In the 2013 Homerun Derby, Mets fans got a chance to see Yoenis Cespedes’ awe inspiring power. During Cespedes’ display of his potencia, he would hit 23 homers beating Bryce Harper for the title.
On that stage, Cespedes showed himself to have outstanding power. However, it never fully translated to games. In his first three seasons, he only averaged 24 homers and a .464 slugging. He was never Top 10 in the American League in either catergory. His isolated power over those three seasons was a very good .201. However, seeing Cespedes in that homerun derby, you just knew that he was capable of more.
Maybe he needed to get out of ballparks like O.co or Commerica. Maybe he needed to play in a big market. Maybe, just maybe, he needed to set foot back in Citi Field.
As reported by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Cespedes feels comfortable and at home as a member of the Mets. Cespedes said, “I’ve said as much as I got here last year, it feels very much at home here.” His manager Terry Collins agrees saying, “[Cespedes] wants to play in New York City, and that says a lot, because a lot of guys would shy away from that challenge.”
Upon setting foot upon the New York stage, Cespedes looked at home. He rose to the challenge. In just 57 games, he hit .287/.337/.604 with 17 homers. Extrapolating that over the course of a full 162 game season, Cespedes would’ve hit 48 homeruns. The 48 homeruns would’ve led the league, and the slugging would’ve been good for second in the league. The .314 isolated power was off the charts good.
The only thing more amazing than Cespedes’ run after the trade deadline is the run he’s on to start the 2016 season.
This year, Cespedes is hitting .281/.358/.611. with 15 homers in 46 games. He’s leading the majors in homers. His .330 isolated power is even better than it was last year. He’s on pace to hit 58 homers. While these numbers seem unbelievable, it is quickly becoming what is expected from Cespedes. Assistant GM John Ricco said, “I hope it’s sustainable. Whether it is or not, we’ll see. But he’s certainly proven over his time with us that he is that level of player.”
Cespedes is that level of player now because he continues to put the work in that is necessary to raise his game. As his hitting coach Kevin Long says, “Its hard to say this and not sound arrogant about a certain player, but he’s getting better. He’s really understanding his self, his swing, his strike zone, what pitches he does more damage on. He’s maturing as a player.”
Cespedes agrees with Long’s statements saying, “You don’t usually seeing someone at this age make adjustments. However, when you meet someone in this league that’s 29 or 30, they’ve probably also been playing longer than the five years that I have. So I think if they feel they need to make adjustments, they probably make them earlier in life.”
With these adjustments, Cespedes has vaulted himself among the best players in the game. Collins puts it perfectly as he says, “He’s a star. He’s a good player. He does what stars do.”
Cespedes had to come to the Mets to become a star. He had to come to the Mets to unlock his full potential. Cespedes belongs in a Mets uniform. Cespedes said it himself when he said, “It feels as if I’ve been playing here a very long time. And I could spend the rest of my life with this team.”
Editor’s Note: this was first published on metsmerizedonline.com
Three years ago, Matt Harvey’s May start against the Chicago White Sox was a statement that Harvey was already one of the best pitchers in the game.
Harvey was ever so close to a perfect game. If not for an Alex Rios infield single in the seventh inning, Harvey would’ve made history. Instead, Harvey had to be satisfied with pitching an absolute gem. He pitched nine innings allowing only the one hit while striking out 12. His stuff was absolutely electric. At least on that day, there was no better pitcher in baseball.
That hasn’t been Harvey’s story in 2016. This year it’s been about struggles. He struggles with his mechanics. He struggles with the fourth inning on. He struggles with the ever increasing scrutiny that class come with his struggles. His scheduled start against the White Sox was a reminder of how Harvey has gone from an unquestioned ace to a struggling pitcher. We have all been left to figure out what happened. That includes Harvey, who said, “I’ve been wondering the same thing.” (ESPN)
On Monday, the struggles seemingly disappeared. His fastball was blazing occasionally touching 98 MPH. His fastball averaged over 95 MPH. For the first time all year, he pitched into the seventh inning. In the seventh, there were runners on second and third with one out, and Harvey got out of a jam unscathed. He only allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six. Seemingly, the Harvey of old was back.
