The Mets Have Overachieved

Memorial Day is often regarded as the first real check-in date of the regular season. If a team can carry a good start through May, it's no longer a fluke. Therefore it's safe to say that the Mets have been an above average baseball team thus far. However, that's not to say they haven't overachieved a bit.

The Mets exit Memorial Day weekend a full 5 games over .500 and in joint possession of 2nd place in the NL East. They've done all of this (well at least most of this) without their starting left-fielder, starting shortstop and having lost their fourth starting pitcher. Throw in the fact that Ike Davis has been horrid and you can see that things don't really add up.

Underwhelming contributions from Jon Niese, Dillon Gee and the bullpen in general also stand to negatively impact the team's winning ways as they move forward into the summer. They will be forced to rely heavily on their returning players, when/if they make their way back from the disabled list.

The team deserves credit, without question, but for how long they can sustain such a push with the absence of some crucial pieces of the roster is something to keep an eye on. Perhaps I am just waiting for the bottom to drop out as it seemingly does every season, but I simply get the impression that while they are headed in the right direction, these early season results are premature and are not a true representation of where the team will be in three months time.

The roster remains thin with few replacements in waiting. It's logical to think its going to catch up with the Mets, in spite of the "never say die" attitude they've embraced. The ball won't always bounce in our direction, no matter how hard they try.

Collins wants more power..

Photo by Michael Baron

Terry Collins admitted to the NY Post that he would like more power in his line-up, the Mets have surprised many with their winning record but most of the offense has come from moving the line along with singles.

The Mets are second to last in home runs in all of baseball with just 25, only the Padres have produced less with 17 and the league leader Carlos Beltran has already produced 14 on his own.

Ike Davis who it's rumored could be sent down due to his offensive struggles leads the team with five home runs.  Wright who is looking like a batting champ, so far this season only has four which is tied with Lucas Duda for second most on the team.

You could say that they're winning games so who cares but we've seen what happens when the pen struggles for a week in close games, that lack of power equates to insurance runs in my opinion.

Mets really need Jason Bay to return and be a 25 home run guy while Wright and Duda pick it up a bit, I think Davis needs a stint in the minors and if he can get corrected that would give the Mets four solid threats in the middle of the order.

Long term Sandy likes the long ball and I think he will address it either at the deadline if were still in it or during the off-season.


Though Collins’ team isn’t built around the long ball, the manager yesterday admitted it would be nice to occasionally see the Mets clear the fences and build on early leads. source Ny Post

Carrasco DFA, Carson up; message Wright's team...

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Mets designated D.J. Carrasco for assignment last night, Carrasco's entire tenure as a Met was ineffective and he really should have been cut this winter.

The Mets signed the reliever prior to the 2011 season after three successful years with the White Sox, Pirates and D-Backs.  Originally the 2.4 M deal for 2years made sense, he was a versatile reliever who could finish games, go multiple innings and/or spot start all with an ERA under 4, but in his first season with the Mets he posted a career worst 6.02 ERA in 49 games ( 1 start).

While I would have rather they keep a guy like Fernando Martinez ( during a roster crunch) I understand bringing back Carrasco to see what you can get out of him since your paying him 1.2M for the season.  This season the 35 y/o veteran talked about rebounding but instead was even worse, after coming off an ankle injury he appeared in four games with a 7.36 ERA.

Whether the organization will admit it or not, I do think there was a message sent with the timing of this move and not just an in-effective reliever simply out of chances.  With the Mets allegedly on the cusp of offering Wright a multi-year extension this definitely sends a message that this is DW's organization.  Carrasco put Wright at risk which also created tension, albeit momentary in the dugout with Collins, the bad outing against Cincy just made the cut easy.

They replaced Carrasco on the roster with Robert Carson, the young lefty was up for three games earlier in the season but never got in a game.  Carson's has posted a 1.84 ERA in 12 appearances in AA but has never even been to the AAA level.  While their options are limited in Buffalo, it still seems like they really like   Carson.


