Edgy MD

https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Frisingapple.com%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F11%2Fbrandon-belt-juan-lagares-mlb-san-francisco-giants-new-york-mets.jpg&c=sc&w=850&h=560> I'm hitting a robust .182 this spring. I was a stinkeroonie last spring too, and everybody doubted my mad uppercut skillz. And then the season started, and a month in, I was hitting .339. WHEN IT COUNTED, JERKWEEDS! Yeah, I got hurt. I got hurt when it counted, too. And I missed the whole season. But that progress is still nascent inside of me, and I'm still covering the ground and making the throws out there. It's Broxton who is redundant, not me. You don't need the new Juan Lagares. You still got the original model. Guess who had the 27th best non-pitching WAR season in Mets history. I know. The fact that I AM asking you probably tips it off. But if you guessed me, and I see no reason why you shouldn't have, you'd be right. Back in 2014, I scored 5.3 WAR, and everybody ahead of me reads like a who's-who of Met Hall of Famers. Plus Bernard Gilkey. And Lance Johnson. And maybe Jon Olerud. He probably didn't play here long enough to make it either. But still. THAT'S STILL IN ME. Yeah, it was more than half defense. And yeah, a big piece of that defense was taking out baserunners, and that's often a lot of luck. But I bet, if I'm a fulltime centefielder, I still have 3.0 WAR in me from defense alone. If you get ANYTHING offensively out of a guy like that, he's a useful player! I'm probably not going to play every day, because there's a lot of talent to go around, but what if I get off to a hot start again? That might get me a ticket to Firststringsville! Maybe I'm SAVING my base hits for the regular season. Prove that that's a lie! But OK, even getting that 5.3 WAR prorated down to 120 games instead of 150 is a part of the show right? The big show? I think I'm going to be a big part of the big show this year. What do you think? Oh, and you're not really jerkweeds. Sorry.

Close enough. He's 15-6 / 2.83.

A year later, Yogi would be able to, but point well taken.

I'm delighted with that Millan cover, but his face looks all touched up or rendered in poor resolution, and that pushed me toward Casey 2.0.

https://secure.milb.com/assets/images/4/9/8/287644498/cuts/480x270/cut.jpg> I had Tomato Juice surgery in October 2018. Waddaya think? Will I even make it back on the field in 2019. Even though the Mets are totally conservative with this sort of thing, some guys come along fast. Maybe they shouldn't, but some guys do. I'll tell you one thing. When I got traded for Asdrubal Cabera, and the press asked John Ricco, 1/3 of an acting GM, if the Mets should have been afraid of dealing with the Phillies, because Asdru might come back and beat them, he reminded the press that Cabrera would only have a few months of opportunities to hurt them as a Phil, but I would have years to make the Phillies regret that trade. That was cool. Ricco just dropped his pants and laid it all out there. He stood up for me, knowing that if he was wrong, Met fans and the press would remind of that and destabilize his job security. So it was big for me. But now he's been kicked further upstairs to more of a corporate role, and I'm on an endless rehab assignment. I'd still like to get to work. I'm a 6'6" 175 beanpole that is trying to fill out during my rehab, and when I do, guns will blaze. Maybe I'll get back on the field this season. Maybe I'll try the Arizona Fall League if that doesn't work out. And if I can't play fall ball, I'll see you in the Dominican Winter League. I'm a-coming back. No T.J. Rivera, me. It's just a matter of how long it'll be, and how strong. Whats say you?

Not out. Just not in the catbird seat quite yet. He's on a minor league deal, and the two other catchers aren't. What would really help him would be Travis d'Arnaud appearing at a different position.

That's a pretty good shot of above of him bringing the tumbler.

What an insult to Wally!

A 400-foot out by Nimmo, a strikeout on a dubious pitch for Rajai, and then, with McNeilio abat, Toffey gets thrown out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. Pretty good day for Nimms, but the score came down against the Mets.

Lonely-assed thread. Toffey shows nice wheels as he leads off with a bunt single.

Guillorme walks and Hechaverria at the plate with the sacks juiced again.

Meso goes down swinging at junk in the dirt. Two out.

Liner up the middle scrapes off the shortstop's glove and it's a two-run single and a one-run game!

And he goes down hacking. Dominux Smith now up.

New pitcher. Go-Go back at the plate.

Somehow Alonso drives one into the pitcher's foot so hard that it rebounds into foul territory. Bezes loaded.

Mets down 6-3 after the Zamora debacle, but now they have two on and no outs after back-to-back singles by Nimmo and Rajai. Alonso at the plate.

Lou-Z eighth for Zamora, as lower level minor league floaters for the Nats bat him around and the Nats lead 4-3. Bases loaded and two out for Spencer Kieboom. Nats can break it open here.

Itchy Verria plates him with a deep fly to right. Mets back on top.

Leadoff double in the seventh for Mesoraco. Guillorme bunts him over.

I didn't note it. He's taken over in right, so I'll keep my eyes open. Spencer Kieboom just Kaboomed the Nats into a tie. No-doubter line drive. Ronny says Tim Peterson was going to the first-pitch fastball too much.

We have a Carlos Gomez appearance.

Dowdy ended up going three shutout innings. If he makes the team, this will be the day he turned the corner.

http://content.sny.tv/assets/images/6/4/0/181073640/cuts/anthony_kay_f3wryseg_74afargh.jpeg> I'm lefthanded. I'm from Stony Brook. I was drafted by the Mets. In the first round. I missed my entire first two years of pro ball with Tommy John surgery. I don't have a beard, but like to sport the fuzzy beginnings of one. Somehow despite all that, my name isn't Steven Matz. Now, after finally putting a year under my belt, splitting between Columbia and St. Lucie, I'm not looking bad. I mean, a 4.26 ERA isn't going to blow up the AP wire, but I stayed healthy over 23 starts while having to learn how to pitch all over again. I struck out 78 in 69 1/3 innings and walked only 22. I may end up on the relief track, but probably not this year. I only threw two innings in Spring Training and I got more hammered than a night out with Stacey Keach. I don't get that joke, but my father thinks it's hi-LAR-ious. I may return to St. Lucie at the start of the year, but hopefully I'll be up in Bingo soon enough. But it's a make-or-break year for me, as I've been tagged a top-10 team prospect but now that I've got the prove-your-healthy thing behind me, I've got to have the prove-you're-for-real season. Will it happen? What do you think?