Tom Brennan and Mack Ade - Mets Recap

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A really reliable Plummer is hard to find in NY. Especially one with 5 tools.

TODAY IS THE JUNIOR AND OMAR SHOW. 

AND THE NICK PLUMMER HOUR OF POWER.

You must read on for the amazing news about this dynamic trio in Sunday action.

PREAMBLE

I enjoyed listening to the channel 5 broadcast of the Mets, as they were speaking about the amazing Jeff McNeil. They informed (or reminded) listeners that Jeff was an excellent skinny minors hitter who ended up needing sports hernia surgery and then two hip surgeries, causing him to miss almost all of two minor league seasons. 

He returned in 2017 for a bit, then was a total hitting machine in 2018.

Most guys might’ve thrown in the towel that point, after that second surgery. But look at McNeil now. .301 lifetime in 1,467 at bats with 178 RBIs. Keeper. 

Avoid walls, Jeff. The Mets need a LOT of you.

The clouds surrounding Francisco Lindor were dark and persistent, but now it seems like there’s nothing but sunny, blue skies for a man with blue hair who loves to play every day. His contract is starting to look like a bargain compared to Kyle “Chris Davis) Schwarber’s. 

As good as the Mets have been, they are a + 53, while LAD is a + 117 already. LAD is stacked. The Mets will be, too, if they get fully healthy.

In case you wonder, as I occasionally do, how the Crow is flying, Petey the Crow is .371/.469/.562 in 43 games in his minors career. Had he stayed, he would be neck-and-neck with Alvarez as Mets’ top prospect. Dumb trade…very dumb.

I post this hoping for change. Two ranked prospects, Jaylen Palmer and Sherveyn Newton, have a combined career OBP of .353 (one at .355, one at .350), but in 2,397 plate appearances, 754 Ks, which is 190 per 600 PAs.  Worse, just looking at Brooklyn stats in 2022, the two have fanned 79 times in 162 official at bats, 49%.  Put those 2 in the majors right now and that could easily be a 80% K rate. Not to be blunt, but…Study the habits and contact approach of Jeff McNeil and Luis Guillorme if you ever want a big league career.

Mets acquire JT Riddle, who has hit .205 in AAA the past 2 years and has 10 MLB at bats in 2 years. Can anyone solve this riddle for me?  It was a Cash deal, likely brokered in Folsom prison.

METS: 

Zack Wheeler vs. Chris Bassitt. Going in, this team was 8.5 up on the Bravos and 9.5 up on the phumbling Phils (21-26). The Mets gave you a strong feeling damage against Wheeler was quite possible.  Scoring 5 runs per game increases confidence and swagger.  Bassitt hoped to rebound from his 8 run drubbing at the hands of the Jints.

“Guillorme Gwynn” got the Mets off to a fast start with an oppo field double, and 3 runs rolled across in inning one with some help from weak Philly fielding.

Drew Smith injured? Oh, my. 

Then a Nick Castellanos 3 run bomb in the 8th, Philly up 4-3!  Oh Double My.

But then a recent call up Nick, Nick Plummer, goes deep bottom 9 to tie it?  First major league hit a come-from-behind HR?  

Classic Mets baseball.  

UPPER DECK ROCKET IN RIGHT.

Edwin Diaz then dismantled the Phools in the 10th, and Eduardo Escobar drives in the game winner bottom 10. The Ed and Ed Show.  

Phillies are toast. Ten Point Five Toast.

Atlanta? 6-3 winners.

MINORS

SYRACUSE - Rob Zastryzny pitching for the S-Mets, coming in 0-3, 4.05. Unlike light-hitting Syracuse, Rochester has an excellent bopper  in Joey Meneses - .331/.377/.583 in 44 games, Nick Banks hitting .355 and Luis Garcia and Tres Barrera both hitting .327.  Tough squad, and Washington’s Nats sure look like the cavalry will be coming soon. Anyway, Rochester outscored our boys again, but Eric Orze threw 2 more solid innings as the stabilizer bars on his 2022 season continue to kick in.

BINGHAMTON - no Baty. Again. Figured out he went on 7 day IL. Not sure why, but sleuths are investigating. Lots of hits early in Sunday afternoon’s affair for the Ponies.  7 runs and 11 hits in the first 3 innings. Alec Kisena went 2 innings, Alex Valverde relieved…7-3 very quickly on a 2 run shot by Reading. Two more quick singles, but he escaped further damage with a DP. 

