Daniel Murphy represents the Mets in Minneapolis.

Your Wednesday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

Joel Sherman wrote yesterday that the Mets have an opportunity to take ownership of the city. Hopefully the Mets are willing to take this opportunity seriously and capitalize on the Yankees' apparent weaknesses.

Take it for what it's worth but Mike Puma reports that teams have yet to begin calling on Bartolo Colon. You'd imagine that should change over the next week, though. Puma also says that the Mets are unsure whether they'll go after a bat at the deadline. It probably depends on whether or not one worth moving pieces for becomes available.

Daniel Murphy struck out in his only plate appearance last night but the second baseman was humbled by the All-Star experience. Mike Vorkunov wrote a great profile of Murphy and Steve Barningham, the scout who discovered him in Jacksonville. Ted Berg shared four things you should know about Murph.

Travis d'Arnaud has been more aggressive at the plate since his return from Las Vegas.

Javier Baez could be a franchise altering acquisition for the Mets.

Around the Majors

The American League All-Starsbeat the National League team 5-3 last night at Target Field. The night was all about retiring Yankees captain Derek Jeter, though it was Mike Trout who won the MVP honors at night's end. Unfortunately, the night wasn't about the late Tony Gwynn, who didn't garner a single mention on Fox's broadcast despite tragically passing just a month ago. There was some controversy when Adam Wainwright admitted to tossing a meatball to Jeter on purpose.

Bud Selig addressed a number of topics in his meeting with media before the game.

Former big leaguer Billy Bean (not the A's General Manager) has been named MLB's first Ambassador of Inclusion.

The Astros are apparently trying to lowball first overall pick Brady Aiken and his agent Casey Close is calling out MLB and the Astros for allowing it to happen.

With offense continuing to dip, should MLB lower the mound?

Alfredo Simon made the All-Star team but is he good or just lucky? Probably the latter.

Yesterday At AA

James Kannengieser reviewed the Mets forgotten first half.

If you read an article or find a link that you think would be a great addition to a future edition of Mets Morning News, please forward it to our tips email address tips@grission.com and we'll try to add it in.

Everybody seems to want to talk about future Mets teams in this episode. We wonder why.

Run Time: 1:32:57

In the "DJ Carrasco spins your favorite first half hits from 20014" edition, Greg and Jeffrey discuss some of the players and storylines we haven't discussed enough in the first half of the season. So while that means no Daniel Murphy, Jon Niese, or Shorstop Avenue Audio this week, we do talk Jacob deGrom's emergence, Juan Lagares' defense, and Lucas Duda's competence. We also give a shout out to Carlos Torres' poor arm and wonder if Jeurys Familia and Vic Black are due for some regression in the second half. After that, we talk about Amed Rosario, and how Jeffrey is still not buying him as a top Mets prospect. That segues into a discussion about who might be the #2 prospect in the Mets system behind Noah Syndergaard. Finally, we wrap things up with your e-mails, and Jeffrey subtweets (subpodcasts?) the entire AA commentariat. Also, don't forget we're going live for Episode 78 this Saturday at Foley's on West 33rd street at 2 PM.

As always, you can listen or subscribe to the podcast through iTUNES, find us on the stitcher app, listen through the embedded player below, or download the podcast directly from Blog Talk Radio.

Don't forget you can e-mail the show at podcast@amazinavenueaudio.com. And tune in next week, when hopefully you will be listening to our first live podcast, assuming Jeffrey doesn't make a hash of recording it.

A reunion is in order!

The Yankees' starting rotation is in dire straits. Four of the five starters from the Opening Day rotation are gone due to injury and the de facto ace is either Hiroki Kuroda or Brandon McCarthy. Fierce. They have gone through numerous offensive struggles, but that starting rotation is a bigger concern with both Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda on the shelf indefinitely. However, they could turn to an old friend for support.

Veteran righty Bartolo Colon was seemingly done with baseball by 2010, but on a hunch from bench coach Tony Pena, the Yankees ended up resurrecting his career in 2011 after giving him a non-roster invite to spring training. Colon parlayed his success into a deal with the Athletics, and he was even better in 2012 and 2013 as Oakland won back-to-back AL West division titles. Colon then received a two-year, $20 million contract with the Mets in the off-season, and after a slow start, he's been great despite being in his forties. Colon has a 3.99 ERA, 3.66 FIP, and a minuscule 1.26 BB/9 in 18 starts with the Mets. Without Matt Harvey, the Mets' rotation seemed very shaky, but Colon has brought stability.

Colon's future with the Mets is uncertain though, given his advanced age, the Mets' youth movement, and the plethora of talented pitching prospects. Does Colon really have a place in their 2015 team? Rumors were already abound over the All-Star Break about the Mets putting him on the market. If he is indeed for sale, the Yankees might want to inquire on their former pitcher. Colon has been amazingly consistent, and like he has with the Mets' rotation, he would offer some stability to the Yankees' jumble. He's not under a hefty contract, either.

The elephant in the room with this possible deal though is that the Yankees and Mets almost never trade with each other. Even if the Yankees have prospects the Mets might like, it just seems unlikely that anything would actually get done. Nonetheless, if the two crosstown rivals did decide to collaborate, it would make some sense on both sides.

Would you decide to pull the trigger on a Colon deal? If so, what is the most you'd give up for him? Sound off in the comments, and let us know what you would do to get this beautiful man back in slim-fitting pinstripes. He was a lot of fun three years ago; could he recapture that magic?

The All-Star game is a good time to recognize unsung heroes. Let's give Daniel Murphy his due.

Sometimes the all-star roster doesn't make sense. The fans vote; however, not every fan cares about the best players that particular season as much as they do about their favorite players. Then players and managers get to vote. They do a better job than the fans - but again, have their biases, and may overlook legitimate stars in that given season. Then, once in a while, everything falls into place, and it works out—a player who isn't popular outside of his market nor an obvious selection by even the managers and players gets a chance. Daniel Murphy is an all-star this season.

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If there is one thing that Daniel Murphy has been throughout his career, it is consistent at the plate. Since making his debut in 2008, he has hit above league average in all seasons except one (2009). In over 2,800 plate appearances, Murphy has hit a very respectable .290/.334/.422. He doesn't have a ton of power, but has some, with 46 career home runs, and has found increased power over the past two seasons, with 20 home runs since 2013. And since 2011, his consistency has been incredibly on point.

Not a natural second baseman and having to learn the position to fit his offense, Murphy's defense fluctuates a bit, which affects his WAR, but the offensive numbers are in lock-step one year to the next. What stands out the most is the consistency of his average on balls in play. Each season between 2011-2014, Murphy hit above league average, park and league adjusted, and did so without the benefit of extreme luck. You can pretty much write down Murphy to hit for a wOBA around .320 - .330, with the same BABIP, keeping his BB% around 6% and K% around 13%, and expect an above average wRC+. Murphy is having his strongest season yet in 2014, but his consistency shows that besides a slight uptick in his walk rate, he is pretty much doing what he has always done at the plate—consistently hit.

Of course, when evaluating Murphy, especially in the context of the All-Star game, we need to do so in the context of second basemen. Scott Lindholm, as part of his best players at each position series, found Murphy providing greater value than his salary, and we can see why. The National League definitely does not have the second base talent of the American League,—where Cano, Pedroia, Zobrist, and Kinsler reside—but that doesn't mean there aren't some good ones. Since 2011, Murphy finds himself among the top second baseman in the National League.