When you go out and prove you’ve still got it: https://t.co/kPLrCSb36f pic.twitter.com/FrXqYctOcO
— MLB (@MLB) May 30, 2016
The Mets need that Harvey. That was the Harvey that gave them hope in 2013. That was the Harvey that took the ball in Game 5 of the World Series and ALMOST willed the Mets to victory. Even with the emergence of Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard taking the next step, the Mets still need Harvey. Fortunately, the questions about Harvey have shifted from “What’s wrong?” to “Is he back?”
According to Terry Collins, “it’s a big first step.” Collins went on to say, “[Harvey] feels good about the way it went. He feels good about the way he threw the ball. Now, we’ve just got to build on it, and stay as positive as we can and have him repeat it. No matter what the results are, if he repeats this kind of performance with stuff, I think we’re on the right track.”
That makes Harvey’s start the most important start of the season. Harvey must build off this start. If it was a mechanical adjustment, he needs to hone his mechanics. If it was a mental issue, Harvey has to get back to that mindset. Whatever it is, Harvey needs to get back to that point and stay there.
Harvey put it best when he said, “This really doesn’t mean anything unless I continue it.”
I’m probably not the one to tell you Fog’s story as I didn’t know much about the man.
I don’t know the year he was born. I don’t know if he was a tall man or a short man. I saw a picture of him once. It didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Unfortunately, I do not know where the picture is. I don’t know his hobbies or pet peeves. I do know that he had at least one sibling. He never married or had any children. He never had the chance. It’s why I’m the person who’s telling his story now.
Fog fought in World War I. He fought in France with the Fightin’ 69th. I don’t know if he was drafted or he enlisted. What I do know, through a little research was he was killed in action on July 28, 1918 in the Battle of Chateau-Thierry. He’s buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetary in France. This is the full extent I know of Fog’s life.
Well, that’s not exactly true. I do know my son is named after him.
No, not directly. Fog was my grandfather’s uncle. They both shared the name my father, son, and I share. As the joke goes in my family, the name is so old it pre-dates Jesus Christ. No matter the machinations of who was named after who, I do know we share a name.
I also know he’s the only one of us to die defending our country. It makes him a hero. He’s a hero even if we don’t know much about him.
That’s the point of Memorial Day. We take time to honor those who gave their lives in defense of this country. We remember those people who are long forgotten.
I don’t know much about Fog. However, with Memorial Day on the horizon, I took time to research Fog and find out more about him. Hopefully, we all take time to learn about the sacrifices made by the people who gave their lives defending our country.
Last year, the Mets watched their lead in the NL East dissipate while the front office failed to make a move to address some big holes. The biggest of those was third base due to the discovery David Wright suffered from spinal stenosis. No one could accurately pinpoint whether Wright could return or be an effective player.
Despite this, the Mets allowed Eric Campbell play the majority of games at third base in Wright’s absence. Worse yet, due to a rash of injuries, he was hitting in the middle of the lineup. The Mets were fortunate the season didn’t come off the rails before they started making moves. The moves started with getting Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson. At a minimum, they were two bona fide major league players. Their acquisition helped turn the Mets season around.
This year’s Mets team is not in the same dire straits as the 2015 team. However, with Lucas Duda‘s stress fracture, they once again have to deal with a player’s back putting them on the DL. They’ve also had to deal with a Campbell playing the majority of the games in the injured player’s stead. No more.
https://twitter.com/theloney_s/status/736618457119096832
On Saturday, the Mets obtained James Loney from the Padres for cash considerations. The only thing that needs to happen for this trade to be a success is for Loney to hit better than the .169/.286/.255 Campbell is hitting. As a career .285/.338/.411 hitter, Loney should be able to accomplish that. Overall, the real question with Loney isn’t if he’s better; the real question is what can Mets fans expect.
For starters, the Mets are getting a player in decline. In each of the past three three years his batting average, OBP, and slugging declined. Last year, he only hit .280/.332/.357 with four homers in 104 games. Regardless of his struggles last year, he’s a platoon bat that has hit .254/.302/.351 against lefties. It was even worse last year with him hitting .226/.258/.310 against lefties.
