John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Matz Does it again, 7/5/2015

Steven Matz, 2015 Topps Heritage Rookie 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 #83; Sunday;  Jul 5, NYM 8 @ LAD 0; boxscore;   WP: Matz; LP: Bolsinger;  Save: Verrett; Time: 2:54; DAY; Attendance: 40,027; Record: 42-41; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 4.5; W;

Curtis Granderson RF: 2 for 5; 2B; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Daniel Murphy 3B: 3 for 4; HBP,IW; 1 walk; Lucas Duda 1B: 0 for 5; 1 run; 3 Ks; Wilmer Flores 2B: 4 for 5; 2·2B; 1 run; 3 RBIs; Michael Cuddyer LF: 0 for 5; 2 Ks; Johnny Monell C: 1 for 3; 2 runs; 2 walks; Rubén Tejada SS: 3 for 5; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 1 K; Steven Matz P: 0 for 3; 1 RBI; Darrell Ceciliani PH: 0 for 1; 1 K; Logan Verrett P: 0 for 1; Juan Lagares CF: 2 for 5; 3B; 1 run; 2 RBIs; Steven Matz, W (2-0): 6 innings; no runs; 2 hits; 2 walks; 8 Ks; Logan Verrett, S (1): 3 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 3 Ks; 

NY Post: "Not only did Steven Matz, in his second major league start, manhandle one of the scariest lineups in baseball, but the Mets actually managed to score enough runs to enjoy a relatively stress-free afternoon....The Mets (42-41) broke open the game in the seventh, when Yasiel Puig misplayed Juan Lagares’ fly to right into a two-run triple that made it 7-0. Wilmer Flores finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs in his first career four-hit game. Flores went 10-for-13 (.769) in the series..."

Nationals beat the Giants 3-1 to maintain their 4.5 1st place lead over the 2nd place Mets. Phillies beat the 3rd place Braves 4-0, to give the Mets a 1.5 lead over them.

NL East Standings 7/5/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	46	36	.561	--	358	319	.553
NYM	42	41	.506	4.5	290	301	.483
ATL	40	42	.488	6.0	322	349	.463
MIA	35	48	.422	11.5	300	339	.444
PHI	28	56	.333	19.0	285	418	.332

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/5/2015.

The Morning Report 1.20.2016 | Antonio Bastardo's Market Heating Back Up, A Prospect Trade Worth Considering, Marlins Out of Cespedes Sweepstakes

Robert Murray | Baseball Essential- The market for free agent reliever Antonio Bastardo is beginning to heat up, with the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets all interested. Bastardo’s market has been somewhat quiet this offseason, but, he very well could land the three-year deal he seeks. It’s possible it could be for $5-6 million per season. Bastardo, 30, was very solid in his first full season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA and a 64/26 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

(Chris Soto: $5-6M per season may still be a little too rich for the Mets blood. While Bastardo does not have severe splits, which makes him a good candidate for the set-up role, the club is already paying Addison Reed $5.3M to be their set-up man. In addition, the club already has 3 other lefties projected to be in the bullpen with Josh Edgin, Jerry Blevins, and Sean Gilmartin. In fact, if used correctly, the compination of Blevins vs lefties and Robles vs righties could probably match the statistical performance that Bastardo would bring.)



J.J. Cooper | Baseball America- Prospect-for-prospect, challenge trades rarely happen. More often prospects are traded for big leaguers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t sketch out of some realistic trade. Here [is one] possibilty: Red Sox trade 2B Yoan Moncada to Mets for LHP Steven Matz and SS Luis Carpio. Moncada is one of the best position prospects in baseball. Matz is among the best pitching prospects in the game. And a swap would help fill big needs for both. Moncada could be the Mets long-term answer at second base (where Neil Walker has been acquired as a short-term replacement) but his versatility means he also could become a rangy, explosive center fielder.


(Chris Soto: Ohhh.....man.....that is enticing. At this very moment...I would have to say no to this potential swap. However, if you could guarantee me that Zack Wheeler will be back 100% healthy, I think I may actually be willing to pull the trigger on this one. Moncada is a FREAK athlete capable of becoming a 15 HR/60 SB talent that would wreck HAVOK at the top of anyone's starting line-up. There's also no doubt in my mind that he could add even more power and maybe settle into an Andrew McCutcheon style 20 HR/30 SB guy. He's that good.....)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Marlins President of Baseball Ops told Ken Rosenthal, "we have no interest in signing Cespedes" due to their already "crowded OF." Currently the club has Marcell Ozuna in LF, Christian Yelich in CF, and Giancarlo Stanton in RF.
• In an interview with MLB Network, Rockies’ GM Jeff Bridich, indicated that the team is not pushing to trade one of his 4 MLB starting caliber OF's. "I know it’s popular to expect a trade, but it’s tough to put odds on it right now. The last thing I want to do is apologize for bringing more talent into this organization. Adding another professional, talented young outfielder is overall a good thing. Having too much depth is a good thing.”

The Morning Report 10.14.2015 | Game 4: Matz Ok...But OK Not Enough vs Kershaw, Bartolo Colon Solid in the Pen, Mets Lucky to Have deGrom up Next.

Mark Bowman | Mets.com-  Steven Matz will forever remember the thrill he experienced on Tuesday night when he took the mound at Citi Field for his beloved Mets in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Unfortunately, it will take some time for him to forget how the Dodgers soured the experience with a sudden and decisive third-inning flurry. "He pitched very good," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "The one pitch I know he wants back is the pitch to Kershaw." "A couple mistakes cost me," Matz said. "When you face a guy like Kershaw, you want to put up zeros and I wasn't able to do that today. I'm going to build off the positive here today."

