Despite early-season proclamations that the Mets could never succeed offensively at Citi Field, they're actually hitting better as a team there than on the road this year.

Everyone loves a good storyline, so when the New York Mets started the season struggling at home, especially on offense, people started pointing to the “pitcher-friendly” confines of Citi Field as the reason for the slow start. Even I alluded to it at one point.

However, the storyline didn’t hold for long. Since Citi Field opened in 2009, the Mets have had fairly equal offensive success (or lack thereof) at home and on the road. Since the early season lull, the team’s offensive statistics have stabilized and the team has been as good, if not better, in all of the major hitting categories at home.

It’s clear that the Mets have been equally mediocre on the road as they have been at home. The most intriguing results are the team’s power numbers. At home, the Mets hit for a higher slugging percentage and a notably higher (22-point difference) isolated power.

This power surge at home is seen up and down the team’s starting lineup. Aside from left field (where there has been no clear starter), five of the seven starters have better isolated power and slugging percentages at home.

The only players who don’t hit for more power at home are second baseman Daniel Murphy, who has been a better all-around hitter on the road, and shortstop Ruben Tejada, who has a higher slugging percentage at home but a higher isolated power on the road (I use the word power very loosely with Tejada). The rest of the lineup, including first baseman Lucas Duda, outfielder Curtis Granderson and third baseman David Wright, the team’s main sources of power, have all hit for more power at home.

Not only have the Mets been better hitters at home, but they have somehow managed to overcome the “spacious” dimensions of Citi Field.

So until next fall, when the storyline is resurrected once again.

Five years ago today, Omar Minaya accused Mets beat writer Adam Rubin of lobbying for a player-development position.

On July 27, 2009, Mets GM Omar Minaya held a press conference in so he could respond to reports that his VP of player development, Tony Bernazard, had taken his shirt off and threatened to fight players on the Mets' Double-A Binghamton club. The story was broken by then-Daily News beat writer Adam Rubin.

During the press conference, Minaya quickly explained that the accusations made of his lieutenant were actually retribution by Rubin for failing to land a job in player development with the Mets:

"Once the reports came out, you know, of course we had to expedite more the investigation. Early in the process, early in the process, when the reports came out, I had to kind of tell myself, "Wow, these things are coming out." And I say this because coming from Adam Rubin, okay, and Adam, you gotta understand this, Adam, for the past couple of years, has lobby [sic] for a player development position. He has lobby [sic] myself, he has lobby [sic] Tony. So when these things came out I was kind of a little bit, I had to think about it. And I was a little bit, you know, somewhat, kind of, we gotta find out about this. We really have to do a thorough investigation of this."

Minaya's use of the present-tense "lobby" instead of the past-tense "lobbied" became an Amazin' Avenue meme in very short order, but back at the presser, Rubin halted the proceedings to offer his rebuttal to the GM's claim. The following exchange ensued:

Adam Rubin: Is what you’re alleging that I tried to tear Tony down so I could take his job? Is that what you’re saying?

Omar Minaya: No, no, I’m not saying that. All I’m saying was, that I know that when you wrote the reports, but I am saying, that in the past, you have, have lobby for a player, for a for a job…

Adam Rubin: If I were interested in working in player development somewhere in the major leagues at some point in my life, how did that impact this situation at all?

Omar Minaya: I said, because, when the reports came out a lot of these things were cross… I said “Who’s writing these reports?” and I said well okay who’s writing the reports and in the back of my mind, Adam, you have told me you have told other people in the front office that you want to work for player development in the front office.

Adam Rubin: So what you’re alleging is that.. the only conclusion I can draw from that is that you’re trying to allege that I tried to tear everyone down so that I could take their position. Is that what you’re saying?

Omar Minaya: Adam…

Adam Rubin: It seems pretty despicable to say that.

Omar Minaya: Look, was Tony the most-liked person in the world? No, he was not. We know that. And Marty, and you’ve been around baseball a long time, and there’s a lot of people that are not sometimes we don’t like, ahh, and, you know, and they’re, they’ve been good baseball people. But, you know, I could tell you that he may, was he the most more-liked person in the world? No. Was he a good baseball person? Yes.

In comments to other members of the local media after the press conference concluded, a visibly shocked Rubin said:

"I don't know how I'm going to cover the team now."

Thankfully, SNY captured all of this excitement on video, which footage is still available on YouTube.

The Mets won this afternoon to finish a ten-game road trip with a 5-5 record.

Thanks to another great start by Jacob deGrom and another home run off the bat of Lucas Duda, the Mets beat the Brewers in Milwaukee this afternoon to earn a series split with the National League Central leaders. The Mets’ bullpen trio of Vic Black, Jeurys Familia, and Jenrry Mejia didn’t hurt, either.

Neither team scored through five innings, but Duda broke through with a long two-run home run in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference in the game. deGrom threw six-and-one-third scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two walks, and he gave up just four hits in the process. Black, Familia, and Mejia combined to allowed just two hits in two-and-two-thirds innings to finish the game.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by Steve Sypa; his effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

Joe Torre is being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday so let's take a look back at his career and impact on the Yankees.

Joe Torre will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today after spending 46 years of his life as either a player or manager in Major League Baseball. As a player, Torre has probably been underrated by most people. During his 18 year career he was among the best hitters in the majors with 252 home runs, 1,185 RBIs and a .297/.365/.452 slash line. He compiled those numbers mainly as a catcher for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and then as a third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals after a 1969 trade. As a Cardinal he even won the NL MVP award in 1971. Despite all of his accomplishments, Torre was given very little consideration by Hall of Fame voters. He stayed on the ballot for the full 15 years, but received more than 15% of the vote only once and that was in his final appearance. That seems a bit unfair, but his career in baseball hadn't even reached it's midpoint yet.

In 1977, his final season as a player, Torre was a reserve for a bad Mets team and in May of that year became a player-manager. For the next four years he remained in the dugout as their manager but the team never showed any improvement and he was fired following the 1981 season. He returned to the Braves organization the following year to manage the team, which put an end to Bobby Cox's first and less successful stint as Braves' skipper. Torre led the team to a division title that first year but they were swept by the Cardinals in the NLCS. He stuck around for two more years while the team hovered around .500 and was let go following the 1984 season. Six years later, Torre was given the unenviable task of replacing Whitey Herzog as Cardinals manager after he stepped down during the 1990 season. Like the Braves did under his control, his Cardinals teams hovered around .500 until June of 1995 when he was fired as part of a team-wide facelift. That set the stage for a potentially disastrous marriage between Joe Torre and the New York Yankees.

In 1995 the Yankees rebuilding project finally paid off. After a 14 year drought they returned to the playoffs but were ousted in dramatic fashion by the Seattle Mariners. In a classic George Steinbrenner move, the Yankees then fired manager Buck Showalter at least in part because of the playoff collapse. With the team seemingly on the right track, it was a curious move made only more curious by their subsequent hiring of Joe Torre. Showalter had spent four years building a contender from the ground up and now they were handing the reigns over to a guy who in 14 years as a manager had lost more games than he won. Newspapers had a field day and predicted that his tenure would be brief and not end well. Luckily for Torre and the Yankees, they couldn't have been more wrong.

