Pete Alonso

One of the categories Pete Alonso led the Mets in last season and, hopefully, won't this season, is hitting into double plays. He did that 20 times in 2023, one of four Mets to do it at least 10 times. The other three: Francisco Alvarez (14), Francisco Linder (11), and Brett Bay (10).

Tylor Megill

Anthony DiComo predicts that Tylor Megill will be one of the Mets' starters in 2024. My crystal ball doesn't show that happening, at least not at the start of the season. He finished last season with a 4.70 ERA, and his career ERA is 4.72. High. Plus, last season he tied with Carrasco for giving up the second-most homers on the team — 18. Only Scherzer gave up more, 23. I prefer my starters to keep the ball in the ballpark.

  

Strat-O-Matic Baseball

It's been awhile since I've played a baseball board game, but I recently decided to do so again using the 2006 version of Strat-O-Matic baseball. It is a dice-toss game where you toss three dice to start each at-bat. One die is white; the other two are red. 

The white die's result informs whether you check the batter's or the pitcher's card and which column on that card. The two red dice direct you to a row on the chosen card.

The New York Mets were facing the Washington Nationals; the Mets were the home team. Tom Glavine started for the Mets; Ramón Ortiz was on the mound for the Nats. 

The game did not go as I expected. Glavine was 40 years old and in his 20th MLB season, his fourth as a Met. Despite his age, he completed it with a 15-7 record and a 3.82 ERA. But in my game, he struggled to keep Nats' runners from crossing the plate. 

In the second inning, eight batters challenged Glavine. Though the only hits were three singles, the four runs they helped to score were two more than the Mets got the whole game.

It was a disappointing way to start my 2024 Strat-O-Matic season.

Jacob deGrom's pitching problem identified, addressed, hopefully fixed

On theathletic.com, Tim Britton wrote that this season "the Mets’ perceived strength has been their biggest weakness."

He's talking about their starting pitching.

The article focuses on Jacob deGrom's last start against the Braves, "his first non-quality start in nearly a year," according to Britton.

Last year, Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the Cy Young Award, finishing the season with a 1.70 ERA. This season, after four starts, his ERA is 3.68 and, in his last start against the Braves, in just five innings he threw 114 pitches: Only 62.2% were strikes.

Robinson Cano Not Hitting Balls Hard

1️⃣ Hard hit balls have an exit velocity of at least 95 mph. Balls with a lower exit velocity are weakly-hit, according to Major League Baseball.
2️⃣ In 2019, only one Met with at least one at-bat has a Hard Hit % of zero: Dominic Smith — in 9 Batted Ball Events (hit, out, or error). 
3️⃣ Close to zero is Robinson Cano: His Hard Hit % is 12.5% — in 24 BBE. 

❗️Thus, 87.5% of Cano's batted balls have been weakly hit. 

❓Why? Explanations?  Maybe he has an undisclosed injury.

Edwin Diaz Fails Mets Against Astros

When Edwin Diaz entered the Mets-Astros game yesterday with the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth, a runner was on first (Wrenn) with two outs. Using the 2018 RE24 table on Baseball Prospectus, the expected number of runs that would score in that Base/Out situation is 0.871. 

Unfortunately, that did not happen.

🥎 Mets Team OBP Near Top of MLB

In the 2018 regular season, the Mets ranked 21st in Major League Baseball in team OBP with .312. That's similar to how they did in the 2018 spring training when they ranked 20th with an OBP of .326.

Mets News Worth Reading — and More

⚾️ Travis d'Arnaud's comeback continues. 

After his first time behind the plate since Tommy John surgery, d'Arnaud told New York Post writer Kevin Kernan, "I feel great. I feel like I have a new arm.’’ That good news for Mets. 

He caught for three innings.

D'Arnaud had the surgery on April 17, 2018, almost a year ago, after being diagnosed with "a partial tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm, his throwing arm" — https://nydn.us/2VJSY3B.

As a bonus, he also had two hits, both singles.  

My Column https://t.co/u16R9VEsRW

— Kevin Kernan (@WheresKernan) March 8, 2019

⚾️ Take a photo journey of the Mets 2018 opening day, courtesy of newsday.com.

During it you will get a "fans-eye" view of what it was like to be at Citi Field on March 29, 2018 when the Mets faced the Cardinals, whom they beat 9-4.

Mets News Worth Reading — and More

⚾️ He's back! The Mets signing of OF Carlos Gomez is official.