The Mets haven't had many players outside of David Wright at the top of their respective positions, but Murphy ranks fourth in WAR among fellow position players since 2011. Speaking of the Mets, since Murphy's debut in 2008, only David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran have produced more WAR in blue and orange. Murph, as fans lovingly call him, may not be a superstar, but he is a valuable contributor.

A lot of attention is paid to the Mets payroll. Since Bernie Madoff made headlines, the Mets have seen their payroll slashed and a decision is in front of general manager Sandy Alderson on what to do with the now all-star second baseman, since he will be entering his final season as arbitration eligibility.

At the age of 29 by next season, he has a few prime years left, but it might be wise for the Mets to sell high on him this season. He has provided the team exceptional consistency at the plate, but his defense still leaves a lot to be desired, and as any Mets fan who watches on a somewhat regular basis knows, he is prone to make some bonehead plays. This post is more about celebrating Murphy for his accomplishments, but it is important to note where he fits in the Mets plans. Logic says enjoy the offense that he has provided, but don't be afraid to sell on that now before it diminishes to the level of the rest of his game.

The All-Star game is a time for celebration. It is a chance for all of baseball to come together, watch the game's best players, and debate which players deserve to be among the best. The roster isn't perfect, because it is selected more subjectively than objectively, but sometimes those selecting the team get it right. Daniel Murphy deserves recognition for his consistency at the plate. He has provided the Mets with a lot of value at a position that isn't naturally his own. Kudos to Murph!

. . .

All statistics courtesy of FanGraphs.

Jeffrey Bellone is an editor and featured writer at Beyond The Box Score. He can also be found writing for the saber-slanted site Inside the 'Zona, and about the Mets at Amazin' Avenue and Mets Merized Online. He writes about New York sports at Over the Whitestone. You can follow and interact with him on Twitter @JeffreyBellone.

The former major league infielder now regrets signing with the Mets.

At the age of 55, Julio Franco is still going strong. Even after 23 seasons in the big leagues, Franco is not ready to call it a career. He is, in fact, still going to the ballpark every day, as an infielder/designated hitter for the Fort Worth Cats of the United Baseball League. Folks at VICE Sports recently caught up with Franco for an exclusive interview, in which he said it was the biggest mistake of his life playing for the Mets.

"Bobby Cox knew how to use me. I went to New York and sometimes I spent a month on the bench without an at-bat," he said.

"At my age, you bring me in the ninth inning and think I'm going to drive in the winning run? And you were sitting me on the bench for 20 days, 15 days, 30 games without an at-bat? It's not gonna happen."

In the interview, Franco also talks about his love for the game, his major league career, the chemistry among teammates, and why he still wants to be around baseball.

"Why stop doing something you love? Why go home? Do you know how many people want to play baseball in this world? Why quit?"

Lots of interesting, funny, idiotic, and insightful things were said by the Mets—and about them—recently. Here are some of our favorites.

I know you ‘like’ this team, but do you ‘like like’ this team?

"We kind of like our team. If you look at the run differential, we should be a .500 team. We're not. At the same time, it doesn't mean we should throw everyone overboard. We're not happy with our record by any means. We're thinking we have the potential to be better than our record." —Sandy Alderson [NJ.com]

Inspiring stuff.

"We’re not happy. We’re not happy with the record. Not by any sense of the imagination. But I told the guys today: We’ve got -- what? -- 36 games or 35 games left in our division? That’s a lot of games. That’s a lot of games to play. Now what we have to do is go out but, for the most part, play consistent, play smart, play fundamental baseball and we’ll get back in the hunt." —Terry Collins [ESPN]

Hey, look at that, we managed to not set a win goal.

"What we’ve shown the last 10 days is, yes, we can compete. Now, we’ve got 67 more games. We’ve got to go out and do it. We can’t just talk about it. We’ve got to go do it. If we continue to play like this, September is going to be a fun month." —Terry Collins [ESPN]

@Humblebrag.

"[Mejia’s save celebration] doesn’t bother me. If stuff like that bothered you, you’d be fighting every day. Whatever he’s got to do. I’m glad that my closer and my team, when we win games, we just walk off the field. Like we’ve done it." —Fredi Gonzalez [New York Times]

Well that’s one way to put it.

"It’s exciting, we’re playing good baseball. It’s nice to go into the break with your feathers up a little bit." —Daniel Murphy [New York Post]

If only the 2007-2008 Mets had a player with swagger.

"When you have a room full of younger guys, sometimes they can get a little cocky in a good way, where they feel like they can’t lose or they can’t get out, or the opposing team can’t hit them. That can be dangerous. When I was on the veteran teams as a younger player, the teams like the Marlins gave us trouble because they had a bunch of younger players with this certain swagger to them -- like they didn’t care who was on the other side, that they were going to beat you. And those teams gave us problems. So, hopefully, we can be that team that not necessarily sneaks up on people but can go compete with those big guys." —David Wright [ESPN]

I’ll let this one slide.

"Everybody needs a little bit of a rest and a little bit of a blow." —David Wright [New York Post]

I’m going to assume David Wright reads AA’s prospect coverage during the offseason.

"He’s one of guys that was a little under the radar. You heard about the Syndergaards. You heard about the Wheelers. [Steven] Matz has been getting a lot of attention. And Montero. But you never really heard too much about deGrom. And he was actually slated to be in the bullpen when he first got called up and something happened and he got a start and really has seized that opportunity. He’s got a live arm and throws strikes. It’s fun to play defense behind those guys." —David Wright [ESPN]

Wonder if Murph would’ve had the same approach if he became an ‘insurance person.’

"I've always felt that at the point that I don't play the game with my hair on fire. I'm just not physically gifted enough to continue playing at this level. So that's how I've always approached it." —Daniel Murphy [Newsday]

Not exactly sure that last part was necessary.

"[Murphy is] so pumped up [regarding the All Star Selection], and he should be. That’s a tremendous tribute to one of the hardest-working players you’ll ever be around. And a big play for him, but he’s gassed." —Terry Collins [ESPN]

He added, ‘We’re fun. Can’t you see me smiling? Come on, please buy some tickets!’

"That’s what this town could be like if you’re having success," Collins said about Saturday’s atmosphere at Citi Field. "And that’s what we’re hoping for when we come out of the break, that we’re playing well and people want to buy tickets to come see us, because we have not quit all year long. It’s a fun team to be around. It’s a fun team to watch play." —Terry Collins [ESPN]

As much as it hurts, got to agree with Scott Boras on this one.

"The doctors are always telling us 14 to 16 months they’re having the higher success rates than they are the 10- to 12-month period. So is that a definitive measure? The doctors will always tell you they’re unsure. But with elite athletes, high ‘velo’ guys, to err on conservatism and more time I think is the proper course." —Scott Boras [ESPN]

Good save upgrading from ‘pretty good’ to ‘ really good’

"We’ve been eating a whole lot since we got here. We’re Italian, and we’ve had some pretty good Italian food. I mean, really good. Usually you can only get that from family back home." —Michael Conforto [ESPN]

Or GoT

"We’re two of the more stubborn people in the game. Whatever delay occurred had absolutely nothing to do with Michael." —Sandy Alderson [ESPN]

Chris: I’m staying in New York.

