TransMonk

What a cock-punch of a series. I hat baseball.

G-Fafif wrote: If Terry wants to curry favor with me (which he's never indicated is a priority), he'd start Ruben at third, Wilmer at short and then, after the first pitch -- once I can add Ruben to the all-time 3B list -- switch them. 'Cause yeah, Flores has played third and Tejada is the best SS he's got. Do they really think the portion of Flores's brain that retains whatever he's learned about short will explode if he's asked, for the good of the squad, to play somewhere else for a day? Or a week? Agreed. If the club needs to walk around on eggshells this much regarding Wilmer's ability to play SS, maybe he's not the best guy for the job long-term. I mean these guys are all professional men, right? If the Mets ever want to turn the corner from up-and-coming youngsters to tried and true contenders without adding any veteran sluggers, then the kid gloves need to come off eventually.

Ashie62 wrote: The only lumber around here is morning wood.

Edgy MD wrote: Turning point of the game. Well, that and not scoring with bases loaded and one out in the first. Maybe the first is too early for a turning point, but it was a major opportunity to score and change the complexion of the game with Harvey on the mound.

From the graphic on that site, it looks like ESE is blowing in from right.

So, after all of the praise Kevin Long was given for the team having a pretty good offensive spring and for our guys taking patient, sound situational at-bats during the 13-3 start, I have to give him shit for what the bats have been up to since them. I know the offensive talent on the team is not top-notch, but what's the plan, Kev? There's not one guy (outside of Duda...maybe) that I trust to come up big in a necessary spot at the plate and if this team gets down by more than a couple runs, my hope for winning all but disappears. Is there an answer to the offensive woes? Is the lack of talent too great to overcome? I know getting Wright, D'Arnaud and Laggy back should help, but is it enough? Wright isn't the player he once was and D'Arnaud has been up and down in his short career. Something's got to give because the past several games have been tough to watch. It's such a shame to watch great starting pitching performances go down the drain so often. Also, I know it is the smallest of sample sizes, but I have been hugely impressed with Addison Russell so far this season.

The Nats came back to win this afternoon thanks to a grand slam by Michael Taylor in the ninth. I hate to say the Mets need this one, but the Mets need this one.

I'm intrigued and probably would play. It doesn't look like they have worked out exactly how they want to do it, but I'm always looking for keeper leagues as opposed to completely re-drafting year to year.

I recall what Kong heard coming from Gary and Ron.

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.

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.

I didn't know this (sorry if it's been posted here before): MLB.com wrote: The Blue Jays actually selected both Syndergaard and Bryant in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, 17 rounds apart. Syndergaard signed and began developing in Toronto's system, before the Mets traded R.A. Dickey for him in a seven-player deal three winters ago. Bryant never signed with the Jays, instead going to college and becoming the second overall pick in the 2013 Draft.

Streaks of more than 3 days in first place: 2009 - 5/9 - 5/18 2010 - 4/27 - 5/1 2011 - None 2012 - 4/5 - 4/11 2013 - None 2014 - None

Bad news about David, but in response to your OP question, seeing a larger sample size from both Herrera and Murph in the coming weeks should help out with an answer about who survives once Wright comes back.

I got the Extra Innings package on DirecTV this season since I am out of market and wanted to watch my club play. In the past, I've gotten the internet MLB.TV package, but with a two year old and other pieces of life getting in the way, I thought it would be better to DVR the games and watch them after the little one and wife have gone to bed. Watching the games this way allows me to fast forward through the commercials. Additionally, the DirecTV remote has a button that will skip ahead 30 seconds, which I have found is nearly always the time it takes between a normal put-out and the first pitch of the next at-bat. So, I skip the walk up music and shots of batters adjusting their gloves before digging in. If one team or another is up by 5+ runs, I allow myself to fast forward through to action in places, but otherwise, I watch each at-bat and only skip portions (commercials and walk-ups) that I know are not going to effect the outcome of the game. Because I am not watching live (I call it "time traveling"), I have to be careful to stay away from the internet, texts, sports bars and other places that might ruin the game for me. But doing it this way allows me to usually get through a game in an hour and a half. I was in Mexico from April 10th through the 14th, but have gotten to watch every other Mets game this season and I'm loving it.

I think barring a couple months of losing, Terry will get the rest of 2015 as skipper. If he makes the playoffs, he'll be brought back in 2016. If the team misses the playoffs, Backman will be given the job. Most of these ML players have already played for Backman within the Mets system (often with a large amount of success). While I think management expects to compete this year and they feel like making the playoffs is a possibility, 2016-17 will be situations where playoff appearances will be expected for the team. Fair or not, I'm not sure the plan was ever to have Terry around for those situations.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Colon's the real pitching lover's pitcher on this staff. Agreed. I don't know that I've ever used this phrase about any player, but Bartolo Colon gives me wood.

Frayed Knot wrote: DFA involving Recker I'll go with this.

Onley had mentioned Segura to the Mets as a possible fit last week..but called it "speculation" on his part and said there were no rumors to support it. He got off to a slow start, but is starting to come around offensively in Milwaukee. His 2014 was nowhere near his All-Star 2013.

I need to see more from Herrera at the plate against ML pitching...but Murph could be an option as a lefty bench player. He could still start a couple times a week to spell Wright and Herrera. I hope Terry and Sandy are having these same conversations today.

Frayed Knot wrote: IOW, yeah he's been bad (in a limited sample) but it's not like there's a better option just sitting around back in the storage closet somewhere waiting to be dusted off. Agreed...but not having suitable replacement doesn't make him any less useless. The fact that the Mets can't send him down without exposure makes the situation even more aggravating as I think Kirk could benefit from a couple weeks of playing everyday to get his bat going. The lack of any lefty bench hitters is one (of a few) glaring weaknesses on this team.

Yeah, Kirk is pretty worthless to this ball club right now. The fact that he was sent up to hit for Tejada shows Ruben's value as well. Horrible way to end a series...especially before an off day. You're never as good as you look when you're winning or as bad as you look when you're losing...but the last ten games are very concerning to me.

Mayberry, RF Lagares, CF Duda, 1B Cuddyer, LF Murphy, 3B Herrera, 2B Tejada, SS Recker, C Niese, P

Edgy MD wrote: Another step in the right direction would be some intentionality about using Tejada at short � preferably on days when Niese is pitching and for late-inning defense. I can certainly get behind this.

I don't think they can survive this way...but I also think there is still a lot to play out over the next couple weeks and months. I don't know enough about Dilson or Reynolds defensively to know if they can contribute to the solution if/when they are inserted into the lineup.