year-old right hander Kyle Hendricks gets the call, who went 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs whilst striking out seven in Game 2 of the NLDS. With Game 3 presenting a “must-win” feeling for Chicago, an awakening of their dormant offense would be a necessity to get back in the series, as the Cubs have mustered just three runs in the first two games of this series. Facing deGrom on the mound, this will be no easy task for Chicago.

(Chris Soto: The Mets have a distinct advantage here in terms of the quality of the SP being sent to the mound tonight. Hendricks has made excellent improvements year over year from his solid rookie season when he finished 7th in the ROY voting. He has seen his K rate jump from 5.3 per 9 IP to 8.4 per 9 IP and his FIP of 3.36 is consistent with a solid #3 rotation guy. Unfortunately for him, he has to toe the rubber against deGrom who is a legitimate Cy Young caliber ace. This game will be tougher than most Mets fans think as it should be another excellent low scoring game.)

Bob Klapisch | Newsday- Any Yankee-centric person – executive, player, even an observant fan – was able to recognize the signature on Daniel Murphy’s home run off Jake Arrieta on Sunday night. Murphy’s blast was really just a curl shot around the right-field foul pole, the kind that’s perfectly tailored for Yankee Stadium. That’s what makes Murphy’s playoff run is so intriguing. Not only is he hoisting the Mets toward the World Series, but he’s made himself attractive to teams looking for home run power, and that includes the Yankees. That hook drive off Arrieta? Murphy could hit 25 of those in the Bronx, which would make him worth the $10 million to $12 million per season he’ll be looking for in the open market, probably for three years.

(Chris Soto: Ugh...I hate that this information about the Mets not potentially re-signing Murphy came out during the playoffs. Can anything be kept in house anymore? Quite frankly...if all it's going to take is 3 yr, $12M per season to keep Daniel Murphy...if I'm the Mets... I'm inclined to match that offer and keep him. "The Irish Hammer" has been the most consistent player on this club for the past 4 seasons. His average stat line over the past 4 years has been .287 AVG, 12 HR, 76 RBI, 14 SB, .742 OPS, 12.1% K rate. I'm sorry, but you can not sell me the hope that someone like Dilson Herrera, Matt Reynolds, or Wilmer Flores is going to be able to match that stat line.) 

Joe D | Metsmerized Online- Speaking to reporters at Wrigley Field in Chicago  Mets manager Terry Collins said that Matt Harvey‘s right triceps is “pretty sore and pretty swelled up” after getting hit by a come-backer to the mound off the bat of Dexter Fowler in his Game 1 start.“He’s doing his treatment. The doctors looked at it yesterday. He was in great shape. He’s in great spirits. Actually, it might have been better when he pitched, because it kept it stretched out, instead of putting ice on it and contracting it right away. It might have been beneficial that he was able to continue to throw and keep that thing stretched out.“No flaws. No apprehension in his throwing. No concern on our behalf,” Warthen said.

(Chris Soto: I figured something was going to come out of that game Harvey pitched. He got nailed twice by come-backers to the mound with the second one really catching him good. The Mets would be wise to finish this series off as quickly as possible so that they can use the time to not only rest Harvey....but Syndergaard, deGrom, and Familia as well. Should the series go to a Game 5, the club could turn to Bartolo Colon to make that start.)