Musings
There’s a box laying in an empty Mets clubhouse. An unsuspecting Travis d’Arnaud is standing over the box accompanied by Curtis Granderson and Jose Reyes. There was an ominous tone to the meeting as Reyes had already committed most of the seven deadly sins prior to this tension filled moment:
Gluttony – in 2010, it was discovered that Reyes suffered from thyroid problems which many attributed to either diet or drug use.
Greed – He bolted the Mets after signing a six year $106 million contract with the Marlins as soon as free agency began.
Sloth – In his last game with the Mets, Reyes bunted for a single and exited the game ensuring he would win the batting title.
Lust – After being traded last year, Reyes openly talked about how desperately he wanted to once again be a member of the New York Mets despite his being a member of the Colorado Rockies.
Pride – In 2007, Reyes set out to get the Mets all time stolen base record even though his sliding headfirst each and every time was taken a toll on his hands and was noted as a factor in his second half decline.
Wrath – Reyes was charge with beating his wife in their hotel room in Hawaii.
The last sin is what brings us here today. If not for that last sin, Reyes isn’t released from the Rockies. He wouldn’t have found himself back with the Mets organization. He certainly wouldn’t have found himself standing in the Mets clubhouse. Now, there is just one thing he wants, but he can’t have it because it because it belongs to another. This is the point we’re at when d’Arnaud is standing over that box in the clubhouse. He bends down, and he opens it up horrified.
It’s an entire box of Mets jerseys with the number 7. All of these jerseys with the number 7 – home, away, blue alternates, and even the 1986 racing stripe jerseys. They all have the number 7. However, now, these jerseys no longer bear d’Arnaud’s name on the back. No. These jerseys now have Reyes’ name on the back. Reyes took his number back; the number he Envied.
In many ways it is fitting that James Loney was assigned the number 28 by the Mets. Loney is a left-handed contact hitter that has been pressed into action at first base by the Mets due to an injury. Throughout their careers, Loney and Daniel Murphy have been very similar hitters.
Coming into this season, Loney was a career .285/.338/.411 hitter who averaged 25 doubles and 10 homeruns. Murphy was a career .288/.331/.424 hitter who averaged 33 doubles and nine homeruns. The similarities do not end at the statistics. If you look at their stances and the approach at the plate, Loney and Murphy are very similar hitters. Here is a James Loney 2014 at bat:
As you can see, Loney stands fairly upright in his stance with his hands held high. Loney stands a little off the plate with a somewhat open stance. Here is a 2013 Daniel Murphy at bat:
Again, Murphy is fairly upright at the plate with his hands held high. He’s a little off the plate with a slightly open stance. Loney’s and Murphy’s stances are not identical, but they are very similar. Unsurprisingly, both had similar approaches at the plate. Both pulled inside pitches with some authority, but they would go the other way with outside pitches just hoping they would find a place to land.
Last year, Murphy linked up with Kevin Long, who has a reputation for unlocking player’s hidden power. Here is a look at Murphy’s updated stance from the 2015 postseason:
Murphy’s stance is now closed, and he’s in more of a crouch at the plate. The results have been terrific as Murphy has been hitting for more power. This year Murphy has been hitting .351/.394/.588 with 20 doubles and 14 home runs. The 14 home runs tie Murphy’s career high, and there is still more than half a season to play.
Kevin Long has now made similar adjustments to Loney’s stance. Here is one of his at bats from his short tenure with the Mets:
Now, the crouch in Loney’s stance is not as pronounced as Murphy’s. However, a crouch is still present, and Loney has closed his stance. From the looks of it, it appears that Kevin Long has applied to same principles he used with Daniel Murphy last year. So far, Loney appears to be hitting the ball with more authority when he makes contact.
The result is Loney hitting .297/.345/.495 with eight doubles and four homers. He hasn’t had a slugging percentage anywhere near this high since 2007.
