I suppose we'll be hearing about Familia's suspension pretty soon. The Commish didn't exactly cover himself in glory, it stinks the way he handled this whole thing. Use Familia to aggrandize the WBC.....then suspend him for the start of the regular season.
Hopefully he's still able to deliver the high hard one
I suppose we'll be hearing about Familia's suspension pretty soon. The Commish didn't exactly cover himself in glory, it stinks the way he handled this whole thing. Use Familia to aggrandize the WBC.....then suspend him for the start of the regular season.
No one truly believes that the Mets haven't been given a HINT about the Familia situation??
I think the sentiment is that they let him pitch the WBC because it's an important tournament for MLB..and then they will suspend him. Almost like they are using him.
BUT.. I'm pretty sure he could've opted out of playing the WBC. Maybe he struck a deal with MLB to play it for a reduced sentence.
on fangraphs looking at how Harvey might fair if his velocity doesn't go up from where it is now (i.e., if he sits at 92mph with his fb with occasional bursts a little higher). Short summary is that we need to hope he gets at least most of his FB back at some point.
Do you think he sticks it out and plays out the entire minor league season?
Columbia is no joke so it's possible he's so bad they come up with an escape plan. That said odds are they would likely pass him around to teams like Brooklyn to milk every penny if possible.
he just quits and does something else if it goes terrible. If he stuck it out for one or more full seasons, I'd have more respect for him.
Ehalt says Harvey sitting at 93/94 today.
Tebow will probably go write a book about it and do public speaking, and go back to college football analysis. There is no money in minor league baseball and he ain't cracking a major league lineup, except maybe in September as a favor.
he just quits and does something else if it goes terrible. If he stuck it out for one or more full seasons, I'd have more respect for him.
Ehalt says Harvey sitting at 93/94 today.
Columbia is going to be a real challenge. I mean for context Kevin Kaczmarski was a 9th round pick in 2015, hit .355 in Kingsport and "only" hit .268 in Columbia. Of players that played at least 50 games they had 6 players hit over .260, 6 players with an OPS above .700 (and that group includes Thompson (4th round in 2015), Siena (14th round in 2015), Kaczmarski (9th round in 2015), Garcia (4th round in 2014), Mazeika 8th round in 2015 and Jeff Diehl (23rd rounder in 2011 (he only hit .234 but hit 9 homers with a decent walk rate to boost his OPS)
1) his velocity will increase with time
2) he came out of school at 93-95, so this isn't uncharted territory for him
3) worst case scenario is this is an eye opening experience for the pitchers top to bottom in the franchise - and a focus on pitching over throwing becomes more important.
Chris McCosky @cmccosky 3m3 minutes ago
More
Tigers have hit Matt Harvey hard so far. James McCann pulled a hanging slider out onto the berm in LF. 1-0 Tigers. Moya just missed an HR
Marc CarigVerified account @MarcCarig 17s17 seconds ago
More
Matt Harvey, velo still low 90s, gives up a ground rule double. In left field, Tim Tebow couldn't chase it down.
0 replies 1 retweet 0 likes
Reply Retweeted 1
Like
Went to the Mets/ Cards game on Saturday in Jupiter. First experience attending a spring training game. Awesome atmosphere and highly recommend it. Will definitely go again next year.
James WagnerVerified account @ByJamesWagner 8s9 seconds ago
More
Harvey through two innings: 40 pitches, three strikeouts, four hits allowed including a homer, 92-94 mph.
so far to support the idea that Harvey can still pitch good at a velocity this low. It's possible that he learns how eventually but doesn't look to be there right now.
I think the Mets will take a long look at Lugo when he's back in camp.
personally don't give a shit about Tebow but Columbia is a good spot to not have him block anyone. He's not playing over Lindsay and outside of Cespedes I can't come up with another OF where I'd be furious he took time from them.
mets beat writers excitedly tweeting (i'm just guessing)
personally don't give a shit about Tebow but Columbia is a good spot to not have him block anyone. He's not playing over Lindsay and outside of Cespedes I can't come up with another OF where I'd be furious he took time from them.
First person (Lindsay) that came to mind. Tebow, if he has any talent at all, will be exposed here.
personally don't give a shit about Tebow but Columbia is a good spot to not have him block anyone. He's not playing over Lindsay and outside of Cespedes I can't come up with another OF where I'd be furious he took time from them.