Zach Braziller | New York Post- Who says you can’t teach an old pitcher new tricks? Bartolo Colon entered this season with eight relief appearances in 18 big-league seasons, and the 42-year-old right-hander quickly has become the Mets’ most reliable reliever not named Jeurys Familia this postseason. “Anytime you mention Bartolo Colon’s name, it’s the same,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “He pounds the strike zone, keeps the ball down for the most part, fields his position — all the things you want done.” Colon needed just 26 pitches to navigate two innings, striking out two and allowing one hit.

Jason Keidel | CBS New York- If you didn’t know before, now you know. Kershaw is the best pitcher on the planet. It’s not a debate, discussion, or dialogue. But there’s a wide, silver lining that the Mets can ride into the NLCS. They know they can beat the Dodgers, and beat them in Los Angeles. And they have the pitcher who already beat them at Los Angeles. For all the hype and hyperbole, all the flaming adjectives and social media branding and anointing of the Kershaw/Greinke duet, the Mets got some arms of their own. And if this series has done anything other than double as a stage for their two pitching savants, it has also cast a blinding light on an ace up the Mets’ sleeve......Jacob deGrom.

(Chris Soto: Darn....I want to say that the Mets had a chance....but Clayton Kershaw was on point last night. He left Matz with little margin for error and, sure enough, it only took 1 string of base hits to win this game for the Dodgers. The Mets certainly had their chances though, especially in the 8th inning, but closer Kenley Jansen was able to bear down and hold the lead.

     That said, I honestly have only 1 pain point to bring up.....how bad does Michael Cuddyer look? My goodness....with a runner on base he showed no patience, swinging at every pitch, and on an 0-2 count he got the weakest hanging curveball Kershaw threw all Night! Right in the middle of the plate and he took a pretty feable swing at it.

     Good thing the right handed Grienke is on the mound tomorrow night, cause Cuddyer looks pretty bad right now. I would much rather have Conforto in LF against both lefties and righties at this point. )

The Morning Report 9.28.2015 | Your 2015 NL East Champs, Postseason Rotation 1-3 Announced, Who's the #4 SP?, Papelbon Attacks Bryce Harper

Brad Kallet | CBS New York- The New York Mets are your 2015 National League East champions. Yeah, read that again. And again. And again. I can’t believe it actually happened. Can you? I’m the first to admit that, at the beginning of the season, I never dreamed that New York would make the playoffs, let alone win the division. After Sandy Alderson’s trade-deadline domination — which will go down as a turning point in this franchise’s history — I started to believe, but I was far from convinced. Even with this huge lead in September, I felt trepidation. Well the Mets are back in business, and they certainly have the foundation to be a force for the next decade. Appreciate this. Enjoy this. Revel in this. Acknowledge how sweet it is.

(Chris Soto: Over the past 9 years we have suffered through the #BlameBeltran strikeout, the 2 separate epic September collapses, the Jerry Manuel management saga, the painful salary constraint era of Jason Bay and a oft-injured Johan Santana, and of course a franchise debilitating Ponzi Scheme. So yes Mets fans, ENJOY THIS WHILE WE CAN. Do not worry about next year yet, or 2018 when the young guns start getting expensive.....enjoy 2015! We're heading to the playoffs and we have a REAL chance to progress far.)

Aaron Yorke | Amazin Avenue- After Sunday's game, Terry Collins got the easy part out of the way first and announced that his best three starters during the 2015 campaign would be the first three guys to start games in the 2015 postseason. Matt Harvey will be the first pitcher out of the gate, followed by Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. Harvey was playing some of his best baseball during August before he started a bizarre controversy by saying that he might not not pitch beyond 180 innings in 2015. Fortunately that situation was put to rest quickly and Harvey is now lined up to pitch Game 1 of the NLDS on plenty of rest.

(Chris Soto: I think it was pretty obvious that Harvey, deGrom, and Syndergaard would be the 1st three pitchers out of the gate. The real question in my opinion was, What would the rotation order be? From Collins press conference it seems pretty adament that no matter what, Harvey is going to be the 1st one out there and is going to the be the guy who would be in line to make 2 starts should the series go a full 5 games. Certainly a huge change in direction from a few weeks ago when we didn't even know if Harvey would pitch during the rest of September. Even though deGrom has been better this season, I agree with the choice. deGrom may have more consistency right now, but, Harvey's best is better than deGrom best and his best is exactly what the Mets are going to need to defeat Kershaw and Grienke.)

Mike Puma | New York Post- The Mets’ playoff rotation is all but set, but manager Terry Collins won’t officially complete the equation until later this week. In some order, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey will belong to the NLDS rotation, according to Collins. Steven Matz will likely claim the fourth spot over Bartolo Colon, according to a club source. “I haven’t gone down that path yet,” Collins said. Collins also indicated he’s reluctant to use Matz in the bullpen, given the rookie has never performed in that role and spent six weeks rehabbing from a torn lat muscle. That points to Matz’s inclusion in the rotation.

(Chris Soto: I'm still torn over the choice myself. On one hand, the Dodgers best line-up, is EXTREMELY weighted towards left handed bats. However, on the other, Bartolo Colon is the only one in the rotation currently with playoff experience, and, Terry Collins already plans on using 3 playoff rookies in his rotation. Colon has made 10 playoff starts and only 1 of them has ever been poor; That was way back in 1999.)