Long has unlocked the power in Loney’s swing like he did with Murphy last year makes Loney is the perfect stopgap for Lucas Duda. If he keeps it up, the Mets are going to have to keep him on the roster and play him somewhere.
Editor’s Note: this was also published on metsmerizedonline.com
After getting swept by the Nationals, the Mets feel six games back in the National League East. The offense has been completely inept averaging 3.2 runs per game. The Mets went 11-15 over the course of the month despite playing only eight games against teams with a winning record. Both Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are dealing with bone spurs in their elbows. These days you’d be hard pressed to find a Mets fan that has any hope that the Mets could return to the postseason.
Lost in all of this is the fact that the Mets are only a half a game back in the Wild Card Standings.
Even if you assume the National League East is out of reach (it isn’t), the Mets are in the thick of a pennant race. Better yet, they are going up against the Dodgers, Marlins, and Cardinals. In order to make the postseason, the Mets need only beat out two of those teams. Each of the three teams the Mets are competing with are flawed teams with real problems.
St. Louis Cardinals
Outside of Carlos Martinez, the Cardinals rotation is struggling. Their other four starters have ERAs 4.09 and above, and ERA+s of 1o1 and below. To be at the point they are, they have had to rely on what has been a pretty good bullpen. With that said, their closer, Trevor Rosenthal, is having a horrible season with a 5.19 ERA.
Offensively, the team has a black hole in center field. It has come to the point where they are trying Kolten Wong out there. This is the same Wong the Cardinals had sent down for his inability to produce at second base. The Cardinals were able to move Wong to center because Jhonny Peralta finally came off the disabled list. Peralta is now the third baseman, but he is not hitting after returning from the disabled list.
On top of all of these problems, the Cardinals finish the season with 10 of their final 20 games against the Cubs and the Giants.
Miami Marlins
Barry Bonds has certainly had an impact on this team as seemingly not named Giancarlo Stanton is having a good season offensively. Stanton’s production is troublesome for the Marlins as he is not the same player for the Marlins a year after wrist surgery. Fact is, the Marlins need him as their starting pitching hasn’t been very good outside of Jose Fernandez.
The Marlins really don’t have a viable fifth starter. In reality, they don’t have much of a rotation past Fernandez. Adam Conley is their second best starter, and he is 4-5 with a 1.357 WHIP. The other rotation options have ERAs of 4.45 and above. With a rotation like that, it should come as no surprise that the Marlins are performing above expectations as they have both allowed and scored 326 runs. If the rotation continues to drag down this offense, we can reasonably expect this Marlins team to trek back towards the .500 mark.
In the event they are able to hang in the race, the Marlins are going to have to earn their way into the postseason with nine of their last 13 games coming against the Mets and the Nationals.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are currently leading the Wild Card race with a 43-37 record. That record is mostly driven by the greatness of Clayton Kershaw.
This season Kershaw is 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA and a 0.727 WHIP. Name the pitching catergory, and you can rest assured that Kershaw is probably leading it. In games that Kershaw pitches, the Dodgers are 14-2 in games that Kershaw starts. If you removed Kershaw from the Dodgers rotation, the Dodgers would be 29-35 this year. That is not a team that would be in the thick of the Wild Card race let alone leading it.
Normally, that type of analysis is done to show why a pitcher like Kershaw should win the Cy Young and/or MVP awards. It is not done as an example to show why his team will not make the postseason. Yet, that’s the position the Dodgers are facing. Kershaw has been having back problems recently. He has received an epidural injection, and he is on the 15 day disabled list. As Mets fans have seen over the past few seasons, back injuries are funny things. Once it starts acting up, you do not really know when a player can returns.
With that in mind, we really don’t have an answer to the Cardinals, Marlins, or Dodgers question marks. As Mets fans, we become myopic in how we assess the Mets chances of making it back to the postseason. Day in and day out, we see the Mets put out a poor offense and begin to believe the Mets aren’t going anywhere. However, when you take a step back and look out over the National League landscape, the Mets are competing against other flawed teams for those two Wild Card spots.
