Reese Kaplan -- The Start of the Mets Post Season History: 1969

Over the next few weeks while I'm relocating overseas to Malaysia where I'll be living going forward I thought about what I could say that would be relevant (though not necessarily timely) for our fans who read here regularly.  With a little head scratching I thought I'd profile the Mets' post-season history since coming into the National League in 1962.  If I counted correctly, we will have nine years to analyze with the uncharacteristically optimistic slant that 2022 will be the tenth one.  

I was a mere 9 years old when the New York Mets went from baseball laughingstock to World Champions in what appeared to be a miraculous turnaround due mostly to Tom Seaver and manager Gil Hodges, but no one could have predicted a team that had as recently as 1967 lost 101 games would improve by that magnitude.  Gil Hodges was brought in to manage this bunch and in his New York rookie season he saw the team for the first time climb up to 9th place from their customary ranking at the bottom.  

In 1969, however, all things changed dramatically.  Hodges proved to be the kind of leader the team had never before seen.  He was handed a hodge podge of young and veteran players that he had to balance and hone into winning results.  It was no small feat considering where the franchise had been up until that point.  

On Opening Day of 1969 the lineup presented included:

                            1.  Tommie Agee (CF)

                            2.  Rod Gaspar (RF)

                            3.  Cleon Jones (LF)

                            4.  Ken Boswell (2B)

                            5.  Ed Charles (3B)

                            6.  Bud Harrelson (SS)

                            7.  Jerry Grote (C)

                            8.  Ed Kranepool (1B)

                            9.  Tom Seaver (P)

If you look closely at the statistics of anyone cited to take the field in the showcase game of the season, Tommie Agee and Cleon Jones were about the only ones from whom you could expect decent offensive production.  When you consider, for example, Ken Boswell's career batting average was just .248 with his high water marks being 9 HRs in 1972 and just 44 RBIs in 1970, that was who the Mets had batting cleanup.  Ed Charles as a 29 year old Kansas City rookie hit .288 with 17 HRs and 74 RBIs but it was pretty much downhill after that.  He came to New York in 1967 and over the course of three seasons put in just under two seasons worth of .249 hitting.  Bud Harrelson was known far more for his glove and legs than for his bat.  He was just a .236 hitter for his career.  Jerry Grote was a little bit better with the bat than you might initially have noticed, but it was his command of the pitchers that kept him an integral part of the team's success.  Ed Kranepool had been around since his 1962 cup of coffee with the team, but it wasn't until the tail end of his career many years later as a decent pinch hitter that he turned himself into an asset.  In 1969 he was just a .238 hitter with 11 HRs.  Rookie Rod Gaspar did his career's best work in 1969 by hitting .228 and was out of baseball just two years later.  No, hitting was not going to put this team into contention.

Now turn things around and look at the pitching staff.  Your eyes pop when you look closely at the numbers from Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, Gary Gentry and other starts from Jim McAndrew and Don Cardwell.  At that juncture future closer Tug McGraw even got a few nods as a starting pitcher, too.  Of course, when you go 9-3 with a 2.24 ERA you can pretty much do anything on the mound.  Seaver won the first of his Cy Young Awards based upon his 25-7 record with a 2.21 ERA.  He struck out over 200 while maintaining a WHIP of just over 1.000.  

However, before you assume the team was all pitching remember how others forced their way into the lineup.  Ron Swoboda may never have turned into the magnitude of slugger they'd hoped he'd become, but in 1969 he was on a pace with sufficient at-bats would have had him over 90 RBIs for the year.  The other big contributor was 27 year old former Cincinnati Red Art Shamsky who hit .300 with good power and run production.

However, it was mid-season acquisition Donn Clendenon who was the primary chip that paid huge dividends.  They gave up a backup infielder named Kevin Collins and four minor leaguers to get the former Pirates slugger from the Expos.  The only player of the five sent north who did anything was pitcher Steve Renko, but Clendenon was the early version of Yoenis Cespedes for the club giving them the long ball threat they so badly needed.  He clubbed 16 HRs and 51 RBIs in little more than a half-season's worth of ABs between his time in Montreal and his time in New York.  (In 1970 he was even better, hitting .288 with 22 HRs and 97 RBIs.  Those were numbers the Mets had never before seen in their history.)

Of course, the .500 playing club was catching people's fancy long before they made their surge.  At one point an 11 game winning streak propelled them upward rather quickly and by year's end their hot play coincided with a historic collapse by the Chicago Cubs leading to the first ever NL-East divisional title.  

The playoffs that year were against the Atlanta Braves and the Mets showed no mercy, winning three straight to take the National League pennant and propel themselves into their first-ever World Series.  