First person (Lindsay) that came to mind. Tebow, if he has any talent at all, will be exposed here.
Lindsay is playing every day, not even the Mets could screw that up. Cespedes could potentially skip BK but I can't really come up with 3 OF's who are legit prospects who played in Kingsport/BK last year who Tebow would be blocking. JM Medina is sort of interesting but likely in BK. If you are "anti-Tebow" it's the best possible spot for him in my view.
RE: mets beat writers excitedly tweeting (i'm just guessing)
This goes for Harvey as much as the others. This past week was a focus on off speed pitches and command. The hardest hit balls were not off prime fastballs. But instead the secondary pitches. Which were forced more than normal this week. So there is today's "glass half full".
here on the Mets handling of Conforto and the OF.
https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-preview-new-york-mets-outfield-logjam-michael-conforto-jay-bruce-8364747de3b#.8jp5zcqlu - ( New Window )
It's the cool thing to bash right now. Yet these would be the same people blasting the team if he struggled. Bottom line is it will help, not hinder him to go to Vegas in a relaxed atmosphere with no pressure to work on the small parts of his game. Ensuring he's ready, whenever that is. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
here on the Mets handling of Conforto and the OF.
https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-preview-new-york-mets-outfield-logjam-michael-conforto-jay-bruce-8364747de3b#.8jp5zcqlu - ( New Window )
It's the cool thing to bash right now. Yet these would be the same people blasting the team if he struggled. Bottom line is it will help, not hinder him to go to Vegas in a relaxed atmosphere with no pressure to work on the small parts of his game. Ensuring he's ready, whenever that is. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Fair enough.
I don't agree and think Conforto should be up here day one, but I see the other side of the thinking. Hopefully either Bruce plays better than expected or Conforto is promoted quickly and plays well.
big on Conforto but one could argue his spring wasn't good enough to win the job all things considered (meaning he had to overcome being behind Bruce). Yeah .356 is pretty but 1 walk, 10 k's over 45 ab's
big on Conforto but one could argue his spring wasn't good enough to win the job all things considered (meaning he had to overcome being behind Bruce). Yeah .356 is pretty but 1 walk, 10 k's over 45 ab's
His first week he was smoking hot. But even then he wasn't swinging "well". He's hitting about 270 since - hasn't blown anyone away. Still flaws.
big on Conforto but one could argue his spring wasn't good enough to win the job all things considered (meaning he had to overcome being behind Bruce). Yeah .356 is pretty but 1 walk, 10 k's over 45 ab's
His first week he was smoking hot. But even then he wasn't swinging "well". He's hitting about 270 since - hasn't blown anyone away. Still flaws.
He's become far too pull happy. If anything some "blocked" time in LV might relax him a bit vs. trying to shock the world and beat out Bruce.
Sobering Wright piece from Kernan. Described the pain when throwing as "shooting pain" and basically acknowledged he likely will not be "pain free" in the shoulder even if the rehab works.
that's exactly why I found the complaints about the players being told no dressing up as woman as part of hazing going forward. Aren't there more original ways to do team building than POTENTIALLY insult woman/transgender people? Dressing as a woman is lame/played out.
Bruce is one of the Mets most willing recipients of this data, along with Cespedes, Long said. So that Long can spend his time focusing on hitting mechanics, he leans on Roessler to examine hitting data with players.
When they spot something in the numbers, they decide whether to approach a player with it because, as Long put it, some are not ready to digest that much information.
Weve pointed out just a few things to Jay, and hes said he wants it all, Long said.
I appreciate information, Bruce said. I may not agree with it, but I at least want to know.
All this data has helped Bruce get a more vivid sense of what type of hitter he is and how best to maximize his skills. Bruce, who is left-handed, knows he is a power hitter he has averaged 27 home runs a year over nine seasons and the data overwhelmingly shows that balls in the air to the pull side are the best option for him.
And thats what I do the most, Bruce said. So why wouldnt I work on pulling the ball in the air with efficiency?
And consider this: Since Bruces debut season in 2008, only David Ortiz (41.1 percent) turned more fly balls hit to the pull side into home runs than did Bruce (40.4 percent), according to FanGraphs.com. Those results happen to run counter to the hitting instruction Bruce said he received when he was younger.
