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Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 08:52 AM

It's probably baseless, but I wonder if Harvey inspires less defensive excellence. He owes Cespedes a couple of punches. [list]That said, Harvey walking folks is never good.[/list:u] [list][list]Why doesn't Lagares play shallow anymore? Biggest Mets strategic mystery since "Why doesn't Cedeño steal anymore?" Two big hits dropped just in front of him.[/list:u][/list:u] I like having Colon out of the pen, but you don't go for the long man in the middle of an inning (Terry). You go for a short man who can get the one big out with runners on base, and then you start the next inning with your long man. [list]It was nice to see them break through in the late innings, to the extent that they broke through. An absolute offensive shutdown on Opening Day with most of the rest of the week off would have been... foreboding.[/list:u] [list][list]Royals fans riding Duda: not cool. That was a really cool play from the Royals perspective, and fans should be celebrating the derring-do of the guys who executed it, not glove-shaming the guys who got beat. I hope Duda hits three homers on Tuesday.[/list:u][/list:u] There are guys with whom you're supposed to accept the strikeouts with the extra-base hits. But I never like when Wright isn't making contact. [list]Neil Walker is pretty similar to Daniel Murphy, but I think we're going to miss Murph's bat-to-ball skills. We needed contact in the ninth last night, and I didn't know who to wish was at the plate.[/list:u] [list][list]I've been spoiled by opening day victories. The day after opening day is horrible for any number of reasons. Living through it with a monkey on the back is situation I'm almost completely unaccustomed to.[/list:u][/list:u] Speaking of which, how has MLB mismanaged Opening Day so? They lament that the difficulty of getting fans to watch games not involving their hometown team, but a national opener is one time a baseball-starved nation would sit down and watch Pittsburgh and Cincinnati play in the daytime. Or, if you don't want to return to Cincy (just to stick it to the racist ghost of Marge Schott) use yesterday as a precedent, and make a tradition of World Series teams meeting for the National Opener. Any number of storylines are waiting to be writ. [list]Strawberry batted like .750 on Opening Day, didn't he?[/list:u]

Centerfield Apr 04 2016 09:22 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD wrote: I like having Colon out of the pen, but you don't go for the long man in the middle of an inning (Terry). You go for a short man who can get the one big out with runners on base, and then you start the next inning with your long man. [list][list]Royals fans riding Duda: not cool. That was a really cool play from the Royals perspective, and fans should be celebrating the derring-do of the guys who executed it, not glove-shaming the guys who got beat. I hope Duda hits three homers on Tuesday.[/list:u][/list:u] There are guys with whom you're supposed to accept the strikeouts with the extra-base hits. But I never like when Wright isn't making contact. [list]Neil Walker is pretty similar to Daniel Murphy, but I think we're going to miss Murph's bat-to-ball skills. We needed contact in the ninth last night, and I didn't know who to wish was at the plate.[/list:u] [list][list]I've been spoiled by opening day victories. The day after opening day is horrible for any number of reasons. Living through it with a monkey on the back is situation I'm almost completely unaccustomed to.[/list:u][/list:u] Had these same thoughts. A few more: *Harv looked good, results notwithstanding. Slider looks sharp. *I like Duda's reduced leg kick. I think it will lead to more consistency. *Cabrera looks like ass. I mean talk about no range. Very seldom is it that noticeable in one game. *Wright looks shot. Hopefully it's just sluggishness. *Like Blevins. *Conforto might be our best player. *Cespedes catch the fucking ball.

Fman99 Apr 04 2016 09:47 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Made me lament every upcoming game this year not being called by GKR.

cooby classic Apr 04 2016 09:59 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Well, that girl was cute Fman :) I see very few games, even on ESPN they (Mets) are blocked for me unless it's the only game going on. So I'm just glad to see them play. Went to bed at 1:30. Hubby: Did they win? Me: No, they were behind 4-0 almost the whole game then in the eighth almost tied it. So that was exciting, AND the Royals fans actually looked sad so that was really fun! That broad with the wig behind homeplate that never even glanced at the game even left

Ashie62 Apr 04 2016 10:03 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

I like Neil Walker and Conforto. I love Cespedes also but wish his head was screwed on more often. Did Matt Reynolds get sent down to get work to split time with David? I love Wright but this is sad to see.