Going into that historic October was thrilling but also pretty scary considering that the Orioles roster included guys like Boog Powell, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Mark Belanger, Don Buford, Paul Blair and some second baseman name Davey Johnson.  In their starting rotation they featured Jim Palmer, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar.  They were not going to be easy pickings.

Of course, when Tom Seaver started Game One and lost 4-1 while the Mets only eked out 6 hits against Cuellar, it seemed as if the dream of being the best of the best belonged to Baltimore.  However, as we all know the team steamrolled over the Orioles winning the next four straight leading to the Mets World Championship and a ticker tape parade downtown.  

Google the articles, look at the Youtube videos and read the many tomes penned about the 1969 Mets.  It was a ride like the club had never even anticipated and it wasn't until 1986 that they came close to the same level of success and bravado.   

Mike's Mets - Living in the Land of Plenty

By Mike Steffanos

Being a Mets fan no longer means sadly watching the fans of other teams get nice stuff that you can't have.

I was browsing through some of my early posts when I revived this blog in March 2020. I came across this post, written at a time when Steve Cohen had apparently backed off from buying the Mets. It was disappointing — not because I was convinced back then that Steve Cohen would be an ideal owner, but rather it meant that Fred and Jeff Wilpon would linger on the scene for a while longer. As I noted in that post, the Wilpons were "like guests that you were never all that excited about in the first place who have seriously outlived their welcome."

I envisioned a reality show based on ABC's long-running The Bachelor, where I would be allowed to bestow the ultimate rose of Mets ownership to the rich person who checked all of the boxes for me. A little arrogant? Sure, but it was my damn fantasy. I had fun writing the piece.

Although it was written with tongue firmly in cheek, I was pretty honest in laying out what kind of owner I was hoping for. Looking back on what I wrote, it's funny how well Steve Cohen ticked all of the boxes:

He/she needs to be rich. Really rich. Hate to be mercenary, but if you want my damn rose, I don't want to spend the next 10 years worrying about your finances. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. F*** off.

He/she needs to be able to hire good people and then let them do their jobs. Sure, any owner will have a say in any significant money expenditure, but my Big Bucks Dreamboat doesn't have any illusions that he can make day-to-day baseball decisions because he placed third in his fantasy baseball league 7 years ago. Remember, while George Steinbrenner brought the Yankees back to winning in the 70s, he almost buried them in the 80s.

He/she can make a plan and stick with it. I get a freaking headache when the franchise seems to retool and change direction every 5 years or so. Make it a priority to hire good people from top to bottom and build a real organization that can find talent, sign it, grow it and roll it out on a big league field. Splashy free agent signings are cool, but winning is sustained by doing the little things right.

He/she respects the past of this franchise. If you own a team, you shouldn't have to be guilted into honoring those who have shone for your team in the past. Retire a couple of numbers. Celebrate past championships. And for God's sake, I don't want to hear about feuds between you and former players.

Finally, no Drama King/Queens need apply. We've had more than enough of that with our exes. Let's just make it about baseball this time around.

Obviously, Steve Cohen is rich enough that I don't spend any time worrying that his finances could adversely affect how the franchise operates. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact. Fred Wilpon never had a Luxury Tax level named after him.

To finish reading this article on Mike's Mets, please click here.

The Mack Report - Tuesday, June 7th

 

I wrote earlier this week that there is going to be quite the mess at third base for the Mets starting next season. Guillorme, Baty, Vientos, and Mauricio all vying for one starting slot.

That being said, I must not forget the current starter Escobar. Not only is he a ++ fielder at the hot corner, but his bat has come alive as of late.

Last night, he produced the hitter's dream. He hit for the cycle.

If I was Steve Cohen, I would send the word out there that we would be interested in hearing some solutions for cleaning up this situation for us. 

We seem to be able to easily lose, at least, one of these guys in return for a quality player at another position.

Today’s featured minor leaguer is one of the top in our system. Normally, I shy away from these guys because you already tons about them. 

Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos… what more can I say here? 

There’s one though that may need to know more about. Someone I rank on my top Mets prospect list as #1: 

OF Alex Ramirez 

Ramirez is a 19-year old 2019 top IDFA, out of the Dominican Republic. His massive $2.05mil signing bonus was the 3^rd highest in franchise history, behind Francisco Alvarez and Ronny Mauricio. 

Last year, for St. Lucie, he posted most numbers: 302-AB, .258/.326/.384/.710, 5-HR, but those numbers have clicked up this season to: 189-AB, .307/.345/..466/.810. 

