John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Harvey Dominates Rockies, 8/11/2015

Matt Harvey, 2015 Topps Allen & Ginter Card

 

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #113; Tuesday;  Aug 11, NYM 4  Vs. COL; 0; boxscore;   WP: Harvey; LP: Rusin; Time: 02:47; NIGHT; Attendance: 25,611; Record: 61-52; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: up 2.5; W;  

Juan Lagares CF: 3 for 5; 2·2B; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 1B: 2 for 5; Yoenis Céspedes LF: 0 for 4; 1 K; Juan Uribe 3B: 0 for 4; 1 K; Michael Cuddyer RF: 2 for 4; SB; 2 runs; Wilmer Flores 2B: 2 for 4; 2B; Travis d'Arnaud C: 1 for 3; 1 run; 1 walk; Rubén Tejada SS: 1 for 2; IW; 1 run; 1 RBI; 2 walks; Matt Harvey P: 0 for 3; 2 Ks; Curtis Granderson PH-RF: 0 for 0; 1 RBI; 1 walk; Matt Harvey, W (11-7): 8 innings; no runs; 4 hits; 4 Ks; Eric O'Flaherty: 1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 

NY Post: Matt Harvey dominates as Mets blank Rockies. “Manager Terry Collins let Harvey pitch the eighth and get up to 97 pitches in part because it was 1-0 until the Mets scored three in the eighth… [the Mets’ lead increased]…to 2 ¹/₂ games after the Nationals lost Tuesday to the Dodgers. Tejada delivered a run-scoring single to right through the hole vacated by D.J. LeMahieu at second to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. They added some insurance in the eighth against Colorado’s porous bullpen, loading the bases with two outs before Curtis Granderson was walked by Boone Logan to make it 2-0. Juan Lagares’ two-run double gave the Mets a 4-0 advantage and Eric O’Flaherty finished it in the ninth.”

NL East Standings 8/11/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYM	61	52	.540	--	417	397	.522
WSN	58	54	.518	2.5	467	440	.527
ATL	51	62	.451	10.0	421	492	.429
MIA	45	68	.398	16.0	405	462	.440
PHI	45	69	.395	16.5	422	567	.368

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/11/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Nats Beat Harvey, 7/20/2015

 

NY Post Back Page 7/21/2015

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #93; Monday;  Jul 20, NYM 2 @ WSN; 7; boxscore;  WP: Gonzalez; LP: Harvey; Time: 02:50; NIGHT; Attendance: 31,326; Record: 48-45; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 3; L;

Curtis Granderson RF: 1 for 5; 1 K; Rubén Tejada SS: 1 for 4; 1 walk; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 3B: 1 for 5; 2B; Wilmer Flores 2B: 1 for 4; John Mayberry LF: 0 for 4; Eric Campbell 1B: 1 for 3; 1 run; 1 walk; Juan Lagares CF: 2 for 4; 2B,SB; 1 run; Anthony Recker C: 0 for 2; IW; 1 walk; 1 K; Kirk Nieuwenhuis PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Matt Harvey P: 1 for 3; 2 RBIs; 2 Ks; Lucas Duda PH: 1 for 1; Matt Harvey, L (8-7): 7 innings; 5 runs; 2 ERs; 4 hits; 4 walks; 3 Ks; Alex Torres: 1 inning; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 2 hits; 1 HR; 1 K; 

Mets don't fare well at the start of a big series against the Nationals - one of the biggest series for the Mets in Seven Years.

NY Post: Nats pound Harvey as Mets open enormous series with thud. “The Mets needed a stopper, but received mediocrity. Shoddy defense and the usual lack of run support were contributing factors for the Mets, but this one was mostly on Harvey, pitching for the first time in nine days. ‘We are all excited to play and play here especially, and unfortunately I didn’t get it going early,’ Harvey said after he allowed five runs in the first three innings of the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Nationals.”

NL East Standings 7/20/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	50	41	.549	--	386	350	.545
NYM	48	45	.516	3.0	319	335	.478
ATL	44	49	.473	7.0	359	400	.451
MIA	38	55	.409	13.0	342	374	.459
PHI	33	62	.347	19.0	330	482	.333

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/20/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Harvey Homers and Pitches in Mets Win, 7/11/2015

NY Post Back Page 7/12/2015

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #88; Saturday;  Jul 11, NYM 4  Vs. ARI; 2;  boxscore;  WP: Harvey; LP: Corbin;  Save: Familia; Time: 02:25; DAY; Attendance: 36,038; Record: 46-42; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 2; W; 