TransMonk Apr 04 2016 10:29 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

I think every worry I had in ST carried over into this game. Defense overall (Cespedes in particular), Wright's decline, missed offensive opportunities with men LOB, lack of energy overall, etc. That said, this game was very much like watching the 2015 WS all over again. Both teams look the same as they did 5 months ago.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 10:35 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

I think Wright — and even Cespedes — can use some of the breathing room that budding offensive forces like d'Arnaud, Conforto, and Duda can provide. They need to re-establish their game without the focus of having to anchor the lineup day in and day out. YOU'VE ALL GOTTA PULL YOUR WEIGHT, GUYZ!

Frayed Knot Apr 04 2016 10:56 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

- I understand the tendency to believe it's the beginning of the end anytime Wright doesn't come through, but we're jumping the gun (or off a cliff) a bit prematurely on this. Do remember his six week run at the end of last year, small sample size or not. He'll likely be around less often but let's not base too much off missing pitches from a closer blowing 98 out there. - Too many weak grounders, but I suppose that's what Volquez does. He's not consistent enough to be real good but he is tough to 'square up'. - When your first pinch-running option is Eric Campbell it doesn't say much for team speed. I don't want a whole bench of type of slap-hitting scooters like the Royals seem to have a half-dozen of ... but one might be nice. - Leadoff walk to Lorenzo Cain = not good (even though he's not quite as hack-tactic as the rest of that crew)

Benjamin Grimm Apr 04 2016 12:17 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD wrote: I like having Colon out of the pen, but you don't go for the long man in the middle of an inning (Terry). You go for a short man who can get the one big out with runners on base, and then you start the next inning with your long man. I didn't have a problem with that, not in a DH game anyway. The thing that most surprised me in this game was how long Ned Yost stuck with Soria when he was struggling in the eighth. I was sure he'd bring in a lefty to pitch to Duda/Walker/Conforto, but he left an ineffective righty in there instead. I had very little hope that David Wright would get that tying run home from third with one out in the ninth. I'm not giving up hope yet, by any means, that David will be productive this season, but in this game he looked like he wasn't ready yet. Maybe it's just because he had to take it easy this spring.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 12:58 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Frayed Knot wrote: - When your first pinch-running option is Eric Campbell it doesn't say much for team speed. Any of our pitchers look like runners? Matz? deGrom is a former shortstop and a good fielder, but he seems too tall and gangly to have that fourth gear. De Aza would have been the best choice for pinch-running, but they wanted to use him for his lefty bat instead.

d'Kong76 Apr 04 2016 01:25 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

We'd all have heart attacks if a Matz or a deGrom pinch ran and pulled or broke something. At least I would.

Zvon Apr 04 2016 01:38 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

There were two pitches in the ninth by Ward Davis. The one to Wright, that perfect up and in dart,and the curve ball that locked up Cespedes for strike two in his at bat. Two better pitches you'll never see. To me it came down to those two pitches. I'm not going to worry about Wright at all until I see a few weeks of 2016 baseball. I think he'll get up to speed.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 01:44 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

d'Kong76 wrote: We'd all have heart attacks if a Matz or a deGrom pinch ran and pulled or broke something. At least I would. Maybe, but it seems like manageable risk. We had plenty of days in 84 or 85 with Darling pinch-running for Staub — and Gooden if Darliing was pitching that day — and the world kept spinning. Fear of injuries handicaps managers. Manage to win the games.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 04 2016 01:58 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

As I noted in the Game thread I wouldn't have gone to Colon in relief right away for a number of reasons including that no one had him in the first quiz. You gotta wonder whether being told "you're too shitty to make an appearance here" could weigh on the CAHNfidence of the actual bullpenners. I'd have said, "Hey, Jim Henderson! Go get 'em!" That would also have left Colon open to pinch run later.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 02:03 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: You gotta wonder whether being told "you're too shitty to make an appearance here" could weigh on the CAHNfidence of the actual bullpenners. I'd have said, "Hey, Jim Henderson! Go get 'em!" Totally. That guy's arm had the big out we needed.