His projected power is beginning to develop this year in Florida. Hopefully, the weather down there will allow him the steadily improve in that area. 

He is an above average runner in center and on the basepaths. There’s also a strong arm here and he has no errors this season. 

I have Alex easily ending the season in Brooklyn, where he will probably start the 2023 season. Conservatively, that puts his Flushing ETA at 2026.

  

The next featured possibility for one of the Mets draft picks in the first round is someone we never had a chance to get when the prep/HS/college seasons started. He was easily ranked the top pitcher in the draft and was projected to be long gone when our picks came around. 

Then, an injury and the emergence of Kumar Rocker has changed the entire dynamic of the first round. 

Dylan Lesko is the top prep pitcher in America, out of Buford High School, in Buford, Georgia (some had him the best since Josh Beckett). 

The 6-3/170 RHP Lesko throws a killer changeup (KIley McDaniel said it was the best change he has ever seen), that is set up by a mid-90s, T-97 fastball. His curve spins at 2900-rpm. 

His arm soreness started on April 11^th, resulting in TJS the first week in May. He was lost for the remaining of this year year as well as will be the entire season in 2013. 

TJS is not the kiss of death anymore and the loss of a season is not as critical as an aging college junior. 

In my book, he would instantly become the top pitching prospect in the chain. 

 

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN said that “Right now, I think, that Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is the best prospect currently in the minor leagues.” 

  

The top two players on the opening day DSL-1 lineup were: 

1. CF Simon Juan $1.9mil bonus

2. SS Dangelo Sarmiento $ 700K bonus 

 

Lastly, Tom Brennan will not participate in this report going forward. Too much work and not enough time. 

He will; however, continue to post his Tuesday and Thursday articles at 7am. 

And hopefully, he can chime in here via comments.

Tom Brennan - The Four Season Segments of Francisco Alvarez

Ed Delaney pic of Francisco the Great

The Mets # 1 uber-prospect (pictured above) has had 4 season segments so far.

Francisco Alvarez started out in AA in his first 3 games as if he was intent on being called up by the Mets within the first week.  He went 7 for 13 (.538), with 3 HRs and 7 RBIs.  That was segment 1, a short segment.

The second segment spanned 10 games in which he went just 7 for 34 with 1 HR.  Presumably the league had adjusted tohim.  The average dropped from .538 to a still solid .294. What would follow next?

The third segment was a no-doubt painful 3 for 35 stretch of games.  Five walks, just 10 strikeouts, but his average dipped to .205, a long way from .538.

The fourth stage, through his game-winning sac fly on Saturday, has been the "stabilize and thrive" segment, in which he has gone 30 for 88 (.340), with 6 doubles, 5 HRs, 7 walks and 25 Ks.  He has as a result jumped 70 points from .205 to .275.

One could argue that the 4th segment really should be split in two as, over his last 10 games, all 5 of those HRs occurred as he has gone 15 for 37.

I think the recent segment, to me, is significant.  It means he is clearly much closer to the big leagues.    I was happy to see that on his game-winning sac fly Saturday, he maturely did not try to do too much with it and hit it to right center.  That got positively reinforced when he got mobbed in the infield and the Gatorade treatment.

(Of course, he also hit his 10th on Sunday....BOOM!)

To get to the big leagues, which I think could happen by September, to me he has to:

1) continue to dominate AA pitchers, as he has done recently. In warm weather, I am expecting the recent hot streak to continue.

2) conquer AAA pitching (Pete Alonso struggled for a few weeks upon his arrival in AAA in2018 before torturing AAA pitchers the rest of the way.  Just do the same.)

3) Keep the Ks down.  Do what Pete does - since you have close to the same raw brute strength as Pete, just drive the ball and the HRs will come.

Defensively, 3 errors in 31 games, just 2 passed balls and 10 for 43 in caught stealing.  Not bad, and the likely time he will remain in the minors in 2022 ought to let him be fully MLB-competent behind the plate.

If McCann returns and is productive, and Nido keeps hitting .247, that could delay FA until 2023 - but Nido has a -0.3 WAR and has gunned down just 1 for 13 this year, so one never knows.

I am looking forward to the next segment of Alvarez - the one that transforms him into an MLB player sooner rather than later.

P.S. 

Taking a respite from doing the Daily Recaps for the foreseeable future.  Not enough spare time to do it right, so if you can't do it right....  

If you wish to pick up the gantlet on this, reach out to Mack to discuss.  Thanks. 

P.P.S....DSL

16 year old bonus baby Simon Juan played in his first DSL game and went 1 for 5. 

