Tyler Oringer: Well, this one is obvious. If you’ve been following any of my coverage throughout the season, you know how much I love the future first baseman for the Mets. The fact that the 23-year old was not called up this season in order to manipulate service time for his age 31 season is beyond belief – but hey, let’s stick to the good part.  Alonso finished his 2019 minor league campaign (65 games at Double-A, 67 in Triple-A) with 36 home runs, 119 RBIs and a triple slash of .285/.395/.579. The changes to his swing from 2017 were real, and allowed him to drive the ball to more fields with major league power, while also advancing his plate discipline to another level. The former Gator saw his OBP jump from .355 to the aforementioned .395.  Alonso finished a full minor league season between Double-A and Triple-A at 23 years old with an OPS of .975. Yes, his defense is not good, but the bat makes him the clear MVP of the Mets’ system in 2018.

Breakout prospect of the year: Jeff McNeil

Alex Rosen: Jeffrey, Jarrett and I were all on McNeil as a future major league contributor before July (and as early as 2014 in Jeffrey’s case) but we’d all be lying if we said we saw this coming. Injuries limited him to just 21 games above A-ball in 2016 and 2017 but McNeil rode a vastly improved frame and a new stomp and pull approach all the way to Queens before the end of July. He’s been the Mets’ best position player since the day he arrived in Flushing – not to mention one of the best players across all of baseball – and gives the organization another cost-controlled above-average regular to build around.

“Cy Young”: Um… Justin Dunn and David Peterson… I guess

TO: DISCLAIMER: I don’t feel comfortable giving either of these guys a Cy Young vote here, but the Mets didn’t really have any impressive season showings from any of their developing starting arms. Dunn, a 2016 first round pick out of Boston College, was okay this season but did improve greatly from 2017. He did struggle a bit in Double-A but flashed some of the potential the Mets have seen, striking out 156 batters in 135.1 innings. Control has continued to be an issue for the 22-year-old, but next season should be a massive stepping stone in his development. I’ve always felt his relief potential was immense and he could be extremely valuable there, but it would be quite the stretch to move him to the bullpen any time soon. Like Dunn, Peterson was good, not great. The 2017 first rounder dominated full-season A-ball, but was knocked around by Advanced-A hitting, surrendering 74 hits in 68.2 innings pitched. The southpaw already has the control and movement to be a legitimate prospect, he just needs to serve up fewer hittable pitches as he goes on.

Platinum Glove: Luis Guillorme

TO: A favorite of mine who was handled as poorly as he could have been in 2018.  Regardless, Guillorme is already an elite defender. If given the chance to start at shortstop or second base in a full major league season, the 23-year-old would challenge for a Gold Glove.  Guillorme flashes some of the smoothest actions and fluidness that any middle infielder in the minors has shown over the past few years. There is a lot to love about Guillorme, if the Mets could just figure out a way to best utilize his talents.

Comeback prospect of the year: Justin Dunn

AR: Dunn’s full-season debut couldn’t have gone much worse, but he rebounded nicely and took care of business in 2018, tossing about 90 innings in Binghamton en route to winning the organizations minor league pitcher of the year award. It was more of “meh” season by top pitching prospect standards, but even that was markedly better than Dunn’s 2017 in the Florida State League. There’s still a ton of room for improvement, especially with the change-up, but 2018 was without a doubt a step in the right direction. The stuff came back, the command improved and Dunn’s now one step closer to the big leagues.

Most likely to have their service time manipulated: Peter Alonso Andres Gimenez

AR: Oh, this is for the future? (looks at personal pref list…) Andres Gimenez it is! Until the rules change in the next CBA, teams are going to hold down top prospects to gain that extra year of control. It’s going to happen to Gimenez too, unless the Mets find themselves in a pennant race in 2019 with a hole to fill. Nevertheless, Gimenez had a tremendous 2018 season across Port St. Lucie and Binghamton, solidifying himself as one of the best prospects in the game.

The Ty Kelly Memorial Roster Spot: Gavin Cecchini

AR: Cecchini was off to a solid start in Las Vegas before a foot injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. He’s seemingly been around for forever, though he somehow won’t turn 25 ‘till December, but his spot on the 40-man is hanging by a thread. The former first rounder has never really received an extended stay with the big league club, but seems like a prime candidate to hang around as organizational depth for a number of years.

Best early return from the 2018 draft: Ross Adolph

TO: Adolph was drafted in the 12th round of the 2018 First Year Player Draft, but has already shown his value in his first year in Brooklyn. In my live look at Adolph, he did not get any hits or even take good routes to the ball in the field, but the athletically built outfielder owned a noticeably advanced approach at the plate and looked the part. The Toledo alum put up some nice number with the Cyclones, OPSing .857 with 14 stolen bases and an affinity for chasing down balls in the outfield.

Most likely to receive the Dominic Smith treatment: Mark Vientos

AR: Vientos still has a long ways to go before he’s a viable major league contributor, but he’s an early round pick who might find playing time hard to come by at the big league level. Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez look to be franchise cornerstones in the infield and Jeff McNeil’s not going anywhere anytime soon, leaving Vientos without a future home on the dirt as of now. Of course, these things tend to sort themselves out, but it hasn’t with Smith at the big league level for one reason or another. A similar fate could be awaiting Vientos, though we’re at least a couple of years away from having to even entertain the possibility.

Most likely to pitch too many high leverage innings: Kevin Smith

AR: The Mets went reliever heavy on Day Two of the 2018 MLB Draft, using a seventh rounder to grab Smith, a crafty SEC lefty with starting experience. There’s likely some internal hope that Smith can start, but having seen him this summer, I can tell you with confidence that that ain’t happening. He’s a future LOOGY in the Jerry Blevins/Daniel Zamora mold who’ll probably be overused like Blevins was in 2017. To be clear, a major league LOOGY is a fine outcome here, but the Mets have an affinity for Smith that I just personally don’t see.

The Reliever of the Carousel of Relievers Who Is Legit:  Drew Smith

TO: Bad timing – I know.  Anyway, Smith possesses true back-end relief talent which has come through in his every stop in the minors and more recently, the majors. I wrote about Smith back in Week 7 of the Prospect Watch, and stand by those previous comments.  Smith’s fastball and slider combination poses the potential for some elite late-inning stuff which has already come to fruition in 2018. When Sandy Alderson traded a fading Lucas Duda for a relief arm, people were concerned, but it would not be crazy to me if Smith is closing with success for New York in the near future.

