Thoughts on last night -
A lot of fans are going to write this off as one bad pitch by a very effective reliever. Bad pitches happen all the time. But no one rants or writes about them when you have a six or seven run lead.
No, the problem developing with this team is the lack of consistent hitting. Sure, there has been some standout bats, like Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonzo, Mark Cahna, and Jeff McNeil, but, past that, there hasn’t been that much to write about.
Luis Guillorme was one of these solid bats, but that seems to have begun cooling off. McNeil has been lost for almost a week and it has exposed this problem even more. Sterlin Marte is inconsistent, Dom Smith still hasn’t come out of the gate, neither has Eduardo Escobar, and no one that plays behind the plate has contributed at all.
And teams have now figured out that this team especially reeks when you throw a left handed starter at them.
Everybody thought that the injuries to three of our top starters was going to kill us, but, frankly, the piecemeal rotation the Mets have put together have definitely carried the torch for us in June. A special kudo goes out to David Peterson for his outing yesterday.
Max Schrezer and Collin Holderman will be back next week, quickly followed by Jake deGrom and Joey Lucchesi. Pitching will no longer be the area we are concerned about.
I have consistently wrote about the need of an addition reliever, especially one being a lefty. The return of Max and Jake will move two members of our current rotation to the pen and Lucchesi will be the much needed lefty needed to come out of the pen.
No Steve, we need another productive bat. Maybe at third. Maybe in the outfield. Maybe behind the plate. Or maybe playing DH.
A bat Steve.
Next up, let’s continue out talks about expiring contracts.
Today, we look at the Seattle Seahawks.
Chris Flexen is a 27-year old ex-Met RHSP who signed with Seattle after one year in Japan.
He had a wonderful return home last season, going 14-6, in 31-starts, but fell back this year to a 0.4-WAR, 14-starts, 3-8, 4.31, 77.1-IP, 55-K result.
Flexen is paid $3.05mil this season, with an option for 2023.
The rest of the free agents on this team… Justin Upton, Mitch Haniger, Adam Frazier, Ken Giles… simply are not worth pursuing.
In my ongoing quest to give you info on prospects that the Mets could pick at either the 1.11 or 1.14 pick, I have another starter for you to consider.
18-year old Jackson Ferris is a 6-4/195 LHSP, out of the elite IMG Academy in Florida.
My notes -
0.55 ERA, 50.2 OP, 86-K, 13-BB
Age At Draft: 18.5
90-94, T97 FB, low-80s change
High spin breaking ball at 75-77.
The fastball is definitely his signature pitch.
70s curveball has solid depth with big, tight spin.
Downhill angle late riding life.
Has superior control of all three pitches.
Clean arm action and has plenty of projection on his frame.
@B_Sakowski_PG - “Ferris is the top lefty on our ‘22 PG Draft Board.”
Ole Miss commit
MLB.com says this about Ferris -
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55
Scouts have poured in to watch IMG Academy outfielder Elijah Green on a regular basis all spring, but they also tried to time it for whenever Ferris takes the mound. One of the best prep left-handers in this class, Ferris certainly made a name for himself last spring, when he outdueled eventual Phillies first-round pick Andrew Painter, then threw at a number of summer showcase events -- including MLB’s High School All-American Game in Denver. He came out of the gate red-hot this spring and while he’s shown off his considerable upside, he’s been a touch more inconsistent as the season wore on.
When everything is in sync and online, the 6-foot-4 Ferris can show off three pitches that have the chance to all be plus pitches. His fastball typically sits in the 92-95 mph range with good riding life and he has shown the ability to command the pitch well. He throws close to a true 12-to-6 curve in the mid-70s and has excellent feel for his mid-80s changeup with good fade.
Tall and projectable, the Mississippi commit could have more in the tank as he matures, and he can already hold his stuff deep into outings. He does have a bit of an unorthodox delivery that can get out of whack occasionally, leading to some command issues, but he has No. 2-3 starter potential if it all comes together.
Please note the following Syracuse Mets roster moves:
-IF Deven Marrero signed by New York from the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League and added to the Syracuse roster
Sunday tweets -
Michael Baron @michaelgbaron
Pete Alonso, 21 games in June:
.267/.345/.653
2 doubles, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 15 runs scored.
New York Mets @Mets
Keith Hernandez was on the cover of the Mets yearbook in 1988. Though he missed part of the season to injury, he returned in August as New York went on to win a division title and face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling seven-game NLCS
Michael Baron @michaelgbaron
Edwin Díaz has allowed one run in his last 11 appearances. Overall, Díaz has struck out 48.3% of the batters he’s faced so far in 2022.
Mathew Brownstein @MBrownstein89
The Mets are 28-2 in games Edwin Díaz has appeared in this season.
Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB
Oklahoma will be fine. They've got Cade Horton on the bump tomorrow, quite possibly the hottest MLB Draft prospect in the country right now. Stock WAY up.
Last 4 starts? 23.2 IP, 36 K, 6 BB, 7 ER... 0.972 WHIP
He will *skyrocket* in our Top 600 update.