Jon Lewin | Subway Squakers- Five years ago, Mets' star closer Francisco Rodriguez allegedly assaulted his girlfriend's father at the ballpark. Sunday, Nationals' star closer Jonathan Papelbon tried to attack teammate Bryce Harper in the Nationals' dugout. Harper is only the front-runner for NL MVP. Maybe it's just a coincidence that the Nationals' collapse began when they acquired Papelbon, but considering that the move also sent demoted closer Drew Storen into a tailspin culminating with Storen breaking his thumb in frustration. At least Storen did so while slamming a locker door, not trying to slam a teammate.

(Chris Soto: Boy...with football going on yesterday, I'm not sure if you readers heard or saw what happened yesterday...but it was BAD! I will just leave the video below here and let you guys watch how pitiful the Nationals situation has become.)

Jonathan Papelbon attacking Bryce Harper? Jonathan Papelbon attacking Bryce Harper. pic.twitter.com/T2qof97Ymh

— Jake Russell (@_JakeRussell) September 27, 2015

The Morning Report 9.16.2015 | deGrom Looking Fatigued, Mets Fighting for Home Field Advantage, Matz Fighting for Playoff Spot....Could be Useful against Dodgers.

Kenneth Teape | Empire Writes Back- One of the biggest issues during the stretch run for the Mets has been the pitching limits for their younger players, namely Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard. One player that people are not talking about potentially needing rest is Jacob deGrom. deGrom, who won the NL Rookie of the Year last season, looked to be in the Cy Young running just a month ago, but he has quickly fallen out of that race. deGrom has looked very human recently after being superhuman through most of the season. Over [his] last five starts, deGrom has seen his ERA go from 1.98 to 2.64, as his ERA in the five games is 6.43.  

(Chris Soto: The club NEEDS to find a way to give deGrom some rest. After averaging 96 mph with his fastball for most of the season, we saw deGrom's heater lose a ton of life during yesterday's start as he was only popping them in there at 92 to 93 mph. deGrom's strength is the combination of velocity and movement with his 4-seamer, However when the velocity drops...it takes the movement with it and that is currently making it easier for opposing batters to drive the ball.)

Dan Martin | New York Post- It looks like it may be a race to the finish to see who gets home-field advantage in the NLDS between the Mets and the Dodgers. “We have talked to the guys during our meetings, the importance of each and every game, but also getting home-field advantage,” Collins said.“They’re well aware of it. We play pretty good here. We’d like to open up here.” Not only are the Mets significantly better at home (46-25) than on the road (37-37), but Collins pointed to some other aspects of why starting a series at Citi Field would be beneficial.“It beats facing those two guys, those two animals, out there in the shadows,” Collins said of Dodgers starters Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. “That’s not very much fun. If we get in, I’d like to open here.”

(Chris Soto: Collins is 100% right here....It's looking extremely likely that the Mets will face the Dodgers in the 1st round of the playoffs, and if that is the case, I would not want to face Kershaw and Grienke IN Los Angeles. Statiscally speaking, Grienke this season has not show any Home/Away splits, however, in his career, his ERA is 0.68 runs higher per 9 innings. As for Kershaw, his ERA at home this season is 1.40.....his ERA on the road, 2.82, a massive difference. This is not a 1 year outlier either as his career ERA is 0.84 runs higher on the road then it is at home.)

David Lennon | Newsday- Six days between starts feels like an eternity. But Steven Matz has been spending the extra time this week in pitching coach Dan Warthen's bullpen laboratory, tuning up for Friday's start against the Yankees -- and working toward solidifying his spot in the Mets' playoff rotation. As the Mets use September to evaluate candidates for the playoff roster, Matz has the potential to be one of their most valuable assets. He has no innings restrictions, and they believe he's got the perfect mental makeup for the spotlight. 

(Chris Soto: Steven Matz is an extremely valuable wild card for the Mets right now. Unlike Harvey, Thor, and deGrom....Matz has plenty of innings left in his arm; he is also left-handed, something the Mets are extremely short on especially with Niese struggling in the rotation. For Matz, he's not only trying to win....he wants a spot on the playoff rotation. While I personally think it is a long-shot, with Colon pitching well and having the only playoff experience amongst the Mets SP, if Matz finishes the rest of September on fire....Terry Collins is going to be hard pressed NOT to have him make a start; ESPECIALLY since a majority of the Dodgers line-up is left handed. Just look at the box score below....Seager and Schebler are not playoff eligible so you swap them with Jimmy Rollins and Carl Crawford and you have 7 guys who are lefties or switch hitters who's OPS splits are lower against lefties. The only RHB in the line-up is Justin Turner!)

The Morning Report 9.2.2015 | Bullpen In Shambles Yet Shaping Up Too, Niese's Struggles Continues, Syndergaard Start Skipped, Arizona Fall League

Anthony McCarron | NY Daily News- The Mets bullpen has devolved into an element of their game that’s worth more hand-wringing than, say, how Steven Matz fits in or whether Matt Harvey is better than Jacob deGrom. Overall, the Mets have the seventh-ranked bullpen in baseball in ERA, but their relief ERA since Aug. 16 is 4.83. They need answers. It’d be nice to think all that high-end starting pitching could deliver the ball right to Clippard and Familia in October, but that doesn’t always work out. Parnell didn’t record an out and allowed three runs (two earned). He wasn’t the only Met reliever who didn’t retire anyone, either; Eric O’Flaherty gave up a run without an out, too.

