Message From Miami Music To Mets Ears

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Joe Janish

Mets fans may have just heard the best news possible: the Marlins are sellers. Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion and Analysis | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Mets Game 96: Loss to Nationals

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Joe Janish

Nationals 8 Mets 2

This game was actually much closer than the final score would indicate. No, really. REALLY. Continue reading →

Posted in Mets 2012 Games | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Trusting SandySpeak

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Joe Janish

From “DaveSchneck” in the MetsToday comments section on Sunday:

On the matter of finding starters for this week, I am very very confused. I heard Alderson in his own voice this week state that the Mets’ top pitching prospects’ development and promotions to the show would be determined independent of need. Now, Harvey gets battered last night in AAA (ironically right after Wheeler got battered the night before at AA) and gets promoted to the bigs (ironically right after Santana comes down with and ankle injury right after he was battered Friday night). WTF? Please help me understand what is going on. Joe, is it me or is it just more from Mets administration saying one thing and doing something else?

Funny, the exact same thought entered my mind when I heard that Matt Harvey would be starting on Thursday. As a PR person in real life, I learned to appreciate Sandy Alderson’s ability to spin stories, temper expectations, make elusive statements, and otherwise work the media. To this point he’s done an outstanding job of being the figurehead and spokesperson of the Mets, and selling the idea that the organization is in a good place and going in the right direction. Alderson’s deftness in calming the natives with measured, thoughtful rhetoric is the fundamental difference separating him from Omar Minaya. And that’s exactly what the Mets have always needed, being in the media hotbed of New York. We don’t really know what’s happening behind the closed doors of the Mets front office, and we won’t see whether what they’re doing works until 2-3 years from now, so in the meantime, we need a public face appearing to assure us that there’s a plan, they’re sticking to it, and it’s going to result in success.

However, the Matt Harvey promotion pokes a hole in the veil of confidence hung by the Alderson administration. Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion and Analysis | Tagged | 13 Comments

Mets Game 95: Loss to Dodgers

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Joe Janish

Dodgers 8 Mets 3

The Mets fall below .500 for the first time all year. Continue reading →

Posted in Mets 2012 Games | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Mets Game 94: Loss to Dodgers

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Joe Janish

Dodgers 8 Mets 5

For the first time since April 26, the Mets reach .500. Continue reading →

Posted in Mets 2012 Games | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Mets Game 93: Loss to Dodgers

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Joe Janish

Dodgers 7 Mets 6

In a rare role reversal, the Mets starter shat the bed and the bullpen gave the team a chance to win. It was like watching Seinfeld’s Bizarro Jerry episode. Continue reading →

Posted in Mets 2012 Games | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Will Mets Finish Ahead of Phillies?

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Joe Janish

Another suggestion from the MetsToday email bag — this one comes from loyal MetsToday visitor and commenter “James”:

I had a great idea for a survey for Mets Today- do you think the Mets or the Phillies will have a better record at the end of the year? I know which one I would pick now that Halladay, Howard and Utley are back.

Oh boy … and here I thought I was the pessimistic one always looking to stir the pot. Maybe it’s part of being a Mets fan?

This is a tough one, as it depends very much on whether Ruben Amaro chooses to be a seller in the next ten days. If he holds on to Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Hunter Pence, and other performing parts, then I think there’s a real possibility that the Phillies make a run out of the cellar in the second half. Such a surge could coincide with a regression by the Mets.

The Mets’ current record is 47-45, while the Phillies’ is 41-52. The Phillies have 7 more losses, but the Mets have one more game left in the season. Hmm … I’ll leave it up to you — vote below and then argue your choice in the comments.

[poll id=”30″]

Posted in poll, Predictions | Tagged | 2 Comments

Mailbag: The Difference Between Bobby Parnell and Craig Kimbrel

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Joe Janish


From the MetsToday email inbox, a reader writes:

Hi Joe,
As a Met fan displaced in North Carolina, I very much enjoy reading your insights into the club, so please continue the good work.

I wonder if you might provide your thoughts on Bobby Parnell. His inconsistency has been frustrating to say the least. His stuff is great (upper 90s fastball and a hard late-breaking slider, + other off-speed stuff) and it resembles the repertoire of Atlanta’s Kimbrel (but without the success). What my fellow Met fans down here and I can’t understand is why the Met coaches insist on having him locate his fastball ‘down in the zone’. I’ve read them say this several times in the past couple of seasons. It’s clear from watching him pitch that his fastball is essentially a straight pitch when he throws it at the knees, taking away any tailing action he gets when it’s above the belt. Hitters simply drop the bat on these pitches and he gives up more hard hit singles through the infield than any pitcher I’ve seen in a some time. If you look up all of his blown saves (or blown holds), they invariably include several ground ball singles that get through because they are hit so hard. Given the difficulty in hitting an upper-90s fastball when it’s above the belt, why isn’t he using his velocity more to his advantage? And why are Mets coaches insisting he keep the ball down? All of the good closers of the past 30 years that had his kind of velocity (e.g., Gossage, Lee Smith, Papelbon, etc.) have lived up in the zone with their fastballs. What are the Met coaches thinking? Our fear is that they are ruining him (both from a pitching and psychological standpoint) and that he will end up on another team where they will get him doing what he should and he will come back to haunt the Mets. Thanks for any insights you have on this.

Fred

Fred, thank you so much for the kind words, and for visiting MetsToday.

I share your observations of, and concerns for, Bobby Parnell. His inability to convert his God-given talent into success is maddening. Are the Mets coaches / organizational pitching philosophy to blame? Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion and Analysis, Pitching Staff | Tagged , , | 9 Comments