Link Roundup: The All-Star Break Cometh
With one series left before the All-Star Break, the Mets have a chance to finish the first half of their season on a high note. They have to play the Pirates in Pittsburgh. The Bucs had a great first half, but have struggled of late having lost 6 of 10. The Mets, on the other hand, have won 7 of their last 10.
Most recently, they wrapped up their first road sweep of the San Francisco Giants since 1994. Here’s the Mets’ roster from that strike-shortened season. (And they’re still paying Bobby Bonilla, amirite??)
What has been the difference in the Mets during this recent stretch of better baseball? The will to win? Emotion? A football mentality? Or maybe it’s just a matter of finding better players to replace the other players who weren’t performing.
Is their recent play a sign of things to come, or is it simply a blip on the radar screen?
They’ve also been much better on the road than at home this year.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking away the moments leading up to the first All-Star Game in Queens since 1964. Should Marlon Byrd have joined David Wright and Matt Harvey in the Midsummer Classic?
Harvey will likely make an appearance in the game, whether he starts or not. The Mets will skip his spot in the rotation during the Pittsburgh series. The reason for this is threefold. First, he’s on pace for 240 innings. He threw 160 total last year between the minors and majors. That’s a huge jump for most young pitchers. Second, he’s been pitching with a blister on his finger lately. And third, it will allow him to throw 25-30 pitches or so in the ASG.
And lastly, Darryl Strawberry thinks Tim Tebow is a “real man.”
That’s all for today. Happy All-Star Break, and have a great weekend.