"It was pretty self-explanatory," said the struggling Carrasco, who allowed a homer Tuesday to Rickie Weeks as well before plunking Braun. "I would have done the same thing if I was the GM." source ESPN NY

Bay cleared for baseball activities...

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Jason Bay has been cleared to resume baseball activities, while it's progress there still is no time-frame for his return to the team.  Some would say that Bay can take as long as he needs because they're happy with Kirk, Torres and Duda...

If Bay returns and looks decent he maybe back in time to give Davis a break with a minor league stint.  I truly think Davis is going to need to be sent down get things back together.

With Bay left and Kirk in right, Duda could move to first to fill-in for Davis while he gets his stroke back in Buffalo.

Of course, this is all contingent on Bay returning and looking closer  to the guy who played in Boston then the guy we've had the past two years.

Left fielder Jason Bay has been cleared to resume baseball activities and will begin those tomorrow. He has a fractured left rib and believes he'll head down to Florida to start working with Single-A St. Lucie after the Mets conclude this four-game homestand Thursday. He's been out of action for more than three weeks but said he feels better. source ESPN NY

Bullpen needs to be addressed quickly..

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The Mets have been the surprise team so far this season, for them to continue they have to get their bullpen in order.  Don't get me wrong, they have other issues but the pen is clearly the biggest.  This gritty, determined,
enthusiastic offense that we love to see comeback nightly will become demoralized if their comebacks are blown by the pen on a nightly basis.

 Frank Francisco has to be demoted, even if it's called temporary while he sorts things out.  You can't have a closer who loses two leads in one series, melts down on an ump and then sulks at his locker while blaming the umps.  And lets face it, Francisco wasn't that consistent before Miami...

Rauch would be the next candidate, but he's been almost as inconsistent as Francisico.  While his ERA for the season is a solid 2.93, in his last ten outings he's holding a 5.40 ERA.  Still, even at 5.40 it's much better then Francisco who's ERA on the season is sitting at 8.56 with a putrid 11.74 in the last ten games.

Rauch would have a short leash and if he failed it would be on to Bobby Parnell.  I don't trust Parnell in pressure situations, as he's had a tendency to melt down as well  but I trust Francisco even less at this point.   Aside from a few hiccups, Parnell has had a solid start to the season posting a 2.25 ERA and a 1.00 ERA in his last ten games.

In addition to playing round robbin with the closers role I would also bring up reinforcements from the minors league, because the middle relievers haven't been the most consistent group of pitchers.  It's time to demote Manny Acosta, he's had some solid outings and he's had some very bad ones.  It's less to do with Acosta and more to do with sending a message and infusing some new blood.

If Collins/Alderson want to use Byrdak as the closer instead Rauch/Parnell/Francisco he's certainly earned the shot and the first promotion would have to be Josh Edgin to become the LOOGY.  The big man who looked so solid in spring training has posted a 1.42 ERA with 2 saves in six outings since being promoted to Buffalo.

The Mets could also promote veteran Fernando Cabrera who has recorded eight saves in 17 games with a 2.65 ERA and has held RHB to a .234 BAA.  Cabrera looks to be a ROOGY as his numbers haven't been pretty against LHB in which he has allowed a .321 BAA.

Another candidate would be Elvin Ramirez, who has a 0.00 ERA in his first four games in Buffalo and before that in Bing he had a 1.38 ERA.

It has also been suggested that the Mets could use the Texas Rangers model of developing pitchers, with Jeurys Familia or Henrry Mejia ( when he's ready).  This wouldn't be a bounce back and forth between the pen and the rotation which could cause injury but a commitment to the pen for this year.

Regardless of who they called up, I would bring in at least two new relievers taking the place of Acosta and possible Batista if he bombs tonight, with Carrasco taking his spot as the fill-in starter.  The Mets could also go short on the bench until they sort out the pen.