For the Mets, a Third Baseman of the Future is Someone to Look For

When news broke last year regarding Mets Captain and Third Baseman David Wright's Spinal Stenosis, the thought of his career coming to an end and a replacement being needed because of it came to be in the minds of both fans and the organization. However, he worked his way back and those thoughts dissipated as he returned for the playoffs and postseason to help the team try and win a World Series title. Now, with news of the herniated disk in Wright's neck keeping him on rest for 6-8 weeks before being able to begin baseball activity, that thought has once again resurfaced.

It's frustrating. Not only for the fans or the organization, but no doubt for Wright to face the physical issues he's had to go through these past few years. When everything seems to be going good, something comes up and suddenly the entire structure of his game changes. One day, he's on the field, the next, he's off and resting on the bench. One thing's for sure: David Wright seemingly can't catch s break. No matter how much he's worked to change his routine, his swing, his preparation methods, or how much he rests, he's still facing these same physical issues. When he's out on the field, he gives his all to the game and he's produced fairly well despite what he's dealing with this year. There's no one like him in that clubhouse. His leadership, both on an off the field, is something that sticks with the players and is an important part to this team. That thought still sits in the back of most people's minds: How much more can he take? How much longer is the organization willing to go before finding a strong replacement?

The word replacement itself has a negative ring to it, but it's time the Mets begin to find their third baseman of the future, and that's a hard thing to do because of how beloved Wright is to the organization and fans. He's the Captain. The All-Star. Captain America. He's an inspiration to so many. Once he's better, he'll come back and play strong, but until then, the Mets need to be thinking about the future of the organization. There's only so many more years David Wright can take the field in his true form, and even then, no one knows what possible injuries may plague him.

So, though hard to think about, the Mets need to start thinking about the future of third base. They need to seek the talent that will fill the position of such an impactful player so they can begin to learn how exactly they'll do so. This year's draft may be an important opportunity to do so. It's a difficult decision for the organization to make and for fans to admit, but the time is now to consider options for the future while that player has a chance to still develop before it's too late to do so.

The beloved Captain isn't able to play everyday like he used to, and now he won't be able to play for a few months. It doesn't take away from what he's done for this team or who he is for the fans by saying it's time to think of the future. Time changes things. He'll always mean so much to the team, but maybe it's time the Mets need to take this time to think about what, or rather who, comes next in the lineage of third baseman, not only to help the team, but to also take the pressure off of Wright to be the sole third baseman this organization can rely on.

Mets Spring Training 2016

Since before last year's season ended, my friend Kelly and I decided that we needed to take a trip down to Spring Training this year. As soon as the World Series was over, we began to look into what week to go, where to fly into, and all of the details that come along with planning a trip. We ultimately decided to go two weekends ago, taking off February 25 and returning on the 28th - a trip that I'll never forget because of the atmosphere and all-around awesome experience, and one that I definitely plan on doing again.

We'll start with Day 1. After we landed in West Palm Beach during the evening, it was time to pick out a car. Sure, we were all thinking, "Okay, so we'll just get the standard rent-a-car." Then something changed, and we got a look at the 'luxury' cars that weren't too much extra to have. After a bit of debating, we decided to go with a black Mustang Convertible, because why not? And if we were going to be driving to the same complex as baseball players, we had to have a good looking car, right? So we chose that car and decided to drive to our hotel with the top down. Bad idea for your hair and because of the cold wind, but definitely worth it to see the Florida night sky. We were able to spot Orion's Belt and the Little Dipper amongst a sky full of stars. We had a nice and relaxing night before the early morning ahead of us.

Day 2 began with a bright and early wake up called of 5:45. We had a quick breakfast at the hotel and then drove down to the field to arrive 2 hours before we could actually enter the backlots. Since it was the first day of full squad, there was a good number of people. We relaxed in the sun, watched as players drove in, and saw Cespedes arrive in his newest car of the week (the white Jeep). 9:30 AM came around and we were let into the complex. We got our spot along the fence of the main field where workouts begin and end, and after waiting once more, the team came out to begin their day.

The bulk of the morning is spent being able to take pictures, watch workouts, and enjoy the weather while you're at the fields. It was during this time where I got to speak to a journalist after he asked me if I knew what I was doing with my camera. I responded I did, and he actually came off the field and allowed me to test out his lens. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to actually take any photos with it because we had to quickly get out of the path (where you could have a clear shot for photos off the field), since David Wright and Curtis Granderson were coming by. That small amount of time that the reporter took out to speak to me was much appreciated and a very cool experience. Although, I can't complain that it was Wright and Granderson that caused it to end. They said hello as they passed and both gave a smile; a very small gesture, but a very nice one.

We watched Matt Harvey throw some pitches, the catchers work out, and the infielders do fielding drills. When players started to head over to the main field, we also headed over there to see who we could grab. We were able to get some minor players, like Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, Sean Gilmartin, Logan Verrett, and Chasen Bradford. All were very nice. Some players were still taking batting practice on a different field, so after we got them we went ahead and went back to that field. David Wright came over to sign after he was finished, but unfortunately missed us by maybe two people. Back to the main field it was. (You'll notice that if you do go during workouts, you run around quite a bit.) Kevin Plawecki was finishing up before and he signed, as well. It was his birthday that day so he got lots of birthday wishes throughout it.

Then came the time when David Wright was finishing his workout and he came over to sign for fans. Cue the deja vu. He was about to miss us again and run off, but my friend Kelly and I both said, "David, you missed us before. Would you mind signing two more?" And he, thankfully, turned back around and come over to sign for the both of us. We thanked him because he didn't have to come back just for us, since there were so many other fans there, but he did, and it was greatly appreciated.

While thrives of people were making there way to that area, we conveniently walked over to the small side field at the perfect time since Lucas Duda was finishing up the few things he still had to do on a smaller side field. He came over and signed for us and since there was such a small number of people, we were able to get a picture and talk to him for a little bit before he ran off to do his end of workout sprints. Really cool and casual experience to catch him without all of the people around because it made the experience more personal.

