Nine games are in the books in 2012, and the Mets have won six of them. Certainly a better start than most predicted. Getting off to a good start was important to this team. It gives the fans a modicum of hope, and reason to go to the ballpark, watch the games on TV and buy the products advertised (Except for that “Somebody Left the Gate Open” thing – I don’t even know what that commercial is for), and spend money for MLB.TV.
The team continued its promising start this weekend in Philadelphia, taking 2 of 3 from the Mets’ maroon menace, the Philadelphia Phillies.
So, what did we learn?
Hitting
We learned David Wright wouldn’t let a thing like a broken finger get in the way of absolutely raking. Wright looks as good as he ever has at the plate – confident, selective, and quick. How’s this for a line?
AVG HR RBI OBP SLG
| .571 | 2 | 5 | .615 | .857 |
Meanwhile, we also learned that Ike Davis would not go 0 for the season. He went 3-12 on the series with a homer and 2 RBI. Lucas Duda also showed signs of busting out of his slump (it’s OK to say “slump” now that Willie Randolph isn’t here), going 4-11 with a homer and 2 RBI.
The lineup got to Cliff Lee early on Friday, and finished with 5 runs. They also scored 5 against Vance Worley and company on Saturday. Sunday, the were handled by Cole Hamels, who was nasty all day, striking out 10 Mets.
Which speaks to another point. We learned that Terry Collins wanted the Mets to be more aggressive at the plate – and they were, effectively jumping on first pitch fastballs from Lee and Worley. That approach fell flat against Hamels’s array of deceptive cutters and changeups. In the long run, a more patient approach at the plate is traditionally the most successful (see: Every team in the AL East). We’ll see how their aggressive approach plays out.
Pitching
We learned that Mets pitching remained strong. R.A. Dickey out dueled Cliff Lee with a 7 inning, 7 K performance on Friday, Jon Niese tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings on Saturday, and God help us, even Mike Pelfrey pitched 6 strong, if somewhat messy, innings on Sunday.
The bullpen, led by Bobby Parnell and Jon Rauch, was tremendous until the 7th inning on Sunday. Ramon Ramirez threw a wild pitch and surrendered 2 earned runs en route to coughing up the lead. Then a Ruben Tejada error led to 4 unearned runs in the 8th.
Defense
We learned that this team is still capable of playing sloppy baseball. Ramirez’s wild pitch trickled a few feet away from Mike Nickeas, allowing Philly runners to advance from first and second to second and third, wiping out the ground ball double play possibility. Not saying it’s an easy play, but a major league catcher should be able to keep a pitch like that in front of him.
Josh Thole pulled the boner of the decade on Friday. R.A. Dickey sacrificed him to second. Phils’ SS Jimmy Rollins put up his hand, presumably to tell Josh to stand up because the play was over (in other words, don’t slide). Thole thought he meant “foul ball, go back to first.” So, Thole went back to first and was promptly tagged out.
- Why do you use the opposing team’s shortstop as your third base coach?
- Just…ergh!
On a positive note, this incident prompted the line of the year so far. When he returned to the dugout, Thole apologized to Collins, saying, “I’ll never do that again.” Collins replied, “Really?”
On the plus side, Kirk Nieuwenhuis made a nice running catch in center field on Saturday.
So ends the third series of the year. Things are still looking up, but in a very tenuous way.
What did you learn?
41 comments
srt
4/16/2012-1:02pm at 1:02 pm (UTC -4)
I learned that our defense early in is indeed a problem. I’m actually less impressed with Duda out there in RF than Murphy so far. And had Tejada made a more accurate throw over to first with 2 men on in that inning, it’s possible the flood gates stay closed. No matter, we were already down a run and our offense couldn’t even make that one up, let alone the other unearned runs.
Learned that Pelfrey has a sense of humor, even through all his struggles. Read the other day that the heckling in CBP when he’s in the BP -was so bad that security had one thrown out.
He also had this to say yesterday:
* Mike Pelfrey joked that nobody benefited more than him from wearing No. 42 as part of MLB’s tribute to Jackie Robinson. In the past, Pelfrey has been abused, especially by Mets fans, while warming in the bullpen at Citizens Bank Park. That wasn’t the case yesterday, as Pelfrey heard supportive fans telling him to beat the Phillies.
