Tylor Megill

Tylor Megill Reminiscent Of John Maine

Back in 2006, the New York Mets were in first place, but they were running out of starting pitchers. As a result, they called up John Maine.

Maine was a hard throwing right-handed pitcher who never quite looked ready for the majors, at least he didn’t in Baltimore. However, with Rick Peterson and Willie Randolph, something clicked.

Maine was able to use his fastball and slider to earn a permanent spot in the Mets rotation. Maine began to really force the issue at the end of his July 8 start.

Maine had allowed a go-ahead homer in the sixth before retiring the final two batters of the inning. That started a stretch of 26 innings. By that time, a Mets team looking to add a starter felt comfortable balking at the steep prices, and of course, they had to pivot due to Duaner Sanchez’s cab ride.

Maine would have a strong 2006 season going 6-5 with a 3.60 ERA, 122 ERA+, 1.113 WHIP, and a 7.1 K/9.

What ensued was a crazy postseason where he was an emergency replacement for an injured Orlando Hernandez right before Game 1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maine was terrific that postseason including his picking up a win in Game 6 of the NLCS.

What Maine did that season is difficult to emulate, but as previously noted, Megill is emulating that right now. We saw another sign in his last start where he went toe-to-toe with Brandon Woodruff over five innings.

Like Maine in 2006, Megill is only in the majors due to injuries, and he may be here to stay because of them. Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard have yet to pitch this season, and their time tables keep getting pushed back.

Joey Lucchesi had season ending Tommy John surgery. Jordan Yamamoto is on the 60 day IL. David Peterson has hit the IL. The end result has been Megill rushed to the majors and getting his opportunity, and the Mets suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly being in a position where they’ll need to look to add a starter at the trade deadline.

With every start, Megill is alleviating those concerns. Working with Jeremy Hefner and Luis Rojas, he’s taken his game to another level. Working predominantly with his fastball and slider, he increasingly looks like a Major League starter.

So far, he’s made three starts. He hasn’t registered a decision yet, but he has improved with each start. He has a 104 ERA+ and a very impressive 11.9 K/9. That’s even with him walking a couple of batters more than you’d like . . . much like Maine.

With his poise, repertoire, demeanor, and this coaching staff, there’s no reason to believe Megill won’t continue to improve. With each successive start, he’ll make the case he not only should be a part of this rotation, but he can be a part of a World Series contending team.

Again, that’s where the Mets were in 2006. John Maine gave them some comfort they could address other needs because Maine stabilized the rotation. When the pitchers didn’t heal like the Mets had hoped, and others pitchers got injured, Maine had a strong postseason giving the Mets every opportunity to win the pennant.

Megill is showing he can be that type of pitcher. He can be the stopgap. He can be the pitcher who convinces the Mets they don’t need to add pitching at the deadline. He can have a real impact this postseason.

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Pete Alonso Double Game Winner

There are times when the New York Mets offense can’t do anything, and it leaves you baffled. Other times, there’s a pitcher like Brandon Woodruff they just need to outlast.

Tonight was one of those nights, but fortunately, Tylor Megill was very up to the task. The surprising rookie went toe-to-toe with Woodruff over five innings.

In the fourth, rut Milwaukee Brewers finally broke through with an Omar Navarez solo shot. At that point, Woodruff was perfect and looked like he had perfect game stuff.

However, yet again, Brandon Nimmo was a catalyst. He’d hit a lead-off double, and go the consternation of many, he’d move to third on a Francisco Lindor sacrifice bunt. If nothing else, this helped the Mets manufacture a run as Dominic Smith hit a game tying sacrifice fly.

After five, Megill was done having allowed just one run on two hits and two walks while striking out seven. It was yet another step forward for him and further proof he can handle the fifth starter job.

With Megill out of the game, it was up to the Mets bullpen. In the sixth and seventh, Aaron Loup and Seth Lugo each pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

Entering the bottom of the seventh, Woodruff had allowed just one hit and really just the one base runner. That changed when Lindor drew a lead-off walk, and Smith followed with a single putting runners at the corners with no outs.

Pete Alonso jumped on Woodruff’s first pitch driving an RBI double into the left field corner. On the play, we’d probably see Gary Disarcina‘s first aggressive send which didn’t blow up in the Mets face:

Alonso later scored on a Michael Conforto RBI single giving the Mets a 4-1 lead. This marked the second time all year Woodruff allowed over three runs and the first time outside of Colorado.

That was the score as Edwin Diaz entered in the ninth to try to earn the save. It was far from easy, and in many ways, it might’ve been Diaz’s most impressive save this year.