After all the players had gone inside, Terry Collins still remained and he came over and signed for us, as well. He was so sweet. You could tell he was so relaxed and genuinely having such a good time with the fans. There was an older woman in front of us who wanted to take a picture of him and he was waiting for her to snap the photo but she couldn't figure out how to work the iPhone/how close to get, so it was a funny little moment as he kept moving closer to her phone and making different faces. That's one of the things I loved about the atmosphere of the workouts - everyone was so laid back and enjoying themselves. 

We're not done yet with Day 2. Everyone had gone inside and we walked back out to the parking lot and decided to wait around to see some of the players leave. Not a bad idea since when some of the players came out, particularly Danny Muno and Jerry Blevins, they stopped in their cars to sign for the fans still hanging out, which was really nice for them to take the time out before the left to do so. After we hung around for a little bit we realized how hungry we were so we went to Duffy's to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the hotel. We relaxed there for a while because we were all tired. Be warned: The sun takes a lot out of you after a while because of how strong it is. After relaxing, it was time to get ready for dinner and we went to a restaurant called Tutto Fresco, which is a delicious Italian restaurant. I highly recommend eating there at least one time. We pulled up in the Mustang, which the valet people actually remembered us for later on, and hung out by the bar for a little while as they got our table ready. Because this is the fanciest place around, people say to keep your eyes out, so we did, but we didn't spot anyone. Well... yet. 

We sat down at the table outside and waited for a friend who was meeting us and as I was drinking my glass of water I happened to be staring at the perfect spot to see Matt Harvey also enjoying dinner with some other Mets staffers. "That's Matt Harvey," came out of my mouth almost instantly in a hushed breath and my friends' reactions were some of the funniest things I've seen because it was such a surprise. We didn't meet him, but we do like to make jokes about how we had dinner with him that night for fun. You never know who you'll run into while you're around. 

And that brings us to day 3, finally! I have to say that the crowd on the Saturday, although a little smaller, was definitely slightly more aggressive. Again, the bulk of the players you meet are usually at the end of the day, but there's still interaction during the day. For example, we saw Granderson and Wright again and they said hello and gave us high fives when they ran by on their way to take some swings in the cage. 

We had a few goals for the day. One was to help Kelly's mom meet Matt Harvey, which she was successful in doing! One for me was to meet Steven Matz. That also got accomplished, but it took some getting squished to do so. Originally I was behind a mother and her son without a mob around. (If there's a kid nearby screaming a players name, go near them. They usually always sign for kids.) Instead of Steven coming over, Noah Syndergaard came over and I've met him before so I decided to move out of the way, which was a struggle because as soon as he came over, I was instantly pushed forward. Anyway, I got out of that little pocket and moved to where Matz was and luckily was able to get a spot and get him to sign, despite being very, very squished the entire time. I even had a hard time getting out. It didn't matter, though, because I accomplished my goal for the day. 

As we hung around and players began to complete their batting practice, we called over Danny Muno who signed for us the day before to grab a picture and he was very nice and friendly, so it was cool to meet him. 

Having an idea of how things work better from the day before, we knew that the place to be was the field they end their workouts in when things start to die down on the other fields so we got a good spot over there. We got a few more people over here as their days came to an end. Dilson Herrera signed, as did Granderson, and both were very nice. Yoenis Cespedes, who seemed to just be running by, decided to stop and sign for Kelly and myself and a few more people along the railing, which was cool because we really didn't think he was going to sign again after signing some earlier. He was also very chill; probably exactly how you'd expect him to be. 

Wilmer Flores and Michael Conforto were two of the sweetest people ever. Michael Conforto started at one end of the fence and signed for every single person along it till he reached the other end. Wilmer Flores also came over to sign for us and was so happy to be there. He had a smile on his face the whole time and when Kelly's picture didn't come out great, he asked if we wanted to take another. We said that if he had time we would love to and he told us he had all day so we could take as many as we wanted. You could tell how grateful he was to the fans for how much love they've showed him and it makes me, as a fan, so happy to see how happy he is to play for the Mets. 

Once you've been at the fields for a day, it's a lot easier to get an idea of how things work and achieve your goals, so don't get discouraged if you're there one day and aren't entirely successful. After workouts were done, we stuck around to see the players leave since it was our last day. We spoke to the security guards that were around about a bunch of different things as we waited for players to leave, which was nice. The personnel at the field are really friendly and approachable. Players waved goodbye as they left and before David left he gave us a wave and a smile, which was a nice end to our final day at the field. We, of course, also saw Cespedes leave in his second Slingshot of the week. 

The day ended earlier so we drove around for a while on random roads just for fun since the weather was beautiful and then we went to Target to pick up a few things. That trip ended with us getting aloe masks because we were all pretty burnt and a bear shaped cookie jar with white chocolate covered animal cookies, which were so good. We also helped Casey, Kelly's brother buy a new outfit for dinner since he didn't have any 'fancy' clothes. A successful shopping trip to Target for sure. That night we ate at Tutto Fresco again because it's that good. 

Unfortunately, the next morning we headed home and the trip came to an end. What was nice was that in the moment, the days felt long and lots of things were happening, but looking back we all wished it was longer. It was also a fantastic opportunity to take some awesome photos, which I absolutely loved doing. All of the pictures you've seen throughout this post were taken by me (aside from the pictures with the players. Those were taken by Kelly's mom). I had an absolute blast and hope to return to the beautiful Port St. Lucie next year. It's such a great experience and it was by far one of the best weekends of my life because of how much fun and pure joy I got out of it. If you have the opportunity to go, I encourage you to definitely take the trip. You won't regret it. 

World Series Game 5

The Kansas City Royals are World Series Champions. That's the only way to start out this post.

The Mets surrendered the 3rd game they should have won of the series, and Kansas City's 4th win, allowing them to clinch the championship.

I was there. I experienced it in person. The night was a crazy one. Multiple emotions, ups followed by downs, but the atmosphere was incredible. The fans themselves, the ones that stuck around till the very end, showed this team just how thankful we are to them. More on this later on, but also in a separate post.