Juan Lagares CF: 0 for 4; 1 K; Rubén Tejada SS: 1 for 4; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 K; Michael Cuddyer LF: 1 for 4; Wilmer Flores 2B: 0 for 3; Lucas Duda 1B: 1 for 2; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; John Mayberry RF: 0 for 3; 2 Ks; Kevin Plawecki C: 0 for 3; 1 K; Eric Campbell 3B: 0 for 2; 1 run; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Matt Harvey P: 1 for 2; HR; 1 run; 2 RBIs; Curtis Granderson PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Kirk Nieuwenhuis LF: 0 for 0; Matt Harvey, W (8-6): 7 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 5 hits; 1 HR; 4 walks; 9 Ks; Bobby Parnell, H (3): 1 inning; no runs; 1 walk; Jeurys Familia, S (26): 1 inning; no runs; 1 K; 

7/11/15: Dark Knight stars as bat man in win. Matt Harvey helped himself to a win thanks to his first career home run and a strong pitching performance.

Mets keep pace with the Nationals who also won to remain 2 games back of 1st in 2nd place.

NL East Standings 7/11/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	47	39	.547	--	369	334	.545
NYM	46	42	.523	2.0	305	309	.494
ATL	42	46	.477	6.0	344	374	.462
MIA	37	51	.420	11.0	322	353	.458
PHI	29	61	.322	20.0	306	464	.318

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/11/2015.

The Morning Report 11.24.2015 | Bob Geren Not Hired by Dodgers/Returns to Mets, Mets NEED a Cespedes Type Player this Off-Season, Team Focusing on LOOGYs

Matt Cerrone | Metsblog- The Dodgers will hire Dave Roberts to be the team's manager. The Dodgers interviewed Mets bench coach Bob Geren during their search. They also interviewed Gabe Kapler, Darin Erstad and Bud Black. Geren, 54, managed the Athletics from 2007 to 2011, during which current Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi was an assistant to Billy Beane. Geren joined Terry Collins's bench after the 2011 season.

(Chris Soto: Too bad for Geren not to get another chance at coaching. This should quell any thoughts of the Wally Backman supporters bringing up his name as a potential candidate for the Bench Coach position as Geren will now return to the Mets to re-assume the position Terry gave him in 2012. With his advanced age, Terry Collins certainly does not have many years of coaching left so retaining Geren could have been pretty important for the future of the Mets managerial staff.)



Bill Price | NY Daily News- I don't think anyone would argue with the fact that the Mets need Cespedes back. Their lineup without him is weak, sort of like it was before he arrived. Wright is unreliable, Duda is inconsistent, Murphy is gone, d'Arnaud is always hurt and unless the Mets get Zobrist, there's not much offense from the middle infield. Conforto is going to be a star (we hope), but asking him to carry the lineup is way too much. The Mets have great starting pitching, a great closer and Curtis Granderson (which is exactly where they were on July 31). The Mets also don't have bags of disposable income lying around Citi FIeld and certainly don't have the willingness to get locked into a deal more than 5 years with anyone. And they are right on both counts: six-years, $150M for anyone these days is nuts.

(Chris Soto: Do the Mets NEED Cespedes....no in my opinion they don't. Do the Mets need a Cespedes type bat/presence on the team? Absolutely! I continue to be in the camp that thinks....Hey....if we're going to spend $25M per year on someone...I would much rather spend it on a guy that is 4 years younger, is better defensively, plays harder, and still has upside in Jason Heyward.)



HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the Mets current area of primary focus is adding a high leverage situational left hander for the bullpen. The club is prepared to give Josh Smoker a chance at cracking the pen and the team has indicated interest in bringing back Jerry Blevins.
• In ESPN's Buster Olney's opinion, Both the Mets and the Marlins are in similar no win situations with their staff aces, Matt Harvey and Jose Fernandez. However, both clubs would be wise to not entertain potential trade offers until next season when the SP free agent market is much weaker.
• MLB.com's Dan O’Dowd, thinks that the Mets should look to offer Jacob deGrom a contract extension this off-season to lock up some cost certainty over the next few years.

(Chris Soto: Sounds like while everyone is chasing the big Free Agent guys, the Mets are trying to stay under the radar to shore up the foundation of the team and lock in a few small valuable pieces while no one is paying attention. I'm guessing the hope is that 1 of the big name bats potential slips into late December, early January unsigned to give the Mets a small bit of cost leverage.)

The Morning Report 11.12.2015 | Cespedes' Strike Zone Problem, Boras Flip Flops on Harvey and Pisses Off Marlins, Mets in the Market for RP

Brian Mangan | The Read Zone- If you were watching the Mets play in the postseason and you thought Yoenis Cespedes was swinging at everything: you were right. And it might cost him tens of millions of dollars in free agency. Many observers want to lay blame for this poor performance on his shoulder, but there another obvious culprit as well. Pitchers simply stopped throwing Cespedes strikes — and he couldn’t lay off. Whether it was the pressure of the playoffs or a general problem with discipline, Cespedes’s control of the strike zone was nonexistent for a month.