“I looked at my jersey and thought maybe because it didn’t say ‘34’ they didn’t know who I am,” Pelfrey said. “The ‘42’ threw them off.”
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/now_it_bay_who_jammed_up_E4mbE6ISdsVGKaYtXtGh2I
****************
So far, this has the makings of a .500 club. Too early to tell IMO how things are going to shake out.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
I learned that they have the talent to compete. And that the defense is not going to be carrying the team this year.
I also think I learned that Kirk might be a keeper.
I know I learned that batista is, well, not good.
And I confirmed that I hate the Phillies.
srt
4/16/2012-1:31pm at 1:31 pm (UTC -4)
I so enjoyed reading the Phillies blogs Sat and Sun, before the game. Oh, the whining.
BL had a post up on Sunday before the game asking yes or no….do you think interest in the Phillies is waning?
Before the game is was 2 to 1 for yes.
This morning it was still yes but only by about 12 votes.
I guess the W yesterday gave them a little more confidence.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:37pm at 1:37 pm (UTC -4)
somehow getting shut down by Pelf in your own park should not give anyone confidence.
theer is a steady stream of articles in the paper with the worry about this year not being able to recover theme.
srt
4/16/2012-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
Prior to this series, I had been reading about the concern from most fans about their offense. After watching the series though, I’d say it’s a more than legitimate concern. They didn’t do much Friday and Saturday for sure.
And how many of those runs yesterday were unearned?
Even that fly ball to Duda that he got a bad jump on and dropped in front of him would have been a fly ball out with a better RF out there.
Without Howard and Utley their offense is nothing special at all. Pence can’t do it all himself, I think Polanco at 36 is more than declining and not sure how much Mayberry will contribute.
The longer Utley and Howard stay out, the better for the rest of the NL east.
kingman 26
4/16/2012-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
We continue to learn:
–That the starting pitching will be better than expected
–That the offense will definitely not be that great as some of us insisted all winter
–That the bullpen might be top-heavy and not that deep, but good overall
–That defense–as all quarters predicted–is this team’s Achilles heel. We have first basemen at first, second, right field, and catcher
–That David Wright might finally be healthy and over the effects of the beaning
–That Jon Niese might finally be ready to step up; the real question is how much of the new contract goes to Beltran
TRS86
4/16/2012-1:16pm at 1:16 pm (UTC -4)
I reserve the right to disagree with the offense again. Once Davis and Duda get going I think the offense will be just fine as I said all along.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:17pm at 1:17 pm (UTC -4)
they have been scoring enough runs (against some tough pitching too) even without those guys. And (other than Bay) I don’t expect them to stay ice cold all year.
kingman 26
4/16/2012-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, but Tejada, Wright, and Thole most definitely will not continue at this pace.
TRS86
4/16/2012-2:48pm at 2:48 pm (UTC -4)
True. I guess we shall just have to wait and see. I stand by my prediction that the offense will come within striking distance or even exceed last year’s.
Stick
4/16/2012-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
normal ebb and flow. as long as a few guys are hot at a time, they will score runs. If a whole bunch all get hot together, they will pile them up.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:16pm at 1:16 pm (UTC -4)
wouldn’t it be a hoot if the mets and cards ended up in the play-in WC game, and Neise went the distance, freezing Beltran with a nasty hook to seal the win for the Mets?
kingman 26
4/16/2012-2:43pm at 2:43 pm (UTC -4)
HAHAHA! That would be PERFECT!!
Prismo
4/16/2012-1:21pm at 1:21 pm (UTC -4)
Thank god Kirk can play a good CF. If he was bad out there…I don’t even know. I might just try to bloop in shallow fly balls if I was an opposing batter for easy base hits.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE DEFENSE.
Can someone help out – how much can a player’s defense improve over time if he’s young? Is it realistic that Duda and Murphy could end up being average fielders? Or are we stuck with this, and having no way to get a fair return in a trade.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:27pm at 1:27 pm (UTC -4)
they can. Murphy is more of a stretch since I think he is weaker to start with, and 2B is a hell of a lot harder.