Over the next 12 years, Torre oversaw one of the most successful runs in franchise history. In his first five seasons the Yankees won the World Series four times including the 1998 squad which might just be the greatest team in baseball history. They were a playoff team in each of his 12 seasons, winning more than 100 games four times, and only failed to win at least 90 games once. He was so successful that even the trigger happy Steinbrenner was forced to keep him around. However, Torre was ultimately let go because Steinbrenner got sick of his annual first round playoff exits. That's a problem most owners would love to have.

Before Torre arrived in the Bronx, there was a holy trinity of Yankees managers comprised of Miller Huggins, who managed in Babe Ruth's heyday of the 1920's, Joe McCarthy, who spearheaded the Gehrig/DiMaggio years, and Casey Stengel, the Old Perfessor of the Mantle/Berra era. Those three now have company as Torre's Yankee resume is clearly on par with theirs. Here's a look at the top ten managers in Yankee history ranked by wins. (Data courtesy of baseball reference)

It's remarkable that Torre was able to turn his career around with the Yankees and become the legend that we know him as today, but in hindsight what seemed like a recipe for disaster was really a Goldilocks situation for him. The 1996 Yankees were a perfect mix of aging veterans that could still produce (Paul O'Neill, Wade Boggs and Tim Raines), all-star players entering their prime years (Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez), and fresh faces well on their way to becoming franchise cornerstones (Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera). Most managers would jump at the chance to take over a team with that core and an owner with deep pockets willing to spend what it took to keep talented players coming in. So maybe Joe wasn't so clueless after all.

While he may have been given a stacked deck, Torre's ability to keep his team cool under pressure shouldn't be overlooked here. Plenty of managers throughout baseball history have been handed a team full of stars but most of them didn't have nearly as much success as Torre did with the Yankees. Teams stocked with talent can come with a lot of baggage, big paychecks, even bigger egos, more media coverage, unreasonable expectations, etc. In that situation it's the managers responsibility to keep those distractions from affecting the team's play, which is even harder to do in distraction-filled New York. Some might take those distractions head on like Billy Martin. His kicking and screaming certainly made an impact, but at best that's a short term solution. Nobody can keep that up. Joe Torre adopted a different philosophy. For his entire Yankee tenure he did his best to deflect the constant barrage of heat from media members, rival teams and even his own front office by keeping calm and never losing his cool. He recognized the futility in engaging in any battles off the field and simply let his players take care of business on it.

Would the Yankees have won all those World Series with a different manager in the late 90's? Of course they could have, but it's hard to imagine anybody handling that success as well as Joe Torre did. His low-key demeanor instilled confidence in Yankee players and fans alike, and for that we'll always be grateful.

The erstwhile starter reluctantly took on a role in the bullpen and has become an unorthodox yet remarkably effective closer.

Jenrry Mejia is employing an atypical arsenal out of the bullpen to give the New York Mets some unaccustomed late-inning productivity.

In his relatively new relief role, the former starter has shined with a 1.97 ERA and 34 strikeouts through 32 innings, most recently collecting his 15th save in a 2–0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon.

It’s far from uncommon for a former starter to find new life as a reliever, where pitchers can exert maximum effort with only one inning to worry about. During such a transition, many hurlers typically lean more heavily on a select one or two pitch specialties. Mejia, on the other hand, has kept five pitches at his disposal.

The Star-Ledger’s Mike Vorkunov profiled Mejia’s unorthodox process in his new closing gig, noting that the 24-year-old still utilizes his entire repertoire.

With Mejia, there was no thought in trying to lop off a pitch. He had all of those pitches as a starter, he said, so why not use them. He is comfortable throwing any of them in tight situations and has with regularity.

Originally hesitant, and sometimes resistant, to becoming a reliever, he maintained some semblance of his profile as a starter. And as he has taken to the role with ease and success, the Mets have not tried to change him.

Mariano Rivera was notorious for throwing his remarkable cutter on repeat and dared everyone to do something about it. Mejia also wields a cutter, but it’s not nearly as dominant as Rivera’s.

According to Brooks Baseball, Mejia has thrown his cutter 56.8% of the time this season. Although his primary weapon in terms of frequency, opponents have hit .264 against it. That’s worst batting average against of any of his pitches, not including the .316 opposing clip off curveballs, which is likely misleading due to a .546 BABIP.

Mejia has recently cut down on the cutter, throwing it 45.4% of the time in July. During April, he used it on 64.5% of pitches while working in the rotation. In its place he’s turning to more sliders and changeups, which has netted opposing batting averages of .222 and .219, respectively.

He’ll rarely dial up a high–90s heater like some other dominant relief aces, but Mejia’s expansive repertoire has helped fortify a shaky bullpen all the same.

The Mets beat the Brewers in Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon behind yet another good start from Jacob deGrom.

When the Mets resumed play following the All-Star break with a ten-game road trip through San Diego, Seattle, and Milwaukee, a .500 stretch didn’t sound ideal, but it seemed like it would be just enough to keep the Mets on the verge of relevancy. Five wins and fives losses later, that’s roughly where they stand—eight-and-a-half games back in the division and seven games back of the second Wild Card position in the National League. No one would pick the Mets as favorites right now, but they at least avoided torpedoing their season over the last ten days.

Perhaps it’s a little easier to be optimistic about Sunday afternoon’s win in Milwaukee because of the pair of players who made the biggest difference in it: Jacob deGrom and Lucas Duda. The 26-year-old right-handed pitcher gave up no runs in six-and-one-third innings of work, and he now has a 2.79 ERA and 3.08 FIP on the season. Against the Brewers, he struck out four, walked two, and allowed just four hits.

Over his last four starts, deGrom has allowed just two runs in 27.2 innings with 28 strikeouts and 5 walks, and he’s done so against four teams with better records than the Mets: the Braves, Marlins, Mariners, and Brewers.

It’s a good thing deGrom was that good again today, as the Mets again continued to struggle to score runs. But that all changed in the sixth inning when Lucas Duda hit another no-doubt home run with one out and Daniel Murphy on base. Those two runs were the only ones that scored in the game.

With a pitch count already over 100 through six innings, deGrom was sent back out for the seventh inning and got into more trouble than he had at any point in the first six. He allowed a single, notched a fly out, and gave up another single to begin the inning, at which point Terry Collins turned the game over to his bullpen. Vic Black took over, and he got pinch hitters Scooter Gennett and Aramis Ramirez to pop out in succession to end the inning.

From there, Jeurys Familia set the side down in order in the eighth inning, and Jenrry Mejia took the mound for the ninth. He allowed a one-out infield single and a two-out hard-hit single, but he worked around those just fine to keep the Brewers off the board and secure the Mets’ win.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* Brew Crew Ball GameThread

Win Probability Added

(What's this?)

Big winners: Jacob deGrom, +27.2% WPA, Lucas Duda, +19.8% WPA, Vic Black, +15.4% WPA
Big losers:Ruben Tejada, -16.8% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Lucas Duda’s home run in the sixth, +24.2% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ruben Tejada grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the second, -15.5% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +59.8% WPA
Total batter WPA: -9.8% WPA
GWRBI!: Lucas Duda

The veteran lefty most likely will not be on the move over the deadline unless a big bat comes back in return.