(Chris Soto: The back end of the bullpen is in upheaval right now. However, as bad as it was last night...It was always extremely good. Right now, Terry Collins is trying to figure who he is going to take into the playoffs bullpen with him. Parnell and O'Flaherty will probably not make it, however, Goeddel was awesome, Addison Reed was excellent, and Sean Gilmartin was strong too. The three of them combined for 3.0 IP, 0 hits and 4 K. Right now those 3 plus Familia, Clippard, and Robles could be your playoff bullpen.)

Brian Lewis | New York Post- As bad as the Mets’ bullpen was, it was yet another sorry start from Jonathan Niese that put them in a hole too deep to climb out of. Niese gave up a five-run third inning to the Phillies for a second straight start. “When I was going good, I was able to throw all my pitches in the bottom of the zone to a consistent basis. Right now, I’m leaving a few pitches up, making too many mistakes and not getting away with them.’’

(Chris Soto: Niese is, very quickly, pitching himself OUT of the playoff rotation and allowing Bartolo Colon back in as the #4 guy in a 7 game series. Not only is the command of his fastball off but his breaking pitches just don't have much bite to them right now. For a guy who's velocity is below average even for a lefty, that's devastating. To get torn apart by the bottom feeding Phillies in back to back starts terrifies me in regards to what a team like the Pirates or the Cardinals would've done to him.)

Kenneth Teape | Empire Writes Back- The Mets have decided to skip the next start of Noah Syndergaard, instead opting to insert Steven Matz back into the rotation, as he returns from his DL stint. The New York Mets have made it very clear that they want to monitor the innings of their young arms to make sure they are fresh for the playoff push and postseason run if they make it. Syndergaard has already exceeded his innings count from last season by 15, as he has thrown 152 innings including his time in the minors. It also makes sense to limit the amount of starts that Syndergaard makes on the road. His performance at and away from Citi Field have been night and day in his rookie year. 

(Chris Soto: I'm ok with this entire strategy. What the Mets DO NOT want is a situation the Nationals had when Strasburg was a rookie. Strasburg was so good that he hit his inning limit in mid September and the team wouldn't use him in the playoffs. That can't happen in NY, fans would go nuts if it did. So if this is what's needed in order to preserve those innings for the playoffs.....then so be it. )

Joe Trezza | Mets.com- The Mets will send three prospects to the Arizona Fall League once the Minor League seasons end: infielder Jeff McNeil, right-hander Beck Wheeler and right-hander Ricky Jannis. Players from the Mets, Blue Jays, D-Backs, Nationals and Rockies will combine to form the Salt River Rafters, who play their games in Scottsdale, Ariz,. Binghamton pitching coach Marc Valdes will serve the same role for Salt River, which is scheduled to open Oct. 13 at home against the Scottsdale Scorpions.

(Chris Soto: The Arizona Fall League is a fun league to following during the off-season. The Mets generally send both top level prospects and guys who they think COULD be MLB contributors but aren't sure yet. Last season we saw Hansel Robles emerge as a strong RP and Dario Alvarez continued to show an ability to become a solid LOOGY for the parent club. The club will likely name at least 3-4 more guys later in the month including at least 1 top prospect. Perhaps that name will be Dominic Smith or Gavin Cecchini?)

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 6.16.2015 | Dillon Gee Soap Opera Is Over, Matz is Next Man Up, Syndergaard Innings Limit, deGrom is No Fluke.

Bryan Zarpentine | Rant Sports- Since the end of last season, it’s been nothing but soap opera drama between the New York Mets and pitcher Dillon Gee. There’s been incessant trade talk, back and forth moves between the starting rotation and the bullpen, a few less-than-professional words from Gee and several poor performances. But it’s all over now, as the Mets have designated Gee for assignment, which is the right move to make. Parting ways with Gee will allow the Mets to simplify a complicated and distracting situation. They can move forward with five starters on their roster instead of six, and they can now focus their efforts on trying to find a way to insert Matz into the rotation, even if it’s only for a spot start. Moreover, the Mets no longer have to worry about a disgruntled Gee in the bullpen and wonder how he’ll perform in that unfamiliar role. Even if the Mets can’t find a trade partner for Gee, it’s best to bring clarity to the situation.

(Chris Soto: I 100% agree....forget about whether the Mets were in the wrong for bouncing him back and forth, or, if Gee was wrong for not doing the job that was asked of him. At the end of the day, the whole "rolling" six man rotation was not working. It turned one of the Mets biggest strengths into an inconsistent mess outside of Jacob deGrom. Thankfully the fiasco is over now, next on the list.....trying to figure out how to squeeze Steven Matz into the equation.)


John Harper | NY Daily News- As good as their pitching is, then, the Mets have some issues to sort out, and they took a step toward doing that by cutting ties with Dillon Gee on Monday. In and of itself that’s hardly a game-changer, but as a move that brings Steven Matz a step closer to the big leagues, it was as timely as it was necessary. As a finesse pitcher who relies on precision, Gee was ill-suited to pitching irregularly, but at least GM Sandy Alderson had the good sense to pull the plug quickly on the experiment. The Mets still need a plan to make sure they don’t run out of their allotted innings for Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Syndergaard, but forcing the issue with Gee as the occasional sixth starter made no sense. Meanwhile, in Matz they have a top prospect dominating the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Two weeks ago a scout who had seen three of Matz’s starts told me simply, “He’s ready for a higher league."

