The Mets just passed the Braves like a Maserati blowing past a parked car.
JD Martinez snaps a skid with a grand slam.
Mark Vientos
Then “Andres Galarraga Vientos” with the .897 OPS (11th highest in the MLB) smashes his 14th HR despite only being with the Mets for 3 games before May 15, and Francisco Alvarez crushes a solo blast.
8-4 win.
The returning Kodai Senga gave up an early 2 run HR, then dominated like an overpowering SP 1. Fans are beyond giddy.
But…5.1 innings into his first start of 2024 in game 103, he goes down like a shot with a strained calf.
We are stunned and await the doctor’s prognosis. Timetable unknown.
I did see this very troubling quote (my italics added) in the NY Post:
“It’s a tough piece to lose, but there’s no sense in dwelling on it,” Martinez said of Senga. “He’s going to do everything he can to come back, and hopefully he’s back by the playoffs. But a lot of baseball left. We just got to keep it going.”
Earlier in the day, the remarkable Dedniel Nunez end up going on the Il. Forearm pronator strain. Timetable unknown.
Just a few days earlier, Christian Scott hurts his elbow. Severity unclear. IL. Timetable unknown.
Just a few weeks earlier, the valuable Reid Garrett hurt his arm, but avoided a TJS prognosis. But his timetable to return to the Mets? Unknown. Hopefully fairly soon.
Drew Smith a month or so back hurt his arm and needed TJS. Timetable? Pennant drive NEXT YEAR.
Reid Foley pitched well, but got hurt again a month or so ago and likely has a few more weeks to go until his return.
Earlier, Edwin Diaz hit the IL, and then missed another 11 games due to sticky fingers. Hopefully, his 2024 MIA time is over.
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| Eric Orze - MiLB.com |
So, the Mets recently added Phil Maton, and just traded away Brennan favorite OF Rhylan Thomas for righty reliever Ryne Stanek, while recalling pitchers Eric Orze and Tylor Megill. Houser and Lucchesi were recently released DFA’d, as was minor leaguer Sulser and wild man Fujinami.
Of course, Megill missed time with an injury and David Peterson missed the first 2 months before his life-saving return in late May.
Wait, there’s more…
Jorge Lopez threw his glove, ran his mouth, and is a Cub as a result.
Tonkin got cut earlier in the year due to shaky pitching and a needed roster maneuver and is a Yankee.
Who am I missing?
Top prospects Jett, Gilbert, Mauricio, Reimer and Lavender miss major time. Four of those 5 might have been Mets this year otherwise. Especially left hand pitcher Nate, out with TJS.
What a 2024 whirlwind. The farm system is pretty depleted of pitchers. Wild man Bryce Montes de Oca? Signs are not promising so far.
SOOO remarkable are the pitcher injuries when one considers that the Mets champs of 1969 and 1986 both used just 15 pitchers the whole season.
Hitters?
Starling Marte hurts his knee and seems he will miss 2 months, with 60% of his sentence already served.
JD Martinez missed the first 4 weeks due to ABS - Aging Body Syndrome.
Francisco Alvarez had a freak base running play that cost him a hand surgery and several weeks.
And, of course, Mauricio.
Thankful we are for the Iron Men on this team, like Lindor, Nimmo, Vientos, Pete, Severino, Manaea, and Quintana, whose day in, day out, start in, start out, readiness has been the glue holding this team together.
But with 61 games to go, can the Mets stay ahead of the injuries, especially the pitcher injury tidal wave? And keep the current 31-13 bat-fueled surge going?
I sure as heck hope so.
My guess is David Stearns ain’t done dealing.
- The Real Question: Can he acquire 10 more pitchers at the deadline?
- Why 10? Read above and tell me they don’t need 10 more.
MICHAEL CONFORTO REUNION?
He seems to be on the decline, but would be an upgrade over DJ Stewart. Price wouldn't be high. Puma of the Post wrote about the possibility.
How steep is his decline, though? JD Martinez REALLY did not want to go to San Francisco (the other suitor besides the Mets for him) because of the dimensions in SF on the right side of the field. His grand slam last night likely would not have gone out in Frisco.
Conforto, being a lefty hitter, is punished by a deep right field. It shows up in his numbers:
Home: 128 PAs, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 12 RBI, .224/.289/.353
Road: 171 PAs, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 10 HR, 28 RBI, .227/.304/.451
To me, it would be a fit.
DJ Stewart does draw walks. 18 of them in the past 3 months, giving him a .300 OBP over those 3 months. But that's it - he is a brutal 15 for 115 in that span, with just 3 extra base hits, and just 5 RBIs. Adios to that, especially since the pitching is fragile. The Mets need a top-to-bottom explosive hit machine. Conforto would be a plus. Do it.
pitching chess...
ReplyDeleteSteans on the phone...
New starter to arrive soon....
Can the new starter Crochet, Mack?
ReplyDeleteI had previously suggested Conforto would be a good addition.
ReplyDeleteThe Mets injuries have sure stacked up, but when you compare it to the way the Braves team was decimated this year, we are fortunate.
ReplyDeleteStarling Marte has once again proven that he has the slowest IRT (Injury Recovery Time) in baseball. Is that a stat? It should be. We love leaders.
Without Senga (again) the Mets do not need to move to a six man rotation. Megill is already up, so put him in the bullpen. I would love to see him go all out for a couple innings. He could be a different pitcher.