"Nobody cares about the past at that moment, especially myself. I don’t care about the game before, the at-bat before. It’s always about living in the moment and playing in the moment. If you’re able to do that for an entire season, normally at the end of the road that pot of gold is there and you’re able to look back and see yourself push through the downs and come back on top by the time the end of the year comes around." —Chris Young [As told by Adam Rubin] [ESPN]

I'm writing about some first half surprises this week, and there are few better than Houston Astros right-hander Collin McHugh. Currently on the disabled list with a finger injury, he was having a solid season before getting hurt, posting a 3.28 ERA with a 93/33 K/BB in 82 innings, allowing just 58 hits. The components are solid enough to result in a 3.53 FIP and a 3.44 xFIP, not far off from the ERA and meaning that the ERA is a reasonable approximation of how well he's pitched.

So, did you see this one coming? Among pitchers with 80 or more innings this year, McHugh's 10.17 K/9 ranks sixth, behind Clayton Kershaw, Yu Darvish, Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, and fellow rookie strikeout surprise Jake Odorizzi. McHugh doesn't rank nearly as well in FIP or WAR terms, ranking 47th and 53rd by those metrics. But still, that's a hell of a return for an unheralded prospect.

An 18th round pick in 2008 from Berry College, he moved through the Mets system steadily and was consistently effective, with no slippage in his numbers when he reached Double-A and Triple-A. He made four starts with the Mets in 2012 and got beat up after a strong debut, leading to this comment in my 2013 book:

McHugh made his way through the Mets minor league system without much fanfare, but reached the major leagues last year with a brilliant debut on August 23rd (7 shutout innings, 9 whiffs against the Rockies). He got hit hard after his first game, but he has little left to prove in the minors and will likely get more chances as a fifth starter. McHugh’s fastball comes in anywhere between 86 and 93 MPH, depending on what grip he’s using. He mixes in a curveball, a cutter, and a changeup. Although he doesn’t burn the radar guns, he changes speeds well and his pitches have some movement. That said, major league hitters weren’t fooled as readily as minor league hitters were, and took advantage of location mistakes after his first appearance. In the minors, McHugh has shown the ability to eat innings, adapt, and learn from his mistakes. You could do worse for a back-end starter, and he could pick up some innings until the Mets determine that Zack Wheeler is ready. His window of opportunity is small, but it’s there. Grade C.

Well Wheeler was ready and McHugh was shuffled off to Colorado. He got beat up some more, but now he's in Houston and pitching well. His velocity is a little higher this year, up about one MPH, and his breaking stuff looks crisper to me than what he was doing in the past. David G. Temple at Fangraphs shows how McHugh's release point and positioning on the mound have changed a bit this year, which seems to have enhanced everything.

Adapting, learning from your mistakes, that's the key to success in any endeavor of course. The hitters will adapt too and we'll have to see if McHugh can keep the magic going when that happens. But I wouldn't put it past him. His strikeout rate this year is the best of his career, including what he did in college. He's doing something very right, and I'm sure Mets fans would like to have him back.

By the way, you should check out McHugh's Blog

Your Thursday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League baseball news, notes, and links

Meet the Mets

David Lennon writes that it's almost time for Sandy Alderson to decide what to do with New York's two most appealing trade pieces, Bartolo Colon and Daniel Murphy.

Mike Puma at the Post has five things to look forward to in the Mets' second half of the 2014 season. As if the mere thought of more baseball wasn't enough to look forward to.

Despite a recent surge, the Mets have even longer odds to win the 2014 World Series than they did at the start of the season.

Our beloved Mets were not featured on Forbes' newest list of the world's 50 most valuable sports franchises.

In case you didn't already know that Curtis Granderson was a really solid dude, the outfielder held a baseball clinic for kids over the break at the Chicago stadium that he recently helped to fund.

Around the NL East

Talking Chop says the Braves' bench could use a major upgrade.

Miami has a lot of good outfielders. Should it trade one of them?

Cliff Lee could earn the Phillies a major haul in a trade, but perhaps the club could maximize return by waiting a little bit longer.

The trade deadline buzz surrounding Washington is relatively quiet. With the best run differential in the National League, the Nats appear to have what they need to finally win the pennant.

Around the Majors

Pat Borzi of the New York Times writes that "grooving" a pitch is not a recent baseball phenomenon.

The Mets may have missed out on Jose Abreu, but another Cuban prospect is holding a "showcase" workout for scouts in the near future.

Speaking of Abreu, his incredible season has the White Soxstuck between contending and rebuilding in the American League Central.

Marc Normandin delves into the decision making of contending teams that are dealing with significant injuries.

Greg Hanlon wrote a long piece on the horrifying crimes of former big leaguer Mel Hall.

In case you have even more time to read stuff today, Spencer Hall recently attended a Rockies game while under the influence of marijuana.

Last week we received the incredibly sad news that Jean Segura's nine-month-old son had passed away. Since the Brewers shortstop went home to the Dominican Republic, the club has been unable to contact him, and it's unknown when he will return to the United States.

Yesterday at AA

Episode 77 of Amazin' Avenue Audio is now available. This week's episode looks back at some overlooked first half stories.

Jeffrey Paternostro shared his scouting report of Mets shortstop prospect Amed Rosario.

In an otherwise fun news feature, Julio Franco said that signing with the Mets was a big mistake for him.

On this date in 1979, Lee Mazzilli drove in four runs to lead the National League All-Stars to victory.

How did the Mets get here? Draft, trade, or free agency?

Here is a list of players on the Mets' current active roster, plus two guys on the 15-day disabled list, and how they originally joined the Mets organization

Draft

Eric Campbell (2008)
Jacob deGrom (2010)
Lucas Duda (2007)
Josh Edgin (2010)
Dillon Gee (2007)
Daniel Murphy (2006)
Jon Niese (2005) (currently on DL)
Kirk Nieuwenhuis (2008)
David Wright (2001)

Trade

Vic Black (2013)
Travis d'Arnaud (2012)
Zack Wheeler (2011)
Eric Young Jr. (2013)

Free Agency

Bobby Abreu (2014)
Buddy Carlyle (2014)
Bartolo Colon (2013)
Dana Eveland (2014)
Curtis Granderson (2013)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (2013)
Anthony Recker (2012)
Taylor Teagarden (2014) (currently on DL)
Carlos Torres (2012)
Chris Young (2013)

International Free Agency

Jeurys Familia (2007)
Juan Lagares (2006)
Jenrry Mejia (2007)
Ruben Tejada (2006)

Urena has flown under radars a bit, despite some good results since he was signed for a bit under a half million dollars in 2011. Do the Mets have something here?

Jhoan Urena

3B, Brooklyn Cyclones (SS-A)
Height, weight: 6'1", 200
Age (2014 season age): 19
Acquired: IFA, 2011 ($425,000)

Date(s) seen: vs. Staten Island, 6/27/14; @ Connecticut, 7/12/14-7/13/14: 2-10, 3 BB, 4 K
2014 so far: 129 PA, .304/.380/.461, 27 K / 14 BB

The short of it

Urena might not have much of a future as a Jordache model, but the Cyclones third baseman is a better athlete than he appears and has advanced bat-to-ball skills for his age.

The long of it

If you had asked me at the beginning of the 2014 season for some system sleepers, Jhoan Urena would have been at or near the top of my list. Still, I did not expect him to get pushed to Brooklyn over Pedro Perez and 2014 fourth-round pick Eudor Garcia. Now I can certainly see why he was. Like Perez and Garcia, Urena looks the part of a bad-bodied third baseman, but he is more athletic than you'd expect for a guy his size. He's not a bad runner, at least once he gets fully underway, and I think he has a better chance than Perez or Garcia (based on reports) of sticking at third long term.