(Chris Soto: Highly recommended read here folks. I am a huge fan of Mangan's work and this article is a wonderful display of why, me personally, I am willing to let Cespedes walk away from the Mets via free agency. The amount of money that would be required in order to sign Yeonis would be better served elsewhere.)



Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Uber agent Scott Boras is now happy with the way things worked out. “I think there was a misunderstanding,” said Boras, who made his annual appearance at the GM Meetings on Wednesday. “Matt never, ever said anything about not throwing in the playoffs. He was always going to throw in the playoffs and our plan included him throwing in the playoffs. “We were all baseball players, we know you pitch in the playoffs,” Boras continued. “The Mets came to us and Dr. (James) Andrews with a plan to pitch in the playoffs, it was executed and turned out well.“

(Chris Soto: HAHAHA.....this guy is just something else. Eventually, both players and General Managers are going to get to so frustrated with him that it becomes detrimental to his clients. We already saw it during the off-season last year when multiple Boras clients ended up still being unsigned going into January and even February. Generally, when a player waits that long, the market dries up and the amount of money available is greatly reduced. We're even beginning to hear rumblings of a potential divorce between Boras and SP Matt Harvey, though both were quick to squash those rumors.)



Associated Press | New York Times- The Miami Marlins' feud with agent Scott Boras escalated Wednesday, and the team said he'll be left out of any future talks regarding ace Jose Fernandez's workload. "My strong suggestion to Mr. Boras is that instead of resting on his 5 percent that he collects from his stable of players, he write a check and buy a team," Samson said. "Then he would have the opportunity to run a team that he claims to be so able to do. Until that time, he is in no position to comment how any Major League Baseball team is operated."


(Chris Soto: See.....what I say :)....After the whole Matt Harvey fiasco occur within their own division and having their own problems with Mr. Boras in regards to another client of his, Marcell Ozuna, the Marlins are not going to let Boras bully them around in regards to Jose Fernandez's 2016 workload.)



HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Mets are showing interest in RHRP Joakim Soria. In 67.2 innings this past season split between the Tigers and Pirates, Soria posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while striking out 64 batters.
• According Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the Atlanta Braves are heavily shopping star SS Andrelton Simmons and are in contact with 3 separate West Coast teams. 
• Korean RHCL Seung-hwan Oh is scheduled to travel and spend 10 days in the USA speaking with teams about a possible jump to the MLB. "The Final Boss", as he is called in Korea, compiled a 1.69 ERA in 9 seasons in the KBO followed by a 2.25 ERA in 2 seasons with the Japanese Nippon League.

(Chris Soto: As much as I would love for the Mets to go after Andrelton Simmons, I cannot see the Braves trading him within the division unless they got a high upside, high control SP like Steven Matz or Noah Syndergaard in return. To that I say, "No Thanks." I must admit though.....I am highly interested in Seung-hwan Oh. In the offense heavy Korean League, the guy amassed 277 saves! That could be very valuable behind Juerys Familia. There is a bit of concern though with Oh, he's had Tommy John surgery twice in his life with the most recent operation occurring in 2010. He is not subject to international posting rules though, so he is treated just like any other Free Agent.)

The Morning Report 10.27.2015 | Harvey Ready for Game 1, Match-up in the Royals Favor, David Aardsma on the Mets SP, Cecchini Participating in International Ball.

Dan Martin | New York Post- He was the first of the Mets current crop of young starters to make the jump from the minors, perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that even after all the innings-limits controversies, Harvey will start Game 1 against the Royals. “I think for all of us, we’re kind of sitting around the locker room all talking to each other and I don’t think anything has really set in for us yet,” Harvey said. “Which in our minds I think is a positive. We still realize that it’s a baseball game. And for me this is another start. Obviously, it’s a start on a different level.”

(Chris Soto: I think it is extremely important that Harvey comes out and pitches a great game tonight. 1 psychological advantage the Mets have against the Royals is that their SP is just SOOO Good.....and everyone in the MLB knows it. However, if the Royals are able to come out Game 1 and put a hurting on Harvey, it changes the mentality of the whole series. Hitters thoughts go from "Yea their good....its going to be a challenging series." to "We know we can hit these guys.....We just need to execute." It may not sound like much....but in the game of baseball, mentality and approach are huge parts of the game.)

