REALITY INTRUDES IN METSVILLE
As the Mets enter play today, they have 63 games left to play.
39% of the season is left. That's a lot.
But in a season where good pitching has been scarce for the Mets, the pitching in the 4 games series against the San Fran Jints was just about the best the Mets have had all season.
Yet, at a time they desperately needed to win at least 3 of 4 to be considered relevant in the playoff hunt, they instead lost 3 of 4.
Why?
The bullpen, horrendous all season, was much better - but ultimately, in the 3 losses, not quite good enough.
"Not quite good enough" causes teams to miss the playoffs.
The Wilpons always seem to approach the stocking of the pen in "hopefully good enough" mode.
Most times, however, that turns into "not quite good enough."
As in not quite good enough to allow the Mets to reach the playoffs - or to have meaningful September baseball, to coin a Wilpon phrase.
Teams that reach the post-season are top 10 teams.
Despite the prodigious exploits of Messrs. Alonso and McNeil, the Mets are 15th in homers at 141 and 17th in runs at 449.
Despite some solid starting pitching, the Mets are 22nd in ERA at 4.68.
And the Mets are a sub-par fielding team.
Based on the above, and after the painful 3 losses in extra innings this weekend, the hopes that this team can rally enough in the remaining 39% of the season to reach a Wild Card slot are extremely remote. The NY Post's Joel Sherman quoted odds that currently are below 1% for the Mets to make the post-season. So, it's:
Time for the annual Mets Bake Sale:
Come buy some:
Wheeler Pie
Frazier Cake
Vargas Donuts
Thor Blintzes.
Wheeler Pie
Frazier Cake
Vargas Donuts
Thor Blintzes.
All for sale...yummy - come one, come all.
GOOD NEWS DEPT:
If he keeps pitching like he did yesterday, why not?
GOOD NEWS DEPT:
Tom Terrific Szapucki dominated for St Lucie last night.
The lightning lefty threw 5 shutout innings while fanning 9 in his longest outing of the season. He picked up his first win, having finally cracked the 5 inning mark.
He now has 35 innings this season, 45 Ks, 1-1, 2.06 ERA.
Last 2 starts, 9.2 IP, 16 Ks. Can't hit what ya can't see, I guess.
With Tom having time, presumably, for 8 more starts in 2019, and maybe the Arizona Fall League, could the repaired lefty be being positioned by the braintrust to surge to the majors as a Mets starter by mid 2020?
A name seemingly that we've talked about forever, but who only turned 23 in June, could he still turn out to be be as good or better than Anthony Kay, the Mets minors current ace-in-the-making??
If he keeps pitching like he did yesterday, why not?
DON'T GO - THERE'S MORE GOOD NEWS:
Let's stay a moment longer in lefty heaven.
Let's not forget:
Blue chip prospect Blake Taylor:
STILL surging as a AA bullpen arm.
On July 16, he threw 3 innings and made one mistake, allowing a 3 run jack.
A rare recent mistake. You may not be, dear reader, but he's human.
Last night, 3 innings of 2 hit, 4 K shutout ball.
Last 12 relief outings, 26 innings pitched, 16 hits, 6 walks, 35 Ks.
The 23 year old former Bucs 2nd rounder is wheelin' and dealin'.
I see Blake Taylor in the Mets pen in 2020.
Former Met bullpen ace Ron Taylor would no doubt approve.
13 comments:
Are Blake and Ron related?
Szapucki was absolutely dominating before his injury, so the fact he's doing so again is not surprising. What is surprising is that people were writing him off when the list of pitchers NOT getting TJS seems shorter than the ones that do.
Szapucki breaking ball is unhittable at this Class High A level. Just needs FB velocity to come back and 2020 could be a huge year for him.
Bill they are only related by the mound DNA.
Reese and Ernest, I agree - and the question is whether Szapucki is holding back on his velocity a bit to be cautious. Hopefully so - if so, he could really be good - and Reese, I agree: deGrom, Harvey, and Wheeler are among 3 who have returned from TJS as good as new (in Harvey's case, short lived.)
Szapucki has been dominating his entire pro career.
4 seasons
15 games pitched in
12 starts
2.21 1.06
117-IP
161-K
How in the hell did this kid fall to the 5th round?
Is Blake Taylor the Ike Davis dividend? Love it when they payoff.
Very good game last night. If Robbie can promise to hit three homeruns a game, he can stay.
A really excellent effort by everyone Tuesday night.
The $60,000 Question may be this, "Should the NY Mets keep playing out the season as is or should they start calling up the best AAA/AA players for their shot now before the 2019 season ends?"
My take is that it is all about the 2020 season now, and to get a good jump on it might not be such a bad idea. But it's a very debatable thing I realize and opinions will vary.
Tuesday thru Wednesday Mets games were sort of Jekyll and Hyde. That is precisely why they are sub 500% on the season. Consistency issue.
Is there a fix for this?
A: "I thin' so Lucy."
The starting point may be with what is here now, obviously. Trades need to be accommodated to not only move forward as a team, but also to sift out what is not working this season at all.
All the second and third tier veterans collecting paychecks and contributing almost nothing, need to go now. The fans have given up on them and they are hurting this team more than helping it.
These veteran players I mention, are the ones that Mets brass has collected over the seasons, not just this past off season either. This is not the time to find fault, nor acshould rather be utilizing to build a better team for next season.
It is exceedingly hard (almost impossible) to judge desire and the desirable sense of urgency that lays within most players and people. The most difficult being the 31+ year old class of veterans who have collected enough paychecks already, and may have entirely lost their drive to succeed and excel. I won't mention names, but as you too know, they are now scattered all across MLB.
Begin the process now may make good sense.
What is needed here might now be: (a) A homerun batter more to take some of the weight off Peter Alonso, and other batters here now, shoulders. This would be a batter who can hit 35+ homeruns a season and tally at least a .280+ BA that is not just achieved over the last four weeks of the regular season. (b) One more true top-end starter. This notion of waiting on starters and relievers (here now) to suddenly own consistency is not working. (c) A left-handed set-up and potential closer. The Mets could have Zamora and Wilson in their bullpen if everything works out right. But they need that fastball later inning lefty guy more, someone the batters don't want to have to face towards the end of the game down two runs. This guy is not here yet and I do not see him down at Syracuse or Binghamton either.
The more obvious moves: (a) Going totally young at the catcher position with a tandem chosen from the Tomas Nido, Patrick Mazeika, and Ali Sanchez catcher grouping. Why not actually, Mike Piazza is not coming back anytime soon and Choo-Choo Coleman cannot. Could even be a 50%/50% catcher platooning to add stanima over the course of a whole season similar ti an NHL goaltending situation. (b) Bringing the best Mets MiLB players up from Syracuse and Binghamton to take the place of some of the current veteran players here now (that may not be traded soon) who simply are not contributing enough to this Mets season.
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