IGT #138 - Mets at Marlins - 9/1/14

[Gwreck]

[u:3bbza2jh]Marlins[/u:3bbza2jh]
Christian Yelich LF
Donovan Solano 2B
Giancarlo Stanton RF
Casey McGehee 3B
Garrett Jones 1B
Marcell Ozuna CF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Adeiny Hechavarria SS
Henderson Alvarez P

[u:3bbza2jh]Mets[/u:3bbza2jh]
Lagares CF
Granderson RF
Wright 3B
Duda 1B
d'Arnaud C
den Dekker LF
Herrera 2B
Flores SS
Wheeler P

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Miami
When: 1:10 PM ET, Monday, September 1, 2014
Where: Marlins Park, Miami, Florida
SportsDirect Inc.

Zack Wheeler is one of the young arms the New York Mets are counting on to fuel a turnaround next season and the 24-year-old has spent the past two months showing why he is considered one of the team�s top pitching prospects. Wheeler, who is 6-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his past 11 starts, takes the mound Monday as the Mets open a three-game set at the Miami Marlins. The Marlins have seen plenty of good pitching lately, losing six times on a nine-game road trip and scoring a total of five runs in their past four defeats.

Miami is 37-31 at home this season but is nine games under .500 on the road. With 14 of their final 27 games away from home, the Marlins need to play well in this week�s home games against the Mets and Atlanta to bolster their chances of finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2009. New York closer Jenrry Mejia recorded two saves against Philadelphia over the weekend and is 21-for-24 in save opportunities since moving to the bullpen in early May.

TV:
1:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets RH Zack Wheeler (9-9, 3.44 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Henderson Alvarez (10-6, 2.75)

Wheeler was 3-8 with a 4.45 ERA on June 26, but has allowed two earned runs or less 10 times in his past 11 outings. He won six decisions in a row before losing to Atlanta on Wednesday, allowing two earned runs (three total) with seven strikeouts in seven innings. Wheeler is 2-0 in four starts against the Marlins this season, giving up just two earned runs and striking out 31 in 27 2/3 innings.

Like Wheeler, Alvarez also had a winning streak end in his last outing, giving up five runs on eight hits Wednesday to fall to the Los Angeles Angels and end a four-start streak. He gave up just seven earned runs in 28 innings in his four previous starts. Alvarez makes his fifth start of 2014 against New York, going 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York rookie 2B Dilson Herrera drove in his first career run Sunday, one day after collecting his first major-league hit.
2. Miami 2B Donovan Solano is 9-for-23 in his past six games, raising his batting average from .231 to .249.
3. New York CF Juan Lagares has at least one hit in seven of his past nine contests.

[Frayed Knot]

New York CF Juan Lagares has at least one hit in seven of his past nine contests.

I'll take 'Totally Silly Stats' for $600, Alex

[Guest d'Kong76]

I guess this was too much to cut and past from
the media notes:

GOLDEN?GLOVE: Juan Lagares leads all major leaguers with a 3.6
defensive WAR this season...Lagares� range factor (putout and
assists/innings) is 2.93 which leads all NL?outfielders...Lagares has 30
defensive runs saved, second among all major leaguers to Atlanta�s
Jason Heyward, who has 34, despite playing 331 fewer innings...
Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) has been a stat researched over the
last 12 years and Lagares is the only player to record back-to-back
seasons of 30 or more defensive runs saved.

[batmagadanleadoff]

With no more games against the Phillies, the Mets can now resume their inevitable descent into last place. At least they'll get a higher draft pick (whatever that's worth) come next Summer.

[Frayed Knot]

Six teams have the day off today. Suxxx to be them -- or, more accurately, fans of them ... I'm sure the players don't mind.

[Frayed Knot]

Well this game certainly took a turn for the better rather quickly, in part due to some questionable Marlin throwing decisions.

[Edgy MD]

And due in further part to a Dildong!

[Zvon]

Herrera popped one, his first eveh. Nice shot too.

Any particular reason that Herrera isn't part of the shortstop discussion?

Mets up 4-2 in the 5th.

[Frayed Knot]

Zvon wrote: Any particular reason that Herrera isn't part of the shortstop discussion?

Generally SS is a position that young players, as they age and progress, move away from rather than towards, so if minor league coaches, scouts, managers thought he could play SS then he most likely would have played SS.
And yet he barely ever did, leading us to believe that there's something, probably the arm, that he's lacking.