Willy Adames sjngied, and Narvarez. In his career, Diaz has had issues with runners in scoring position, and we’d see that here with Tyrone Taylor singling home Adames to pull the Brewers within two runs.

That’s when Diaz showed us something he really hasn’t in his Mets career. He rebounded to strike out Jace Peterson and Keston Hiura. Finally, Jackie Bradley, Jr. flew out to end the game.

In what could be an NLDS preview, Megill held his own against the Brewers ace. The Mets then took advantage of Woodruff going through the other a third time. Mostly, the Mets again persevered.

Game Notes: Keith Hernandez had a day off but suffered an injury at his home which invoked trying to prune while standing at the edge of his hot tub. Mets are 35-6 when scoring at least four runs.

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20/20 Hindsight: Mets Might Be In Trouble

The New York Mets traveled to Atlanta, and they lost yet another road series.

1. At 17-25, the Mets are an awful road team, and they’re not going anywhere if they can’t correct this.

2. When you include the one Washington Nationals make-up game, the Mets three out of four. Digging deeper, they’ve lost 10 out of their last 16.

3. Unless there was a sinkhole on the infield dirt, Luis Guillorme, who was charging in on the ball, was not out-running Ronald Acuña to third.

4. Only Jacob deGrom could have a seven inning game where he allows three runs while walking none and striking out 14 a bad start.

5. It’s very troubling Sandy Alderson hired Mickey Callaway (or at least was the GM when Jeff Wilpon did it), hired Jared Porter, and came extremely close to signing Trevor Bauer. Oh, and he was the guy who brought back Jose Reyes.

6. There’s absolutely no place for Bauer in baseball.

7. We’re starting to see more Jeff McNeil at third late in games. He should be there everyday.

8. Mets are a clutch James McCann three run homer from the walls caving in on them.

9. He was injured, but David Peterson hasn’t been good or consistent all year. The sad part is even with that they still need him.

10. Maybe it’s a blip, or maybe the league has figured out Sean Reid-Foley, but his last few appearances haven’t been good.

11. The Thomas Szapucki outing was disheartening as he didn’t really show any indication he’d be ready to help the Mets this year.

12. Tylor Megill has more than earned more starts, and seeing everything, Corey Oswalt should be slotting in behind him in the rotation as they continue to stretch him out.

13. Albert Almora has now surrendered more homers and RBI than he’s hit. Good on him for volunteering to pitch, but there’s no reason for him to stay up over Billy McKinney when Brandon Nimmo is healthy.

14. Mets need a lot more of what Dominic Smith provided this past week, especially since his LF defense isn’t good.

15. Pete Alonso has been hitting a lot better of late, but sooner or later, he needs to start hitting a home. The same could be said for this entire Mets team.

16. With the great second base defense Jose Peraza has provided and his big hits the Mets should be really be considering his role going forward with the team. You could argue he should be playing everyday.

17. The Mets will never do it, but J.D. Davis still has minor league options and can’t refuse an assignment to Syracuse. Given how he can’t play a position, and his activation may force a Peraza DFA, he should be sent to Syracuse where he can actually learn how to play defense.

18. Speaking of Syracuse, it’s an embarrassment to the Mets and MLB that the Mets organization is not providing housing and other needs to minor leaguers they’re barely paying.

19. The quote was met with derision but hitting coach Hugh Quattlebaum is right. He needs to focus on processes. When processes are correct and clicking, the runs will then follow.

20. The Mets and Yankees both head into the Subway Series in complete disarray and with the threat of all three games being rained out.

Game Recaps

Mets McCann Hit

Albert Almora Pitched, So It Was an Ugly Loss

Nothing Luis Guillorme Could Do

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Mets McCann Hit

This was ticketed for another very frustrating game. The Mets offense could do absolutely nothing against Charlie Morton over the first six innings.

In years past. it made sense. Morton has a very good track record, but he entered this start with a 3.68 ERA. While Morton’s curve was sharp, this seemed more indicative of how poorly the Mets offense has performed.

The shame was Tylor Megill gave the Mets another solid effort. He started the game with four scoreless with the help of a great Dominic Smith play in left.

Megill ran into trouble in the fifth. After two quick outs, Ronald Acuña and Freddie Freeman singled, and then Ozzie Albies hit a three run homer. Honestly, at the time, it seemed like the 3-0 lead was insurmountable.

Things changed in the seventh. Smith hit a 3-2 curve for a single. Then, the Mets got a little bit of luck. Kevin Pillar battled Morton, and the home plate umpire Adam Beck called what should’ve been strike three ball four.