Thomas Boswell | The Washington Post- The Royals will win because of one main advantage that many people have spotted, yet not seen clearly. The consensus wisdom is that K.C.’s high-average contact hitters do well against power pitchers like those of the Mets. Even Manager Ned Yost said, “We do tend to do well against power pitchers.” The Royals hit .284 this year on pitches that were 95 mph or faster. While this is true, it misses the point: The Royals actually cope particularly well with right-handed power pitchers. Why? Five of the Royals’ best hitters bat left-handed or are switch-hitters — so, sweet matchups. The Royals tend to handle high-strikeout righties. They beat 2014 Cy Young winner Corey Kluber four times this season despite his 245 strikeouts.

(Chris Soto: Hey Mr. Boswell.....go shove it! He makes a fair point though. The Royals have excellent statistics against high profile, high strikeout right handed starting pitchers. If the Mets SPs are going to win these games, they are going to need to trust in the defense to make some plays because unlike the Cubs....these Royals aren't going to strike out.)

David Aardsma | Baseball Essential- There was one moment this season that showed me how special the New York Mets’ young arms are. In mid-June of this season, I was sitting in the Atlanta Ritz-Carlton bar with fellow pitcher Dana Eveland talking baseball. As we were hanging out, we both noticed Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen walk in. After a little small talk about the game we had just played, I asked him the question both Dana and I had been wondering for five days: Why did all the other starters stand in the bullpen and watch that day’s starter throw, then follow him into the dugout before the game? Dan got a huge grin on his face the moment I asked him the question, He looked me right in the eyes and said, “That was completely their idea.”I knew exactly what Dan’s grin meant. Dan knew these kids were different — he knew these kids were special.

(Chris Soto: It's nice to see some good praises coming by way of former MLB players. I wasn't aware that this was an uncommon practice. I guess we have gotten so used to the idea of all the SPs watching each other that it hadn't dawned on us. It honestly has gotten to a point where....what is Dan supposed to do? Like a parent watching their children post college graduation, you just kinda stand there is awe of how much they have grown and just how talented they are...but you standby for the occasional question or point where they need to be reeled in and reminded just how talented they are.)



Mike Rosenbaum | MLB.com- USA Baseball named its team for next month's WBSC Premier 12 Tournament, and it's highlighted by a pair of prospects -- Milwaukee's Brett Phillips and Gavin Cecchini of the Mets -- who rank among the best in baseball. The 27-man roster is comprised of players who are not on a Major League team's 40-man roster and features players from 14 different organizations. The team will be managed by former Mets skipper Willie Randolph. the Mets have four players on the squad: SS Gavin Cecchini, RHP John Church, C Dan Rohfling, and RHP Cody Satterwhite.



(Chris Soto: Hey, lets not forget that their is non-World Series related things going on too. This is an excellent opportunity for Cecchini to really grow as a player as he will get to face talented players from all over the globe. The U.S.'s Premier 12 team will take on Canada in a three-game exhibition series in Phoenix, Ariz., from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, before leaving for Taipei. They begin pool play on Nov. 10 with a contest against the Dominican Republic.)

The Morning Report 10.20.2015 | Cubs Prepare for "Must-Win" Game 3, Murphy's Improving Free Agency Stock, Harvey Dealing with Sore Tricep

Peter Marzano | Call to the Pen- So far, things have not broken in the Cubs favor. After dropping both games at Citi Field to the New York Mets, the Cubs find themselves in an 0-2 hole heading back to Wrigley Field. For Chicago, 25-year-old right hander Kyle Hendricks gets the call, who went 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs whilst striking out seven in Game 2 of the NLDS. With Game 3 presenting a “must-win” feeling for Chicago, an awakening of their dormant offense would be a necessity to get back in the series, as the Cubs have mustered just three runs in the first two games of this series. Facing deGrom on the mound, this will be no easy task for Chicago.

(Chris Soto: The Mets have a distinct advantage here in terms of the quality of the SP being sent to the mound tonight. Hendricks has made excellent improvements year over year from his solid rookie season when he finished 7th in the ROY voting. He has seen his K rate jump from 5.3 per 9 IP to 8.4 per 9 IP and his FIP of 3.36 is consistent with a solid #3 rotation guy. Unfortunately for him, he has to toe the rubber against deGrom who is a legitimate Cy Young caliber ace. This game will be tougher than most Mets fans think as it should be another excellent low scoring game.)

Bob Klapisch | Newsday- Any Yankee-centric person – executive, player, even an observant fan – was able to recognize the signature on Daniel Murphy’s home run off Jake Arrieta on Sunday night. Murphy’s blast was really just a curl shot around the right-field foul pole, the kind that’s perfectly tailored for Yankee Stadium. That’s what makes Murphy’s playoff run is so intriguing. Not only is he hoisting the Mets toward the World Series, but he’s made himself attractive to teams looking for home run power, and that includes the Yankees. That hook drive off Arrieta? Murphy could hit 25 of those in the Bronx, which would make him worth the $10 million to $12 million per season he’ll be looking for in the open market, probably for three years.