Biggest Disappointment: Desmond Lindsay

TO: When Lindsay was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft, big things were expected. The centerfielder looked to have the tools, body, and pedigree to turn into a major league regular, but things have just not transpired that way. Lindsay is still stuck in Advanced-A ball, and has not shown any reason to get out of it. The right-handed hitting high school pick has OPSed .715 and .640 in consecutive seasons – and unless he makes the necessary adjustments to his approach, his athleticism may end up going to waste. Injuries have hampered the 21-year old throughout his short career, so there is still a bit of hope – but change must come fast.

Happiest Met to head to Syracuse: Nabil Crismatt

AR: If Crismatt pitched the entire season in Binghamton, he’d have been my choice for the Cy Young award. Unfortunately, we can’t erase those nine starts in Las Vegas and Crismatt will instead have to settle for the “Happiest Met to head to Syracuse” designation. His strong season in Double-A proved there’s a future major league contributor here, but the disaster in the desert muddied things. The Mets will need to protect Crismatt from the Rule-5 draft this offseason by adding him to the 40-man roster, which currently seems like a toss-up at best. He should absolutely be protected, but this is the Mets and they’ll let him go to Oakland, where he’ll suddenly become a No.3 starter.

Best trade deadline acquisition: Franklyn Kilome

TO: This is quite obvious, but not because the other acquisitions were bad – it’s because Kilome, the only player from the Asdrubal Cabrera deal with the Phillies, is that good. The 6’6,” 175-pound 23-year old, has shown to have an advanced upper-90s fastball along with an impressive curveball which has a swing-and-miss movement. In Double-A, Kilome struck out 125 batters in 140 innings, but did walk 61.  Kilome needs to work on his control, but the young right-hander does flash the stuff to succeed as a major league starter – and should see time on the big league club at some point next year.

Most excited to see in 2019: Thomas Szapucki

AR: Szapucki missed the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but is set to return to the mound in 2019. He’s only thrown a total of 83.1 innings in his brief career and will turn 23 next June, but Szapucki has undeniable upside that enticed virtually everyone who saw him. He flashed three potential plus offerings from a tough slot prior to the injury, giving him top of the rotation upside if he could simply stay healthy. There’s no question he’s behind the developmental curve, but 2019 could be a make or break season for the left-hander.

Tim Tebow Award: Tim Tebow

TO: Sorry, I just had to.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

Las Vegas 51s (AAA)

Pitcher: RHP Corey Oswalt

Corey Oswalt hasn’t thrown for Vegas since April 13 but he did make his major league debut last Wednesday, throwing 4.2 innings of much-needed mop-up duty against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 24-year-old righty is a former seventh-round draft pick that was named the organizations Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2017 after posting a 2.28 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 134.1 innings at AA Binghamton. Oswalt needed to be protected from the Rule 5 draft this offseason, earning him a spot on the 40-man as well as an invite to big league spring training. The 6’5,” 250-pound hurler looks intimidating on the mound and sits 90-94 mph with his fastball, but it doesn’t generate much movement, leaving Oswalt susceptible to a lot of contact. This was a bigger problem when he was in Single-A throwing an extremely hittable 95 and allowed 153 hits in 128.2 innings, but he’s added a little more sink now and it has seemed to do the trick just fine. The fastball has lost a couple ticks since last season, where he was more in the 92-95 mph range, and it averaged 90.8 mph in his 4.2 innings big league debut. In addition to the heater, Oswalt also throws a slider, changeup and a curveball, of which the slider is definitely the best of the bunch. He doesn’t possess a plus offering, although the slider is close to, if not above average, and he doesn’t have great command either. That being said, Oswalt projects as a back end of the rotation innings eater, and all things considered, that’s a great outcome for a seventh rounder. I think he’s more of a long reliever type than a guy you’re comfortable throwing every fifth day, but he’s capable of starting and his stuff may play up out of the pen.

Hitter: Gavin Cecchini

Cecchini has been on fire to start the season, batting .342/.395/.532 with seven walks against 13 strikeouts for Vegas. The former first-round draft pick in 2012 has moved over to second full time after beginning his professional career at short, a move made in part by the presence of Amed Rosario, but more so because of his limited defensive profile. Cecchini had to be moved off short mainly because of his arm, which isn’t particularly strong and became so inaccurate that he left the Mets little choice. He doesn’t possess great range or speed either, and he profiles as a below-average defender even at second. At this point, his prospect status begins and ends with his ability to get on base, which he’s showcased at every stop throughout his five-year minor league career. Cecchini has 60 hit tool at peak, but his 40 raw power leaves a lot to be desired and he’s never hit more than eight home runs in a single season. The swing is flat and is geared more for any contact rather than good contact, which is a bit of a problem for a second baseman who can’t really field. Cecchini is now 24 years old with nothing substantial left to prove in the minors, but he’s blocked by Rosario and Asdrubal Cabrera at the major league level for the foreseeable future. At this point in his career, Cecchini profiles as a utility guy who can get on base, and that’s valuable enough for a roster spot with an organization next season. I just don’t see it with the Mets, or any National League team rather, as this sort of player is much more valuable to an American League team.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (AA)

Pitcher: RHP Eric Hanhold

This is Hanhold’s first season as a member of the Mets organization and he’s gotten off to quite the start. After being acquired from Milwaukee in last season’s Neil Walker trade as the PTBNL, the Mets chose to convert him from a starter to a full-time reliever, and the move has paid early dividends. The 6’5,” 220-pound right-hander is long-limbed and has seen his velocity spike in the bullpen, as I had him sitting 94-96 and touching 99 mph in my look a couple weeks ago. The fastball is already a 60 and I’m comfortable projecting heavily on it, I think it’s a 70 at peak, due to the movement it generates in addition to the premium velo. Hanhold gets great sink and movement on the four-seamer — it even shows some two-seam run at its best — and it allows him to induce a ton of ground balls. He posted a 60% groundball rate with the Brewers organization last season and I expect similar numbers moving forward. Like every other Mets relief prospect, Hanhold throws a slider, but it’s already above average and he’s comfortable throwing it in any count. The slider sits 87-89 mph with tight break and is a great change of pace pitch that keeps hitters off his fastball. In a Binghamton bullpen full of interesting relief prospects, I think Hanhold may be the best of the bunch. I see a potential high leverage reliever that could eventually be a middle of the pack closer, which is a fantastic outcome for half a season of Neil Walker.

