2022 Mets thread

[SWC75]

Last I knew, they were leading the league in on base percentage. That might be the biggest strength of this team.

And they are, unbelieveably, tied for 3rd in the league in stolen bases. We have had a very slow team for a long time. Over the winter, this issue was addressed.

Megill continues to impress. They showed film of him on the broadcast today from last year and this year, pointing out how much better his mechanics are this season. His fastball has gone from around 94 mph to around 97. And his control has also improved. It appears Hefner is doing a good job with the pitchers so far.

They said today that the Mets also lead the majors with 33 two-out runs.

 

[sutomcat]

They said today that the Mets also lead the majors with 33 two-out runs.

Is very noticeable. Last year, we were probably the worst clutch hitting team in baseball. Now we are now the best?

Crazy.

I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Is very noticeable. Last year, we were probably the worst clutch hitting team in baseball. Now we are now the best?

Crazy.

I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Yeah, unfortunately, that tends to be a random phenomenon rather than an actual skill.

 

[Orangezoo]

Is very noticeable. Last year, we were probably the worst clutch hitting team in baseball. Now we are now the best?

Crazy.

I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

If we are in the same spot playing just as well by say second week of June, I'll start to get excited. At least playing better fundamental baseball with a manager that doesn't make you scratch your head nearly every game.

 

[sutomcat]

If we are in the same spot playing just as well by say second week of June, I'll start to get excited. At least playing better fundamental baseball with a manager that doesn't make you scratch your head nearly every game.

I hear you. We got to early August last year, I think, before the inevitable happened, we collapsed and Atlanta passed us.

Though we all knew it was over last season once Jacob got hurt.

Nice doing all this without him. He has a big exam today. If all looks good, he gets the green light to start ramping up and if somehow he is able to pitch say the last half of the season, wow, that would be something.

 

[Orangezoo]

I hear you. We got to early August last year, I think, before the inevitable happened, we collapsed and Atlanta passed us.

Though we all knew it was over last season once Jacob got hurt.

Nice doing all this without him. He has a big exam today. If all looks good, he gets the green light to start pitching and somehow he is able to pitch say the last half of the season, wow, that would be something.

Yep. We have been snakebit it seems constantly and maybe for once we get a break.

 

[sutomcat]

Article speculating on what might happen on May 1st, when the active roster size drops from 28 to 26.

Mets Monday Morning GM: Would they actually demote Dominic Smith or J.D. Davis?

Playing time for Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis this year has been minimal. Smith is getting a few starts at first base and at the DH role while Davis seems to be

risingapple.com

Seems pretty much a given that Reid-Foley will be one of the guys. He was hurt pitching yesterday and that gives the Mets an option to put him on the DL. Thinking that is likely going to happen.

The other cut is going to be painful. I like the Cano option.

Will management have the stones to cut a guy owned what, close to $50 million?

 

[Orangezoo]

Wow. What a rally here in the 9th. Especially vs a Cards team we are 7-14 against since 2018. Hope we can close it out.

When Cards went up 2-0 felt like every other game vs StL of late. Seem to always have our number.

Of course needed a little luck but still. Get an opening and run through it.

 

[Briancuse]

Wow. What a rally here in the 9th. Especially vs a Cards team we are 7-14 against since 2018. Hope we can close it out.

When Cards went up 2-0 felt like every other game vs StL of late. Seem to always have our number.

Of course needed a little luck but still. Get an opening and run through it.

Its the buck showalter effect. This team believes they will win.

 

[SWC75]

It starts with 'modern baseball" - pull your 3-time Cy Young award winner who has shut out the other team for 7 innings because, well, you wouldn't want to leave him in one inning too long. Then the guy you bring in to pitch the 8th inning gives up three hits, a walk and two earned runs.

We get down to our last strike in the ninth. Canha works an 0-2 count to 3-2, then hits what should have bene a game-ending grounder to the greatest fielding third basemen of our time who can't get the ball out of his glove in time and airmails the throw to first, allowing Escobar to score from second. McNeill doubles, putting runners on second and third. Then Dom Smith, who's been on the interstate, hits a line drive down the right field line that Goldschmidt makes what should have been a game-ending play on. But the pitcher gets there late and Dom dives for the plate, (which works for once). The pitcher then makes goof #2, not seeing until it was too late that McNeill was sliding across home plate with the go-ahead run. They bring in another guy whose first pitch winds up in the right field stands, courtesy of Brandon Nimmo. Suddenly the Mets have a 5-2 lead. In the 9th, Diaz continues to look like the guy we traded for four years ago and shuts the Cardinals down.

