Mets Game 115: Win Over Diamondbacks

Mets 9 Diamondbacks 5

What’s this? Offense? Not a one-run game? And doing it with the long ball? Bizarre.

Mets Game Notes

Jonathon Niese wasn’t great in his first start returning from the DL, but he was good enough. As usual, he had only one of the cutter/curve working — in this case, it was the curve that was effective while the cutter was flat. His velocity was where it needed to be, though his command was so-so — which was to be expected in his first time back.

Wilmer Flores remains hot, swatting his first big-league homer. Anyone miss David Wright yet? Anyone wonder what the Mets lineup might be like with Wright and Flores? Would we have known, had Wright not injured himself?

Like Keith Hernandez, I am absolutely stunned by the approach to Ike Davis by opposing pitchers. As Keith has said, it’s as if they’re facing Babe Ruth. I understand that earlier in the year, Davis was swinging at everything, so it made sense to never give him a strike. But gee whiz — can anyone make an adjustment? In-game? In-series? Do the coaches and players have their heads buried so far into the stat sheets and scouting reports that they can’t make logical decisions based on what’s happening right now? Forest for the trees, anyone?

Along those lines, I’m curious to know how long it takes for scouting reports to “catch up.” With today’s technology, one would think it would be fairly quick. Maybe advance scouts aren’t being dispatched to Mets games?

The Mets continue their “hair on fire” approach to baserunning, as Mike Baxter was thrown out at home to end the third inning. He started on first base and was attempting to score on a single, and the argument was that the pitcher was the next hitter. Well … OK. Maybe? Niese did stroke a base hit his first time up, so it’s not like he’s Bob Buhl. This no-thought, ultra-aggressive style is similar to what I see at the youth levels — 13U, 12U, 11U — where coaches care more about winning than teaching the game tell their kids to just keep running until you hit home plate, because chances are, the defense can’t execute a relay AND make the catch AND apply the tag. Sure, the kids may always get the extra base and/or score, but what have they learned? That 12-year-olds can’t play defense? That most 13-year-olds aren’t ready for the “big field”? What else? Certainly nothing about baserunning. I’m not saying the Mets shouldn’t take an extra base when there’s an opportunity, but they’re usually taking the extra base with the singular intent of putting the pressure on the defense to execute. Maybe they’re right to do that, considering the horrendously low levels of fundamental skill displayed by “Major League” players these days. Perhaps this is their “Moneyball” edge — exploiting the lack of quality at the MLB level. If so, that’s kind of sad for BeelzeBud’s “product.”

Speaking of aggressiveness, as mentioned in the previous game recap, the Snakes swing early and often — which may have had more to do with Niese’s fairly efficient pitch count through the first five frames than anything special Niese was doing. Ironically, though, four of Niese’s strikeouts came on called third strikes. Go figure. I’ve stopped trying to figure out what the heck is going on inside the minds of today’s big leaguers.

Josh Collmenter seems to have finally found his niche. After failing as a starter, he’s now a long reliever. His “iron mike” delivery and change-up remind me a bit of Tyler Clippard — who knows, maybe Collmenter will eventually develop into a setup man.

I nominate Tuffy Gosewisch as the best name in MLB today. Anyone second it?

Next Mets Game

Mets move on to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers on Monday night at 10:10 PM ET. Jenrry Mejia takes the mound against former Marlin Ricky Nolasco.