(Chris Soto: Without a shadow of a doubt....Matz is ready for the MLB. Not only that, but there are eyes around baseball who think that of all the young arms the Mets have.....Matz could be the best. During his last start in Las Vegas there were reportedly 25-30 scouts on hand to see him pitch. A handful of people think that he could be the next Clayton Kershaw. Surely, these are unreasonably lofty expectations, but, the fact that it's being talked about shows just how badly the Mets need to find a way to squeeze him into the big leagues.


Mike Puma | New York Post- Noah Syndergaard remains in play for a bullpen stint this season.
In confirming a Post report that Syndergaard has been discussed for a bullpen role, general manager Sandy Alderson on Monday indicated a move could come at any point. “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility at any time during the year,” Alderson said before the Mets beat the Blue Jays 4-3 in 11 innings. “It actually goes back to this question about managing innings. It’s another way to manage innings.”

(Chris Soto: I had quite the knee jerk reaction to this yesterday without really looking into the data. Syndergaard is actually one of the most handcuffing guys Sandy has ever had to deal with. Due to his rapid rise up the Mets system, Syndergaard has not reached the innings cap needed to get through a full MLB season. After throwing only 133 IP last season, Syndergaard should only be in line to throw 165 - 170 IP in 2015. At his current efficiency rate, Syndergaard is scheduled to run out of innings during the 1st week or so of September. Perhaps the Mets can do what they did to Jacob deGrom last season and have him take a 3 week spell on the 15 day DL for a "phantom" injury in order to stretch those final innings into late September.)


Joe Vasile | Beyond the Box Score- After a metoric rise through the New York Mets farm system which took him from the Florida State League at the start of 2013 to winning the National League Rookie of the Year award at the end of 2014, Jacob deGrom seemed to be a potential candidate for regression. In his sophomore campaign, he’s been able to evade the dreaded sophomore slump and has been even better. His FIP has held steady despite regression in his HR/FB ratio [and] he has also cut down on the walks further, lowering his walk percent from 7.6 to 5.1. FanGraphs  shows deGrom allowing 14.2 percent fewer hard-hit balls this season [and] batters are pulling fewer balls. One reason for this is that deGrom’s four-seam fastball has taken a leap forward this year. According to data compiled at Brooks Baseball, deGrom is throwing his fastball nearly a mile-per-hour faster this year (95.45 compared to 94.49 in 2014), and the pitch is getting an additional inch of armside run.

(Chris Soto: If you haven't followed BTBS yet...you really should, these guys are great. I knew deGrom's stuff looked better, but, this is the kind of data that supports that kind of thinking. He has gone from an interesting back end rotation arm, to a solid mid rotation piece, to be the #2 guy on the Mets staff, to now jumping Harvey and being THE GUY that you expect to win on a nightly basis. Even in the fantasy world, deGrom is listed as the 6th best SP overall, only behind the likes of Scherzer, Keuchel, Sale, Archer, and Cole and that's WITH his rough start in 2015. Over the past 30 days, deGrom has been the best guy SP in fantasy baseball.)

The Morning Report 6.10.2015 | d'Arnaud Returns, Parnell Returns Too, Matz Promotion Coming Soon, Solid Day 2 of MLB Draft for Mets

Joe D. | Metsmerized Online-  With the Mets ridiculously challenged for offense, the team should get a nice boost to the lineup when Travis d’Arnaud is activated from the disabled list. Terry Collins said he hopes d’Arnaud will hit the ground running. Don’t we all? “You can’t have spring training,” he said. “We’re in the hunt right now and you can’t afford to go 10 days, two weeks to wait until a guy gets ready.” D’Arnaud, who was hitting .317/.356/.538 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 11 games, was the team’s leading run producer went he went down.

(Chris Soto: Man...talk about a sight for sore eyes. Getting d'Arnaud back today is going to be huge considering his OPS output before he got hurt was 320 points! higher than Plawecki's performance. He should slot nicely into the #2 hole where he was hitting .333 with a 1.195 OPS before getting injured.)


Michael Baron | Just Mets- Bobby Parnell completed his rehab assignment on Tuersday night, throwing a scoreless seventh inning for the Binghamton Mets on against the Bowie Bay Sox with a walk and two strikeouts. Parnell will join the Mets at Citi Field tomorrow night, and be activated in a few days. Presumably, Parnell will be eased into higher leverage situations, and will probably have to earn his way into a prominent role in this bullpen again. As for who goes down, the logical conclusion to draw is it will be Jack Leathersich. They’re carrying three left-handed relievers, and at the very least Parnell would restore balance to the crowded bullpen on the right side.


(Chris Soto: Well like it or not, Parnell's rehab assignment expires after tonight's game so the club has to call him up. Is he ready? Probably not, but at least Parnell's last 3 outings have been much better than his earlier Binghamton performances. I expect that Parnell will only be used in low leverage situations to start. Down big or Up big, 6th inning fill in work, etc.)


Scot Cohen | Amazin Avenue- Las Vegas left-hander Steven Matz could be promoted to the Mets in the next three weeks. The biggest hurdle for the Mets to install Matz in the rotation could be finding a trade partner to move Dillon Gee or Jon Niese, or possibly even both. Gee has recently been sent to the bullpen and Niese struggled this season. Matz has been tremendous at Triple-A, where his 1.94 ERA leads the Pacific Coast League. He also leads the PCL in strikeouts with 75 in 74 1/3 innings. He's allowed just a .207 average to opposing hitters and has posted a 1.103 WHIP. 