Curtis Granderson led things off in the best way possible to get the crowd going: a homer. The one run lead doubled to two on a Lucas Duda sac-fly in the bottom of the 6th inning. Unfortunately, nothing more was gained in what could have been a very big inning for the Mets and could have helped them secure the win.

Matt Harvey pitched the game of his life. The crowd was behind him. They wanted him back out there for the 9th inning. Harvey wanted that ball to start the 9th. He had an outstanding outing. That's lost in what occurred in the 9th and eventually the 12th. He deserved the ball in the 9th. You can argue whether that was the right decision or not, but he was dominating. The one thing that could have been done differently was taking him out after the walk. It was a given the base would be stolen. It's been a given that the Royals can run on d'Arnaud. Throwing down to second is something Travis needs to work on in the offseason. So maybe bringing in Familia after that walk would have had a different outcome, but the Mets would have still won the game if not for a throwing error by Lucas Duda. 

David Wright picked up the ground ball to the left side, looked Hosmer back, who was on third base carrying the tying run, and then threw to first for the out. In a risky move that benefited the Royals, Hosmer broke late to the plate. A good throw would've had him dead out. It would have been an inning ending double play. Duda's throw wasn't on target and sailed past d'Arnaud, allowing Hosmer to score. A costly error made by Duda and a reoccurring theme throughout the entire World Series for the Mets.

Eventually, it was the 12th inning that led to the Mets end. Addison Reed came in after Terry Collins took Jon Niese out. Niese was pitching well and because the game was tied and in extras, it was surprising for him to not be left in to pitch longer. There aren't many arms in that bullpen that can give you length, which would be a reason to keep Niese in. He was taken out and things fells apart. The Royals had hit after hit, and piled it on with both Reed and Colon pitching.

The Royals capitalize on every mistake. They make the plays they need to make, and even when they missed them, the Mets didn't capitalize nearly as much as the Royals did. The Mets didn't play to the caliber they're capable of playing. Errors hurt. Misplays hurt. Decisions that should have been made and weren't made hurt. Missed opportunities hurt.

A good number of fans stuck it out. Even when it got ugly in the 12th, 'Let's Go Mets' chants sounded throughout Citi Field, even if they weren't as loud as they were in the beginning of the game. Fans were rewarded for this. The Mets came out after the Royals had their time to celebrate. A classy move by the Mets, led by the Captain. "Let's Go Mets!" and "Thank you, Mets!" chants broke out for the team as they said their own "Thank you" to the fans who have supported them all season long. What's to come is exciting.

The Royals are an outstanding team. Fans have to give credit where credits due. It's hard to sit back and not say, "This is where we went wrong. We could've done this... We should've done that." Things that went wrong are facts of the game, but to play the game of 'What If?' is harder. No one knows what would have happened if different moves were made; if the errors weren't made. Maybe the Mets would have won the 3 games they led and seemingly gave away. Maybe the Royals still would have found a way to win. What happened happened. So, Congratulations to the Royals. They played hard, put together hits, and rallied when they needed to. How many days till Spring Training? Now we shift to the off season, but Spring Training is a little over 4 months away. Time will fly. We'll see what happens in the off season, and it should be interesting. The sting is there for the loss, but what's to come is so bright. See you in 2016, baseball.

World Series Games 3 & 4

There isn't much to say about Game 2. The Royals played well, the Mets were flat. So that's why we'll focus on Games 3 and 4, which told a different story. One with a positive ending, the other with a brutal loss, but both showed some important things. Let's take a look at what went right and wrong in both games for the Mets.

Game 3

The Captain. David Wright opened the night with a 2-run homer, his first World Series home run in his career. It got the crowd and the team excited. For someone who has fought so hard throughout the season, it was a great sight to see at home. He wasn't done yet. With the bases loaded in the 6th, he hit a single up the middle, driving in two more runs for a total of 4 RBI on the night, second-most in team history. A great night for the Captain and a great night for the fans to be a part of.

Grandy Man. Granderson followed his first at bat with a 2-run homer in the 3rd. From getting on base this season through walks, to using his bat to drive in those runs, he's been a great person to have in that leadoff spot. He got on in the 1st in front of Wright's home run, and then he did his job to drive in Syndergaard with a home run of his own after he got on in the 3rd. Good things from Grandy all season, and it's continued in the postseason.

Thor drops the hammer. Despite giving up 3 ER, Thor kept the team in the game, striking out the Royals six times. Although not a lot compared to the amount he usually gets, that's a huge accomplishment against a team that barely strikes out and in his first World Series game as a rookie. He also had a single in front of Granderson's homer in the 3rd. The guy has great stuff, is a great pitcher now, and will only continue to grow over the years with the team. He's matured over this season and it's shown. He's not afraid to pitch inside; to send a message. He speaks well in interviews and because it was such a great quote, it must be mentioned: "If they have a problem with me pitching inside, they can meet me 60 feet 6 inches away." And that's all I'll say about that first pitch because it's been talked about way too much.

Uribe's return. Juan Uribe made a pinch hit appearance in the 6th, doing what he's done since he's joined the Mets. He added to the score with an RBI single and that was huge for him, the team, and the fans, because he really has proven to be the guy to go to in a big pinch hit situation. Good to see him back and healthy.

Game 4
Game 4 had both the good and the ugly... the really ugly. Let's start with the negatives, end with the positives.

Clippard in for the 8th. Tyler Clippard has been a shaky pitcher the last two months of the season. The fans react to that, and their worry was clear the second he was announced into the game. He was successful in getting the first out. Then followed it with a walk. That's where he should have been pulled. In that tight of a game, you have to go to Familia in that situation, especially against the Royals, who can play the running game and string together hits to go ahead. He stuck with him one more batter, and it didn't work out. He walked another one and then brought Familia in, who suffered the blown save as the Royals scored on Murphy's error. The Royals made a come back, as it seems they do or come close to doing every game they've played. The bleeding continued after that even with Familia in the game. A decision that was the beginning of a heartbreaking inning for the team and fans.