Hitter: Patrick Mazeika

The Mets have had success drafting position players from Stetson University (see: Jacob deGrom) and Mazeika hopes to be the next major league contributor from the small school in Florida. An eighth-round pick in 2015, Mazeika has hit for a high average at every stop of his minor league career thus far. Although his hit tool far outweighs his game power, Mazeika gets on base at an excellent clip for a catching prospect. It’s not too often you find catchers with this track record of on-base ability, but Mazeika needs to show he can perform at the higher levels of the minors. He’s currently hitting .225/.304/.394 for AA Binghamton, a far cry from his 2016 and 2017 numbers. The biggest knock on Mazeika has been his defense behind the dish; he has a strong arm, but he doesn’t block particularly well and is big for the position. I’ve been able to get three looks at him behind the plate and all in all it’s been a bit of a mixed bag. I saw some positive developments in regards to his framing as well as the strong arm he possesses, but I also saw him allow a couple passed balls, not to mention a couple of steals, mainly because he’s slow to pop despite his strong arm. He only threw out 32% of base stealers last season between Single-A and Double-A and that’s going to need to improve in order for him to have a shot. Unfortunately, I think he’s a little too big and not a good enough athlete to stick behind the dish. I’m intrigued by the on-base ability though, and if I squint hard enough, I can see a big league backup catcher who’s more hit tool than defense.

Columbia Fireflies (A)

Pitcher: LHP Anthony Kay

After missing all of 2017 due to Tommy John surgery, Kay made his highly anticipated minor league debut for the Fireflies on April 8, allowing no runs in four innings to go along with four strikeouts. Kay is a local kid — he grew up on Long Island and went to the University of Connecticut — who was overworked heavily in his draft year before being selected 31st overall by the Mets. Prior to the injury, Kay projected as a solid lefty starter who could potentially move quickly through the system. He’s actually been throwing harder since his return than he was at UConn, which is unexpected but certainly a welcome development. He was 88-93 mph with his fastball in college but is reportedly now 90-94 and even touched 96 in his debut outing. Kay complements his fastball with a changeup that sits in the low 80s and flashes plus, as well as a curveball that’s fringy and slurve-like. The 23-year-old has a clean delivery that he has no trouble repeating and he works quickly. He doesn’t have great command (he’s walked seven in 20 innings so far), but it should get better with more reps and it probably settles around average or a little above. Kay already looks to be too advanced for Low-A and should get the chance to pitch in Port St. Lucie at some point this season. It’s hard to project a 23-year-old in Low-A, but Kay still looks like a future No. 4 starter for the Mets. That being said, he’s probably two years away at his point, which would make him 25 when he eventually latches on in the big leagues full time.

Hitter: Jeremy Vasquez

Vasquez has exploded onto the scene in 2018, hitting a blistering .325/.455/.545 while reaching base safely in 23 consecutive games. A 28th round pick in the 2017 draft, he split last season with Kingsport and Brooklyn and hit only .266/.368.430. The 21-year-old has more walks (20) than strikeouts (16) so far, but he’s old for Low-A Columbia and has never performed this well previously. Vasquez has below average raw power and is more hit tool than power, which isn’t a great profile for a guy who can only play first. The more highly regarded Peter Alonso faced similar questions last season as a first base-only guy who was more hit tool than power, but a swing change has allowed for his 70 raw power to play much better in games. I don’t see above-average raw power here for Vasquez, so a swing change may not do much in the way of increased power production. The expectations weren’t high to begin with — they never are with a 28th rounder — but I’ve seen Vasquez’s name thrown into the first baseman of the future conversation along with Peter Alonso and Dom Smith and frankly, that’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m extremely skeptical of Vasquez’s hot start to the season, but I’d like to see him get a chance at Port St. Lucie before I jump to any major conclusions.

Photo credit: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports

2010

Round 1: Pick 7

Matt Harvey, SP (North Carolina)

This was the last year of Omar Minaya’s tenure as Mets’ GM, and he truly left New York with a bevy of talent in the minor leagues. Matt Harvey is obviously a popular topic of conversation right now for negative reasons, but Minaya knocked it out of the park taking him in the first round eight years ago. Pitching is fickle any way you look at it, and few pitchers in the history of baseball had the immediate impact Harvey did on the game. His debut in 2012 was impressive, his dominance in 2013 was nearly unprecedented, and after missing a season due to Tommy John surgery, winning comeback player of the year in 2015 en route to helping the Mets win the National League pennant cemented his place as one of New York’s best first-round picks ever. Injuries in recent years have sapped Harvey of what he once was, but let’s not forget quite how good he really was.

As for the rest of the Mets’ 2010 draft, Minaya left the new regime quite a parting gift in ninth round pick Jacob deGrom.

2011

Round 1: Pick 13

Brandon Nimmo, OF (High School)

Brandon Nimmo was Sandy Alderson’s first first round pick as GM of the Mets, and prior to his emergence last season, he was at risk of being proclaimed a bust. Nimmo was taken with the pick directly before Miami selected Jose Fernandez, and those comparisons will always be there, but the kid from Wyoming has begun to distinguish himself over the past 12 months or so. Nimmo plays like a seasoned veteran, has a keen awareness of the strike zone, is not fazed by pressure, and most importantly has fun and enjoys playing the game. He’s currently New York’s fourth outfielder but that has everything to do with how much talent the Mets currently have on the roster, as he’d easily be a starter most other places.

Round 1: Pick 44

Michael Fulmer, SP (High School)

Fulmer never threw a pitch for the Mets but holds a place in team history, as he was the centerpiece of New York’s 2015 deadline trade with the Tigers for Yoenis Cespedes. The big right hander has gone on to become one of the better pitchers in the American League, but that hasn’t changed the fact that it was a good trade for the Amazins’.

Other familiar names New York drafted this year include Robert Gsellman, Logan Verrett, Jack Leathersich, Tyler Pill, Danny Muno and Phil Evans.