And 17 year old Mets SS Jesus Baez debuted in the DSL with TWO HRs and a single in 4 at bats and 5 RBIs! What will he do for an encore?

P.P.P.S.

Crackling Carlos Carrasco awesome again (7-1); Mets with 16 hits, including a cycle and 6 ribbies by Eduardo Escobar; Snell needed 95 pitches to struggle through 4 innings against the Mets' machine. 11-5 win.  I can remember so many Mets teams that would go MONTHS without a double digit scoring game.  This team feels like that should happen at least once a week.  LGM, people.

Tom Brennan and Mack Ade - Mets Recap

Lindor is one of several key offensive pieces in 2022.

The Mets beat up on Ferris Beuhler on Saturday, and he now needs a Day Off. The Mets needed a win on Sunday to split this 4 game Dodgers series.

Down quickly 2-0 this afternoon, as Trevor Williams got taken deep by Trea Turner in the first.  The Mets loaded the bases in the second but Nimmo lined to center to end the inning.

Marte homered off Urias to cut the lead in half. Then, the Mets scratched out 3 runs, only to be caught bottom 9 with two runs. 4-4, and this championship bout is going to the 15th round. JD Davis doubled in the go-ahead run, then the Mets turned to ADONIS MEDINA to save the game. And despite a catcher’s interference call, Medina was excellent and the Mets won and split the four games. John Wayne told me the Mets displayed TRUE GRIT, and Wayne was always a straight shooter.

When does a split of a series feel like a win? When you face both jet lag and injuries and go into the tiger's den, lose the first two, and still manage a split.

Me? I’m proud of them Mets boys.

Considering the Braves are hot and Philly just swept a 4 gamer, including scoring 7 in the last 2 innings yesterday in a huge comeback win, it was tremendous that the Mets won those last two.  Spool can unravel quickly.

MINORS:

SYRACUSE:

Connor Grey day - he gave up 2 early runs but was great the next 3 and fanned 6.  Travis Blankenhorn hit his 5th to close it to 2-1.  He later added his 6th. Khalil Lee hit a 2-run shot, and he has gone from glacial to not icy, but still fanned 4 times.  Newcomer Daniel Johnson hit a 2-run job as well.

Trey Cobb gave up a HR in his short stint. But…see below.

Dom Smith fanned twice, and ended with a double in 5 ABs.

Strikeout machine Eric Orze allowed an opening 9th inning HR to Jeter Downs, but closed out a 6-4 win, fanning the last 2 in the process. 

Cobb goes to 2-0, Orze gets his first AAA save.

BINGHAMTON:

Rehabbing Tylor Megill fanned 5 in 3.2 innings, allowing a solo HR to Josh Breaux and another run.  He was pulled after 53 pitches to keep him under his targeted 55 pitches. Alvarez crushed a two run shot in the 3rd inning, his 10th.  

Rumbling Ronny Mauricio hit TWO HRs in the first 3 innings, his 8th and 9th.  The opposing pitcher, Sean Boyle, has an ERA above 7, so it is not like those 3 HRs were off Ferris Beuhler or anything.  But good for our young prospect sluggers taking advantage.  4-2 Bingos after 4.  

Then the relievers - Edwards and Kisena - gave up 3 runs on two HRs in the next two innings,and Kisena pitched 3 more scoreless after that in a 5-4 loss.

Quinn Brodey added an 0 for 4 Sombrero. In 2021and 2022, in 359 at bats, he has hit .170 with a .240 OBP. Not good.

BROOKLYN:

Lefty 17th rounder Nick Zwack came out firing. He left with 4 scoreless innings. 

It was 0-0 going into the 5th, then leadoff singles by Joe Suozzi and Jaylen Palmer were followed by a Fig Newton strikeout and a pop out by Branden Fryman.  Then, things got Rowdey...Rowdey Jordan doubled in 2 runs (lead off dude now has 20 RBIs).  Matt O'Neill fanned for the 3rd time to end the top of the 5th. He added a 4th later, as the Cyclones lost, 3-2.

Oscar Rojas took over for Zwack to start the 5th.  Not good. 1.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 walks, 3 runs. 2-0 became 2-3. And it ended up In a 3-2 Cyclone loss.

ST LUCIE: 

Two games, to make up one of the rainouts that drenched Florida on Friday and Saturday.  Beautiful weather to play two.  

Great pitching in 2-0 game one one-hitter win.  The brilliant 2nd rounder 

Calvin Ziegler went two hitless innings (not sure why just 2) and fanned 3, Dedniel Nunez continued his excellent rehab assignment by throwing a perfect inning...AND 5th rounder in 2021 Christian Scott allowed one hit over 4 and fanned SEVEN.  Now has fanned 22 in 13.2 innings and picks up his first pro win.