Errors and Misplays. Not every misplay was charged an error, but there were some ugly plays during the game. Cespedes had a misplay that wasn't ruled an error in the top of the 5th inning, which proved to be costly, that was tough to watch, especially since he's had a few in the postseason. A ball that seemed as though he wasn't sure whether to take it on a hop or dive for it, ended up being kicked away, and Perez got a double out of it. Murphy's error was a game tying play. It wasn't a bobble, or a bad throw, it was simply missing the ground ball. Unfortunately, it wasn't a harmless error. No error seems to be harmless against the Royals. Bartolo Colon had an error in the 6th inning, which actually didn't result in a run. Cain was on second and Colon threw over in an attempt to pick him off, since he had a large lead and was dancing off the bag. Colon had him with a good throw, but it sailed past Murphy and into center field, advancing Cain to third. Two officially scored errors and a defensive misplay is not the way you want to play defense in the World Series, postseason, or regular season game in general. Especially, in a game so close against a great team. Cespedes also had a base running blunder that ended the game. First and second, 1 out, Duda lined out to the third baseman, and Cespedes was caught off first base. He was nearly to second when the ball was caught. That may of had no change on the outcome, but it's a tough way to end a game. A base running mistake

Matz's Strong Start. Long Island native Steven Matz had a strong start, holding the Royals to two runs over 5 innings with 5 strikeouts. Despite missing time this season due to injury, he's pitched very well in the postseason. People always attribute experience to being successful, but the Mets young starting pitching as a whole pitched well and dominantly throughout the postseason.

The Rookie, Conforto. Michael Conforto. A rookie. Someone who wasn't expected to join the team this season. They gave him a shot, and he has shown his abilities both defensively and with the bat. The player that is the LF of the future for this Mets organization showed how much he will mean to this team. Not only his first World Series. His first home run in a World Series. He wasn't done there. Two home runs in a single World Series game. He energized the crowd, made it exciting. He was pumped as he trotted the bases. He's going to be an impact player and it'll be fun to watch him grow next year.

Game 3 had the outcome fans wanted. Game 4, not so much. Certainly winnable. It should have been a win, but it wasn't. The good of Game 4 is lost in the the negatives that happened. Managing wrong, fielding wrong, whatever you want to point fingers at, there were things that could have been done differently that might have changed the outcome. The excitement of the win from Game 3 was brought down by the loss of Game 4, and the way the loss came about was what hurt the most for fans.

World Series Game 1

The World Series certainly got off to an exciting start last night and demonstrated how close the games can be between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets. The Royals defeated the Mets 5-4 in a marathon Game 1 that went 14 innings. Both teams continued to battle and the Royals edged the Mets just a bit to win the game on a walk-off sac fly by Hosmer. Taking a look at some of the things that went and things that went wrong, this blog will put together a compilation of those.

Starting with the negatives (since it's always better to end with a positive), let's long at the things that went wrong last night. (The technical difficulty of FOX in the broadcasting of the game is clearly a negative, but let's focus on the team instead.)

Harvey's First Pitch. The first pitch that left Matt Harvey's hand was hit like any normal fly ball to center field, but a misplay and miscommunication by Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto caused it to not be caught, and instead, it knocked off of Cespedes' leg, rolling away enough for Alcides Escobar to motor his way around the bases and have an inside-the-park homer. Not the way you want to start a game, and in turn it did matter in the end. Things may have ended differently if that was caught.

Familia. Jeurys Familia has been outstanding throughout the Postseason. Last night, there was a speed bump. Two outs away from the win, he surrendered a home run to Alex Gordon that was hit to dead center. Unfortunately, the Mets didn't come back to win it for him, but despite that one bump, he's been fantastic. Hopefully they can get him back into Game 2 tonight.

Wright's Error. David Wright had a crucial error in the 14th inning last night that ended up being the  winning run for Kansas City. A ball hit quickly to third took an in-between hop on the third baseman, causing a bobble. He recovered and then threw side-armed to Lucas Duda at first, but pulled him slightly off the bag, allowing the runner to be safe. This was followed by a single, intentional walk, and then the sac fly that ended the night.

Missed Opportunities. There were lots of instances where the Mets could have scored last night and failed to. They were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. 11 LOB. Not the numbers you want in a tight World Series game, but they weren't able to convert.

Rough night for the DH. This isn't in reference to the original DH, Kelly Johnson. He was 0-for-1 with a HBP. However, Cuddyer replaced him later in the game and he certainly had a rough night, going 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts. Not the numbers you want to see, especially from a batter that's supposed to give an advantage.

Okay, so, those are the negatives and things that went wrong. Let's now focus on the positives of the game.

Wright's Leaping Catch. David Wright made a leaping catch to end the 4th inning last night that would have been a double down the line had he not made it. It was similar to a play Wright made in a previous game this postseason. Very nice defensive play.

Granderson. Granderson had a nice night both defensively and offensively. He hit a solo homer in the top of the 5th off Volquez to give the Mets the lead. In the bottom of the 11th, he made a very nice grab to prevent what would have been a leadoff double off Jon Niese. And also, despite it not making a difference, he made one of the closet throws we've seen him make on the sacrifice fly that ended the game. Closer than everyone thought it would have been.

Harvey Battles. Harvey might of not had his lights out stuff for the game, but he pushed through and battled, matching Volquez of the Royals. He did give up 3 ER, though it really should be 2 ER due to the misplay in the 1st. Not the shutout you would've liked him to pitch, but he kept them in the game, and that's what you need your SP to do.

Jon Niese. The birthday boy had a great relief appearance pitching the 10th and 11th, surrendering only one hit and striking out three. His stuff was on and if he can keep that up, he could be a key asset later in games coming out of the bullpen. Good to see from Niese.

Mets Never Say Die. Although they lost in the end, they came back multiple times throughout the game to stay even with the Royals. Unfortunately, they couldn't come back in extras, but even after the inside-the-parker in the first, they fought back. That's the sort of thing you want to see, but with a different outcome.