2012

Round 1: Pick 12

Gavin Cecchini, IF (High School)

Cecchini was the second of three consecutive high school players Alderson drafted in the first round, and he is by far the one most at risk of the bust label. The Louisiana native has seen limited time in the big leagues to date, and while he has shown flashes at times, he clearly is not high on the team’s organizational depth chart.

Round 1: Pick 35

Kevin Plawecki, C (Purdue)

The Mets’ better first round pick from this draft was their supplemental selection: Plawecki, who has been far from a star but has at least proven himself to be a big league player. It’s well documented how the Mets are in the market for catching at the moment, and while Plawecki getting hurt sort of sent that into overdrive, they had already needed help behind the plate. Catcher is arguably the most difficult position to find a bonafide star, and if you can develop one that can at minimum be a strong contributor to your roster, you did well.

Some other familiar names New York drafted in 2012 include Paul Sewald, Tomas Nido, Matt Reynolds, Matt Bowman and Chris Flexen.

2013

Round 1: Pick 11

Dominic Smith, 1B (High School)

Dom Smith had long been viewed as the Mets first base successor to Lucas Duda, and I guess in some capacity he still is, although his top prospect status has certainly dwindled. During his first extended big league opportunity down the stretch last season the LA native hit on the interstate, and he failed to make a positive impression on new manager Mickey Callaway during this year’s spring training. Smith is currently hitting just .246 for Triple-A Las Vegas, and he’ll have to seriously pick it up for New York to consider pulling the plug on Adrian Gonzalez anytime soon.

Sadly, as a whole the 2013 draft was a disappointment for the Mets, as the only other player from that class to make it to Citi Field was reliever Kevin McGowan.

2014

Round 1: Pick 10

Michael Conforto, OF (Oregon State)

To date, Conforto represents the biggest draft hit for Alderson and his staff, and perhaps not coincidentally he was the first collegiate player they drafted this high. In Conforto, the Mets added a pure hitter who was in the big leagues in just 13 months, not only filling a roster spot, but becoming a critical component of a World Series team. Last season, the Washington native blossomed into a star, and he’s well on his way to becoming the club’s next face of the franchise.

The rest of this draft class was not quite as big a smashing success, as nobody else has reached the majors; the most recognizable prospect on the list is Dash Winningham.

2015

Round 2: Pick 53

Desmond Lindsay, OF (High School)

The Mets did not have a first round pick in 2015 as they had to surrender that selection to Colorado as compensation for signing Michael Cuddyer as a free-agent, so their first pick in the draft came at number 53 overall in the way of Desmond Lindsay. The Florida-born outfielder has unfortunately never hit for the power he was projected to as he owns only 13 career minor league home runs, and he’s failed to advance past High-A St. Lucie.

The rest of New York’s 2015 draft class is more promising, as Thomas Szapucki, David Thompson, Corey Taylor and P.J. Conlon are all considered viable prospects.

2016

Round 1: Pick 19

Justin Dunn, SP (Boston College)

Dunn was a much talked about arm leading up to this draft, and the Mets were absolutely thrilled to add him with pick number 19. His minor league career got off to a little bit of a bumpy start but he has figured it out of late, and he’s unanimously considered one of New York’s premier prospects. In St. Lucie this year, the right hander has been dominant, pitching to a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings.

Other notable Mets draft picks from 2016 include Anthony Kay, Michael Paez and Peter Alonso.

2017

Round 1: Pick 20

David Peterson, SP (Oregon)

Most scouts consider the left-handed Peterson the Mets’ top minor league arm, and New York is confident he’ll be on an accelerated track to the big leagues. The former Oregon Duck is currently pitching for the Mets’ A-ball team in Columbia, but they’re hopeful he’ll be able to advance to St. Lucie some time before the end of the year.

Another name to watch from this class is 3B Mark Vientos, whom New York selected in the second round, as the team believes he can ultimately become their first long-term answer at the hot corner since David Wright.

Photo credit: Andy Marlin – USA Today Sports

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from covering Collins over the last two seasons, it’s that he doesn’t change his ingrained habits. Nori Aoki, Jose Reyes, and Asdrubal Cabrera led off for the Mets. Cabrera is the youngest of those players at 31. Meanwhile, Dom Smith and Amed Rosario are “protected” from getting an additional developmental at-bat by hitting in the bottom of the order. Gavin Cecchini may not fit in the Mets’ future, but Collins won’t even give him a chance. Just like we saw with Michael Conforto, Collins is unwilling to play the rookies. Ironically, the one thing Collins did well his last year in Anaheim was play 22-year old Troy Glaus every day.

Seth Lugo pitched four innings and 76 pitches before getting pulled for a pinch hitter. Lugo had some command issues, but he didn’t walk anybody and only gave up two runs. Then we saw Collins’ typical bullpen management. Chasen Bradford came in for the fifth. Josh Smoker got two outs, hit a batter, and Collins turned to Paul Sewald to get a righty. Sewald struck out Makiel Franco, sat down for half an inning, then came back for the seventh. Naturally he wasn’t as sharp, getting a strikeout then walking the next three batters. Collins has developed a bad habit of using a second reliever for part of an inning, sitting that pitcher down, then calling that pitcher back up for more work.

At a certain point, most Mets fans probably just want the season to end, Unfortunately, the Mets couldn’t even get that right on Saturday, Rookie callup Jamie Callahan came in for Sewald with the bases loaded, one out and a 4-2 lead. He gave up a sacrifice fly to Aaron Altherr and then a hard single to Rhys Hoskins, trying the game at four. Both the Mets and Phillies went to some of their best relievers, and A.J. Ramos was actually able to throw a 1-2-3 inning. Hoskins drove a ball to deep left-center in the tenth but couldn’t get it out of the park with the wind blowing in. Reyes came up with two on in the 11th but swung at every 3-2 pitch out of the zone until he missed one. Finally Cabrera, hit a three-run homer to put more runs on the board and Jeurys Familia threw a 1-2-3 inning for the save.

Media Meltdown, Continued

Sandy Alderson met with reporters before Saturday’s game to take responsibility for what he called a breakdown of the team’s professional culture, saying, “I’m the leader of this group. I feel responsible for every aspect of this operation, particularly in those areas where they fall short.” However, Alderson did not deny Marc Carig’s reporting that owner Fred Wilpon prevented the front office from firing Collins. Alderson was probably smart to avoid directly commenting on Collins’ bullpen use, since Collins continued to make the same mistakes against yesterday. More than anything else, Alderson seemed upset that someone would talk to a beat reporter about the club’s many obvious problems.

