Standings, 2015

[TransMonk]

Yeah, I really dig this team's starting pitching, but regardless of what the standings say, this team is not a sustainable division leader as it is constructed today.

They can't hit, they can't run, they can't play defense, they're often injured and, and outside of the closer position, the bullpen has been up and down. That's just not a recipe for a playoff ball club no matter how great the starters are.

[Centerfield]

Ceetar wrote: they lost 2 of their better hitters. That's why they're not hitting.

This is not true. I grant you that they lost 2 of their better hitters, but teams lose players to injury all the time. You hope that the rest of the lineup can cover. This lineup does not.

The biggest problems are the corner outfielders. They make $25 million between the two of them and their production has been awful. We already talked about how Granderson sucks. Cuddyer is even worse. Whether or not d'Arnaud and Wright are in the lineup, these two have no excuse.

Lagares, Flores, Plawecki and Herrera have potential, but haven't realized it yet. And Murphy waffles between suck (this year) and kinda sorta ok (other years).

This lineup needs help, even when Wright and d'Arnaud return.

[Ceetar]

I'd be surprising if Cuddyer and Murphy don't pick it up, track record and all.

Granderson, as reported by stats in that thread, is fine.

Lagares is middling, but that's fine with his defense.

Plawecki and Herrera/Campbell are the guys that have gotten the most AB due to the injuries to two good players, and they haven't carried the weight. If they did, it'd make it easier to wait on Murphy and Cuddyer contributing and easier to carry Flores for a weekly XBH or two or Tejada for the OBP.

But that's how you get 7-10. Someone will run off a hot streak that shows up their potential, or Cuddyer or Murphy or both will get back to what a whole ton of AB suggests they will, and they'll score some more runs.

It's a delicate balance between trying to figure out what is going to fix itself during a downturn and what needs to be truly addressed.

[Edgy MD]

Centerfield wrote: Ceetar wrote: they lost 2 of their better hitters. That's why they're not hitting. This is not true. I grant you that they lost 2 of their better hitters, but teams lose players to injury all the time.

Most of those teams are badly damaged if it's two of their top hitters.

I don't know what the answer is. But (1) there are worse things than weathering an injury trend in May while in first place, and (2) I'm starting to feel that while Murphy may well recover, he doesn't really fit on this team offensively or defensively.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

There are indeed worse things than weathering injuries while in first place during May. But aren't we aiming for better?

Murphy, at absolute best, is a pretty good-- not GREAT, mind you, but pretty good-- offensive player for the position he plays. He's been nowhere near his absolute best for the better part of two months now. I'm not saying you trade him now; at his current, likely trade value, that would probably be ludicrous. But, yeah, he'd be movable for upgrades elsewhere were he being his best self; I sure as hell don't want him in the starting lineup over the more promising bat/stronger glove in Herrera.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: There are indeed worse things than weathering injuries while in first place during May. But aren't we aiming for better? Murphy, at absolute best, is a pretty good-- not GREAT, mind you, but pretty good-- offensive player for the position he plays. He's been nowhere near his absolute best for the better part of two months now. I'm not saying you trade him now; at his current, likely trade value, that would probably be ludicrous. But, yeah, he'd be movable for upgrades elsewhere were he being his best self; I sure as hell don't want him in the starting lineup over the more promising bat/stronger glove in Herrera.

It's been closer to 1 month than 2.

What if him in the lineup over the 'promising bat/stronger glove' Herrera costs the Mets 2 wins over the course of the season while Herrera is discovering that promise?

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: There are indeed worse things than weathering injuries while in first place during May. But aren't we aiming for better?

Sure, but we're attempting to avoid worse. It's a delicate balance. You don't want to move too soon and confuse action with successful problem-solving.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Ceetar wrote: But I'll take alternated 14-3 and 7-10 streaks. Hell, I'd probably take alternated 11-6 and 7-10 streaks.

Those streaks likely won't alternate, though. 7-10 or maybe 10-7 is probably where the Mets'll live most of the time. Those 14-3 runs based on 11 in a row are rare for even the really good teams.

[ashie62]

The Brewers come to town this weekend. That has to help.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wonder if Murphy is having trouble with the idea that it's his walk year. (Just a wild guess.) I know he's never been the most heads-up player, but he seems worse in that aspect than he has in the past. Not to mention his .230 batting average.

Or maybe he's still spooked from having seen a gay man in a baseball uniform during spring training.

Either way, he has to play better or play less. Maybe David Wright's return will force something to happen, but that's not looking particularly imminent right now.

[TransMonk]

I'd guess Murph probably thinks (knows?) that his days with the Mets are coming to an end one way or another. Either he'll be traded or he'll sign somewhere else in the winter. I haven't seen any sign that he'll be asked back in 2016...especially now that Herrera is getting a bulk of work at 2B. That has to effect his mentality even if it's only subconsciously.

[Frayed Knot]

The most likely explanation for Murph is the ST he missed while being injured
APRIL: .198/.258/.346
MAY: .308/.325/.333

Yeah, May is still a small sample size (40 PA) but if anything stands out for him in his career it's consistency marked by Good BA [.291 - .286 - .289 over the last three seasons],
low walks [.332 - .319 - .332 OBA], gap power [40 - 38 - 37 2Bs]. Based on all that, I'd tend to label April as the outlier.

[ashie62]

I look at Kirk and wonder why he didn't pursue pro football after Univ Colorado.

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: I look at Kirk and wonder why he didn't pursue pro football after Univ Colorado.

Well, to start with because he never played football at Univ Colorado.

[ashie62]

You are correct. Could swear I heard the booth talking about him and college football. Oh well.

[Edgy MD]

He was recruited by Colorado. But he ended up playing baseball for Azusa Pacific U.

[Frayed Knot]

The story that's been told is that he was recruited by several colleges out of HS but that, during a trip, he met a player and was impressed by how big he was. When told that that was the team's punter he decided he was going to be a baseball player.

[ashie62]

I screwed up. Recruited by Colorado. Full background in this article.

[/http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2012/04/mets_kirk_nieuwenhuis_too_smal.htmlurl]

[Lefty Specialist]

Is it too late for Kirk to give football another try?

[MFS62]

Who did he think he was, John Stearns?

Later

[Centerfield]

The Mets are still in first place, but for me this series is the point where I give up any delusions of a dominant team. I hope they will stick around and I think they can compete for a wild card if everything breaks right, but they are no where near the level of the elite teams in baseball.

[batmagadanleadoff]

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[Edgy MD]

The Cubs booth described a player as uptight a few days ago and made an Archie Bell and the Drells reference. Either it's a common reference among ballplayers of a certain vintage, or Keith is more influential than I previously thought.

[MFS62]

I'm getting the same feeling as the person who realizes that the engines have flamed out on his jet plane.
Yes, he's still in the air, but he's anxiously looking around for a parachute.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I know that feeling! I was there with Brian Williams when he got shot down!

[Centerfield]

We regret to inform you that Benjamin Grimm has been suspended for 6 months without pay.

[batmagadanleadoff]

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[batmagadanleadoff]

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[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I know that feeling! I was there with Brian Williams when he got shot down!

Bad ass!

I think we need Wright and Travis to return. It's been an exciting run already, more than we could have expected. I think the booth said the Mets have 13 players on the DL, more than any other team. It's tough to keep firing on all cylinders with that.

Plus, Kirk and Mayberry don't seem to be helping much.

[Ceetar]

As nice as was to build the big lead, and as much as it sucked to let it get away, this is likely going to be decided head to head, and the Mets don't play the Nats until after the ASG. So, keep pace and what not.