There's your look at what went wrong and what went right in Game 1. Jacob deGrom squares off against Johnny Cueto as the Mets try to even the series. Lineups are out and the Mets have switched Lagares to CF, Cespedes to LF, and Conforto as the DH, which is the best lineup they can have out there. Time to bounce back from the game and errors of last night and play a good ballgame. Game 2 begins at 8:07 PM on FOX.

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National League Champions

The New York Mets are National League Champions and are World Series bound for the first time since 2000. Completing their sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field, they clinched their first pennant in 15 years. There were a few moments that stood out during this NLCS, so let's talk about them a bit.

Daniel Murphy is on fire. The NLCS MVP hit a home run in six straight postseason games, a new MLB record. His postseason has been incredible. He still only had five up till his last at bat and he would get one more chance to go for the fences after hitting one just shy earlier in the game. He took his swing and knocked that ball far enough to leave the park and break the record. The bench erupted, the fans erupted, because Daniel Murphy had done it. And it is incredible that he did. Maybe the curse of Murphy is real for the Cubs, as this is another thing to add to the list, but it certainly is great to see him doing so well in the postseason.

The young starting pitching did its job, and even when they weren't perfect, they battled and made it through. Jacob deGrom had a strong start where he fought through despite some struggles, Matt Harvey also had a nice start, as did Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Combine that with their offense and you have a great chance to win these ballgames. Young stars matched up against some big names, and they stood their ground. This rotation, along with the addition of Wheeler, is going to be lots of fun to watch in the future, but we'll enjoy what this team is doing right now for the time being, because this is also a lot of fun.

Lucas Duda has started to hit a stride at the plate, getting things started in Game 4 with a 3-run homer. He's a big guy in that line up, so for him to start finding his swing, along the rest of the offense doing well, they can string together some pretty big at bats.

David Wright is finally getting to play in the World Series. For fans, that's a great sight to see. And for him, it's also fantastic. Taking a look at his season, no one knew if he would be able to play again. It started with a hamstring tweak, then a back injury, then a diagnosis of Spinal Stenosis. His hard work to ensure that he can play against meant a lot to the team and to the fans. He's finally getting to play in the event he's worked his whole career to play; one that he's missed out on for so long. He's excited, the team's excited, and of course, the fans are just as excited and ready to support.

So now the team looks to the bigger stage - the World Series. It all starts tonight against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Matt Harvey will begin Game 1 and the team will look to pick up where they left off. It's game day Mets fans, get ready to watch and cheer loud!

Magic Numbers / Mets Baseball

For a while I've been wanting to write something up about the Mets. The thing is, I was actually at a loss of what to say, especially during the recent road trip. Luckily, my loss for words was and is for a good reason, rather than another losing season. The Mets have clinched their first winning season since 2008. Not only that, but at the moment, they're 6 games (yes, I know this number was larger before) ahead of the Nationals in 1st place with a magic number down to 8. As someone who's been watching this team through the bad and ugly times that came before this, winning right now feels so good. (Though I will say things have definitely been rough the last few games, especially as the issue of Matt Harvey's inning limit proves to not be ideal, but that's not what this post is about.)

Many believed that the 11-game win streak was a fluke at the beginning of the year when soon after the bats quieted down. This team is proving that it was no temporary thing right now. Comparing the lineup from then and today, it's drastically different. The lineup then was doing a good job at keeping the team in a good position throughout the season. It could have easily gone the opposite way. However, no they've gained reinforcements. Not only have they come from the team gaining players back from the DL, but they've also come from important and big moves made by GM Sandy Alderson. There have been plenty of moments that mattered throughout this year, but I wanted to touch on a few here.

Looking back at where this stretch of some great baseball, you have to start with the first trade made by Sandy Alderson. The acquisition of Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe helped to fortify some holes in the lineup in late July, but now have moved into playing important bench roles and occasional platoons in order to rest other players.

Shortly after Alderson made that move, he was on the verge of making another. Wilmer Flores and Zack Wheeler came very close to being traded for Carlos Gomez from the Brewers. The trade that caused an emotional Wilmer Flores on the field that night eventually wasn't completed due to the issue the Mets had with Gomez's medical records... and thankfully so. That night proved to be a tough one for Flores as the Mets are the one team he's ever known being drafted at the young age of 16. It also showed that information is spread incredibly fast today and that can have a negative effect. But what it also showed, and probably most importantly, was that the players of this team love playing for the Mets. They're passionate about it. That energy fuels the rest of the team, as well as the fans. Not to mention the fact that besides Wilmer Flores being emotional, Zack Wheeler also called Sandy Alderson before the deadline to say that if possible, he would love to stay with the Mets instead of being part of a possible trade. That says something to the fans.

Only two days later, Flores was in the lineup again after being given a day off to relax after the rollercoaster night that happened. The Mets were tied at 1 with the Nationals and headed to the 12th at Citi Field. Up to leadoff the inning was none other than Wilmer Flores. On the third pitch of the at bat, he hit one to the Party City Deck to end the ballgame. What was a crazy few days for him ended on such a great high note. There's a reason why things don't work out sometimes.

Earlier on that same day was the trade deadline. Fans waited anxiously to see if Sandy Alderson was going to make the big move before time ran out. He didn't let them down. July 31, the Mets acquired Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers for two prospects, Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. At the time, the move was a big one, but looking back on it now makes it appear to be even bigger than it was first thought to be. The acquisition of Cespedes has lifted this team to such an extent over the past month and a half. He's practically carried the team on his shoulders during some of the games. It seems that he's always in a situation to get a big hit. And although he cooled down for a short period recently, he seems to get the big hits the team needs. He's a huge piece to add and it's paying off.

The Captain coming back after missing a large amount of the season was certainly a moment fans loved to see, and similar to how he's done it before, he came back with a bang, hitting one out at Citizen's Bank Park. Not only has he been hitting, he's also been going to left field, an area where he thrives. Lots of people worried if he would be able to hit with power and to the opposite field like before, and he has shown that he can, so that's good to see. It's not only important to have him on the field and in the batter's box. David Wright has a presence in the clubhouse. There's a reason why he's the Captain of this team and it certainly is good to have him back.

