The New York Mets sit atop the NL East at 58-50. They are two games above five hundred and have a third of the season left. With 54 games left for the Mets there is a lot of baseball left to play including six games against the rival Nationals.
The Mets have been scoring runs due in large part to their ability to suddenly hit with runners on. It has been a fantastic thing to see. Their starting pitching has been doing great as well but their relief corps seem to have hit a speed bump. Luckily the Mets had an eight to nothing lead going into the ninth and they needed every bit of those runs. Recently acquired LHP Eric O’Flaherty, got his first taste of pitching in a Mets uniform. It was not pretty. He gave up four earned runs in only two thirds of an inning. I think he should be only used as a lefty specialist. His numbers prove he can get lefties out with a .186 batting average against. After O’Flaherty faltered, Robles came in couldn’t shut the door. He was charged with two runs in only a third of an inning. Allowing for Familia to enter the game for a save situation, he allowed an inherited runner to score (one of the two charged to Robles) but he shut the door for the Mets six win in as many games.
It would appear that Familia is a little bit tired. He isn’t able to hit his spots consistently. This isn’t a major cause for concern and I think as long as the Mets are able to find him some rest, having pitched in 50 games already, I think he should be fine.
It was nice to see Uribe hit the three run dinger. He even added a fantastic barehanded play at third base. I think Uribe might be the best fielding third baseman on this team currently and he’s shown he can swing the bat. The juggling act that Terry Collins will have to do down the stretch with Flores, Murphy, Kelly Johnson, Uribe, and Tejada, will not be an easy one. On the bright side, Kelly Johnson can find reps in the outfield but with Cuddyer slated to come back on Friday, Johnson will be a fourth or fifth outfielder.
I wanted to touch on something with Cespedes. He is looking for his first homer in a Mets uniform but he has been able to drive the ball. I think just his presence in this lineup, shows what one big bat can provide. Even in Cespedes first game as a Met, when he didn’t record a hit, the Mets won. HIs presence in the lineup, lifts the team, lifts the moral and makes hitters think about how to pitch to Terry Collins flavor for the two hole that day. I am not sure I like Cespedes in centerfield but I understand it. With Lagares trying to not land on the DL with a sore elbow, someone needs to play center and you want Cespedes’s bat in the lineup. I would like to see the defensive wizard in Lagares patrolling centerfield though. His bat has seemed to regress since last year and it would appear that has made him a fourth outfielder for the time being. I think he will be able to earn his way back into the everyday lineup, hopefully by early next year.
I am not used to this. It is August and I am excited to turn on the Mets. I get to see a big bat, Duda hitting, and the pitching everyday has been real treat to watch. I am excited for the next days starting pitcher as much as I am to watch the game on that day. Citi Field is rocking for the first time since they opened. This has been a team that has been excited to watch and hopefully it continues down the stretch, I have some games that I would like to watch and fill out a scorecard during that time! I’m excited to pencil Cespedes into that three hole.
Let’s go Mets!
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