John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - deGrom and Granderson Lead to Win, 8/2/2015

Curtis Granderson, 2015 Topps Archives

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 #119; Tuesday;  Aug 18, NYM 5 @ BAL; 3; boxscore;   WP: deGrom; LP: Gausman;  Save: Familia; Time: 02:59; NIGHT; Attendance: 34,068; Record: 64-55; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: up 4.5; W;

Curtis Granderson RF: 2 for 4; 2·HR; 2 runs; 2 RBIs; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Daniel Murphy 3B: 2 for 4; 2·2B,SF; 2 RBIs; Yoenis Céspedes CF-LF: 0 for 4; IW; 1 walk; Lucas Duda 1B: 1 for 5; 2 Ks; Travis d'Arnaud C: 0 for 3; 1 walk; 1 K; Kelly Johnson 2B: 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Michael Cuddyer DH: 1 for 4; Michael Conforto LF: 1 for 4; 2 Ks; Juan Lagares PR-CF: 0 for 0; 1 run; Wilmer Flores SS: 1 for 4; 2 runs; Jacob deGrom, W (12-6): 7.2 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 5 hits; 1 HR; 1 walk; 6 Ks; 100 pitches; 70 strikes; Tyler Clippard, H (4): 0.2 inning; 2 runs; 1 hit; 1 walk; 15 pitches; 8 strikes; Jeurys Familia, S (33): 0.2 inning; no runs; 2 walks; 1 K; 21 pitches; 11 strikes;

ESPN.com: "DeGrom took a four-hitter into the eighth inning, Curtis Granderson hit two solo homers and the New York Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak."

NY Post: "This one came with ninth-inning drama: Jeurys Familia walked in two runs following a Lucas Duda miscue that should have been the third out, but retired Manny Machado with the bases loaded to avoid catastrophe."

Nationals kept pace with the Mets by beating Colorado 15-6.

NL East Standings 8/18/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYM	64	55	.538	--	443	419	.525
WSN	59	59	.500	4.5	494	477	.516
ATL	53	66	.445	11.0	439	526	.418
MIA	49	70	.412	15.0	443	489	.455
PHI	46	73	.387	18.0	438	594	.364

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/18/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Back-to-Back-to-Back Homers Power Mets into 1st Place Tie, 8/2/2015

Curtis Granderson, 2015 Topps Stadium 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 #105; Sunday;  Aug 2, NYM 5  Vs. WSN; 2; boxscore;   WP: Syndergaard; LP: Zimmermann;  Save: Clippard; Time: 02:42; NIGHT; Attendance: 35,374; Record: 55-50; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: Tied; W;  

Curtis Granderson RF: 1 for 4; HR; 1 run; 2 RBIs; 2 Ks; Daniel Murphy 2B: 2 for 4; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 K; Yoenis Céspedes CF-LF: 1 for 4; 1 run; Lucas Duda 1B: 2 for 4; HR; 1 run; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Juan Uribe 3B: 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Kelly Johnson LF: 0 for 3; 1 K; Wilmer Flores PH: 1 for 1; 2B; Kevin Plawecki C: 1 for 2; 1 run; 2 walks; Noah Syndergaard P: 0 for 2; SH; 2 Ks; Juan Lagares CF: 0 for 0; Rubén Tejada SS: 0 for 3; Noah Syndergaard, W (6-5): 8 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 7 hits; 2 HRs; 9 Ks; Tyler Clippard, S (18): 1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 

NY Post: Mets dump Nats for monumental sweep, move into1st-place tie. “Amid pennant-race energy and enthusiasm that flowed from every nook and cranny of the ballpark, Curtis Granderson, Murphy and the hottest home run hitter on the planet, or at least in Queens, Duda, all homered five pitches apart in a five-run Mets third inning. When that carnage was done, the Mets gathered behind rookie Noah Syndergaard for a 5-2 nationally televised victory, the series sweep of the Nationals Sunday and a virtual share of first place in the NL East.”  