Final? 9-7, Binghamton on 17 very much needed and welcome hits, including 4 by the finally-heating-up Carlos Cortes, 3 by Fuego Frankie Alvarez, and 2 more scoreless innings by “0.47 in AA” Trey Cobb.  (Who says Ty Cobb was better?)

BROOKLYN - 5-3 loss.  Mike Vasil (3-1, 1.80, 0.97 WHIP) was on the bump for a Cyclones team that suddenly emerged from a coma and scored a heartening 39 runs in 3 of their games this week.  His start was mixed…4 runs in 4 IP, 7 Ks. Brandon McIlwain stayed hot with a HR and walk, and has shot up to .286. Newton and Palmer? 0 for 8, but "just" 2 Palmer Ks.

ST LUCIE - Christian Scott (6.2 IP, 12 Ks coming in) toed the rubber for the slumping Lucites. He got tuned up today, surrendering 6 runs in 3 frames, after Atencio threw 1 inning. 

19 year old SS Junior Tillen from San Pedro de Macoris, naturally, where else, smacked two 2 run homers. Wait…and a solo HR!!!!!. Wow. THREE HOMERS!!

He has 5 now in his first 51 at bats this year. Mack noted he signed a $185,000 bonus 2 years ago. Seems a mighty wise investment.   I think Lindor went 0 for 5 last night because he was nervous about watching Junior over his shoulder.

Dang! With 2 on in the 9th, the batter just before Tillen fanned, so no chance at a fourth.  Tillen never got out of the on deck circle.

Wait!  There's more!

Speedster Omar de los Santos had a double and 2 homers in the first six innings also!  He already has 23 steals, 31 runs, 6 HRs and 22 RBIs.  Cut down those Ks, Omar.

Not a windy day 7 MPH) in case you were wondering.

Nate Lavender fanned 2 in a scoreless frame. 14th rounder, who has a 0.51 ERA, and 0.74 in 2021 and 2022 combined, with 40 Ks in 24 career innings so far. Hall of Fame ballots are being circulated for the latter 3 as we speak.

11-9 final….but Mets’ hitters fanned 17 times.  I don’t get it. It just is.

In case you are interested, Michael Fulmer, traded for Yo Cespedes in 2015, is healthy and relieving well for the Tigers, 19 outings. And the man who just couldn’t hit for the Mets last year?  

Al Almora Jr. is 15 for 46 (.326) this year with the Reds, and popped his first HR in a mighty long time today.  Some guys just can't cut it in Queens.

Mack - My thoughts

- Today's featured minor leaguer is St. Lucie LHRP Nathan Lavender

The 22 year old was drafted in the 14th round of the 2021 season, out of the University of Illinois at Urbana.

He has always been a reliever and, simply put, he's a bitch to hit.

His fastball only tops in the low 90s but it's the 17 inch vertical RISE that batters fight with.

You add to that a liw 80s slider with a 5 inch vertical DROP, and you can imagine what it must be like stepping in against Lavender.

Result?

2021 GCL Mets 4-G 1.35 6.2-IP 12-K

2022 Lucy 4-0 9-G 19.3-IP 28-K

UPDATE 

Lavender pitched another scoreless inning on Sunday. 

ERA down to 0.48

- The more I watch Colin Holderman and Adam Ottavino, the more I think we are developing two solid mid-relievers in the pen.

The 6-7 26-yr old Holderman was converted to a reliever in 2021 and has been a pleasant surprise this season, going 0.00 in 9 games, 8 innings pitched.

Ottavino had a sip from The Fountain of Youth and had not given up a run in his last nine games (7.2-IP).

I add these two going forward with Diaz, Lugo, and Drew as an almost solid pen (Joely maybe).

UPDATE

Just when I started to think the pen was coming around, Dew Smith has a dislocation of his pitching pinky and Ottavino gives up a 3-run bomb.

Oh well.

- Going into Sunday's games (per Michael Baron):

    Francisco Lindor now has one more RBI than he had for the entire first half of last season

    Jeff McNeil's last eight games:

        .345/.406/.690, 6-XBH

- A viable candidate for the Mets to pick in the second round is Hamilton HS (AZ) OF Gavin Turley.

Turley is a no nonsense pounder with excellent base running skills and big raw power with a bat. His outfield arm has been clocked by PG at 97. They also clocked an exit velo of 103 from the plate.

He bats right and has ++ bat speed.

2022 stats - 

   56-G .331/.513 19-HR

- 19 year old SS Junior Tillen, or something like that, hit a club record 3 homers for St. Lucie on Sunday. More on him tomorrow.