From The Desk...

Good morning.

1.     I know this is easily one of the worst Mets seasons since 1962, but one thing that has seemed to settle down (even after Zack Wheeler’s bad outing on Wednesday) is starting pitchers. Through Wednesday, five pitchers (Wheeler, Lugo, deGrom, Vargas, Matz) have only given up 18-ER in 60.2-IP. Eight of those runs were by Wheeler in 18.2-IP, so, other than him, the other four have given up only 10 runs in 48 innings.

2.    Texas Tech OF Zach Reams (27^th round) is the remaining Mets draft pick that is still participating in the College World Series. Catch his team this weekend on ESPN and ESPN2.

3.    UMass-Lowell RHP Andrew Ryan has signed on with the Mets. Baseball Draft Report said about Ryan: “RHP Andrew Ryan is a rock solid senior-sign who would fit in nicely in any pro bullpen tomorrow. His stuff (88-92 FB, good SL) and performance to date (6.82 career K/9) are both more good than great, but sharpened command and increased whiffs as a senior (9.18 K/9) suggest there may be more than first meets the eye. I like Ryan as a mid- to late-round depth piece. With similar stuff, RHP Nick Rand falls into the same category. With any non-premium mid-major non-senior talent there exists a strong possibility that he returns to school in 2019. If three straight hyphenated words isn’t a record, then I’ll just have to go for four next time. RHP Luke Tomczyk is a senior already, so it’s now or never for the big (6-5, 235) effectively wild (8.68 K/9 and 6.79 BB/9 career) hard thrower (up to 94, also mixes in a good cutter) from Chili, New York. He’s no lock to get picked with those walk rates, but 94 MPH is 94 MPH.”

4.    Jeff Diehl was released by the Mets on Wednesday. Both the Mets and Diehl did everything they could do to stay in this game, going from a right field to catcher and then a thrower. We wish Diehl success in whatever he choses to do with the rest of his life.  (through Wednesday)

5.    Per Michael Baron: “Mets have lost 10 of 11 games, averaging 1.36 runs and 4.3 hits per game during that span. They’ve scored 15 runs in those 11 games, been shutout thrice. K’d 105 times, walked 35 times. Hitting .137 as a team during that span.

6.    Per Christopher Soto: “DeGrom has a 0.87 ERA in his last 10 starts and Mets are three outs away from being 2-8 in this stretch.”

7.    The Mets have claimed RHP Chris Beck off waivers from the CWS. 2^nd round pick in 2010 by Chicago, out of Georgian Southern. Was a starter through the 2015 season, but was converted to a reliver in 2016. Has not had good stats the past three years, which includes and MLB total stat line of 4-years, 97-G, 1-start, 4-4, 5.94, 1.70, only 81-Ks in 118.2-IP, a whopping 66-BB. Huh?

8.    Mickey Callaway’s message to Mets fans on Wednesday: "Stick with the guys. They’re going to come out of it. We’re going to be fine. We’re not going to give up. We always appreciate their support. They’re everywhere. They’re here. They deserve better than what we’ve been giving them." Huh, huh?

9.     One of our top international prospects, CF Adrian Hernandez (2017: $1.5mil bonus), worked his way back into the DSL-1 game on Wednesday. Up to then he played sporadically making many of us wonder if there was injury here. News out of Havana flows quicker than the DR so it was great to see him go 2-5 (.250 for the year).

10.  The Brooklyn roster was posted up on the site and I thought it could be a sleeper, There is one ‘red’ prospect there (OF Wagner Lagrange) and five ‘blue” prospects (SP Bryce Montes de Oca, SP Jaison Viera, C Juan Uriarte, 1B Dionis Pauline, SS Oscar Pasqual) which is a lot more talent than this team has had the past two seasons. I especially point out Viera. He could be the real deal.

11.  Joe DeMayo – official signing bonuses:   7^th Rd LHP Kevin Smith: $222,300 (full slot)… 9^th Rd. RHP Bryce Montes de Oca: $152,100 (full slot)… 23^rd Rd. RHP Saul Gonzalez: $175K ($50K 0ff pool).

12.  Steve Gelbs - Jacob deGrom has a 1.16 ERA in his last 11 starts.

13.  The Mets promoted 1B Peter Alonso and 2B Jeff McNeil from AA-Binghamton to AAA-Las Vegas. IMO, this should have happened earler but I'll take it. Christian Colon will probably become the every day Vegas SS now and the Rumble Ponies have lost the majority of their punch in their lineup. Binghamton replaces McNeil with Frontier League Evansville Otters 2B Josh Allen. 2013 un-drafted out of the University of West Florida (Pensacola). Has played the last four seasons for Evansville and was hitting .310/.429/.510/.939, 15-HR last year. his year (2018) he was playing for St. Pall and was hitting .344/.439/.589/1.028, with 4-HR in 109-PA.

14.  The International signing period begins July 2nd.