Frayed Knot Apr 04 2016 02:06 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: - When your first pinch-running option is Eric Campbell it doesn't say much for team speed. Any of our pitchers look like runners? Matz? deGrom is a former shortstop and a good fielder, but he seems too tall and gangly to have that fourth gear. De Aza would have been the best choice for pinch-running, but they wanted to use him for his lefty bat instead. Haven't seen enough of De Aza (I keep wanting to write that with a lower-case d just for continuity sake) yet to judge his running, but the booth last night (yeah, I know) kept talking about how his speed ins't what it was (he twice stole 20+) and I assume that holds true Cabrera also (17 SBs on two occasions) on the days he isn't starting. Larger point being that even if you wanted to argue for that day's non-starters to be available for pr-duty (and I'd be OK with that in most cases) it's hardly an ideal situation that one of them would be your first option because the roster make-up is such that they're better than anyone else on the, up to that point, un-touched bench.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 02:18 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

As certain as I am that De Aza isn't as fast as he was, I'm equally as certain in the assumption that, as a backup center fielder, he's (almost by definition) faster and nimbler than backup corner infielder Eric Campbell.

d'Kong76 Apr 04 2016 02:33 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD wrote: We had plenty of days in 84 or 85 with Darling pinch-running for Staub — and Gooden if Darliing was pitching that day — and the world kept spinning. Fear of injuries handicaps managers. I probably didn't like it back then either. I lost my mid 80's internet archives in the great hard disk crash of 1992.

Frayed Knot Apr 04 2016 03:19 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Edgy MD wrote: As certain as I am that De Aza isn't as fast as he was, I'm equally as certain in the assumption that, as a backup center fielder, he's (almost by definition) faster and nimbler than backup corner infielder Eric Campbell. All of which led Terry to opt for the backup corner IF because, although he's probably not as fast as the once kinda-fast backup OF, he also isn't as good a hitter so he wins the pr assignment by default in a 9th inning/tying run situation. It all just points to a dearth of young/speedy/athlete types on a roster where, aside from the days when Lagares is benching it, even the fastest of the backup middle IFs & OFs are only about average fast and none are particularly adept with the glove either.

Ceetar Apr 04 2016 03:31 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

I don't even think d'Arnaud is that slow. I'm not sure I'd wager he's slower than Campbell. If pinch running like that was going to be a thing, certainly they could've carried someone to do that right? Campbell doesn't actually add any value with the bat, so bring a pinch runner. or have Matz make an extended spring start in the minors and carry the pinch runner guy for a week.

Frayed Knot Apr 04 2016 03:36 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Ceetar wrote: I don't even think d'Arnaud is that slow. I'm not sure I'd wager he's slower than Campbell. And that's part of it too: if you're going to pr for your above-average hitting catcher in a crucial situation, it would be nice if it were with a demonstrably better runner ... but we don't have one of those.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 03:51 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Sure we do. We have De Aza. They just elected to deploy him otherwise.

Mets Guy in Michigan Apr 04 2016 05:19 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

I think I would rather have Conforto in the field and Cespedes as the DH.

Zvon Apr 04 2016 10:34 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: I think I would rather have Conforto in the field and Cespedes as the DH. I want to agree but there's the problem of Lagares not being able to make catches that were so easy for him a few seasons ago. This came up with my brother as we were watching the game and I thought it was something to consider.

Zvon Apr 04 2016 10:44 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Oh, like Columbo says, one more thing. When I saw Volquez in the 1st inning I thought: Oh, they added a little WS crown to their caps. Isn't that special. (later revealed as a ST cap worn in error-what happens there-a fine?) And right away I thought that if the Mets go all the way this season they should have crowns on their caps above the NY in 2017. And the Mets will go all the way again someday. And when they do I will design that cap.

Edgy MD Apr 04 2016 11:16 PM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Start sending them your work now.

d'Kong76 Apr 05 2016 09:39 AM Re: Thoughts on the Game: 4/3/2016

Zvon wrote: I thought that if the Mets go all the way this season they should have crowns on their caps above the NY in 2017. Oh lord no!