James McCann came to the plate as the tying run. McCann had looked overmatched, but then, he hit the game tying three run homer.

Morton was done for the night with his being lifted for A.J. Minter, but the Mets bats weren’t. Jose Peraza hit a pinch hit ground rule double, and two batters later, Francisco Lindor had the go-ahead RBI single.

These runs were the benefit of Drew Smith. Smith picked up the win after pitching a scoreless sixth. It was the first of four scoreless from this Mets bullpen.

Naturally, one of those came from Edwin Diaz. Ehire Adrianza had put a scare into everyone hitting a potential homer JUST foul. Despite the scare, Diaz recorded his 17th save, and the Mets earned the 4-3 win.

Again, there are signs of life from this offense. Overall, what you like most is the fight in this team.

Game Notes: The Mets had two sacrifice bunts with neither coming from a pitcher (Lindor, Luis Guillorme). Michael Conforto is only slugging .318.

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20/20 Hindsight: Mets Reawakening In Split Against Braves

The New York Mets treaded water by splitting the series with the Atlanta Braves, but there are signs of a big run coming:’

1. It probably should’ve been more obvious, but having Michael Conforto back really jump started this offense.

2. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, but Conforto’s presence on this team with all the things he can do is going to put all the more pressure on the Mets to re-sign him.

3. One interesting thing Conforto said was how much of a leader Francisco Lindor is. Not only does that mean something coming from Conforto, but it’s also an indication on just how much value Lindor provides beyond his play on the field.

4. Mets are lucky Marcus Stroman may not be IL bound because they can really ill afford to lose pitching.

5. There’s a lot of things we can say about Jacob deGrom‘s start, but the biggest thing to come out of it is he came off the field on his own accord with no injuries.

6. deGrom is on pace for the greatest season ever with a 744 ERA+, which is well over double the best season ever.

7. It’s interesting Tylor Megill made his MLB debut when he was 25 years 330 Days old just like deGrom in 2014 (hat tip Christopher Soto). There were certainly some flashes for Megill in his 4.1 innings.

8. No, no one really wants to see a pitcher frisked in Enrico Pallozo fashion when they step off the mound, but as Preston Wilson astutely points out, there really isn’t a better way to do this.

9. So far, the Mets pitchers have been gentlemanly in the checks, which they should be as the umpires didn’t want this. The best reaction so far was the bemused Aaron Loup.

10. Sometimes you get it wrong, and I got it really wrong on Loup. Loup’s three innings was the latest example of how great an addition Loup has been.

11. On the topic of pitcher reactions to umpire checks, Sergio Romo‘s was funny, but it was probably uncalled for given how umpires didn’t want this either. Max Scherzer was just childish with the temper tantrums, especially when he’s one of the reasons why this is happening.

12. In terms of asking Scherzer to get checked out, Joe Girardi was right to have Scherzer checked after his two checks. If anything, not asking someone explicitly named as using foreign substances is bad managing. The only spot Girardi was wrong was the childish challenging to a fight.

13. Once again, Corey Oswalt showed he can pitch at this level. His innings came up huge because this Mets bullpen is on fumes and is starting to deal with some significant injuries.

14. Drew Smith is going to get his chance to be a significant part of this bullpen.

15. Luis Guillorme showed why he should be starting over Jonathan Villar and J.D. Davis when all three are healthy. Not only does Guillorme do things defensively the other two couldn’t dream of doing, but he can get on base.

16. We could make a bigger deal of the shut outs and offensive struggles, including that embarrassing base running performance, but really, it was a group stepping up and doing it for as long as they could. You can’t expect the back-ups and the back-ups to the back-ups to not finally relent.

17. Unless something changes, and it very well might, we may just have to admit Pete Alonso‘s career year was 2019, and he’s really the player he was last year.

18. It doesn’t matter how many injuries the Mets suffer, they’ll never need and should never want Bartolo Colon.

19. The Mets are finally getting an off day after playing 15 games in 13 days. While you might’ve wanted more, their dividing lead stays in tact.

20. The Mets aren’t atop All-Star voting, and they probably shouldn’t be, but who cares? They’re winning the division, and that’s what matters.

Recaps

Jacob deGrom Was Great and Healthy

Mets Ran Away from Win

Marcus Stro-No, Not Another Injury

Mets Offense Returns with Conforto

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Mets Offense Returns With Conforto

Apparently, the answer to what ails the New York Mets offense is Michael Conforto was on the IL. Because tonight, when he returned, the Mets offense was clicking.

In the first, after Francisco Lindor drew a one out walk, Michael Conforto hit a double off Kyle Wright. Lindor scored on a wild pitch, and then Conforto scored on a Dominic Smith fielder’s choice.