Since he entered the major leagues back in 2008, Jonathon Niese has been stellar if not entirely durable, registering a 3.87 ERA with a 3.60 xFIP, 7.25 K/9 and 2.77 BB/9. Additionally, his stats this season seem to fall mostly in line with his career numbers, as he has posted a 3.13 ERA with a 3.76 xFIP, 6.59 K/9 and 2.47 BB/9. However, also in line with his career norms, Niese has spent time on the DL this season with injuries to his left arm. The injuries to Niese's throwing arm become even more unsettling when one realizes that Niese has lost almost 2 mph on his fastball since 2012, with his velocity down from 90.5 to 88.9. So, while the veteran lefty has been very dependable this season, his stock may not be as high as it once was, especially considering that he only recently returned from the disabled list, a couple of weeks before the upcoming trade deadline.

Even with his faults, however, Niese has been the subject of endless trade rumors over the last couple of seasons, often mentioned as a player who could bring back a couple of good prospects. With the Mets entering the win-now mode of their multi-year long plan, Niese could net the team the big bat they have been looking for. The Mets are known to have interest in both Rockies stars, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, and surely will be interested in Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton when Jeffrey Loria realizes how much he alienated his star player with his controversial moves back in 2012 and makes him available.

While Niese no longer appears to be available for prospects only due to different organizational needs, Sandy Alderson and Co. seem very likely to jump at the opportunity to deal the lefty and others for a proven bat. While big-name players are unlikely to move over the trade deadline, it is not entirely impossible.

Availability

Niese is most likely very available, even if the team won't say it publicly. Regarding any hypothetical Rockies trade, the Rockies figure to want both major league-ready players and prospects in return, in order to not alienate their fan base by completely rebuilding. When choosing between which veteran starter to flip, Niese or right-hander Dillon Gee, the Mets figure to choose Niese because of a higher value to other teams and a higher paycheck.

The Market

When the Mets do make Niese available, potentially all thirty teams in baseball will come calling. However, considering that the Mets will no longer be looking for prospects in return, not many team will fit as potential trade partners. Instead, teams with big bats available will probably be the only ones who have extensive conversations with Sandy Alderson about Niese.

The Return

That elusive big bat. While it's still unlikely that the Mets are able to land one of the market's big bats due to price tag and competition, don't expect Niese to be shipped away from New York for anything less than a middle-of-the-order thumper. While trading Niese by himself won't be enough get the Mets the type of player they are looking for, he could be a big piece of a trade package in a franchise-altering move.

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

While it’s been tough to be a Mets fan the past 10 years, David Wright has always been the silver lining to get through it.

"When it’s all said and done, I want to be able to say I got the most out of my potential. I don’t want to look back, however many years from now, and say, ‘I wonder if I would have worked a little harder. I wonder if I would have done this or done that, how things would have turned out.’ I want to, when it’s all said and done, be able to put my head on my pillow and say, ‘I did everything I could do — good or bad.’" —David Wright [New York Times]

Anthony Recker, Future Restaurant Critic.

"There's always going to be a line, but the barbecue is amazing. It's not far from downtown. The burnt ends are freaking awesome, the burnt end sandwich, amazing. The ribs are really good, too. Pulled pork. Everything. They've won a ton of awards. It's awesome." —Anthony Recker regarding Pappy's Smokehouse [Wall Street Journal]

David Wright, future general manager.

"I do think in the very near future that we’re going to be to the point where we are a piece or two away. With that being said, Sandy [Alderson], has got a tough job because, yeah, I’m sure we’re interested, but I’m sure there’s 29 other teams that are interested, also. It’s going to be a tough call when we do get to the point, which I think is very soon, of what are you willing to give, because [the Rockies] are not going to be giving these guys away. What are you willing to give to obtain that? And that is kind of an open-ended question." —David Wright [New York Post]

If the guy that has been carrying this franchise for years can display patience, you’d hope the fans could too.

"Going into this season you knew patience was going to be a virtue. Going into this I knew it was going to be a challenge and a challenge for the organization. It’s fair to say that we made strides in the right direction, we’ll continue to make strides in the right direction with what we have here and what we have coming, whether it’s trades or free agency." —David Wright [New York Daily News]

Duda crushing both baseballs and canned quotes lately.

"That was nice, Zack pitched a great game, I am glad we could pick him up as a team. It was great job by Mejia to shut the door." —Lucas Duda [New York Daily News]

Well this explains why it seems like every second or third batter gets on base every save.

"[Frankie Rodriguez] always told me getting the first guy that was the key to being a good closer. And I didn’t want to hear it, because I wanted to be a starter, but he always told me I could be a good reliever. Maybe he’s right." —Jenrry Mejia [New York Daily News]

He added, ‘Also, if you look at my underlying numbers, I was due for some statistical regression.’

"The ball is just not coming out right the last couple of starts. Those last couple of innings it was funny. I was like, ‘Well, they’re hitting everything, so let’s just throw it slower.’ I was just like, ‘Let’s see if they can hit a B.P. fastball.’ And then I started getting guys out, so it was just a weird night." —Dillion Gee [New York Post]

I’m not a doctor, but that might not be a good sign.

"Everything’s fine. I don’t feel anything." —Ruben Tejada [New York Times]

Kind of looks like he already ‘figured it out.’

"This guy [Jacob deGrom] is going to figure it out, and he’s going to be tough, really somebody to deal with in the future. He’s gotten his opportunity and he’s made the most of it." —Terry Collins [New York Post]

Waiting on TNO for a grammar ruling.

"With a lot of lefties in the lineup it was a good night to have my changeup real good." —Jacob deGrom [New York Post]

Too bad I hear that Thor’s curveball will never be a plus pitch.

"For the most part, I attacked hitters. I was trying to be a little unpredictable. I threw quite a bit of my curveball. I threw some pretty good curveballs, and some ended up out of the strike zone. Even though it wasn't for a strike, it showed the hitter I wasn't afraid to throw a breaking pitch in certain counts." —Noah Syndergaard [milb.com]

For a guy that caused a lot of debate during spring training, Dice-K was having a nice year and this is a shame.

"[Daisuke Matsuzaka] is not going to be back in the 15 days. The inflammation in the elbow needs to really subside to get a better idea of what’s going on. I think there will at least be seven to 10 days without throwing, then we’ll have more to say after that." —Terry Collins [New York Daily News]

This might be the most important article written this year.

"'The Right Stuff' by New Kids on the Block. Just because of the play on words with my last name." —David Wright on his walk-up song selection [Newsday]

That’s a great idea, let’s do exactly that.

"It's more about what will make me chuckle. A lot of guys take it very seriously and spend hours upon hours thinking about it. You can tell a lot about a person by what music they come out to." —David Wright [Newsday]

Curtis Granderson– Strives to look original but secretly just wants everyone to like him.