Javier Atencio in game 2 allowed an unearned run in the first. But he was brilliant through 5. Just 2 hits, one walk, 5 Ks. 

Bottom 1, the opposing pitcher was wild.  Omar de los Santos was HBP, but then a rare failed steal attempt, followed by 3 straight walks. Stanley Consuegra singled in a run, then after a strikeout, Junior Tillen walked in a second run. Unlikely to walk was the following guy, with 7 walks in 200 pro plate appearances...Jack-Thomas Wold (2021 12th rounder) singled in 2 more.  4-1 after 1. Tillen later walked again and doubled. Seems that 3 HR game was no fluke.

Final score 5-1, Atencio wins, and St Lucie pitchers held Daytona Beach to 3 total hits in the two 7 inning games. 

St Lucie? 34-16.

DSL….RECAPS will be on a sporadic basis in these daily updates.

Mack’s Thoughts 

Monday, May 6^th 

Today’s featured Mets minor leaguer is Sammy Tavarez 

Tavarez is a 6-6/190 23-year old RHRP out of the Dominican Republic, who originally signed with the Yankees. He never pitched an inning for them for two years, his contract was deemed void, and he signed with the Mets in July 2020. 

We all know what happened on 2020. 

He was touted a prospect from day one, but wildness preventing him in 2021 from excelling. In 31-IP, he had 34-BB, giving him a whopping 9.9 BB/9% (5.81/8.08) 

This season, in Brooklyn, there is quite the improvement: 

10-games, 13.2-IP, 21-K, 2-ER, 1.32/0.95, 5.9-BB/9 

Fastball - Upper 90s. T101

Sinker - low-mid 90s

Slider - low-mid 80s

Curve - hi-70s

Change - hi-80s 

Tavarez has both the talent and velocity to become a top reliever in this game. What he needs to concentrate on is pounding the zone. 

I see him easily ending the season in Binghamton. 

 

Today’s featured draft eligible player is Orchard Lake HS (Mich) (2022: 37-0), 6-4, 200 pound senior, Brock Porter. 

Porter throws a 96-97 fastball that touches 100 and hits 2500 rpm spin rate. He has two curves, but his best pitch might be the best curve in the class. It’s in the upper 70s and that’s a difference of speed between it and the heater of around 25 mph. 

Porter is committed to Clemson and I walked away from my interview with him believing their would be a good chance for him to play three years for my daughter’s old school; however, with the firing of the Tigers old term coach, Monte Lee, who recruited him, all bets are off now.

 

The return of SP Kumar Rocker on Saturday may change the entire dynamics of the first round picking this year. 

On Saturday, he basically threw one bad pitch that resulted in a 2-run homer. His fastball hit 99 and any signs of his weak arm issue last year has either healed or vanished. One evaluator yesterday said that his slider was “70 grade”. 

If he keeps this up, watch for him to re-enter the first round next month, as high as a top 15 pick.

The higher the better for me. Make him a top 10 pick and the Mets can feast on the best of the rest. 

 

MLB Pipeline has added Mets OF Alex Ramirez to their top 100 prospect list. 

They now have: #7 - Alvarez, #23 - Baty, #71 - Mauricio, and #100 - Ramirez. 

https://www.mlb.com/prospects  

 

I see nothing but blue skies ahead for Mets infielder Luis Guillorme. I truly believe we are witnessing what we saw when people like Jake deGrom and Jeff McNeil blossomed… the making of a star. 

Sometimes it just takes longer than other players. Usually, when it comes to late Mets bloomers, it happens after the team trades them. 

In my opinion, Guillorme should be our starting third baseman regardless of who else is on the team or what you are paying them.

Reese Kaplan -- The Old Bullpen Cart Wouldn't Resemble a Junker

The New York Mets have had many more ups than downs during this 2022 season, but it seems on a day-to-day basis that different positives are contributing to the overall winning record.  

One day it's a bevy of hard hit balls by the playing regulars.  Another day it's a little-used backup tooting his horn with heroics.  Occasionally it's a paint-the-corners effort by a starting pitcher that leaves the opponents flailing away without making solid contact.  Other times it's the much maligned bullpen that is responsible for preserving the game as it progresses towards its end in the 9th or in extra innings. 

Much copy has been written (more con than pro) about closer Edwin Diaz and his ability to make batters look positively silly.  His strikeout ratio is off the charts and his ability to throw gas past sluggers and slap hitters alike has resulted in some awesome results.  For this season he's thus far got a 2-1 record with 11 saves and a commendable deGrom-like 2.49 ERA.  

