GUEST
BRING ON THE BRAVES!
N.L. East Division
SHOWDOWN
Showing posts with label Taijuan Walker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taijuan Walker. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2022
Friday, September 09, 2022
THE METSIAN PODCAST: Into the Home Stretch with Greg Prince
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
GUEST
"The Mets are better at storming the castle than defending the gates." - GP
Always a delight to join @THEMetsianPod. Thank you to the trio of @THE_SamMaxwell @BTB_MikeII and @Metfanrich, as potent a 1-2-3 as Nimmo, Marte and Lindor! https://t.co/npR88pH40q
— Greg Prince (@greg_prince) September 9, 2022
Friday, August 12, 2022
The Metsian Podcast: Chewing Up the Dog Days of Summer with Phil Maillard
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
GUEST
The Great Pennant Race
2022
Tuesday, August 09, 2022
There's Great Joy in Metsville
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
Back in the Summer of '22 ...
The Mets continue taking bites out of the dog days of summer. They survived the seasonal June swoon with a 13-10 record, followed by a strong 17-8 month of July. So far, they're off to a 7-2 start in August.
Except for eleven games, the Mets in 2021 spent nearly all of their first 110 games in first place. They teetered for another week in and out of first. But, by August 14, they were getting swept by the Dodgers and would never climb back atop the N.L. East standings again.
As we know, the division-winning Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros to become baseball's world champions. It was a disappointing season in Flushing, to say the least.
Welcome to 2022 ...
Through the first 110 games of this season, the Mets have occupied first place for all but one day back on April 11, when they fell a half-game back of the Phillies. They've remained in first place ever since. By June 1, the Mets had built a 10.5 game division lead. But, as expected, the Braves awoke from their slumber. Atlanta posted a 23-27 record in their first 50 games through May, then in June, caught fire with a 21-6 record to pull within three games of the Mets. They continued with an 18-8 record in July but gained no ground in the standings.
On Tuesday, August 2, the Braves defeated the Phillies to pull within 2.5 games of first. A year ago today, the Mets were traveling home from Philadelphia, where they initially ceded first place upon getting swept by the Phillies.
With a 3.5 game lead this past Thursday, the Mets hosted the Braves for the opening game of a mid-summer-defining five-game series at Citi Field. Carlos Carrasco won his twelfth game, and Edwin Diaz registered six outs to earn his 24th save. The Braves evened the series with a win in game two. But the Mets answered with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday and wrapped up their fourth win in five games on Sunday.
Highlighting the series was the unveiling of Flushing's dynamic one-two punch, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, who, before his August 2 start at Washington, last climbed a major league mound on July 7 of last year. Through two starts, deGrom has allowed three runs on four hits and one walk with 18 strikeouts through 10.2 innings. On Monday, he struck out twelve Braves in a triumphant return to Citi Field. Max Scherzer pitched the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, allowing no runs on four hits and no walks with eleven strikeouts for his eighth win against two losses with a 1.98 ERA.
I'd be remiss if I didn't laud the entire staff, a deep quality staff. The foursome of Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, and David Peterson have joined together for a 36-16 combined record with a 3.43 ERA in 440 innings pitched.
Meanwhile, closer Edwin Diaz continues having a season for the ages. He has yielded only 27 hits in 45.1 innings with an eye-popping 91 strikeouts for a 5.4 H/9 and 18.1 K/9 average, respectively. Said another way, he has struck out 52.9% of all batters faced, which is reflective of his 0.860 WHiP, to go along with a stellar 1.39 ERA.
Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have been the clear leaders at the plate. Alonso tops the National League with 96 RBI, and Lindor is third. Brandon Nimmo has carved his niche as a premiere leadoff hitter, and Jeff McNeil has consistently maintained a .300 batting average.
In his first season, Billy Eppler's off-season acquisitions have been essential cogs in this machine we call the Mets. The performances of Chris Bassitt and Starling Marte have been exemplary. Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha have been nothing short of serviceable and, in Escobar's case, clutch. And while Eppler's trade deadline acquisitions were met with some criticism, extensive renovations were not needed. What Eppler did with the acquisitions of Daniel Vogelbach, Darin Ruf, and Tyler Naquin was fix a leaky roof and replace the windows. Now the lineup at Flushing by the Bay is water-tight. As planned, they're all contributing to the Mets' fine play in August.