He said coaches told him to hit the ball to left field, which would perhaps lead to a higher average. But advanced metrics helped Bruce understand that was not his strength.
You have to recognize what your strong swing is, Bruce said. Listen, Im not going up there trying to yank the ball into the seats. Im trying to stay in the big part of the field. But my best swing is to right-center. So what balls can I hit to right-center?
To do that, Bruce looks at heat maps that show how hard he hits the ball, a statistic known as exit velocity, based on the area of the strike zone the pitch is in. He studies what pitches he has most often chased out of the strike zone. He also evaluates the path of his bat, known as launch angle, to see if he is producing the right amount of lift.
Theres absolutely nothing for you on the ground to the pull side, he said. Thats just death to the baseball. So what balls am I hitting there?
Anyone read this garbage article by Davidoff? Link - ( New Window )
Trash. Bryce Harper is hitting in spring training and some interesting bullpen pieces have emerged like Blanton? LOL
Just about everything has gone right for the Mets this spring outside of maybe Harvey's slow start and we seemed to have a ton of injury questions heading in. Duda is healthy and mashing. Walker is the best he's felt in a decade. deGrom is popping 97. Matz looks 100%. Cespedes is just as locked in as Harper has been. Almost everyone is hitting including Conforto and TDA. Familia might actually be suspended for LESS than 30 games. pfftt...
Anyone read this garbage article by Davidoff? Link - ( New Window )
Trash. Bryce Harper is hitting in spring training and some interesting bullpen pieces have emerged like Blanton? LOL
Just about everything has gone right for the Mets this spring outside of maybe Harvey's slow start and we seemed to have a ton of injury questions heading in. Duda is healthy and mashing. Walker is the best he's felt in a decade. deGrom is popping 97. Matz looks 100%. Cespedes is just as locked in as Harper has been. Almost everyone is hitting including Conforto and TDA. Familia might actually be suspended for LESS than 30 games. pfftt...
The best part is that he never actually mentions the Mets or explains why things are falling apart. He just outlines the absolute best case scenario from front to back for the Nationals. Terrible writing.
will dictate the NL East. Both teams are very talented. I think the Nationals are "better" on paper by a nose but it's very close. I'm still concerned with the Mets bullpen (not that the Nats pen looks incredible). Just wish we would have added 1 more decent arm (Blanton was cheap and gettable for one).
Does anyone know if tom szapuki returned to pitching after he was pulled early in camp? And does anyone know how long conforto would have to remain in Vegas to get another year of control?
If you like free food and watching Tim Tebow attempt to play baseball, the Greenville Drive may have the perfect promotion for you.
On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox Class A affiliate tweeted that when Tebow's new team -- the Columbia Fireflies (the Mets' Class A affiliate) -- comes to town June 13-15, fans in attendance could win free Burger King Whoppers if the 29-year-old strikes out three times in a game during the series.
Does anyone know if tom szapuki returned to pitching after he was pulled early in camp? And does anyone know how long conforto would have to remain in Vegas to get another year of control?
Yes to #1, no idea to #2, I assumed once the clock starts ticking like I think it has for Conforto, going back to the minors doesn't stop it.
which of course is the far and away most important thing for him. FB touched 95 a few times and his breaking stuff has some bite to it. Results-wise, reminds me of when he first came up. Trouble putting guys away with 2 strikes, and also trouble throwing strikes.
Swinging bunt for a hit, 4 pitch walk, wild pitch, sac fly by Ozuna, hit Dietrich with a pitch (who made no attempt to move).
isn't ready to give a consistent 5-6-7 innings and the pen sans Familia will be heavily taxed every time he can't go 5-6. Let him figure it out in Florida.
TJ Rivera and Ty Kelly look like locks for the last two bench spots and the pen will have three of the following five:
Josh Edgin
Josh Smoker
Seth Lugo
Rafael Montero
Paul Sewald
Is it even possible to go any other way? I guess if Familia didnt get suspended at all it would only be two.
Collins noted the lack of AA/AAA SP options (Ynoa decision even more curious). I'd be pretty blown away if Lugo is in the MLB pen opening day. Sure seems like it's Edgin, Smoker and one of Montero or Sewald.
in the world to use Lugo out of the pen (especially with Familia likely suspended)? Mets/Collins would need to be cognizant of not overusing him on back-to-back days, but he could be a nice option to pitch 2-3 innings a few times a week. He'd still be able to make a spot start if needed.
