Zack Wheeler looks completely different

[Centerfield]

I can’t believe he’s the same pitcher. His stuff looks better. His poise is better.

Is he finally healthy? Maybe he’s got the splitter working? This is not the same guy we’ve seen in the past.

[Guest d'Kong76]

They can't trade him unless they get bowled over.

[smg58]

I don't want to see him traded, either, certainly not for so-so prospects. But contending next year was going to be hard even before the Cespedes injury, so you have to listen to offers.

[batmagadanleadoff]

For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded.

[Guest 41Forever]

Mike Puma tweeting:

Mike Puma ‏ @NYPost_Mets Following Following @NYPost_Mets There has been a shift in the last few days, in which the Mets believe they are more likely to keep Wheeler than trade him, based on the unsatisfactory offers they are receiving. Maybe that changes in next 2 days.

[Guest cooby]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded.

Yep we’re hoping they gel

[Guest 41Forever]

cooby wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded. Yep we’re hoping they gel

I'm hoping they can just stay healthy! The started out strong before breaking down!

[HahnSolo]

Wheeler's been great. I still have no faith in his staying healthy for the long term, so I would definitely consider moving him If I could, because I think his value will never be higher.

[Ceetar]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded.

Turns out there's been a lot of bad luck this season.



Anyway, I'd keep Wheeler because he's a good pitcher that kept getting hurt during his "polishing" phase that maybe is finally reaching that potential thanks to being able to finally pitch regularly. But there's certainly an argument for trading him now or in the offseason at the peak of his value because it's certainly possible he'll never be this good again, or he'll get hurt because he's a pitcher. You're gonna have to pay to replace him though, but if you can swap him for assets that aren't as easy to buy..

[RealityChuck]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded.

Ah, yes. That's just what the GM of the Braves said in the winter of 1969, when the Mets refused to part with six players (IIRC, Seaver, Koosman, Jones, Harrelson, Grote, and Amos Otis) for Joe Torre. He made a snide remark that the Mets had a lot of untouchables for a ninth place team.

[seawolf17]

RealityChuck wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded. Ah, yes. That's just what the GM of the Braves said in the winter of 1969, when the Mets refused to part with six players (IIRC, Seaver, Koosman, Jones, Harrelson, Grote, and Amos Otis) for Joe Torre. He made a snide remark that the Mets had a lot of untouchables for a ninth place team.

Six players for Joe Torre?!??!!

[Lefty Specialist]

They only have one more year of control on Wheeler, so much as i like him, there may be no better time to trade him.

[Centerfield]

I guess it was inevitable that this thread would turn into a discussion about trading him. But I just wanted to point out how much better he's looked recently. And it's not just the results, but his poise, this pitch counts, everything. I think his slider seems to have a bit better bite. Maybe that's it?

Pitching is funny.

As for trading him, I think the decision to trade or not trade is dependent on their philosophy as a whole. As I mentioned in the other thread, if they really are all in on 2019, which means actually getting good players this offseason, then I guess you keep him. He's showing value, and it would be expensive to replace him.

On the other hand, if they are going to be the same old Wilpon Mets, then they should just unload him now while his value is high.

[Edgy MD]

He's throwing strikes consistently. There's something he's never seemingly done.

Remember when Mike Pelfrey had his shit together for half a season?

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: He's throwing strikes consistently. There's something he's never seemingly done. Remember when Mike Pelfrey had his shit together for half a season?

Pelfrey had a bit of an on-season/off-season thing going but it was mostly luck.


Wheeler's statcast data is missing so I can't even dig in the way I want.

[metirish]

Wheeler has looked great , like what we were all hoping for. I would like him to stay.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Six shutout innings. Three more innings from Zack like his last six and I'm all ready to anoint him the next Roy Lee Jackson.

[Edgy MD]

Roy Lee could hit a little, too.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: Roy Lee could hit a little, too.

Yes he could! In 1979, Roy was a hitting machine. Pitchers couldn't get him out. He was a feared hitter in Toronto, too.

