IGT 06/17: ATL@NYM, Gant@Harvey

[Edgy MD]

Traded for Uribe or Kelly (because one is never sure in these situations), 2011 21st-rounder John Gant has the extra incentive of pitching against the team that dealt him off. But he also has the demoralizing weight on his soul that comes with realizing you are a 2016 Brave. These two things have to balance themselves out. So tonight is about hoping the offensive resurgence holds and Matt Harvey stays on his game. The Braves are the Braves.



Gant has appeared in eight games since being called up, but this is only his second start, coming off a short outing against the Cubs last week. Let's make this one shorter.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think you mean "6/17" and "Harvey" not "6/16" and "Colon"

[Guest d'Kong76]

Atlanta at NY Mets
When: 7:10 PM ET, Friday, June 17, 2016
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

Curtis Granderson has been hitting at a favorable clip and the New York Mets have begun to follow suit. Granderson carries a seven-game hitting streak into Friday's opener of a three-game series versus the visiting Atlanta Braves, against whom the Mets have won five of the first six meetings between the National League East rivals this season.

The 35-year-old Granderson went deep in Thursday's 6-4 victory by the Mets, who erupted for 17 runs and 30 hits - including five homers - to take the final two contests of their three-game series with Pittsburgh. The offensive explosion has been a welcome sight for the Mets, who were limited to 22 runs in their previous nine contests. New York has outscored Atlanta by a 29-11 margin this season, with Asdrubal Cabrera leading the way by going 9-for-23 with two homers, four RBIs and as many runs scored in the six games. Freddie Freeman went 10-for-18 with three homers, six RBIs and as many run scored as Atlanta salvaged a split of its four-game series with Cincinnati.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH John Gant (0-1, 5.63 ERA) vs. Mets RH Matt Harvey (4-8, 4.66)

Gant will make his first start against the team that selected him in the 21st round of the 2011 draft. The 23-year-old received mixed reviews in his first outing of the season against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, allowing three runs and four hits - although the four walks he issued drove up his pitch count. Gant has struggled versus left-handed batters, who are 12-for-33 with five extra-base hits against him.

Harvey turned in his third consecutive strong outing on Friday but settled for a no-decision despite allowing one run and two hits in six innings at Milwaukee. The 27-year-old has permitted just two runs and eight hits in his last 20 frames while striking out 17, but he only has a 1-1 record to show for it. Harvey has split a pair of decisions versus Atlanta this season, allowing two runs in five innings of a 6-3 win on April 22 before taking the loss two weeks later after yielding three in 5 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York placed OF Juan Lagares on the disabled list with a left thumb injury just prior to Thursday's tilt.
2. The Braves turned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday and recalled RHP Tyrell Jenkins, who was the organization's Pitcher of the Year in 2015.
3. Mets 3B David Wright underwent neck surgery on Thursday to repair the herniated disk that has sidelined him since last month.

[Edgy MD]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think you mean "6/17" and "Harvey" not "6/16" and "Colon"

I totally didn't copy and paste yesterday's game to start this thread, and I totally didn't just edit this, so I don't know what you're talking about.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Smith LF
Inciarte CF
Freeman 1B
Markakis RF
Peterson 2B
d'Arnaud 3B
Pierzynski C
Aybar SS
Gant P

Granderson, RF
Cabrera, SS
Cespedes, CF
Walker, 2B
Conforto, LF
Johnson, 3B
Loney, 1B
Plawecki, C
Harvey, P

[Guest d'Kong76]

Anyone hear anything further about Wilmer?

[Edgy MD]

Looks like he's getting a couple of days off.

[Ceetar]

d'Kong76 wrote: Anyone hear anything further about Wilmer?

I heard he really likes deGrom's hair.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Just asking, some people are more tuned in than I am.
That's a little too tuned in, but whatever floats your kayak.

[Guest themetfairy]

Who doesn't like deGrom's hair? Even Thor concedes its superiority to his own.

[G-Fafif]

d'Kong76 wrote: Anyone hear anything further about Wilmer?

Wilmer available for pinch-hitting. Supposedly close to returning to the lineup.

[Ceetar]

Ceetar wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: Anyone hear anything further about Wilmer? I heard he really likes deGrom's hair.

https://vine.co/v/ilOW9FIr1HY

[Edgy MD]

Gant does that Seaver thing where he starts and stops and starts again sometimes with no runners on base.

[Edgy MD]

Thought Grandy would catch up to that.

[Edgy MD]

I didn't think Grandy was going to catch that.

I'm not sure why anybody would pitch to Freeman with a runner in scoring position, first base open, and two out.

[Edgy MD]

Harvey gets his third successful sacrifice of the season. I'd've guessed first in about two years.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Harvey gets his third successful sacrifice of the season. I'd've guessed first in about two years.

I would have guessed it was the first for the team in two years.

Meanwhile, Braves are 3 for 7 w/RiSP, Mets are 0 for 4

[Frayed Knot]

Nothing like a leadoff double followed by 15 straight batters making contact that acted as if hit by a wet rolled-up newspaper. Those ABs which result in shallow, lazy-ass fly-outs seem like progress.
Oh yeah, and there was a walk mixed in.

But at least all this isn't coming against some 21st round draft pick making his 2nd ML start or anything.

[Frayed Knot]

And yet another mighty 2-out/RiSP at bat that almost reached 2nd base on seven hops.

[ashie62]

This is unwatchable.

Later.

[Edgy MD]

A very watchable bases-loaded situation happening.

[Edgy MD]

This is the spot of the game, right here. If they counter with a lefty (Dario?!) against De Aza, I would switch to Wilmer.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Here we go

[Frayed Knot]

The walk was the best possible outcome I was expecting from Plawecki.

[Edgy MD]

Yup. Flores comes up against Exene.

[Frayed Knot]

That didn't take long.
Nor was it unexpected.

[Edgy MD]

That was kwick.

[Zvon]

Gant was pulled after 6 plus and the Mets are trying to get to the pen. Bases loaded, 2 outs. 7th.

4-1.

I saw the first with Grandy starting things off nice, again. Saw a bit later & I told my brothers that Freddy Freeman would get that run in from 2nd, and of course he gaps one. Other than that I...didn't miss much did I.

2 hits off Gant? Disgraceful. Any good catches?

Wilmer to PH. Ks on a pitch out of the zone. lil' bit high.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

shitfuck.

And BOO Mets. Leadoff walks, crappy plays, spit on their own rallies, skunked by their own reject

[Frayed Knot]

So this is the Braves who score EVERY SINGLE LEADOFF WALK they got tonight and cash in EVERY SINGLE RUNNER who reaches 2nd base.
What are the Mets percentages on those conditions this season, maybe 4 to 6%?