Suddenly, it was a 2-0 first inning lead for a Mets team who had been shut out in consecutive games. Believe it or not, the Mets weren’t done scoring.

In the second, Luis Guillorme hit a one out double, and he’d score on a Jeff McNeil RBI single. McNeil then scored when Lindor hit his ninth homer of the year:

That was a 5-0 lead. It was exactly when you wanted to have it as Tylor Megill was making his Major League debut. Despite the limited time in Double and Triple-A, Megill looked quite good.

His mid 90s velocity was hitting 97. While there was some control concerns, his first walks didn’t happen until the fifth. Overall, Megill looked like a pitcher who belonged, and this stage wasn’t too much for him.

He pitched four scoreless before running trouble into the fifth. He walked Ehire Adrianza to lead-off the inning, and one out later, Ender Inciarte homered to pull the Braves to within 5-2. When Megill walked the next batter, Josh Tomlin, his night was over.

Megill departed to a standing ovation and an umpire check for foreign substances. Even though Miguel Castro got the Mets out of the inning, Megill didn’t qualify for the win as he pitched just 4.1 innings.

The win would go to Corey Oswalt who came on in relief and gave the Mets some needed length out of the bullpen pitching 2.1 innings.

The Braves jumped on Oswalt with an Austin Riley double and Adrianza RBI single. However, he’d settle in, and he’d even register a pick-off.

The Mets added an insurance run in the seventh, and once again Conforto was at the forefront. He’d hit a lead-off single and score off a James McCann RBI single.

With runners on first and second with one out, the Mets were well poised to blow it open there. However, Kevin Pillar hit into an inning ending double play, and for some reason, didn’t bother running it out.

With the Mets having a 6-3 lead and not much available out of the pen, they looked to push Oswalt another inning. After retiring Almonte, he surrendered a double to Riley and a walk to Adrianza.

At that point, Luis Rojas went to Edwin Diaz for the five out save. Diaz case out firing and got the Mets out of that jam.

It was a long bottom of the eighth starting with a Luis Guillorme walk. Singles by McNeil and Lindor gave the Mets a 7-3 lead. Despite the long inning, Diaz came back out for the ninth, and he pitched a scoreless inning for his 16th save of the season.

But, overall, this win was about the reawakened Mets offense. Pillar was the only starter without a hit, and we’d see five Mets with multi-hit games. That includes McNeil’s three hit game.

The Mets had to earn this split, and they got it. They’re now going to get a much needed day off putting them well poised to go on a nice run heading into the All-Star Break.

Game Notes: Tomas Nido was placed on the IL. Yennsy Diaz and Sean Reid-Foley were optioned to Triple-A. Joey Lucchesi and Robert Gsellman we’re transferred to the 60 day IL.

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Stop The Bartolo Colon Nonsense

With Marcus Stroman leaving the game with a hip injury, the Mets already thin pitching depth might’ve suffered another blow. These injuries have led to selecting the contracts of MLB retread Jerad Eickhoff and a promising prospect Tylor Megill, who really isn’t ready.

As is always the case, this has led to the bring back Bartolo Colon nonsense. Yes, it’s nonsense, and this time it was Howie Rose asking Mets GM Zack Scott about it. Hopefully, it was tongue-in-cheek:

Just so we’re clear. Colon last pitched in the majors as a 45 year old in 2018. In 24 starts and four relief appearances for the Texas Rangers, he was dreadful going 7-12 with a 5.78 ERA, 82 ERA+, and a 5.47 FIP.

There is zero chance three years later he’s any good. It doesn’t matter how many nonsense workout videos you see or his fooling semipro players. He’s terrible, and he’s going to be terrible.

For all intents and purposes, the nostalgia aspect doesn’t make all that much sense. He was an okay pitcher with the Mets who was horrid in big spots in the World Series. There was also the matter of his refusing to pay child support. Really, he wasn’t the lovable guy some make him out to be.

Colon pitched better than expected when he was with the Mets. He hit a homer. He made some great defensive plays. He made an All-Star team, and he helped drag the 2016 Mets to the postseason.

Enjoy those memories. However, that’s all they are memories because there’s no clinic in Germany, and MLB testing has gotten much better meaning there’s no Fountain of Youth this time.

Instead, let’s enjoy Megill’s debut, hope Corey Oswalt gets stretched out, see if Thomas Szapucki can put it together, and wait to see if Carlos Carrasco can return soon. If not, let’s see what trades this front office can swing in the event any starters need to miss any more time. Really, just anything other than Colon.

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