5/10/16

Mack’s Morning Report – 5-10-16 – Matt Harvey, Yoenes Cespedes, David Wright, Chris Flexen, Back End Bullpen


  
Good morning.


I didn’t get back in town until late Sunday so I didn’t have an opportunity to check out how the Mets had done. Instead, I had to put together a rushed Morning Report for Monday and then make sure I didn’t miss Game of Thrones.

So… today I checked the box score with particular interest in how Matt Harvey did. I considered the outing another + one (10-Ks) though I still wish the Mets could let him play someplace like first base in the fifth inning.
I’m sure the experts online… you know, the ones under-25… have all sorts of stats and theories on why the fifth inning seems a nightmare to Harvey, but I still think it’s mostly in his head. Yes, it tends to include the third time around in the lineup, but Harvey does seem to rally after this inning in the sixth.

The fact is it may not be an innings thing at all. It just may be associated with the amount of pitches he threw through the first four innings.
Like I said, you’ll read a lot about this guy today and tomorrow. I still don’t see a long term problem here and, yes, I still think the Mets have to keep quietly getting the word out that he is available in a trade for the right ‘package’.


With his rehab assignment complete, Josh Edgin will remain in Las Vegas.


Braves Acquire Anthony Recker From Indians



From the Gotham Sports Network on Yoenis Cespedes

His impact in the lineup has been exponential. Cespedes has done a particularly good job of backing up and supporting Michael Conforto. In fact, Conforto is seeing more fastballs because Cespedes is behind him in the batting order. Cespedes has also been thoroughly enjoying himself, as seen through Bartolo Colon’s home run and Cespedes’ reaction with the rest of the team. He has become one of the guys, and it has developed quite a middle-of-the-order for this Mets lineup.

Mack – It’s been particularly enjoyable to watch the 3-4-5-6- of Michael Conforto, Cespedes, Lucas Duda, and Neil Walker.  One must wonder if Cespedes’s output has been influenced by all the hitting prowess around him.


Enzo Amore - David Wright has looked reasonably healthy so far, and is hitting well, but he has amazingly cost the team 5 runs with his defense already. What should the Mets do with him?

Dan Szymborski - Don't get too excited about short-term defensive stats. Like Joey Rickard. His stats are enough to tell us that he certainly isn't a huge contributor defensively this year, but not enough to tell us if he's really +5 or -5 in left.

                  Mack – This is a much more complicated situation than simply trading Wright to another team.

                  It simply may be impossible to find a team that will take on this contract under any trade scenario since he has a cloudy future medical outlook.

                  Wright is the Mets problem and Mets fans have to pray he stays relatively healthy and competitive.


Mets WAR leaders through Week 5: - 1. Syndergaard 1.7, 2. Cespedes 1.5, 3.  Conforto 1.1, 4(t).  Colon 0.9, 4(t). Matz 0.9


Top 5 teams in home runs – 1. Mets (49), 2. Cards (44), 3T. Arizona (43), 3T. Orioles (43), 5T Rockies (42), 5T Seattle (42)


Jon Niese has a 3-1 record with a 5.94 ERA


Sean Gilmartin, Dilson Herrera and Matt Reynolds will receive their NL championship rings tomorrow.


Please note the following transactions involving the Binghamton Mets.
May 9:

RHP Rainy Lara placed on Disabled List, retroactive to May 6

OF Stefan Sabol activated from the Disabled List


The Toronto Blue Jays have released outfielder Michael Bourn from his minor league contract



St. Lucie’s Chris Flexen had another disappointing outing last night… 6.0-IP, 5-R, 4.54. I have five Mets minor league starters with the potential of someday becoming a major league starter… Gabriel Ynoa, Sean Gilmartin, Robert Gsellman, P J Conlon, and Flexen. I still believe in him and, hopefully, he will straighten out his game soon.


The Mets, with the help of Hansel Robles, Antonio Bastardo, Jim Henderson, and Jeurys Familia throwing the last three scoreless innings, won Game One against the Bums out in LA. I'm going to write more about the starter, Steven Matz (5-1) tomorrow.

We'll also talk about Rafael Montero, who was sort of all over the place in a 1-0 victory in Sacramento... you know, normal air.


10 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I love being first in homers. Cespedes does too, and he loves it here. He looks like a superstar to me. Hope it goes long term.

Maybe Montero is ready to shake off being lousy after last night's solid outing.

Some interesting observations on WUILMER BECERRA and Ty Kelly at 10 AM.

Ernest Dove said...

I don't wish to fully familiarize myself with fancy defemsive metrics, but my eye ball test results tell me that David, on a nightly basis, pulls off one of his trademark barehanded gems to prevent a hit.
That plus his .400 OBP makes me happy.
Plus dont look now but one mr. Wilmer Flores is making consistent contact lately.

Mack Ade said...

Ernest -

I might have worded that wrong when I said that David was the Mets' 'problem', I don't consider him a problem though I no longer consider him the nucleus of the offense.

Zozo said...

I am actually surprised how well David has played so far this season with his ailment. If he can manage the pain as he has done so far it is such a plus to have him out there, but in my opinion Flores is a more than capable backup plan.
Also David will always be a Met and following him all these years, I feel he will ride off into the sunset with respect towards the fans and not hang on more than he is capable of doing.
When he does hang it up the Mets will collect the insurance money and spend that money on someone else.

Hobie said...

I shudder to think ho close we came to having Cespedes "protecting" Harper in the Natzi's lineup...

That was a 2AM scream you heard as me awaking in a cold sweat again.

Anonymous said...

Morning Mack:
A couple things in the last 12 hours that got me thinking?
1st d you remember all the talk about Sandy picking up,Bourn?
Looks like another great non-signing Sandy has made!
Secondly about Harvey, do you think anything changes with Strasburg signing an extension? Does this open the Mets up to resigning Harvey or do you believe reguardless of Strasburg the Mets aren't going to ever offer Harvey an extension.
Curious on your thoughts
Long time follower
Steve

Metsiac said...

When I hear the talk about David's deterioration, I think back to the last days of Carlos Beltran in Queens. He was on his last legs (pun intended) due to arthritic knees which would never heal enough to give him more than a year of shelf life. Four or five years later, after a half-season in SF and several in St Louis, he's still hitting HRs and playing RF for the Yankees.

Apparently reports of his career death were greatly exaggerated. 👿

Metsiac said...

When I hear the talk about David's deterioration, I think back to the last days of Carlos Beltran in Queens. He was on his last legs (pun intended) due to arthritic knees which would never heal enough to give him more than a year of shelf life. Four or five years later, after a half-season in SF and several in St Louis, he's still hitting HRs and playing RF for the Yankees.

Apparently reports of his career death were greatly exaggerated. 👿

Reese Kaplan said...

And yet countless others kept getting paychecks long past their, ahem, productive years.

Reese Kaplan said...

And yet countless others kept getting paychecks long past their, ahem, productive years.