Series Preview: Verses Nationals (4/30-5/3)

The Mets are taking on the Nationals in a four game series. Every day it seems like the Mets are playing, they haven't gotten a day off since April 20th. This is a pretty long stretch of games that they are on and it's starting to look like they are feeling it. Although Murphy has made the necessary adjustments to drive the ball again.

Tonights Matchup: Steven Strasburg (1-2 4.88 ERA) vs Jacob deGrom (2-2 2.96 ERA) This has the matchup of a pitching duel. deGrom will be looking to right himself after that tough loss to the Yankees. Strasburg really hasn't looked too good this year but he always has the ability.

Tomorrow's Matchup: Max Scherzer (1-2 1.26 ERA) vs Matt Harvey (4-0 3.04 ERA) This matchup has the making for an even better matchup than today's. Scherzer has been great on the mound. Just real quick, it's not like he didn't know the the N.L. doesn't have a D.H. It shouldn't be a surprise when he signed that lucrative deal, if he didn't want to bat, then he shouldn't have signed in the National League. I guess I just can't take anything that someone with two colored eyes says seriously? Harvey has been gutting out his outings so far. He doesn't look like he did before under going the knife just yet but when he does, it could be something special. The ball still does explode out of his hand.

Saturday's Matchup: Gio Gonzalez (1-2 5.01 ERA) vs (Jon Niese 2-1 2.74): This is a battle of the lefty's. Gio might be a lefty but he hasn't looked as good as he has in the past. Niese looks to build upon his impressive start to the season.

Sunday's Matchup: Doug Fister (1-1 3.28 ERA) vs. Dillon Gee (0-1 4.26): When Doug Fister takes the mound you know what you're going to get, he is a good pitcher and can put up the second best numbers for a pitcher during this series. Gee had an impressive outing last time out and will be looking for his first win on the season.

Mets pitchers got an extra day of rest when Montero pitched for them on Tuesday. This should be a very exciting series. The best time to play the Nationals, is when they are down, once they get going, they will be very difficult to stop, luckily they haven't been able to find there way just yet. Spotty defense up the middle and not that good of a bullpen has held them back. If the Mets can keep Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper in check, I think they have the chance to win. While the dark horse will be Ian Desmond. As good of a hitter as Desmond is, he could throw away the game very easily as well.

Daniel Murphy is looking like he is starting to pick up steam and he's been making solid contact. Juan Lagares is also someone to watch, while he can tie a game up with his clutch two-strike hitting, he can also save a game with his glove.

What do you think about this series against the Nationals? How do you think the four game series will play out? Who are your players to watch?

Let's Go Mets!!!

Subway Series @ Yankee Stadium

Eleven in a row, a perfect home stand. This is quite exciting! I didn't think the Mets would win eleven games in all of April. The Mets certainly have become relevant again it's awesome to see.

Even Colon has become relevant. On this team that become a great story. Bartolo Colon is the comic relief. But he is the comic relief in a good way. His helmet falling off after his swing is funny enough but then he's picking people off first and getting them out in that unassisted way. It's great to watch Colon get an unassisted pickoff of A,J. Pierzynski.

Daniel Murphy had a huge role in today's game, positively and negatively, he was all around involved. In the first inning Murphy drove in three runs and put the Mets ahead 3-0-positive. In the fourth inning he had a mental error. With a runner on first and third, Pierzynski hit a tailor made double play to Daniel Murphy, Murphy proceeds to field the ground ball cleanly and then see Markakis- the runner on third- trying to score, so Murphy throws home.  Daniel Murphy, I know you're not Edgardo Alfonzo at second base and I like the effort and hard work you've put into figuring out your position but mental errors are inexcusable. I can forgive a physical error but Murph, you're in the Major's, you should not be making mental errors. You're up 3-0 with runners on first and third, take the two outs and let the run score Murphy.  So instead of it being two outs, nobody on, it was bases loaded and nobody out. The very next batter got out though which for those counting, get two, it's inning over with a score of 3-1 but instead it is 3-0 bases loaded and only one out. Bartolo Colon wasn't able to get out of it and let three runs score. Tie game started with a mental error. Mental errors usually don't show up on the score card so it was a fielders choice for A.J. and three earned runs.