Loney’s defense has also declined. He was once considered a good defender at first, but the numbers over recent years suggest he’s living on his reputation. For the better part of three years, his defense has declined. Last year, he posted a -2.4 UZR, -2 DRS, and a -0.7 dWAR. In essence, he went from a good to very good first baseman to slightly below par.
From this, you can see why the Rays released their second highest paid player in Spring Training. You can see why he could only get a minor league deal. The Mets were very fortunate that was the case. Despite all of Loney’s faults, he’s still better than what the Mets had.
Who knows? Maybe Loney has a renaissance. Maybe his working with Kevin Long will help him hit better. Whatever the case, he’s bound to hit better than Campbell. Whatever the case, he’s going to be the Mets best first base option until Duda returns.
Last year, the Mets didn’t make this move. They did this year, and the team is a lot better off for it. No matter what his faults are, Loney is a terrific addition.
After some time has passed, I’ve had some time to think about this play:
https://vine.co/v/iV7BtntdvT7
Here are some quick thoughts:
1. This Is What MLB Wants
Despite, the 1986 team being there, it’s no longer 1986. For those of us who grew up with that style of ball, Noah Syndergaard getting tossed was an absolute joke. With that said, baseball supposedly wants this out of the sport, and as such, maybe we shouldn’t have been so surprised at the ejection.
2. Thor’s Ejection Was Still Unusual
With that said, as Ken Rosenthal pointed out, throwing at someone, absent warnings, does not lead to ejections even in today’s modern game. There are many examples where Syndergaard’s pitch doesn’t lead to a quick hook. Syndergaard’s ejection was the outlier.
3. Thor Is to Blame for the Ejection
Syndergaard threw the ball in an area where it wouldn’t hit or injure Chase Utley. In many ways, that’s more responsible than drilling someone. However, it’s also proof that Syndergaard was unequivocally throwing at Utley. He put a minor league umpire in a position where he could eject Syndergaard. So yes, as absurd as it sounds, the better course of action would’ve been to hit Utley where there could have been some ambiguity.
4. Thor’s Pitch Was Weak
This was shades of Shawn Estes. Utley broke Ruben Tejada‘s leg, so you make sure you don’t hit him? This isn’t some 22 year old rookie who pimped a homerun. You’re not looking to send a message. No, you’re looking to get your pound of flesh as retaliation. You either plunk Utley, or you don’t bother. Instead, Utley knew that not even the enforcer of the Mets rotation wouldn’t hit him, and he went off with a two homerun (one grandslam) five RBI game.
5. The Timing Was Odd
This was the sixth and penultimate game between these two teams. This was Syndergaard’s second start against the Dodgers. There were plenty of chances to hit Utley. Why now? Did a member of the 86 Mets get in Syndergaard’s ear? Was Syndergaard waiting to do it in front of the home crowd? Did Terry Collins finally give the go-ahead? Perhaps, we will never know.
At this point, the only thing we know is nothing was accomplished. Nothing was resolved. Bad blood still remains. Utley is laughing at the Mets. Despite the feeble attempt to intimidate Utley, Syndergaard most likely maintains his mystique as a pitcher who will not be afraid to knock you down. The umpires in baseball still think we pay to watch them instead of players like Syndergaard.
In the fourth inning, Neil Walker ripped what appeared to be a double down the first base line. Or was it? No one quite knew initially as the first base umpire, Crew Chief Tom Hallion, failed to make the call.
He didn’t make the call because, as he was trying to get out of the way of the ball, he didn’t get to see where the ball landed. He looked to the homeplate umpire, Adam Hamari, to see if he saw where the ball landed. As Walker was rounding first and heading to second, Hallion got the call from Hamari. It was a foul ball. This call was made as a result of two umpires conferring with one another while the play was happening.
It’s strange that Hallion conferred with another umpire on the play because according to him, calls need to be made immediately regardless of whether or not they are the right call.
You see, when Hallion was questioned post-game about Hamari’s quick ejection of Noah Syndergaard, he said, “We have to make a snap decision. We can’t think about, ok, well this guy did this or he did that in game six of whatever. We don’t have enough time to think that way.” (Adam Rubin, ESPN). It’s absurd.
