Series Thread: NY Mets @ Chi. Cubs (7/18-20)

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• Series preview: Mets at Cubs



NEW YORK METS (49-42, second place/NL East) at CHICAGO CUBS (55-36, first place/NL Central)

Monday: LHP Steven Matz (7-5, 3.38) vs. LHP Jon Lester (9-4, 3.01), 7:05 p.m. ET

Tuesday: RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.56) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.68), 7:05 p.m. ET

Wednesday: RHP Bartolo Colon (8-4, 3.11) vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (8-6, 2.41), 2:20 p.m. ET

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• Morning Briefing: Bring on the Cubs!


CHICAGO -- Will the New York Mets make it nine straight wins against the Chicago Cubs?

After sweeping the Cubs in the National League Championship Series, then again in a four-game series two weeks ago at Citi Field, the Mets now try to continue that success at Wrigley Field.

Steven Matz (7-5, 3.38 ERA) opposes left-hander Jon Lester (9-4, 3.01) in Monday’s 7:05 p.m. ET series opener. All three games of the series will be televised by ESPN.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

CHICAGO -- Here are the lineups for Monday's 7:05 p.m. ET series opener between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Newly promoted Michael Conforto sits against the left-hander Jon Lester.


Mets

Jose Reyes, 3B

Curtis Granderson, RF

Yoenis Cespedes, LF

Neil Walker, 2B

Wilmer Flores, 1B

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS

Juan Lagares, CF

Travis d'Arnaud, C

Steven Matz, LHP



Cubs

Javier Baez, 2B

Kris Bryant, 3B

Anthony Rizzo, 1B

Willson Contreras, LF

Addison Russell, SS

Matt Szczur, RF

Albert Almora Jr., CF

David Ross, C

Lester, LHP

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Bats still slumbering....mets lose, drop to 3rd place behind miami....smh.

Rizzo homers as Cubs beat Mets 5-1

Mets return to scene of last celebration and stumble against Cubs


Matt Harvey undergoes surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome

Mets may play Conforto in center, Cespedes in left

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• Morning Briefing: Thor and Jake Arrieta aim for rebounds


CHICAGO -- All eyes will be on the starting pitchers Tuesday at Wrigley Field when Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.56 ERA) opposes Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.68) at 7:05 p.m. ET.

(That is, unless Michael Conforto gets to play center field for the first time in his professional career.)

Syndergaard’s fastball velocity dipped to as low as 91 mph in his final first-half inning, prompting the Mets to place him at the back end of the rotation out of the All-Star break to maximize his rest.

Meanwhile, Arrieta allowed 15 runs in 16 1/3 innings over his final three first-half starts.

Both aces were selected to the All-Star Game but did not pitch.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

CHICAGO -- Here are the lineups for Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. ET game between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Although Michael Conforto worked out in center field with coach Tom Goodwin pregame, the Mets will wait before using Conforto there for the first time in his professional career.

Terry Collins said one day was not enough of an acclimation period for Michael Conforto working out in center field. So Curtis Granderson is for the very short term playing there. "We're going to ease him into it," Collins said about Conforto.

Jose Reyes, 3B

Curtis Granderson, CF

Yoenis Cespedes, LF

James Loney, 1B

Neil Walker, 2B

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS

Michael Conforto, RF

Rene Rivera, C

Noah Syndergaard, RHP






Tommy La Stella, 3B

Kris Bryant, RF

Anthony Rizzo, 1B

Ben Zobrist, 2B

Willson Contreras, LF

Jason Heyward, CF

Addison Russell, SS

Miguel Montero, C

Jake Arrieta, RHP

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Wow.....Familia escapes a potential nightmare & the Amazin's somehow miraculously win it 2-1.

Win #50 for the Mets was not easy. (also..the Dodgers beat the Nats)

Familia escapes jam in 9th, Mets beat Cubs 2-1

Noah Syndergaard relaxes concerns as Mets steal win at Wrigley Field



Rubber game tomorrow.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Sometimes baseball makes little sense.
Case in point, the New York Mets' 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. There were so many reasons why the Cubs should have won that game and the Mets should have lost it. But the result went the other way.

• How many ways was the New York Mets' win unlikely? Let us count




CHICAGO -- New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia remains perfect in save opportunities this season.
Barely.
For the second time against the Chicago Cubs in a three-week span, Familia loaded the bases while trying to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning. And for the second time he escaped.

• Mets' Jeurys Familia walks tightrope, but extends save streak

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• Morning Briefing: Windy City matinee on tap

CHICAGO -- The New York Mets have the number of the Chicago Cubs entering the regular-season finale between the teams.

Bartolo Colon (8-4, 3.11 ERA) opposes right-hander Kyle Hendricks (8-6, 2.41) in Wednesday’s 2:20 p.m. ET game at Wrigley Field.

The Mets enter the matinee 5-1 against the Cubs this season -- and winners of nine of the last 10 games between the teams if the National League Championship Series is included.

Terry Collins indicated he plans to give Neil Walker the finale off and instead expects to use Kelly Johnson at second base.

The Mets will wear replica 1986 road uniforms.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

•Terry Collins: Rest makes sense for Yoenis Cespedes

Manager Terry Collins said left fielder Yoenis Cespedes' quadriceps muscle really needs the consecutive days off, including Thursday's team day off. So he is sitting the series finale at Wrigley Field. Cespedes can play, but the muscle has not completely healed. "We know his leg, by far, is not close to 100 percent," Collins said. "You saw it last night. We saw it last night."

Terry Collins is weighing using Michael Conforto in center field in Miami, but now suggests it may be more prudent to wait until the Mets get back to Citi Field next week for his first professional appearance at the position. Marlins Park is particularly spacious. "Miami is a tough place to play your first game in center field," Collins said.

Lucas Duda took grounders and swung a bat for the first time on Wednesday since being diagnosed in May with a stress fracture in his lower back. Duda still has a multiple weeks to go before returning from the DL.

Zack Wheeler will travel from Port St. Lucie to Miami and throw off a mound for Mets staff on Friday at Marlins Park. Wheeler still has a full rehab assignment to go, which can last as long as 30 days, so late August may be the best-case scenario for his first major league action since the 2014 season.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

CHICAGO -- Here are the lineups for Wednesday's 2:20 p.m. ET rubber game between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Yoenis Cespedes, Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker all get the matinee off.



Mets

Jose Reyes, SS

Curtis Granderson, RF

Wilmer Flores, 3B

James Loney, 1B

Travis d'Arnaud, C

Kelly Johnson, 2B

Juan Lagares, CF

Michael Conforto, LF

Bartolo Colon, RHP



Cubs

Ben Zobrist, RF

Kris Bryant, 3B

Anthony Rizzo, 1B

Willson Contreras, LF

Jason Heyward, CF

Addison Russell, SS

Miguel Montero, C

Javier Baez, 2B

Kyle Hendricks, RHP

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Mets come up short again...Bats quiet, Colon ineffective....
....and Terry Collins still has a job in MLB.

•Yo-less Mets' bats quiet, Bartolo Colon hits rut as Cubs win rubber game


•Rizzo homers twice off Colon; Hendricks, Cubs top Mets 6-2