When that play happened I thought the other shoe had dropped and this was the Mets team I remember. Luckily they prevailed! Murphy also had another RBI to extend the Mets lead to 6-3. Murphy had four runs on two hits. So it was probably two positive and one negative but since they won, the positive was magnified if they lost, the negative would have been magnified. Familia came in to shut the door for the eighth time this season.

What do you think about the upcoming series against the Yankees? I like the fact that deGrom and Harvey are starting against the Yankees. How do you like the first matchup of deGrom against Pineada? How many home runs do you think Curtis Granderson will hit at his happy place, Yankee Stadium? Even though I like the idea of Lucas Duda going the other way he might get porch happy as well and try to hit it out, if he does, how many do you think he will hit? Who will have a better game tonight deGrom or Pineada? I hope you answered that question with deGrom!!! In New York we bleed Blue and Orange, LETS GO METS!!!

Home Field Advantage at Citi Field?

I have no idea where to begin. There are so many good vibes in Flushing right now it's difficult to find a starting point so I'll just dive right in. How about Wilmer Flores? He has three round trippers on the season and all three of them have been in clutch situations. Two of them have tied the game, sandwiched between a homer that came to be the winning run on April 18th, in beating the Miami Marlins. All three of Flores's homer's have come on this home stand. If you would have told me on April 6th that Wilmer Flores would be leading the team with three homers, I would have told you no way Flores leads the team in home runs at any point in the season. Hitting has been contagious for this Mets team. It's not just hitting either, it's timely hitting. Combine that with pitching and defense and this team now proudly owns a 12-3 record, leading the MLB and sitting atop of the division. Who would have thunk it?

I continue to say "team" because that is how they have been playing. They will do what they can to get on base, get that big hit, even make that big play - see Juan Lagares's stellar catch tonight- and make that big pitch. This team has been able to get great pitching combined with great defense because pitching is always helped by defense, mix that with timely hitting and you have what I like to call a team in first place fifteen games into the season. I didn't think the Mets would be alone in first place at any point in the season, so this is awesome. The Mets have the fans buzzing like they have not been able to buzz since the middle of the 2007 season. I don't want to talk to about the 2007 and 2008 season's, nobody wants to remember those season's. Here's the thing, the Mets haven't had a ten game win streak since July of 2008, almost seven years ago. That was probably the last highlight, as a team, that they had.

This team's pitching has been great. They pitching staff seems like they are trying to do better than yesterday's pitcher. To start things off, I can't believe Bartolo Colon's 3-0 and even he's hitting. It's not pretty but he's getting RBI hits. It's really quite amusing when Colon's helmet fly's off but it's even better when he connects to drive in a run. Matt Harvey keeps grinding out starts while Jacob deGrom builds upon his great rookie season. Maybe his great pitching comes from that great hair. Jon Niese and Dillion Gee have been pitching great and keeping the Mets in ball games as well. That's just the starting pitching. Now to the thing that has always seemed to plague the Mets.

The bullpen. Jeurys Familia currently leads that pen. With Bobby Parnell on the D.L. and Jenrry Mejia going down with an injury and then being suspended, the Mets needed a closer. Familia has rose to that occasion. As good as Mejia was able to end games and then proceed with that infamous stomp, Familia's fastball has been better. Even though Familia has been erratic at times, he has been able to get the job done. It's awful what happened to Jerry Blevins but the rest of the pen has stepped up. Sean Gilmartin was used tonight as that lefty specialist coming in to verse Nick Markakis - getting him to fly out to left - and Freddie Freeman, who he walked. Familia pitched a nine pitch ninth inning throwing seven of those pitches for strikes, striking out one and retiring the Braves in order in the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season. "WE HAVE A CLOSER!"