His present-day play at the hot corner is a bit of a mixed bag, but the only real instance where it was an issue of athleticism was on a slow roller he had to charge. I didn't have the camera running, but I probably would have had to use time lapse photography. In better news, Urena is quite fluid on reaction plays, showing soft hands and a decent first step. The arm is an easy plus, though he got a bit out of sorts mechanically when he had to really rush a throw and spiked the ball short. He was also a little awkward with his body positioning on a backhand stab that he ended up ole'ing. I would expect those last two issues to get better with more reps, but the lack of range will leave him no better than a fringe-average defender at the major league level.

Fortunately, the bat looks like it can carry the profile. Urena starts with an open stance and uses a small leg kick to close off. He is very busy pre-swing, weaving the bat from his shoulder to nearly in front of his eyes. That waggle can cause him to get long and wrap the bat at times, but usually he gets everything in place in time to start his swing. And once Urena lets it fly, the bat speed and control are impressive for a 19-year-old at this level. He's one of those guys with just an innate ability to barrel a baseball. I only saw him from the left side in my three looks (he's a switch-hitter), but he has one of the best hit tools in the low minors of the organization.  

He combines this with a strong approach for his age/experience level. Urena will spit on stuff away and is comfortable working deep counts. I am loathe to use the phrase 'hunting his pitch,' but whatever you want to call it, Urena has an idea and a plan when he is at the plate. How excited you want to get about him comes down to how much power you think he will develop. He is a strong kid, but there isn't much projection here. I guess I could see him getting fringe-average or average pop out of the swing, but .270-.280 with some walks and 15 bombs will play. Of course we are talking about a teenager in the Penn League, so the error bars here are quite large.

The optimistic projection

Offensive-minded everyday third baseman, whose arm covers for some of his deficiencies in the field

The pessimistic projection

The body could get worse and force a move to right field or first base, where the offensive profile is much less enticing, or he could stall against upper level pitching even if he sticks at third.

What to look for during the rest of the 2014 season

Like Rosario, I'll be taking the longer view on Urena given his age and the amount of time left in the 2014 season. Can he maintain his approach in full-season ball and start to show some more over the fence power (granted, probably not in Savannah)?

Catch up on all of yesterday’s minor league action from around the Mets farm system!

*All results from games played on Thursday, July 17^th, 2014

Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (56-43)_______________________________________

LAS VEGAS 6, SALT LAKE 7 (Box)

• CF Matt den Dekker: 2-3, R, 3B, RBI, BB, K
  
• SS Matt Reynolds: 1-5, R, RBI, 2 K
• 2B Wilmer Flores: 1-4, R, 3B, BB, 3 K
• DH Andrew Brown: 1-4, R, BB
  
• 3B Josh Satin: 2-4, 2 RBI
  
• C Kevin Plawecki: 2-5, R, RBI, 2 K
  
• LF Cory Vaughn: 0-3, BB, 2 K
  
• RF Cesar Puello: 1-4, RBI, 3 K
  
• RHP Noah Syndergaard: 5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K; I really hope the thread today does not devolve into a list of excuses for Thor. Bad defense, getting squeezed, thin air, dry air, hot air, blah blah blah. He did not pitch well. He's a really good prospect but he's probably still got some things to sort out before he deserves a shot at the majors.

Double-A - Binghamton Mets (59-38)_____________________________________

TRENTON 4, BINGHAMTON 8 (Box)

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 0-3, R, 2 BB, K; I am probably irrationally excited about Nimmo at this point. He crushed High-A and has not been overmatched since his promotion to Double-A. The fact that his strikeout rate has stayed steady while maintaining a strong walk rate and improving his ISO (insert SSS caveat here) is really encouraging. Barring a trade, I expect Nimmo to play a role on the next Mets playoff team.
  
• 2B Dilson Herrera: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI; Ditto on Dilson, who just keeps hitting. The two of these guys have taken a leap forward this year in terms of their prospect status.
  
• 1B Brian Burgamy: 0-2, R, 2 BB
  
• OF Travis Taijeron: DNP
  
• SS T.J. Rivera: 1-3, RBI
  
• LF Darrell Ceciliani: 1-3, RBI, K
  
• DH Jayce Boyd: 2-3, BB, K
  
• C Xorge Carrillo: 1-4, R, 2B, K
  
• RF Kyle Johnson: 1-4, R, K
  
• LHP Steven Matz: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (16-8 / 56-37)_____________________________________

GAME ONE

BREVARD COUNTY 6, ST LUCIE 1 (Box)

• 3B Jeff McNeil: 2-3
• DH Phillip Evans: 1-3
  
• 2B LJ Mazzilli: 0-3
• LF Jared King: 0-3
  
• SS Gavin Cecchini: 0-3
• RF Eudy Pina: 1-2, R, HR, RBI
• LHP John Lannan: 4 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, K; I'm not sure what John Lannan is working his way back from, but this guy was on the 25-man to start the season and he can't get High-A guys out.
  
• RHP Seth Lugo: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K; Seth Lugo is kind of impressive. He now has 80 strikeouts in 68.1 innings this season.

GAME TWO

BREVARD COUNTY 2, ST LUCIE 3 (Box)

• 3B Jeff McNeil: 0-3, BB, K
  
• 2B Phillip Evans: 0-3, 2 K
  
• C Cam Maron: 2-3, RBI
  
• SS Gavin Cecchini: 1-3, R
  
• RHP Michael Fulmer: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 9 K

Low-A -Savannah Sand Gnats(17-10 / 61-32)__________________________________

SAVANNAH 7, ASHEVILLE 8 (Box) / 14 innings

14 innings is probably too long for a minor league baseball game. Ties should be considered after 10. Anyway, this one ended in dramatic fashion, with the Gnats scoring two in the top of the 14th only to concede three in the bottom half of the inning.

• CF Champ Stuart: 2-6, 2 R, BB, 4 K
  
• 1B Dom Smith: 1-6, BB, K
  
• DH Matt Oberste: 3-7, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI; I would have given him star of the night consideration if he had hit his second homer about an hour earlier and ended this thing.
  
• RHP Ricky Knapp: 5 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, BB, 7 K
• RHP Akeel Morris: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (15-17)__________________________________

BROOKLYN 6, CONNECTICUT 8 (Box) / 10 innings

This game was broadcast on SNY and thank goodness it was because holy crap I missed me some real baseball. Unfortunately, the product was, uh, not great. The Cyclones made a bunch of errors on extremely routine plays and ultimately succumbed in the 10th after upwards of four hours of baseball. On the bright side, Amed Rosario looked every bit of the prospect he's been hyped up to be, turning on a couple of fastballs and also punching a breaking ball the other way for a base hit. In the field he looked pretty fluid and comfortable at short. I don't have much context--especially given the players surrounding him--but he looked like someone worth keeping an eye on.