Duda should really be over in LF due to range, but I think he will be fine as he continues to get experience out there. It seems to be more of a repetition issue now, now basic skill.
wanny
4/16/2012-2:04pm at 2:04 pm (UTC -4)
i don’t know that a RFer has more ground to cover than a LFer in mostly symmetrical parks. I do think RF is tougher than LF because most batters hit from the right side and balls hit to RF tend to tail away from the right fielder.
Stick
4/16/2012-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
I think a big part of it is balls in the corner. In LF, still a double, but in RF if you don’t get there quick enough you can be looking at a triple. Plus the throws are easier, though Duda does have a good arm.
kingman 26
4/16/2012-2:43pm at 2:43 pm (UTC -4)
True, and Duda does somewhat compensate for his lumbering suckitude by having a very good arm.
TRS86
4/16/2012-2:49pm at 2:49 pm (UTC -4)
I still see Duda as more of a LF long-term. You just don’t see that many bad defensive RF.
Prismo
4/16/2012-3:01pm at 3:01 pm (UTC -4)
If you HAD to bet on it, would you say Bay is the starter in LF to start next season?
srt
4/16/2012-1:35pm at 1:35 pm (UTC -4)
Regarding that Kirk catch out in CF the other day….
Camera angle was tracking Duda all the way. Almost to the point that the ball was on it’s way done at the fence, Kirk wasn’t even in the picture. Out of nowhere, he bolts in from the left and out of nowhere, grabs it as it’s coming down and smashing his shoulder into the fence to boot.
Now…Duda might not have been charging at full speed (or maybe he was and that is Duda’s full speed – lol), but to have Kirk beat him to that spot when he was twice as far away was pretty impressive.
TRS86
4/16/2012-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
It’s not like they have faced any true stinkers in pitching either. Detwiler is the closest and him being LH with Wright out certainly didn’t help things.
Hanson, Jurrjens, Minor, Jackson, Straus, Detwiler, Lee, Worley, Hamels.
Stick
4/16/2012-1:19pm at 1:19 pm (UTC -4)
I was thinking about the defense this morning. And remembering the comment from sandy acknowledging they were taking a risk (sacrificing D for O)
What I was going with is that this is not the NFL. Guys have to play both ways. so fine to say get better D guys, but not many just laying around that can also hit (and of course, that means getting rid of your bats).
Stick
4/16/2012-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
finishing the thought…
Yes, the ideal is to beef up on both sides of the ball, but that is going to take a little time. Need a 2B to step up to replace Murphy, Duda you have to live with but get the man over to LF at least, and G only knows where a stud catcher is going to come from.
other than those spots (RF, 2B and C) with Kirk in, they are fine defensively.
NJstuckinTX
4/16/2012-1:34pm at 1:34 pm (UTC -4)
Stud catcher will come from the D. Wright trade in this coming offseason… :-O
Stick
4/16/2012-1:39pm at 1:39 pm (UTC -4)
You are a bad, bad man.
No wonder you were banished from the garden state to the humid hell that is Houston.
NJstuckinTX
4/16/2012-1:56pm at 1:56 pm (UTC -4)
Well, think about it. Wright has a monster year. Team exercises that option. Wouldn’t that be the perfect opportunity to sell high?
just sayin…
Stick
4/16/2012-1:42pm at 1:42 pm (UTC -4)
seriously though, for all the wailing about “why didn’t sandy dump thole and get a better catcher”, it is really hard to find one of them. Even the better regarded MiL guys (who are far from sure things) cost a fortune in talent back. And even then, not many to go around.
Of course, most of the same nabobs that are ragging on Sandy for not upgrading Thole would be all over him if he had trading Neise for a AAA catcher!
srt
4/16/2012-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
If we trade anyone at the deadline this year (and no, not talking about Wright), here’s hoping Sandy can get back some decent catching prospect.
Stick
4/16/2012-2:01pm at 2:01 pm (UTC -4)
they have a couple in the lower minors that might be legit, but nothing at all close.
wanny
4/16/2012-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
They always say that pitching and hitting will change from day to day but that speed and defense are steady. We have neither of the latter.
We learned that the Mets do, in fact, have lots of talent but that they still seem to compete with themselves at times. Must drive a guy like Terry Collins crazy.
I also re-learned something I already knew; the greatness of bacon. My two year old will eat no meat. Well, until he decided to try some bacon.