Tonight Dillion Gee showed why he deserves a spot in this rotation giving up two earned runs in seven innings. It is probably easy on the mind knowing that Juan Lagares is in center field tracking down fly balls that look uncatchable. Flores provided two RBI with one of those RBI being the game tying homer. Lucas Duda provided the go ahead hit, going to left field, in the eighth inning.

This team has been pitching outstanding, with surprising defense -at all nine positions- and manufacturing runs. I would like to see someone lay down a successful bunt attempt though, just seems like a lost art now. They should be practicing bunting, even Lucas Duda. If Duda gets confidence in laying down a bunt, maybe he can steal a hit laying it down the third base line when they put on that shift. It might make teams think twice about giving third base to Lucas Duda.

The Mets have been able to have interchangeable parts and all of them have provided to help with the team. In the early going, I can't even provide you with a MVP on the team. Maybe the pitching? But that's only a slight edge to the hitting and the defense that the Mets have provided. I know it's not just me that has been excited. I know because someone I know really hadn't been too into the Mets in the recent years, and to be honest, who can blame those fans? But now they are back! This fan in particular is really excited for the Mets early success and how can you not be? It gives fans hope.

I love what this team has been able to do on the field so far. I really can't do anything but say, "Thank you" with a smile on face but then ask, "How is this possible?". It's a lot easier writing after a win too. Do you think the Mets finally have a home field advantage? What do you think is the reason behind the Mets early success? Do you think they can keep up their winning ways? Do you think there is a MVP of this team so far?

I'm sorry if my thought's seem erratic, I'm just as excited as you are, possibly more and I want to keep writing but I need to save some things to write about in future posts. So I will end with this: In the words of Tug McGraw, "Ya Gotta Believe!" So until next time, Lets Go Mets!

Mailbag Monday: Q&A

Dear Bryan,

With the wave of injuries haunting the Mets (because we can never have nice things), where do they go from here for a lefty specialist? Does Kevin Plawecki play full time or back up to Recker? Gillmartin was a starting pitcher before joining the Mets and cannot be relied upon as a LOOGY. So what happens now? Do I collapse in my 07-08 depression or are there reinforcement on the horizon like Gandalf at Helms Deep? Thanks for the time and love the blog!

-Mike from Mineola

To Mike from Mineola,

Two injuries in the matter of thirty minutes, two injuries that were doing very well before going down. Jerry Blevins and Travis d’Arnaud going down means that the Mets have two options, they can fall back to the pack and blame it on the injuries or some players can step up and do well while helping the Mets.

Well the Mets certainly have problem in having to find a lefty specialist. (For those that don’t know LOOGY stands for Lefty One Out Guy- the lefty specialist that is called upon to verse that tough lefty). Gillmartin was a starting pitcher but he is a left handed reliever. I think the first person the Mets look at is Alex Torres, I don’t think he will be the answer but hopefully he can surprise us and be the guy to get out those tough lefty’s that the NL East always seems to have, i.e. Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Chase Utley, Christian Yelich (Giancarlo Stanton because he just hits). But the Mets are going to need someone to step up and fast because they are versing Freddie Freeman and his Braves tomorrow night. Alex Torres will get the first crack at it. Gillmartin will probably get a crack at it if Alex Torres can’t get the job done. Starter or not, the Mets need a left handed reliever to get out all of the left handed batters in this division. Gillmartin was a starter before but after being drafted in the Rule 5 draft, I’m sure he’ll do whatever keeps him in the Majors and helps this team win. I don’t think Gillmartin will get the chance to start with the Mets but I think Gillmartin could get a few innings every now and then but he’s spot could be better suited for an inning that has a big left handed bat in it. 