Overall, despite the Mets recent struggles, this can still be a postseason team. As we saw last year, with the Mets pitching, the team just has to get there. Seeing the competition, they very well can.
The Mets came into June only two games behind the Nationaks. After finishing having a 12-15 record in June and having been swept by the Nationals last week, the Mets now find themselves six games back, and the offensive problems of old has returned.
Bear in mind, these grades are on a curve. If a bench player gets an A and a position player gets a B, it doesn’t mean the bench player is having a better year. Rather, it means the bench player is performing better in his role.
Position Players
Travis d’Arnaud (C-). He hasn’t hit since he’s come off the disabled list, and while he has been throwing better, he did allow the Nationals to go a perfect six for six in stolen base attempts. He did get extra credit for being anyone other than what the Mets have been trotting out there behind the plate this year.
Kevin Plawecki (F). June was probably his worst month as a professional and that is saying something. With d’Arnaud finally healthy, sending him down to the minors was a no-brainer.
Rene Rivera (C-). Like he’s done this year, he’s hit poorly while being a stabilizing force behind the plate However, as he’s been relied upon more and more, his poor offense became more of a problem hence the reduction from his grade last year.
Lucas Duda (Inc). He missed the entire month with his back injuries, and he has not yet begun baseball activities.
James Loney (A). Loney has not put up offensive stats this good since 2008. Even with his sometimes poor range, he has been a tremendous stop gap at first base while Duda has been injured.
Neil Walker (F). He hit .213/.293/.275 with one homer and six RBI. That is a far cry from his nine home run April.
David Wright (Inc.) He didn’t play as he had neck surgery.
Asdrubal Cabrera (D). He’s hitting .237/.308/.423 in June, and the defensive metrics suggest he’s played a poor defensive shortstop.
Wilmer Flores (A-). He came off the disabled list, and he had the best offensive month of his career hitting .306/.370/.444. This would have been a higher grade if not for his struggles defensively.
Eric Campbell (Inc.) At least the Mets didn’t play him in June.
Matt Reynolds (A). Reynolds might’ve struggled in his first call-up, but he is making the most out of his most recent opportunity hitting .296/.321/.556. He has shown some versatility by playing his first ever game in ht eoutfield. In that game, he hit a game winning home run.
Ty Kelly (F). He hit .133/.188/.333. He simply hasn’t been good.
Michael Conforto (F). Whether it was the wrist or another issue, Conforto just hasn’t been getting it done. He all but forced the Mets to demote him.
Yoenis Cespedes (B+). With his home run numbers are down (3) and while the defensive metrics don’t love his defense in center field, he still put up terrific numbers while playing through some minor injuries here and there.
Curtis Granderson (B). Granderson had a good month after a horrendous May hitting .255/.358/.447 with four homers.
Juan Lagares (A). In limited action, he continued to play Gold Glove caliber defense while hitting .364/.462/.545. However, he was only limited to seven games as he’s dealing with a torn ligament in his left thumb. He’s currently on a rehab assignment.
Alejandro De Aza (F-). He’s terrible.
Brandon Nimmo (Inc.) He has only played in four games. He has had some issues with his routes, but he has not looked over-matched at the plate.
Pitchers
Matt Harvey (B). Harvey had his best month of the season by far. His 2.83 ERA over the course of the month was his best of the season, but it is still high for him. Even with him pitching better, he was still 0-3 over the course of the month.
Jacob deGrom (B+). Like Harvey, deGrom had a much better month. He had a 2.45 ERA over the course of the month while getting his fastball velocity to return. Again, like Harvey, even with him pitching better, he was 0-3 over the course of the month.
Noah Syndergaard (B). Syndergaard had some trouble with location in his last two starts, and he had his worst start of the season in what was a big June game against the Nationals. In that game, when he was paired with d’Arnaud instead of Rivera, base runners were a perfect five for five in stolen base attempts. Overall, he was 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA over the course of the month.