Above all else, I believe Buck Showalter plays a significant role in the Mets' success. His attention to detail and insistence on fundamentals is the team's bedrock. He's genuinely bucking analytical trends and transforming his team into savvy players. Buck's experience is vast, and his baseball intuition uncanny. Just the other day, they executed a suicide squeeze. Baseball is back, indeed. Buck Showalter corrects the years of novice managers and their inexperienced folly.
The Mets enter Wednesday night's game against the Reds with a 71-39 (.645) record. They've won four in a row. Moreover, they're winning at a historic pace for this franchise.
Last season, the Mets and Braves did not face each other in August, which proved a disadvantage for the Mets. This season, the schedule makers had something else in mind, and the Mets seized the moment. Their division lead over the Braves is now back up to seven.
It's been an incredibly entertaining summer. For better or worse, we'll be talking about this season for years to come as a relaunch of the New York Mets under the ownership of Steve Cohen.
In the meantime, the battle for the N.L. East flag rages on ...
Let's Go Mets!
Thursday, July 14, 2022
The Metsian Podcast: N.L. East Sizzle with Jeff Cohen of Baseball & BBQ
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
GUEST
Mets Fever is in the air. Fans everywhere are becoming wildly happy and contagious. Suppose you're breaking out in blue and orange dots. That's because the Mets on Wednesday completed a series victory at Atlanta, taking two out of three games against their top division rival, the defending champion Braves. As they say, if you want to be the best, you must beat the best. As such, the Mets have now won four of seven games against the Braves this season, with a dozen more fanatically distressing division contests still to play. Joining Sam and me to discuss Mets baseball, symptoms of summertime, and the 2022 pennant race will be Jeff Cohen of the acclaimed Baseball & BBQ Podcast.
Friday, July 01, 2022
The Metsian Podcast: Three Months Down, Three Months To Go
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
Remain calm. All is well. Or is it? The Mets barely survived the month of June but still hold a tenuous lead over the Braves. Will it last? Their recent play brings that and many other questions into play. While the Braves and Phillies have at each other in Philadelphia this evening, Sam Maxwell and I try to sort things out in a quick reaction episode of ...
The Metsian Podcast
Friday, May 13, 2022
The Metsian Podcast "Rat in the Grass" Episode
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
It's been said before but bears repeating. The first-place Mets lead the National League in wins and still have yet to lose a series this season. They're getting it done with solid pitching, fielding, and timely hitting. However, we've seen this before. The season is about a fifth of the way through. So, let us pause and ask what differentiates this team from last year's Mets, who, on Aug. 14, 2021, dropped in the standings behind the Phillies and Braves and never recovered. Please join Sam, Rich, and I, as we recap the week and chase down the "rat in the grass" on another getaway day edition of The Metsian Podcast.
seventy-three minutes
Monday, September 27, 2021
The Metsian Podcast: Mourning the Passing of Flushing's 2021 Playoff Aspirations
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
Look out! That piano falling out of the sky has a New York Mets logo on it. Sunday's series finale against the Brewers was akin to something out of Looney Toons. If only they were as enjoyable to watch. Swept by the Cardinals, two losses against the Phillies, swept at Boston, and again at Milwaukee, the free fall continues. The season's final homestand opens on Tuesday against the always troublesome Miami Marlins, then it's off to Atlanta to close out the schedule against the Braves. Alas, their remaining games retain little matter in the standings. Please join Sam, Rich, and I as The Metsian Podcast regrettably mourns the passing of Flushing's 2021 playoff hopes and aspirations.
ninety-five minutes
What Went Wrong And When...?
Marcus Stroman ~ Michael Conforto ~ Javier Baez
Jeff McNeil ~ Taijuan Walker ~ Edwin Diaz ~ Noah Syndergaard
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ~ The New York Mets of Queens
Third Base ... I Don't Know
and so much more!
#LGM
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
It's a Mad, Mad, Mets World: A Cathartic Metsian Podcast With TUMARO MEDIA's Phil Maillard
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
GUEST
TUMARO MEDIA
TUMARO MEDIA
114 minutes
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mets world. The lack of slugging is driving us crazy. After losing three of four to the Miami Marlins, being swept by the Phillies, and falling out of first place, Sam, Rich, me, and Phil Maillard convene for a cathartic episode of The Metsian Podcast. We're here for you. Listen in and decompress.
#LGM
Monday, July 12, 2021
The Metsian Podcast First Half Review
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
113 minutes
FIRST HALF REVIEW
#LGM
Friday, June 11, 2021
The Metsian Podcast: That First Place Feeling In June With Faith & Fear In Flushing's Greg Prince
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
With Guest
ninety-three minutes
Lindor, Alonso, McCann, deGrom, Taijuan Walker, David Peterson,
Matt Harvey, the 1978 Mets season, and so much more!
