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.