3/24/16

Mack’s Morning Report – 3-24-16 – Jacob deGrom, Dilson Herrera, Carlos Beltran, Shannon Forde, Steven Matz



Good morning.

Quiz – Guess who the picture is of -

Mike: Should I be worried about Jacob Degrom only throwing 91-93 versus his normal velocity in his ST start yesterday?

 august fagerstrom No. You should be worried if he does it in the regular season

            Mack – We talked about this earlier this week.

DeGrom is currently throwing at the same velocity he threw at the same time in last year’s pre-season; however, the results this year are much different: 3-games, 3-starts, 10.0 innings pitched, 10 hits but only one run given up (earned), 0.90, 1.10, 10-K, 1-BB

And this is all being done topping off at 93.

Worry about Matz or Colon, not deGrom.


There may be an interesting maturing process going on in the Mets clubhouse.

Mets second base prospect Dilson Herrera has returned to the Mets as a National Hero. His game winning homer against Panama was the difference in a game that made his Columbia team eligible for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

We in the United States ha our World Series but this is like the World Cup of Baseball for everyone else in the world and our baby second baseman brought the trophy home.

He’s still going to have to wait to win that position full time, but, don’t worry. He knows he has the youth, talent, and patience to wait this out.

You wait… second base will be his in 2017 for many years to come.


Carlos Beltran had some advice to people that wanted to play baseball and use smokeless tobacco at the same time -

            "Make sure you do it in a place where no one sees you. Major League Baseball has cameras all over the place, so you’ve got to make sure that if you do it, make sure you do it somewhere where there are no cameras around.”

                        Mack – Yes, he actually said that to a reporter of the Wall Street Journal.


Foley's NY Pub, one of the great New York City sports bars, is holding a fund-raiser for the children of Shannon Forde on April 6 from 7-9 p.m.

Forde, a beloved part of the Mets for more than two decades, died March 4 at 44 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Former Mets Keith Hernandez, John Franco, Ron Darling, Edgardo Alfonzo and ex-Giant Sean Landeta will be at Foley’s signing balls and photographs to raise money for the Forde Children’s Fund, P.O. Box 718, Little Ferry, N.J., 07643.

I wish I still lived in New York so I could attend this. I still fondly hang my four Mets clubhouse passes issued to be from 2008-2011 by Shannon.


There seems to be considerable chatter and concern about pitcher Steven Matz this spring. Believe me, the last thing Matz wants to do is struggle.

I do like Eddie from Diehard New York Mets Fans had to say about Matz –

            Here's today's sports cover of New York's Newsday as Steven Matz was roughed up in the Mets’ 6-3 loss to the Yankees last night. Matz settled in and retired the final 7 batters he faced, the product of a mechanical adjustment after his rocky 2nd inning. In 4 innings, he allowed 7 hits, walked 2 and struck out 3. He has allowed at least 3 runs in each of his last 3 spring starts. Through 4 spring training starts, Matz’s ERA is 8.31, which might be cause for concern if he were on the bubble to make the roster. But it hardly mattered to manager Terry Collins, who before the game acknowledged Matz’s place in the starting rotation. With the Mets a week away from leaving Florida, Matz believes he’s prepared for the season. So far this spring, Steven Matz has done well in staying focused and avoiding letting his emotions get to him when he struggles on the mound.


                        Mack – My advice here is to worry about Bartolo Colon, not Steven Matz.

14 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Santa Claus doing an off season workout?

I am not at all worried about deGrom and Matz. Colon's 6 shutout innings included at least 3 balls caught near the wall, so don't relax too much with him. he does seem to figure a way most times.

Mets have just 10 homers - other teams have over 30. LET'S...GO...DEEP.

Pretty soon, it will be Dilson time.

Good thing Beltran wasn't chewing smokeless tobacco when he choked against Wainwright.

Mack Ade said...

David Letterman

Ernest Dove said...

All I care about is the Mets projected 25man roster being ACTIVE and healthy on April 3.
After that, we can then begin are crazyness as Mets fans to overreact abour stats and performance ongoing ;)

Brian Joura said...

Beltran's no dummy. If he said that, he must feel he has a teammate who's likely to do this.

I'm happy for The Dilson. But I'm still sad/angry that we're going to have him spend the majority of 2016 in the minors when he's ready to perform at the MLB level. He's going to come up and he's going to hit and everyone will say with a straight face that the XX amount of PA he got in Vegas this year made all the difference. And completely ignore that he finally got consistent ABs not wrapped around an injury.

Michael Conforto went through a 4-33 stretch early after his promotion but because he kept getting a chance to play afterwards, his talent won out.

I hope the next Morning Report has a more-friendly font.

Mack Ade said...

Brian -

Experimenting...

Click...

Bob Sugar said...

Agree with the positive vibes about Dilson Herrera. Can't wait to see him everyday. That will go down as a great trade. Was it Marlon Byrd?

BadRaZoR said...

I still can't believe we got a player of Walker's caliber for Neise! I would much rather have an established player who has had great success in the Majors than bank on a kid who has not done anything there yet. I LOVE Dilson but he's only 22 and can use more seasoning especially on the defensive side. Remember we are going for a WS full force this year, it's best to not count on unproven albiet good talent

Tom Brennan said...

Marlon Byrd and John Buck for Vic Black and Dilson Herrera. We done real good.

Tom Brennan said...

I agree with Frank Anon - we have a World Series to win. Can't turn over 2B to Dilson, as he could be ROY - or falter. We need proven guys this year.

He'll get worked in during the year somehow and start in 2017.

Bob Sugar said...

Oh yeah. Thanks Thomas

Unknown said...

Mack here's my question to you: I understand Shannon Forde was a very special person loved by all but what I don't understand is she worked with multi-millionaire ballplayers for decades who if they just wrote a check for their lunch money allowance her children's children could live comfortably into their old age....what am I missing here? Also I worry about ALL things Mets because after 54 years I been conditioned to do so. I've heard that the first step is admitting you have a problem.....o.k. I admit it... LOL now LETS GO METS!

Mack Ade said...

Gary -

I have no idea what the Mets or the players have done for the Forde family, other than she had a nice health plan that I assume covered her health problems while she was alive.

Anonymous said...

You can't please them all.
Reporters are criticizing Syndergaard for being close to his mid-season velocity in Spring training. Then they criticize deGrom for holding back.

With me if the big for make it out of Spring Traing without having to go to the DL then Spring Training was successful. If deGrom is still at 91-93 in May then we can have that discussion then.

Tom Brennan said...

Gary, read my article next Tuesday.