I guess it depends on his warmup routine and whether he'd be able to make the adjustment.
in the world to use Lugo out of the pen (especially with Familia likely suspended)? Mets/Collins would need to be cognizant of not overusing him on back-to-back days, but he could be a nice option to pitch 2-3 innings a few times a week. He'd still be able to make a spot start if needed.
I guess it depends on his warmup routine and whether he'd be able to make the adjustment.
Not at all a fan of such a move.
1. Collins can't be expected to baby Lugo. You can't expect a manager trying to win games also monitor "special" rules for certain guys. If Lugo is pitching well he's going to be heavily used (just like any other reliever). No way you can constrict TC "no back to backs" etc.
2. Lugo due to previous back issues has never pitched more than 137 innings in a season. Good luck getting him to "normal" starters innings if he's in the pen while Familia is out
3. Lugo still needs work. He's far from a finished product. For all of his positives he still walked 21 in 63 big league innings
4. You can't just take a 2 inning guy and expect him to randomly be able to give you "spot starts". 2 inning guys are warming up even in games they don't appear in. If he's a 2 inning guy, that's his role for the season (unless you are then sending him down to stretch out).
get on managers for overusing relievers but outside of using your top guys in blowouts etc it's really silly. Managers use the best guys they have, they are trying to win games. Outside of end of the year innings caps stuff like not being able to use Lugo in back to backs, or 3-4 times in a given week (+ maybe 1-2 warm ups that you don't get into the game). It is an unfair expectation of a manager. You give him X tools, he uses them the to the best of his ability to win games.
always have Ramiro Mendoza as a sort of swing bullpen man who could make spot starts? Darren Oliver might've had a similar role for the Mets at some point?
Maybe the game is different today and maybe Lugo's back makes this an unrealistic option but I'd like to see our best players make the opening day roster if possible.
After a solid start to his career in his first season in the Mets' organization, Lugo quickly reached a wall. While working out in the winter, he felt what he thought was a back spasm while performing an ab-strengthening exercise. After several MRIs, Lugo was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis which occurs after a displacement of a vertebra in the spine.
To mend it, he had to undergo a lumbar fusion and a surgery that lasted nearly 10 hours, he says. Though doctors had warned him that there was a chance he might not pitch again, only as he approached the procedure did he realize the severity of what he was about to endure.
"Whoa. Hold on, I don't know if I want to do this," Lugo says of his thoughts as he sat with doctors before the surgery. "They kind of just reassured me it was a precaution they have to tell everyone. But that was the only time it really hit me that, whoa, this is a lot more serious than I thought."
The injury took out his entire 2012 season. For three months he could barely move at all, resigned to bed rest.
rather go to AA than AAA. Didn't he say that he wasn't able to throw his secondary stuff in Vegas due to the air composition there and only started throwing after getting called up to the Mets? Can't see how Vegas AAA will help his development.
always have Ramiro Mendoza as a sort of swing bullpen man who could make spot starts? Darren Oliver might've had a similar role for the Mets at some point?
Maybe the game is different today and maybe Lugo's back makes this an unrealistic option but I'd like to see our best players make the opening day roster if possible.
Ramiro Mendoza in 1997 made 15 starts. He opened the season in the Yankees rotation and made 11 of these starts out of his first 17 appearances. He was essentially a SP who also made a few relief appearances that season. Because he began the season as a SP it was easy to have him make a few multi inning relief appearances. 1998 was much of the same. Opened the season in the Yankees rotation first 13 appearances, 11 starts
rather go to AA than AAA. Didn't he say that he wasn't able to throw his secondary stuff in Vegas due to the air composition there and only started throwing after getting called up to the Mets? Can't see how Vegas AAA will help his development.
His own mother said he lost his CB at one point last season. I absolutely despise LV but it hasn't exactly retarded the development of our young SP. If you are good you will survive.
a final note on Mendoza. 1998 his first 13 appearances he averaged 5.5 innings per appearance (11 starts). 1997 first 17 appearances 11 starts, 4.4 innings per appearance. Moving guys from the rotation to the bullpen as the season drags on is pretty common, moving guys in-season from the BP to rotation without being sent down is very unusual nowadays.