Steven Matz (F). He was terrible all month going 0-2 with an ERA of 5.91 heading into last night’s gritty start. Much of the trouble was the result of bone spurs, but you’re ultimsteky judged on your results.
Bartolo Colon (A+). Colon had his best ever month as a Met going 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA.
Logan Verrett (C-). He had a tough month with a 5.93 ERA, but he did make a good spot start that gave the Mets a chance go win and helped save the bullpen.
Jeurys Familia (A+) The Houdini Act against the Cubs shows why he just might be the best closer in the game.
Addison Reed (B). Reed came back down to earth a bit, but he has still been a terrific eighth inning reliever for the Mets.
Jim Henderson (D). He had a rough month with a 5.63 ERA in eight appearances. He was just overworked, and now, he’s on the DL with an injury to his twice surgically repaired shoulder.
Hansel Robles (A+). Robles saved the Mets time and time again this month. He bailed out starters and the bullpen when starters went short in the game. He got big outs all month long.
Jerry Blevins (B). He continues to go out there and get lefties out. With the bullpen getting extra work, he’s been stretched out a little too much here and there, but he still gets the big lefties out.
Antonio Bastardo (F). 6.35 ERA for the month, and he might not have even been that good.
Rafael Montero (Inc.) Didn’t pitch in the majors in June as he’s been terrible in AAA.
Sean Gilmartin (F). He was jerked back and forth between being a starter in AAA and a reliever in the majors. Something had to break and it was Gilmartin with his 15.75 ERA.
Erik Goeddel (A). He got a chance with Henderson’s injury, and he took full advantage with a win last night and a 1.08 ERA.
Terry Collins (F). He was hamstrung by a team with injuries. The players that were here under-performed. Collins met that challenge by overplaying De Aza and with other curious lineup decisions. He pitched Henderson onto the DL, dangerously overused Robles, and he was part of team brass that talked Matz out of getting surgery.
Last year, Travis d’Arnaud established himself as a major league catcher both behind and at the plate. He showed how far he had come from the player that had to be sent to down to the minors in 2014 because he wasn’t hitting.
In 67 games, d’Arnaud hit .268/.340/.485 with 12 homers and 41 RBI. He had a 127 OPS+. For the most part last year, d’Arnaud spent his time hitting fifth, sixth, and seventh. For whatever the reason, d’Arnaud was at his best when he was hitting seventh in the lineup. When he did hit seventh, d’Arnaud was hitting .311/.382/.541 with two homers and 12 RBI. d’Arnaud was hitting seventh in the lineup when he hit three homers in the postseason last year. Given the construction of the Mets roster this year, you could make the case that d’Arnaud should’ve been hitting seventh.
Instead, Terry Collins sees him as the eighth place hitter on this Mets team. There was a legitimate reason for it when he was hitting behind players like David Wright, Lucas Duda, Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Conforto, Neil Walker, and Asdrubal Cabrera. Now, it is a bad decision. Duda and Wright are on the disabled list, and Conforto is in the minor leagues. Now, Collins is hitting d’Arnaud behind players he is clearly better. Take a look at the players who are currently hitting ahead of d’Arnaud:
- James Loney – a career .285/.338/.411 hitter who was released by the Rays prior to the start of the season.
- Wilmer Flores – a career .252/.290/.383 hitter who lost his starting job to Ruben Tejada last year and was never considered for a starting job this season
- Brandon Nimmo – a promising rookie
Given how much d’Arnaud progressed last year, it is easy to say he is better than these options, and accordingly, he should hit higher in the lineup. However, d’Arnaud is struggling this year only hitting .206/.270/.250 with no homers. There are various reasons for these struggles from his wrapping his hands around Julio Franco style when he bats to him starting with an open stance and closing it as the pitch is being delivered. He’s just not as quiet in his stance as he was last year when he was having his most successful season. It’s possible some of these changes were made due to his shoulder. It’s also possible these changes were made due to the struggles he has been facing while hitting eighth in the order.