(Chris Soto: This notion that Matz is going to be promoted 3 weeks from now really picked up steam when Joel Sherman [I think] asked a Mets official if after the All-Star Break was a realistic call-up date. The unnamed official responded with, "oh, I think he'll be up here before July 1st." Beat writers and bloggers have taken that date and run with it. HERE IS MY OPINION...Matz is scheduled to start tomorrow night for the 51's....LHSP Jonathan Niese IS ALSO scheduled to pitch tomorrow night. Matz currently only needs 5 IP to get past the "150+ IP above A+" internal rule that the Mets have. All this leads me to this statement....June 11th, 2015 will be the last start Matz makes for AAA Las Vegas and he will be pitching for the MLB Mets on June 16th. AGAIN....THIS IS MY EDUCATED OPINIONATED GUESS.


Mack's Mets Draft Coverage- In case you were living under a rock yesterday, The Mets added 8 new players yesterday via the MLB Rule IV Draft. Here they all are along the stories/information Mack posted from yesterday.

3rd Round - LHP Max Wotell - Marvin Ridge H.S. (NC)
4th Round - 3B David Thompson - University of Miami [Junior]
5th Round - LHP Thomas Szapucki - William T. Dwyer H.S. (FL)
6th Round - RHP Chase Ingram - Hillsborough CC (FL) [JUCO]
7th Round - RHP Corey Taylor - Texas Tech University [Senior]
8th Round - C Patrick Mazelka - Stetson University [Junior]
9th Round - OF Kevin Kaczmarski - University of Evansville [Senior]
10th Round - RHP Witt Haggard - Delta State University [Senior]

(Chris Soto: I like what the Mets are doing knowing that they have a limited signing bonus pool. They are not shying away from the tough sign guys....Instead, So far they are balancing high upside, high cost High School Arms with easily signable, and low cost college bats. I love the 3rd, 5th, and 6th round guys specifically. The Mets farm system is starved for left handed upside arms as currently the only guys in the system are at the very bottom in Blake Taylor [Kingsport] and Adrian Almeida [GCL Mets]. The club needs a boost in this department and both of these guys already have plus velocity from the left side. As for our 6th round, Chase Ingram was considered one of, if not, the top Junior College arm in the draft. Ingram was among the leaders in strikeouts, ERA and wins and posseses an outstanding curveball. The fastball velocity is pretty meh [91-92mph] but if the guy knows how to pitch, he'll be successful.)

The Morning Report 6.1.2015 | Tejada the New 3B, Matz Nipping at Niese's Job, Conforto in the MLB in 2015?, Minor League Affiliate Relocations

David Wright Injury Tracker | In California to see specialist. Received a cortisone shot.

Mitch Abramson | NY Daily News- Terry Collins announced that Tejada had solidified his grip on the third basemen’s job with David Wright still rehabbing from a back injury. “Right now he is, he’s earned it,” Collins said after Sunday’s 4-3 win over Miami. “As we all know, he can do a lot of things when he’s playing well and right now he’s playing well.” After riding the bench much of the season and watching as others got to try their hand at third with Wright sidelined, Tejada has finally gotten his shot and taken advantage of it. In his third straight start at third base, Tejada — batting second again — has proved that he should remain on the field.

(Chris Soto: Say what you want about Tejada...but he clearly is the best option for the Mets to be that 8th guy in the line-up even though I don't agree with the defensive alignment [I'd prefer Flores at 3B, Tejada at SS]. With both Eric Campbell and Danny Muno failing to take holding of the job, Terry Collins turned to his old buddy who is taking full advantage.)


Anthony Reiber | Newsday- The best thing that can be said about Jon Niese's start against the Marlins on Saturday is that Mets fans won't have to see him again for six days. Niese's performance continued an alarming pattern that has to have Mets decision-makers wondering if they really have six starters who are worth throwing out there when they expand the rotation this week. Said Niese: "It's very surprising. It's frustrating more than anything because my arm feels great, my body feels great." The way Niese has looked in his last four outings (20 innings, 23 runs, 20 earned runs), Steven Matz would be a better option right now. Matz, by the way, is perfectly lined up to start Friday. Niese's day. Just sayin'...

(Chris Soto: I would be surprised to see the Mets turn to Matz just yet...but I do think Niese's leash is becoming uncomfortably short. Matz has about 2 starts left before he reaches the club's 150 IP above A+ rule so I would expect that Niese would get at least those 2 chances to show he belongs. It's unfortunate that Niese has ZERO trade value; not because he isn't pitching well, but because teams are just so nervous about his injury history/risk.)


James Newman | Mets360- Over this past week, the Mets announced that they promoted their 2014 first round draft pick Michael Conforto to Double-A Binghamton. The [current] starting outfield has had ups and downs, and is not contributing to its full offensive potential, and there is not much production waiting in the wings behind these three players. Due to the power Conforto seems to offer, he may have the advantage of reaching the big leagues earlier than Nimmo. With both players in Double-A, it seems more likely that both players will be on the team at some point in 2016, however if the Mets need a left-handed power hitting outfielder off the bench, Conforto could be called on later this season if he his performing in Double-A at a high level.