I really like Kevin Plawecki, I don’t like the reason Plawecki is up here though. d’Arnaud always seems to be doing well and then gets injured, this is a recurring theme, maybe its just that he seems like he’s always doing well. I think Plawecki will be given the job coming up from the minors. I think he could have almost gotten the job out of spring training but d’Arnaud was the starter, Plawecki was to go down to the minors and get more work in, he would be called up if he was needed. Well now Plawecki is needed, so let’s see what he can do. Kevin will start out being handed the job and I think it will take a lot to get him out of that slot- until d’Arnaud comes back. Recker will be the backup and help teach Plawecki about the majors and the pitchers. Plawecki will be the full time catcher while he is with the Mets. 

I think what happens now is up to the Mets players, they didn’t miss a beat when Captain Wright went down with a hamstring and continued along their win streak. The Mets are 10-3 and they were 10-3 to start off the season in 2006 and 1986. There where injuries during those seasons as well but the team was able to overcome them. During a 162 game season there will be injuries, it’s how you overcome those injuries that will define the team. This Mets team could have very easily said, “Oh man Wright’s out, we’re done, let’s just throw in the towel.” But they kept on winning. It’s still very early but let’s see how this pans out. Boston has won divisions while going through injuries and Terry Francona was praised for what he was able to do while the team was injured while the Yankees also went through injuries and weren’t able to overcome them. I think the Mets could very well keep moving forward through these injuries. They have the depth to be able to keep moving forward and push through these injury’s. Only time will tell if they crumble like Saruman or prevail like the 2,000 soldiers did. Gandalf brought reinforcements and I think the Mets have the means necessary to prevail. No need to go into depression like you did during that dark time. It’s a new day and even on a dark day like yesterday seems brighter than 2007 and 2008.  

Thank You for your question Mike. If anyone else would like to ask me a question please feel free to ask me a question by e-mailing me at: fighttilwon27@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing all your questions and will answer them in a timely fashion.

     As always thank you all for your support because as much as I enjoy writing about the Mets I really enjoy the support from the fans.

-Bryan 

Mets Fans Are Here...

I don't know if it's just me but I've been seeing a lot more Mets apparel on people lately. Maybe it's just because of it being baseball season or maybe people just happened to find it under their bed or under their bed or maybe they just wound up getting it as a gift. Whatever winds up being the reason for it, I really like seeing all these Mets shirts and hats on people. They are off to a fast start, going 9-3 which is awesome and if this was football I'd be extremely happy but this is a 162 game season. I am really excited and happy with how the offense has been picking each other up and I've been thrilled with how well the pitching has done. From the Dark Knight to deGrom's flow to Bartolo's bat, it's been so much fun to watch. Even Niese who started on Opening Day for the Mets in 2013 has been pleasant to watch.

I know it's really early, really early but they have been doing well against the N.L. East teams and hopefully that can continue into tomorrow. Whoever is going to tomorrow's game, April 19th, has some great tickets because it is for "Matt Harvey Part Two". Whenever he pitches it reminds of Tom Seaver and how he was able to lift his team up so much. Harvey's build is similar to Seaver's, even the way Harvey uses his legs to provide so much power is very similar. Much like Seaver, when Harvey steps on the mound, everyone else wants to earn him a victory. The eight other defenders want to make twenty seven outs in a row. The lineup wants to give him a lead so he can cruise through and I know when Harvey goes out there he wants to go nine perfect innings.

Harvey is truly special to watch. I hope it's a beautiful day for everyone going out to Citi field to watch the game today. I really hope that the people enjoy the game they are going to be watching come one in the afternoon. It should really be a great game to watch and to be able to feel the electricity and energy when Harvey pitches is a great experience. Writing this has made me want to go to tomorrow's game even but I know the people there will have a story to tell so please feel free to share with me. I hope you enjoy the day outside in the sun at the game!

Before the game please remember to fill out your scorecard, it's such a memory when I look back at the scorecards I have. Here is a site to help with your scorecard if you need it, but like it says everyone does their scorecard their own way, but they all follow the same basic rules. Enjoy!