He has pitched in 22 games and in those 21.2 IP he's notched 40 strikeouts.  That is not a misprint.  Perhaps finally people who trashed the trade will finally get off his back.  The rookies sent to Seattle are doing nothing.  The veteran salary relief spelled the end of other careers.  The PED abusing Robinson Cano was just kicked out of his second clubhouse in less than 2 weeks yet Diaz is having an All Star worthy season.  

Adam Ottavino was not on the top of anyone's list as a valuable asset for the club when he was signed.  Yes, he's had some good years in the past but he's also had some unspectacular ones as well.  Thus far the Mets got the average Ottavino who for 2022 is also sporting a 2-1 record but with a somewhat high 3.86 ERA.  In his 18.2 IP he's notched 27 Ks which helped the damage on the bad days not be as lethal as it could have been.

Earlier this season I profiled Drew Smith as a pitcher in need of recognition.  At the time he was sporting a perfect 0.00 ERA which has since risen all the way up to a still very impressive 2.38.  His 0-1 record is deceptive as he has also struck out way better than one per inning and sports a WHIP of just 1.059.  Yes, there's room for at least one Smith to remain on the major league roster.

Now the rest of the bullpen has had its good and bad moments, but more often than not they have helped in the middle innings.  Seth Lugo is also 0-1 like Smith but sports a very impressive WHIP to accompany his strikeout per inning pitched metric.  He tends to get rocked in one game which offsets the brilliance in the others.  Overall his 3.38 ERA is pretty good.

Lefty Joely Rodriguez has been more good than bad but he's not part of the elite corps.  With a 4.24 ERA he's holding his own but not at a stellar level.  He has struck out more than one per inning pitched but needs to work hard on bad control as he has allowed 5.8 walks per 9 IP.  

Most of the others have not had enough innings to draw conclusions for sure, but overall the pen has been better than most anticipated (even withstanding the loss of Trevor May).  Most Mets fans do not instantly reach for grain alcohol nor medication when relievers come into the game.  The success they have shown is both a pleasant surprise and a major component of why the team keeps on winning.  

Mike's Mets - Still Work to Be Done with the Mets

 

By Mike Steffanos

While much has been accomplished this season to improve the Mets' roster, there still remains work to do.

Over their first 52 games, the New York Mets gave us many reasons to believe that they've come a long way towards the goal of being a legitimate contender. Then they traveled west to Los Angeles. While apparently dealing with the pervasive smell of "rat urine" in the visitor facilities, they've also spent a couple of games learning that they still have some distance to go if they hope to compete with the best teams this fall.

I'm not going to allow myself a colossal overreaction to a couple of bad games out west. The Mets went into this series with Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tylor Megill all on the shelf. Assuming all three are healthy when the playoffs roll around, the Mets will be in much better shape to take on the Dodgers. Certainly, they can at least hope for better starting pitching than they received these last two days, although it's hard to fault Taijuan Walker's effort in the series opener. But the Mets have faced some elite pitching over the last couple of days — the sort of elite pitching that the Mets will see plenty of in the playoffs — and the lineup has struggled mightily.

While the Mets are unlikely to see a better pitching staff than LA's in the playoffs, they certainly will see plenty of elite pitchers on teams like San Diego, San Francisco, Milwaukee, and the Braves in their own division. They're not always going to be able to string a bunch of hits together to score some runs against elite pitching. In their first two games against the Dodgers, the Mets totaled only 8 hits combined. The only run they've scored was on a Pete Alonso home run. Meanwhile, LA has scored 8 runs over the two games and had 3 home runs in Friday night's contest.

The Mets worked hard to build a deeper lineup this season, and that hard work has paid off for the most part. What's clear, however, is their lineup isn't as deep as the All-Star team Los Angeles sends out day after day. Work remains to be done if the Mets hope to be more competitive in the postseason.

This isn't some sort of doomsday rant on my part. Even if the Mets get beat up in these next couple of games, I don't foresee a repeat of last year's implosion. They have a much better team, and Buck Showalter is a much better manager. Tylor Megill is set to make a minor league rehab start on Sunday. He'll provide a huge boost if he can return at anything close to his early-season effectiveness. There are still questions about the Mets' bullpen, but picking up a reliever or two is always doable at the trade deadline. I personally doubt very much that the Mets will swing a big deal for a starting pitcher, but I honestly don't think they need one.

To finish reading this article on Mike's Mets, please click here.

Tom Brennan and Mack Ade - Met Recap

 

6/4/22

Tom Brennan and Mack Ade - Mets Recap

Big Night for Joltin' Joe Suozzi

Updates!  We got updates! 