"I will admit to having fact-checked my colleague who handles the Mets depth chart because, on its face, giving this much time to Jay Bruce when you have Michael Conforto is a little bewildering. Now maybe its as simple as the Mets figuring they should see what Bruce can offer before making any irreversible roster move. Maybe its as simple as Terry Collins liking how 33 homers and 99 RBI look on Bruces baseball card. Maybe its as simple as Bruces wRC+ in 2016 being better than Confortos.
Yet it seems like an honest accounting of the situation would tell you not to put too much stock in Bruces good 2016 first half compared to his broader body of work. There are plenty of worlds in which Bruce has a better year than Conforto, but Conforto is a young player on the rise who projects better than Bruce this year. And thats before you get to the matter of defense, where the numbers and the eye test tell you Conforto brings more to the table. Its a rough tool, but if you just prorate our ZiPS/Steamer blend over 600 PA, Conforto beats him at the plate and outpaces him by more than two wins of value."
The Tone: Given the Mets predicament of having more than 5 quality options for the starting rotation out of spring training do you think, assuming Gsellman is the 5th starter, it is both viable and a good idea to have Seth Lugo serve as a multi-inning reliever/piggyback starter for the first part of the season as opposed to just staying stretched out and burning innings in AAA waiting for someone to go down? Hes looked good in the WBC, and that fastball and super-spin curve should play up in shorter outings (which I think was borne out in his peripherals in relief last year).
12:06
Dave Cameron: Id probably keep him stretched out to start, even if that means he hangs out in AAA for a bit. The odds of that staff staying healthy all year is basically 0%.
TC simply raved about Gsellman and said the WBC wouldn't impact the Mets rotation so he didn't flat out say Gsellman made it but.... he also said Nimmo "isn't close". DL is my guess.
Cabrera getting tossed today was hysterical. But him and Walker definitely broke up the monotony and got a little bit more respect from their teammates today.
Loved how Droobs took his sweet time walking off the field.
Agreed 100%
I think the sentiment is that they let him pitch the WBC because it's an important tournament for MLB..and then they will suspend him. Almost like they are using him.
BUT.. I'm pretty sure he could've opted out of playing the WBC. Maybe he struck a deal with MLB to play it for a reduced sentence.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/imagining-the-new-matt-harvey/ - ( New Window )
Do you think he sticks it out and plays out the entire minor league season?
Quote:
per Sandy
Do you think he sticks it out and plays out the entire minor league season?
Columbia is no joke so it's possible he's so bad they come up with an escape plan. That said odds are they would likely pass him around to teams like Brooklyn to milk every penny if possible.
Ehalt says Harvey sitting at 93/94 today.
More
Harvey 93-94 in first inning. Two hits thus fsr. So, more of the same.
19 pitches for Harvey in first. Two singles. Was at 93-94 on the pitches they showed. Allowed soft contact. One K.
Ehalt says Harvey sitting at 93/94 today.
Tebow will probably go write a book about it and do public speaking, and go back to college football analysis. There is no money in minor league baseball and he ain't cracking a major league lineup, except maybe in September as a favor.
Ehalt says Harvey sitting at 93/94 today.
Columbia is going to be a real challenge. I mean for context Kevin Kaczmarski was a 9th round pick in 2015, hit .355 in Kingsport and "only" hit .268 in Columbia. Of players that played at least 50 games they had 6 players hit over .260, 6 players with an OPS above .700 (and that group includes Thompson (4th round in 2015), Siena (14th round in 2015), Kaczmarski (9th round in 2015), Garcia (4th round in 2014), Mazeika 8th round in 2015 and Jeff Diehl (23rd rounder in 2011 (he only hit .234 but hit 9 homers with a decent walk rate to boost his OPS)
2) he came out of school at 93-95, so this isn't uncharted territory for him
3) worst case scenario is this is an eye opening experience for the pitchers top to bottom in the franchise - and a focus on pitching over throwing becomes more important.
More
Harvey yields a homer to left on 86-mph offering to James McCann.
More
Tigers have hit Matt Harvey hard so far. James McCann pulled a hanging slider out onto the berm in LF. 1-0 Tigers. Moya just missed an HR
More
Matt Harvey, velo still low 90s, gives up a ground rule double. In left field, Tim Tebow couldn't chase it down.