Friday, May 21, 2021
The Metsian Podcast: Giving Adversity The Silent Treatment with NY1 Reporter Roger Clark
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
FEATURED GUEST
sixty-one minutes
RESILIENCY
#LFGM
Friday, May 14, 2021
THE METSIAN PODFEST: featuring Subway To Shea Podcast & MetsMusings Podcast
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
This week The Metsian Podcast welcomes Anthony Rivera, proprietor of the Subway To Shea Podcast, to the show. On the docket: a seven-game win streak, injuries, stock up/stock down, RatCoon, The Dark Knight returns, and a Mets 1977 regular season rewind assist from Gary Mac of MetsMusings Podcast.
eighty-two minutes
Calling all fans! Be on the lookout for players involved with elevating the Mets into first place. Several of the conspirators are known members of the notorious Bench Mob. The rest of the team is armed with effective pitching and an increasingly dangerous lineup. They are reported to have come away with series victories against the Diamondbacks and Orioles at Citi Field and are now thought to be in transit towards the Tampa/St. Pete area disguised in surfer shorts, sandals, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
#LGM
Friday, May 07, 2021
The Metsian Podcast: State of the Metropolitans with Newsday's David Lennon
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
FEATURED GUEST
1:40:00
Sandy Alderson ~ Luis Rojas ~ Zack Scott
Outgoing Coaches ~ Pete Alonso ~ Incoming Coaches
Pitching ~ Hitting ~ Defense
... and so much more!
Saturday, February 20, 2021
N.Y. Mets: David Peterson's Battle To Keep Spot In Rotation Begins Now
From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET
PITCHERS & CATCHERS
- Off-Season: Like a Nor'Easter Over Flushing Bay
- Pitchers & Catchers: deGrominator Rising
- Pitchers & Catchers: Pressure on Marcus Stroman to Form One-Two Punch
- Pitchers & Catchers: Difference Between Good And Great Could Be Carlos Carrasco
- A Metsian Podcast: Reporting to Camp with Baseball Writer & Analyst Ernest Dove
Can David Peterson Pick Up Where He Left Off?
After just 247.2 innings worth of experience at the minor league level, David Peterson made his MLB debut last season. The Mets 2017 first-round draft pick (20th overall) was called up in late July and finished out the season with ten appearances and nine starts. He yielded just 36 hits and fanned 40 batters in 49.2 innings pitched but allowed an untidy 4.3 walks per nine innings pitched. Peterson otherwise posted a 3.44 ERA and 1.208 WHiP, while his slightly elevated 4.52 FIP was offset by a fine .233 BABIP and .202 average against.
He averaged 5.1 innings per start but finished stronger than that. In his penultimate start of the season, he went six full while striking out ten Atlanta Braves, then in his season finale allowed one run on just four hits over seven full in a victory over Washington.
Not bad for a rookie ...
David Peterson retains his eligibility by a hair; the rookie cut-off is 50 innings pitched, and he did not spend more than 45 days on the pre-expanded 25-man roster. With any luck, he circumvents baseball's mysterious sophomore jinx and can pick up where he left off.
His repertoire consists of the new-age traditional fastball/slider/change, which is based on deception and keeping hitters off-balance, of which I'm not a huge fan. I prefer an accurately placed fastball, location in the zone, and a curveball that falls off the table. Be that as it may, Peterson's fastball and slider come in at 92.6mph and 92.2mph, respectively, and he offsets that with an 84mph change-up.
Peterson went from a pre-camp rotation surety to suddenly being faced with stiff competition for a spot amongst the starting five. It's safe to say the latest free-agent acquisition, Taijuan Walker, is certain to occupy the fourth rotation spot. That leaves a three-way battle for the number five spot between fellow acquisitions Jordan Yamamoto, Joey Lucchesi, and the homegrown David Peterson.
One factor out of Peterson's control is management's manipulation of options. Lucchesi has one option remaining, Yamamoto has two, and Peterson, the freshest of the bunch, has three. All three can expect to see time this season both at Syracuse and Flushing. The only question is when.
Jordan Yamamoto projects as a power pitcher but still lacks requisite control. Instead, the onus is on Joey Lucchesi and David Peterson to distinguish themselves over the next five weeks. The winner moves on to start the season as the rotation's lone southpaw.
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