The Mets will play their last game of the season today. Noah Syndergaard will throw 20-25 pitches. Then the Mets’ taxed bullpen will go one final game and every Mets fan will wait on Twitter to see if (when) Collins is officially told he won’t get a new contract.

Photo credit: Eric Hartline – USA Today Sports

And while most Mets fans are probably gleeful at the thought of a new skipper, it is still somewhat disheartening to see a well-meaning, good-hearted man on the precipice of losing a job he clearly loves. However, in what are probably his last few games as manager, Collins is giving fans a reminder of what has made him so frustrating through the years.

Collins can be forgiven if he’s not thinking too hard about the team’s future if he’s not a part of it, but he is still the manager right now. Which means it’s still his job to think of the future. And with the Mets’ current state, nothing should come before that future. It’s Terry’s job to manage for the future by playing as many young players as he can right now, getting them as much MLB experience as possible, and allowing the organization to at least have brief evaluations of those players so the picture is a little bit easier to paint for next year and beyond.

So then why the heck are we still seeing lineups like these?

Take a look at tonight’s starting lineup! #LGM pic.twitter.com/Po02pZQlzZ

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 13, 2017

This lineup is from last Wednesday night. The first three hitters in this lineup are over-30 veterans who are either not under contract for next season, or have expensive team options that might not be worth picking up. Noticeably absent from this lineup are former first-round picks Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, and Dom Smith, though Smith was just getting the day off here.

That said, Nimmo and Cecchini being benched in favor of players with no future in the organization has been a running theme for a while now. In fact, since Cecchini’s recall on August 17, the 23-year-old has started just 12 of the Mets’ 32 games, and has appeared at all in only 19 of those games. And yesterday, he required Amed Rosario getting scratched late with an upset stomach just to get the start. As for Nimmo, Wednesday was his second-straight game being benched against a left-handed pitcher. And even worse, before the injury to Michael Conforto last month, Nimmo hardly saw the field at all. In fact, he had been on the MLB roster for a total of 46 games prior to Conforto’s injury, and had seen just 65 plate appearances and nine starts to that point.

So how can Collins justify this? How does an MLB manager, in his mind, think playing guys like Jose Reyes, Nori Aoki, and Asdrubal Cabrera accomplishes anything late in a season like this? Well, the answer actually simple: Collins is still managing the only way he knows how. He is managing to win baseball games. And these are the guys he trusts to win him baseball games, for better or worse.

Terry Collins’ best attribute as a manager is also his biggest detriment: his ability to accept defeat. He wants to win, and he wants to win every single game more than anything. Even if the games mean nothing, he wants to win them. And a competitive spirit like that is admirable—really—and it’s the first thing you look for in any manager. Nobody will ever accuse Collins of phoning it in or not caring.

Sometimes, though, that’s just not the way to manage a team, and that’s obviously not the way to manage the Mets right now, when wins and losses don’t matter at all. And it’s not just right now, either. Throughout his tenure, Collins has seemed to lack the ability to step back and think about the longer-term ramifications of what he’s doing, and the ramifications his actions have for the next day, or the next week, or the next year, or even for the careers of his players. Sometimes, it seems like he wants to win the game at hand so much that it’s all he cares about.

We’ve seen it for years. We’ve seen all the times he rummaged through his bullpen in an effort to win one game, and then had to play the next day with multiple relievers unavailable. We saw it when Conforto was benched far too often in favor of proven veterans like Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson—potentially stifling Conforto’s crucial development—just because Collins trusted them more to win him games. We saw it with Michael Cuddyer. We saw it with Chris Young. We saw it with Tyler Clippard. We saw it with Eric Campbell. The list goes on.

And even now, with nothing to play for, we’re still seeing it. We see it with these lineups. We see it when Tommy Milone pitches in mop-up duty instead of any one of the myriad young, inexperienced relievers Collins has available in his bullpen now. We saw it when he pinch-hit Reyes for Dom Smith in the ninth inning against the Yankees in an attempt to win that game.

But Collins does this stuff not because he hates young players, but because it’s the only way he knows. He genuinely thinks these moves help him win, and it’s not in his nature to manage to not-win a game. It’s not in his nature to step off the gas pedal. He only knows how to manage to win games to the best of his ability. That’s all he’s ever done, and so he’s going to keep doing that.

And yes, it’s immensley frustrating to watch as fan. But when you think about it, it’s hard not to feel for Collins too. He knew, win or lose, that this was probably his last season in baseball. And look at what’s happened. He didn’t ask for this. He just wants to win, damn it.

Now, perhaps that’s wrong. Perhaps these assumptions of Collins are incorrect, and he’s actually the most forward-thinking man in the room. Maybe Cecchini can’t see the field because the front office isn’t very high on him. It’s possible Reyes hits leadoff every day because the higher ups in the organization want Reyes to see as much playing time as possible. But if these decisions are coming from the manager, then it’s really hard to make sense of any of this without seeing Collins as a man at the end of the road, going out the way he came in: determined to win.

Photo credit: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports

It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these. The distraction of starting a Ph.D. and moving back to my native NYC has been rather nice, giving me a multitude of excuses to duck out on watching a bad Mets team drag the corpse of their season across the finish line. It’s always worth it to tune in at the end of the season though, just to listen to GKR for a couple more hours before the long offseason begins.

To the game itself. Matt Harvey toed the mound as the Mets started a three-game set in Miami, their last trip south of Philadelphia for the season. Opposing him was Dan Straily, the Marlins’ return in the soon-to-be-infamous Luis Castillo trade with the Reds this past offseason. To make a bad game worse, Amed Rosario was scratched with an upset stomach, giving us an extra dose of a Cabrera-Reyes-Cecchini infield. This season really can’t end soon enough.

Game Recap

The Mets seemed primed to jump out to an early lead against Straily, with Nori Aoki singling and Jose Reyes walking to start the first inning. Both runners would be stranded, however, as Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis d’Arnaud struck out, sandwiching a line out from Dom Smith. That missed opportunity immediately became irksome, as a couple of soft ground ball hits and a line drive from Justin Bour drove in a run for the Marlins in the bottom half of the inning to put the Mets in an early 1-0 hole.