0 replies 1 retweet 0 likes
Reply Retweeted 1
Like
More
Harvey through two innings: 40 pitches, three strikeouts, four hits allowed including a homer, 92-94 mph.
I think the Mets will take a long look at Lugo when he's back in camp.
So, Harvey retires the Tigers in order. Humped up against Castellanos, fastball to 95 and 96.
Perfect third. Through 53.
Marc Carig
Board shows a 96 after that Harvey heater.
Harvey just went 95, 96, 95 with his last 3 pitches.
First person (Lindsay) that came to mind. Tebow, if he has any talent at all, will be exposed here.
While you're here... Head to https://t.co/nfb9i16ltI for tickets or call at 803-726-4487! #LetsGlow
LetsGlow rhymes with Tebow. The t-shirts basically print themselves.
Quote:
personally don't give a shit about Tebow but Columbia is a good spot to not have him block anyone. He's not playing over Lindsay and outside of Cespedes I can't come up with another OF where I'd be furious he took time from them.
First person (Lindsay) that came to mind. Tebow, if he has any talent at all, will be exposed here.
Lindsay is playing every day, not even the Mets could screw that up. Cespedes could potentially skip BK but I can't really come up with 3 OF's who are legit prospects who played in Kingsport/BK last year who Tebow would be blocking. JM Medina is sort of interesting but likely in BK. If you are "anti-Tebow" it's the best possible spot for him in my view.
Harvey just went 95, 96, 95 with his last 3 pitches.
Well that's a whole different ballgame right there! Nice!
Nimmo, Becerra, R. Cespedes, Lindsay would be "the 4". Anyone beyond that would likely be a specialist type like Champ Stuart.
Harvey looked good Monday, #Mets cautiously optimistic.
#Mets prospect T.J. Rivera swats a solo HR in his first AB to give Puerto Rico the lead in #WBC2017 semis.
Been the very obvious plan from day one. Just wonder how written that is in stone with Nimmo being more questionable?
Quote:
MMO a Mets scout says Conforto "definitely" going to LV
Been the very obvious plan from day one. Just wonder how written that is in stone with Nimmo being more questionable?
I'm guessing they carry 4 OF's + "kinda sorta, maybe" OF in Reynolds, Kelly or Rivera.
https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-preview-new-york-mets-outfield-logjam-michael-conforto-jay-bruce-8364747de3b#.8jp5zcqlu - ( New Window )
Wish this organization was more of a believer in that philosophy.
https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-preview-new-york-mets-outfield-logjam-michael-conforto-jay-bruce-8364747de3b#.8jp5zcqlu - ( New Window )
It's the cool thing to bash right now. Yet these would be the same people blasting the team if he struggled. Bottom line is it will help, not hinder him to go to Vegas in a relaxed atmosphere with no pressure to work on the small parts of his game. Ensuring he's ready, whenever that is. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Quote:
move by the White Sox. They locked up Tim Anderson for 6 years 25 million. It's a gamble given how unproven he is but potentially a major bargain.
Wish this organization was more of a believer in that philosophy.
Agreed 100%. Bet on your young talent.
Quote:
here on the Mets handling of Conforto and the OF.
https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-preview-new-york-mets-outfield-logjam-michael-conforto-jay-bruce-8364747de3b#.8jp5zcqlu - ( New Window )
It's the cool thing to bash right now. Yet these would be the same people blasting the team if he struggled. Bottom line is it will help, not hinder him to go to Vegas in a relaxed atmosphere with no pressure to work on the small parts of his game. Ensuring he's ready, whenever that is. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Fair enough.
I don't agree and think Conforto should be up here day one, but I see the other side of the thinking. Hopefully either Bruce plays better than expected or Conforto is promoted quickly and plays well.
His first week he was smoking hot. But even then he wasn't swinging "well". He's hitting about 270 since - hasn't blown anyone away. Still flaws.
Quote:
big on Conforto but one could argue his spring wasn't good enough to win the job all things considered (meaning he had to overcome being behind Bruce). Yeah .356 is pretty but 1 walk, 10 k's over 45 ab's
His first week he was smoking hot. But even then he wasn't swinging "well". He's hitting about 270 since - hasn't blown anyone away. Still flaws.