(Chris Soto: Ugh...I hate that this information about the Mets not potentially re-signing Murphy came out during the playoffs. Can anything be kept in house anymore? Quite frankly...if all it's going to take is 3 yr, $12M per season to keep Daniel Murphy...if I'm the Mets... I'm inclined to match that offer and keep him. "The Irish Hammer" has been the most consistent player on this club for the past 4 seasons. His average stat line over the past 4 years has been .287 AVG, 12 HR, 76 RBI, 14 SB, .742 OPS, 12.1% K rate. I'm sorry, but you can not sell me the hope that someone like Dilson Herrera, Matt Reynolds, or Wilmer Flores is going to be able to match that stat line.) 

Joe D | Metsmerized Online- Speaking to reporters at Wrigley Field in Chicago  Mets manager Terry Collins said that Matt Harvey‘s right triceps is “pretty sore and pretty swelled up” after getting hit by a come-backer to the mound off the bat of Dexter Fowler in his Game 1 start.“He’s doing his treatment. The doctors looked at it yesterday. He was in great shape. He’s in great spirits. Actually, it might have been better when he pitched, because it kept it stretched out, instead of putting ice on it and contracting it right away. It might have been beneficial that he was able to continue to throw and keep that thing stretched out.“No flaws. No apprehension in his throwing. No concern on our behalf,” Warthen said.

(Chris Soto: I figured something was going to come out of that game Harvey pitched. He got nailed twice by come-backers to the mound with the second one really catching him good. The Mets would be wise to finish this series off as quickly as possible so that they can use the time to not only rest Harvey....but Syndergaard, deGrom, and Familia as well. Should the series go to a Game 5, the club could turn to Bartolo Colon to make that start.) 

The Morning Report 10.15.2015 | 1 Game Will Determine a Season, All Arms on Deck for Game 5, Conforto Rightfully Back in the Line-Up

Michael Baron | Just Mets- So, here we are. 166 games into the season. A month’s worth of spring training games, and nearly another month under the warm, winter sun in Port St. Lucie. 92 wins later, with sore arms, bad backs, tow swollen knees and legs in tow, the Mets season comes down to one day. “If anybody was going to pitch two games in the series for us, it would be Jacob deGrom. I worked out that way,” Collins said. “There’s a reason why we thought if we’re up 2-1 in Game 4 that we’re going to save him because he’s the guy we want on the mound. You kind of feel real confident that he’s pitched well out there that he’s going to go out and do it again. And once again, this is a time when you need your guys to step up and you certainly think he’ll do that.”

Mike Puma | New York Post- All volunteers will be considered. As Mets manager Terry Collins surveys the scene for Thursday’s Game 5 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, two big names have been added to the list of potential relievers: Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard. “We’re going to be smart about it,” Collins said. “We’re not going to be foolish and go right to Matt Harvey if Jake is in trouble in the second inning. “He wants to pitch, He never, I don’t think he ever shied away from the fact he wanted to pitch in the postseason. We’re here now and he’s ready to take the ball when he needs it. We’re talking about guys going only one or two innings tops, anyway.”

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Conforto will likely get his second start of the playoffs Thursday as the Mets return to Dodger Stadium for the winner-take-all Game 5 of the NLDS. With the righthanded Greinke going again for the Dodgers, Terry Collins is expected to stick Conforto in left field. I had two at-bats against him, I saw maybe three pitches to hit,” Conforto said. “The approach we had was pretty solid. It worked out for me. I was just kind of trying to keep him in the middle of the plate, make him elevate. Then just try and get something you can hit the ball hard, but he has a lot of good stuff.”

(Chris Soto: Here we go! The one game [so far] that's going to be for all the marbles. Nothing is off limits tonight. No pitch counts, no rules. If using Wright to bunt the runner over to 2nd base with 0 outs is going to set the table for Cespedes, then so be it! If sacrificing your body to stop a groundball is needed, even if you can't get the out, then so be it! If deGrom is gassed and the heart of the order is coming up....and using Thor or Harvey is the best option......Guess what? Then SO BE IT!

     The Mets know first hand that next year is never a guarantee....they need to take advantage of being in the playoffs now and make the most of it. Winning tonight.....means getting back to NY and to the inevitable matchup between young star studded pitching and young star studded hitting.)