Harvey was able to dance around more trouble in the second, stranding two runners who reached on softly hit ground balls up the middle. He wasn’t as lucky in the third, however. Giancarlo Stanton started the inning with a three-pitch walk, and Bour followed two batters later with a screaming line drive double to put runners on a second and third with one out. A wild pitch to Brian Anderson pushed Stanton across the plate, and an intentional walk and another infield single loaded the bases for Dan Straily with two outs. Harvey was able to stop the damage, but was up to 54 pitches and seven hits allowed (four of them very soft, two of them extremely hard) through three innings.

After stranding a plethora of baserunners through the first three innings, the Mets finally generated a response in the top of the fourth. Brandon Nimmo worked a walk (what else is new) before Juan Lagares grounded into a fielder’s choice and stole second base, putting a runner on second with two outs. Gavin Cecchini followed that up with a ground ball single up the middle to drive in Lagares, cutting the Miami lead to 2-1.

Harvey and the Mets gave that run and more right back. Dee Gordon led off the bottom of the fourth with a bunt single, then stole second. Harvey then yanked a fastball into Tomas Talis, putting runners on first and second with none out for Stanton. I’m sure you’ve already guessed how that turned out, as Stanton vaporized a flat fastball in the middle of the plate for a three-run home run that landed in the back right of the home run monstrosity in center field. The homer was Stanton’s 55th on the season, and it gave the Marlins a 5-1 lead. It was also the longest home run at a 17 degree launch angle or lower ever tracked by Statcast, travelling 455 feet.

The fifth inning started just as poorly for Harvey, as he allowed a flair single to Ichiro Suzuki and a ground ball single to Mike Aviles. That would chase him from the game, as the pitcher who used to be the Mets’ next best hope lasted only 4+ innings, the seventh straight start in which he went five innings or fewer. He allowed 12 hits, and, while there was certainly some bad luck in there (three infield hits, two dribblers into the outfield, and a flair that dropped) he also gave up plenty of rockets. Harvey’s stuff is still flat and his command is still spotty. On the bright side, he seems to have recovered at least one of the ticks he lost, but that’s really reaching for positives.

Tommy Milone entered in relief and retired Christian Yelich (pinch hitting for Dan Straily) on a weak dribbler in front of home plate. Dee Gordon made that out irrelevant, lining a triple into the right-center field gap to push the Marlins lead to 7-1. All seven of those runs were charged to Harvey, ballooning his ERA on the season to an almost inconceivable 6.59.

Milone walked Tomas Telis before being replaced by Hansel Robles. Robles’s results weren’t any better, as he allowed RBI singles Stanton and Ozuna. Brian Anderson then lined the second two-run triple of the inning for the Marlins before scoring on an RBI single from Suzuki. Erik Goeddel entered and finally stopped the bleeding, but the Marlins had turned things into a laugher, leading 12-1.

The rest of the game was fairly mundane. Chris Flexen tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in relief. Jacob Rhame gave up a home run on the second pitch he threw, walked a batter, and struck out one in an inning of work. Jaime Callahan added a clean inning in the eighth. Meanwhile, the Met offense didn’t score, going quietly into the night in a 13-1 loss. At 65-85, they remain in line for the fifth pick in the draft.

Thoughts from the Game

Time to twist the knife of a lost season and another brutal loss a bit more. Eleven years ago last night, Jose Reyes and David Wright danced in the clubhouse and smoke cigars on the field as they clinched the NL East title. I don’t mean to re-write the eulogy for the 2006 Mets for the three millionth time, but it’s a sobering reminder of how far away the current iteration of the Mets are from getting back to that level.

I also want to share a pessimistic bet I’ve made with a couple friends. Nori Aoki is a marginally useful extra outfielder, and honestly not the worst option as a reserve on a good team. He’s also performed quite well since joining the Mets on September 2, running a 119 wRC+ in his very brief tenure. However, it should be very clear that Nori Aoki has no business being a starting outfielder at this point of his career, and if the Mets try to sell him as such (or even as a short term replacement should Michael Conforto’s return from shoulder surgery be delayed at all) it will be an abject disaster for 2018.

Other Mets News

Noah Syndergaard pitched a simulated game in front of the major league coaches in Miami today, facing a handful of live hitters. There’s a chance Thor gets back in a major league game this season, even if it’s just as a reliever, but it’s nice to see the Mets being extra cautious with one of their players for once.

Photo credit: Steve Mitchell – USA Today Sports

The Marlins return for the first time in almost two weeks, forced to play three “home” games in Milwaukee over the weekend while storm-ravaged Miami continued to pick up the pieces from Hurricane Irma.

New York is 7-9 against the Marlins this season with a run differential of +1.

When and Where

Game 1: Monday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 1:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Monday: 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms with a low of 77F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Tuesday: 80% chance of thunderstorms with a low of 77F; Winds light and variable

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a high of 88F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday: RHP Matt Harvey (5-5, 6.14 ERA, 5.52 DRA, .300 TAv, 0.1 WARP) vs. RHP Dan Straily (9-9, 4.24 ERA, 4.61 DRA, .273 TAv, 1.8 WARP)

Harvey took a step backwards on Wednesday at Wrigley Field, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks over 3.1 innings. The former All-Star is now 1-2 with a 12.19 ERA in three starts since returning from the disabled list.

Straily was also hit hard his last time out, charged with eight runs on 13 hits in six innings at Citizens Bank Park.

Tuesday: RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 5.21 ERA, 5.55 DRA, .289 TAv, 0.0 WARP) vs. TBD

Lugo was also knocked around by the Cubs, lasting just three innings and allowing eight runs (seven earned) in the loss. He will once again be limited to around 70-75 pitches.

Wednesday: RHP Rafael Montero (5-10, 5.08 ERA, 4.79 DRA, .294 TAv, 0.9 WARP) vs. RHP Jose Urena (13-6, 3.62 ERA, 4.52 DRA, .260 TAv, 1.7 WARP)

Montero lost for the first time in almost a month behind 4.2 innings of three-run ball in Atlanta on Friday night. The 26-year-old has a 3.51 ERA dating back to August 14, a span of eight appearances (seven starts) in which he has struck out 38 batters over 41 innings.