He's become far too pull happy. If anything some "blocked" time in LV might relax him a bit vs. trying to shock the world and beat out Bruce.
Word to the wise. Don't Park in deGrom's spot, @KevinKaz4
When they spot something in the numbers, they decide whether to approach a player with it because, as Long put it, some are not ready to digest that much information.
Weve pointed out just a few things to Jay, and hes said he wants it all, Long said.
I appreciate information, Bruce said. I may not agree with it, but I at least want to know.
All this data has helped Bruce get a more vivid sense of what type of hitter he is and how best to maximize his skills. Bruce, who is left-handed, knows he is a power hitter he has averaged 27 home runs a year over nine seasons and the data overwhelmingly shows that balls in the air to the pull side are the best option for him.
And thats what I do the most, Bruce said. So why wouldnt I work on pulling the ball in the air with efficiency?
And consider this: Since Bruces debut season in 2008, only David Ortiz (41.1 percent) turned more fly balls hit to the pull side into home runs than did Bruce (40.4 percent), according to FanGraphs.com. Those results happen to run counter to the hitting instruction Bruce said he received when he was younger.
He said coaches told him to hit the ball to left field, which would perhaps lead to a higher average. But advanced metrics helped Bruce understand that was not his strength.
You have to recognize what your strong swing is, Bruce said. Listen, Im not going up there trying to yank the ball into the seats. Im trying to stay in the big part of the field. But my best swing is to right-center. So what balls can I hit to right-center?
To do that, Bruce looks at heat maps that show how hard he hits the ball, a statistic known as exit velocity, based on the area of the strike zone the pitch is in. He studies what pitches he has most often chased out of the strike zone. He also evaluates the path of his bat, known as launch angle, to see if he is producing the right amount of lift.
Theres absolutely nothing for you on the ground to the pull side, he said. Thats just death to the baseball. So what balls am I hitting there?
Link - ( New Window )
Link - ( New Window )
Quote:
Josh SmokerVerified account @Josh_Smoker 17h17 hours ago
Word to the wise. Don't Park in deGrom's spot, @KevinKaz4
Dumb stuff. Why would he park there originally?
Trash. Bryce Harper is hitting in spring training and some interesting bullpen pieces have emerged like Blanton? LOL
Just about everything has gone right for the Mets this spring outside of maybe Harvey's slow start and we seemed to have a ton of injury questions heading in. Duda is healthy and mashing. Walker is the best he's felt in a decade. deGrom is popping 97. Matz looks 100%. Cespedes is just as locked in as Harper has been. Almost everyone is hitting including Conforto and TDA. Familia might actually be suspended for LESS than 30 games. pfftt...
Reynolds is a mild surprise. Thought he might make the team. Paul Sewald's chances creeping up. Nice. #Mets
Quote:
Anyone read this garbage article by Davidoff? Link - ( New Window )
Trash. Bryce Harper is hitting in spring training and some interesting bullpen pieces have emerged like Blanton? LOL
Just about everything has gone right for the Mets this spring outside of maybe Harvey's slow start and we seemed to have a ton of injury questions heading in. Duda is healthy and mashing. Walker is the best he's felt in a decade. deGrom is popping 97. Matz looks 100%. Cespedes is just as locked in as Harper has been. Almost everyone is hitting including Conforto and TDA. Familia might actually be suspended for LESS than 30 games. pfftt...
The best part is that he never actually mentions the Mets or explains why things are falling apart. He just outlines the absolute best case scenario from front to back for the Nationals. Terrible writing.
Reynolds is a mild surprise. Thought he might make the team. Paul Sewald's chances creeping up. Nice. #Mets
Surprised by Rowen, disappointed in Goeddel this spring. Safe to say they'd take a do over with Ynoa this winter.
I am worried about the bullpen. Blanton would have been a really nice add but what's done is done. Just gotta hope our arms stay healthy this year
Link - ( New Window )
That's more a commentary on the Reds lack of belief of the use of analytics previously, than a commentary on Bruce's use of analytics.
On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox Class A affiliate tweeted that when Tebow's new team -- the Columbia Fireflies (the Mets' Class A affiliate) -- comes to town June 13-15, fans in attendance could win free Burger King Whoppers if the 29-year-old strikes out three times in a game during the series.
