N.Y. Mets: Thor Lowers Opening Day Hammer on Braves

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

THOR STRIKE; THOR LIKE

FINAL

Braves  0

METS   6

NEW YORK METS: Noah Syndergaard Lowers Opening Day Hammer On Overmatched Atlanta Braves.

Noah Syndergaard wasted no time lowing his hammer upon the opposition, earning his first victory of the 2017 season in a 6-0 whitewashing of the Braves during Monday's Opening Day game at Citi Field.

Thor faced 23 batters, throwing 86 pitches with 55 going for strikes.  He surrendered just five hits over six scoreless innings pitched, issued no walks and fanned seven before leaving the game with a blister on his middle finger.

Better soak that thing in pickle juice!

I'm not concerned with a blister, per se, but Syndergaard's off-season conditioning did generate some anxiety and cause for pause.  Noah gained roughly fifteen pounds of muscle during the off-season in a self-described effort to sustain velocity through late innings, and for sustaining strength late in the season.

Above all, Thor said he wants to throw harder.  He touched 100 mph early in spring training, and I wasn't too pleased about it.  On Monday, his slider clocked in at 94-mph.  So after earning a win and going 1 for 2 at the plate, I'm sure he's feeling invincible right about now.

I just don't want him over-doing it.

Up until very recently, weight lifting was always considered taboo.  Obviously that's no longer the case.  Building muscle inhibits arm flexibility, elasticity, and I believe is counter productive to establishing muscle memory.  Pitchers arms need to be loose; elastic; they require flexibility and full range of motion.  They shouldn't be bulking up.  I believe pitchers are best served by throwing more, running, and concentrating on their core.

FYI:

• Freddie Freeman saw ten pitches from Syndergaard, and went 3 for 4, with a triple and no strikeouts

• R.A. Dickey received a very warm Citi Field welcome, but Bartolo Colon's was warmer.

• With the bases loaded in the 7th, Lucas Duda connected on a bases clearing double to deep center.