OF Gomez: 'It's a dream' to be back with Mets https://t.co/s9UzQ55vbO pic.twitter.com/UiGZfqvxku

— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) March 7, 2019

🥎 Kevin Kernan writes about Mets "quiet hires."

Inside Mets' quiet hires — like scout who helped land MLB's best prospect https://t.co/9hj18LTJwr via @nypostsports

— metbaseball (@metbaseball) March 7, 2019

Mets News Worth Reading — and More

⚾️ Is Dallas Keuchel the missing piece that the Mets need to gain the top spot in the NL East? 

Tim Ryder of metsmerizedonline.com favors his acquisition.

something new for @MetsMerized #LGM https://t.co/M84ZrcZn4H

— Tim Ryder (@TimothyRRyder) March 6, 2019

🥎 Check out "The latest Keuchel free-agent rumors." 

A negative that might have dampened the Mets' interest to date is that "Keuchel is tied to Draft-pick compensation," according to mlb.com.

⚾️ Mets face tough test during March and April. 

Nineteen of their games are against NFL East opponents: six with Nationals, three with Marlins, four with Braves, & six with #Phillies. Good test for Mets.

New York Mets News Worth Reading — and More

• Mets lose "home" game 9-3. Why did the Red Sox squash the Mets yesterday? When your pitchers give up eight earned runs while your team crosses the plate only three times, it creates a losing situation. Worsening what happened was that the Mets had 13 runners in scoring position but were able to plate only three. Sound familiar? Full box score.

• Rosario hit by pitch on hand; X-rays negative by Anthony DiComo on mlb.com. In the article is this video:

No surprise here, but Amed Rosario is relieved there's nothing broken in his hand. pic.twitter.com/xIxYyIYmJy

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 4, 2019

• Mets lefthander Steven Matz sticks with curve even though it wasn't working by Tim Healey on newsday.com. The article begins with "His command lacking and confusion mounting, Steven Matz stuck with the pitch that wasn’t working Monday: his curveball." More from the article:
• Matz: “I kept wanting to keep going back to it because I didn’t like the way I was not commanding it,” Matz said. “Just kept going back to it, and that’s part of spring training. You got to use stuff now even if you don’t have it.”
• Healey: "His other pitches were fine, good enough for him [Matz] to call it 'a step in the right direction,' no matter the five hits, four runs and two walks."
• Callaway: “He was working on his craft and trying to get better.”

• Mets lineup much improved in 2019

The projected 2019 lineups and rotations for all MLB teams are here.











Updated at 8:15 a.m.

New York Mets News Worth Reading — and More

• On-fire Dominic Smith is making the Mets take notice by Dan Marti

• Elated Travis d'Arnaud is ready for comeback — but with Mets? by Joel Sherman

• After sleep apnea, Smith's bat wakes up by Anthony DiComo

• Amed Rosario the next Xander Bogaerts? Mets coach Gary DiSarcina sees the similarities by Tim Healey
• Mets batting stats after yesterday's game — here are highlights:

After yesterday's #Mets game, among Mets who have played in more than one spring training game, C Wilson Ramos has highest OPS—1.500, SS Amed Rosario the top SLG—.909, & 1B Dominic Smith the most hits & RBIs. pic.twitter.com/9HHu0YE14R

— writerhoward (@metbaseball) March 4, 2019

Updated 11:54 a.m. 

New York Mets News Worth Reading — and More

Sportswriters Matt Ehalt and Joel Sherman express conflicting views about how the Mets should use reliever Edwin Diaz this coming season. Which view makes more sense to you?

• Matt Ehalt, MLB writer at northjersey.com, wrote a piece with the headline "With Edwin Diaz now serving as closer, Mets no longer considering unconventional tactics." In it, he quotes Mets manager Mickey Callaway saying this about Edwin Diaz: "He knows he's got the ninth. He's going to go out there and pitch well in the ninth for us. He knows what to expect going in." But is that a strong enough reason for limiting Diaz to the last inning?

— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) March 2, 2019

• In contrast, New York Post sportswriter Joel Sherman expresses a view opposite to Ehalt's in his piece, "Mets must not employ archaic baseball logic with Edwin Diaz."

#Mets shouldn't be confined to using Edwin Diaz just in the ninth inning https://t.co/Dqsh7U1XjQ

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) March 3, 2019

• Mets defeat Cards, get fifth spring win. 

