IGT 06/04 - Mets at Diamondbacks

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Arizona
When: 9:40 PM ET, Thursday, June 4, 2015
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
SportsDirect Inc.

Matt Harvey attempts to halt a five-start winless stretch when the New York Mets open a four-game series Thursday against the host Arizona Diamondbacks. Harvey won his first five starts of the season before entering the winless span that has seen him go 0-3 since last winning May 1.

Harvey allowed 11 runs in 12 innings while losing his last two starts as his ERA soared from 1.98 to 3.11. He made his major-league debut against Arizona on July 26, 2012, and struck out 11 and allowed three hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the victory. The Diamondbacks have won four of their last six games and traded outfielder Mark Trumbo and left-hander Vidal Nuno to Seattle after Wednesday's victory over Atlanta for catcher Welington Castillo, right-handed reliever Dominic Leone and two minor-leaguers. The Mets are 8-17 on the road and dropped two of three at San Diego to open a seven-game road excursion.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (5-3, 3.11 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Jeremy Hellickson (3-3, 5.08)

Harvey didn't allow a run in four of his first eight starts before the recent struggles. He struck out a season-best 11 while losing to Miami in his last turn when he gave up four runs and six hits in eight innings. Harvey is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in two career starts against Arizona.

Hellickson has won consecutive starts and pitched well in three straight outings. He has allowed seven runs and 13 hits over 18 2/3 innings during the stretch and defeated Milwaukee on Saturday when he gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. Hellickson was torched for eight runs and nine in 3 2/3 innings while losing to the Mets on June 14, 2012, when he was a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Mets RF Curtis Granderson is 2-for-15 with six strikeouts against Hellickson.
2. Arizona 3B/OF Yasmany Tomas is 5-for-10 with two RBIs over the past two games and CF A.J. Pollock has homered in two straight contests.
3. New York LF Michael Cuddyer (neck) sat out Wednesday and hopes to return for the series opener.

[Frayed Knot]

Let's just make this easier for future use:

1. Mets RF Curtis Granderson is 2-for-15 with six strikeouts against [insert that night's starting pitcher]

[Edgy MD]

Frequently has the desert provided cures for Metly offensive malaise.

I'm still coming out strong for dropping Grandy to fifth and putting TeHOT and Murphy at the top of the lineup. Grandy's deep counting and modest table setting isn't leading to many runzz.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Inciarte RF
Pollock CF
Goldschmidt 1B
Tom�s 3B
Peralta LF
Owings 2B
Salta'ia C
Ahmed SS
Ray P

[Frayed Knot]

Kwickie KTE:

Yesterday's trade of OF Mark Trumbo for various minor leaguers represents an increase in playing time for the other 3 OFs who had been swapping around for the first two months of the season

Inciarte RF -- Likely to get the majority of the RF time with Trumbo gone, but has been playing most everyday up until now anyway (200+ ABs) just never in the same spot
Pollock CF -- Getting on base at a good clip (.370 OBP) and, IIRC, is a pretty go-get-em CF too
Goldschmidt 1B -- Really. Fucking. Good. .349/.470/.667
Tom�s 3B -- 24 y/o (or say he claims) Cuban was brought up in mid-April after an extended stay in ST [.331/.364/.414 w/1 HR in 133 ABs]
Peralta LF -- Been sharing time with Inciarte so will probably see his time increased now w/o Trumbo
Owings 2B -- One of those many rumored NYM middle infield targets over the winter. Just 23 and already in his 3rd season, has been stunningly mediocre.
Salta'ia C -- Just picked up after being dumped by Miami earlier. Starting catcher Tuffy Gosewisch (no really, that's his name) is injured.
Ahmed SS -- So this is the guy Chris Owings got bumped over to 2B for? [.221/.288/.329 w/3 HRs in 140 ABs]
Ray P -- 23 y/o LHP is up from the minors to make his 2nd ML start of the year. The nine he made in the minors weren't much to write home about.

[G-Fafif]

New infield alignment.

Ruben Tejada � 2B
Daniel Murphy � 3B
Michael Cuddyer � LF
Lucas Duda � 1B
Wilmer Flores � SS
John Mayberry Jr. � RF
Juan Lagares � CF
Kevin Plawecki � C
Matt Harvey - RHP

Curtis Granderson, who I understand sucks, getting the night off, but will be back to leading off when he plays (and sucks) again.

[G-Fafif]

Terry wants reliable defense but fears a firestorm.