Yes to #1, no idea to #2, I assumed once the clock starts ticking like I think it has for Conforto, going back to the minors doesn't stop it.
Matz hit 97 on the gun before.
Link - ( New Window )
TV gun is hot per Carig. Still hit 95
Matt den Dekker, Mets killer, with a two-run double. Homered twice last time here.
Swinging bunt for a hit, 4 pitch walk, wild pitch, sac fly by Ozuna, hit Dietrich with a pitch (who made no attempt to move).
In Queens
I really don't want to see either one pitching in 45 degree weather in april in Flushing.
Better inning for Wheeler despite one more BB.
Josh Edgin
Josh Smoker
Seth Lugo
Rafael Montero
Paul Sewald
Is it even possible to go any other way? I guess if Familia didnt get suspended at all it would only be two.
Josh Edgin
Josh Smoker
Seth Lugo
Rafael Montero
Paul Sewald
Is it even possible to go any other way? I guess if Familia didnt get suspended at all it would only be two.
Collins noted the lack of AA/AAA SP options (Ynoa decision even more curious). I'd be pretty blown away if Lugo is in the MLB pen opening day. Sure seems like it's Edgin, Smoker and one of Montero or Sewald.
I guess it depends on his warmup routine and whether he'd be able to make the adjustment.
I guess it depends on his warmup routine and whether he'd be able to make the adjustment.
Not at all a fan of such a move.
1. Collins can't be expected to baby Lugo. You can't expect a manager trying to win games also monitor "special" rules for certain guys. If Lugo is pitching well he's going to be heavily used (just like any other reliever). No way you can constrict TC "no back to backs" etc.
2. Lugo due to previous back issues has never pitched more than 137 innings in a season. Good luck getting him to "normal" starters innings if he's in the pen while Familia is out
3. Lugo still needs work. He's far from a finished product. For all of his positives he still walked 21 in 63 big league innings
4. You can't just take a 2 inning guy and expect him to randomly be able to give you "spot starts". 2 inning guys are warming up even in games they don't appear in. If he's a 2 inning guy, that's his role for the season (unless you are then sending him down to stretch out).
Maybe the game is different today and maybe Lugo's back makes this an unrealistic option but I'd like to see our best players make the opening day roster if possible.
To mend it, he had to undergo a lumbar fusion and a surgery that lasted nearly 10 hours, he says. Though doctors had warned him that there was a chance he might not pitch again, only as he approached the procedure did he realize the severity of what he was about to endure.
"Whoa. Hold on, I don't know if I want to do this," Lugo says of his thoughts as he sat with doctors before the surgery. "They kind of just reassured me it was a precaution they have to tell everyone. But that was the only time it really hit me that, whoa, this is a lot more serious than I thought."
The injury took out his entire 2012 season. For three months he could barely move at all, resigned to bed rest.
Maybe the game is different today and maybe Lugo's back makes this an unrealistic option but I'd like to see our best players make the opening day roster if possible.
Ramiro Mendoza in 1997 made 15 starts. He opened the season in the Yankees rotation and made 11 of these starts out of his first 17 appearances. He was essentially a SP who also made a few relief appearances that season. Because he began the season as a SP it was easy to have him make a few multi inning relief appearances. 1998 was much of the same. Opened the season in the Yankees rotation first 13 appearances, 11 starts
His own mother said he lost his CB at one point last season. I absolutely despise LV but it hasn't exactly retarded the development of our young SP. If you are good you will survive.
Yet it seems like an honest accounting of the situation would tell you not to put too much stock in Bruces good 2016 first half compared to his broader body of work. There are plenty of worlds in which Bruce has a better year than Conforto, but Conforto is a young player on the rise who projects better than Bruce this year. And thats before you get to the matter of defense, where the numbers and the eye test tell you Conforto brings more to the table. Its a rough tool, but if you just prorate our ZiPS/Steamer blend over 600 PA, Conforto beats him at the plate and outpaces him by more than two wins of value."
12:06
Dave Cameron: Id probably keep him stretched out to start, even if that means he hangs out in AAA for a bit. The odds of that staff staying healthy all year is basically 0%.
Link - ( New Window )
Hopefully Harvey can keep on improving so we head to opening day with 5 nice starters.