Edgy MD

ShamWoW.

Wow. Wonder why they didn't pinch-run Turner so they'd have Brown up here.

Hanging in there like Mookie.

Hang in there, Q.

Ball four, Juanny.

Ashie62 wrote: Season altering cock punch loss... Don't roll over.

I realize it's the bottom of the ninth, but they should be rolling the tarp out. That pitch could've killed Buck.

Not an easy play. Good job, Daveed.

Terrible to go down looking there, Daveed.

Puello doesn't have a union to fight for him.

Dillon Gee becomes a man.

Thought we'd get a LOOGy here. How about Terry staying with Gee?

It's a small but sweet edge to go to bed and wake up with the knowledge that we have the best outfield defense in the division.

Nice. And also nice is Dillon's high cheese. Gee's cheese brings me to my knees.

Strange to see BioGenesis-related disciplinary action roll out piecemeal, though, isn't it?

Jacob deGrom --- ninth rounder from 2010 out of Stetson University in Florida, which I'm sure is just one of those Florida schools that's a giant front for the athletic program. Has progressed steadily if unspectacularly after missing all of 2011 with tomato juice surgery, but as a converted shortstop, probably has some unrealized potential. Has yet to start more than 19 games in a minor league season, and is already at 18 this year, starting two in St. Lucie, 10 in Bingo, and six in Las Vegas. As a former infielder and then former closer in "college," he's a good athlete, and that's helped his mechanics. His fastball, like the Notorious B.I.G.'s career, sits in the mid-nineties with a peak around 97. He gets a lot of grounders, which Biggie never did. His top secondary offering is a slider which has worked as a change as well. He's definitely in the secondary pack of prospective starters behind Wheeler, Snydergard, and Montero, but has been looking for a third strong pitch. If he gets anything else working in the secondary repertoire, he can be a stateside Montero --- a real find. But since he's much older than Montero, the Mets need to find out now. Else, he probably goes to the bullpen to see if he can pound the strike zone with what he's got and fashion a Henry Owens/Matt Lindstrom type of career. His promotion to AAA happened after a void was created by Wheeler and Torres getting called up and McHugh getting traded, but --- HEY! --- he stuck!

Mejia, Montero Schwinden, deGrom One could be a hero Another be a bomb One will be a zero One'll cry for his Mom Mejia, Montero Schwinden, deGrom Mets need an extra starter for Friday's double dipper. Who's it gonna be?

Go to get to these guys early. The bullpen depth chart is... deep. RankGuyWLERAGGSCGSHOSVSVOIPHRERHRHBBBIBBSOAVGWHIPGO/AO1Craig Kimbrell221.4937000273036.123663213257.1810.990.812Luis Avilan201.3844000003920760216120.1520.921.273Jordan Walden312.323300000312598119336.2141.100.564Luis Ayala114.91120000111146610519.2981.732.005Anthony Varvaro313.35410000245.23918172018227.2271.251.236David Carpenter202.1823000003326882213236.2221.180.717Kameron Loe117.811000001523131390507.3541.871.50 Loe in is there only because they farmed out the far-more-effective (2.16 ERA in 22 innings) Alex Wood so he could get more work starting in AAA. Also farmed out is that plucky Tim Pastornicky, who has given way to Andrelton Simmons. Punchless Paul Janish (his actual name) is elevated to the backup. Seems like I recall twice in the last two years the Braves have run out of shortstops against and ended up with Chipper Jones or Martin Prado out there. In my mind, they beat us anyway both times.

The Braves have seven or eight guys vying for their five starting rotation spots, with Brandon Beachy and Alex Wood pitching their way into the mix at Gwinnett. Paul Maholm, both injured (wrist) and declining in effectiveness, may be the odd man out, despite tying for the team lead in victories. So don't count on him for Thursday just yet.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis in July: .286 / .375 / .524 // .899 in 48 plate appearances. Juan Lagares in July: 412 / .429 / .618 // 1.046 in 35 plate appearances.

We needed to update this. Mets 5, Phillies Nuttin. HAPPINESS #1! Phillies Nada, Mets 5. HAPPINESS #2! Dodgers 9, Nationals 2. HAPPINESS #3! White Sox 3, Braves 1. HAPPINESS #4! Milwaukee 1, Marlins 0. HAPPINESS #5! Red Sox 8, Yankees 7 (11) HAPPINESS #6! Bonus Wild Card Happiness: Pirates 3, Reds 2 Diamondbacks 3, Giants 1

What a stealth victory for Juanito. #BadNewsforLucasDuda

Oh, I don't think there's any figuring out with Valdespin. Any more than, say, Greg Burke. Last year, he was a fringey player with the talent to be more than that and the makeup to be less. At the beginning of this year, he was the same. Right now, he still is. Such guys come and go. The fringe is there for a reason. His future's in his hands, more than Alderson's.

I was thinking the Dodgers, who are old, uninspiring, and righthanded at second and third, with Mark Ellis and Juan Uribe. Jerry Hairston and Nick Punto are leading them in pinch-hit appearances and Don Mattingly will tell you, neither of them are Don Mattingly. And speaking of Don Mattingly, as a lefthanded hitting contact hitter who goes to all fields and hails from North Florida, Murphy is probably Mattingly's cup of tea. I bet he scouted him for the Yankees and spooged all over his report.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Of the non-East AL teams, only Texas is ahead of the Yanx in the WC race (and only two games) so it could be that we'll need two East teams to stay above the Yanx all year. I don't think that's going to be a problem at all. I mean, I suppose it's a tribute to how plucky they are that the MFYs are somehow hanging in there but I would be beyond shocked if they're any kind of factor as this thing winds down. I think the Mets have a better shot at the postseason, and will finish with a better record. Write it down. The Yanks still have a chance at the BIG RESOUNDING REVITALIZING TRADETM.