The Morning Report 10.13.2015 | Offense, Offense, Offense! Oh and Harvey Stunk. Hey! Don't Forget About The Winter Leagues

Brian Devine | Metsmerized Online- With the Mets up 7-3 in the 4th inning, Yoenis Cespedes delivered the fatal blow to the Dodgers in game 3 of the NLDS. He blasted a three run shot to left field that put the game completely out of reach and caused the crowd at Citi Filed to erupt. Speaking to reporters after the game, Cespedes called the stadium’s atmosphere “incredible” and said that he never experienced anything like it before. "We talked the other day,” manager Terry Collins said of Cespedes. “And he told me: ‘It’s time to play.’ And then he shows you what he can do. He’s electrifying on the field. He does whatever he wants to do.”

Neil Best | Newsday- Curtis Granderson had contributed to the Dodgers' three-run top of the second inning with a throwing error Monday night, so he figured he might as well do something to make up for it. So he did, in the form of a two-out, three-run double off the wall in right-centerfield during a four-run bottom of the second. "The guys ahead of me ended up getting on base," Granderson said. "They went out and continued to keep their heads held high. It was: Just take it at-bat to at-bat and just look for a pitch to drive. My first at-bat, I didn't have a ton of success against Anderson there. I didn't see him that well. But the second time around, hopefully get a ball up in the zone, where you can do something with it."

Dan Martin | New York Post- d’Arnaud regained his form at the plate — and didn’t waste time doing it. He had three hits — including the first postseason home run in Citi Field history — and knocked in three runs as the Mets took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. “I was just trying to keep things simple,” d’Arnaud said. “I feel the last few weeks I’ve been over-thinking and trying to do too much instead of just seeing the ball.” Both hits came on the first pitch, something Terry Collins foreshadowed before the game.“You know, one of the things as you go back, you can even tell when he was swinging good, he jumped the count,” the manager said. “He ambushes you early in the count. But right now he’s swinging and fouling it off or swinging and missing.”

(Chris Soto: Wow oh wow....last night was so exciting! I've got to admit, while watching the game last night.....I got really down when the Dodgers put up a 3 spot on Harvey in the 2nd inning. I honestly thought to myself, "man...this game may be over already with the way we've been hitting the ball." Here was our supposed "Dark Knight," who's been acting like a prima donna the past 30 days, getting lit up by an offense that was just completely shut down by deGrom and Syndergaard the previous two games.

     Then we started chipping away....base hit after base hit after base hit, a run scores and suddenly the bases are loaded. Then depression starting sinking back in as Lagares grounded into a force out and Harvey K'd. "Typical Mets with the bases loaded!, I said. Granderson then unloaded on a pitch that I thought was going out of the park and all of a sudden the Mets have the lead!

     The emotional roller coaster that this team has put us on is both nerve racking, and so exciting at the same time! I don't know what to think anymore. I'm just so happy to be along for the ride as a fan, spectator, and blogger. Only 1 more game to go.....LGM!)


2015 Winter Leagues

• With all the excitement surrounding the Mets in the postseason....I actually forgot about the start of the 2015 Winter Leagues in the Carribean! The Mexico and Venezuelan Leagues have already started with the Arizona Fall League beginning today and the Dominican League starting Thursday. While I don't have an official date....I believe the Puerto Rico League starts around October 30th. Here are the list of Mets players that are on winter rosters already. Expect far more to join as the season continues.
• Arizona Fall League
• RHP Mike Hepple - Salt River Rafters
• RHP Mickey Jannis - Salt River Rafters
• LHP Kyle Regnault - Salt River Rafters
• RHP Beck Wheeler - Salt River Rafters
• SS Gavin Cecchini - Salt River Rafters
• 3B Jeff McNeil - Salt River Rafters
• 1B Dominic Smith - Salt River Rafters
• Mexico
• C Xorge Carrillo - Aguilas de Mexicali
• Venezuela
• LHP Alex Torres - Aguilas de Zulia
• SS Wilfredo Tovar - Bravos de Margarita
• OF Travis Taijeron - Caribes de Anzoategui
• RHP Jose Celas - Leones del Caracas
• C Albert Cordero - Leones del Caracas
• RHP Darwin Ramos - Navegentes del Magallanes
• RHP Zach Thornton - Navegentes del Magallanes
• RHP Cody Sadderwhite - Tiburones de la Guaria
• RHP Edioglis Villasmil - Tiburones de la Guaria
• 1B Luis Ortega - Tigres de Aragua

The Morning Report 10.12.2015 | Utley Suspended for Slide; Enters John Rocker Territory, Maintaining Composure, Flores is Next Man Up

Seth Berkman | New York Times- On Sunday night, Torre said he was suspending Utley, 36, for Games 3 and 4 of the Mets-Dodgers series, stating that Utley was guilty of an illegal slide into Tejada that warranted discipline. “While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09, which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base,” Torre said.

(Chris Soto: Good....he 100% deserves to be suspended...but you know what? I'm glad he's appealing the decision. I want LA manager Don Mattingly put Chase Utley in tonight's starting line-up. Justice will be served tonight, not in the form of a beanball, but in the form of Flushing's Dark Knight Matt Harvey zipping 9 8mph fastballs by him as goes 0 for 4 with a Golden Sombrero. You messed with the wrong team Mr. Utley! You best believe that these flamethrowers are not going to let you come within 90 feet of 1st base again this series.)

Ken Davidoff | New York Post- He spent the prime of his career being disliked but respected in New York. If not for Chase Utley’s Phillies, Citi Field might have a different vibe to it, for the suffering wouldn’t have been as severe. And now, just as the Mets prepared to launch a new era of good feelings, their old rival has assumed a far greater place on the enemy scale. Yes, Utley, suddenly finds himself as the most hated man in New York. 

(Chris Soto: Everyone has already talked about "SlideGate" so I'm not going to do that here. We all saw it, we know the result, and the MLB office has stated that it was in fact illegal. This is the kind of situation that can INSPIRE a team, give it's players that extra boost they need to go above and beyong what they are capable of. This Mets team is going to come out tonight motivated to hit, motivated to field every ball, and Harvey is going to be extra motivated to strike out the world. Mr. Utley, Thank You...... because of your "illegal slide", you may have woken up the beast sleeping within this Mets team.)

John Delcos | New York Mets Report- There are many, myself included, who believe Terry Collins should be NL manager of the year for all his team had to overcome this summer. However, for as good a job as Collins did, his most important work will come now as he attempts to temper his team’s raw emotions in the wake of Chase Utley’s hard take-out slide that broke Ruben Tejada’s right leg. “Yeah, they’re angry,’’ Collins said. “You lose in a playoff series to that serious of an injury, yeah, they’re not very happy about it. We received a bad break, but the best way to respond is to win.’’

(Chris Soto: Mr. Delcos makes a very legitimate point. As motivated as the Mets are going to be as I stated above....it needs to be a controlled motivation, one that can be channeled through the players bats, not their mouths. This is the biggest stage of the year, so everything is going to be under a microscope. Collins needs to make sure that his team is aware of this and maintains their style of play.)

Ken Davidoff | New York Post- He just overcame both back spasms and a case of strep throat that caused him to lose 10 pounds, and now he reassumes the Mets’ starting shortstop job thanks to a teammate’s traumatic injury. In the life of Wilmer Flores? Sounds like just another week at the ballpark. “I’ve been ready since we started the postseason,” Flores said, “So I don’t need to change anything.”

(Chris Soto: It has certainly been a wild ride for Mr. Flores. That said, this isn't just some random replacement for Tejada, Flores is entering a situation that can be extremely favorable for him. The next 2 SPs for the Dodgers are LH Brett Anderson followed by LH Alex Wood. Against LHP, Flores is hitting a monstrous .310 AVG with a .955 OPS. Add that to the fact that in 6 games against the Dodgers already this season....he's batting .524 AVG with a 1.143 OPS. We could be adding another wonderful chapter in the book of Flores over the next few days.)

The Morning Report 10.5.2015 | DeGrom Ready for The Post-Season, Subway Series Odds Slim, Mets Ready to Let Loose the Young Guns

Matt Fritz | Metsmerized Online- Jacob deGrom capped off an amazing season by going four strong innings while allowing no hits and striking out seven in the Mets 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals. For the Mets it was their 90th win of the season, the most they have had since 2006. DeGrom etched his name into the record books in the second inning when he became just the 11th pitcher in Mets history to record 200 strikeouts in a season. And he joins only Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver as the only pitchers to notch 200 strikeouts in one of their first two major league seasons.

(Chris Soto: Yep...he's ready for the post-season. DeGrom was in complete control yesterday striking guys out at will. Had this been a regular start where he was allowed to go a full 9 IP, he probably could have had 15 K's by himself, he was that good. He'll get his standard 4 days of rest before going out to the mound to face Clayton Kershaw on Friday. We'll be putting together a "Tale of the Tape" post before each playoff game to give you a detailed look at every match-up that occurs.)

Ernie Palladino | CBS New York- The Yanks are just struggling. Once past wild card starter Masahiro Tanaka, it’s pot luck. And Tanaka coming off that bad hamstring doesn’t look like a sure thing in any situation, much less in baseball’s glorified one-game play-in. The Mets boast a much healthier and heartier rotation than the Yanks. Given that they’ll now have Colon and Niese to set up Jeurys Familia, they’re probably a bit stronger in the middle innings than the Yankees, too.
If an edge is to be had, the Mets have it. Should deGrom or Noah Syndergaard lose one or both of those games, Matt Harvey awaits. If the Yanks can’t get it done against Cy Young candidate Dallas Kuechel on Tuesday, they’re done. And with them goes any shot at a real Subway Series.