[RealityChuck]

seawolf17 wrote: RealityChuck wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: For a team with just about the worst record in baseball, the Mets sure do have a helluva lotta untouchables and guys that no one wants to see get traded. Ah, yes. That's just what the GM of the Braves said in the winter of 1969, when the Mets refused to part with six players (IIRC, Seaver, Koosman, Jones, Harrelson, Grote, and Amos Otis) for Joe Torre. He made a snide remark that the Mets had a lot of untouchables for a ninth place team. Six players for Joe Torre?!??!!

Not all six. Any of the six.

In hindsight, Otis for Torre, with Torre moving to first, might have been a great move.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Six shutout innings. Three more innings from Zack like his last six and I'm all ready to anoint him the next Roy Lee Jackson.

I need to upgrade this post. Check out the stats. Zack might be the best pitcher in the league, post all star game. Better even than Jake and Max.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Six shutout innings. Three more innings from Zack like his last six and I'm all ready to anoint him the next Roy Lee Jackson. I need to upgrade this post. Check out the stats. Zack might be the best pitcher in the league, post all star game. Better even than Jake and Max.

ERA
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/split/182/league/nl/order/false/minip/60

WHIP
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/split/182/league/nl/sort/WHIP/order/false/minip/60

Edited September 13, 2018 by Guest

[Centerfield]

I'm thrilled about Zack. The only downside to this breakthrough is that he's kinda faced shitty competition.

Zack has made 10 starts since the All-Star Break. He's been terrific, only allowing 3 runs once, and that was due to the garbage time HR against his nemesis Bellinger.

But his opponents in those starts:

6 Starts against the Bottom 5 offenses in MLB: Miami (2x), San Francisco (2x), Baltimore, San Diego. His start in SF (7 IP, 1 ER) is his only loss.

2 Starts against Top 10 Offenses: Dodgers, Atlanta

1 Start against Washington who just missed the top ten (11th), and

1 Start against Pittsburgh (20th in runs scored)

So I guess maybe the jury is still out on him. But certainly, he's taken like 11 steps forward.

[Guest d'Kong76]

some dickhead wrote: The alphabet gods saved the two of hardest to expect with the V-W one-two punch. Wheeler will mostly be the odd man out in '18 and get spots starts and long reliefs? Traded in July.

Expecting Wheeler link

[seawolf17]

So we started the season 11-1, and in the two months after the all-star break, Wheeler and deGrom are the only pitchers in the NL with sub-2.00 ERAs. We must be leading the division by like 30 games.

[batmagadanleadoff]

WINS (fwiw)

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/split/182/league/nl/sort/wins/minip/60


QUALITY STARTS (QS)

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/split/182/league/nl/sort/qualityStarts/type/expanded/minip/60

OPPOSING BATTER OPS (OPS)
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/split/182/league/nl/sort/opponentOPS/type/opponent-batting/order/false/minip/60

[Centerfield]

seawolf17 wrote: So we started the season 11-1, and in the two months after the all-star break, Wheeler and deGrom are the only pitchers in the NL with sub-2.00 ERAs. We must be leading the division by like 30 games.

Don't forget Noah Syndergaard. He's 11-3 with a 3.44 ERA. We have a rookie phenom that no one ever heard of hitting .340 with a .891 OPS. Nimmo has an .890 OPS. Cabrera had a career high .817!

30 games? They must have crowned us champions already.

[Ceetar]

Wheeler's 5th in fWAR in the second half. He's cut out the walks by a ton, which is the big difference.

He's got a high strand rate though, 89%, and his K% is just shy of elite. He's been great and it's great, but he has been playing over his head a bit.

But hell, he's the guy you should extend. He's shown a lot but it's still a limited sample so it's not like he can point to years of dominance and demand 5/120 or something, but if you can get him to agree to like 3/$45? I mean, he's only going to make like $4 next year so you're basically paying him for say two elite years in 2020/2021 but getting the extra year to spread it out.

[smg58]

At this point I'm all for extending Wheeler. I'm not sure how his camp will play it. His agent could be telling him to pitch a full season like this before signing anything, and you couldn't really blame him. But I'd be talking to them regularly.

[seawolf17]

smg58 wrote: At this point I'm all for extending Wheeler. I'm not sure how his camp will play it. His agent could be telling him to pitch a full season like this before signing anything, and you couldn't really blame him. But I'd be talking to them regularly.

I think they need to get all three of the big guns extended STAT. Pay them what they're worth and plant some security in the rotation.