When Syndergaard threw behind Utley, the umpires had three choices: (1) eject Syndergaard; (2) issue a warning to both teams; or (3) do nothing. No matter what the decision the umpires make, it’s going to impact the game. Doing nothing invites the Dodgers to retaliate. Issuing a warning may cause the pitchers to be skittish scout throwing inside. Ejecting Syndergaard would have a profound impact on that game that would seriously alter the Mets chances of winning the game.
Now, if you’re going to make a decision that could have a profound impact on the game, shouldn’t a discussion, no matter how brief, take place? There was time. It was a dead ball. No one was on base. Keep in mind, this is the same crew that just one inning later CONFERRED DURING A PLAY! It’s irrational and inconsistent to say a snap decision needs to be made when there’s a dead ball but you can take your time while there is a play happening.
In the end, they should endeavor to get the calls correct. That includes ejections. Not every ejection requires umpires to confer. Arguing balls and strikes, cursing at an umpire, or making contact with an umpire is grounds for immediate ejection. However, ejecting Syndergaard wasn’t automatic. It was a judgment call. It was a judgment call that not only had an impact on this game, but also the Mets bullpen for the next few games.
The umpires took time to get the Walker call right. They also should’ve taken the time to get the Syndergaard call right. They didn’t, and they made a bad decision because throwing out a player requires a snap decision whereas judging whether a ball is fair or foul requires time.
Once again, Major League Baseball showed its umpires are terrible:
That’s right. Noah Syndergaard got tossed for that. No warnings. Nothing. The umpire went from zero to ejection. Best part? It was a minor league umpire:
Adam Hamari, the ejector of Syndergaard, is listed as a "Minor League Call-Up Umpire" in MLB's 2016 Umpire Media Guide.
— Tim Heiman (@TimHeiman) May 29, 2016
Anytime you can have a minor league umpire behind home plate for a nationally televised game, you gave to do it, right? It’s always a good thing to have a minor league umpire effectively decide the outcome of a major league game. At least Terry Collins came out and got his money’s worth before getting ejected:
Retaliation? Noah Syndergaard threw behind Chase Utley & was ejected.
Terry Collins was livid & got tossed too.https://t.co/LqL4Qax0YS
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 29, 2016
Believe it or not the rest of the game ensued after that #umpshow.
It should come as no surprise that with an injured David Wright (didn’t start due to neck issues which may or may not be related to the spinal stenosis) and the Mets ace being ejected, the Mets were behind the eight ball. It’s not that Mets fans accept a loss, it’s just that they would’ve understood at least until Chase Utley homered off of Logan Verrett in the sixth to break the 0-0 tie.
He then hit a grand slam off of Hansel Robles the following inning after Antonio Bastardo loaded the bases with only one out to make it 6-0.
Now, normally, when you get buzzed, you’re uncomfortable at the plate. Not Utley. Why? BECAUSE THE UMPIRES PROTECTED UTLEY! Because the umpires announced the Mets were not allowed to pitch him inside lest they be ejected. It was a joke. But hey, he wasn’t suspended or even called out when he broke another player’s leg for a clearly illegal play:
The Mets lost 9-1. The entire night was ruined.
It was supposed to be a night when the fans celebrated the greatness of the 1986 Mets. It was supposed to be a night where we remembered their swagger and how they always won the battle whether we were referring to the game or the brawl. That wasn’t what happened tonight.
Instead, we were left with the same bitter taste in our mouths that we had in 1988.
The only thing that will make me angrier about the ejection and the final score will be when that hack Joe Torre suspends or fines Syndergaard.
Game Notes: The Mets had a funny take on the Thor pitch:
The ball gets away from @Noahsyndergaard, he is asked to leave. @lverrett4 will enter with one out in the 3rd. #Mets pic.twitter.com/SFmeM3hv5M
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2016
In what was presumably a cost-cutting measure, the Mets released Ruben Tejada during Spring Training. As a result, the Mets started the season with Eric Campbell on the Opening Day roster and suspect organizational depth behind him.