Though their comeback streak has been stopped for a few games now, there still is that thought in every fan's head that says, "You know what, we have a chance at coming back to win this game." There's that confidence and belief in this team from the fans that keeps them watching every game. Yes, certain losses are brutal to watch and they may not be able to come back, but fans are sticking with them and sticking it out. A bad game isn't the end of the world. They're going to happen for every team. 

People often think that the Mets are easy to talk down about. Or, that they don't play well against "real" teams. Guess what, every team in the MLB is a professional team. Some play better than others, but they're all legit teams. They have the pitching and they have the hitting, too. Every team also has players that their teams ride on offensive days, but these wins aren't necessarily relying on these guys to come through. Every player hits a slump at some point. No one is ever hot for the entire season. Does it help when they're all hot at once? Hell yeah it does. But wins don't rely on the long ball. You have to play fundamental baseball, manufacture runs, string together base hits, and along with good pitching, that'll win you ballgames.

Media thinks that the fans have "lost faith" or don't believe in the team anymore. That is so far from the truth for many. This pennant race is what fans have been waiting for, and I think I speak for the majority when I say we're ready to see this team win and return to the postseason, and from player interviews, they sure are, too.

If you're a Mets fan, I highly recommend watching this video. It's an Amazin' one: "Right Now" | 2015 New York Mets Postseason Push

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Saturday Morning Musings (#13) - It's Time for an Update

I have to say, I was surprised to see it's been nearly a month since I last posted, especially since I was expecting to post even more since that post throughout the summer. Hello, everyone. Long time, no writing. I haven't forgotten about you. I've honestly had some ideas of what to write about, but I haven't been able to form enough words that I deemed worthy to share in a post. I always want to be proud of what I'm writing on here and for some reason, it wasn't happening. I didn't lose motivation to write, I lost that proud feeling I had after writing a post. However, I'm back now. I have a few things I want to talk about in this post and then an idea I had that may make for a good week of posting. Let's get into it.

We'll start with the Mets. This team certainly has its ups and downs. Sometimes, they can make you love them so much, and other times, you can't believe what you're watching, but you still watch it anyway. Jacob deGrom had a fantastic All-Star Game performance. I was so excited for him and he really did such a great job out there. Steven Matz is another player I'm beyond excited about. I'm so glad he's finally here (although he is currently injured). Fans have been urging for the front office to make a move and it probably should have happened sooner, but I guess as the saying goes: "better late than never." They called up Michael Conforto, who can have a big impact if he does well. The important thing is to not put pressure on him to hold this team up. They're in the process of making trades to add bats that can help the offense in some way. With the great pitching they have, they don't need the greatest offense in the world, but they do need offense. After the trade deadline, it'll be interesting to see if these new additions make a difference. 

I saw Paper Towns Thursday night, and although fans had mixed reviews, I'm more inclined to give it a positive rating. Yes, things were changed that didn't need to be changed. Scenes were cut, which has to be done. The ending was changed in a way that it didn't need to be, but the message still remained. I spoke to some friends and said that I honestly feel as though it is a movie that will get many mixed reviews. Some people will love the message it sends, but others may not appreciate it as much. There's heartbreak. It's not a typical romance that ends with a happy ending. That doesn't take away from the fact that the message it sends isn't a great one. I considered writing a full review on it, but couldn't find enough to say because it really is hard to put into words exactly how I feel. Some things I loved, like the casting, but small things bothered me, like the things that didn't need to be changed at all. Overall, I recommend going to see it. You may not like it at all or you may love it. Or, you may find yourself somewhere in between like me.

It seems as though the time I've posted this is a bad time since I'm going away in a week starting August 1. However, I did have an idea for the trip, which is a cruise. I'm taking my laptop and although I don't think I'll have access to the internet (preventing me from posting), I do want to write each day. The following week, I could post a writing per day. Almost like a "Cruise Journal," though I can't guarantee that each day will be a compilation of the day's events. It may be something random, something that got me thinking, or it may be all about what happened that day. Either way, it'll be seven brand new posts that are something different. Just an idea I had. 

That wraps everything up for today. I hope you all have been having a great summer. It's been going fast, which is upsetting, but hopefully it's been filled with fun events. This will probably be the only thing I post before I leave for vacation, so I will see you all in two weeks with another post. 

Subway Series Recap

The Subway Series hit the Bronx this weekend for the first series between the teams. The Yankees took it, but let's look at the games a bit more.

Game 1 (Mets 1, Yankees 6)
Jacob deGrom faced Michael Pineda in the first game of the series. deGrom looked to continue the team's streak and the scoreless streak of his own. Unfortunately, things didn't go his way. The Yankees capitalized on his mistakes and the Mets lost 6-1. Pineda pitched a good game and held them to only one run that came on a sac-fly from Lucas Duda. Can't say much on this game. deGrom's gonna have a rough start, every pitcher does. Hopefully he has a good outing his next time out.

Game 2 (Mets 8, Yankees 2)
The Yankees had their way the first game but the Mets had their way in Game 2 with an 8-2 win. Matt Harvey (the Dark Knight) took the mound against Sabathia. Harvey gave up two runs while Sabathia gave up seven, including three home-runs to Duda, Plawecki, who hit his first major league home-run, and Campbell. Harvey nearly went the distance, going 8 2/3 innings, but was pulled after 107 pitches. Most people didn't necessarily agree with him being out there that long in a game that wasn't close, but I guess with the extra day of rest, Terry Collins figured he could go further. Majority would have liked him to be pulled out earlier in order to save him for those innings he'll need for later on in the season. If he was sent out there for the 9th, he had gotten 2 outs, he should have been allowed to get the 3rd one, but they had set him at 105 pitches for the night and he had reached that mark. Another positive note to this game was Juan Lagares going 4-4. Nice game for him.