In 17 of his 19 games this year, d’Arnaud has hit .203/.277/.254 while hitting eighth in the order. For his career, he is hitting .194/.278/.287 from that spot in the lineup. That includes him going 0-3 against the Nationals yesterday. In his entire career, d’Arnaud has never hit well out of the eighth spot in the lineup. It has been more of the same this year, and quite possibly, it has led to d’Arnaud reverting to some bad habits at the plate. The Mets need to get him going in order to help with their offensive woes. It’s possible the best way to cure help him and the Mets is to take him out of the eighth spot.
Over the past week, Mets fans have become aware of Brooklyn Cyclones reliever Nicco Blank due to his leaving tickets for Taylor Swift for Cyclones games. I had the opportunity to speak with him to get to know him as a baseball player, a person, and where his efforts to get Taylor Swift to attend a Cyclones game currently stand:
Mets fans have just started to get to know you with the news surrounding your leaving tickets for Taylor Swift to see you pitch at Cyclones games. If Taylor Swift were to take you up on the offer, what type of pitcher is she going to see?
Well first of all she’s going to love my walk out song, and I wouldn’t be too surprised to spot her dancing up in the suite as I warm up. If she can resist the temptation of looking at my flowing hair, the entire time she will see a pitcher that attacks hitters and isn’t afraid to challenge guys. After the game, she’ll definitely be beating down the doors to get an autograph. All joking aside I think she would really enjoy a Cyclones game. MCU Park is such an electric environment and we have a great team this year that is a lot of fun to watch!
This is now your third year in the Mets organization and the second with the Cyclones. How have you progressed as a pitcher from your days with Central Arizona College?
Since my days at Central Arizona, I have been working really hard to improve as a pitcher. I’m starting to understand I don’t need to throw every pitch with maximum effort to be effective. I want to be at an 80% effort and in control of my mechanics. Just trying to stay within myself and not do too much. This is where I see my most consistent results and consistency is what I need with the stuff I have. I’m learning how to be a pitcher and not a guy who just throws hard. Being around the coaching in this organization is a blessing for me.
What people have had the greatest impact upon your career?
There are numerous people who have impacted my career in a positive way but my parents deserve all the credit for where I am today. My dad taught me at young age that hard work and dedication would get me anywhere I wanted to go in life. My mom is my biggest supporter and has done more for me than I could ever repay her for. Both of them celebrate my success, get me through my rough days and always motivate me to chase my dream. I’m so thankful to have such wonderful parents.
What was the best piece of advise anyone has given you about how to succeed as a pitcher and make it to the major leagues?
When Daniel Murphy was down in Florida rehabbing in 2015, he shared with me his secret of slowing the game down and harped on believing in my abilities. Being confident and in control seems to be working for him, so I try to emulate that aspect of his game.
What are your goals for the 2016 season?
My main goal is to be on the St. Lucie roster by the end of the season. Improving my fastball command early in the count to limit walks is the biggest thing I’m working on now. Like I mentioned earlier, trying to throw my pitches with an 80% effort and being able to recognize when I’m overthrowing.
Lets let the fans get to know you a little bit more than your leaving tickets for Taylor Swift. What has been your favorite memory as a baseball player?
My favorite memory as a baseball player is winning state my senior year of high school. We were underdogs and beat the top three teams in our division all in a row to capture our first state title in 44 years.
Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?
Derek Jeter by far. Funny story is the first time I picked up a ball I threw left handed but since Jeter was my favorite I was going to be right handed and play short stop. My dad didn’t think I was going to be a pitcher so I always tease him about how nice it would have been for my career to throw left handed.
What interests or hobbies do you have outside of baseball?