The Flow Kept Flowing

The Mets kept rolling tonight with their seventh win in a row. It was exciting to watch deGrom as he went seven shutout innings surrendering six hits and striking out eight. He awarded no free passes on 101 pitches. It was a lot of fun to watch him as he took that mound and really showed what made him the rookie of the year last year.

d'Arnaud and Flores helped out providing some power. Probably the two guys that you wouldn't suspect in the power department. But then again, did you really think Eric Campbell would have had a stolen base? This is what this team is though. They have had productivity from everyone in the lineup. They are playing as a team and if one player goes down- Wright - then someone picks it up offensively. Today it was Flores, tomorrow it might be Granderson or Murphy or more of the luck Campbell brought from Vegas.

deGrom's biggest of the eight strikeouts he had was when Giancarlo Stanton was K'ed with two runners on and the Mets only up by 2. One blast and the Marlins go into the bottom half of the sixth ahead. This is the first time in a while that Mets pitching held Stanton without a homer - he was also hitless. But that didn't make it any less nerve-racking when Carlos Torres gave up three runs in the top of the ninth making it 5-4. The Torres from theleft side, relieved Carlos to verse lefty Christian Yelich. Dee Gordon on first, two outs, Yelich digs in to verse Alex Torres. Alex Torres rings up Yelich to end the game, leaving Stanton's 0-4 night with three strikeouts, in the batters box. Alex Torres got his first career save.

I like d'Arnaud in the two hole but it might be better suited for Murphy, he might be comfortable up there, maybe he will be able to hit in that slot. He is a very streaky player though so hopefully he finds his streak that says "HOT" on it, and it starts going. As for Granderson, I know it's only halfway through the month but his April average could look a little like it did last year. Although he is leading the league with 11 walks, it might be time to try him out a little bit lower in the batting order and giving Lagares a chance leading off a game. I know I'm nitpicking and currently they are cruising just fine. Currently this lineup is winning games and so as the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". So I'll just keep on watching these games and loving every second of all these exciting moments!

What do you think? Do you think the Mets should change their lineup or keep it just as it is? Who would you like to see leading off? Matt Reynolds had another good game, would you like to see him up here? How do you like this teams chemistry and how they are able to play as a team and not relying on one guy?

The Dark Knight Rises at Citi Field!

Today was a great game to watch. Matt Harey wasn’t so much on his game as he muscled through six frames giving up three run ball. He came out roaring but after the first couple of innings, he seemed to have lost a little something and his pitches seemed to have bleed over the middle of the plate. Harvey still kept going and was able to still give the Mets a quality start, which for those that don’t know it’s six innings pitched, and only surrendering three earned runs. This allows for a baseball team to stay in the game. This is the kind of pitcher that Matt Harvey is though, even if he loses his best stuff throughout the day and losing location, he will battle through it to be able to give the Mets a quality start. Harey struck out eight batters and walked none. I know that Harvey is allowed to have his games that he’s “off” and if this is one of his worst starts of the year, I’ll gladly take it. 

This game was extremely exciting. Utley wound up hitting a homer in the first inning that the Cuddyer drove in to even it up at the bottom of the inning. Lucas Duda dug in with the bases loaded in the second and wound up clearing them with a double, giving the Mets a lead that no matter how hard the Phillies tried, the Mets weren’t going to relinquish. Chase Utley played well but one man doesn’t make a team and the Mets played as a team and played well. David Buchanan hit two Mets players in Flores and Cuddyer in the hand. Cuddyer would wind up having to leave the game and being replaced by Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Matt Harvey wasn’t going to allow his team to be hit and him not retaliate. So with a runner on second and two out he hit Utley square in the back. Good job Matt Harvey to have his players back. Send a message that if you hit us, we’ll hit you. It doesn’t matter if it’s because it slipped, one slips, two is retaliation time. The only thing that the umpire seemed to do correctly was not warn the benches until AFTER the Mets got their turn. Later that inning Howard got to first on a poorly called catchers interference call that loaded the bases but Carlos Ruiz wound up popping out to third base to finish off the frame. Someone told me that it was such an entertaining game that now they will be watching more games. That same person said something that I couldn’t agree more with. They said that Harvey throwing at Utley is something that bonds a team together. Don’t throw hit our guys and if you can’t control a pitch thrown inside then be ready for retaliation. 