Willie Hood @WillHoo99
Great to see Cade Horton clicking on all cylinders. He will be draft-eligible in July. With his short track record of success but high-level prospect pedigree, he will slide into my top 150. I think the Sooner's righty comes off the board in rounds 3-4 next month.
Jim Callis @jimcallisMLB
Indiana HS RHP Andrew Dutkanych, a potential 1st-rder, has informed teams that he intends to attend Vanderbilt. No word yet on whether he has officially withdrawn from the MLB Draft.
Zack Silverman @ZackSilverman18
Huge get for Vanderbilt. Andrew Dutkanych has been inconsistent but when he's at his best, he has Friday night upside even at a place like Vandy. I love the way he competes and attacks the strike zone with very loud stuff. I think he'll put it all together in Nashville.
JJ Cooper @jjcoop36
We have confirmed that Dutkanych has officially withdrawn.
Michael Mayer @mikemayer22
The Mets are 24-8 against the National League East this season.
Michael Mayer @mikemayer22
20-year-old Francisco Álvarez in 61 Double-A games this year:
.285/.370/.583, 16 2B, 17 HR, 45 RBI
The Mets top prospect is second in the league with 33 extra base hits.
Tom Chimes In…
Mets Forgot the Broom:
Peterson was excellent, Ottavino was not, in a 3-2, ninth inning walk off loss. Nimmo (HR) and Pete had the Mets’ 2 RBIs. Bottom third of the order - Escobar, Guillorme, and McCann - were 0 for 12 with 4 Ks….which won’t win a lot of games fer ya.
MINORS MESHUGENA:
SYRACUSE: Szapucki threw 4 solid (2 runs, 8 Ks) and the relievers finished up allowing 1 hit and 6 more Ks, but it was a 2-1 loss, with Tom Terrific slipping to 1-5, but pitching much better in AAA than his record would infer.
BINGHAMTON: Boy, it was woeful for 6 innings, down 6-0, but in the 7th, Wyatt Young (3hits) tripled in a couple of runs and the next inning, Carlos Cortes (2 hits, 4 RBIs) smacked a 3 run blast, and Bingo won 7-6. BOOYAH!
Hejka win, Yamamoto save.
BROOKLYN: 3-2 game, won in the bottom of the 9th. Unlike the Mets, Brooklyn won, as Nic Gaddis doubled in the game-winner.
The 16th round catcher (Gaddis) is hitting just .206, but his 21 RBIs in 126 at bats is impressive. Career, .340 on base %, and does not fan a lot, and 22 doubles, 11 HRs, 65 RBIs in 392 ABs. Not Alvarez, but not bad.
St. Lucie’s hitting woes continued (1 run, 6 hits in a 4-1 loss) but the Mighty Omar stole 2 more bags, giving him 43. Wow.
They got swept in this series….A Six Game Series! Ouch!
Dom Hamel was great but went just 2 innings (no runs, 5 Ks), as an opener.
14 comments:
Watched Cade Horton pitch against Ole Miss Sunday in the college championship game.I am not a scout, but he looked very good. Possible Met's later round pick?
I think Guillorme’s success has messed with McNeil’s head. Last year happened after McNeil had contract squabbles with Alderson and then the Lindor fight. This year was great until Guillorme started hitting and making gold glove plays. Everyone asks how you make room for the kids, and it appears our first option is moving McNeil. I don’t like it, but I understand it. When is the best time?
Gus, hopefully the next excellent chance to move McNeil is this offseason, after a trip down the Canyon of Heroes. And a batting title. He'd be able to fetch a huge return.
LOL McNeil ain’t going anywhere..
Sweet win for LA last night with Freddy providing a key hit against the Bravo's and I still don't get them not signing him after winning the WS and him the MVP it's like losing Chipper back in the day I guess time will tell but Thanks Freddy for last night. Tom can we get together and drive to Bingo and pick up Alvarez? Still amazing to think where we are considering our 2 aces together have only 5 wins halfway through the season.
Sorry for delay. At hospital assisting daughter
Would be great in 3rd or 4th rd
Is he back today?
I'm not moving Jeff.
Move Ronny Mauricio instead
+1
Maybe he can take the thorn out of us and give it to Atlanta
Gary, we can head up to get Alvarez but he has to come of his own free will.
McNeil is a rare bird and I've always loved him as a player - but he will be getting more costly, and it depends on Bayt, Vientos, and Mauricio showing major improvements by season's end. Otherwise, hold onto the Jeff Man for 2023 as well. I want Jeff's consistency over anything those 3 have demonstrated so far. And I still think Blankenhorn is not in their class, and he had a lousy April and a lousy May in AAA, but if he hits in July as he has in June (.407/.484/.691), he might make that wannabe IF group into a foursome.
IMO Blank is at best a UT player in the future.
Regardless of cost, McNeil is a face of this team.
Can not be moved.
Mack, I agree on McNeil, as long as they are confident he'll keep hitting - consistent hitters keep teams out of hitting slumps
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