Game 3 (Mets 4, Yankees 6)
Jon Niese faced off against Nathan Eovaldi and neither had a great night. Niese gave up six runs (four earned), one of which was a home-run to Alex Rodriguez, bringing him one closer to the magic number to tie Willie Mays on the all-time HR list that'll certainly begin a protest by the Yankees about the bonus that comes with it. Both pitchers made mistakes that the other times capitalized on. The play by Niese to snag Teixera's line drive directly to him was one of those lucky moments you see in the game every now and again -- a 'look what I found'. The game was certainly unbelievable to watch at times. With six errors from both sides in the game, the Mets had four of those, causing two unearned runs to score. They also had some mental errors. The errors were basic fundamentals that weren't executed. Those kill you in games like this one. Errors happen, but to have four in a game is too much. Another thing was Mayberry's pinch hit at-bat. Five straight balls, yet he still ran a 3-2 count and swung through the only pitch that was a strike. Not good at all. It's one thing to lose, but it's another thing to lose due to a sloppy game.

The teams face off again in September and who knows where either team will be at that point, but it will be a rematch with the Mets having home field. It was just another series and seemed to be that way for the fans too. Yes, The 7 Line Army showed up in full force on Friday night and there were some strong chants from Mets fans, but for the Yankees? Empty seats were throughout the stadium and their fans' presence wasn't really heard. Maybe the atmosphere will be different in September. For the Mets, it's important that they continue to play well and bounce back from Sunday's game. Every time has its hiccups, but they need to be hiccups and not something worse. They need to win series. They're still the best team in baseball, but they have to win for it to stay that way and series wins matter the most, especially against their division. They head to Miami to take on the Marlins tomorrow with Dillon Gee on the mound against Cosart.

Saturday Morning Musings (#9)

Good morning! I hope you all have enjoyed your week. Mine has been fun since I've had cousins from Italy over so I've had to use the Italian I know to communicate. That's a little bit of insight to my week, but there are a few things I want to talk about this morning. So, in today's post we'll be talking baseball and Suicide Squad. 

The Mets 11-game winning streak was stopped by the Yankees last night in the Bronx by a score of 6-1. Jacob deGrom got roughed up and didn't have his best stuff, but those games happen. Mistakes are made in a game and they capitalized on those pitches. Unfortunately, it was against the Yankees and they were the ones to stop the streak. They just have to go out there today with the mindset of starting a new streak. I didn't have the opportunity to watch since I was with a friend, but from the video footage I've seen and seeing tweets from the Mets bloggers, that ump's strike zone was a lot bigger for Pineda than it was for deGrom. Pineda pitched a good game, so I'm not saying that it would of made a difference in the outcome, but it's certainly frustrating for a team. 

The 11-game streak and undefeated 10-game homestand showed positive signs. The team was getting walks and converting them to runs. They were hitting, but not necessarily ripping the cover off the ball. In the process of everything, they lost three of their top players: David Wright (hamstring), Travis d'Arnaud (Finger fractured on his right hand), and Jerry Blevins (Fracture on the left arm). Even after the injuries, the team pushed forward. David Wright should be ramping up baseball activity this week and should be returning soon. d'Arnaud and Blevins have longer waits for their return. In the midst of this, Hansel Robles and Kevin Plawecki have made their debuts. Robles entered the game last night with the two runners on base and no outs. After an infield single by Alex Rodriguez, the bases were full, but he successfully got out of the jam with a foul pop out and two strikeouts. Plawecki has looked good behind the plate and I'm sure the tips and support from d'Arnaud have certainly helped him. Overall, the team looks good and if they keep playing like they've been (not saying they have to win every game), they're setting themselves up to play some October baseball. The important thing is to win series. 

As for Suicide Squad, Jared Leto's reveal was certainly anticipated and when it was released by director David Ayer, it wasn't what everyone thought it would be and of course, brought mixed reactions. No matter what, we're getting an original take from Jared. It's not going to be a replica of Heath Ledger's Joker. Jared's Joker will be something different. It seems as though the look pays tribute to a multitude of Jokers in the past, but Jared certainly seems to have the look of insanity down. I'm looking forward to seeing his full (and actual) take hit the big screen in 2016. My favorite superhero-related website posted an in-depth analysis of this photo, so I highly recommend you check that out here. Maybe this isn't even the actual look and they're playing with the fans. Edit: They were playing with the fans. As for the rest of the cast, I'm very excited to see their reveals, which hopefully we'll get soon. It's a cast with some great actors and actresses, so it definitely should be a good movie. With all the superhero films we have, it's going to be cool to see a movie dedicated to a team of villains. I'm looking forward to it.


That's about it for today's post. Recaps will be up as usual this week and The Avengers: Age of Ultron comes out this week so I will most certainly be seeing that as soon as it's released and most likely doing a review on it, so look forward to that. I hope you all have a fantastic day and I'll see you all with a 'Subway Series Recap' on Monday (or Sunday night).

ICYMI: Check out this week's recaps and my review of Daredevil Season 1

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The Mets' Starting Rotation

Another season is soon to begin and the Mets' starting rotation is set to be very strong against batters. The rotation depth doesn't just go from the starting pitchers, but also the pitchers in the farm system who will play a huge role in the future.

Unfortunately, the big three won't be together in the rotation this season. While the core of the rotation would have originally been Harvey, deGrom, and Wheeler, Wheeler is now no longer part of the rotation. He underwent Tommy John surgery this past Wednesday to repair his completely torn UCL and the surgery was said to be successful. Hopefully everything goes well with his rehabilitation and we'll see him back in the rotation in 2016.

The current starting rotation the team now has: Colon, deGrom, Harvey, Niese, and Gee. (The stats below are from Baseball-Reference)

Colon was selected as the Opening Day starter for the 2015 season. The decision has been criticized by both newspapers and blogs, as well as fans. Many view this as a negative thing because this season has been highly talked of; this is the year they have to make a playoff push. It would have added to the excitement if the season started off with the young guys, like deGrom (since Harvey was said to not even be involved in talks after missing the 2014 season). Instead, the season is beginning with the oldest, who is also the oldest pitcher to pitch Opening Day in franchise history. In 2014, he posted a 4.09 ERA with a record of 15-13 in 31 games. His performance wasn't spectacular, but it was good enough to win those 15 games. Compared to the rookie, Jacob deGrom's, year, it's understandable why the public's reaction hasn't been entirely positive. What also contributes to this negative reaction is how he's pitched in Spring Training, which hasn't been the greatest. He's given up 10 ER in 4 games, posting a 7.71 ERA. But hey, it's Spring Training.

