Well, that was satisfying.
The Mets now going into this week tied with the New York Yankees for the second best record in the league.
I don’t get either SNY or the Baseball Network on my cable provider, so the only games I get to see are ones broadcast on FOX, ESPN, of Fox Sports South (Atlanta Braves games). Saw this whole series this weekend but had to live through the ultra-homer Braves broadcast team and never uttered a positive word about the Mets all series. Their emphasis was on ‘lighting up” Taijuan Walker and a bullet point list of Braves stats that was probably longer than that bill that passed Congress yesterday. They continued to stress, not how talented the Mets were, but their luckiness.
Remember how Walker owned that loss after the game with the reporters?
Well here’s what baby boy Spencer Strider said after his shite outing yesterday:
"I don’t know. It helps when they’re getting calls and 1- 1 counts turn to 2-1 counts instead of 1-2 counts, and stuff like that. When your BABIP is .330, .340 as a team, it’s tough to get quick innings and get quick outs.”
This was particularly echoed yesterday by the Braves crew. Close pitchers thrown by their staff that were called balls should have been strikers. Close balls thrown by our staff that… well, you get the one sided picture.
Trust me… that ump called a bad game overall but it went both ways. And about the Walker lite up… that represents the only two innings the Braves hinted at being the best team on the field all weekend.
This was a great Mets series. Easily the best this season (Mets have now won every series they have played against NL East teams). Maybe a top five series ever.
Don’t only put this one in the books.
Add it to your shelves too.
Grading each Mets deadline get here -
Trade #5:
Mets acquire RP Mychal Givens from the Cubs in exchange for prospect Saul Gonzalez.
Givens is having a very strong year for the Cubs, with a 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings. He is currently riding a 17.1 inning scoreless streak, dating back to June 14th. His only real issue has been allowing too many walks, 4.2 per 9 innings. He essentially replaces Colin Holderman in the Mets ‘pen, meaning they technically netted 0 relievers at the deadline, which is less than ideal. They got Givens for Saul Gonzalez, who is a lottery ticket arm at best.
The grade: A
2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 100 COLLEGE PROSPECTS here -
#12 SS Brayden Taylor TCU
TCU's Brayden Taylor handled himself very well against the older and stiffer competition on the Cape this past summer for Falmouth after big years at TCU. Taylor has a short, simple swing from the left side with good upper body rotation and whippy bat speed. Taylor's profile is actually carried by the bat, showcasing loud line drive and fly ball exit velocities to his pull-side. Taylor shows a keen eye at the plate, refusing to expand his zone in favorable counts and commonly walking more than he punches out. He played a bit of second base, but with good range to his right and a strong arm, he projects a more natural fit at third base if he's forced off the shortstop position.
2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECTS -
https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects
#21 Blake Mitchell Catcher Sinton
Mitchell is a do-it-all player and the epitome of a high school star. On the mound, he's been up into the low 97 in relief with a promising slider. When he's not pitching or behind the plate, he's shown quick, athletic actions at shortstop. Some think he's got a home on the mound. Some believe he's a future power-hitting infielder. But his actions behind the plate have many believing he's a prototype backstop of the future. Mitchell, a left-handed hitting thumper, has significant raw power and feel for driving the baseball without selling out for the juice. He can get pull-happy, but has shown a willingness to use the left-center field gap. Behind the plate, Mitchell has a plus arm with upper-tier athleticism for the position. His receiving skills are impressive considering his age. Prep catchers can be a tough demographic, but Mitchell has all the building blocks of an elite-level prospect.
Yesterday’s Tweets -
Michael Baron @michaelgbaron
Jeff McNeil is hitting .425/.439/.700 with five doubles, two home runs and six RBI during his nine-game hitting streak. Mets
Tom Morache @TomMorache
I can't say enough about Scherzer. His leadership, toughness and overall pitching is so appreciated by me and Mets fans. A joy to watch.
He is exactly the right guy at the right time.
His work ethic I'm sure doesn't go unnoticed. So thankful he is a Met
IraSamet @madteam3
Wow. Amed Rosario is second in the AL in hits? That’s crazy. So happy for him
Ernest Dove @ernestdove
Mets 20 yr old IF prospect William Lugo this season with RISP playing with Low A St Lucie Mets
.304/.398/.494/.892
Defensively he's played 1B SS 3B
That writeup on Givens is kinda dated, after he was lit up in his 1st Mets outing, but I still think he was a good get for us.
ReplyDeleteHe and May are important deadline additions, and should be important pieces down the stretch.
It was. Did you get my emails?
DeleteYes, I just checked. Thanks.
DeleteLugo is a future possible. Just 20.
ReplyDeleteGivens will do OK. May was fine. This team looks deadly right now.
Lugo was promoted to Brooklyn last night
DeleteNice to see Lugo and Baty promoted.
ReplyDeleteWhy exactly is Baty still in AA?
ReplyDeleteWillie Fanas played the other night as a DH…
The Mets are 5.5 games behind the Dodgers for the top MLB spot, and me says they should go for it. They have the pitching and the lineup may just be good enough. Home field throughout would be so cool.
Oh, Baty got promoted? About time! Thank you Ray, I was still typing as you were posting. Now let’s see the Mets catch up to the Dodgers, too!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunate that you had to listen to the Braves' homer broadcasters. This series was great to watch with the GKR team broadcasting. The fan reaction to big plays made it feel like a playoff game.
ReplyDeleteOn the Givens trade, I didn't follow anything in his Orioles or Cubs career, but what I have seen so far has been alarming. I can discount the Washington game because he was in a non-leverage situation. But in both games he has pitched, his velocity is in the low 80's and his location is almost always somewhere in the middle of the plate. That is not a recipe for success. I don't care if we gave up a little league player for him - if he can't avoid bats, he is not a good get.
When McGill arrives and if Joely keeps improvement, he could become last man out of the pen.
ReplyDeleteJoely's changeup was a nasty pitch. He kept throwing it and they kept missing it. That's a great demonstration of location control that makes a pitch effective even when it is not blazing fast.
ReplyDeleteA pitcher never knows what is working until he starts throwing.
DeleteIf it is, increase the frequency you throw it.