#Mets win 10-8. D'Arnaud plays in first spring game, singles. Lagares goes 3-5, scores 3 times. Dominic Smith singles twice, homers, has 4 RBIs, BA now .500. On the pitching-side, in 1.2 IP, Wheeler gave up 4 H, 3 ER, ERA now 10.13—better now than during regular season. pic.twitter.com/PLJkmjmUNf

— writerhoward (@metbaseball) March 3, 2019

Updated 5:22 p.m.

Mets News Worth Reading — and More

Updated 7:39 p.m.

• Mets.com writer Anthony DiComo answers fans' question in "Inbox: How will Mets counter Harper deal?"
• On MetsMerizedOnline.com, Michael Mayer reports that Mets ace Jacob "deGrom Twirls Three Scoreless in Second Spring Start."
• New York Post's Mike Puma says "Jacob deGrom approval may help Devin Mesoraco stick with Mets."
• Michael Mayer of MMO shares info about and photo of one of Mets better prospects, catcher Francisco Alvarez.

Get your first look at Mets catching prospect Francisco Alvarez.

Mets gave the 17-year-old a team record $2.7 million bonus last July.

BA had him as their No. 9 prospect in the 2018 IFA class. Big raw power and a strong arm according to reports. Photo by @ed880. pic.twitter.com/H9JpdfUS10

— Michael Mayer (@mikemayerMMO) March 1, 2019

Mets Trade Future for Present

When building, if you remove important pieces from the bottom to strengthen the top, you risk the building becoming top-heavy and, as a result, toppling.

That’s the risk Brodie Van Wagenen, the Mets new GM is taking. Since assuming the position in October 2018, Van Wagenen has traded away 12 players, mostly prospects and including former top draft picks OF Jarred Kelenic and P Justin Dunn, for seven players. 

While strengthening the team’s depth, he’s weakened the organization’s depth, swapping the future for the present.

Van Wagenen’s primary pre-Mets experience was as a sports agent. On his LinkedIn page, its states that he “Led contract negotiations for CAA Baseball clients totalling more than $2 billion” and “has advised 67 first-round draft picks.” 

He never ran an MLB front office; yet, the Wilpons hired him.

After the hire, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said on sny.tv that "We hired our first choice and somebody that we think is gonna be great," adding "He's a leader, he's organized, he's gonna be collaborative with our entire staff."

The Wilpons’ decision had its critics. 

On beyondtheboxscore.com, Daniel R. Epstein wrote, “this hire is curious at best. Van Wagenen has no front office experience whatsoever.”

On risingapple.com, a Mets blog, Jonathan Rosen wrote with Van Wagenen’s hiring over “Tampa Bay Rays Senior Vice-President of Baseball Operations, Chaim Bloom, the Mets have solidified themselves as a joke of a franchise.” Rosen then argues that success as a sport agent “has zero bearing on knowing the ins and outs of running a team.”

Friendship seems to have played a role in Van Wagenen’s hire. In the above-mentioned sny.tv appearance, Wilpon’s opening remark was “Brodie and I have a long relationship, a friendship, going back a number of years.” How significant a factor was that in the hire?

With the trades of so many prospects, Van Wagenen has dug a hole in the Mets farm system. Hopefully, he won’t deepen it.

GM Van Wagenen’s roster roulette

Jan 6, 2019: Walker Lockett, SP, traded From Cleveland w/INF Sam Haggerty for C Kevin Plawecki.

Jan 6, 2019: J.D. Davis, 3B and Cody Bohanek, INF, traded From Houston for OF Ross Adolph, C Scott Manea, and INF Luis Santana.

Jan 5, 2019: Keon Broxton, CF, traded From Milwaukee for P Bobby Wahl, P Adam Hill and INF Felix Valeriol

Dec 3, 2018: Edwin Diaz, RP and Robinson Cano, 2B, traded from Seattle for OF Jay Bruce, P Anthony Swarzak, P Gerson Bautista, OF Jarred Kelenic and P Justin Dunn

Sources: CBSSPORTS.COM and espn.com

The Player with the Highest WAR as a Met

Here is the WAR of each of the following players during their Mets career*:

• Carlos Beltran (31.1)
• Dwight Gooden (41.6)
• Jerry Koosman (39.6)
• Tom Seaver (76.1)
• Daryl Strawberry (36.6)
• David Wright (50.4)

So the winner of the WAR competition is Tom Seaver, and coming in second, but not close behind, is David Wright.

* The WAR values are from baseballreference.com.

Mets Challenge #1

Which one of the following players had the highest WAR (Wins Above Replacement) during his Mets career?

Who was #2? (Don’t include games played on any other team).

• Carlos Beltran
• Dwight Gooden
• Jerry Koosman
• Tom Seaver
• Daryl Strawberry
• David Wright

Mets Sign Another Reliever to Minor-League Contract

The Mets have inked LHP Luis Avilan to a minor-league deal. With the White Sox and Phillies in 2018, in 70 games (45.1 IP) he had a 3.77 ERA, a K/9 of 10.13, and BB/9 of 3.57. 

The Mets are his fifth team. Previously, he also pitched for the Braves and Dodgers, starting his MLB career with Atlanta in 2012.

When the Phillies traded for him in August 2018, here's a comment in mlb.com that their manager made:

"He's really good vs. lefties," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said of Avilan. "And as you know, Washington and Atlanta, it's nice to have the left-handed weapon. He had faced 77 left-handed batters this year, four extra-base hits, no home runs, five walks, [21] strikeouts. It's going to be a nice weapon for us to have. And given the fact that Aaron Loup was on the DL, that was a really, really smart acquisition by [general manager] Matt [Klentak] and puts us in a much better position going forward."

Though the article in mlb.com also said, "Avilan cannot become a free agent until after the 2019 season, so he could help the Phillies beyond this season, too," the Phillies didn’t offer him a new contract. 

Since 2015, Luis Avilan’s ERA has been below the MLB average and much lower against lefties than righties: See the graph at https://bit.ly/2RmbYYt.

Another possible Mets 2019 lineup

Another possible Mets lineup (by position) that we could see in 2019 at Citi Field:

1B: J. D. Davis
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Amed Rosario
3B: T.J. Rivera
LF: Gregor Blanco
CF: Juan Lagares
RF: Brandon Nimmo
C: Tomas Nido
P: Kyle Dowdy

This lineup gives the Mets a stronger defense.

Newcomers to the team in this lineup include J. D. Davis, Robinson Cano, Gregor Blanco, and Kyle Dowdy.

One Possible Mets 2019 Starting Lineup

One possible Mets starting lineup (by position) we could see at Citi Field this coming season:

1B: Peter Alfonso

2B: Robinson Cano

SS: Amed Rosario

3B: J. D. Davis

LF: Michael Conforto

CF: Keon Broxton

RF: Brandon Nimmo

C: Wilson Ramos

P: Walker Lockett

Do you think that with this lineup the Mets will win or lose more games?

What’s your possible lineup?

A Proposed Mets Starting Lineup — #6, 7, and 8

In the 6, 7, and 8 slots Roster Resource has Jeff McNeil, Amed Rosario, and Juan Lagares. The biggest surprise is that McNeil is playing first base, which I don't think will happen. More likely, Peter Alonso will get first crack at that position. 

I'm okay with Rosario batting seventh and Lagares eighth. Right now, they are the best players that Mets have at SS and CF, so they need to be somewhere in the lineup.

One of the Mets biggest challenges this coming season will be what to do with McNeil. He deserves to be a regular-day player; however, the trade for Cano could significantly alter how much playing time McNeil gets. 

The more I think abut the Cano deal, the less enamored I become with it.

A Proposed Mets Starting Lineup -- the #4 and #5 Hitters

An article on the website, Beyond the Box Score, states that "the #4 hitter comes to bat in the most important situations out of all nine spots." Roster Resource puts LF Michael Conforto in that spot. Historically, the hitter in the cleanup spot was the "power bat," the team's best slugger, the best guy at driving in runs. Is Conforto that guy?

Two stats measure power hitting: ISO and SLG. SLG includes singles; whereas, ISO includes only extra-base hits.

Last season, of the Mets position players who played in at least 100 games, Conforto had the second-highest slugging percentage, .448, behind Brandon Nimmo, who had a SLG of .483. Further, in the MLB SLG ranking Conforto ranked 66th while his ISO of .204 was 48th best in MLB. 

Given that Nimmo is assigned the first spot in the order, Cano, the third, and Cespedes won't be available on opening day, another option would be new Met Wilson Ramos who in 2018 had an ISO of only .181 but an SLG of .487, almost 40 points higher than Conforto. However, given that Conforto's career ISO and SLG were .225 and .476 versus Ramos' of .166 and .439, it makes sense to stay with the way Roster Resource has their lineup: Conforto bats fourth and Ramos hit fifth. 

The bottom line is that the Mets opening day lineup will lack a top cleanup hitter.