(Chris Soto: I'd have to disagree 100% with James. I doubt there is any chance that Conforto gets promoted to the MLB this season. The Mets will not promote Conforto unless he is going to be in a starting role. NOT as a left handed power bat off the bench. From that standpoint, I don't see Conforto unseating any of the current OF'ers as they are all beginning to produce better results.)


Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- The New York Mets' South Atlantic League affiliate is relocating from Savannah, Georgia, to a new stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, for the 2016 season. Hardball Capital, which owns the low-A club, made the move official with a news conference in Columbia on Thursday. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson attended the announcement. Spirit Communications Park is scheduled to open in March 2016. The Savannah Sand Gnats may not be the only Mets affiliate on the move, either. A U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last month banning the sale of the Binghamton Mets to another party while a group pursues a federal civil lawsuit claiming it had an agreement to purchase the Double-A club for $8.5 million and move it to Wilmington, Delaware.

(Chris Soto: The Sand Gnats move has been a long time coming as the City of Savannah was just not committal about keeping the team there via upgrading Grayson Stadium. Spirit Park is going to be a "top of the line" facility so the Mets won't be too upset about the move, plus it brings the team just a little bit closer to New York. Now the Binghamton Mets situation may be a bit more dicey....While a settlement has been reached, it's apparent that the team is trying to move somewhere warmer. Generally, the club doesn't promote straight from AA though so if a potential move to a better facility is in the works then, again, I doubt the Mets will be too upset about it. )

The Morning Report 3.23.2015 | Harvey is Ready, Wright is Healthy, and Matz is on the cusp, Opening Day Starter also Announced.

John Delcos | New York Mets Report- It was encouraging for us and the Mets to watch Matt Harvey mow down the Yankees this afternoon. It is cliché to say it was effortless, but it definitely looked as if he could go longer than the 5.2 innings he cruised through on 60 pitches.“That was a test, and obviously the workload was increasing,’’ Harvey told reporters. “I felt pretty good into the sixth inning and was commanding pretty much everything.’’Harvey definitely looks ready for the season, and in normal springs would be the Opening Day starter.

(Chris Soto: Harvey was ridiculously good yesterday and it honestly looks like he isn't even giving 100% effort yet. For someone who has shown that he can top out at 98-99 mph, to be sitting at 94-95 mph and still have his way with professional hitters is just maddening. Can you imagine how he's gonna look once the season starts. He may even challenge Kershaw for the CY Young throne this year.)


Peter Kerasotis | New York Times- After going 10-9 last year between Class A Port St. Lucie and Class AA Binghamton, Matz was named the organization’s pitcher of the year, a signal that he had moved ahead of another top Mets prospect, Noah Syndegaard. Mets GM Sandy Alderson said of Matz, “He’s been outstanding. He hasn’t done anything in this camp to undermine the impression he’s made the last couple of years. It’s only reinforced the general impression.” Dan Warthen, the pitching coach [added], “I would not be surprised if sometime this year we see Steven Matz”

(Chris Soto: The Matz hype train continues on and quite frankly, it is well deserved. While fans do not generally realize it....Scouts know that a lefty who throws 95-97mph is unbelievably rare to find. We have been so accustomed to seeing 95+ on a regular basis that we fail to recognize that all those guys are right handed. In fact, no left handed pitchers averaged over a 95 mph fastball last season. The hardest throwing lefty was actually David Price who averaged 93.3 mph on his fastball.)

 

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York-  The Mets plan to announce their full rotation on Monday. However, sources told ESPN.com that Colon will start on April 6 against the Nats. After a day off, deGrom will start on April 8. Matt Harvey will make his first regular-season start since Tommy John surgery the following day. As a result, deGrom will draw the April 13 home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, with Harvey starting the following day.

(Chris Soto: Colon starting on Opening Day makes all the sense in the world. It would put him in line to pitch twice on the road leaving fans to enjoy back to back starts of Harvey and deGrom to start the Citi Field home schedule. That said, having deGrom get the home opener with Harvey slated the day after is a complete marketing ploy. Opening Day is going to sell-out regardless of who's pitching, whereas, the day after generally lacks significant attendance.  However, Harvey is a fan drawing presence. He alone can bring in an additional 10,000 fans to a game and the Mets seem like they are going to utilize that ability.)


Marc Carig | Newsday- Wright hit an opposite-field homer off CC Sabathia and made a diving play at third. Both appeared impossible last season because of the bad shoulder. "It just shows us that David Wright's back," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "One of my strengths is hitting the ball the other way," Wright said. "So it's good that you get a pitch you can hit the other way and you hit it hard the other way, especially against an elite starting pitcher."

(Chris Soto: I continue to say this everytime a writer brings up Wright's health. This team's ability to score runs and compete for a playoff spot hinges on David Wright being himself again. So far, he is showing to be 100% healthy. 3B is such a weak position around the majors right now that even a .280, 20 HR, 80 RBI season from Wright would be worth almost 5 wins above the average MLB 3B. That is a huge advantage that the Mets will need to leverage in order to have a successful season.)

The Morning Report 3.17.2015 | Thor and Matz's Chance, Wheeler's Actual Replacement, Don't Overlook Gee

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- With the news Monday that Zack Wheeler is likely out for the season, Syndergaard moved up on the depth chart. While Mets manager Terry Collins said bluntly Monday that Dillon Gee will slide into the open rotation spot, there is clearly a chance for Syndergaard and/or lefty Steven Matz to force their way into the major leagues this season.“Right now, we came into spring training with a number of guys that gave us some real security with starters and all of a sudden now we’re getting a little thin,” Collins said.