Another game of the sort we used to lose that we are winning this year. It's fine to have sayings like "It ain't over under it's over" and "You gotta believe". But when you have a comeback like this, you actually do believe. This team will expect to win every game this season. Sometimes they'll be wrong, but they will continue to expect it anyway. That's half the battle.

13-5, baby!

(Note: the '86 Mets were 13-3 after April and had 20 wins when they got their 5th loss. the 1988 Mets were 15-6 after April and had 11 wins when they had 5 losses. Those are the gold standards for Mets starts.)

 

[SWC75]

Its the buck showalter effect. This team believes they will win.

And they are aggressive. They leave the loafing and mistakes to the other team.

 

[OttoMets]

It starts with 'modern baseball" - pull your 3-time Cy Young award winner who has shut out the other team for 7 innings because, well, you wouldn't want to leave him in one inning too long. Then the guy you bring in to pitch the 8th inning gives up three hits, a walk and two earned runs.

...

It really makes the game worse from a fan's perspective. And in terms of the pursuit of excellence on the field, as well.

Imagine this kind of move in other sports. "Well, there were four minutes left, we're playing well and nursing a lead, but Rakeem Christmas has played most of the game and we don't want him to hurt his elbow so we decided to sit him and bring in Matt Lyde-Cajuste and cross our fingers that we could hold the lead."

 

[sutomcat]

It starts with 'modern baseball" - pull your 3-time Cy Young award winner who has shut out the other team for 7 innings because, well, you wouldn't want to leave him in one inning too long. Then the guy you bring in to pitch the 8th inning gives up three hits, a walk and two earned runs.

We get down to our last strike in the ninth. Canha works an 0-2 count to 3-2, then hits what should have bene a game-ending grounder to the greatest fielding third basemen of our time who can't get the ball out of his glove in time and airmails the throw to first, allowing Escobar to score from second. McNeill doubles, putting runners on second and third. Then Dom Smith, who's been on the interstate, hits a line drive down the right field line that Goldschmidt makes what should have been a game-ending play on. But the pitcher gets there late and Dom dives for the plate, (which works for once). The pitcher then makes goof #2, not seeing until it was too late that McNeill was sliding across home plate with the go-ahead run. They bring in another guy whose first pitch winds up in the right field stands, courtesy of Brandon Nimmo. Suddenly the Mets have a 5-2 lead. In the 9th, Diaz continues to look like the guy we traded for four years ago and shuts the Cardinals down.

Another game of the sort we used to lose that we are winning this year. It's fine to have sayings like "It ain't over under it's over" and "You gotta believe". But when you have a comeback like this, you actually do believe. This team will expect to win every game this season. Sometimes they'll be wrong, but they will continue to expect it anyway. That's half the battle.

13-5, baby!

(Note: the '86 Mets were 13-3 after April and had 20 wins when they got their 5th loss. the 1988 Mets were 15-6 after April and had 11 wins when they had 5 losses. Those are the gold standards for Mets starts.)

In defense of Buck's move to pull Max after 7 innings...

Max is 37. He pitched a lot of pitches late last season (the Dodgers over used him) and he hit the wall.

Even though he is going to the Hall of Fame someday, he has limitations.
He had thrown 101 pitches.

If the Mets are going to make the playoffs, they need him to stay healthy all season.

I would be fine with limiting his pitch count to 100 for any start, and for giving him an extra day of rest when possible.

He was pitching with an extra day of rest and it appeared this really helped him. Buck is planning to do it again with his next start.

I think it is pretty clear the biggest weakness of this team is the bullpen.

I hope Lugo, May, Ottovino, Rodriquez, Shreve, Reid-Foley, Williams and Diaz can do the job.

Peterson or Megill might end up playing a major role in the bullpen fairly soon. That might be our best bet short term.

Around mid season, some teams will start to dump high priced relievers. That might be a good time to address this if it is still an issue.

 

[Orangezoo]

In defense of Buck's move to pull Max after 7 innings...

Max is 37. He pitched a lot of pitches late last season (the Dodgers over used him) and he hit the wall.