[Edgy MD]

Herrera played 27 games at short for the minor league Mets this season, his first ever as a pro, so I imagine he's not only part of the discussion among the Mets braintrust, but they've forced him into the discussion. If their observations of the results were positive, I imagine he might elevate in the discussion, but that'll come when it comes. I would guess right now the team will try to avoid using him there for now, under the "We don't want to put too much on him" reasoning that tends to prevail in the Mets' dugout.

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Zvon wrote: Any particular reason that Herrera isn't part of the shortstop discussion? Generally SS is a position that young players, as they age and progress, move away from rather than towards, so if minor league coaches, scouts, managers thought he could play SS then he most likely would have played SS. And yet he barely ever did, leading us to believe that there's something, probably the arm, that he's lacking.

I'll have to see more but so far I've seen no problem with his arm. I wasn't even really thinking of him for short until I saw a few of his throws, both on DPs where he wasn't in the best throwing position. But yea, you would have to think he's lacking something.

Errors kill.
5-4 Fish

[Edgy MD]

Ozuna, you are so nailed. Get in the dugout and find your glove.

[Frayed Knot]

Zvon wrote: I'll have to see more but so far I've seen no problem with his arm. I wasn't even really thinking of him for short until I saw a few of his throws, both on DPs where he wasn't in the best throwing position. But yea, you would have to think he's lacking something.

HIs turns have been fine, but those are much shorter throws than the 'in the hole' ones that SSs have to make.

[Edgy MD]

He claims it was an accident of history that took him off short as a pro, that his first manager never looked at him over there.

But he was moved from third to second by the Bucs. That could indicate what they thought of his arm.

He's in the picture --- and indeed has to be in the same sense that Flores has to be, since the Mets have second and third occupied --- but it's as a dark horse at this point.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: Herrera played 27 games at short for the minor league Mets this season, his first ever as a pro, so I imagine he's not only part of the discussion among the Mets braintrust, but they've forced him into the discussion. If their observations of the results were positive, I imagine he might elevate in the discussion, but that'll come when it comes. I would guess right now the team will try to avoid using him there for now, under the "We don't want to put too much on him" reasoning that tends to prevail in the Mets' dugout.

Underlining my concern is that I want the Mets to keep Murphy, and if this kid is any good, better than Tejada at the plate, then maybe he can fit at short (if the Mets want to continue to take the discount route). Herrera looks like he has good hands and good form for an infielder. If he does have the arm he should get some MLB time there from here on out. I hope.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: He claims it was an accident of history that took him off short as a pro, that his first manager never looked at him over there. But he was moved from third to second by the Bucs. That could indicate what they thought of his arm. He's in the picture --- and indeed has to be in the same sense that Flores has to be, since the Mets have second and third occupied --- but it's as a dark horse at this point.

Very interesting.

I've decided that Flores has lazy feet. He's not lazy, just his feet are.

[Zvon]

Wow! Excellent. 2 RBI triple for Herrera! Mets take the lead back!
6-5

[Edgy MD]

Dilson making a bid to play somewhere today. Also making a bid for a cycle.

[Guest d'Kong76]

That was schweeet!

[Frayed Knot]

Hah, Dyson sucks (see what I did there?)

[Edgy MD]

Still trying to see what you did there.

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Hah, Dyson sucks (see what I did there?)

[Guest d'Kong76]

Vacuum brand

[Frayed Knot]

James Dyson is the inventor/executive of his eponymously-named vacuum cleaner company.


I never said it was a GOOD joke.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Herrera's Superman cape falls off (temporarily).

[Frayed Knot]

What's that candy commercial that asks: 'Not going anywhere for a while?' -- well that's what this game is like.

[Zvon]

Crap. I stepped off. Tied? Herrera muffed a bunt? Gah! I did see the DP to end the inning. That was nice.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I don't think I've ever seen a guy whiff and the director
goes to a camera like it was a shot to the outfield.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: I don't think I've ever seen a guy whiff and the director goes to a camera like it was a shot to the outfield.

Lol. Saw that. Wacky. Did Dave tip it? Cause I thought I heard wood and the camera work did fool me for an instant. And then the outfielder is just standing there pickin' his ass.