• CF-LF Joe Tuschak: 2-5, 2 R, K
  
• SS Amed Rosario: 4-5, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, SB
  
• 3B Jhoan Urena: 2-5, 2 RBI
  
• 1B Michael Katz: 0-5, RBI, 2 K
• 2B Tyler Moore: 0-4, 2 K
• LF Jeff Diehl: 1-3, R, RBI, K
• DH Tomas Nido: 0-4, K
  
• RHP Casey Meisner: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; Worked mostly in the low 90's on the fastball and flashed a couple of offspeed pitches. To my eye (I was half paying attention at the time) it looked like the fastball has some movement but he couldn't command it at all.

Rookie -Kingsport Mets(11-15)__________________________________

KINGSPORT 2, BRISTOL 5 (Box)

• SS Luis Guillorme: 1-5, R, 2B
• CF Oswald Caraballo: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI
  
• DH Eudor Garcia: 1-4, K
  
• 1B-3B Pedro Perez: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 1B Luis Ortega: 2-4, R, 2B, K
• CF Ivan Wilson: DNP
• RF Wuilmer Becerra: 1-4, R, HR, RBI, 2 K; The dude is HOT right now. That's his fourth homer in his last three games. If he becomes a real prospect, that Dickey trade is going to start looking even better.
  
• OF Vicente Lupo: 1-2, 2 BB
• RHP Martires Arias: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 4 K
  

Rookie -GCL Mets(13-10)__________________________________

GCL CARDINALS 7, GCL METS 9 (Box)

• CF John Mora: 5-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 3B, 3 RBI; If this is what happens after we read an email on the podcast about GCL players, I suggest you all send in more emails about GCL players.
• LF Emmanuel Zabala: 2-4, R, 2 RBI
  
• 1B Dash Winningham: 1-3, BB, K
  
• 2B Milton Ramos: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI, K
  
• Rehab Alert RHPJeremy Hefner: 2 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 0 BB, K; If Hefner is able to work his way back to form, I would love to see the Mets transition him to the bullpen in 2015. He's basically a replacement level starting pitcher so why not see if he can add value in the pen?
  
• LHP Jose Medina: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, BB, 3 K; Tough day for the youngster.
  
• RHP Tyler Badamo: 1 IP, H, 2 BB, K

Star of the Night

I have to go with John Mora. Prospect or not, he went 5-5 with a double, two triples, and three RBI. Very deserving of the star. Honorable mention to Amed Rosario who really impressed in his SNY debut. A second honorable mention to Michael Fulmer, who turned in one of his more encouraging performance of the season.

Goat of the Night

Noah Syndergaard.

Your Friday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

For all the trade talk surrounding Daniel Murphy lately, there hasn't been a lot of discussion regarding a potential extension for the second baseman. General manager Sandy Alderson doesn't like handing out long-term deals to aging players, but Murphy, for what it's worth, sounds open to the possibility of one.

If Murphy does get dealt, hopefully it works out just as well as last season's Marlon Byrd trade.

The Mets are still five games under .500 with 67 to play, but Terry Collins sounds fired up for a pennant race.

Jeremy Hefner threw two more innings in the Gulf Coast League yesterday. The right-hander is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and hopes to pitch for the Mets sometime this season.

Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York wrote a lovely column yesterday that sums up the whole Mets fan experience pretty well. Rising Apple points out a quote in the column that could be construed as a dig at Mets fans by our own Jon Niese.

Bleacher Report has five prospects that the Mets could realistically acquire at the trade deadline (yay, it's not a slideshow!)

Around the NL East

Liz Roscher of The Good Phight misses the good ole days.

If that post gets you too emotional, there's also some some cold, hard Philliestrade rumors analysis.

Federal Baseball breaks down what went wrong for Bryce Harper in the first half, besides the fact that he got injured.

Here are the top 10 Nationals Vines from the first half.

Nationals infielder Anthony Rendondoesn't watch baseball because "it's too long and boring."

Around the Majors

Perhaps the sexiest name that could get moved before the July 31 trade deadline is David Price. According to Fox Sports reporter Jon Morosi, the Mariners are talking to the Rays about a trade for Price as well as infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist. Such a deal would cost Seattle oodles of prospects.

The Cubs may be a year or three away from contending, but the acquisition of Jake Arrieta is turning out to be one of Theo Epstein's more savvy moves.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington admitted to a local radio station that he didn't do a good enough job to build a productive offense.

Mike Vorkunov of The Star-Ledger writes about the art of pitch framing, something that a pair of New York catchers are quite skilled at.

Over at Sports on Earth, Pat Borzi ranks all of the presents that Derek Jeter has received so far this season. Not surprisingly, the awesome Cleveland LEGO gift is number one.

Meanwhile, Will Leitch tries to determine which potential World Series champion would be the most beloved.

HardballTalk editor Craig Calcaterra has some advice for MLB, Fox, and the future of baseball on television.

New research shows that the "hot hand" phenomenon may be a real thing in baseball.

Yesterday at AA

Jeffrey Paternostro offers up a scouting report for under-the-radar third base prospect Jhoan Urena.

James K submitted an active Mets roster broken down by acquisition method. Let the Sandy vs. Omar war commence.

Steve Sypa schooled us all on Brooklyn Cyclones history.

Joe Sokolowski has all the best Mets quotes from the week that was.

On this date in 1960, the National League voted to expand to 10 teams. The decision made room for the Houston Colt .45s as well as our Mets.

Two Rockies affiliates were postponed Thursday, while the Tourists walked off in especially dramatic fashion.

AAA - Colorado Springs Sky Sox at Memphis Redbirds (PPD)

AA - Arkansas Travelers at Tulsa Drillers (PPD)

High-A - Inland Empire 66ers 10, Modesto Nuts 2

Modesto starter Devin Burke gave up nine runs, four earned, on nine hits in five innings of the Nuts' 10-2 loss to Inland Empire. All five unearned runs came in the second inning when a two-out error by first baseman Dean Espy allowed the inning to continue. After the error, Burke allowed a single, walked a man, threw a wild pitch and coughed up a three-run home run that put the 66ers up 7-0 through two innings.

The Nuts had just five hits on the say, but both extra-base hits for Modesto came in the two-run sixth. Designated hitter David Bergin led off the inning with a solo home run, which was followed by a triple by second baseman Patrick Valaika, who scored a ground out for the Nuts' second and final run of the day.

A - Asheville Tourists 8, Savannah Sand Gnats 7 (14 innings)

First baseman Correlle Prime's second double of the night and 31st two-bagger of the season with two outs in the 14th drove in right fielder Raimel Tapia and third baseman Ryan McMahon to give the Tourists a come-from-behind, walkoff win over Savannah by the score of 8-7. The Sand Gnats had scored a pair of runs on a Matt Oberste home run in the top of the 14th to break a 5-5 tie that had been in place since the sixth.

Asheville jumped out to a 5-1 lead through four innings thanks in part to a second-inning home run from designated hitter Ashley Graeter, but Savannah fought back against Tourists starter Alex Balog in the sixth, getting four runs against Balog and reliever Carlos Estevez to tie the game. Balog gave  up four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched, walking three and striking out seven.

Short-Season A - Tri-City Dust Devils 2, Hillsboro Hops 1

Right fielder Jordan Parr's steal of home in the bottom of the first was the lone run the Tri-City pitching staff allowed in a 2-1 win over Hillsboro. Dust Devils starter Logan Sawyer allowed just the one run on five hits in five innings of work with five strikeouts and three Tri-City relievers allowed just a hit and a walk in four innings, keeping the Hops at bay.