I really enjoy cooking. You can catch me in the kitchen before home games whipping up a pregame meal. During the offseason, I spend most of my time working out and educating myself about exercise science and nutrition, which is one of the many things I’m interested in pursuing after my baseball career.
Favorite musician? Is it really Taylor Swift?
I am so eclectic when it comes to music so picking a favorite artist would be too difficult. Let’s just say if I were managing a baseball team, I would bat T Swift first to get the party started.
Have you heard back from Taylor Swift or her people yet about whether or not she is going to attend a Mets game?
Taylor hasn’t responded yet, but our front office staff now wants to get involved and get her to MCU Park for a game. I’m pretty hopeful that she will be at a game by the end of the summer.
I appreciate Nicco Blank for taking the time out to answer some of my questions and for letting Mets fans get to know him a little better. Hopefully, Taylor Swift will make it out to a Cyclones game at MCU Park before Blank gets called up to St. Lucie this summer. All Mets fans should head out to MCU Park to see him and the other future Mets players this summer.
As the 2015 season began, the Mets finally had reason to hope. The main reason for that hope was Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey. At that time, there was the hope the Mets would eventually get contributions from Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, but no one knew what, if anything, either could contribute in 2015. No, the 2015 season was about deGrom and Harvey.
Seemingly out of nowhere, deGrom had a spectacular 2014 season that saw him win the Rookie of the Year Award. Due to his performance, Terry Collins slated him ahead of Harvey in the rotation. Throughout the 2015 season, deGrom justified that season going 14-8 with a 2.54 ERA and a 0.979 WHIP. He would be the lone Mets All Star, and he would be the story of the All Star Game striking out three batters on 10 total pitches. In the NLDS, he out-dueled both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke to pitch the Mets into the NLCS. During that season, deGrom established that he is as good as any pitcher in baseball including his teammate Matt Harvey.
In his first start of the 2015 season, Harvey declared he was back by shutting down the Nationals over six innings allowing only four hits and walking one while striking out nine. Future MVP Bryce Harper would go hitless. He defeated former first overall pick Stephen Strasburg. That start set the tone for a season in which Harvey would go 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.019 WHIP. Harvey carried this greatness forward in the postseason. In Game 5 of the World Series, Harvey showed the world why he’s a great pitcher. He shut down the Royals over eight innings while striking out nine. Once again, he gave Mets fans hope that the team could win the World Series.
The Mets need Harvey to give them hope again.
The Mets were absolutely bludgeoned last night with Noah Syndergaard on the mound. After the game, Syndergaard denied rumors that he is dealing with a bone spur issue in his pitching elbow. For his part, Steven Matz did not deny the issue. The question surrounding him was not only whether he could make his start tomorrow, but also whether he needed surgery. On a day like last nigh, you tend to focus on all the negativity surrounding the the Mets. The team is struggling offensively. They feel hour games back of the Nationals and back to third place in the National League East. There are questions abound about what is wrong with the Mets.
With a strong start tonight, Harvey can remind everyone what is right with the Mets. Harvey has a chance to turn around the Mets season like he has turned around his own season.
Harvey’s 2016 season got off to a nightmare of a start. In his first 11 starts, he was 3-7 with a gaudy 6.08 ERA and a 1.688 WHIP. Batters were teeing off on him to the tune of a .330/.376/.525 batting line. He was having difficulty striking anyone out. Finally, the mechanical flaw was found and fixed. In the five starts he made since fixing the mechanical flaw, Harvey has a 2.25 ERA and a 0.875 WHIP. Opposing batters have only hit .205/.237/.286 in that stretch. Simply put, Harvey is back. It’s a good thing too because the Mets desperately need him.
The Mets need Harvey to go out there tonight and shut down the Nationals like he’s done throughout his career. He needs to have a start like he did last April where he announces to the world that both Harvey and the Mets are back. He needs to combine with deGrom and carry the Mets rotation and team like everyone knows they can. As long as deGrom and Harvey pitch the way that they are capable, the Mets will have a legitimate shot at not only the postseason, but also another run to the World Series.