Urena did not factor in the decision in Friday night’s loss in Milwaukee, needing 101 pitches to get through 4.2 innings. A bright spot for the Marlins this season, the Dominican native is 2-3 with a 3.50 ERA lifetime against the Mets.

Who’s Hot?

Mets 1B Dom Smith (1.433 OPS with 2 HR and 6 RBIs since Wednesday)

Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera (.556 AVG (10-for-18) during his six-game hitting streak)

Mets OF Nori Aoki (On base 6 times in last 10 plate appearances, including two doubles and a triple)

Mets 2B/SS Gavin Cecchini (4-for-8 with 2 RBIs in Braves series)

Marlins 2B Dee Gordon (4-for-8 with 2 runs scored since Saturday)

Marlins 1B Justin Bour (5-for-11 with 3 RBIs at Miller Park)

Marlins 3B Derek Dietrich (3-for-8 with a homer and 3 RBIs this weekend)

Who’s Not?

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo (1-for-11 with 5 strikeouts in Atlanta)

Mets CF Juan Lagares (.143 AVG (5-for-35 over his last 10 games)

Marlins OF Christian Yelich (2-for-20 over the past week)

Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton (3-for-18 with no extra-base hits in his last 5 games)

When We Last Met

The Mets dropped two of three at home a month ago, winning the middle game behind six strong innings from Montero and homers by Smith, Wilmer Flores, and Kevin Plawecki.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas left Sunday’s game early after straining his left shoulder diving for a ball.

Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat) will pitch in a simulated game this week and could be activated for next weekend’s home series against Washington.

Notable Quotables

“It’s been a difficult trip, I think, for a number of reasons. Number one, obviously, I think we haven’t played well so that’s the start of it and it gets extended so it’s a little up in the air and a lot’s going on. We had guys that had to stay back for a day and then they flew in, or two days, and kind of lived through the hurricane for different reasons. You had guys with things going on, so there’s a lot going on with families and things that are back in Miami or Florida in general.” – Marlins skipper Don Mattingly on the recent road trip

“I tried to get the sinkers away from the lefties. There’s a lot of lefties in the lineup and I used my changeup and I thought it worked well.” – Mets starter Robert Gsellman discussing his win on Sunday, in which he allowed just an unearned run over seven sharp innings

“I thought I’d give him a start today, big hit for him. I thought he made some good plays at third. He’s another guy that’s had to reinvent himself a little bit. He signed as a shortstop. They moved him around the infield a little bit and he’s not a big power hitter but he’s a pretty good offensive (player). He puts the bat on the baseball.” – Mets manager Terry Collins on rookie third baseman Phil Evans, who drove in and scored his first big league runs on Sunday

Photo credit: Benny Sieu – USA Today Sports

Of course, 2017 hasn’t worked anything like the Mets had hoped. Those hapless Braves have a better record than the should-have-been-a-contender Mets. Jacob deGrom has been an ace, but he’s been the only healthy ace. Brandon Nimmo and replacement level pickup Nori Aoki were fueling the offense. Nonetheless, Saturday’s big win reminded fans of what could have been instead of a team just playing out the stretch while booking tee times.

deGrom dominates: Jacob deGrom scattered five hits over seven strong innings as, once again, the Mets’ ace relied on command and attacking the strike zone. Of course it’s easier to rely on command when you can throw the ball past people at 95 miles per hour, but deGrom hasn’t pitched this efficiently throughout the entire season. He racked up the walks trying to blow everyone away in May, and his walks have crept up again over three disappointing starts. On Saturday, deGrom recommitted himself to efficiency and overpowered the thin Braves lineup.

Offense strikes quickly: The Mets got to former ace R.A. Dickey in a hurry. Juan Lagares singled past second baseman Ozzie Albies and Dom Smith motored around from second to score in the second inning. Gavin Cecchini drove in Travis d’Arnaud to get his first of three hits. Aoki, Nimmo, and Asdrubal Cabrera hit consecutive doubles in the third to score two more runs. Cecchini singled in another run in the fourth and Smith capped the Mets’ offense with a two-out double in the seventh.

Bullpen hangs on: After a week of bad losses, Terry Collins turned to Jeurys Familia and A.J. Ramos to give them some work. Familia looked rusty as the Braves put the first three pitches in to play. A.J. Ramos started worse, walking leadoff batter Kurt Suzuki. He followed up with a wild pitch and collided with Smith going for a pop up. Ramos dug a bigger hole looking for the perfect game ending pitch against Jace Peterson, going to a full count, and giving up a single on a fastball over the middle. Ramos looked for another perfect pitch and gave up a two-run single. Once Dan Warthen came out and told Ramos to throw strikes, he was finally able to get the last out.

Yesterday’s Terry Collins headscratcher: After scoring two runs off Dickey, the Mets had runners on the corners with one out. Collins asked deGrom to put down a suicide squeeze bunt. Against the knuckleballer! DeGrom missed the sign and pulled the bat back, leaving Lagares hung out to dry.

What’s Next? Julio Teheran makes his fifth start against the Mets in 2017. Even in a down year, the Braves’ most established pitcher has been effectively wild against the Mets, limiting hitters to a .596 OPS.

Photo credit: Adam Hagy – USA Today Sports

I could hit you with the numbers (again), but the shock value that contextualizing it in numbers once had no longer even really exists; it’s mostly just numbing at this point. For example, I could say that seven of the 12 Mets pitchers with the most innings pitched this year have ERAs over five. But that’s not really surprising at this point. I could also mention that as of Tuesday, the team’s 117 ERA- is the fourth-worst in franchise history. But that’s whatever by now. I could even bring up the fact that if you remove Jacob deGrom’s stats, the team ERA, even before last night’s game, would be 5.08, which would be the worst team ERA in franchise history—six points worse than the 1962 Mets. Okay, that one still stings a little bit.

And last night, we saw another disheartening performance from a pitcher who not only had a positive outlook coming into the year, but who was, and still could be, a huge part of this team’s future. It has been a completely lost season for Robert Gsellman—who BP ranked as the #2 prospect in the Mets system pre-season—and it took another saddening turn last night in Chicago. Gsellman worked through the first three innings without allowing a run, but was walking the tightrope the entire time and completely lacking command. He finally cracked in the fourth inning, when he allowed a four-spot to the Cubs, with three of those runs coming on a home run by Kris Bryant. Gsellman walked four on the night and gave up five hits in just four innings of work.