Left fielder Ryan Garvey had three of the Dust Devils' five hits in the game and drove in both runs with a solo home run in the fifth and an RBI double in the seventh that scored third baseman Josh Fuentes and give Tri-City its one-run margin of victory.

Rookie - Missoula Osprey 12, Grand Junction Rockies 9

The big story in Grand Junction's 12-9 loss came via Osprey first baseman Trevor Mitsui, who hit for the cycle in his team's win. Mitsui tripled in the first against Rockies starter Javier Palacios, homered in the third, doubled in the fourth against Grand Junction reliever James Lomangino and completed his cycle with a single in the eighth against Alec Kenilvort.

On the Grand Junction side, second baseman Forrest Wall was 2-for-5 with a triple and three runs driven in and third baseman Kevin Padlo and left fielder Terry McClure each went 3-for-4, combining for three doubles.

DSL - DSL Rockies 5, DSL Mets1 4

Rockies righty Lorenz Ozuna pitched six innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits, to earn a win in the Rockies' 5-4 victory over the mets. Starting pitcher Alejandro Requena allowed all four of the Mets' runs in the third inning, putting the Rockies in a 4-1 hole.

The Rockies got back in the game with a run in the fifth sixth to cut the deficit to 4-3 before taking advantage of three Mets errors to score a pair of runs in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead that Ozuna would preserve for the win.

This week in 1999: Kenny Rogers arrives, Sammy Sosa gets the red carpet, and the Mets are blasted into outer space

The Mets had played red-hot baseball since the beginning of June, but as they began the second half of their season, it was obvious they had a weak spot. This weak spot was obvious because it was the same one they brought into the season: mediocre starting pitching. GM Steve Phillips had vowed to improve the rotation in the off season. When that failed to pass, he promised to do so in-season. Now, with the trade deadline approaching, his window to make good on that promise was rapidly closing.

Fans dared to dream big. If you believe the whispers in the summer of 1999, a bumper crop of top-flight pitching was available for trade. Names that appeared in trade rumors included Curt Schilling of the Phillies, David Wells of the Blue Jays, Chuck Finley of the Angels, Jeff Fassero of the Mariners...

So when the Mets returned to Queens after the All Star Break on July 23 and announced they'd traded two minor leaguers for A's lefty Kenny Rogers, the reaction was scattered, polite applause. Rogers once pitched for Bobby Valentine's Texas Rangers and became the first American League southpaw to throw a perfect game. But in New York, he was better know for his two ineffectual seasons with the Yankees. He'd pitched poorly in the postseason for the Bronx Bombers and infuriated Yankee management by not being straightforward about his injuries.

Rogers turned things around after being traded to the A's, pitching at near-ace levels at times, but literally punched his way out of Oakland by fighting a teammate over a card game dispute. Though the A's were a surprise wild card contender, first-year GM Billy Beane barely disguised his relief over getting Rogers off his roster. "Kenny never really wanted to be here," he said.

Bobby Valentine revealed he'd use a six-man rotation until he figured out who to slide into the bullpen, but Rogers immediately complicated things by tweaking his hamstring in his very first throwing session at Shea Stadium. He insisted Oakland knew nothing of his injury because he was traded the day after his last start for the A's. A quick fact check revealed Rogers had actually made his last start for Oakland three days prior to the deal. This easily unraveled lie confirmed the worst fears about Rogers: a fragile, evasive athlete who withered under the bright lights of the big city.

The same day Rogers arrived, the Mets began their first post-All Star Break homestand by welcoming Sammy Sosa and the Cubs to Shea. The last time Sosa had come to New York back in April of 1998, the home run race between him and Mark McGwire had yet to begin. Since then, the slugger had not only transformed himself one of the biggest stars in baseball, but he'd also become a hero to millions of his countrymen in the Dominican Republic and a symbol of his native land's enormous contributions to the game. This series in Queens would be Sosa's first opportunity to play in front of New York City's large Dominican ex-pat community, live and in person, since entering the pantheon.

Sensing an opportunity of its own, the Mets' marketing department scheduled Merengue Night for the same date as Slammin' Sammy's triumphant arrival. There was nothing particularly remarkable about this; by 1999, Merengue Night was already an annual event at Shea Stadium. What raised eyebrows was the fact that the Mets honored Sosa with a pregame ceremony, a consideration usually not extended to active players from opposing teams who aren't retiring or seriously ill.

The Mets' clubhouse bristled at this, and at a boisterous Friday night crowd that cheered far more for Sosa than any member of the home team. When Sosa belted a long three-run blast against Masato Yoshii in the opening inning, the homer was greeted with thunderous applause and waving of thousands of Dominican flags.

The Mets rallied from this deficit and eventually prevailed, 5-4, with another Dominican native, Armando Benitez, earning an impressive save. When all was said and done, though, it seemed the real winner was Sosa, who ran back onto the field to take in the postgame concert as fans chanted his name. Reflecting on his reception later, the Cub later referred to the event as "Sammy Sosa night." That was not its official designation, but Sosa could be forgiven for thinking it was.

The collective sports media lambasted the Mets for celebrating an opposing player at their own expense; a New York Times headline declared, "Mets Win Road Game at Shea." A livid Bobby Valentine pointed out that the Mets just came off a road trip where Rickey Henderson passed Willie Mays on the all-time runs scored list and Orel Hershiser won his 200th career game, but neither milestone was mentioned during the game. He also made the point that none of the Mets' own Dominican stars were asked to take part in the ceremonies. "It’s a damn shame this team never gets any appreciation," he groused, "even in our own ballpark."

The Mets exacted their revenge by completing a sweep of Chicago. In the Saturday matinee, Octavio Dotel allowed a solo shot to Sosa but nothing else, dominating the Cubs for 7 1/3 innings. A pair of homers by Robin Ventura and Edgardo Alfonzo proved the difference in the 2-1 victory. The next afternoon, Al Leiter did the rookie one better and allowed just one run through eight, while his teammates took advantage of sloppy fielding and wild pitching in a 5-1 win. By the time the finale rolled around, the Sosa backlash was in full effect, his every at bat booed and his every strikeout cheered. Sosa had been greeted like a conquering hero but left New York without a single win to show for it.

The Mets next welcomed the Pirates and captured two of three. They weathered a near meltdown from Benitez in the first contest (the closer walked four straight batters in the ninth) and held on to win, 7-5. In the last game, Rogers made his Mets debut and pitched well for six innings until his troublesome hamstring acted up. The bullpen allowed Pittsburgh to tie the score at 2 in the top of the eighth, but an offensive onslaught in the bottom half led to a 9-2 victory.

The middle game resulted in a 5-1 loss, as Hershiser was bested by Pittsburgh's rookie hurler Kris Benson. But this game would live an infamy not for the defeat, but for what the home team wore while losing.

The evening of July 27 marked a league-wide event called Turn Ahead the Clock Night. MLB strongly encouraged teams to wear "futuristic" uniforms as part of an extremely 1990s synergistic cross-promotion with Century 21. Some teams refused. Others enlarged the logos on their jerseys, tilted them a few degrees like a Batman villain's hideout, and called it a day. The Mets being the Mets, they found a third, more baffling path.

The team eschewed the usual orange and blue for Raiders-esque silver and black, declared themselves the Mercury Mets, and literally pretended they were playing not in Flushing, but in outer space. PA announcements sounded ripped off from a Jetsons script, referring to the stadium as "Shea Station 4C' and encouraging fans to visit the "replenishing depots." Mets players were shown on Diamond Vision with green skin and other "alien" features. When Rickey Henderson stepped to the plate and saw a picture of himself with a third eye and a conehead, he nearly stormed off the field in protest. Hershiser spoke for the whole team when he grumbled to the Times, "We should have had a big top."