Everything is up in the air before the deadline, Paul. The White Sox, if they trade Crochet to the Mets, might want Megill as part of the package? The Senga, Scott and Dedniel injuries, just within the past week, are a huge blow. But we have the best offense in baseball. So they will continue to acquire, taxes or no taxes, especially for guys who will 1) really help their future or 2) come off the books after this season.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, but in fairness to Marte, back in 1983, I was quickly ramping up for my second marathon. I felt huge pain in a bone my knee joint and just stopped. I did not go a doctor but instinctively realized it was time to stop running, period. It got better, but it took time. They still have him on the books next year, they can't risk that becoming chronic, given what he costs.
Ray, you are our west coast eyes and ears. Good call on MC Hammer. I wonder if the NY Flounders in the Bronx might want him. They do have that porch.
ReplyDeleteNunez then Senga oh nooooo but at least we have Sterns who must be on the phone like 20 hours a day Go David! Heard Crochet (he must be tough to make it through school with that last name) let it be known he will not pitch in the post season w/o a contract extension and although he's had TJS he's only pitched 85 and a third innings of pro ball but of course DS knows this so what to what to do. So my peeps what would you do?
ReplyDeleteYankees lose. Mets trail them by 4 games.
ReplyDeletePhils lost. Mets trail them by 9 games.
Insane.
My issue with Marte is I hate that he always uses an interpreter for any interview when he has no problem conversing with non latinos in the dugout and on the field. I guess all the time he's spent on the IL wasn't to attend an english language class. Also I heard the team is going to use a wind velocity meter to judge if it's safe for him to play RF on any given day.
ReplyDeleteOn Senga I'm really suprised no one has called out Mendosa for bringing Kodai back out for the 6th inning although who really knows who makes those decisions? Whatever Carlos is doing the players love him and the results speak for themselves.
ReplyDeleteGary, what was Senga's pitch count?
ReplyDeleteI will say this, the Mets have trouble with weird mound injuries. Remember Ike stumbling into Wright, and what 99% of the time would have been a "dust yourself off and play fine" bum turned out to be career altering.
I finally watched the Senga injury - frankly bizarre that an athlete could get hurt like that on that play, much less injured at all.
Josh Walker DFA. Man, Stearns is on fire!
ReplyDeleteShowcase time:
ReplyDeleteDominic Hamel and Nolan McLean pitching well. Mike Vasil has come around too. Brett Baty was robbed of a homerun. Kevin Parada has been DH’ing alot lately and his average is slowly climbing, he’s up to .234. Kade Morris with a 0.57 July ERA according to MMN.
Gus, all are chips and should be used as needed to make strong deals.
ReplyDeleteGus, all you cite, not "all Mets prospects" is what I meant. You could throw Stuart in that mix, too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that a recent Mike Mayers prospect update has Jesus Baez at # 11 and Acuna at # 12. Could Acuna be dealt?
Saw this today - Matlack missed just one start:
ReplyDeleteMay 8, 1973 on a rainy night at Shea Stadium, the 7th-inning line drive off the bat of Atlanta's Marty Perez struck Jon Matlack in the forehead so hard that the ball ricocheted into the Mets dugout.
I saw it and remember it well. Unless my very old brain is failing, the ball went OVER the dugout and into the stands.
DeleteThe ruling? Ground Rule 2B.
Saw this about Josh Walker status:
ReplyDelete(the Mets) can try to trade Walker before next Tuesday’s deadline. They’ll otherwise need to put him on waivers. He’s in his second minor league option year, meaning another team could keep him in the minors if they’re willing to add him to the 40-man roster.
Walker has never been outrighted and has less than three years of big league service, so he would not be able to elect free agency if he gets through waivers unclaimed.
ANYONE could be dealt for the right return. Consider that our top position player prospects---Acuna, Jett, Mauricio, Reyes, and Baty are all IFers. SS and apparently 3B are filled in Queens for years to come, and McNeil has years left on his deal.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jett and Acuna can move yo OF, but there's still a bottleneck. Like fruit on a farm, produce that syays too long on the trees will start to rot and fall if not picked either for local consumption or at yhe market.
Hopefully David will choose well which of the kids to keep snd which to move, but based on his track record I trust him to choose wisely.
Excellent point Bill. Let’s take a look at Baty: with Mauricio coming back and Vientos claiming third, want to wait another year and have his value sink further? What about Parada? Tons of catching prospects and your starter is in only his second full year. That’s two guys that a team can make into good players with maybe a Dave Peterson. Would you trade Crochet if you’re the White Sox for Baty, Parada, Peterson and one of say Baez, or Houck or Ritter, or Cortes? Hard to expect better from another team.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't if I ran the Sox, at least not before looking at offers from a more desperate team) like the other NY one.
DeleteWe should use enough prospects to get Crochet and the Florida lefty reliever. We need both.
ReplyDeleteI think one or two starters should be the focus. Relief pitching is such a crapshoot, I hate to give up any good prospects for bullpen help.
ReplyDeletePerhaps one frontline starter with control like Crochet is worth it, then supplement with a guy like Bassett.
Crochet, yes. But which of our SPs would Bassitt be better than?
DeleteThe next one to go down with an injury? There are no trades after August 1, so stockpile now while you can! :-)
ReplyDelete