METS: An early 6-4 lead, with homers from Lindor (I guess "the Fingor" is OK) and from Alonso, and Escobar, too - Ferris Buehler should have taken the day off.  Earliest the dominant Beuhler has ever been knocked out of a game.

Nice quote: “Pete’s a strong man,” Buck Showalter said. “He collides with the ball, and it goes places you can’t defend it.”

David Peterson threw 90 pitches through 3 2/3 and was yanked, having surrendered 4 runs in the 2nd.  Had 4 walks and 6 Ks. In comes Colin Holderman to face Mookie Betts.  What a meteoric rise for Holderman, to be entrusted to come into such an important game at a key moment.  Naturally, he punches Betts out.  Amazing.  ERA 0.82 after that K.  

Mazeika has slipped to .167 early on in this game.  Six for 36. Just 4 of his 36 outs by K.  (Then added a hit late in game). Might Francisco be ready?  He's hot.  

Another 3 runs in the 7th, including another Pete shot (53 RBIs in 55 games) and it was 9-4 in the 7th. And a 9-4 victory, with the Mets using 7 pitchers in all - it was effusive, but effective. The 6 relievers tossed 5.1 innings of shutout ball.

Mookie Betts and Jeff McNeil both sit at .311, with Jeff uncharacteristically fanning 3 times.  Hit machine Luis Guillorme sits at .351 after his nightly hit.  It's a good thing, too, because if he was hitting under .350, I might demand we sign free agent Robinson Cano.  After all, how long can he hit just .149?  

Or, perhaps in a pinch, call up Wyatt Young...more on Wyatt below.

 

MINORS: 

2 late wins and a late loss.

SYRACUSE: Khalil Lee is proving that a demotion can do wonders.  He spent several games in Low A, then got sent back to Syracuse.  He went 0 for 4 in the first game back, and 15 for 38 from the next game to his 2 for 3 start to yesterday's game to climg rapidly from .141 to .222. 

Other Syracuse guys who were sub-Mendoza a few weeks ago are now all in the low .200s. In today's game, an early 6-1 deficit transformed into a 6-6 tie, but Montes de Oca gave up a single run in the 8th and 9th despite recording all three out on Ks. Thus an 8-7 loss.  

Dom Smith had an infield single and walk. Then added a game-tying HR in the 9th to temporarily tie the game up.  My gut feeling is if Nick Plummer stops hitting like a beast, and Dom starts hitting like one, they may trade places.  Or the Mets, they made trade Dom.   

I saw where Miguel Andujar, in a somewhat similar situation to Smith, threw a fit about the Yankees wanting to send him down again.  I don't blame him - there are some clubs he could start for right now, like Oakland (.210) or Detroit (.218). And Andujar must see highly paid Javier Baez hitting .190 in 163 at bats and just 13 ribbies, and thinking, "I can do a whole lot better than that."  Mets smartly didn't sign Baez.

BINGHAMTON: Josh Hejka threw 2 more scoreless (.3-0, 0.42), helping his team head into bottom 9 tied at 2. No winning rally in the 9th, so Yeizo Campos fanned the side in the 10th (nice), and bottom 10, man on 2nd, Wyatt Young laid down a bunt base hit, making it 1st and 3rd, none out. Baty fanned for the 3rd time (52 in 38 games - draw your own conclusions), to bring up Francisco. He connected on a game-winning sac fly.  A 3-2 win.

I wrote much early on about 2B Wyatt Young. After his remarkable early season start in AAA, he went hitless in 5 straight AA games recently, but since then, has stabilized with a 5 game hit streak and sits at .290 in AA and AAA this season. And .315 career in just 70 career games, most of them in AA and AAA.

Amazing for a guy who only played in the Florida Complex League in 2021. That .285 average is, BTW, higher than Baty, Alvarez, Mauricio, and Cortes. 12 Bingo Ks tonight, and that ranked foursome was just 1 for 16 (an Alvarez double) with 7 Ks, while the unranked Wyatt fanned not once. We should all be so Young.

I wonder if Lindor had been hurt worse, if they might have tried Young to back up Guillorme at SS.  You don't want to mess with Mauricio (.247) right now, nor .250 Baty.  They are on a slow grind upwards.  Recent MLB failure Jarred Kelenic is hitting .310 in AAA, far better than Baty and Mauricio, but has fanned about once every 3 ABs down there.  Absent the Power of Pete, hitters need the Discipline of Contact. 

