Frayed Knot

Yeah, I think it's more about not having another great (or even good) option at leadoff than anything else. Reyes, even with his recent "resurgence" (finally off the interstate!!) is still OBA'ing under .300 and at least Terry isn't just falling back on Jose's 'lead-off-ed-ness' as his sole criteria. Grandy is at .166/.231 (BA/OBA); Lagares = .220/.304 Would Walker at #1 and Conforto 3rd make a difference as opposed to the other way around? Prolly not. Chad Ochoseis wrote: I don't know what sabermetricians think of batting order (as far as I know, they don't know either) ... They're pretty much of the opinion that, as long as you don't do something really stupid, the specific order doesn't matter a whole lot.

(Also, what maniac designed that number font?) The guy who was charged with the task of imagining: 'If fireflies used numbers, what would those numbers look like?'

Might as well get all you can out of Granderson now seeing as how the days of him being a full-time player are numbered, quite possibly in the single digits.

Speaking of Las Vegas, from the 'Things I never knew 'til just now' category: the President of the PCL is Branch Rickey III

I'm not even sure if Harvey can be sent to the minors at this point. But even if they can they won't, nor should they. It would be one thing if Matz and Syndergaard were here, and if Gsellman and deGrom were pitching better, and if Lugo was capable of taking his slot for a couple of turns, and if Wheeler wasn't already on a pace to hit his innings limit in like early August ... but currently none of those things are the case and tonight was enough of a sign of progress (5 IP, 2 ER, 6K, 4 H) that you send him out there again in five days.

Matz: 5 runs on 5 hits in 4 innings vs Round Rock tonight; 2 walks, 4 Ks, and 2 HRs (both to the same guy - Cesar Puello!!) Sounds like he'll need at least one more tune-up.

Jeez Terry, Blevins can't face a RHB with a 6-run lead and 2-out in the 8th?

Yes on Tyler / Kirby And Ronnie is a little bit right about the Hawaiian alphabet. Their language was strictly oral until the mostly New England missionaries came visiting and decided that the natives would be better off having their lives run for them. Then, encouraged to develop a written language, native speakers were supervised into creating one from scratch and in doing so decided that 16 letters were all they needed to cover all the sounds in their speech.

Harvey's 'line' for the night doesn't read all that bad: 5 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits, 6 Ks, and really only one hard-hit out. The only problem of course was the walks (4) and the pitch count, essentially needing 6-1/2 innings worth of pitches just to get through five. He at least did get a bit better as things went on, especially once he decided that going 3-0 to the leadoff hitter in each of the first three innings! wasn't a good idea.

Frayed Knot wrote: I dunno, but three or four more runs here in the 1st and they just may 'Harvey-proof' the game. Or maybe not. It's the dreaded 'Give-Back' inning again. This entire staff can't seem to master the art of the shut-down frame.

I dunno, but three or four more runs here in the 1st and they just may 'Harvey-proof' the game.

I agree that Hansel shouldn't be thrown to the bottom of some well and forgotten about, but they had to do something because allowing him near the big boy mound just isn't an option at the moment. 12 ER allowed (plus 4 more inherited) on 10 hits including 4 HRs and 4 walks in his last 3 outings/2.2 innings* is just so stunningly bad that it can't be ignored. This from a guy who had allowed just 3 runs over previous 18 outings/19 innings - although he wasn't exactly stingy with the inherited runners then either even if that can often be chalked up to bad luck and/or SSS * Broken down, he faced 20 batters in those 3 outings, retiring just six (3 Ks, 1 GO, 1 PO, 1 FO). He got the other two outs for the 2.2 IP via caught stealings - both had to be challenged and reversed to get the call, one ended an inning or who knows where it could have ended. The other 14 hitters racked up 2 singles, 4 doubles, 4 HRs, plus 3 BBs and an IW. More extra base hits than outs = Not Good

Newsday's Dave Lennon is reporting that a single good outing from Matz may be enough to get him back in the big league rotation despite having only 3 innings under his belt since ST. I was figuring more on at least 2 AAA starts, but even that probably pushes his due date back to maybe the Pitt series at CitiField the first weekend in June. At this point anything would help.

Centerfield wrote: Tyler Pill. 3 game started, 19 innings pitched. 0.00 ERA!!! 2 games started, 10.2 innings pitched in AA. 0.00 ERA!! Time for a Pill update as the Mets are considering ... wait for it ... taking a Pill to replace Mayday Milone's next sked start (presumably Saturday). He's now allowed 10 ER over 46 IP at AAA Vegas, meaning that since that opening 3 game/19 inning start it's been 10 ER allowed in the last 27 IP He's actually allowed 19 runs overall in 56 AA & AAA innings this year but, stunningly, nearly half of them (9 of the 19) were unearned!! Still a nice 1.17 WHIP, especially nice for the PCL and Vegas, and a reasonable walk rate of 2.5/9, otherwise known as about 1/3 of what current NYM hurlers are putting up these days. The K-rate is super low for this era (0.5/IP) but, as demonstrated by our current mound mates, strikeouts don't always guarantee success.