"You need something that no one else is using. And something that is clean enough to play around audiences." —Curtis Granderson on his walk up song "Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince [Newsday]

Daniel Murphy– Fears God, but doesn’t fear showing his beliefs.

"Those three [songs] are a quick 20 seconds to talk about what Jesus Christ has done in my life." —Daniel Murphy on his walk up song "The Reason" by Lacey Sturm [Newsday]

Zack Wheeler– Not pumped by 50,000 set of eyes all focused on him, pumped hearing Jimi Hendrix.

"I like something that pumps me up. Some guys, they like it to settle them down, but I like it to get me going." —Zack Wheeler in his walk up song "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix [Newsday]

I’m going to go ahead and rule this a nicely done, subtle troll job by the captain.

"Simply the Best." —David Wright suggestion for DJ3K’s last walk up song [Newsday]

Fucking Shocker.

"I got sick of my walk-up song and decided not to have one." —Brian McCann [Newsday]

The stud prospect could be the centerpiece of a deal for the superstar shortstop if the Rockies decide to trade him.

One day closer to trade deadline day, and we’re beginning to hear buzz about the package the Mets are assembling to acquire shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. According to Yahoo! Sports Jeff Passan, the Mets are prepared to offer right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard in a deal for the shortstop.

Last week, former Mets GM Jim Duquette speculated that a pitching-heavy package of Zack Wheeler, Rafael Montero and Dominic Smith would be the beginning point of any negotiations for Tulowitzki. By offering Syndergaard it indicates the Mets feel comfortable with their pitching depth, even if Bartolo Colon is trade bait.

Of course, trading a three-time All-Star and fan favorite isn’t easy. Passan noted that the Rockies don’t want any negative publicity from a Tulowitzki trade and will likely hold onto him unless he requests to be moved.

Rather quickly, the relationship between Tulowtizki and the Rockies has soured. On Saturday, the Rockies organization held a promotion that saw the first 15,000 fans given Tulowitzki shirts with his name misspelled. Then on Sunday, Tulo and his family made a trip to Yankee Stadium to admire Derek Jeter, and in doing so broke unofficial baseball decorum.

The Mets’ purse strings are also a factor, as Tulowitzki will make $20 million in 2015. It’s not often one of the top players in the game becomes available, so competition for Tulo’s services will be stiff. It’s also entirely likely Tulowitzki’s best days are behind him, as the 29-year-old hasn’t played in more than 130 games since 2011 and is currently on the disabled list until after the deadline.

The Mets have the pitching prospects to acquire a big name and there probably won’t be another chance to grab an elite player. At least this is a deadline where Mets fans can consider what’s coming into the organization, rather than what’s leaving it.

The Mets mostly struggled terribly at the plate over the last ten games, but Lucas Duda did not.

As a team, the Mets were not good at hitting over the ten games since the All-Star break. They managed a .500 road trip despite that, of course, and for that, they can thank Lucas Duda.

Player	Last Week	This Week	Comment
Bobby Abreu, OF			At some point, a long string of bad weeks might make Abreu a goner, right? He had a .308 OPS in this one.
Eric Campbell, 1B			Everyone’s favorite can of soup put up a picket fence slash line: .111/.111/.111.
Travis d’Arnaud, C			While he wasn’t awful, d’Arnaud certainly didn’t hit the way he had been hitting before the break.
Lucas Duda, 1B			One of the hottest hitters in baseball, Duda has hit four home runs and batted .286/.390/.657 over the last ten days. He has been the Mets’ best hitter this year.
Wilmer Flores	--		Brought back after Ruben Tejada was hit in the head with a fastball, Flores hit just .143/.143/.143 in two games.
Curtis Granderson, OF			After a fairly long stretch of very good production, Granderson was subpar at the plate over this week.
Juan Lagares, CF			The Mets had some concerns about Lagares’s bat coming into the season, but he started off fairly well. Over this week-plus, however, he hit just .094 with a .167 on-base percentage and zero extra-base hits. Yikes.
Daniel Murphy, 2B			With a .723 OPS since the break, Murphy was neither great nor terrible.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF			Hitless in 11 at-bats, Nieuwenhuis drew three walks but struck out seven times before he was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Anthony Recker, C			Travis d’Arnaud might not have had a good week, but in two games, Recker hit zero across the board.
Ruben Tejada, SS			With a .136 average and .182 slugging percentage for the week, Tejada’s .345 OBP couldn’t save him from the red arrow here.
David Wright, 3B			Having looked good going into the break, Wright has struggled since, hitting just .211/.286/.211.
Chris Young, OF			Young’s .807 OPS rated well among his peers on the team, which might not be saying much here, but that level of production would be just fine from a left fielder in 2014.
Eric Young Jr., OF			Young struggled at the plate once again, though he at least drew a few walks.

Last year we had Super Tuesday, this year we have Thursblot.

The promotion of top prospects, especially pitching prospects, is always met with lots of fanfare. Last year Zack Wheeler debuted in a doubleheader that also featured previous top prospect Matt Harvey pitching. The joy of watching the two young pitchers pitch on the same day was dubbed Super Tuesday and was a great day to be a Mets fan.

This season it's top pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard that we're waiting for. We don't know yet when he'll make his major league debut—we've heard everything ranging from that his possibly being on the Opening Day roster to perhaps not making his debut this year at all given some of his struggles in Triple-A Las Vegas. He has a 5.24 ERA in Las Vegas, but two of his last three starts have been good. In fact, Sean Cunningham makes the case that we should ignore his ERA. Using the way the Mets have handled pitching prospects previously as a guide, it seems unlikely that he won't get at least some major league exposure this year, and when he does it's going to be an event.

You may have heard that Noah Syndergaard's nickname is Thor. You may also have heard that Marvel is making Thor a woman, but that's probably not relevant to Syndergaard and the Mets have not commented on the rumors. The Norse god of thunder actually has his own holiday, called Thursblot.

Thursblot is a mid-winter holiday typically celebrated on the full moon in January. Thor drives back the frost giants, which allows the seasons to begin to turn towards spring. Much like the Mets have been wallowing in the frigid winter of non-competitiveness, Syndergaard's promotion will represent a turn towards the future and brighter times ahead.

If Thor cannot debut for the Mets against the San Francisco (Frost) Giants in early August, perhaps he can debut on a Thursday (Thor's Day) later on in the month. Whenever it happens, we can be sure that Noah Syndergaard's major league debut will be a special date within the 2014 Mets season.

The Amazins will try to take advantage of a Phillies team that should be looking to trade some of its veterans this week.

What's going on with the Phillies?

After a rough start to the second half of the season, Philadelphia just took two of three games from the Diamondbacks to move within four games of the Mets for fourth place in the National League East. If the Phils aren't in a position to sell at the trade deadline now, they never will be. The failure of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. to obtain some young assets in exchange for useful veteran parts would only delay what appears to be an inevitable rebuilding process in the City of Brotherly Love.

With the Mets also looking to make some moves before July 31, there's a decent chance that the players who start this series won't be the ones who finish it.

One player who the Phillies would love to send packing is 2006 NL MVP Ryan Howard. The former star has struggled mightily this season and has made it clear that he's not happy being benched against lefties. Philadelphia would likely need to include a lot of money in any deal, as Howard still has about $70 million and three years left on his disaster of a contract.

