4/9/16

Mack’s Morning Report – 4-9-16 – Dirty Laundry, Shannon Forde, Zack Wheeler, Game Notes, Tyler Balshor




Good morning.


Don’t forget… Sunday morning will be the draft edition of the Morning Report with an updated mock draft that includes the projected first two picks by the Mets. It averages the picks of the last 10 mock drafts to come out online so don’t miss it.


In addition, I will be out of pocket for Monday and there will be no Mack’s Morning Report that day. Tom Brennan will pinch hit for me and I will return for a full day of posts for Tuesday.


FREE METS TICKETS – Coming soon to Mack’s Mets will be free ticket giveaways to Mets home games… keep reading for details!


The Mets commissioned a plaque that honored the life and commitment of ex-Media PR Shannon Forde. The plaque has been placed on the wall at the entrance of the media room.


I’m not happy with this… SP Zack Wheeler will have surgery to remove an undissolved stitch left over from his TJS procedure. It’s not considered serious and the Mets say it will not push back the dates he scheduled to return, but I’ll believe that when I see it.


Thought’s on the home opener –

-Jacob deGrom hit 91-93 in the first inning… excellent control though his velocity continues to be down from last season… does have remarkable control of ‘up the ladder’ high fastball in the upper zone… the lat tightness sucks at this point and we’ll have to wait and see what the diagnosis is until after Saturday. Still, nice six innings… 6-K, 0-BB, 1.50.

Michael Conforto reached base five times in his first nine plate appearances this season… the error that Galvis had in the second inning on a made to order double play was caused by Conforto heading straight for him before he caught the ball… set up bases loaded and no out which eventually led to one run…

Getting only one run in the second with bases loaded made the seasonal RISP at that point: 1-23.

David Wright’s double in the first inning, and slick play on the attempted bunt in the fourth, just strengthens my case that he’s far from slowing down… then, of course, there came that throwing error…

Mets 1-2-3 hitters (Granderson, Wright, Cespedes): .077, .182, .167

The signing of Jim Henderson continues to pay off.


Some minor notes…

          Binghamton’s Robert Gsellman had a superb opening day start… 5.2-IP, 7-K, 1-ER, 1.59… Logan Taylor, Kelly Secrest, and Akeel Morris (save) combined for 3.1 scoreless innings.

          Tim Peterson had two scoreless innings (5-K) for St. Lucie…

          Columbia’s P.J. Conlon had a nice first start: 4.2-IP, 1-ER, 1.93

          Everybody held their breath when Tyler Balshor hit the mound for the Fireflys. The 11th round pick in 2013 hasn't pitched for the past two seasons after 15.2 innings for Kingsport in the same year he came out of school. Well, he past his first test Friday night, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings while striking out five.

           Somewhere in the middle of the 15 runs given up last night to Fresno, Las Vegas RP Paul Sewald threw 1.2 scoreless innings (2-K) and continued his seasonal 0.00 ERA.  


8 comments:

Ernest Dove said...

The continued talk by mets of Conforto being in a strict platoon is driving me batshit crazy............

Tom Brennan said...

Ernest, Jeff McNeil showed that perhaps the added bulk will make a difference...homered and had another hit and drove in Both runs in Bingo 2-1 win.

Neil Walker hits the ground running.

Sit Grandy for April? 3rd straight year where it appears April is not kind to him. Two other capable OFs itching to play.

Hobie said...

Grandy is the one to be platooned vs LHP (& maybe even numbered months) IMO.

Why there wasn't Largares (CF), Cespedes (RF) trial in ST escapes me.

Tom Brennan said...

Vegas boys can really hit - 10 runs for that line up should happen frequently. I had opined that like any other player, Matt Reynolds may have had an off year in 2015, for any number of reasons. On base 6 of 8 times in the first two games…maybe the pendulum swings for him in 2016.

Pitchers in Vegas other than Sewald had a brutal night last night - the non_Sewalds allowed more hits, walks, and HBP (24) than outs they recorded (22).

Anonymous said...

Ernest, I completely agree.

Sure, get Lagares time against LHP, but they can rest all three outfielders. To put Conforto in a strict platoon is a horrendous decision.

My only hope is that it won't stick.

James Preller

Tom Brennan said...

Any thoughts on Wright potential for success? My cousin has seen all 3 games and is pessimistic.

Tom Brennan said...

Any thoughts on Wright potential for success? My cousin has seen all 3 games and is pessimistic.

Anonymous said...

I mean if someone is going to be pessimistic about Wright for 3 games, might as well think Cespedes should retire immediately with the same sample size