It’s time for Harvey to go out there tonight and remind everyone of that.
Editor’s Note: this was also published on metsmerizedonline.com
Going into the season, the major concern was Tommy John. There was the fear that Noah Syndergaard would need Tommy John surgery due to his velocity and work load. There was concern over whether Zack Wheeler would be able to successfully return from Tommy John surgery. There was less of a concern about whether Josh Edgin could as well. There were concerns over how Matt Harvey would handle his second year post Tommy John surgery. All of that concern was misplaced.
As it turns out, everyone should have been concerned over bone spurs even if Syndergaard won’t admit he has one.Both Syndergaard and Steven Matz have gone from All Star Cy Young caliber seasons to everyone wondering if they need surgery, if their seasons are over. We don’t know when the problems began, but we do know that something is affecting them now.
Starting with Matz, who has admitted an elbow problem, there has been a precipitous drop off in his pitching. In a nine start stretch, Matz was 7-1 with a 1.38 ERA and a 1.007 WHIP while averaging roughly 6.2 innings per start. He was limiting batters to a .222/.266/.282 batting line. At that point, Matz was the favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. He was putting up All Star caliber numbers. His last three starts present a much different pitcher.
In Matz’s last three starts, he is 0-1 with a 6.61 ERA and a 1.470 WHIP while only averaging roughly 5.1 innings per start. Batters are teeing off on him to the tune of a .324/.338/.529 batting line. What is really troubling in each of these starts is that Matz falls apart in the fifth inning. In each of the aforementioned three starts, he has no allowed one run through the first four innings of a game. The worst of it was when the woeful Braves offense chased Matz from the game after allowing six runs in two-thirds of an inning. Now, he’s missing today’s start, and the Mets are debating whether or not he needs surgery.
Syndergaard is a more interesting case as he’s denying the bone spurs rumors, but again like Matz something is wrong. As the season began, all we could talk about what Syndergaard’s new 95 MPH slider, and his emergence as the ace of the Mets pitching staff. Up until his last two starts, Syndergaard was 7-2 with a 1.91 ERA and a 0.965 WHIP. He was averaging roughly 6.2 innings per start. He stymied batters limiting them to a .223/.252/.312 batting line. If Clayton Kershaw were not alive, we would have been talking not just about the Cy Young award but also the possibility that Syndergaard is the best pitcher in baseball.
In Syndergaard’s last two starts we saw something uncharacteristic from him. He struggled. While his pitching line from his June 22nd start against Kansas City didn’t raise any red flags his pitching did. Syndergaard didn’t seem to have the pinpoint command he has had all year, and on a couple of occassions, he crossed up his catcher Rene Rivera. At the time, it was seen as a blip on the radar, but after last night’s start and the reports from yesterday, there is a real reason for concern.
The Nationals, who are no offensive powerhouse themselves, took Syndergaard to the woodshed. Syndergaard only lasted three innings allowing five earned runs. To put it in perspective, Syndergaard only allowed five earned runs in all of April. He had a season high three walks. Runners were stealing bases left and right off of him and Travis d’Arnaud. Now Ron Darling did point out that he didn’t seem in sync with Travis d’Arnaud, but was that really the problem? This is the second straight start Syndergaard has had trouble locating pitches. There are a numbers of explanations why that could be the case, but after the reports of his having a bone spur in his elbow, the bone spur seems to be the most likely reason for Syndergaard’s recent struggles.
Overall, Matz and Syndergaard might be fine and be able to finish out the year. Right now, that proposition is a little hard to believe seeing them struggle recently and hearing news about bone spurs in their elbows. If Syndergaard and Matz are unable to pitch effectively through these bone spurs, the Mets are going to be in trouble. If that is the case, it will be bone spurs, not Tommy John, that will damage the Mets chances of going back to the World Series.