Jacob deGrom posted a 2.69 ERA in 22 games in his Rookie of the Year season. He underwent Tommy John Surgery back in 2010, only a few months after being drafted by the Mets, before beginning to make his way through the Mets' farm system in 2012. His games hold excitement, drawing the attention from fans. He tied the MLB Record for most consecutive strikeouts in September. He's young and is a major part of the team's future. That's what people want to see on Opening Day. However, age also takes a precedence as to who starts and that is one of the reasons why Colon was chosen instead. Opening Day aside, deGrom has pitched well in Spring Training, posting a 3.00 ERA while giving up 5 ER in 4 games (15 IP). I'm sure everyone's excited to see what he'll bring to the mound this season because he definitely will be another big player on the team this year.

This season, the Dark Knight rises, as he's come to be called. Matt Harvey had a great 2013, becoming the starting pitcher for the All-Star Game at Citi Field and after missing the 2014 season due to Tommy John Surgery, he looks at though he's back and just as good as before. He's posted a 1.26 ERA while giving up only 2 ER so far. Yes, these are only Spring Training stats, but it's good to see that he's back and pitching well. He's a huge asset to the rotation, so it's good to have him back.

There hasn't been a lot of news involving Jon Niese this spring besides the issue with his shoulder he had not too long ago. However, he has pitched well in the three games he's started, giving up 3 ER with a 2.61 ERA. In 2013, he had a 3.40 ERA. He may not be the most exciting to watch, but he does his job. He's the only southpaw in the rotation right now and as long as he's healthy, a good and reliable pitcher to start a game.

Dillon Gee is someone who seemed to be going to the bullpen before Zack Wheeler got the news of needing Tommy John Surgery. However, now that there's a spot open, he'll be back in the rotation. He's had his ups and downs throughout his career with the Mets, especially against the Phillies. He's overcome injuries and made it back out on that mound. In Spring Training, as both a starter and reliever, he's had a 2.45 ERA, giving up 4 ER in 6 games. During his 2014 season, he posted a 4.00 ERA. Again, most of the attention doesn't get drawn to him, but he's a fighter. He doesn't have an outstanding group of pitches compared to others, but he does use his pitches in an effective way. He goes out and pitches to the best of his ability and that's all the team needs him to do.

I'd be lying if I said I believed that rotation would be the same by the end of the season. I do think things will change and my prediction would be: deGrom, Harvey, Syndergaard, Matz, and Niese, not necessarily in that order. I could be wrong, but no matter what, when talking about the pitching rotation, you also have to talk about the prospects.

Most thought we would get a glimpse of Noah Syndergaard by the end of the 2014 season. That didn't happen, but I think most agree that he wasn't necessarily major league ready. There was still some maturing that needed to happen. He had a 4.91 ERA giving up 3 ER in three Spring Training games before being demoted. In his full season at AAA Las Vegas last year, he had a 4.60 ERA. Not the best on the surface, but he did improve from the first to second half of the season. His demotion didn't come as a surprise. It's become common practice for teams to wait out the extra few weeks into the season before calling up prospects to gain the extra year before a team reaches free agency. He's young, he's healthy, and he's got good stuff, but he still needs to establish himself. He didn't have an outstanding Spring Training, so he hasn't forced the Mets' hand to put him in the rotation. He may be the extra boost in the rotation the Mets need this year. To wait until the Super 2 deadline in June would be a little bit harder to wait for. The Mets front office hasn't been known to make these big moves, but if Syndergaard has a number of great starts to open the season in Las Vegas, how soon they bring him up would be in discussion. What also may change how early we see him in the majors is if an injury were to occur. That would require another pitcher to fill a rotation spot. Either way, I'm sure we'll see Syndergaard at some point this year, but most want him up sooner rather than later.

Steven Matz, though not mentioned in the newspapers quite as often, is a southpaw pitcher who can also have a huge impact for the Mets this season. Yes, he was also recently demoted to Las Vegas, but I certainly think we'll be seeing him in the majors this year. He posted a 2.08 ERA in Spring Training, allowing only 2 ER. He split the 2013 season between the St. Lucie Mets (A) and Binghamton (AA), posting a 2.25 ERA. Getting to where he is now has been tough. Signing with the Mets directly out of high school in 2010, he shortly after had to undergo Tommy John Surgery. While the normal recovery time averages 12-14 months, Matz's was prolonged. It eventually took him two years to fully recover, but he did. He had no intention of giving up and he's a tough guy. He's always looking to improve on things, whether that be his pitching or even his hitting. He's an outstanding pitcher with a lot of potential and his great ERA in Spring Training has only added to the impression he gives the team officials.

Lastly, Rafael Montero. It's unclear as to where he'll fit into the team at this point, whether it be the bullpen or the starting rotation. The competition for the final rotation spot seems to be between him and Gee. After coming up to the majors last year, he had a tough time, posting a 4.06 ERA in 10 games, giving up 21 runs in 44.1 IP. However, he recently made a start against the Yankees and pitched well. He was in good command of all of his pitches and the team officials were definitely impressed. It seems that his job is most likely going to be in the bullpen, but he definitely will be an asset as a long-term reliever as long as he continues to pitch well and with control. If he continues to pitch well, he may make it harder for them to send him to the pen.

So, that about sums up the current and future major league starting pitchers (or in Montero's case, possible SP) in the organization. From a personal standpoint, I'm extremely excited to eventually see Steven Matz. I think he will be a huge addition to the rotation this season. Their pitching staff is very well built and with the eventual addition of the young arms, it can only get better. If this is going to be the year they make a playoff push, they need the offense, but their starting pitching is just as important.

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ICYMI: I wrote a post about the rising numbers of Tommy John Surgery