Cole Hamels is another player involved in Phillies trade rumors. Unlike Howard, Hamels is an asset that other teams would have to give up serious talent for, but the asking price may be too high. Since he's signed though 2018, Hamels stands a chance of being involved on the next great Phillies team, and if you throw in his popularity with fans, the 30-year-old may be more valuable to Philly than anyone else.

A.J. Burnett is a much more likely pitcher to be traded, particularly because he helped the Pirates reach the postseason in 2013. However, the 2015 player option that the Phillies used to reel in Burnett this winter could prove to be a deal-breaker.

Meanwhile, closer Jonathan Papelbon is practically begging to be dealt, and former Met Marlon Byrd could see himself moved for the second year in a row.

Who are these guys?

Grady Sizemore was one of the most fun baseball stories at the start of the season due to his apparent return to greatness in spring training with the Red Sox. Every so often those happy spring training stories turn into happy regular season stories, but that was not the case this time. Sizemore cooled off once the games started counting, and was released by Boston in mid-June. The Phillies picked him up shortly after, and now he's a starter due to the total ineffectiveness of Domonic Brown. Sizemore is hitting .319/.360/.404 with his new club, so he should stick around at least a little while longer.

Andres Blanco is finally back in the majors after two straight seasons with Philly's Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He hasn't recorded a wRC+ above 100 at any level since 2009 with the Pacific Coast League's Iowa Cubs, but Blanco does have value on defense. He can play second or third base as well as shortstop and even outfield, so don't be surprised if he sneaks into a game or two this week.

Who's on the mound?

Monday: A.J. Burnett vs. Bartolo Colon

The eight shutout innings that Burnett pitched against the Giants last week made for a great trade deadline audition for the veteran right-hander, especially with San Francisco in need of a starting pitcher. Although the Giants recently opted to deal for Boston's Jake Peavy, Burnett is still a solid candidate to get moved to Pittsburgh. It certainly doesn't hurt that Burnett was well-liked by the Pirates last season or that Edinson Volquez has recently crashed back down to Earth. In his one start against the Mets this year, Burnett struck out a season-high 11 batters, but New York still scored five runs off of him in seven innings.

Just when it looked like Colon had sunk his trade value with four runs allowed in San Diego, he came out and pitched six perfect innings against the Mariners. Seattle just so happens to be one of the teams in need of Colon's services, so perhaps Sandy Alderson can piece together a deal over the next few days. A quality start against the Phillies wouldn't hurt matters, and the 41-year-old already has one quality start against Philadelphia this season.

Tuesday: Cole Hamels vs. Dillon Gee

If there is anyone who can be considered the opposite of a Met-killer, Cole Hamels is that guy. The wonderful lefty starter just never seems to pitch well against New York. In fact, the six runs he allowed to the Mets on April 29 are the most he's allowed in any start this season. Lately, though, the results for Hamels have been much better. In his last two starts, against Atlanta and San Francisco, he has 19 strikeouts, one walk, and just two runs allowed.

Gee appears to be constantly on the fence between being an important part of the Mets' future and a casualty of the team's young pitching depth. Lately, the latter has seemed like a more realistic possibility for the right-hander. In Gee's last two starts, he's been hit hard by the Padres and Brewers despite a solid 14 strikeouts and two walks. Before suffering a lat injury in May, Gee was one of New York's most valuable starters, but with Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom smoothing out their rough edges, he's starting to seem more expendable.

Wednesday: Kyle Kendrick vs. Zack Wheeler

With eight runs scored in 11.1 innings against him in 2014, Kendrick is another Phillies pitcher who the Mets aren't exactly afraid of. The 29-year-old right-hander is someone who has been described as an average pitcher in this space before, but lately he's been somewhat worse. In each of Kendrick's last four starts, he's failed to finish the sixth inning and has thrown fewer than 100 pitches.

It seems that every time I'm about to go all-in on Wheeler, he has a disappointing outing. With that said, I probably shouldn't mention how awesome he was on Friday night against the Brewers in the tough pitcher's environment of Miller Park. With five straight starts of at least six innings pitched and exactly one earned run allowed, Wheeler looks to be turning into the consistent presence that the Mets need him to be. A flop on Wednesday when the Mets need to beat up on the ailing Phils would be an unwelcome surprise.

Prediction: Need a sweep? Why not the Phillies?

What about some highlights?

When the Mets visited Philadelphia at the end of May, the Phillie Phanatic was up to his usual tricks.

Fortunately, so was Matt den Dekker.

If the front office trades Colon this week, the Mets will have to find some other way to amuse themselves every fifth day.

Remember to head over to FanDuel to compete in a fun, daily fantasy league.

A lot of teams want Tulo, but it will -- and should -- take a ridiculous offer to land him.

Despite the fact that they can't spell his name correctly, the Colorado Rockies are insisting it would take a "haul of the century" in order for any team to make a trade for Troy Tulowitzki, according to SB Nation's Chris Cotillo.

MLB.com's Rockies aficionado Thomas Harding put it this way:

"So, according to club officials, the only circumstance under which the Rockies want to make a deal by the Trade Deadline is if it helps the Rockies contend next season. And, young pitching under club control will always be a top priority."

Why this makes sense

1.) Troy Tulowitzki is arguably the most indispensable player in baseball. Any team wishing to land Tulo must understand what they are asking the Rockies to give up. Tulo is the best shortstop in baseball by a wide margin when you combine offensive capability and defensive prowess. Unless the Rockies get Andrelton Simmons in a trade (which they won't), the decline in defensive production will be massive, and even if you factor heavily for Coors Field, his offense (especially with power) dwarfs that of anyone else who mans the position.

2.) The Rockies are in desperate need of MLB-caliber pitching and having this season's best player in the NL is a rare chip you only trade if you can pump a dramatic amount of talent into other areas. The Rockies cannot afford to gamble their most important piece on even the best of prospect hauls, which still can be incredibly volatile. The issue then becomes that most teams who consider themselves "buyers" aren't likely looking to move any of their starting rotation.

This creates an odd scenario where you need a team in the "goldilocks zone" who is willing to part with MLB talent and is banking on competing in the next 2-4 years. If nothing else, the Rockies' main need and the nature of in-season trades make it unlikely to find such a trade partner (some have suggested the Mets) who would be willing to part with enough to make it worth the Rockies' while. An offseason trade makes more sense as there will likely be more suitors.

3.) Tulo has an incredibly friendly superstar contract. In fact, Grant Brisbee makes the excellent point that Troy Tulowitzki is actually underpaid. If the Rockies do manage to get a decent haul for Tulo, and if that haul it includes one star or several young players, it is entirely likely the Rockies wouldn't be able to retain them at the bargain price at which they have Tulo locked up through at least the year 2020. As our own RhodeIslandRoxFan put it:

"From the Rockies' standpoint, it makes little sense to deal Tulo. He's not two or even three seasons away from free agency; he's got six more years on his contract after this season with a team option for a seventh in 2021. In fact, there's no player on the MLB roster right now who is further away from free agency than Tulo. Not Nolan Arenado, not Corey Dickerson, not even Tyler Matzek. If none of these players sign extensions through their free agent seasons and the Rockies wanted to hold onto all of them for as long as possible before they bolted, Tulo would be the last man left on the current roster."