Mini SDP KTE These guys are a lot like the Angels ... only worse. 16-30 and with an MLB worst run differential (-85) that suggests they shouldn’t even be that good. Their lineup is kind of like an Angels clone in that there's Wil Myers (OPS 862) plus a bunch of guys named Joe, or in this case, Yangervis. In short, they’ve got a bunch of decent power/low average guys in a park not built for power and the rest of the lineup is filled with FA waiver wire pickups and even includes three separate Rule 5 guys, two of which are 21 y/o and never played above A-Ball before. It might be why they’re only a hair ahead of the Giants for lowest RS/G (3.43) But to make up for it they’re also 14th in the league in RA/G (5.28) ahead of only the Mets C - Austin Hedges .215 BA, 8 HRs 1B - Myers 2B - Yangervis Solarte: .226, 3 HR SS - Erick Aybar: .211, 4 HR 3B - Ryan Schimpf: .165, 10 HR RF - Hunter Renfroe: .218, 8 HR CF - Manuel Margot: .264, 4 HR (although with the glove he’s a human highlight film waiting to happen) LF - ??? It had been the grounds of Stonybrook’s Travis Jankowski but he’s on the DL so they’re trying to replace his .160 bat with a host of guys unknown past their immediate families whose names are apparently Blash, Cordoba, Spangenberg, and Szczur, but I think several of those may have been made up by drunk data entry people at BB-Ref. Tuesday 7:10 — Jhoulys Chacin [10 starts, 3-5, 4.61, 1.25] vs Harvey You may remember Chacin from such movies as: 'HELP ME I'M ON THE ROCKIES' and 'THIS IS NOW MY FIFTH TEAM IN THE LAST FOUR SEASONS' Wednesday 7:10 — Jarred Cosart [3 starts, 0-1, 2.70, 1.50] vs Gsellman Cosart was drafted by the Phils but has since taken trips through Houston and Miami before landing in Sandy Eggo in 2016 He's started 6 times against the Mets over the years, including twice in 2016, and has put up decent stats [3.12 ERA, 1.10 WHIP] but never had a decision either way Thursday 7:10 — TBD vs deGrom This was to have been Jered Weaver’s turn (note that this team's staff has a Jered and a Jarred) but he’s now DL’d (I think he sprained his Jered - or maybe it was his Jarred)

Especially if you're in 4th grade.

Centerfield wrote: *78's hampered by injuries themselves, and missing players. Couple of broken wrists for the Cheetos in the week leading up to the game. Also, several Cheetos were spotted clubbing late Saturday night into the morning. Clearly the 78's organization does not have the proper protocols in place. Any truth to the rumors that several kids missed the game due to being tossed over the night before by Adriana Lima?

Well this project sure took a hit after Friday's progress.

Frayed Knot wrote: Early returns on Amed Rosario's debut in AAA: 11 for 26 although all are singles and with no walks, leading to the rather interesting slash line of .423/.423/.423 Also 2 SBs in 3 attempts and only 2 strikeouts Nothing like an off-day Monday for an Amed Rosario update. The extra base hits are starting to kick as now 20 of his 63 hits have gone for XB: 13 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR And given the singles-happy nature of the start he was off to (see above) that's really 20 XBH of his last 52 hits overall. Now slashing .360/.398/.537 Walks still a bit low though not absurdly so and are picking up. K's not too bad (26 in 191 PA), steals a decent 8 of 11. Could do without the nine errors but aren't too worried there.

That Terry has now managed more games than any other NYM skipper -- and almost certainly beat every 'Under' bet that was made -- got me thinking about when he was first hired. And when I thought of that it occurred to me that I have absolutely no recollection of what my thoughts were back when he was first hired. Fortunately, that's what we have the archives for. Final Four and Welcome Terry Collins Most of us were more against than for (Hale seemed to be the majority's Chip of choice) although most also admitted to be basing that on nothing other than gut feeling. Hale got the Diamondbacks job in 2015 and lasted there until 2016 Some interesting reading as always.

Yeah, lack of pop was always his problem. Had some decent OBPs in the two full seasons he played, but ultimately 12 HRs across 1,600+ ML ABs from a corner infielder without speed just isn't going to cut it. I'm sure it was one of those cases where the scouts told themselves that that one missing ingredient was going to start appearing as he aged, particularly considering his size (6' 1" - 195) and his genes (pops hit 240 in a much lower HR-era). But sometimes it just never does. It didn't with Alex Ochoa either. Maybe he was one of those guys who would have been better off going to college and seeing what kind of player he was against better competition, but of course that's hindsight and nobody seemed to be thinking that back when he was being tabbed as a Top-10 prospect in baseball three years running (2000-2002). I can't remember if that three-year gap he had was caused by injuries initially or whether he just took a break before deciding he wanted to try again.

Sean Burroughs ... Holy Shit!! Haven't heard or thought about that name in years. From son of ML'er, to Little League hero, to 1st Round (9th overall - 1998) draft pick, to top prospect at BA, to ... well, not much. Had his best season in 2004 (3.2 WAR) but then pretty much fell off the cliff after that, getting only about 150 ML ABs since the 2005 season. Looking him up now after seeing his name mentioned it turns out that, while he didn't play anywhere from 2008-2010, he's continued to play virtually uninterrupted since that three-year hiatus ended. Now 36 y/o and having last poked his head into the majors with a 17 AB stint with the 2012 Twins, he's played in affiliated minor leagues (though not since 2013), three different times in the Venezuelan Winter League, and in independent leagues every year for the last four. Gotta admire that kind of stick-to-it-ness. P.S. though I remember his dad Jeff (1974 AL MVP) from the Texas Rangers, he actually started with the Washington Senators and a quick check shows that maybe only Toby Harrah out-lasted him as the last active player to have worn a Washington baseball uni until the move of the Expos created the current brand.

Well, Hansel Robles seems to be officially broken. Not sure if anyone has the instruction manual to put him back together.

We're not dead yet! [fimg=400:1u0evhvx]http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/fuller/files/2015/03/im-not-dead-yet.jpeg[/fimg:1u0evhvx]

Neil Ramirez with the dreaded 'Infinite' ERA as a Met as all three 9th inning runs charged were to him while he recorded no outs. But if he ever does record an out that ERA is going to plummet.