ESPN.com: “Noah Syndergaard (W,6-5) struck out nine over eight innings, and New York pulled within percentage points of the first-place Nationals in the NL East. Boosted by a trio of lively crowds, the Mets completed their first three-game sweep of Washington since May 2009 and boldly pronounced themselves legitimate contenders.”

NL East Standings 8/2/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
NYM	55	50	.524	--	373	375	.498
WSN	54	49	.524	--	424	396	.531
ATL	47	58	.448	8.0	385	451	.428
MIA	43	62	.410	12.0	375	410	.459
PHI	41	65	.387	14.5	388	517	.372

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/2/2015.

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Mets Offense Still on All-Star Brake as they Fall to Cards 3-2, 7/17/2015

Noah Syndergaard, 2017 Topps Archives

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 #90; Friday;  Jul 17, NYM 2 @ STL 3 boxscore;  WP: Lynn;  LP: Syndergaard;  Save: Rosenthal;  Time: 03:01; NIGHT; Attendance: 44,540; Record: 47-43; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 3; L;

Curtis Granderson RF: 2 for 3; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; Wilmer Flores 2B: 0 for 4; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 3B: 0 for 4; 1 K; Lucas Duda 1B: 1 for 4; 1 run; 1 K; Kevin Plawecki C: 2 for 4; 1 K; Eric Campbell PR: 0 for 0; Kirk Nieuwenhuis LF: 0 for 4; 3 Ks; Rubén Tejada SS: 2 for 4; 1 RBI; 1 K; Noah Syndergaard P: 0 for 2; 2 Ks; Michael Cuddyer PH: 0 for 1; John Mayberry PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Juan Lagares CF: 0 for 3; Noah Syndergaard, L (4-5): 7 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 5 hits; 1 HR; 1 walk; 6 Ks; Sean Gilmartin: 0.1 inning; 1 run; 1 ER; 1 hit; Hansel Robles: 0.1 inning; no runs; 1 hit; Alex Torres: 0.1 inning; no runs; 1 walk; 

Mike Puma NY Post: Mets wake up too late, waste Syndergaard gem in sorry loss. “With their lineup flatter than Budweiser left open on the counter for a week, the Mets lost 3-2, to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium and had their four-game winning streak snapped.  The Mets, who hit nine homers in their three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks last weekend at Citi Field, received a blast from Curtis Granderson leading off the game. Their offense then disappeared until the ninth inning, when they scored once and put the tying and go-ahead runs at third and first base, respectively.”

Ruben Tejada hit a weak ground ball up the middle that STL Pitcher Trevor Rosenthal and SS Johnny Peralta couldn't handle to score Duda and put runners on 1st and 3rd with two out but pinch hitter John Mayberry K's to end it. 

With the loss and the Nationals 5-3 win over the Dodgers, the Mets fell to 3 games back in 2nd Place. 

NL East Standings 7/17/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	49	39	.557	--	377	339	.548
NYM	47	43	.522	3.0	312	315	.496
ATL	43	47	.478	7.0	351	387	.455
MIA	38	52	.422	12.0	333	360	.464
PHI	30	62	.326	21.0	314	471	.323

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/17/2015.

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 7.22.2015 | Smoltz Praises Mets Young Arms, Granderson Worth His Contract, Zobrist Talks Heating Up, Conforto Being Promoted on Thursday?!?!

Peter Cappiello | Newsday- John Smoltz spent much of his career on a talented Braves pitching staff that included eventual Hall of Famers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Smoltz, who played 21 MLB seasons, said the Mets' current rotation is more than comparable to his group."Well, they're way better, They've got more talent than we could ever have. The opportunities that exist today won't allow a lot of staffs to find out what kind of staff they can be. You know, that's the shame of the game."

(Chris Soto: That is some high praise from one of the best "two-way" pitchers to ever play in the MLB. The fact of the matter is....these young guys for the Mets are doing something that has not been done in the MLB for a long time. To have 4 pre-abritration young guys all posting sub 3.50 ERAs all at the same time with only 1 or 2 years of MLB experience each is just ridiculous. The scary thing is....they are only going to get better. These guys have at least 6 years minimum left in the "PRIME" of their careers.) 

