I'm a fan first, and a writer second (yeah, I know, that's obvious, right?)
I usually focus on the Mets, and not much else until the Mets don't get to play meaningful August baseball or the pennant race, including the Mets, is on in earnest.
But I can adapt my focus occasionally.
That said - what is going ON in the NL East???
That said - what is going ON in the NL East???
Thought Tuesday, considering that the 8-21 Marlins are in the Mets' division, the rest of the Division should be up, right?
I never would have expected Philly, the Mets, the Braves and the Nationals to be a combined 57-58.
I thought the Mets, Phillies, Braves, and Nats would all be duking it out playing .600 ball at this point.
Wrong.
I never would have expected Philly, the Mets, the Braves and the Nationals to be a combined 57-58.
I MEAN - WHAT THE HECK!
I thought the Mets, Phillies, Braves, and Nats would all be duking it out playing .600 ball at this point.
We know the 15-14 Mets' situation - above average hitting and baffling, bad pitching.
HOW ARE THE TEAMS DOING - AND HITTING?
The Mets are hitting a very nice .259 with 149 runs scored, impressive after last year's awful offense until our very own Supersonic Squirrel Jeff McNeil showed up with 2 months to go.
The Phillies?
The Phanatics started the season with 3 wins over the Braves and a win over the Nats. Mets fans started to worry. RELAX - the Phils are only 12-13 since. The Phillies' offense was hitting just .243, and was 11th in scoring with 146 runs.
The Phanatics started the season with 3 wins over the Braves and a win over the Nats. Mets fans started to worry. RELAX - the Phils are only 12-13 since. The Phillies' offense was hitting just .243, and was 11th in scoring with 146 runs.
The Nationals?
Shockingly, just 12-16. The Nationals are hitting .251 but are just 13th in runs at 143.
Shockingly, just 12-16. The Nationals are hitting .251 but are just 13th in runs at 143.
The Braves?
At 14-15, also a bit surprising. Especially since the Braves are hitting well at .266, with 148 runs.
At 14-15, also a bit surprising. Especially since the Braves are hitting well at .266, with 148 runs.
So the 4 teams are within 6 runs scored of one another - which is pretty amazing.
Pitching for the 4 teams, though? Mostly not good at all.
The Mets' ERA stood at 5.21 with 9 of 13 in saves.
The Phillies are doing well at 4.18, with 7 of 9 in saves.
The Nationals? Stinky at 4.95, with just 3 of 7 in saves.
The Braves? Not great at 4.68, with just 6 of 10 in saves.
Teams, though, are comprised of individuals.
How are the individuals doing, good and bad?
Hitters first:
Phillies?
Philopian hitters doing well include: Segura at .324, Realmuto at .280 with 4 homers and 18 RBIs, Hoskins (.279, 8 HR, 24 RBI) and Franco (7 HR, 22 RBI).
Philopian hitters doing well include: Segura at .324, Realmuto at .280 with 4 homers and 18 RBIs, Hoskins (.279, 8 HR, 24 RBI) and Franco (7 HR, 22 RBI).
Disappointing, though, is mega millionaire Bryce Harper (.240, 6 HR, 20 RBI).
Also VERY BAD has been their bench: Gosselin, Knapp, Williams, Quinn and Altherr are a combined 19 for 133 (.142). Ouch!
If Harper and their bench wake up, the Phillies offense could go from solid to dangerous.
Nats?
Rendon has hit a potent .356 but missed 8 of 28 games. Kendrick? A nice .314 through 21 games. Eaton is hittng a decent .296, but just 4 steals and 9 ribbies in 27 games. Adams is off to a decent start too. In the kiddie department, Robles is hitting .255 with 5 HR and 7 SB, while Soto is at .248 with 6 HR, 22 RBI.
The sputtering Zimmerman (.213) and Dozier (.184) may be edging towards washed up.
Of course, the catalyst, Trea Turner, played just 4 games before getting hurt. Washington's offense could uptick once he returns and Robles gets a bit more experienced.
Braves?
Freeman and Markakis are over .300, and catchers Flowers and McCann are an unsustainable combined .334. Albies, Acuna, Swanson and Donaldson are off to solid starts. Glove guru Inciarte is at .233, and no one with significant at bats is under .231. They should be offensively tough all year.
Pitchers?
Some good ones, and lots of struggling ones.