BROOKLYN: Mike Vasil pitching for the Cyclones. Rough first inning…4 runs allowed. Then he locked in for 4 more innings of the superb kind. Fanned 7, and that followed by 3 hitless innings in the 6th through 8th from Nate Lavender and Grant Hartwig.

A whacky 9th followed. Down 4-2 entering the 9th, they rallied on a ground out RBI and then an error to tie it at 4. Then another error, then catcher’s interference, and then Joe Suozzi triples in 3 runs!  3 hits and a walk for Suozzi tonight, who has hit very well after his 3 for 30 season start, and prbably hits better than Javy Baez and Robby Cano right now. 

Then a passed ball and Suozzi scores and it’s 8-4! So, Hartwig comes back out for a second inning in the 9th. He fanned 3 straight, but the game is not over as one got on base on a strike 3 wild pitch;he maintained composure and nailed down the win with a groundout. 

8-4 Brooklyn win.  Lots more runs of late for the Cyclones.

Hartwig and Lavender are a combined 8-1, with 65 Ks in 42 IP. VERY IMPRESSIVE. Even the impressive Josh Hejka would have to agree.

ST. LUCIE: a deluge is hitting Florida, resulting in an obvious rainout. Cyclones of the rain variety cause consecutive cancellations.

 

                                            Mack's Thoughts

Sunday, May 5^th 

Today’s featured Mets minor league player is someone we could see real soon in Queens. 

Jose Butto is a 6.1/200 RHP that was an IDFA in 2016, out of Venezuela. 

His Mets career was sort of meh, even though he has one of the best change-ups in the chain (low 80s, great tunnel, depth, and movement). 

The problem was his 90-92 fastball didn’t have enough velo and had no movement. Batters could wait on it and hit it all around the park… which they did. 

But. 

He comes to camp this year throwing in the 95-96 range. 

Big difference. 

In 2022, he has produced 58 strikeouts in 42-IP.

Combined 2-year Bing stat line: 

18-ST,  3.50  1.16 11.8 K/9 2.8 BB/9 

                17.0% SwStr rate 30.6% CSW 

He may be promoted to Syracuse even before you read this. 

 

Today’s featured 2021 draft eligible prospect is Oregon State LHP, Cooper Hjerpe. 

Hjerpe (guess what his nickname is?) is a consistent top 20 pick who, when “on”, is simply almost impossible to hit. First, he has a very deceiving delivery that seems to start from behind his back. His 60 grade fastball sits 96-97, releases around four feet off the ground, and has a 14 inch lift. And that’s not even his best pitch. 

The creme is the 60+ grade breaker that has a 40 inch drop. 

Go from a 14” lift in the high 90s to a 40” drop on the low to mid 70’s and you understand why, in one game this year, he struck out 17 batters in eight innings. 

Seasonal stats so far: 15-starts, 10-2, 89-IP, 140-K, 2.33 

 

Since I have been gone: 

            The Mets sent catcher Hayden Senger from AA-Binghamton to AAA- Syracuse. 

The 6-1/200 RHH 25/yrs. old Senger came to the Mets in 2019 as the 24^th round pick from The University of Miami (OH). 

MLB.com currently lists him as the Mets 20^th prospect was drafted for his defensive prowess behind the plate. 

Hit: 40  Run: 30  Field: 55  Power: 40  Arm: 55  Overall: 40 

Some on this site consider Senger a prospect. Mack don’t. 

 

Baseball America updated their top 100 prospect list and there are three Mets on that list: 

#11 - C Francisco Alvarez

#40 - 3B Brett Baty  

#86 - SS Ronny Mauricio 

For those of you that think there should be more Mets on this list, remember that Jeff McNeil NEVER made their top 100 lists. 

 

Prospect Journal came out with a mock draft on Friday. 

Their Mets picks in the first round were: 

1.11 RHP Brock Porter

1.14 OF Chase DeLauter 

I would be dancing in the in the streets with these two. 

 

Baseball America updated their mock draft: 

1.11 OF Gavin Cross

1.14 RHP Brock Porter 

Seems everyone is falling in love with Porter with one of these picks. 

#AllOutClemson. 

 

As of end of game Friday, Syracuse CF Jake Magnum is hitting .366 in nine games. He seems to be reaching his potential at the right level and has worked himself into the minds of the Mets executives that plan the future of this team. 

Remember… blazing speed here, cannon arm, and the best defensive centerfield in the chain. Add that to a .300+ batting average and you have to consider giving this guy a shot in 2023.

 

IF Luke Ritter was transferred from AA-Bing to AAA-Syracuse

 

3B Mark Vientos was placed on the 7-day IL, retroactive to June 3^rd.

 

The DSL leagues started their season yesterday.