Mack’s Morning Report – 4-28-16 – Jeurys Familia, Travis d’Arnaud, Matt Harvey, Chris Flexen,, Tyler Pill

Good morning.

The first big Mets-Nats series doesn’t come up until May 17-19 at CitiField. Before that, will be series with the Giants, Braves, and an 11 game road trip against the Padres, Dodgers, and Rockies.

I read yesterday that one of the Mets writers said that Jeurys Familia ‘is back’ and is producing the kind of results to be a successful closer. The whole statement centered around the seven-for-seven saves Familia has going into Wednesday night, which ranks him fourth in the league.

But, is he getting better as the season goes on?

Seasonally, he’s 2.45/1.55, 11-G, 11.0-IP, 3-ER, 13-H, 9-K, and 4-walks… but, in the past seven games, this stat line blows up to 3.86/1.57, 7-G, 7.0-IP, 3-ER, 9-H, and two walks.

Look, I’m not saying he isn’t doing a good job, but there seems to be much room for improvement at this point in the season.

Yusuf: Do you think Mets are better off with Plawecki as the primary catcher?

Paul Swydan: No, it’s just sad how fragile d’Arnaud is.

Jeff Zimmerman: No, Travis is just off to a slow start

Swydan: Well also he’s hurt now.

Mack – I’m glad the guys over at Fangraphs answered a question about the current state of Mets catching.

First of all, I’ve said this 100 times… my first vote has always been for a guy that is a defensive specialist that the pitchers love working with and someone that can control and call a quality game. There is no more important defensive position in this game. Every play has a baseball thrown to this guy.

Past that, in my opinion, this is an either hitter in the lineup that would make my day if he ended the season at a tops .250 batting average. Home runs and runs batted in would be bonuses.

I still being Travis d’Arnaud has more talent than Kevin Plawecki, but I’m starting to believe that d’Arnaud is quickly becoming one of those chronically broken catchers that begin their breakdown with the wear and tear a position like this always comes into play. You can’t squat behind home plate this many times in your life and not have issues. You just can’t.

My guess is catching is going to become an issue in the off season, especially if Plawecki once more disappoints.

There is enough positive producing offense right now to give d’Arnaud the proper time to heal once again.

St. Lucie 7 - Charlotte 1 -  Chris Flexen shut down the Charlotte Stone Crabs over 7.2 innings in the St. Lucie Met’s 7-1 victory on Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.

After receiving just one run of support over his previous three starts, Flexen took advantage of a hot Mets offense and cruised to his first Florida State League win. He limited the Crabs to one run on six hits. He walked one and struck out four while throwing 99 pitches.

The Crabs pieced together three consecutive two-out singles in the fourth to plate their only run. Flexen got out of the jam with a 2-1 lead by coaxing a comebacker from Landon Cray. Flexen retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced.

The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the third on Amed Rosario’s RBI single and Michael Katz’s sac fly.

Champ Stuart blasted a two-run homer off of Chris Pike in the fifth to make it 4-1.

The Mets scored their final three runs in the seventh inning against knuckleballer Jeff Howell. Rosario hit a two-run single and Luis Guillorme scored on a passed ball.

Rosario, Guillorme and John Mora collected two hits apiece. Team press release.

Binghamton 7  -  Portland 0  -  Tyler Pill fanned seven over eight shutout innings and the Binghamton Mets blanked the Portland Sea Dogs 6-0 Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. It was the B-Mets fourth straight win and it completed a three-game sweep of the Sea Dogs.

The majority of Binghamton’s offense came in the first inning. Derrick Gibson led off with a double scored in the ensuing at bat. Kyle Johnson bounced a grounder that went between Portland second baseman Wendell Rijo’s legs. Gibson sprinted home from second and scored the first run of the game.

Niuman Romero then walked and Dom Smith followed with an RBI single, scoring Johnson. Three batters later, L.J. Mazzilli doubled to left, allowing Romero and Smith to score for a 4-0 Binghamton lead.

Meanwhile, Pill was cruising. He retired 19 of the last 21 that he faced, a period stretching from the second to the eighth inning. Pill improved to 1-2 after allowing only four hits and a walk over his eight innings. Team press release

Anthony DiComo ‏@AnthonyDiComo  - A positive Harvey sign, from @MLBNetwork: of 159 pitchers who have thrown at least 200 pitches, his average opp. exit velocity ranks 155th.