Daniel Murphy and Ruben Tejada flip positions for Thursday night's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Murphy back to handling third base and Tejada at second base. Collins resisted a more radical shuffling by leaving Wilmer Flores at shortstop, even though Tejada at that position represents an even stronger defensive alignment. The manager did not rule out moving Flores to another infield position down the road. However, Collins said he did not want to create a frenzy in the media by making Flores part of the current realignment. Collins added that Tejada's two-error game at third base on Wednesday in San Diego was not a factor in making the switch now. "I'm going to stay away from the shortstop position right now because it's a firestorm," Collins said about Flores' role. "But I know Ruben Tejada should play in the middle of the infield. "And Dan Murphy has proven he can play second base. But I also believe Dan Murphy is as good a third baseman as there is in this league. I've seen it in living color. I've seen this guy's reactions. He's got a strong arm. He's got good hands. He's got good reactions. So I feel very, very comfortable with him at third base. And I think we're better off there. "This was not just something because of what happened yesterday with Ruben. This is something we've been talking about doing for a week. Dan Murphy is one of the best players in baseball. He's a stinkin' All-Star. You just don't take All-Stars and switch their positions for one or two days. With the conversation we had with David the last couple of days, I said, 'This is something that's going to be a little while. So it's time to consider moving Dan back over there to where I think we'll be better and put the other kid back in the middle of the field where he belongs.' "So we'll have this alignment. And I'm not saying it won't switch in the middle. But, right now, this is what we're going to go with."

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Cripes. It's free-jazz freakouts like this that have me looking longingly at whoever's coming next in that dugout.

-- Right.

Collins added that Tejada's two-error game at third base on Wednesday in San Diego was not a factor in making the switch now.

"We've been discussing a move on Thursday, regardless of how he's doing there. The in-game stuff doesn't really have an impact on my decision making. Honestly, I don't even watch the late games. They're just so late, y'know?"

-- You measure/time your comments about a move because you're worried about a "firestorm"... you sure as hell DON'T avoid a move or make a move because of said hypothetical firestorm.

-- Um...

Dan Murphy is one of the best players in baseball. He's a stinkin' All-Star. You just don't take All-Stars and switch their positions for one or two days.

... Who the hell says? On all of that, really. Well, except for the stinkin' All-Star part, with which I half-agree.)

There's more bones I could pick. But, just... yeesh.

[ashie62]

Is the booth just stating the obvious by saying "David Wright will be out for the longer term?.

[ashie62]

Cadaver strands two RISP.

[ashie62]

Duda fails also.

[ashie62]

2nd and 3rd, no outs and we get zip. That's hard to do.

[Frayed Knot]

Why do you suppose the D'Backs are having a Tony LaRussa bobblehead give-away? (acc to the sign behind home plate).

[Frayed Knot]

Mayberry doubles on the first pitch of the 2nd inning so we've got the leadoff guy in scoring position with no outs ... which means this inning's doomed.

Now it's 1st & 3rd ... this is getting worse by the minute!!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

5 hits-- 2 XBH-- in 3 innings. 0 runs.

[batmagadanleadoff]

If it's Phoenix, we could use some Mike Jacobs.

[Fman99]

We need that Cuban guy who was good and threw that shutout and then fell off of the Earth.

Nice of Harv to get out of that jam with the K's.

[Zvon]

I'm still stuck on Harvey's pop bunt. It's not quite at the point where it's funny.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

1-2-3 in the fourth. Hey, at least they didn't waste any baserunners in that one.

[Zvon]

Harvey looks like he might be settling down after looking very pedestrian early on. Not that it matters if we can't get a body across the plate. That's one thing Grandy did do 28 times this season, if anybody's counting.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Good news: 5 Ks in a row for MattMan.
Bad news: 68 pitches through 4.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

ConSARNit. Inciarte.

[Zvon]

Ugh. Who's that little gnat in RF 4 the Dbacks?

[Zvon]

Oy. Wasn't 100% here earlier. Didn't know Muffy came out with a tight quad. Sheeeeit.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

We've marooned a Gilligan Island's worth of runners through 5.

[Zvon]

We strand two more in the 5th. Might be getting into their pen next frame.

[Zvon]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: We've marooned a Gilligan Island's worth of runners through 5.

Ginger or Maryann?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Either would be an offensive improvement, honestly.

And speaking of offensive... new pitcher (and new Diamondback) Leone's supposed to be filthy. Ridiculous minor-league strikeout numbers, and more than a K-per-inning out of the pen last year for Seattle.

[Zvon]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Either would be an offensive improvement, honestly. And speaking of offensive... new pitcher (and new Diamondback) Leone's supposed to be filthy. Ridiculous minor-league strikeout numbers, and more than a K-per-inning out of the pen last year for Seattle.

Great.

Flatfeets, lead off single!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

2 on, nobody out.

So... lineout double play forthcoming?