In 1986 they did the same kind of thing, only it was we’ll party with you then fight you. They were twenty-five guys that had this brother kind of feel to it. They would fight each other but then still had each other’s back when it came to game time. It had a modern day kind of ’86 team feel to that game, just less drugs.

Even though the Mets wound up winning 6-5, they had a devastating injury to their starting third baseman, the captain, number five, David Wright. He was placed on the DL after the MRI this morning and it being called a major hamstring injury by Terry Collins. Cuddyer will be back in the lineup after being hit in the hand. Eric Campbell has been recalled from Triple-A and will probably play third base batting in the bottom of the order. It’s interesting that Matt Reynolds nor Daniel Muno to play second or short and move Daniel Murphy over to third. I kind of like that they’re not moving everyone around. Murphy seems to have regressed at second base so far this year. 

Who do you think should be starting at third base if this turns out being longer than fifteen days? Do you like the fact that Harvey retaliated the way he did? What were your thoughts on the game tonight? (Just for fun) Should we have seen Jacob deGrom at second base and Murphy at third for the ninth inning? Let me know what you think.

The Dark Knight Rises

Well the Mets picked up another victory. That victory wasn’t the main story of yesterday’s game. Matt Harvey’s long awaited return was the real feature! He went up against Steven Strasburg. Two aces in the three slot in the rotation, two Tommy John surgery victims, two starting pitchers going after one win.

Matt Harvey went six innings on 91 pitches. He struck out nine while walking one, he gave up no runs on four hits. He looked GREAT! Harvey reminded us the reason why we were all depressed when it was announced he would have to get Tommy John surgery. It also showed why it was so great to hear that he was expected back this year. I know I said I like the fact that they are easing him back into the game without the extra adrenaline of either opening day but after spring training I remembered, this isn’t any man, this is The Dark Knight. He is just so good and so much fun to watch. Strasburg and Harvey could very well be competing with Clayton Kershaw for many years to come for a Cy Young.

Harvey has the ability that Kershaw and maybe one other pitcher has, when they step on the field, they make the whole team better. When they step into the clubhouse they are looked upon as the best player on the team and for 27 to 34 starts a year, he makes the team a World Series contender no matter who is in the field. Although everyone in the field wants to be that much better to make sure he gets the win.

It was a full team effort today, they pitched- shaky ending but they “put it in the books”- they hit, they fielded for the most part. Alex Torres got an out in the seventh but was charged with two earned runs while walking two and striking out one. The Nationals were probably so happy that Harvey was finally out of the ball game and couldn’t wait to verse A. Torres but A. Torres looked sloppy in his first outing. Carlyle came in to give up a double to Michael Taylor scoring two runners A. Torres left there for him. After that Carlyle wound up closing the inning out with the lead still in tact. Carlos Torres came in to work a perfect eighth with a strike out. Familia came in in the ninth and wound up giving a run on two hits while striking out one. He looked eh but hopefully he is able to fill in for the injured Mejia. 

The fielding the only blemish was a Flores fielding error but I think that Duda should have been able to scoop that. I think that Flores so far has been better than what I thought he was going to be. He’s been able to make the plays that a shortstop should be able to make so far. I must say though, I get nervous any time the ball is hit near shortstop, kind of the same feeling I get when the ball is hit to Murphy. I like that Flores charges and circles the ball.

