Series Thread: Phila.Phillies @ NY Mets (7/28-30)

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Series preview: Mets vs. Phillies - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

Could this be Colon's final appearance for the Mets?

Morning Briefing: Sandy thrown under bus? - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Jacob deGrom and the NL ROY race....
Sizing up deGrom's ROY competition - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

From ESPN NY

NEW YORK-- 7/28 -- The Mets continue to portray themselves as in a postseason race. And with solid play of late, it's fun to believe.

The reality is the required win total would be a major uphill battle.

What record would the Mets need to post the remainder of the season to have a shot?

At a minimum, going 38-19 -- a .667 win percentage -- would seem to be required.

That would get the Mets to 88-74 for the season.

In terms of winning the NL East, the Mets (50-55) currently trail the first place Nationals (57-45) by 8 1/2 games. Washington's .559 win percentage is on pace for 91 wins for the season.

And 91 wins is a low figure for winning this division over the past decade. In 2013, the Braves captured the NL East with 96 wins. Going backward, the other NL East-winning totals from the past decade are 98, 102, 97, 93, 92, 89, 97, 90 and 96.

So what about the wild card?

The Braves and Giants have identical 57-48 records and would be the two wild-card teams if the season ended today. Their .543 win percentages translate to 88 wins.

So that's the bare minimum the Mets would likely have to achieve.

This is the third year of two wild-card teams in each league. In 2013, Cincinnati got the second wild card with 90 wins. In 2012, St. Louis got the second wild card at 88.

If you go back historically for the remainder of the past decade and pretend two wild-card teams got in, the second win total would be: 89, 90, 88, 89, 89, 85, 88, 91.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK (7/28) -- The lineups for Monday's 7:10 p.m. series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.

Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, 1b
Chris Young, lf
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Juan Lagares, cf
Ruben Tejada, ss
Bartolo Colon, rhp

Ben Revere, cf
Jimmy Rollins, ss
Marlon Byrd, rf
Ryan Howard, 1b
Domonic Brown, lf
Carlos Ruiz, 2b
Cody Asche, 3b
Reid Brignac, 2b
A.J. Burnett, rhp

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Either CY has awesome career numbers against Burnett or TC is playing w/ fools gold by putting him in there so much these last few games & including tonight....or maybe it's an attempt to get him going and to showcase him before this week's trade deadline.

I still think EYjr should be in the lineup tonight...and Capt. Kirk +/or Andrew Brown should be on the roster.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I endorse Mets victories

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I endorse Mets victories

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Gotta admit, I'm developing a man crush on Travis D'Arnaud. He has been an absolute stud since coming back up. Absolutely crushed that one. This is why he was so hyped up.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Whew...somebody give Colon a sammich, he's earned it

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Great game by Colon. Once again kept in too long (an ongoing theme for our pitchers this season).

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Another extra base hit for TDA.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

d'Arnaud d'Estroys the Phils w/ 2 d'Oubles, & a 3 run d'Inger....
Oh yeah... and Bartolo Colon just keeps cruisin' along.
Mets win it 7-1.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets - Recap - July 28, 2014 - ESPN

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Really hoping Gee can return to form tonight. If he can get back to where he was our rotation is completely stacked.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[DevilishWon]

Gotta admit, I'm developing a man crush on Travis D'Arnaud. He has been an absolute stud since coming back up. Absolutely crushed that one. This is why he was so hyped up.

Because I like you I won't tell cup...I think he goes that way...lol

 

[DevilishWon]

oh and BTW F philly

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK --7/29-- Even dressed in camouflage, there was no disguising Bartolo Colon's dominance on the mound for the scouts in attendance ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. In what could have been his final start as a Met, the right-hander allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings and struck out six in the New York Mets’ 7-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.


Bartolo Colon

#40 SP
New York Mets

2014 STATS

• GM 21
• W 10
• L 8
• BB 20
• K 106
• ERA 3.88

The Mets still have ground to catch up to the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves in the wild-card standings, but Colon’s résume over the years shows that he has helped teams in the push for the playoffs.

Colon registered six wins after the All-Star break in 2013 to help the Oakland Athletics clinch the American League West.

Manager Terry Collins sees Colon’s value for a playoff contender as one of the “true veteran” players on his roster.

“This guy is down-to-earth. He’s calm. He’s not rattled by anything. He’s an inning-eating machine,” Collins said. “This guy brings something to the clubhouse and I think that our young Latin relief pitchers can attest to that. I think he’s helped them be better.”

Colon tied a season high with 121 pitches. With an off-day on Thursday, Collins felt no reason to limit the pitch count.

“You can stretch him for another five or 10, because they’re going to have that extra day,” Collins said. “I wasn’t concerned with his pitch count as I normally would be. He would’ve been out of the game if he was coming back in four days.”

Colon suggested he pays no mind nowadays to trade rumors. He said he learned to tune out the speculation and talks when he was dealt along with Tim Drew to the Montreal Expos in exchange for Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens in 2002.

“When they traded me to Montreal, that’s when I really noticed that this is a business,” Colon said in Spanish. “Really, after that, that’s when I quit paying attention.

Tears were shed upon his departure from Cleveland, but not by him.
“I remember that my little boy started crying because he didn’t want to leave Cleveland,” Colon said. “He really liked his room there.”

Wherever he’s pitching next, Colon will be bidding for his 200th victory. Assuming he's not traded, which is the likelihood, that start would be Sunday as he faces the San Francisco Giants. Juan Marichal (243) and former Met Pedro Martinez (219) are the only two other Dominican-born pitchers to achieve that plateau.

Colon joined an exclusive club on Monday. He became the third Met age 41 or older to record double-digit wins, joining Tom Glavine (2007) and Orel Hershiser (1999), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The right-hander received a lot of support. The Mets produced four first-inning runs. Travis d'Arnaud added a three-run homer against A.J. Burnett in the fifth.

Colon has not allowed a homer in his past four starts, a season high. One scout in attendance told ESPNNewYork.com that a West Coast team with a pitchers’ ballpark could make sense as a possible trade destination.

Yet general manager Sandy Alderson may opt to hold on to the former Cy Young Award winner. The logic: His value could increase after the season.

“There will be lots of teams looking for pitching in the offseason,” Alderson said before the game. “And there will be lots of teams thinking about giving a veteran pitcher three or four years at $50 million, $60 million. At that point, an $11 million deal for one year for someone of his ability looks pretty attractive. I’m not sure it looks quite as attractive today as it would then.”

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Morning Briefing: 2 days until deadline - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK -- Lineups for Tuesday's Mets & Phils 7:10 p.m. game at Citi Field.

Eric Campbell starts over the duda at first base and bats cleanup. Lucas Duda is 9-for-59 against southpaws this season and 1-for-13 with seven strikeouts and five walks in his career against Cole Hamels. Wilmer Flores also gets a start @ SS, batting 8th.

Mets
Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Campbell, 1b
Chris Young, lf
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Juan Lagares, cf
Wilmer Flores, ss
Dillon Gee, rhp

Phillies
Ben Revere, cf
Jimmy Rollins, ss
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Carlos Ruiz, c
Grady Sizemore, rf
Domonic Brown, lf
Cody Asche, 3b
Hamels, lhp

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

L Gee M !!!