Even though he is going to the Hall of Fame someday, he has limitations.
He had thrown 101 pitches.

If the Mets are going to make the playoffs, they need him to stay healthy all season.

I would be fine with limiting his pitch count to 100 for any start, and for giving him an extra day of rest when possible.

He was pitching with an extra day of rest and it appeared this really helped him. Buck is planning to do it again with his next start.

I think it is pretty clear the biggest weakness of this team is the bullpen.

I hope Lugo, May, Ottovino, Rodriquez, Shreve, Reid-Foley, Williams and Diaz can do the job.

Peterson or Megill might end up playing a major role in the bullpen fairly soon. That might be our best bet short term.

Around mid season, some teams will start to dump high priced relievers. That might be a good time to address this if it is still an issue.

Good point. I am hoping we still have a good reason to chase a good RP or two by then... or even better our guys can cut it like you said.

 

[sutomcat]

Good point. I am hoping we still have a good reason to chase a good RP or two by then... or even better our guys can cut it like you said.

Getting a good relief pitcher will probably cost us Davis or Smith right now.
It will be interesting to see if Cano survives the roster reduction at the end of the month.

 

[Orangezoo]

Ok this crap is getting old with the head hunting. Kudos to Pete for not charging. Wow.

 

[SWC75]

Marte just became the 18th Mets HBP in 19 games - but it happened with the bases loaded, so the umps, who had warned both teams, too no action. I don't know that there's been any reason to hit any of the Mets with a pitch this season, but it's happened a lot. Could it be the banning of "spider tack"? Have the pitchers just lost the ability to control the ball?

 

[SWC75]

14-5. The Mets have opened the season winning six series in a row for the time ever.

Way too early department: The '98 Yankees set a major league record by winning 23 series in a row. That's what great teams do. It's not about winning streaks. It's about winning series.

 

[Lord Ashby]

You don't want to get hit. Tell your pitcher who had great control all night to not throw a 3-0 95mph fastball at Arando's ribs. Tell Pete to get a helmet that fits his big noggin.

 

[Orangezoo]

You don't want to get hit. Tell your pitcher who had great control all night to not throw a 3-0 fastball at 95mps Arando's ribs. Tell Pete to get a helmet that fit fits his big noggin.

Because that is the same as Pete getting one tossed at his head and thus somehow this is Pete and Bassits fault?

I would hardly have flinched if this hadn't been happening all season.

 

[ScrabbCuse]

14-5. The Mets have opened the season winning six series in a row for the time ever.

Way too early department: The '98 Yankees set a major league record by winning 23 series in a row. That's what great teams do. It's not about winning streaks. It's about winning series.

Exactly. Win the series against the teams you are supposed to beat and at least split with the above average/elite teams. I consider the Giants and Cardinals to be the latter. Incredibly happy with this start.

 

[Orangezoo]

Exactly. Win the series against the teams you are supposed to beat and at least split with the above average/elite teams. I consider the Giants and Cardinals to be the latter. Incredibly happy with this start.

5-1 vs likely playoff teams so far. Love that. Winning in StL is big too given that has treated us awful the last 5 yrs.

 

[ScrabbCuse]

5-1 vs likely playoff teams so far. Love that. Winning in StL is big too given that has treated us awful the last 5 yrs.

11 games against the Phillies and Braves after this. Both teams have had slow starts to the season. It will only be the first week of May, but the Mets can really give themselves a nice early season cushion over their division rivals.

 

[Orangezoo]

11 games against the Phillies and Braves after this. Both teams have had slow starts to the season. It will only be the first week of May, but the Mets can really give themselves a nice early season cushion over their division rivals.

Yep. Easy games to trip up on being rivals who also want a piece of us. Don't want the Braves to even get a sniff

 

[Lord Ashby]

Because that is the same as Pete getting one tossed at his head and thus somehow this is Pete and Bassits fault?

I would hardly have flinched if this hadn't been happening all season.

All season lol. It's only April. The Mets crowd the plate and leave more elbows hanging off the plate that I have ever seen. Your boy Buck is also know to chirp and go inside too.

Seriously, Pete needs to get a helmet that fits as that was inches away from being a temple shot. Out of all the organizations in baseball going back to LaRussa and even Whitey, the Cards always play an eye, even if someone does not lose an eye. No way Bassit goes there if he has to bat against the Cards in June.