As for the hitting, I’m still not a fan of this lineup but I’m glad the pitchers spot was ninth in the lineup instead of eighth. They wound scoring four runs in the third inning. Granderson walked, Wright got on with a costly error and Duda was hit by a pitch to load the bases and newly acquired Michael Cuddyer stepping to the plate, he singled for the first run of the afternoon. Murphy stepped in and got an infield single to make the score two nothing. Lagares popped up to first for the second out and Travis d’Arnaud dug into the batters box. He singled to center to bring in two making the score 4-0. Flores then ended the inning by striking out. Later on the Captain got a single to extend the lead to six while chasing Strasburg out of the game. d’Arnaud has looked comfortable and good at the plate so far in the early going of the season. He’s batting .455 with four Ribbies, I would like to see a few walks from him though, but with him in the seventh spot, him swinging away instead of walking isn’t the worst thing.

It was awesome to see Matt Harvey pitch, he looked great and hopefully it’s only more to come from Harvey and the Mets offense. Let’s go Mets. 

They start a new series tonight against the Braves at 7:35pm. They should be looking to win this series too with Niese, Gee and Colon scheduled to go up against the Braves. 

Christmas? Nah Opening Day.

It’s here, it’s finally here!!! This is one of my favorite times of the year in one of the best months of the year. The smell of freshly cut grass. The taste of whatever new concoction the chef has conjured up at the ballpark. The sight of my favorite diamond, the best kind, the green kind. The sound of the crowd roaring after the National Anthem and then hearing the umpire yell out, “Play Ball!” This is Christmas in April. It’s Mets Opening Day!!!

Every team starts out with the same record. Some teams do what they are supposed to, some teams underachieve and some surprise you. Every fan has hope on opening day, they have dreams of a ticker tap parade in October and talks up the teams strengths while downplaying their weaknesses. Every team has hopes and dreams of going further that just the regular season.

The Mets Opened the day up with Curtis Granderson leading off against Max Scherzer. There were many positives of this game. Bartolo Colon looked pretty good, well I mean he got the win. He let up one run, a homer from Bryce Harper in the fourth inning, in six innings and eight strikeouts with only one walk. Hopefully there’s more of that to come from Colon, as the forty-one year old right hander continues to defy age.

It was great to see Colon win against the guy that just won himself a hefty contract, Max Scherzer. It was also really great to see Lucas Duda get a big hit, the Mets first hit. With a walk to Granderson and one of the errors to Desmond, Duda’s hit drove them both in giving the Mets the lead. Then in the seventh Desmond had another error to allow Juan Lagares get on base and then come around to score on Travis d’Arnaud’s triple that just missed being the Mets first homer of the season. The ball and luck seemed to roll the right way for the Mets today.

Now, I have a nitpick. First the lineup, I didn’t like it at all. Why is Granderson leading off and Lagares in the six slot? If you put Lagares in the leadoff slot, while putting Murphy in the two hole and Granderson in the six slot, it moves everyone down one spot, deepening the lineup. Murphy knows how to take a pitch or two to allow Lagares to swipe a base and Granderson’s pop and him hitting sixth will allow for more RBI’s. I think that lineup allows for the greatest outcome, why not just give a shot. It’s almost like Terry Collins is doing everything in his power to not give Lagares a chance. Last year it was not starting him when he clearly was the best the option the team had in centerfield. This year it’s not giving Lagares the opportunity to bat leadoff. Why not just give it a shot? Just to see what could happen? 

More injury’s! Mejia was warming up to pitch in the ninth and felt his elbow tighten up.  He will be receiving an MRI Tuesday morning. This is a scary thing because of the location and the epidemic that is Tommy John surgery. In the meantime, Familia will be “putting it in the books” for the Mets until the Mejia returns. Hopefully he comes back soon and healthy. The Mets need to stop getting injured too. Hopefully it’s not an excuse and they are able to overcome it. 

I’m very happy with seeing an opening day win that was really great to see especially against a team that a lot of people picked to win the division if not win the World Series too and it was against the prized starting pitcher of the free agent market. How did you like the Mets Opening Day? Did you enjoy it? Are there any thoughts that you had from this day? Let’s Go Mets!!!