(Chris Soto: From what I have seen so far in Syndergaard's 3 Spring Training starts, there is no doubt in my mind that his pure stuff is ready for the MLB right now. However, his "presence" on the mound is not. So far we have seen Thor be lights out when the bases are empty but as soon as there are runners on base, his tempo slows down, he commits to his fastball too much, and rather than trusting his stuff he tries to spot the ball. He needs more time with Frankie V. down in AAA to correct this problem before he comes to the MLB full time.)


Marc Carig | Newsday- But manager Terry Collins threw his support behind Dillon Gee, the odd man out who now appears to be the front-runner for the last of five rotation spots. "I would say it's Dillon Gee's job right now. I think they've got to pitch their way up," Collins said of the Mets' young arms. "But I think those decisions will be made later in spring."

(Chris Soto: He's right. Based on the information that is coming out of camp, the Mets knew "something" was wrong with Wheeler's elbow for at least 6 months, but 3 separate doctors and 3 separate MRI machines couldn't figure out. This is probably why they did not trade Gee, instead, they held onto him as an insurance policy in case something were to happen and guess what? Something did. While an injury like this certainly sucks, it's not devastating for the Mets. For the 1st time in a while, the club has the depth to absorb a loss like this and keep chugging along like nothing happened.)

 

Christina Montana | Shea Dugout- ...With the amount of time the results took and Terry Collins’ dismissing the constant MRIs, you have ample ammo for Mets fans to spiral into a craze of rumors, expletives, and calling this injury a “reason for the Mets to tank.” That’s not the case. This...is exactly the point everyone is ignoring in their state of shock and the overwhelming pessimism that has swallowed the fan base today. The Mets have good pitching. Dillon Gee is a wholly capable pitcher. Don’t forget, Mets fans loved him when he won eight straight upon promotion to the Majors in 2011. Dillon Gee can start, and can succeed, and pitch deep enough into games to be serviceable.

(Chris Soto: Christina is right. Look....Gee is no Zack Wheeler....we know that. However, Dillon Gee is a capable #5 MLB SP who can slot in at the back of the rotation and give you consistent innings while keeping your team in games. With the improved offense the Mets have shown so far, if the healthy 2013 version of Gee appears, he may net 13-15 wins this season. That's pretty much what we were expecting from Wheeler, right?)

2015 MLB Top Prospects: Steven Matz 8th Amongst LHP

     MLB.com has begun released there annual 2015 prospect rankings. Yesterday, the Top right handed prospects were announced and today the left handed pitching prospects were announced. Amongst them is 23 year old Steven Matz, who after a long recovery from Tommy John Surgery, is finally emerging as the pitcher the Mets hoped he'd become when they drafted him out of High School.

"Matz is lean, lanky and loose, firing mid-90s fastballs with ease and having the ability to reach back for more when he needs it. He throws it with sink, not only missing bats, but also generating groundball outs. His changeup is his best secondary offering, which he turns over and sinks very well. His curveball has gotten better, a big breaking ball he can keep down in the zone and is now a Major League average pitch. He doesn't hurt himself with walks, and his overall command has improved over time."

MMs Top 25: #4 LHSP Steven Matz

#4 LHSP Stephen Matz (LR: #8)
Bats: R Throws: L
Height: 6' 2" Weight: 200 lb
Age: 23
Acquired: 2009 Rule 4 Draft, 2nd Round, West Melville HS (East Sauteket)

2014: (A+/AA) 10-9, 2.24 ERA, 140.2 IP, 8.4 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.187 WHIP

2013: (A) 5-6, 2.62 ERA, 106.1 IP, 10.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 1.166 WHIP

2012: (R) 2-1, 1.55 ERA, 29.0 IP, 10.6 K/9, 5.3 BB/9, 1.138 WHIP

2011: DNP (Tommy John Surgery Set-back)
2010: DNP (Tommy John Surgery Recovery)
 
     Ladies and Gentleman, Steven Matz has officially arived. After spending his 1st 3 professional season on the disabled list for a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery, Steven Matz has been dominate over the past 3 years. This season has been no different as he breezed through Port St. Lucie and showed no signs of slowing down after his promotion to Binghamton.

     As Sandy Alderson's only left handed pitching prospect, Matz probably has more value to the front office then any other minor league starter outside of Noah Syndergaard.  He possesses a 94-97 mph fastball which is rare velocity from the left side, a hard curveball that has developed from the slurve he previously had, and an advanced change-up that he's had since he came out of HS. All 3 pitches have developed to a point where scouts now believe all three can be plus pitches.

     In previous years the organization has had to be very careful with Matz in order to avoid aggravating the elbow, however, this season it looks like Alderson took the training wheels off and Matz has responded very well. This is especially important since Matz is already on the 40 man roster and the organization burned 1 of his 3 available options this season in order for him to pitch in the minors.

     Matz has the potential to be a star in the MLB because of his premium velocity. In fact the top average fastball for left handed starters continues to come from David Price who clocks in at an average of 93.5 mph. If he can continue to stay healthy and develop his breaking pitches the sky could be the limit.

Ceiling: Not an ace but one of better lefties in the game. #1/#2 SP (Tyson Ross)
Floor: Solid #3/#4 MLB SP. (Jorge De La Rosa)