For the second time on the homestand, the Mets were made to feel like pawns in their own team's brilliant marketing schemes, made to feel that even their own management regard them as second-class citizens. No one from the Mets' executive ranks defended the Sammy Sosa love fest or the Mercury Mets debacle, even off the record. (To this day, no one has fessed up to being responsible for either event.) As the team prepared to hit the road again, the front office's response to the criticism from the media and its own employees amounted to hiding under a pile of coats and hoping the Mets' continued red-hot play would make it all go away.

The Mets just had four days off, and now they get to go on a business trip to San Diego? Must be nice.

What's going on with the Padres?

It's been a pretty miserable season so far for the Padres and their fans. The offense is terrible, general manager Josh Byrnes has been fired and replaced in part (temporarily) by Omar Minaya. Tony Gwynn tragically passed away due to mouth cancer, and then no one talked about Gwynn at the All-Star Game.

What's a San Diego fan to do? At least the brilliant season that closer Huston Street is having should return a decent prospect or two. Plus, the offense has been so rotten this year that the Padres are one of the few MLB teams that knows it is selling. Front offices like the Mets and Phillies that reportedly haven't made up their minds yet might be missing out on a seller's market.

Not every future Padres star is outside of the organization, though. A couple of young pitchers -- Cuban mystery man Odrisamer Despaigne and Matt Harvey's high school teammate Jesse Hahn -- have been surprisingly effective this season. They could be a sign that San Diego's future is closer than it appears, if only the team can acquire a couple of impact bats at the trade deadline.

Who are these guys?

Jake Goebbert is a 26-year-old first baseman who is on his third organization since being drafted by the Astros in 2009. Throughout his pro career, Goebbert has posted strong strikeout and walk rates, but he's never hit for enough power to be taken seriously as a big league first baseman. Nevertheless, here he is with the Padres. After being acquired from Oakland in the Kyle Blanks trade earlier this season, a Yonder Alonso wrist injury in June opened up a spot for Goebbert's major league debut. In 37 plate appearances so far, he hasn't been half bad with a .265/.324/.412 line to go with his first career home run. On the flip side, the lefty hasn't been allowed to face same-handed pitching. Tommy Medica and catcher Yasmani Grandal are getting the starts at first base when a southpaw is on the mound.

You might remember Brooks Conrad best for his days as a reserve infielder for the Braves. Specifically, he played a very big role in the D.J. Carrasco balk game from three years ago. After Conrad posted a 33-percent strikeout rate in 2011 (it appears that Francisco Rodriguez was the only person who couldn't strike him out that year), the Braves grew tired of him, and he bounced around in 2012, went to Japan for 2013, and landed back in the States with San Diego in 2014. Now back in the majors with Jedd Gyorko on the disabled list, Conrad is sticking with his aggressive approach. In 24 at-bats, he has 11 strikeouts and only two hits. One of those, however, has gone for a home run.

Who's on the mound?

Friday: Bartolo Colon vs. Ian Kennedy

Anytime you can get a productive starter for a big league reliever and a minor league reliever, you do that deal. That's probably what Byrnes was thinking when he swapped Joe Thatcher and Matt Stites for Kennedy one year ago. Even if the red-bearded menace's only purpose is to serve as a trade chip to acquire baby Padres, Byrnes has done his old club a good deed. Kennedy's strikeout rate this season is a career-high 26 percent, and his home run and walk rates are under control after they spiked in 2013, causing a 4.91 ERA. All is well with Kennedy now, as his 3.17 xFIP should convince potential buyers that his improvement is not just a park-based illusion.

Like Kennedy, Colon has reportedly found himself on the trading block with some solid pitching in 2014. A pair of rough outings against Texas and Pittsburgh appeared to damage the big right-hander's value, but he bounced back before the All-Star break with a strong start against Atlanta. After a whole week off, Colon will be expected to shut down the Padres tonight, especially in a park like Petco that should benefit his fly-ball tendencies.

Saturday: Dillon Gee vs. Tyson Ross

One member of the Padres who it would be a surprise to see traded is Ross. The 27-year-old right-hander still has three years of team control left after this one, and his devastating slider is turning into one of the best pitches in baseball. Like Kennedy, Ross has the numbers to prove that his success is not a Petco Park side effect. He's striking out nearly one batter per inning, has cut his walk rate that was previously a major problem, and he's developed a 58-percent ground ball rate that will help him avoid the long ball almost anywhere he throws. In short, this guy looks like a keeper.

Gee also tends to look like a keeper when he's on the field. After missing almost two months with a lat muscle injury, he returned to hold the Braves to one run over seven innings last Wednesday. What's troubling about Gee is that his strikeout rate has declined in each of the past two seasons to the point where his success in 2014 seems like it's based more on his low BABIP and high strand rate than his stuff. The good news is that pitching to contact can work just fine in Petco Park, but Gee's strikeout rate is something to watch as the second half develops.

Sunday: Zack Wheeler vs. Odrisamer Despaigne

Despaigne has been a nice shot in the arm to the Padres' pitching rotation lately. He's allowed four earned runs in his first four major league starts, but before we proclaim the Cuban right-hander as the next El Duque, it's necessary to mention that he has 12 strikeouts and eight walks in those outings. On the other hand, Despaigne's latest start was his toughest (at the Dodgers) as well as his most impressive (two runs, zero walks, seven strikeouts). If his minor league numbers are any indication, Despaigne will continue to strike out a decent amount of opponents despite a fastball that averages around 91 mph. More of a deception guy, Despaigne relies heavily on his cutter and curveball, and he could be a success in the big leagues if he keeps his walk rate in check.

As a Mets fan, I'd love to go all-in on Wheeler one of these days, but he doesn't make it easy. Three total runs allowed in his last three starts is nice, but the 14 strikeouts and nine walks over that span leave me nonplussed. There have been a few starts where Wheeler's stuff and command have meshed to reveal what can be a brilliant pitcher (see his June 19 masterpiece in Miami), but such wonderful outings have been too few and far between to for me to consider Wheeler a future ace right now. Still, his numbers aren't bad for a 24-year-old right-hander in his second major league season, so he remains a major factor in the Mets' future... at least until the right trade opportunity arises.

Prediction: The Mets keep the good times rolling with a sweep!

What about some highlights?

Earlier this season at Petco Park, a dinosaur threw out the ceremonial first pitch!

Is that a bear in the stands? Nope! Just another one of Chuck Testa's realistic mounts.

Will Venable has struggled mightily at the plate this season, but his defense is still righteous, as evidenced by this amazing catch to rob Nolan Arenado of extra bases.

Baseball is back! After what seemed like seven years, the Padres are finally headed back to the field to embark on the "second half" (actually just the last 41%) of the season. They'll be playing a trio of games at home against the Mets to get back in the swing of things. I took a look at the team's official site to see the three projected starting pitchers for each team, and from there it was off to Baseball-Reference to dig around and check out how each starter has fared against the guys in the other dugout.

