The Mack Report - Sunday, June 19th

First up, Happy Father’s Day. 

 

                                                    Innings 

Yeah, innings. 

Something this pitching staff never seems to generate enough of. 

The goal of every pitching coach is to get each of their starters to pitch seven innings per outing. I know, this seems to be an unreachable goal for the Mets staff and, ya know, it might even be getting worse. 

We all can’t wait for our two aces to come back, but are they going to put up seven innings per game? You can bet Jake won’t in the beginning and Jeremy Heffner will do everything he can to pull the reigns in on Mad Max. 

That leaves the likes of Walker, Carrasco, Bassett, and Williams. 

Walker went 5.2 innings last night and his four games before that were 6.0, 6.0, 5.2 and 5.0. That's a total of 28.1 innings pitched. Heffner was going for 35.

Carrasco’s last five games produced 5.2-IP, 5-IP, 7-IP, 4.2-iP, and 6.1-IP. The goal was 35-IP. The results were 28.2. 

Bassett was 39.2 innings pitched in his last seven games. The goal was 49. 

And Williams’s last seven? Same goal of 49. Result was 24.2. 

THIS is the real problem going forward for this team and it’s two-fold. 

One, the starters don’t stay out there long enough and, two, we don’t have the kind of relief talent needed to improve the results of the game. 

No one is going to trade a decent starter to a team with the best record in their league, but we could snag a long man reliever, with success this year, for the right package. 

(Note: the pen has been particularly unkind to Cookie. The inherited 11 runners so from from him and allowed seven to score. That’s far above the average 4.5.) 

We have the depth now in the organization to do this. Luis Guillorme may now be off the table but Dom Smith isn’t. Same for JD Davis. And we have plenty of minor league infielders to spare one. 

Please Steve. I know you read me and you have acted upon my advice before. Get your guys to add some oomph to this pen for the stretch. 

 

Some Syracuse roster moves made the last couple of days: 

-LHP Rob Zastryzny activated off 7-day Injured List

-RHP Adonis Medina promoted to New York

-RHP Tommy Hunter has his contract selected by New York

-IF Gosuke Katoh designated for assignment by New York

-RHP Yoan López promoted to New York 

From Binghamton:

 

RHP Alec Kisena - Transferred to AAA Syracuse 

OF Quinn Brodey - Transferred to AAA Syracuse 

OF Brandon McIlwain - Transferred to AA Binghamton from A+ Brooklyn

 

There’s a new shortstop in Syracuse and it’s not someone who we were expecting. 

J, T. Riddle is a 30-year old who has played all field positions other than catcher, but he is primarily a shortstop. 

The 6-3/175 LHH was originally drafted by Miami in the 13^th round of the 2013 draft, out of the University of Kentucky. 

He played within the Marlin’s chain through the 2019 season and was their starting shortstop in 2017 and 2018, and centefielder in 2019. After that, be bounced around from the Pirates, Minny, and Cincinnati, who traded him for cash considerations to the Mets in May of this year. 

So far this season, through 6-17, he has hit .283 in 60-AB for Cuse. 

Is he someone to take serious? No, Probably an emergency call up if a utility infielder is needed. Will be get it the way of Ronny Mauricio? Probably, but let’s enjoy this cheap find while we have him. 

 

MLB.com came up with 10 players that stood out at Draft Combine workout. One that seems to come out of nowhere is: 

Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Crowder (Mo.) JC 

Unquestionably the most impressive pitcher to take the mound, Misiorowski threw eight fastballs and they were the eight hottest pitches recorded, averaging 99.8 mph and topping out at 100.7. His heater had the highest peak (2,816 rpm) and average (2,688) spin rates, producing impressive carry while he also used his 6-foot-7 frame to create outstanding extension. Beside his fastball exploits, he delivered two of the three hardest sliders at 90.3 and 89.3 mph. 

Mack - There always is a guy that surfaces right before the draft and, when his name is called early, heads are turned in the room, asking “who dat”? 

Last year it was LHP Frank Mozzicato, out of East Catholic HS (Conn.) 

This year will be Misiorowski’s turn.