The Mack Report - Thursday, July 28th

Jake deGrom 

Not super happy with the results of Jake’s rehab outing in Syracuse yesterday. 

He got 67 pitches in and did strikeout six batters in four innings; however, he also gave up two home runs and walked three. 

His fastball velocity was in the 93-95 range which I hope was what he was trying to do. We know the 99-100 range has put him back on the IL numerous times. Maybe this was intentional (like they will ever tell us).

 

Edwin Diaz 

We need to go back and discuss my man Edwin again. 

What he is currently producing is off the charts: 

Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB

 Edwin Diaz might be having the single greatest month be a reliever in MLB history. I don't have the energy to compare.

 10.1 IP

22 K

64.7% K-Rate

2 H

1 BB

0.291 WHIP

0.00 ERA

  

Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN

 Per Paul Hembo: Edwin Diaz has generated 122 outs this season (40.2 IP), 81 of which have come via strikeout. That is on pace for the highest rate (66%) in a season in MLB history.

 Diaz is a free agent at the end of this season. He has publicly stated that he loves the city of New York and wants to remain a part of this team. 

I know players don’t like to negotiate a new contract during a season, but, most of the time they leave that process to their agent. 

Why not do this now? Is there any player on this team going into free agency that is more important to their future? 

Steve. Make him a sizable 10mil+ per season offer for at least five years. Don’t let this guy walk. Please. 

 

 BPJ  - 2023 MLB Draft: 10 College Players to Know 

Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt 

Bradfield possesses elite speed and projects as a quality top-of-the-order hitter in the pro ranks. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound left-handed hitter has a contact-oriented approach with a strong understanding of the strike zone and a proven ability to create disruption on the bases. 

He is a well-regarded defensive center fielder who will remain at the position in pro ball. He runs quality routes and covers a lot of ground due to his speed.  

 

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECTS HERE - 

12 RHP   Travis Sykora   Round Rock, Round Rock, TX 

Sykora is an unbelievably powerful athlete with two-way potential, though almost everyone believes he's an arm at the next level. Locked and loaded with a high leg kick and massive velocity potential, Sykora is already well into the upper 90s, approaching triple digits with a fastball that varies in shape. At it's best, Sykora can produce a ton of vertical riding action. He throws a shorter, cutterish slider in mid-80s, though it lacks spin. Skeptics are unsure if he'll ever be able to supinate enough to develop a breaking ball that's a true weapon. His best pitch secondary is a tumbling changeup that, when harnessed, acts as an out-pitch for the lanky righty. The arm talent here is really significant and the projection is huge. If Sykora ends up on campus, he could be the Longhorns next unhittable ace. If he stays healthy and keeps on this development track, he'll be extremely enticing to teams in July. 

 

Yesterday’s Tweets - 

Pat Ragazzo @ragazzoreport 

Daniel Vogelbach's batting song as a pinch-hitter is

"Some Type of Way" by Rich Homie Quan 

He might just be the most interesting man in baseball

 

Ernest Dove @ernestdove 

19 year old St. Lucie Mets RHP Jose Acuna so far this season

8 gm (5 ST)

33.2 inn

22 H

10 ER (2.67 ERA)

12 BB

48 K

.183 opp AVG

 

Ernest Dove @ernestdove 

Stephen Nogosek pitched 2 hitless innings last night. His season ERA in AAA Syracuse is down to 0.99.

 

Michael Mayer @mikemayer22 

FanGraphs has 5 Mets in their top 100 prospects: 

2. Francisco Álvarez

28. Brett Baty

63. Ronny Mauricio

68. Alex Ramirez

84. Kevin Parada

 

Michael Baron @michaelgbaron 

Mets signed the following 2022 draft picks: 

RHP Blake Tidwell (52nd overall)

OF Nick Morabito (75th overall)

INF Jacob Reimer (103rd overall)

 

Phill @MeekPhill_ 

Ronald Acuña Jr has a lower wRC+ (114) than 6 qualified Mets hitters 

Pete Alonso (150)

Starling Marte (136)

Brandon Nimmo (124)

Mark Canha (123)

Jeff McNeil (123)

Francisco Lindor (117)

 

Minor League Press Releases -

 

Syracuse, NY – Jacob deGrom made his second rehab with the Syracuse Mets in less than two weeks, bringing a large crowd of 8,259 fans to NBT Bank Stadium on a warm Wednesday afternoon in the Salt City. However, missed opportunities haunted the Mets in a 10-4 loss to the Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A Kansas City Royals). Syracuse outhit Omaha 13-10, but the Mets left 11 runners on base in a frustrating afternoon. The Mets left two or more runners on base in three different innings in the game. Meanwhile, deGrom struck out six batters in four innings and despite allowing two home runs, the right-hander retried the final seven batters he faced and struck out seven-time All-Star Salvador Pérez twice. 