Friday, July 18, 2014: Bartolo Colon vs. Ian Kennedy

Bartolo Colon has been in the majors so long that he was a teammate of Bip Roberts and Kevin Mitchell, so he's faced a lot of batters. However, very few of the 11,434 plate appearances against him have been logged by current members of the San Diego Padres. Here are the small sample sizes from the Friars who have faced him:

Alexi Amarista: 1-3, 2B
Chris Denorfia: 0-1
Chase Headley: 0-4, 3 K
Cameron Maybin: 0-1
Tommy Medica: 0-1, K
Carlos Quentin: 3-7, 2B
Rene Rivera: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI
Seth Smith: 0-3
Will Venable: 0-3, BB

That's a collective 5-for-26, or .192. Out of curiosity I looked up batters with a career batting average of .192 and, as you might suspect, it's a handful of Padres amongst a bunch of pitchers, with Cesar Crespo, Chris Krug, Andy Parrino, Mario Ramirez, and the original Bernie Williams representing the uncoordinated fingers.

Ian Kennedy has a 4-2 record against the Mets in seven starts dating back to 2010. He took the loss in his start against New York earlier this year, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and four walks in 5.1 innings. Here's how current Mets have done against him individually:

Bobby Abreu: 2-5, 2B, RBI, BB
Lucas Duda: 1-6, 2B, HBP, K
Curtis Granderson: 3-6, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB
Juan Lagares: 0-3, 2 K
Daniel Murphy: 3-12, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 0-3, 2 K
Anthony Recker: 2-7, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
Ruben Tejada: 2-5, BB, 2 K
David Wright: 5-15, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 3 K
Eric Young: 2-14, RBI, BB, 4 K

Those 20 hits in 76 at-bats work out to a .263 batting average. 28 players with at least 3000 plate appearances hit exactly .263 for their career, including current El Paso outfielder Jeff Francoeur, and former Padres catchers Benito Santiago and Michael Barrett.

Saturday, July 19, 2014: Dillon Gee vs. Tyson Ross

Dillon Gee has faced the Padres three times, once each season since 2011. He's stayed in for at least six innings each outing, allowing just one run in each. He took the hard-luck loss last year, running his record to 2-1.

Alexi Amarista: 0-3, K
Chris Denorfia: 0-1, K
Chase Headley: 0-2, BB
Cameron Maybin: 1-7, 2B, BB
Will Venable: 1-7, 2B, BB, 4 K

That's 2-for-20, so they can honestly say they keeps it one-hunnit. 78 different players have gone 2-for-20 in a season, including Scott Hairston in 2005, and the awesomely named Lil Stoner in 1922. In case you were wondering, that Twitter handle is taken, but has been out of use since 2010. Research!

All-Star Tyson Ross has faced the Mets once, allowing one run on five hits and no walks over seven innings in a no-decision last season. In addition to the holdovers from that game, Ross also faced the Mets' new old guys back when the three of them were in the American League.

Bobby Abreu: 1-5, BB
Curtis Granderson: 3-7, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K
Juan Lagares: 0-3, 3 K
Daniel Murphy: 1-3
Eric Young: 0-4

They add up to a meager 5-for-22, or .227. 71 players have gone 5-for-22 in a season, including Jay Buhner as a rookie with the Yankees and Gil Hodges in his final season with the Mets. Of those 71, nineteen also had two walks, including a rookie for the Astros in 1996... one Bobby Abreu.

Sunday, July 20, 2014: Zack Wheeler vs. Odrisamer Despaigne

Zack Wheeler has faced the Padres twice, receiving no decision last year and taking the loss earlier this season. The list of current Padres he has faced is a short list like those of his fellow starters, because of everyone and his brother being on the disabled list.

Alexi Amarista: 0-1, BB
Chris Denorfia: 2-3, 2B, K
Yasmani Grandal: 1-2
Chase Headley: 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
Cameron Maybin: 0-2, K
Seth Smith: 1-2, BB, K
Will Venable, 1-6, 3 K

While 24 plate appearances split between seven guys is about as small as sample sizes get, at least this one leans in the Padres' favor for once. Those seven guys have combined for seven hits in 21 at-bats against Wheeler, a clean .333, or basically an average roadtrip for Tony Gwynn.

Odrisamer Despaigne is still new enough on the scene to have never faced the Mets or anyone on their roster yet, which saves me a bunch of perusing and typing. Hopefully they still have no hits against him when Monday rolls around.

Padres baseball is back tonight after what felt like the longest All Star Break ever. The boys begin a home series against the Mets tonight to kick off the second "half " of the 2014 season, and Ian Kennedy gets the start in game one.

Kennedy has gone three straight starts without allowing more than two runs. He's also collected 22 strikeouts through those three games while pitching a combined 21 innings. He hasn't had the same luck against the Mets, however, losing each of his last two appearances against them while giving up eight runs through ten innings of work

Opposing Kennedy will be Bartolo Colon, who is 2-2 in four career starts against the Friars. The key for San Diego will be getting to Colon early. The right-hander has the second most first-inning runs allowed (18) in the majors. Eleven of those came over his last four starts. But he'll be facing a Padres team that has the lowest batting average in the league while being shut out 14 times this season.

Hopefully our offense can get the second half started on a high note with a win tonight. Game time is set for 7:10 PT.

Is there anything worse than losing a game after coming from behind to tie it? At least tonight wasn't a total loss. Ian Kennedy and Bartolo Colon were both equally mediocre tonight, with each allowing 4 earned runs in 5 innings. Kennedy fell behind early, giving up three runs in the first, and one run in the third, presumably to generate some sort of numerical symmetry.

The Padres offense entered the bottom of the fifth with just a single to their names, but the left the inning four more singles and four runs. Will Venable led off with a single and advanced to second when Jake Goebbert drew a walk. The pair of Pads executed a double steal (Goebbert's first big league bag). That set up new guy Chris Nelson for an RBI single. Goebbert held up at third, but caution paid off when Alexi Amarista hit another single. That put the tying run on first with nobody out. Colon finally lived up to his name and got his fecal matter together to strike out pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad, and then got Seth Smith to ground out. That still advanced the runners, giving Chase Headley a shot to tie things up, and he did exactly that. A line drive to left field knotted the game at four.

Unfortunately, Joaquin Benoit was burned by the leadoff walk he gave Curtis Granderson in the top of the ninth. He managed to retire the next two Mets, but both were grounders that advanced Granderson. A single by Travis d'Arnaud brought him home, and Jenry Mejia shut down the Padres in the bottom of the inning to wrap things up.

Tyson Ross will take the mound tomorrow against Dillon Gee. First pitch at 5:40 PM.

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The Mets opened the second "half" of the season with a win in San Diego on Friday night.

The Mets picked up right where they left off before the All-Star break with a win in San Diego on Friday night. Early on, it looked like it would be a cakewalk, as the team scored three runs in the first inning against Ian Kennedy, the first on Travis d'Arnaud single and the second and third on a bases-loaded Juan Lagares single. And they tacked on a fourth run on a Kirk Nieuwenhuis ground out in the third.

Bartolo Colon cruised through the first four innings of his start, but he had a nightmare of an inning in the fifth and allowed the Padres to score four times to tie the game. From there, it was a battle of the bullpens—a battle the Mets are capable of winning these days. Dana Eveland did a great Carlos Torres impression with two scoreless innings, and Jeurys Familia threw one, too, before d'Arnaud drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning with a single to right field. Jenrry Mejia came on for the ninth and allowed only a two-out infield single as he closed out the victory.

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