For a mid-market team like the Rockies, having Tulo under contract for so long is a luxury that would be difficult to replicate.

4.) The Rockies may be closer to contending than it seems and feels right now. This season has been an unquestioned nightmare for the team on the injury front, especially where it matters most: on the mound.

When healthy, the Rockies currently have one of the most intimidating lineups in baseball (yes, even if you factor in road hitting and Coors Field effects) and looks to get better with the continued improvement of players like Nolan Arenado and Corey Dickerson. They have a ton of offensive depth they can move for pitching -- especially bullpen help, which has been the biggest issue this year -- before thinking about moving someone as important as Tulo.

With Jon Gray, Eddie Butler, and even guys like Tyler Matzek and Tyler Anderson on the horizon, the Rockies could see an infusion of pitching help without having to move their best player. It would make more sense to move a player like Dickerson or even Carlos Gonzalez if they wanted to make a swing-for-the-fences type deal for pitching because outfielder production can more easily be replaced.

Why this doesn't make sense

1.) The Rockies are currently hanging with the Cubs, Astros, and Rangers in the reverse standings. They have finished in last place in each of the last three seasons, and it just might not be working. As discussed, Tulo is a generationally great player having a great season so his trade value is high at a time when the team may be in need of a complete rebuild.

If the Rockies can get a package centered around young but MLB-quality pitching and a few extra pieces, they should consider it if for no other reason than it has been so hard to sign those types of players in free agency or draft-and-develop them for this organization. That leaves one method available for building a decent staff: trades.

And no player on this team is going to net a better return than Tulowitzki.

2.) It's no secret that Tulo hasn't been the healthiest guy on the planet during his tenure with the Rox. It may just be that a combination of flukiness and being "injury prone" will sap him from ever having the year-long impact needed in a 162-game season.

Trading Tulowitzki would almost certainly have to include some resignation that in this market, we simply can't afford to pay for that many off days, no matter how good a player is when he shows up.

3.) In addition to the fact that he ain't gettin' any healthier, he ain't gettin' any younger either. Tulo turns 30 next year and there are those who already believe he isn't that far removed from a move to third base to preserve his aging and injured legs. Such a move saps quite a bit from his value, and if it is impending, the Rockies may want to trade him while he is still a short stop.

Even if he remains at short, his production is likely to slip before his contract is up and the Rockies' window of contention with him on the team may simply have been missed. If the Rockies aren't competitive until he is 34, what was the point in keeping him during those years? If the Rockies were to net some players closer to the ages of Arenado and Dickerson, they may have a core all maturing together instead of some guys coming into their primes while others are heading out of theirs.

4.) Tulo may be growing tired of the losing. Although I think such storylines are a bit overblown, there has been a swirling of rumors around Tulo's trip to Yankee Stadium -- as well as some recent comments about not wanting to repeat Todd Helton's career -- that have some wondering if he will demand a trade. My position on this is that he signed a contract and don't really care what he demands, but it isn't quite as simple a that.

A happy Tulo is better than a non-happy Tulo, and while I deplore the notion of trading him for his benefit ("Oh gosh, I wish he could just play for a winner!"), there is no question that he is the lifeblood of this team as long as he is here and if he doesn't believe in it, why should any of the rest of us?

It certainly isn't impossible that Tulo could simply force his way off the team, so for the sake of the Rockies, it would be best to trade him on their own terms while they have leverage instead of waiting for the situation to spiral out of control.

Probability of a deal happening before the deadline: 2/10

The main reason this isn't a little bit higher is because the only reason to make in-season trades as traditional "sellers" is to stockpile prospects from contending teams who need the guy they are trading for to push them over the top. These teams don't want to move parts of their existing team, and while the Rockies (like every team) could always use more prospects, it isn't their biggest area of need.

Starting pitching and great defensive catchers don't typically get moved by contending teams. Rockies fans are tired of hoping that prospects pan out, and there have been questions about the team's ability to properly develop those prospects. It simply wouldn't make sense for the Rockies to trade him now given the volatility of their pitching staff and the number of assets on offense.

It makes more sense to, at the very least, wait until this offseason, when they are likely to be presented with better offers and also have a much better indication of what they do and don't have moving into 2015.

Tulo may very well have the exact same trade value a year from now, at which point it will be clearer what the Rockies actually have in Arenado, Dickerson, Butler, Gray, Matzek, and the like, in addition to another offseason of trying to build around a core that contains two of only four five-tool players in baseball.

Ultimately though, it really all comes back to the baseball on the field. Tulowitzki is literally the only MLB player who does what he does (elite offense and defense at SS) and playing roster whack-a-mole starting with your best player is a risky endeavor. You know you are creating a hole at a position that was once your strongest and hoping you can make up for it in other areas.

The Rockies have other assets -- beginning with CarGo and running through Justin Morneau, Charlie Blackmon, and Josh Rutledge to name a few -- to trade in an attempt to improve pitching before going anywhere near the most irreplaceable player in baseball.

The rookie right-hander made a pair of excellent starts this week, holding opponents to one earned run in 13.1 innings pitched.

The Mets' latest rookie sensation/owner of excellent hair, Jacob deGrom, has been named Co-National League Player Of The Week for the week ending July 27. He shares the honor with Marlins closer Steve Cishek, who recorded five saves on the week.

deGrom just kept adding to his potential Rookie of the Year resume with two excellent starts, both of which led to Met wins. In his July 22 start against the Mariners, the right-hander went seven IP, giving up just one earned run and striking out seven. He followed up that stellar performance with a six-and-one-third-inning, zero-run, four-strikeout outing against the Brewers yesterday. For the week, deGrom finished 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA.

The 26-year-old rookie has been excellent since being called up in May, and he appears to only be getting better. For the month of July, deGrom has a 4-1 record while sporting a 1.39 ERA and striking out more than a batter per inning. There has been talk of a 185-inning cap on his season, but it's hard to see the Mets completely giving up on deGrom if they're in contention down the stretch. Between Triple-A and the majors, deGrom has thrown 125.1 innings in 2014.

We've already seen way too much of the Mets wearing black, but pink? Now that is something only the Mercury Mets would think of wearing.

After wearing blue and orange for over 50 years, it feels like it always made sense for New York's newest National League franchise to wear the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants that came before them. It wasn't always supposed to be that way, though. The Mets were originally supposed to wear pink and black.

Where do those colors come from? Intrepid blogger Todd Radom has dug up the answer in a news clipping from May 17, 1961. The original owner of the Mets, Joan Whitney Payson, also owned a horse stable whose riders wore pink and black. Why not color the baseball team's uniforms in similar fashion?

Why not indeed? Although blue and orange look great together and nicely reflect New York baseball history, the Mets would have a much more unique look had they stuck with rose-colored duds. I guess we'll have to stick to wearing pink accessories on Mother's Day until a new expansion franchise attempts to break baseball's pink barrier.