Rich MacLeod | Just Mets- It’s been a season that’s severely lacked offense so far for the Mets, to say the least. But there is one Met, however, who has been productive at the plate this season. Often times, it’s been hard to notice, but Curtis Granderson has quietly been the most consistent player for the Mets all year long. Granderson is batting a very solid .251/.346/.426 this season. People have knocked Granderson, myself included, after he hasn’t been the big-time run producer fans had hoped he would be, but the reality is, he never was truly a prolific power hitter. Aside from his two full seasons with the Yankees, playing 81 games a year in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, Granderson has never had a season where he’s driven in over 74 runs.

(Chris Soto: Granderson gets knocked on so much due to the fact that the Mets are paying $15M a year for a guy who is "perceived" to not bring much to the offense. However, in reality Granderson's numbers are 15% better than the MLB average. He's one of the better lead-of guys in the National League right now, is on pace for 23 HRs this season, and has been worth +2.6 Wins Above Replacement so far this season. With each +1.0 equaling roughly $5M, Granderson is certainly well on his way to being worth his contract this season.) 

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- While nothing is imminent, the Mets have gotten as far as discussing pieces with the A’s for a possible deal for Ben Zobrist, a source told The News Tuesday afternoon. Zobrist, who is earning $7.5 million this year, likely will be a free agent after the season. Hitting .259 with five home runs and 32 RBI, Zobrist would have been arguably the best hitter in the Mets’ lineup against the Nationals. With the ability to play second, shortstop and right field, Zobrist would offer the Mets a bat and versatility.

(Chris Soto: Everything I have heard so far is that the Mets are trying to acquire 2 players. One that can be sort of like the Red Sox Brock Holt, start 4 times a week while providing substantial value on the bench. Also one that can be an impact bat at a position of need to help the offense improve. In the talks for Zobrist, the Athletics have been seen at NYSEG Stadium scouting the Mets AA talent recently. The main focus seems to have been SP Michael Fulmer, SP Gabriel Ynoa, and SP Robert Gsellman.)

Mike Puma | New York Post- The Mets are pondering whether they should swap an ailing Michael for a fresh one. With Michael Cuddyer’s sore left knee showing no improvement, and a disabled list stint still possible for the veteran outfielder, general manager Sandy Alderson could turn to prized prospect Michael Conforto to fill the spot.“[Alderson] is thinking about it,” the source said before the Mets beat the Nationals 7-2 on Tuesday. For fans eager to see Conforto, the fact Alderson is considering the lefty-swinging outfielder represents progress over recent weeks, when the GM was against the idea of promoting the player from Double-A Binghamton.

(Chris Soto: This was the big news of the day yesterday. Cuddyer tried to run the bases yesterday but, while he did score, he was still running rather gingerly and seems like a good bet to be placed on the DL. With Ceciliani injured, along with Travis Taijeron, and Cory Vaughn both possessing scary high K rates in AAA, Alderson doesn't seem to have any options to call from Vegas thus changing his thinking on the Conforto situation. Reports are indicating that the team would wait till they get back to New York to promote him so that he doesn't have to face the Nationals dreaded rotation. Personally, I feel as though Conforto can hold his own right now at the MLB. Do I think he'll hit .300 with 5 HR in his 1st two weeks? No absolutely not.....but I am confident in saying that he can at least hold a .250 AVG with a manageable 20% K rate. It's sad, but those conservative stats would make him the 2nd best OF on the team. BRING HIM UP!!!)

The Morning Report 6.29.2015 | Matz's Superb Debut, Granderson on Fire, Flores Value Plummeting, Cubs Interested in Niese

Zach Braziller | New York Post- They stood in the bowels of Citi Field, about 15 members of Steven Matz’ immediate family and his closest friends, all of them beaming, grinning broadly and looking spent at the same time. “I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, really,” said Lori Matz, Steven’s mother. “He’s just so deserving." “It’s unreal,” said Matz’s brother Jon, a 27-year-old graphic designer. “It’s something you only imagine what it’s like. It’s kind of surreal.” Steven’s grandfather, Burt, became a social-media sensation with his reactions to every big hit.“He was incredulous, ‘I can’t believe it,’ ” Lori said. “I heard my dad is trending. It’s very interesting. He’s a great Steve fan, he’s a great Mets fan.”

(Chris Soto: Matz was unbelievable last night. Not many people, let alone MLB players, see a 96 mph fastball coming from the left side. Then you pair that with a curveball that appears to have tilt and break equivalent to Clayton Kershaw's nasty breaker and you have yourself a future star in the making. From the personal family standpoint, you have to give a hat tip to the rest of the Mets players in that clubhouse. For all the guys to come together and give Matz most of the team's free tickets for him to use for his friends and family was truly a great team moment. Those seats that Momma, Pops, and Grandpa Matz were sitting in?....of course...David Wright's suite seats. Truly a great moment for the Mets organization.) 
  
Barry Holmes | Rant Sports- Curtis Granderson has always been a topic of discussion, and has had immense pressure to preform since coming over from the New York Yankees in 2014. This is mostly due to the huge four-year, $60 million dollar contract that he signed. Some may say that he hasn’t performed consistently enough to deserve that amount of money. In the month of June, Granderson is hitting for an average of .281 with 6 HRs and 8 RBIs. In the last seven days, he has hit for an average of .429 with 4 HRs and 4 RBIs while also drawing five walks. Stats don’t lie, and the stats are showing that Granderson is swinging the hottest bat for the New York Mets as of right now.

(Chris Soto: And yet...the only thing people are talking about is the fly ball he missed in RF. Take him out of the lead-off spot! Trade him for peanuts to get rid of the money! Really? The Grandy Man is hitting .259 with a .357 OBP and is on pace for 25 HRs this season. He already has been worth +2.2 WAR so another win added and he meets the supposed"financial" value of his contract. The Mets certainly have offensive problems that need to be address, and Granderson is not a perfect player, but he is the least of the team's worries even before this little hot streak.)


Sean Coffey | NY Daily News- It's not longer just talk. After 76 games, the Mets have moved Wilmer Flores to second base. He started at second Sunday for the first time since the final game of the 2014 season. “I wanted to get him out there for a game,” Terry Collins said after the Mets’ 7-2 victory. The News reported last week that the Mets were considering moving Flores to second base as a better defensive and offensive alignment for when Daniel Murphy returns, in part because third baseman David Wright is nowhere near returning. Murphy will play third when he returns from the DL and until Wright returns.

(Chris Soto: From a non problem to a potentially big problem. While Flores moving over from SS to 2B certainly improves the overall team defense, from a personnel standpoint, it severely reduces Flores value in regards to the rest of the MLB. The average SS has been producing a measly .669 OPS, a stat that Flores has been on par with even during his struggles. However the average 2B, has an OPS that 20 points higher at .689. Flores need to work even harder now to start producing or else he's going to end up be an even bigger detriment to the team than he was before, at which point maybe Matt Reynolds starts knocking on his door.)


Connor O'Brien | Metsmerized Online- The Chicago Cubs are [reportedly] somewhat interested in Jon Niese as a potential trade target. However, the Cubs will likely have their sights set a little higher. Niese, 28, has a 4.12 ERA in 83 innings this season. Over eight seasons with the Mets, he owns a 3.89 ERA as well as walk and strikeout rates of 2.7 and 7.1. The big issue is Niese’s contract. He is making $9 million next season and has a $500,000 buyout or a $10 million option for the season after that. If the Mets want to use Niese in any deal for an upgrade at shortstop Niese would only be part of a package. The Mets would have to add more to a deal.

(Chris Soto: The Mets and Cubs have been linked together for a potential trade for months now as the two teams just match up way to well. That said the interest in Niese is a bit surprising. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that he has found some consistency this month with a 3.46 ERA in his 4 starts and an 7.3 K/9 rate. There has been quite a bit of chatter for a rumored Javier Baez for Niese swap but Baez has been sidelined with an injury since June 7th. In addition, while Baez has rare power from a middle infielder, his K rate is always through the roof. He is also a terrible defender at SS and mostly plays 3B now. The club would be better served to maybe package Niese together with a high upside prospect arm like Fulmer, Meisner, or Gsellman to make a run at Addison Russell.)

The Morning Report 6.9.2015 | Granderson and Flores vs. Power/Finesse SP, Mets Farm System Still Deep, OF Desmond Lindsay = Andrew McCutchen?

Brian Joura | Mets 360-  Flores shares the team lead with nine homers. Granderson is one off the pace with eight. Let’s take a look at these two power hitters to see how they are getting it done. Baseball-Reference divides pitchers into Power, Finesse and Average, based on their strikeout and walk rates. Flores has hit all nine of his homers against average (5) and finesse (4) pitchers. Granderson has hit all eight of his homers against power (2) and finesse (6) pitchers. Overall, Granderson and Flores are oddly complementary players. Granderson succeeds against the extreme pitchers, while Flores does his best against ones that are middle of the road. Additionally, while he struggles overall against finesse pitchers, Flores has a healthy .172 ISO against them. Contrast that to his performance against the power pitchers, against whom he has just a .046 ISO.

(Chris Soto: This new concept of breaking pitchers out into "Power" "Finesse" and "Neutral" is a new addition to Baseball Reference's website. It is also a new concept for me as I currently do not delve that deep into the statistical analysis. Irregardless it does seem to provide some value in terms of figuring out who is a better match-up against what type pitcher.)


Matt Ehalt | NJ Advance Media- For the first time under general manager Sandy Alderson, the Mets did not make a first-round pick in the MLB Draft, losing their selection after signing Michael Cuddyer to a two-year deal in the off-season. Overall they’ve developed one of baseball’s top farm systems, which has been called upon often during these first two months of the season while the team has been ravaged by injuries. Thirteen players have landed on the disabled list. Even as the top prospects have been called upon, the Mets still have quality players waiting for their chances to make it to the big leagues. Here’s.....some of the team’s hopefuls:

• LHSP Steven Matz
• IF Matt Reynolds
• OF Michael Conforto
• OF Brandon Nimmo

(Chris Soto: Matt brings up a good point...Generally when a club is promoting young talent from AAA to the Show....it weakens the farm system overall. However, the Mets, under the Development Program established by Depodesta, have built an extreme amount of depth at almost every level of the minor league system. The AAA team still has Matz, Reynolds, Bowman, and Rivera...AA has Nimmo, Conforto, Cecchini, Cessa, Mazzilli....A+ has Rosario, Smith, Stuart, Urena, Fulmer, Gsellman, Molina, Morris, Whalen, Secrest.....A has Becerra, Guillorme, Lupo, Nido, Meisner, Prevost, and Weick. This was the original plan....to build a revolving door of talent that won't dry up thus causing a requirement to have a 3-5 year rebuilding project like the Phillies have to do now.)


Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- After waiting past 11 p.m. ET to make their first selection, the New York Mets drafted prep center fielder Desmond Lindsay from Bradenton, Florida, with the 53rd overall pick. Mets amateur scouting director Tommy Tanous labeled the 18-year-old Lindsay an "offensive machine" and expressed an exceedingly high degree of confidence the organization will sign him. "I would say there's a very small risk," Tanous said about the likelihood the Mets lose Lindsay to UNC. "This is a player that has expressed his interest in playing professional baseball, especially for the Mets. I know his grandmother is a huge Mets fan. Desmond will be a Met. I don't think there's much decision there."

Chris Soto: Here's my take on last night's pick.

    I think we were all surprised by the fact that Alderson went the High School route with his 1st pick. With such a limited Draft Signing Pool, I thought for certain he was going to go with an already heavily developed College Senior bat that could he could sign underslot and move quickly through the organization. However the Mets will still be able to go underslot with Lindsay while getting the long term upside (and risk...) generally assosicated with HS picks.
 
     Now...as for Lindsay the player....One thing I know the Sandy Alderson organization has been trying to do for years is to find their own..."Andrew McCutchen." In my opinion Desmond Lindsay is another shot to meet that goal. At 6-0, 200 pounds, he's the perfect size for any position on the diamond (sans 1B) but the Mets have already stated he is going to be a CF (like McCutchen). According to ESPN's Keith Law, Lindsay comes in with the following tool grades:

Hit Tool: 55
Power: 60
Speed: 55
Fielding: 65
Arm: 65

     Now the Mets are referencing his rare power/speed combo that he brings to the table but Law only has him down for a 55 speed tool...Why? Well Lindsay was dealing with hamstring issues last season and it hampered his mobility coming into the draft. According to The Perfect Game scouting site, Lindsay's best 60 yard time clocked in at 6.56 seconds. If this is true, then when he is healthy, Desmond Lindsay brings 65 to 70 grade speed to the table. This gives him 4 of the 5 plus tools required to become a "true 5 tool player." If there's one good thing that can be developed in the minor leagues....its the hit tool. This guy has a very legitimate chance to be Sandy's McCutchen. We have some video of his swing below.

 

The Morning Report 5.7.2015 | Granderson's Improved Approach, Harper Boasting, Parnell Throwing Again, Syndergaard Being Called Up.

Kristie Ackert | New York Daily News- Curtis Granderson homered Wednesday for the first time since slugging one at his old power comfort zone — Yankee Stadium — on April 26. It was another sign he may be heating up at the plate in a strong recent stretch. “I was ahead in the count (2-0), and when you do get a chance to be ahead, he’s got to come to you and it was a pitch I was able to handle,” Granderson said. Granderson is hitting .315 with nine runs, five doubles, two homers and eight RBI in his last 16 games. “[I'm not] switching things up...Just trying to put good swings on the ball. You’ve just got to drive the baseball.”

(Chris Soto: Granderson's 2015 batting line now sits at .239/.360/.359 which is actually quite strong for an MLB leadoff hitter considering the average OBP right now is .321. While he says he has not made adjustments to his approach you can clearly see that he is being far more patient early in the count to try and put himself into a favorable hitting situation. Anytime he gets ahead he then becomes aggressive for 1 strike before switching back into OBP mode. It's an approach that has been a godsend for the team as he is giving the guys behind him plenty of opportunities to hit with runners on base.)


Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media- Bryce Harper is not short on confidence. Perhaps your desired piece of evidence came in spring training, when he gloated that the Nationals signing of Max Scherzer elicited one thought in his head. "Where's my ring?'" Wednesday, after he hit three home runs in a Nationals win, Harper exuded confidence about the Nationals' future again.“We’re the team to beat, everybody knows that. And we’re going to get hot. Everybody knows that too."

(Chris Soto: Ya know...for a guy who's on the team that is sitting 5 games behind the 1st place team, Harper sure likes to yap. Good for the Nationals though, they are hot right now and are winning ballgames. However, the Mets are doing a good job matching those wins and maintaining a respectable lead on them. In addition, for all the injuries the Mets have suffered, the Nationals are experiencing some pains too. Werth has not been healthy, their bullpen has taken a few hits, and now Strasburg could be out for some time after leaving yesterday's start due to a shoulder injury.)


Matt Cerrone | Metsblog- Bobby Parnell will soon throw a bullpen session at Citi Field in front of pitching coach Dan Warthen, Terry Collins told reporters before Tuesday’s game. “He thought he needed to make sure he’s mechanically sound,” Collins said. Parnell has been shut down since late April in his return from Tommy John surgery with what he described as “achiness in his forearm.” Parnell recently said he’s optimistic his velocity will soon return after a recent MRI showed no structural damage to his throwing arm. According to Collins, if Warthen likes what he sees at Citi Field, Parnell will quickly return to making rehab appearances with Single-A St. Lucie.

(Chris Soto: It's good to see Parnell back up and running in his rehab. The Mets have been fortunate enough to have stellar starting pitching almost every night. So far this season the back end of the bullpen hasn't really been much of a factor. In fact the Mets bullpen has thrown the fewest innings in baseball while the rotation has clocked the most so far this season. I'm not 100% the club can maintain this level of performance so having a high leverage capable guy like Parnell back could bring some re-assurance in case we do end up needing the bullpen more.)


Andrew Cohen | Amazin Avenue- The Mets will call up Noah Syndergaard for his major league debut the next time the team needs a spot starter according to Newsday's David Lennon. Syndergaard was recently named PCL pitcher of the week and has a 1.66 ERA with 26 strikeouts and eight walks in his four starts for Triple-A Las Vegas this season. Syndergaard struggled at times pitching for the 51s last year but would receive the big league start over fellow prized prospect Steven Matz, presumably because he has spent more time pitching in Triple-A.

(Chris Soto: This is more of a formality announcement at this point. With Rafael Montero on the 15 day DL and Matt Bowman on the minor league DL, the next spot start had to be a decision between Thor and Matz. While Matz certainly has his supporters, Syndergaard has 119 more innings above AA then Matz does and has more room in regards to an annual innings cap. Either guy is would be an improvement over Montero not only in terms of  quality, but also "star power" that can drive fans into seats. No date has been announced yet in regards to his spot start but I would speculate May 13th [1 full time through the rotation] or May 18th [2nd time through rotation and 1st game on a homestand].)

The Morning Report 4.27.2015 | Subway Series Recap, Montero being Called Up, Wright to St. Lucie, Updated ZiPS projections.

Mets v. Yankees Series | Chris Soto: It sucks to lose the series to the Yankees....it really does but lets take a step back and recognize that the club is STILL 14-5 so far this season and carries a 6 Game Lead over the Miami Marlins and a 7 Game Lead over the Washington Nationals. In addition, it's not like the Yankees beat us.....the Mets beat themselves mostly. As good as Jacob deGrom is...he just didn't have a feel of the ball on Friday and that's ok! It happens, you can't be great 33 times a season. Even Clayton Kershaw had a 10 ER game last season and he won a Cy Young award. As for last night, it was all about errors, errors, errors. Knowing how bad the middle IF defense is; it's gonna happen. The positive things we need to take from this is that Plawecki looked good, Grandy and Murph's bats are starting to come around, Duda is still mashing against lefties, and Robles/Goeddel had strong performances out of the bullpen. Let's move on to the more important games and take these next 3 against the Marlins.

Matt Cerrone | Metsblog- Rafael Montero will start Tuesday against the Marlins, despite two uneven starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, Sandy Alderson said Saturday. Thursday, he allowed four runs on six hits in five innings (74 pitches). Montero, 24, was sent to Las Vegas on April 17 after starting the season in the Mets bullpen. He allowed two earned runs on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings (4.15 ERA) before being demoted.

(Chris Soto: Don't read too much into this start, this is just a Mets strategy play to give the remaining starters and extra day of rest early in the season. The Mets are in the middle of a stretch where they play 13 games in 13 days before their next off day. It's actually a pretty smart strategy as it keeps Montero in a SP roles an gives him continued tastes at the MLB level while resting Harvey and deGrom AND bringing in a fresh bullpen are too. The club is likely to demote a RP (Goeddel?) for Montero's start, re-demote him, and then bring up a fresh arm (Leathersich?) the next day.


Steve Popper | North Jersey News- David Wright flew Sunday morning to Port St. Lucie, Fla., where he will resume baseball activities today. Wright is eligible to return from the disabled list Thursday, but the Mets don’t expect him to be with the team that quickly. "He’s going to start doing baseball activities," manager Terry Collins said. "Start catching ground balls. He’s going to start doing some jogging, running around the field a little bit. I think if he’s here by Saturday that would be really good." GM Sandy Alderson was asked if Saturday was realistic, but he said, "I’m not making predictions," and noted that the team would have a better idea after Wright gets on the field and begins the work.

(Chris Soto: This is a very good sign. For once I am glad that Wright is taking the slow approach to get healthy. The team has been solid without him, but with him the club would be even better. Campbell has filled in extremely well but he's going to get overexposed as pitchers adjust to his play. With off days before and after the 2 game series against Baltimore on May 5th and 6th, I think it's very reasonable to expect Wright back for that series.)

ZiPS Playoff Odds and Mean Standings, 4/24 pic.twitter.com/dHcc9SDLns
— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) April 24, 2015

(Chris Soto: With the strong start, the ZiPS projection system now has the Mets and Nationals on pretty much equal footing. The Mets are entering another stretch where 10 of the next 12 games are against Division opponents. Boy if the Mets can take 7 or more of these games, they are going to have a SERIOUS leg up on the rest of the division for the rest of the season.)

The Morning Report 3.2.15 | The Superstar Coach, Cuddyer in LF?, Duda's Health, Jimmy Rollins

Kevin Kiernan | New York Post - "After his first Mets press conference here, [Kevin] pulled Long aside and asked him what Mets hitter has the best chance to become better this season. Long didn’t hesitate. “Murphy,’’ he said. “A batting title is not out of his grasp. He’s got a lot of pop and a lot of potential. There is more ability in there and we are going to try to draw it out." Long said he believes Murphy not only can hit for a higher average but can add power to his swing as well, so that is the best of both worlds increased power and increased average.

(Chris Soto: Reports out of camp have been nothing but positive for Kevin Long so far. Scouts are seeing improved usage of Murphy's lower half which is allowing him to drive the ball with more power to all fields. Long has been a slam dunk signing so far. Along with Murphy, Nimmo, Granderson, and Duda have also reportedly improved on their swings thanks to Long's instruction. We'll see how much effect it's actually having when games start this week.)

Joe D. | MetsMerized - "You may have been surprised that Michael Cuddyer is deaf in his left ear due to a childhood virus. He has barely played left field in his career because of it, but is willing to give it a shot after he was told that manager Terry Collins is considering the idea of keeping Curtis Granderson as the right fielder.“I hate to take anything away from Curtis; he played very well out there,” Collins said. “And to now say, ‘Go play left,’ and Michael has never played right in Citi Field is difficult.”

(Chris Soto: The main reason for the proposed move of Grandy from RF to LF is because his below average arm sapped any defensive value gained from his glove/range. That said, Cuddyer's arm is not much better and quite frankly, RF is not the easiest of positions to play in Citi Field with the way the wind swirls. Deaf or not...I would actually put Cuddyer in LF for one simple reason...Juan Lagares. Granderson himself has pretty good range whereas Cuddyer's is below average. Lagares has a quicker step and moves faster to his right thus is able to cover more ground going in that direction to help out Cuddyer.)

Danny Abriano | Rising Apple - "Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters that Lucas Duda should begin hitting off a tee this week, with the expectation that Duda will start taking batting practice next week. It was reported on February 26 that Duda would not swing a bat for a week, which should mean that Wednesday or Thursday is the targeted date for him to begin hitting off a tee."

(Chris Soto: Teams are generally much more cautious with injuries in Spring Training thus the reason Duda has not swung yet. That said the timing makes sense based on the info we have so far about Duda needing a week off after injuring his oblique some 3 weeks before that. Intercostal strains generally take 3-4 weeks to heal completely so everything seems to be in order. If everything works right, we should see Duda in a Spring Training game around March 15th-ish)

Jerry Crasnick | ESPN New York - "Jimmy Rollins spent a lot of years with the Philadelphia Phillies antagonizing New York Mets fans with his swagger and competitive spirit. He was among a select group of opposing players that fans in Flushing Meadows most loved to hate. But when Rollins assembled his choice of preferred offseason trade destinations, the Mets ranked surprisingly high on his list."This was my No. 1 landing spot," Rollins said from Los Angeles' spring training camp, "and I considered the Mets to be No. 2. They have some arms over there -- oh my gosh."

(Chris Soto: Wow...and here we thought Rollins would never play for the Mets. This tells me one of two things. A) that the Phillies were asking for an astronomical price from the Mets for Jimmy Rollins, which, he rightfully didn't pay. Or B) the Phillies never wanted to trade Rollins in division to begin with. That something that the average fan doesn't understand. Trades within division, where you face the team 19 times in a season, rarely occur. This was no different.)