Prismo
4/16/2012-3:14pm at 3:14 pm (UTC -4)
Sorry to go off-topic here, but I’m curious to see some intellectuals sound off on the current topic-du-jour over at the other blog. (Mets retiring numbers)
So the options over there are the following, although some are adding their own names into the mix like David Wright (yes, really – some want to retire his number, while he still plays).
Gary Carter’s 8
Keith Hernandez’s 17
Darryl Strawberry’s 18
Doc Gooden’s 16
Davey Johnson’s 5
For my own part, of course I believe Piazza’s number should and will be retired. With regards to the rest on the list…only Keith even makes me consider it. If he comes back as a hitting coach and the team has a few good seasons, he has my vote (not going to happen). Otherwise, I’m borderline. I adamantly do not think Carter’s number should be retired, especially if it has anything to do with his passing, which is ridiculous.
wanny
4/16/2012-3:25pm at 3:25 pm (UTC -4)
strawberry makes the most sense to me because he is at or near the top of most Mets leader boards and was a met for a sufficient period of time. Mex and Kid were not Mets very long and really had their primes elsewhere. Gooden differs from Strawberry because there’s no argument that Gooden was the best Mets anything of all-time while, for now — until Wright finishes up — it is arguable that Straw is the best Mets hitter of all time.
Piazza is an interesting case. I would not oppose it but I do not feel it’s a knock should he not be honored. He too had his best seasons in LA.
Prismo
4/16/2012-4:08pm at 4:08 pm (UTC -4)
Piazza marginally had his best couple of seasons in LA, but he spent some time in NY with similar numbers. And overall he spent more time in NY, had way more HR and RBI. Yeah his overall OPS was probably around 50 points lower, but I think at WORST you could argue his career was equally good in both cities, all things considered.
Stick
4/16/2012-3:44pm at 3:44 pm (UTC -4)
based on how the Mets view retiring numbers (which I agree with BTW) none of them. this should be reserved for true franchise guys. And if you want to stretch it, guys with good met careers that also make the HOF (maybe if go in with a Met hat?) like Piazza.
Seaver, yes. that was easy.
also, to that list above, you could add Koosman.
srt
4/16/2012-5:43pm at 5:43 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not big on retiring uniform numbers. I believe it’s got to be a significant contribution to the game and the majority of that time/high contributions spent as a Met.
Seaver was a no brainer.
I’d agree with Piazza, especially if he goes into the HOF with a Mets cap.
The rest? I just don’t know. I suppose you could make a case for Straw but it would be borderline.
Even though Keith is my all time favorite Met, the majority of his best seasons were not in NY. Same with Carter – even though both certainly were integral parts of those mid 80′s teams.
Gooden was phenominal those first few season when he came up, but by ’87 started that season in rehab.
Stickguy
4/16/2012-5:49pm at 5:49 pm (UTC -4)
See, IMO that is what the Met hall of fame is for. All those guys should be in there. But retiring the number? that only belongs to the true elites.
I will give it to Piazza if he hits the HOF with a met cap on.
saltygary
4/16/2012-3:20pm at 3:20 pm (UTC -4)
I think we need to get this twitter account in the feed:
https://twitter.com/#!/DumbMetsTweets
The person retweets, some of our favorite peoples thoughts, along with some other gems.
kingman 26
4/16/2012-6:10pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)
This is magnificent and amazing.
PLEASE we need to add this here somehow!
Stickguy
4/16/2012-6:35pm at 6:35 pm (UTC -4)
loved that your (and of course Salty and MFs) BFF Bayonne was featured prominently.
Pretty sure this is also him. If not, it should be.
DumbTweetsbyMetsFans @DumbMetsTweets
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RT @TommyGunVideo Not anymore..not with this disgusting Front Office that has punted 2 seasons so far. I am not enthused at all
gategem
4/17/2012-1:24am at 1:24 am (UTC -4)
Baltimore is on top of the AL East, the Dodgers are 9-1 and the Mets are 7-3. What does it mean and what have we learned. We learned for a short period the Orioles, Dodgers and Mets can be good but in the course of a long season it mean very little. The optimists are now thumping their chests while the pessimists are finding places to hide. For the rest of us this is fun and as long as it lasts I will enjoy the heck out of this ride. But I will not read too much into it.