(Chris Soto: When comparing the Mets and the Yankees post-season chances, you HAVE to side with the Mets chances for 1 simple reason. Starting Pitchers. This is why SPs get paid $20M+ per season to make only 30 starts per season. Your not paying for regular season performance, your paying for Bumgarner-esque post-season dominance. The Mets have 3, possibly 4 guys, in Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, and Matz that can just be ridiculous over the next 3 weeks. The Yankees only have Tanaka, and MAYBE the good side of Pineda if he decides to show up.)

John Harper | New York Post- With Steven Matz’s postseason status in doubt, however, Collins laid out a scenario in which the Mets might well use only three starters in the NLDS, with Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard making two starts each, if necessary. “Right now,” Collins said, “because of the rest we’ve given them, because of the stuff we’ve done to protect them, we’re in a situation where we can turn them loose. We’re on the big stage.” In other words, while they’ll still be careful with Matt Harvey, the Mets are going for it.

(Chris Soto: It's go time folks! These guys have been being held back, babied, protected the past 2-3 weeks now and it is finally time to let them loose on the Dodgers. That is a scary vision if your a Dodgers hitter. There will be no break from 96mph+ fastballs, "hammer from hell" curveballs, sharp diving sliders, or disappearing change-ups for anyone. These young guns are locked and loaded for a deep playoff run and are ready to strike out anyone who stands in their way.)

The Morning Report 9.30.2015 | Niese's Bullpen Tryout for the Playoffs, Harvey to be Unleashed, Dodgers Lock Up NL West

Brian Greenzang | Metsmerized Online- Jon Niese, one of the odd men out in the Mets playoff rotation, looked to get acclimated to his new role on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Niese entered in the sixth inning in relief of Bartolo Colon and provided mixed results in his first relief appearance since July 10, 2011. The southpaw pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits. Niese did pitch a scoreless sixth and got two quick outs in the seventh before running into trouble.

(Chris Soto: Niese is fighting for his playoff roster life right now. It is already clear that the Mets are not going to carry him in the rotation and it also seems that they will be using Bartolo Colon in the long relief man role. So the only chance Niese has to make the playoff roster is to prove that he can regularly get lefties out when called upon to do so. Statistically, he does not have significant enough splits to be considered a "LOOGY", but lefties are hitting .264 with a .713 OPS against in his career vs .275 AVG and .746 OPS against rightes. His K rate against lefties is also slightly higher at 19.9% vs 17.4% against rightes.)

Nick Ziegler | Empire Writes Back- Despite being limited in his upcoming start, there will be no limitations for Harvey when the playoffs being in October according to his manager. “When he goes out and pitch, however, many times that is, yeah the reigns will be off,” manager Terry Collins said. “We haven’t picked the necessary game yet when he should start, we don’t know when it’s going to be, what it’s going to be, but I certainly think we’ve got to take into consideration, we can’t pitch him six times.” The one thing that the Mets aren’t sure about yet is when they will utilize Harvey in the first round. If the Mets get home-field, we very well may see Noah Syndergaard starting in Game 2 at Citi Field with his struggles on the road being well-documented this season.

(Chris Soto: It's good to finally get confirmation that Harvey is going to be let loose on the world. If the Mets are going to get far in the playoffs, they need to utilize their primary strength which is the ability to throw an MLB caliber ace or #2 in every single game. There will be no rest for any team's lineup as they will have to face 96-99mph fastballs, hammer curveballs, and sharp high velocity sliders every single day they face the Mets in October.)

Michael Baron | Just Mets- The only matter that’s left to settle is who will have home field advantage in the National League Division Series. But one other matter was settled on Tuesday night when Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers defeated Madison Bumgarner and the Giants at AT&T Park by the score of 8-0. Kershaw threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout to clinch the Dodgers sixth playoff appearance in the last ten years and it’s 14th division title in franchise history. The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was in 2006 when the Mets swept the Dodgers in three games in that year’s National League Division Series.

(Chris Soto: This was but a mere formality as the San Francisco Giants would have needed to sweep the Dodgers, sweep the Rockies AND hope the Padres could sweep the Dodgers in order to have snuck into the playoffs. Mets fans wish the Giants could have made the Dodgers worry a little more but instead they will have the opportunity to give Kershaw and Grienke some rest. Night's like last night are what worry me about facing the Dodgers in a 5 game series. Kershaw was absolutely FILTHY striking out 13 batters on his way to his 18th victory. Though his next start will likely be abbreviated, Kershaw now only need 6 K's to be the first SP since Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in 2002 to amass 300 K's in a season.)