Reese Kaplan -- Winning Feels Good for a Change

A lot has been written about the benefits of winning.  Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything.  It’s the only thing.”  Kobe Bryant opined, “Winning takes precedence over all. There’s no gray area. No almosts.” Tiger Woods offered up, “Winning solves everything.”  (Well, except perhaps getting caught cheating on your wife.)

Winning is on my mind since 2017 was all about losing and opening weekend in 2018 is showing what happens when timely hitting, long balls, baserunning (!!!!) and good pitching can help propel the team into the W column. No one expects the team to go 162-0, but winning 2 out of 3 against a decent team is a welcome start indeed.

So far the Mets are demonstrating some good signs in the short sample.  Robert Gsellman has been effective in his new role as a reliever.  The catching tandem has produced as it did during Spring Training.  Yoenis Cespedes flexed his longball muscle.  Jeurys Familia has notched a couple of strong end-of-game performances.  Amed Rosario is looking far less overmatched than he did last season.  Even Adrian Gonzales seemed to come to life.   The struggling Juan Lagares managed five hits in his two starts for the ailing Brandon Nimmo (who himself went 2/3 with walk in his lone start).   

Now it’s too soon to give full credit for these changes to the new manager, Mickey Callaway, but the man does deserve some kudos for pulling the right strings in his debut at the helm.  He got ten strikeouts out of Noah Syndergaard then wisely yanked him from the game in sub-50s temperatures instead of leaving him in, subjecting him to overuse and injury. 

It’s early and things can change – such as injuries to Anthony Swarzak – but the team got off to the quick start that it needed to help erase the bad taste of 2017 from the fans’ mouths.  Enjoy it while it lasts. 

Ed Delany Pics - Brayan Campusano, John Magliozzi, Thomas McIlraith

Three more great pics from our good friend, Ed Delany, who hangs out all day in Lucy... how's that for a life. First up, pitcher  Brayan Campusano...

Next up is pitcher John Magliozzi. 'Mags' went 5-1, 3.19, 44-appearances for St. Lucie and will return there for the start of this season.

Lastly, starter Thomas McIlraith, who also will start the season with St. Lucie.

2018 Draft - Weekly Highlights and Pitcher Stats

Nathan Rode/@prepbaseball - Saw Santiago's BP this morning with SS Brice Turang. Different approach from him than usual. Showed some sneaky pop to his pull side. Typically lives in the middle with line drives. That'll be his game.

Luke Siler/@The_Luke_Siler - Just going off video I’ve seen so far, an early top 10 for the #MLBDraft IMHO. - 1. Matthew Liberatore  2. Mize 3. Hankins 4. McClanahan 5. Madrigal 6. De Sedas  7. Turang  8. Kelenic 9. Swaggerty 10. Bohm

Vinnie Servino/@vcervinoPG - RHP Ethan Hankins (2018 GA) made his return to the mound tonight for a 1 IP stint. Worked up to 95, struck out three. Showed CB & CH; good sign to see him back healthy

Perfect Game USA - 2018 LHP Matthew Liberatore up to 96 mph showing off the hammer breaking ball tonight in front of a very large crowd of decision makers

Perfect Game USA - Casey Mize showed why he is in the conversation for 1/1 in June draft as he dominated on Friday running his FB up to 97 mph and getting Ks with his split shown here

Aaron Fitt/D1 Baseball – (Wichita State 3B) Alec Bohm adds an exclamation point with his second homer of the game, another towering shot to right-center, this one a 3-run shot. He's 4-for-5 with 2 homers, a double and 6 RBIs. Which, I'm told, is a pretty good day

Clemson OF Seth Beer started week with 6 HRs and 12 RBI. In 5th inning of 4th game of week he has 10 HRs and 24 RBI.

***Current 3rd Round choice for Mack***

           OF Oregon State Trevor Larnach has hit since the day the season started. Current stat line is 58-AB, .362/.465/.776, 6-HR, 25-RBIs. He also has not had one error. Lastly, he’s playing against some of the top pitching in the west and the team is currently 20-2.