After a scoreless first inning, Omaha (48-46) got to deGrom in the second. Leading off the inning, Brewer Hicklen launched a no-doubt home run over the left-field fence to blast the Storm Chasers in front, 1-0. Clay Dungan and Ivan Castillo both walked after that, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. deGrom bounced back to strike out the next two batters, giving him hope that he could escape the frame without further trouble. Drew Waters had other ideas and sent a fly ball over the left-field wall, pushing Omaha out to a 4-0 lead on his opposite-field shot.

Jacob deGrom bounced back strong, working the next two innings in scoreless fashion to complete his rehab outing with a flourish. The two-time Cy Young winner retired the final seven batters he faced in order, racking up six strikeouts by the end of his four-inning outing. In his four-inning start, deGrom threw 67 pitches, 41 of which were strikes. All six of his strikeouts were in swinging fashion. 

After Omaha pushed a run across in the top half of the seventh to take a 5-0 advantage, Syracuse (42-53) finally started scoring. In the bottom of the seventh, JT Riddle began the frame with a single and moved up to second on a one-out single from Kramer Robertson. After Francisco Álvarez flied out, Nick Plummer walked to load up the bases. Mark Vientos then walked to bring home Riddle and finally give the Mets a run, trimming the deficit to 5-1. Daniel Palka strode to the plate as the potential tying run, but he grounded out to end the inning and leave the bases loaded. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Syracuse got even closer. After Gosuke Katoh lined out to start the inning, Khalil Lee doubled, and Riddle singled to put two on base with one out. Terrance Gore then looped a single into shallow right field, plating Lee and making it 5-2. Two runners remained on base with one out, as Syracuse dreamed of crawling even closer. Yet, it wasn’t to be. Kramer Robertson grounded into an inning-ending double play, wasting what would prove to be Syracuse’s last, best chance to get back in the ballgame.   

Omaha put the game away with five runs on four hits in the top of the ninth inning to take a 10-2 lead. The big blow of the frame was a bases-clearing, three-run triple from Nate Eaton. Drew Waters scored on the three-run triple from Eaton. Waters, who was recently acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Braves, had a truly terrific day. The Georgia native went 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs driven in, three stolen bases, two walks, and two runs scored. 

Syracuse did get a little consolation in the bottom of the ninth, completing its scoring on a two-run home run from Mark Vientos to make it a 10-4 ballgame. The 22-year-old now leads the team with 18 homers on the season. Vientos also has hits in each of his last five games.   

 

BINGHAMTON, NY – Binghamton (6-16, 34-57) and New Hampshire (10-13, 41-51) remained deadlocked at one from top of the second to the bottom of the eighth. Rafael Lantigua’s go-ahead home run off Ponies reliever Josh Hejka (4-2) in the top of the ninth gave New Hampshire a 2-1 lead and they would go on to win 6-1 at Mirabito Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. 

After the Lantigua home run, Cam Eden singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI double from Addison Barger. John Aiello got hit by a pitch and then Luis De Los Santos hit a long home run to left centerfield which put the Fisher Cats ahead 6-1. 

Ponies starter Brooks Hall made his Mirabito Stadium debut delivering five strong innings of work giving up just three hits and a run while walking three and striking out five earning a no-decision. 

New Hampshire reliever Andrew Bash (6-3) threw four scoreless innings giving up just one hit while walking and striking out two earning the win. Luis Quinones was also strong for the Fisher Cats pitching five innings surrendering three hits and a run in addition to walking two and striking out nine. 

POSTGAME NOTES: Brett Baty went 2-3 with two singles and a walk while also notching his second 10-plus game hit-streak of the season. 

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 27, 2022) – The Palm Beach Cardinals recorded a pair of three-run innings in a 6-4 win over the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday at Clover Park. 

The Cardinals put up three runs in the fourth inning to jump out to a 3-0 lead. They scored three times in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and go up 6-3. 

In the third inning, Aaron McKeithan scored from third base on a throwing error for the first run of the game, then Patrick Romeri hit a two-run homer off Harol Gonzalez to make it 3-0. 

Carlos Dominguez ripped a RBI double to plate William Lugo in the bottom of the fourth inning to get the Mets on the board. Raul Beracierta mashed a solo home run in the fifth inning to make it 3-2. Later in the inning Lugo hit a two-out RBI single to tie the game 3-3. 

The Cardinals scored three runs on four hits against Saul Gonzalez in the seventh. Darlin Moquete started the rally with a one-out double. Lizandro Espinoza singled home Moquete for a 4-3 Cardinals lead. Thomas Francisco added a RBI single and Matt Chamberlain capped the inning with a sac fly, making it 6-3. 

The Mets put the first two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh but Cardinals reliever Chris Gerard wiggled out the jam. 

Beracierta homered again in the eighth inning to make it 6-4. It was his ninth homer of the season. 

Beracierta was in the on deck circle as the winning run when Roy Garcia got Justin Guerrera to fly out to end the game. Garcia pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to convert his eighth save. 

Beracierta went 3 for 4 with the two home runs, a single and two RBI. 

Lugo was 3 for 5 with a double. 

Mike Montgomery made a start on MiLB rehab assignment and logged 2.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. 

Palm Beach starter Tink Hence gave up one run over four innings.