Next year, the Mets will have a cornucopia of pitchers bidding for spots in the rotation. Only two spots are guarenteed: deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. Everyone else will need to earn a spot. This month of September is crucial for guys like Gsellman and Seth Lugo to build their case for a rotation spot next season, and Gsellman’s outing last night did not help, as his stock continues to plummet after a wonderful 2016 debut campaign.

The game was pretty much over from there. Tommy Milone, Jacob Rhame, Josh Smoker, and Chris Flexen all pitched the subsequent innings in that order, and every single one of them gave up one run. Milone is a guy who probably shouldn’t even be pitching for the Mets anymore, Rhame is still working out the kinks at the MLB level, and Smoker and Flexen haven’t looked like MLB-caliber pitchers all season.

The Mets lost the game 8-3, which ultimately doesn’t matter. What does matter, though, is that they were able to find innings for Rhame and get some more evaluation on Gsellman and Smoker. In addition, Amed Rosario had a productive day, going 2-for-4 and making a nice leaping grab in the field. Rosario’s yet to light the world on fire, but it absolutely looks like being a competent MLB shortstop is his floor right now. Dom Smith’s struggles continued, however, as he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Gavin Cecchini and Brandon Nimmo were both benched again last night, which is good. Very prudent.

OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY:

Reliever Eric Hanhold was announced as the PTNBL in the Neil Walker trade. Honhold is a 23-year-old reviever in A+ ball who became a full-time reliever this year, and has substantially improved as a result. His K-BB numbers have increased, and he’s had his best professional year in run prevention so far. So he’s mildly interesting. (Editor’s note: Go Gators)

The Mets also called up catching prospect Tomas Nido to the big leagues yesterday. The 23-year-old posted a 74 wRC+ for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies this season.

TODAY

The Mets play game two of their series against the Cubs in Wrigley Field. Matt Harvey takes on Jon Lester in a rematch of Game 1 of the 2015 NLCS, except both pitchers are discernably worse now. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.

Photo credit: Patrick Gorski – USA Today Sports

Big Bats Came To Play

The Mets had a unique connection to the opposing starter, Mark Leiter. You may remember his uncle, a guy who won 95 games as a Met and helped win them a pennant, by the name of Al. Nevertheless, the Mets did not show the Leiter family any love Monday. The offense was potent right out of the gate and exploded to a 10-0 lead through the sixth inning. Contributions came from all directions, as six different Mets recorded an RBI: Jose Reyes, Nori Aoki, Asdrubal Cabrera, Brandon Nimmo, Juan Lagares, and Gavin Cecchini. It may just be a product of facing the Phillies, but any time you see an offensive explosion featuring mostly young, no-name players, it’s always a pleasant surprise.

Have A Day, Young Man

Nimmo had a tremendous day at the plate, one of his best efforts this season. Posting three hits, two of which were RBI singles, and a run scored, Nimmo looked like the player we all dreamt of when the Mets selected him 13th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft. It’s hard to get a clear picture of what Nimmo’s role will be with this team beyond 2017, but if he continues to swing the bat well, he could easily write his way into the team’s 2018 plans. The uncertainty surrounding Michael Conforto and when he will be able to return from that freak shoulder injury will open up a good amount of at-bats (as long as the Mets don’t bring in anyone in free agency). Depending on how far his bat comes along, Nimmo could see significant playing time in a corner outfield role.

Will The Real Raf Please Stand Up?

If somehow we’ve accidentally slipped into an alternate universe where Rafael Montero is actually a competent Major League pitcher, then I’m okay with staying here for a while. Montero’s final line looks average at best, but he cruised through this game and didn’t have to do too much after being staked to such a big lead. Montero went 5.1 innings with three strikeouts, five walks, and four earned runs surrendered, but keep in mind he shut down the Phillies through the first four. When you couple yesterday’s effort with his last start, where he tossed 8.1 innings giving up only three hits, it kind of makes you wonder whether the often-criticized Montero is finally taking a turn. Is it possible? Probably not. Then again, I’m one of the biggest Rafael Montero haters on the planet, so take my word with a grain of salt.

Cabrera’s Audition Continues

Figuring out who can possibly be their full-time third baseman is one of the biggest questions the Mets face entering 2018. David Wright is now undergoing rotator cuff surgery and was a long shot to ever be a competent starter again. Jose Reyes is a poor defender at the hot corner and hasn’t done much with the bat to warrant a return to the Mets next season. Wilmer Flores could be an option, but we’re talking about another below average defender who doesn’t exactly dominate right-handed pitching. And at the bottom of the list, we really don’t know if Matt Reynolds or Gavin Cecchini has what it takes to be a Major League starter and I don’t think we’ll come any closer to finding out from now to the end of September. That leaves Cabrera, who has become the de facto third baseman since Amed Rosario arrived. Short of bringing in an established free agent like Mike Moustakas, I think it’s safe to say returning Cabrera on his team option is the best choice if this team wants to compete in 2018. Cabrera’s return to the Mets will be a polarizing issue, but the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. Cabrera occupied the three hole Monday and launched a two-run homer over the centerfield fence, scoring Nori Aoki.

His inexperience at third also showed in the third inning when he committed a throwing error that allowed Cameron Rupp to reach second. There’s no simple solution and September will be a good indicator of whether he can be a competent full-time third baseman, but I’m willing to set aside his defense to have an experienced switch-hitting veteran like Cabrera in the lineup.

Mixed Results From the Bullpen

It’s hard to place stock in the performance of relievers in meaningless games, but at the end of the day this game is about one thing: getting outs. A bullpen is an emotional rollercoaster for any team, but when you watch guys like Paul Sewald and Hansel Robles flash signs of success, it hurts even more when they struggle. Yesterday, Sewald gave up two hits and earned run in two thirds of an inning of work, while Robles surrendered two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work. The game was never really in question thanks to a big lead, but if these guys want to be foundational pieces to this bullpen in 2018, they need to show how reliable they can be now. Oh, and Jerry Blevins added another scoreless inning to his spectacular season.

What’s Next

The Mets continue their series against the Phillies at Citi Field tonight at 7:10. Jacob deGrom takes the mound, facing off against Ben Lively of the Phillies.

Photo credit: Gregory Fisher – USA Today Sports