Fans shouldn't get their hopes up for a major acquisition, but the front office is still exploring possibilities.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson spoke to the media today regarding the non-waiver trade deadline coming up on July 31. He didn't mention any players specifically, and he clearly didn't want to show his hand, but Alderson did teach us some things about the Mets' thinking.

On whether or not the Mets will take action prior to the deadline:

It's very difficult to say. Had I to make a guess, I would say nothing will happen. But you never know what's going to transpire in the next three days or so. Clubs that may be having conversations elsewhere circle back based on what they think their options might be. So I'd say we have an opportunity to do a thing or two, but we're not inclined to at this point.

It doesn't seem as though the Mets are hearing the kind of offers that they want to hear regarding their top trade pieces. Pitchers like Bartolo Colon and Dillon Gee have value on the market, but they aren't exactly hot commodities. The Giants, for example, were supposedly in on Colon, but they decided to cut a deal for Jake Peavy instead. Perhaps as the deadline draws closer, teams will get more desperate and be willing to surrender the assets that the Mets desire.

On how the team's recent play has affected trade deadline outlook:

You know, when I say it's unlikely that we'll do anything, we're not anxious to be sellers. We're cautious about being buyers. But we'll see.

Going 5-5 in ten games against the Padres, Mariners, and Brewers is a fun morale victory, but the Mets need to do a lot better than that if they are going to fight their way into the playoff race. With the team playing reasonably well lately and with the .500 mark within reach, it's understandably tough for Alderson and company to decide whether to be buyers or sellers. Complicating matters are players like Colon and Daniel Murphy who can help the Mets in 2015 if they aren't dealt. If the Mets are just one year away from contention, selling doesn't make a lot of sense, and buying doesn't either, unless the acquisitions are on long-term contracts.

We're in that position where we really don't want to give up prospects, but we're not anxious to trade for guys that can't help us nearer-term. That may lead us to more of a status quo situation.

The Mets aren't playing well enough to warrant trading prospects for a player on an expiring contract. I could see the team possibly adding a player like Marlon Byrd who is affordable and can help them in 2015, but only if it doesn't cost the Mets prospects that are close to the majors. A trade for Byrd, however, would be unlikely because if the Phillies don't receive any significant offers, they can just wait until the winter.

What about a blockbuster deal for a star player?

That's a possibility. In fact, to me that sounds more desirable than inching your way there, giving up prospects in more cautious transactions. So I wouldn't rule that out. But it's got to be the right time for the right player under the right circumstances.

It sure sounds like Alderson is referring to the Colorado situation. With the depth the team has built up in the farm system, the Mets are prepared to send a huge package out to bring back a franchise-altering player. Because of the team's wealth of minor league pitching, the Mets have been mentioned as a perfect partner for the Rockies in a trade for Troy Tulowitzki. It appears that the front office's preference is to save up its assets in order to swing for the fences.

The Mets took it to the Phillies in the series opener.

The Mets opened a three-game series with the lowly Phillies by beating them 7-1 at Citi Field. Bartolo Colon was great, allowing just one run in seven-and-two-thirds innings of work, and the Mets had no problem scoring runs against Philadelphia starter A.J. Burnett.

The Mets scored four runs in the first, starting with a Daniel Murphy double that plated Curtis Granderson. Lucas Duda singled in Murphy, and Juan Lagares drove in the third and fourth runs of the night with a double. And in the fifth inning, Travis d’Arnaud—who had a great game—hit a three-run shot to put the Mets up 7-0.

The Phillies scored one against Colon in the eighth and threatened a bit in the ninth inning, but Dana Eveland and Vic Black kept them from scoring in the final inning of the win.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by MookieTheCat; his effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

Bartolo Colon pitched a great game, and the Mets scored early and often against the Phillies.

In the first of three games against the cellar-dwelling Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets won easily. A combination of very good starting pitching—this time from Bartolo Colon—and a hit-happy lineup made for a clean win for the Mets.

In seven-and-two-thirds innings, Colon allowed ten hits but just one run. He struck out six and walked one in the start, which saw him throw 121 pitches. While he got into a couple of slightly tough spots, he got through seven innings without allowing a run before giving up one in the eighth.

A.J. Burnett, who started for the Phillies, did not fare nearly as well. In the bottom of the first, Burnett walked leadoff man Curtis Granderson and served up a double to Daniel Murphy. After a David Wright ground out moved Murphy to third, Lucas Duda singled to score the Mets’ second run. And after a Chris Young fly out, Travis d’Arnaud hit the first of his two doubles on the night. With d’Arnaud on second and Duda on third, Juan Lagares doubled down the right field line to score both. The Mets were up 4-0.

Things were mostly quiet from there through the end of the fourth inning, but the Mets tacked on three more runs in the fifth on a Travis d’Arnaud home run. That made it 7-0 Mets, a lead far greater than what Colon required.

Colon gave up a run with two outs in the eighth, and Terry Collins brought in Josh Edgin, who retired the only batter he faced to end the inning. Dana Eveland took over for the ninth and notched an out before giving up a pair of singles, the second of which hit him in his pitching elbow. Luckily, x-rays on his elbow were reportedly fine after the game.

With Eveland’s injury, the Mets brought in Vic Black, who set down two of the three hitters he faced, wrapping up the game with a bases-loaded strikeout of Ryan Howard.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* The Good Phight GameThread

Win Probability Added

(What's this?)

Big winners: Bartolo Colon, +16.0% WPA, Daniel Murphy, +13.5% WPA, Juan Lagares, +13.0% WPA
Big losers: none
Teh aw3s0mest play: Daniel Murphy’s run-scoring double in the first, +13.2% WPA
Teh sux0rest play:Marlon Byrd’s single in the fourth, -1.8% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +16.3% WPA
Total batter WPA: +33.7% WPA
GWRBI!: Lucas Duda

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

*All results from games played on Monday, July 28^th, 2014

Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (62-49)_______________________________________

SALT LAKE 3, LAS VEGAS 5 (Box)

• CF Matt den Dekker: 2-5, 2 R, 2B, K
  
• SS Matt Reynolds: 3-5, R, 3B, RBI
• RF Andrew Brown: 0-4, 2 K
  
• 1B Josh Satin: 2-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• C Kevin Plawecki: 2-4, RBI
• 3B Danny Muno: 0-4, 3 K
  
• OF Cesar Puello: Somebody tell somebody that Puello's on the 40-man.
• 2B Anthony Seratelli: 2-4, 2 K
• LHP John Lannan: 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, K

Double-A - Binghamton Mets (63-45)_____________________________________

BINGHAMTON 1, TRENTON 5 (Box)

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 1-3, BB, K
• LF Kyle Johnson: 0-3, BB
  
• 2B Dilson Herrera: DNP; For me, Herrera is the top prospect I'm most willing to part with. He's definitely a valuable asset but he also plays a position the Mets could most easily secure for the long term by extending Murph.
  