Brady Singer – Florida:               (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 5-1, 3.00, 39-IP, 39-K)

Fri:      7-IP, 2-H, 1-ER, 11-K, 1-BB, WIN (6-1)

Jackson Kowar – Florida:          (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 5-1, 3.13, 37.1-IP, 38-K)

Sat:    6.1-IP, 5-H, 0-ER, 6-K, 3-BB, WIN (6-1)

This week:  https://youtu.be/fbxBB_KaDNQ

Michael Byrne – Florida -          (as of 3/26:  12-G, 1-0, 0.44, 20.1-IP, 15-K)

Tue:    2-IP, 2-H, 0-R, 0.00, 4-K, 0-BB, 6-SV 

   

Fri:   1.2-IP, 1-H, 0-R, 0.00, 3-K, 0-BB, 7-SV    

         

Chandler Day – Vanderbilt:      (as of 3/26:  5-G, 3-ST, 5-3, 4.80, 15-IP, 15-K)

Bryan Hoeing – Louisville:     (as of 3/26:  8-G, 5-starts, 3-1, 4.94, 31-IP, 24-K)

Fri:      2.0-IP, 2-H, 2-ER, 4-K, 2-BB   

     

Adam Wolf – Louisville –       (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 3-1, 1.66, 47-K, 38-IP)

Thu: 2.1-IP, 8-H, 5-ER, 2-K, 3-BB, LOSS (3-2) 2.68

Will Tribucher – Michigan –   (as of 3/26:  7-G, 2-2, 1.56, 17.1-IP, 20-K)

Wed:     1.0-IP, 2-H, 1-ER, 1-K, 0-BB   

Fri:      1-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 0-K, 0-BB

Austin Cox – Mercer -           (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 5-0, 4.99, 30.2-IP, 55-K)

Thu: 7-IP, 7-H, 2-ER, 8-K, 1-BB, WIN (6-0), 4.54

Sean Wymer – TCU:                    (as of 3/26:  5-G, 4-ST, 1-1, 3.91)

                                               Sun:   7.2-IP, 3-H, 0-R, 9-K, 1-BB, WIN (2-2)

 

Austin Bergner – UNC:        (as of 3/26:  6-G, 4-ST, 3-1, 4.05, 26.2-IP, 37-K)

                                                           Sat:    6-IP, 4-H, 1-ER, 4-K, 4-BB, WIN (4-1)

Casey Mise – Auburn:          (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 5-0, 2.04, 39.2-IP, 63-K)

                                              Fri:    7.1-IP, 5-H, 2-ER, 7-K, 0-BB, WIN (6-0)

Luke Hemlich – Oregon St:    (as of 3/26:  4-starts, 3-0, 2.08, 26-IP, 27-K)

                                                  Fri:   6.1-IP, 8-H, 2-ER, 6-K, 3-BB, WIN (6-0)

Jason Bilous – C Carolina:      (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 3-0, 2.18, 33-IP, 40-K)

                                                Thu:   6-IP, 3-H, 2-ER, 10-K, 3-BB, WIN (4-0)

Sean Hjelle – Kentucky:       (as of 3/26:   6-starts, 4-1, 2.97, 36.1-IP, 35-K)

                                               Fri:   7-IP, 9-H, 4-ER, 7-K, 0-BB, WIN (4-2)

Colton Eastman – CSF:      (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 2-2, 3.05, 38.1-IP, 37-K)

                                              Thu:    9-IP, 0-H, 0-R, CG, NO HITTER, WIN (3-2)  

   

Logan Gilbert – Stetson:     (as of 3-26:  5-0, 2.57, 60-9 K/BB ratio)  

                                                 Fri:    6-IP, 4-H, 0-R, 9-K, 4-BB, WIN (6-0)

Blaine Knight – Arkansas:     (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 4-0, 1.83, 34-1-IP, 35-K)

                                               Thu:   6-IP, 7-H, 2-ER, 7-K, 1-BB, WIN (5-0)

Isiah Campbell – Arkansas -      (as of 3/26:   6-starts, 2-3, 3.33, 27-IP, 29-K)

          

Tristan Beck – Stanford:    (as of 3/26:  5-starts, 4-0, 2.48, 29-IP, 32-K)

                                             Thu:   4-IP, 7-H, 5-ER, 2-K, 1-BB, LOSS (4-1)

Kris Bubic – Stanford:       (as of 3/26:  5-starts, 4-0, 1.19, 30.1-IP, 33-K)

                                            Fri:   7.1-IP, 4-H, 0-ER, 9-K, 2-BB, WIN (5-0)

Nolan Kingham – Texas:    (as of 3/26:   8-G, 6-Starts, 4-2, 3.67)

                                               Fri:    2-IP, 3-H, 2-ER, 2-K, 0-BB

Konnor Pilkington – Miss St:   (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 1-3, 1.82, 34.2-IP, 48-K)

                                                Thu:   6.2-IP, 6-H, 5-ER, 6-K, 3-BB, LOSS (1-4)

Cole Sands – Florida State:  (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 4-1, 5.51, 32.2-IP, 37-K)

                                               Thu:  7-IP, 4-H, 3-ER, 8-K, 2-BB, WIN (5-1), 5.01

Tyler Holton – Florida State -   (as of 3/26:   1-game, 0-0, 0.00, 4.2-IP, 6-K)

                                                          

Ryan Rolison – Ole Miss:  -   (as of 3/26:    6-starts, 3-2, 2.88, 34-1-IP, 46-K)

                                               Thu:  5.1-IP, 9-H, 5-ER, 8-K, 1-BB, LOSS (3-3)

Dallas Woolfolk – Ole Miss   (as of 3/26:  9-games, 1-0, 0.84, 10.2-IP, 10-K)

                                                Fri:   0.1-IP, 1-H, 1-ER, 1-K, 0-BB

Brady Feigl – Ole Miss -     (as of 3/36:  6-starts, 5-1, 2.08, 39-IP, 38-K)

                                               Fri:   5.1-IP, 7-H, 2-ER, 4-K, 4-BB, WIN (6-1)

Tim Cate – Connecticut:      (as of 3/26:     6-starts, 2-4, 4.41, 34.2-IP, 47-K) 

                                           Thu:  6.2-IP, 2-H, 0-R, 6-K, 2-BB, WIN (3-4)

Taril Skubal – Seattle:      (as of 3/26:    8-G, 7-ST, 2-0, 5.26, 25.2-IP, 33-BB)

                                                                      

Matt Mercer – Oregon –    (as of 3/26:   6-starts, 3-1, 2.43, 37-IP, 39-K)

                                           Fri:    5.2-IP, 6-H, 2-ER, 2-K, 2-BB, LOSS (3-2)

Jon Olson – UCLA (INJ) –   (as of 3/26:  4-starts, 2-0, 2.08, 21.2-IP, 20-K)

                                                            

Zach Hess – LSU –         (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 3-3, 5.68, 31.2-IP, 45-K)   

     

Thur : 6.2-IP, 3-H, 1-ER, 10-K, 4-BB, W, (4-3), 4.93

Bryce Montes De Oca – Missouri –      Sun:   6.1-IP, 10-H, 4-ER, 7-K, 1-BB

                                                (as of 3/26:   6-starts, 3-1, 2.80, 35.1-IP, 43-K)

Davis Martin – Texas Tech –  (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 4-1, 2.70, 30-IP, 35-K)

                                                Thur:    6-IP, 3-H, 1-ER, 9-K, 2-BB, WIN (4-2)    

        

Adam Hill – South Carolina –   (as of 3/26:    5-starts, 2-2, 4.23, 27.2-IP, 49-K)

                                              Thur:   5-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 4-K, 4-BB, WIN, (3-2)

Hogan Harris – Louisiana –  (as of 3/26:   2-G, 1-ST, 0-1, 8.31, 4.1-IP, 5-K)

Tue:  4-IP, 5-H, 0-ER, 5-K, 1-BB, WIN (1-1)  

        

Andrew Perez – USF -          (as of 3/30:   10-G, 3-2, 3.52, 15.1-IP, 18-K

                                                          

Shawn McClanahan – USF -   (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 3-2, 1.56, 34.2-IP, 61-K)

                                                  Thu:  6-IP, 5-H, 1-ER, 12-K, 3-BB, LOSS (3-3)

Daniel Lynch – Virginia –     (as of 3/26:  6-starts, 2-3, 3.18, 39.2-IP, 46-K)

                                                              

Mack’s Apples – Tyler Bashlor, Noah Syndergaard, Cafeteria, Mets Catching, Tepid Pre-Season

Good morning.

John Sickels on –

       

    14) Tyler Bashlor, RHP, Grade C+:Age 24, drafted in 11th round in 2013 from South Georgia State University; posted 3.44 ERA in 50 innings between High-A and Double-A, 84/25 K/BB, 40 hits allowed; note exceptionally good strikeout rate; missed all of 2014 and 2015 after blowing elbow; Tommy John survivor has all of his fastball back, 94-98 MPH; breaking ball is OK; needs to lower walks but it wouldn’t take much for him to be a fine short/middle reliever; ETA late 2018; QUESTION MARK: grading relievers is problematic.

Minor League Baseball

These 20 players will shape NL East race -

2. Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets - It's gonna go one of only two ways for Syndergaard this year. Either his dogged insistence on throwing 100 mph in Spring Training is going to make his arm blow up and we're all going to lament what could have been … or he's going to tear through the league like Chuck Yeager through the sound barrier and make everyone believe he's the next Nolan Ryan. One of these results is horrible; the other, transcendent. There is no middle ground.

The Supermarket Cafeteria That Major League Baseball Players Love –

        

    Cooks scurried in and out of the kitchen carrying containers of pork ribs, stewed beef, and rice and beans. Behind a display case of Latin American pastries, a worker hurried through coffee orders. The rapid-fire banter of Caribbean Spanish filled the air.

It was the lunchtime rush at the cafeteria of the Bravo Supermarket here, but one loyal customer in particular — the Mets infielder Jose Reyes — caught the eye of the head chef, who hugged him as he took his place in line yet again, like so many Mets from Latin America hungry for home cooking.

Fangraphs on Mets catching –

        

   Last year in this section, Travis d’Arnaud was projected for a .308 wOBA and 376 plate appearances. He ended the season with a .311 wOBA and 384 plate appearances. Not too bad, right? The uptick in offense throughout baseball plus his own difficulty throwing out runners -- he’s got a slow pop time, per Statcast -- meant d’Arnaud was less than a win above replacement last year. He is a good framer based on the metrics at Baseball Prospectus, so his WAR probably omits some of his value.

Kevin Plawecki is the Mets’ backup catcher and, given d’Arnaud’s injury history, seems likely to play a decent amount. He’s not a good bet for offensive production, though he did manage to draw 17 walks in 118 plate appearances last season. He hit well in Triple-A, but the Mets' PCL team is located in Las Vegas, and you know what they say: what happens in Vegas should be heavily discounted due to the extreme hitting environment there.

Baseball’s Very Tepid Offseason Is Finally Over –

     

      That fact is the reason that Major League Baseball, now approaching its opening day, just had the strangest off-season in recent memory. For the first time that anyone can remember, baseball’s hot-stove season just … never warmed up. Top free agents like Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish, J. D. Martinez, and Eric Hosmer spent most of their winters waiting for huge offers that never came: Arrieta reportedly told teammates that he’d be signing a six-year, $200 million deal for 2018; ultimately he agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract with the Phillies well after he should have reported for spring training (typically, rosters are mostly set by Christmas). And agent Scott Boras, who has essentially single-handedly run baseball’s off-season for two decades, had to watch as clients like Mike Moustakas parlayed their career years into one-year deals worth many millions less than they were expecting. (Moustakas, 29, who broke the Kansas City Royals’ franchise record last year with 38 home runs, was rewarded in his free-agent walk year with a Royals salary smaller than last year’s.)