Phillies?
They've have had several very solid pitchers - Eickoff, Neshek, Neris, Velasquez, Elfin and Arrieta have all been fine.
But their "deGrom", Aaron Nola, has an ugly 5.68 ERA, and the following 7 pitchers have allowed an ugly 57 runs in 73 innings: Domingo, Nicasio, Robertson, Ramos, Alvarez, Anderson, and Pivetta. In the Phillies' case, one would expect improvement from Nola, but their overall staff otherwise likely won't do better.
They've have had several very solid pitchers - Eickoff, Neshek, Neris, Velasquez, Elfin and Arrieta have all been fine.
But their "deGrom", Aaron Nola, has an ugly 5.68 ERA, and the following 7 pitchers have allowed an ugly 57 runs in 73 innings: Domingo, Nicasio, Robertson, Ramos, Alvarez, Anderson, and Pivetta. In the Phillies' case, one would expect improvement from Nola, but their overall staff otherwise likely won't do better.
Nationals?
Their vaunted big 3 (Corbin, Strasburg, and Scherzer) are doing less well than anticipated, with ERAs of 3.58, .3.82, and 4.12. Nat's fans must be a little nervous there. Also, Hellickson, Suero and Sanchez have been bad (67 innings, 46 runs).
Doolittle and Barraclough, though, have been very strong out of the pen (1.35 and 1.54 ERAs, respectively.) Their 4.95 ERA, like the Mets' 5.21 ERA, should be heading south any day now. Law of averages, so they say.
Their vaunted big 3 (Corbin, Strasburg, and Scherzer) are doing less well than anticipated, with ERAs of 3.58, .3.82, and 4.12. Nat's fans must be a little nervous there. Also, Hellickson, Suero and Sanchez have been bad (67 innings, 46 runs).
Doolittle and Barraclough, though, have been very strong out of the pen (1.35 and 1.54 ERAs, respectively.) Their 4.95 ERA, like the Mets' 5.21 ERA, should be heading south any day now. Law of averages, so they say.
Braves?
The tomahawk wielders (is that baseball-ically incorrect?) have 2 solid starters in Fried and Sorotka, and 3 sputtering starters, Teheran, Wright, and Gausman, who are 3-8 and have allowed 50 earned runs in 83 innings.
Pen-wise, Minter has 3 saves, but a 9.35 ERA, and Sobotka, Toussaint, and Venters have allowed 27 runs in 22 innings.
The tomahawk wielders (is that baseball-ically incorrect?) have 2 solid starters in Fried and Sorotka, and 3 sputtering starters, Teheran, Wright, and Gausman, who are 3-8 and have allowed 50 earned runs in 83 innings.
Pen-wise, Minter has 3 saves, but a 9.35 ERA, and Sobotka, Toussaint, and Venters have allowed 27 runs in 22 innings.
Amazingly, the Braves have used TWENTY TWO PITCHERS already - clearly, they have been scuffling from the mound.
CONCLUSION:
Everyone thought these 4 teams would be duking it out, but it seems the hitting has been somewhat better than expected and the pitching clearly worse than I ever expected.
If the Mets get deGrom, Thor, Wheeler, and Familia pitching better, like they should, and get Lowrie and Cespedes back healthy, though, they seem to be the best team on paper. Of course, as I finalize this, I find out an MRI on Familia shows a Bennett bone lesion (a spur in the shoulder)...JEESH.
CONCLUSION:
Everyone thought these 4 teams would be duking it out, but it seems the hitting has been somewhat better than expected and the pitching clearly worse than I ever expected.
If the Mets get deGrom, Thor, Wheeler, and Familia pitching better, like they should, and get Lowrie and Cespedes back healthy, though, they seem to be the best team on paper. Of course, as I finalize this, I find out an MRI on Familia shows a Bennett bone lesion (a spur in the shoulder)...JEESH.
What do you think, fellow fan?
The Mets offense may slow down a bit but the pitching has quite a bit of correction to the positive. If they are even a half run per game better with the bats, then the improved pitching should carry them into contention. Now if they only had a bullpen...
ReplyDeleteI touch one offensive sore point besides Keon Broxton, at noon, and on one key aspect of the pen tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteBut the last 2 days have been enormously comforting.
Meanwhile, Anthony Kay had another fine AA outing - I just wonder if we might see him later this year in Queens.