When Lucas Duda went down with a stress fracture in his low back, the Mets depth issues were exposed. Campbell has started in 14 of the Mets past 18 games. He’s hitting .182 on the season. The only reason why he’s playing every day is because Wilmer Flores is on the DL and the Mets other two options, Matt Reynolds and Ty Kelly, are even more underwhelming than Campbell. The Mets needs to get better and soon.
The obvious, and most likely answer, is Flores, once he comes off the DL. Assuming he does turn around his thus far disappointing season and take over the first base job in Duda’s absence, the Mets still need to replace his role as super sub. The Mets still need someone who can play semi-regularly at third when David Wright sits. Campbell, Reynolds, and Kelly are not the answer. None of them are capable major league starters. None of them are as good as Tejada.
As per ESPN’s Mark Saxson, Tejada was designated for assignment by the Cardinals giving them 10 days to trade him, release him, put him on waivers, or outright him to the minors (which he could refuse). Therefore, there’s a 10 day window (or more) where Tejada is available. The Mets should re-acquire him.
If Tejada were to come back, the Mets bench would be drastically improved. In his last two years with the Mets, he averaged 118 games while hitting .249/.340/.330. He played second, third, and short. While working with Kevin Long last year, he hit .287/.362/.362 in the second half. He wrestled the starting shortstop position away from Flores, the same Flores the Mets are relying upon heavily this year.
This year, the Mets don’t need Tejada to take over the shortstop position. Instead, the Mets need to strengthen their bench with capable major league players. The only obstacle to adding Tejada would be money, and at the prorated amount of $1.5 million, which was half of the contract the Mets had tendered him, money shouldn’t be an obstacle. No, there are no reasonable excuses for the Mets to pass on Tejada.
Tejada will soon need a place to play, and the Mets need major league players. The Mets should bring back Tejada.
In many ways, there’s a cognitive dissonance between honoring the 1986 World Series Champions and celebrating them.
The honoring part is easy. These are the players I grew up adoring. My Dad got me hooked on the Mets by using my love of strawberry ice cream. He kept telling me about this Darryl Strawberry kid coming to the majors as if I knew what the minor leagues were. When Strawberry first came up in 1983, he took me to Shea Stadium for my first game. Strawberry became my first favorite player.
As I got a little older, I became a huge Gary Carter fan. He’s one of the reasons why I wanted to become a catcher. The other was my father and uncles assured me it was a great path to the majors. Even with that, Carter was the reason I wanted to wear the number 8. I idolized him. I idolized everyone on that 1986 team growing up. Honoring them comes easy.
Celebrating doesn’t.
I don’t celebrate the 1986 season for the same reason I don’t celebrate the 1969 season – I was too young. On October 27, 1986, I was only six years old. Now, we can all remember parts of our youth from when we were six. However, there is no way I can recall the 1986 season or the postseason. Looking back on it, my lone memory was the Buckner play. It was my first ever “where were you?” moment.
The answer was in my parent’s basement attending my aunt’s engagement party. I was sitting on my future uncle’s (or future former uncle’s) sister’s lap. My little brother was next to me. Both families were watching on one of those 14″ televisions with the old rabbit ears.
I remember how quiet everything was. I then remember the tension of the moment. I remember the ball going through Bill Buckner‘s legs. I remember everyone going crazy. I remember sharing my tee ball wisdom with my Dad about how a ball shouldn’t do through your legs if you use two hands. That’s it. I remember nothing before, and I don’t remember Game 7. In fact, I have no vivid baseball memories until the 1988 NLCS. Coincidentally, Game 3, the game Jay Howell was ejected for using pine tar, was the same day as the aforementioned aunt’s bridal shower.
Accordingly, it’s difficult for me to celebrate that team, that championship. I had just one fleeting moment amongst well over 175 moments. I had no real attachments to that team. I had just one moment.
I’ll always honor that team as all Meys fans will. They were the greatest Mets team of my lifetime. It was a team full of players I grew up watching and idolizing as only a little boy can. Celebrating them is the hard part. For the most part, 1986 isn’t part of my story as a fan, at least for the most part. When I cheer, I’m cheering the story, not the experience.
I look forward to seeing those players greet the fans tonight. They deserve each and every cheer and accolade that comes their way. It all makes me wish I was a part of it in some small way.