• SS T.J. Rivera: 1-3, RBI
  
• LF Dustin Lawley: 0-4, 3 K
• 1B Jayce Boyd: 2-4
  
• DH Darrell Ceciliani: 1-3, BB, K
  
• 3B Rylan Sandoval: 1-4, R, 2 K
  
• LHP Steven Matz: 5.1 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 4 ER, BB, 4 K; This was Matz's worst outing since his Double-A debut when he allowed five earned in five and two thirds. Still, you have to be impressed with the way he's handled the adjustment to the new level. His continued emergence this year has provided the Mets flexibility as the trade deadline approaches.
  

Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (18-17 / 58-46)_____________________________________

DUNEDIN 6, ST LUCIE 7 (Box)

The St. Lucie Mets rallied for a couple of runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras where they won in the bottom of the twelfth to snap an eight game losing streak. The losing streak has almost certainly taken them out of contention for a spot in the postseason. On the bright side, Gavin Cecchini had three hits and is now flirting with a .200 average.

• 3B Jeff McNeil: 1-5, R, RBI, K
• REHAB ALERT SS Wilfredo Tovar: 3-4, R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• C Cam Maron: 0-5, BB, 2 K
• LF Jared King: 0-6, 3 K
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 1-6, RBI
  
• DH Gavin Cecchini: 3-6, R
• 1B Albert Cordero: 3-6, R, RBI; Knocked in Cecchini for the winning run in the 12th.
• CF Gilbert Gomez: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, K
• RF Eudy Pina: 1-4, R
  
• RHP Domingo Tapia: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Low-A -Savannah Sand Gnats(22-15 / 66-37)__________________________________

GAME ONE

SAVANNAH 0, LEXINGTON 7 (Box)

• SS Yeixon Ruiz: 1-2, 2B, BB
  
• 1B Dom Smith: 0-3, K
  
• DH Matt Oberste: 1-3, K
  
• 3B Nelfi Zapata: 0-3, K
  
• RF Victor Cruzado: 0-2
• LF Stefan Sabol: 0-2, 2 K
• CF Patrick Biondi: 0-3, K
• LHP Alex Panteliodis: 6 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, BB, 4 K
  

GAME TWO

SAVANNAH 7, LEXINGTON 2 (Box)

• 1B Dominic Smith: 2-2, 2 R, 2 BB
  
• OF Champ Stuart: DNP; Hasn't started since Friday. Pinch ran on Saturday--stealing two bases--but hasn't played since. Must have some kind of nagging injury.
  
• RHP Miller Diaz: 4.1 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• RHP Akeel Morris: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (22-22)__________________________________

BROOKLYN 8, LOWELL 5 (Box)

• C Adrian Abreu: 1-4, RBI, BB, K
  
• SS Amed Rosario: 2-5, R, 2B, K; He's hitting over .300 and has an on-base percentage over .350 as one of the youngest players in the league.
• 3B Jhoan Urena: 0-5
  
• LF Michael Conforto: 1-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K; Described as "a man among boys" by Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus, Conforto has raked since joining Brooklyn. This is what you would expect him to do at this level so my main reaction to this is just relief.
• RF Michael Bernal: 1-5, R, HR, RBI, 2 K
• 1B William Fulmer: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
  
• DH Tomas Nido: 1-3, R, RBI
  
• CF Tucker Tharp: 1-4, R, K
• LHP Alberto Baldonado: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 2 K

Rookie -Kingsport Mets(17-20)__________________________________

KINGSPORT 1, DANVILLE 7 (Box)

• 2B Jean Rodriguez: 0-2, 2 BB, K
• RF Oswald Caraballo: 1-4, K
• OF Wuilmer Becerra: DNP
• DH Pedro Perez: 1-4, R, K
• C Luis Ortega: 0-3, BB
• LF Vicente Lupo: 0-3, 2 K
  
• CF Ivan Wilson: 0-3, 2 K
• SS Luis Guillorme: 0-4
• RHP Gaby Almonte: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Rookie -GCL Mets(17-16)__________________________________

GCL METS 3, GCL CARDINALS 5 (Box)

• CF John Mora: 0-4, K
  
• DH Enmanuel Zabala:  0-4, 2 K
  
• 1B Dash Winningham: 0-4, 3 K
  
• SS Milton Ramos: 0-2, RBI, K
• RHP Erik Manoah: 3 IP, 5 H, R, ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Star of the Night

#HAIL

Goat of the Night

Alex Panteliodis.

Your Tuesday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

The Mets had another tremendous outing last night, as they broke the Phillies early by sending eight to the plate and scoring four runs in the first. Bartolo Colon looked excellent again, and Travis d'Arnaud provided the exclamation point with a three run blast. If you want to relieve the magic of Mets baseball, choose your recap here: Amazin Avenue long, short, Newsday,  Daily News, New York Times, Star-Ledger, ESPN New York

Fred Kerber writes that a Bartolo Colon deal might happen, despite Sandy suggesting otherwise.

Kevin Kernan suggests that the Mets are better off keeping their young pitching.

Dan Martin writes that Jacob deGrom's innings are getting up there, and that's a problem.

Jacob deGrom was also named N.L. Player of the Week. Congrats Jacob!

Tim Rohan writes on the evolution of Lucas Duda.

Dave Hutchinson tells us that Travis d'Arnaud is finally having fun, which has contributed to his success.

Dana Eveland's x-rays returned negative, and Dice-K's injury is said to be minor.

Sandy Alderson told the press that he doesn't share Tony LaRussa's sentiments on knowing that players used steroids.

Alderson also suggested that the Mets would likely stay put at the deadline, for what it's worth...

Around the N.L. East

The Marlinscame back from being down 6-0 to beat the Nationals, 7-6.

Ervin Santanahad himself a night, as he struck out eleven en route to a 2-0 Braves win.

The Braves are reportedly looking to scoreChris Denorfia from the Padres.

John Stolnis writes about the trade market for Cole Hamels.

Around the Majors

Derek Jeter - in case you were wondering, he's going to retire at the end of the year - surpassed Carl Yastrzemskion the all-time hit list last night.

Jeff Sullivan reviews Matt Kemp's trade value.

The Jon Lester trade market appears to be heating up, as two more clubs have shown interest.

Dave Cameron writes that the Dodgers shouldn't make a move for top-tier pitcher.

A Yankees fan, who found a Red Sox World Series ring, has returned it to the team.

The Dodgers made a move for Darwin Barney yesterday,

Yesterday at AA

Chris McShane gave us his player performance meters. Pitchers can be found here, and position players here.

Paul Goebel gave us Jon Niese's trade profile.

Aaron Yorke previewed the current Phillies series.

Michael Donato gave us a lesson in Norse mythology.

Matthew Callan reminds us that we have a reason to be mad at the Hall of Fame, but it shouldn't be unexpected.

If you see a link or story you think would be a great addition to MMN, send an email to our tips address, tips@grission.com, and we'll try to add it in.

More from Amazin' Avenue

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• Final Score: Mets 7, Phillies 1—Burnett burned
• Mets Trade Rumors: Sandy Alderson "wouldn't bet on something happening" at deadline
• The Mets' original color scheme was supposed to be pink and black
• deGrom named Co-NL Player Of The Week
• Series Preview: Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets