Is Lucas Duda's breakout a sign of things to come? What can we expect from the Mets first baseman in 2015?

The Mets made the right choice shipping off Ike Davis in favor of Lucas Duda. In his year-28 season, the Duda has exploded to the tune of .255/.349/.499 with 26 home runs, 61 runs and 76 RBIs. Since the All-Star break, only the great Giancarlo Stanton has more home runs (14 to 12), and Duda's .285 ISO ranks fifth behind sluggers Chris Carter (.348), David Ortiz (.330), Stanton (316) and Oswaldo Arcia (.310).

Going back to last year, Duda has launched 41 home runs in 225 games, which is tied for the 30th most in baseball -- and the majority of those players have played in 30, 40 and, in some cases, 50 more games than the Mets first baseman. We know Duda is helping you chase fantasy championships in 2014, but what can he do for you in future years? Is he a 30-home run hitter going forward, or are we looking at his peak?

Some favorable trends we've seen from Duda this season include a decreased strikeout rate, which is something I really like to see from my sluggers. Yes, a home run hitter is going to strike out from time to time, but Duda has shown significant improvement in this area. Last season, Duda's K-rate reached a career high 26.6 percent, which was pretty consistent with his 26.1 percent mark the year before. But this year, Duda's K-rate has dropped to a respectable 21.5 percent (league average is 20.3 percent).

However, Duda has actually seen a jump in his O-Swing% (percentage of pitches a batter swings at outside the strike zone), from 24.2 percent in 2013 to 28.8 percent in 2014. The biggest difference is he's not missing as many pitches inside the strike zone, with a Z-Contact% of 87.5 percent (up from 80.6 percent in 2013). This lines up nicely with his career norm of 86.2 percent.

Duda figures to remain a better player in leagues that award points for on-base percentage. He's recorded a .350 OBP since the start of 2013, although his walk rate has dropped from 14.3 percent to 11.4 percent. I wouldn't suspect his batting average to climb considerably higher than the current career .250 mark, either, which makes him a nonfactor in that area.

Duda won't be outfield eligible in the majority of leagues next season, which will hurt his value overall, but only by a little. Duda's 26 home runs at first base are fourth most in baseball, behind only Jose Abreu (33), Anthony Rizzo (30) and Edwin Encarnacion (27). Using Duda as your power source at first is an option, but I still view him as a better corner infield player than as an everyday starting option.

That's because Duda has some serious split issues -- and that could become an even bigger problem going forward. This season, Duda has played consistently against both righties and lefties, but only because the team doesn't have a better option. Depending on the Mets offseason moves, Duda's enormous splits could cost him valuable playing time. Therefore, it will be important to draft Duda with a platoon partner in mind, as he's currently hitting .282/.375/.573 with 25 home runs vs. RHP, and just .148/.242/.198 with one home run against southpaws.

I view Duda as a 20 to 25 HR power source going forward, but would still rank him outside the top-12 at the position. There are simply too many bats at first base that are more valuable across the board, and ones that have been doing it longer.

I look at the season Brandon Moss had a year ago and can draw some similarities. Moss is currently the No. 18 first baseman as of today (on the ESPN Player Rater); Duda, meanwhile, is No. 12. Duda will only continue to carry the same value if he approaches 30 home runs every year OR if his batting average climbs significantly. I'm not ready to say either will happen. Don't make the mistake of thinking Duda will be an everyday option for you in 2015.

Stats from FanGraphs.com.

We continue our reviews of the pre-season prospect lists today with the New York Mets. Remember, this is the pre-season list. This is not a new list. These are pre-season grades.

This list was originally published January 13, 2014

1) Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Grade A-: Borderline A. 25 starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, 4.67 ERA, 3.69 FIP with 144/42 K/BB in 131 innings, 153 hits. He’s had some outstanding outings and a few rough ones, which happens in the PCL, but has pitched more effectively in recent weeks. Not expected to make his MLB debut this year but should be ready for a full trial in ’15.

2) Travis D’Arnaud, C, Grade B+: Borderline A-.I expect he’ll be a solid major league starting catcher with power and good defense, although batting average/OBP may be erratic. Hitting .229/.292/.397 in 340 PA in the majors, wRC+93, fWAR 0.9. Has scuffled at times but the power is here and I think the other numbers will improve as long as he remains healthy.

3) Rafael Montero, RHP, Grade B+: Borderline A-. 15 starts at Vegas, 3.28 ERA, 3.71 FIP in 74 innings, 75/32 K/BB. 33 innings in the majors, 28/16 K/BB, 5.23 ERA, 6.07 FIP. Doesn’t have much left to prove in Triple-A, just needs more innings to adapt to the majors.

4) Dominic Smith, 1B, Grade B: Borderline B-.Hitting .272/.343/.338 in 506 PA in Low-A, wRC+94. Just one home run, which is not going to get it done as a first baseman. He makes contact, which helps, but has actually hit better in his hitting-difficult home park than he has on the road.

5) Kevin Plawecki, C, Grade B: Borderline B-. Hit .326/.378/.487 in 249 PA in Double-A, .304/.366/.457 in 155 PA in Triple-A. Solid performance at both levels, on course for a trial sometime next year, very helpful to have two quality young catchers in the system.

6) Wilmer Flores, INF, Grade B: Borderline B-. Hit .323/.367/.568, wRC+138 in 241 PA in Triple-A, but just .224/.258/.301 in 164 PA in the majors, wRC+56. Obviously unacceptable offensively, but there’s nothing more he can learn in the minors and I think they just need to let him play awhile and see what happens.

7) Brandon Nimmo, OF, Grade B-: Hit .322/.448/.458 in 279 PA in High-A, wRC+165, then .255/.362/.427 in 259 PA in Double-A, wRC+122. Maintaining his eye for the strike zone while boosting his power production. Should be viewed as one of the top outfield prospects in baseball and a Grade B+ at this point.

8) Amed Rosario, SS, Grade B-: .282/.331/.367 in 268 PA in the New York-Penn League, wRC+107. Just 18 years old, reports are positive at this point, still learning to tap his strength and control the strike zone, also needs defensive polish, all issues to be expected given youth.

9) Gavin Cecchini, SS, Grade B-: Hit .259/.333/.408, wRC+108 in 259 PA in Low-A, then .234/.325/.349 in 255 PA in High-A, 95 wRC+. Has hit better recently. Always had the defensive rep and has shown a little more with the bat this year.

10) Cesar Puello, OF, Grade B-: Hitting .237/.345/.362 in 356 PA in Triple-A, wRC+89. That’s terrible for Las Vegas and the PCL. Enigmatic prospect, tools are still here but performance record is all over the map and the fact that he hasn’t hit well since returning from PED suspension fuels understandable skepticism.

11) Dilson Herrera, 2B, Grade B-: Hit .307/.355/.410 in 309 PA in High-A, 120 wRC+, then .333/.401/.544 in 274 PA in Double-A, wRC+160. Looks like a legitimate breakout season to me at age 21. Stock up, at least a Grade B and most likely a B+.

12) Jake DeGrom, RHP, Grade B-: 3.13 ERA in 17 major league starts, 3.10 FIP, 101/35 K/BB in 106 innings. Only glitch here is some shoulder trouble, but I think his performance is legitimate and not a fluke, assuming that he can avoid further injury problems.

Photo by Otto Greule, Jr., Getty Images

13) Vic Black, RHP, Grade B-: 33 big league innings with a 2.20 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 31/18 K/BB. Should be a solid middle reliever going forward, with a chance to close eventually if he can lower the walks.

14) Steven Matz, LHP, Grade C+: Strong season, 2.21 ERA in 69 innings in High-A with 62/21 K/BB, then a 2.17 ERA in 66 innings in Double-A with a 59/14 K/BB. Has always had the stuff when healthy and now he’s healthy. Should be ready for a trial next year sometime, and a potential mid-rotation starter if all goes well.

15) Cory Mazzoni, RHP, Grade C+: Hampered by a lat strain, has pitched at four levels with a combined 4.69 ERA, 65/20 K/BB in 71 innings. This includes 4.70 ERA with 39/12 K/BB in 46 innings in Vegas, which isn’t that bad for the level. Another guy who could be trialed next year.

16) Gabriel Ynoa, RHP, Grade C+: 14 starts in High-A resulted in 3.95 ERA, 64/13 K/BB in 82 innings, 95 hits. Moved up to Double-A, for a 4.70 ERA, 36/11 K/BB in 59 innings, 71 hits. Throws strikes but hittable, reports indicate good fastball/change-up combination but questionable breaking stuff.

17) Luis Cessa, RHP, Grade C+: 19 starts in High-A, 4.25 ERA in 108 innings, 78/26 K/BB, 105 hits. Like Ynoa, reports indicate good fastball and change-up but questionable breaking stuff, which fits the numbers. Control best attribute at this point.

18) Robert Whalen, RHP, Grade C+: Has pitched well in Low-A, 2.18 ERA in 58 innings, 52/19 K/BB, 42 hits, 3.50 FIP. Next step is holding up to a larger workload.

19) Chris Flexen, RHP, Grade C+: I thought he was a breakthrough candidate but that was wrong, 4.83 ERA in 69 innings in Low-A, 46/37 K/BB, 75 hits, Tommy John surgery in late July.

20) Michael Fulmer, RHP, Grade C+: 19 starts in High-A, 3.97 ERA in 95 innings, 86/31 K/BB, 112 hits. Made one start in Double-A then went on the disabled list with a bone spur in his elbow. Status unclear.

Not a great season for the major league team at 62-71, but there is good news where young talent is concerned. D’Arnaud hasn’t hit for average and is erratic defensively but the power is there. If he stumbles, Plawecki will be ready for a shot next year. DeGrom has been excellent, and Syndergaard and Montero provide more youth pitching options for 2015. Jeurys Familia has adapted well to relief, with Vic Black and Jenrry Mejia providing young, lively arms. There are several potential young closers and southpaw strikeout artist Jack Leathersich will also get a trial soon.

Brandon Nimmo is developing quickly. Dominic Smith’s lack of power is disturbing, but the booming bat of 2014 first-rounder Michael Conforto from the 2014 draft has adapted quickly to pro ball. Herrera, Rosario, and Cecchini provide up-the-middle depth that any team would want. Infielder Matthew Reynolds, drafted in the second round in 2012, is hitting .346/.409/.459 between Double-A and Triple-A, which will push his name up the lists for 2015.

Unavoidable injury attrition has struck some young arms, but more are on the way with New York-Penn League star Marcos Molina (1.56 ERA, 81/17 K/BB in 69 innings, 41 hits) notably throwing bullets for Brooklyn. Lefty Blake Taylor, acquired from the Pirates in the Ike David deal, has more potential in his arm than his 5.16 ERA and 20/22 K/BB in 30 innings in the Appy League indicate. I’m a big fan of Steven Matz at this point, who has fought his way back from missing two seasons to injury.

The Mets' trade of Marlon Byrd and John Buck in 2013 may turn out to be one of GM Sandy Alderson's greatest heists during his tenure in New York.

Among Sandy Alderson's best moves as Mets GM, the July 2011 deal that sent Carlos Beltran to San Francisco for Zack Wheeler certainly stands out. A year-and-a-half later, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner and fan-favorite R.A. Dickey was sent north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays, netting the Mets three prospects, including Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard. But a late-season salary dump that moved veterans Marlon Byrd and John Buck to the Pittsburgh Pirates for two minor leaguers last August is proving to be a steal for the Mets.

The name Dilson Herrera is quickly becoming a part of New York's consciousness as the 20-year-old continues to tear through Double-A. The future looks promising for Herrera, but with barely 60 games played above A-ball, his path is much less clear. It's the player-to-be-named-later in the deal—Vic Black—who is turning heads in his first full season as a major leaguer. In addition to a 2.20 ERA and close to a strikeout per inning, Black has helped his teammates out by stranding an incredible 26-of-27 inherited runners, the second-best rate in baseball among pitchers who have inherited at least 20 baserunners.

Newsday's Marc Carig zeroed in on the right-hander's ability to clean up other people's messes. For Black, it's all part of the job.

"This is just not complicated. The more complicated you make it the less you're able to perform. Everything locks up. Your mind races. Looking back, I'm thinking why does anyone ever go into these things with the stress of, 'I have to do this?'

Black's success stranding runners has helped New York to an 81% success rate in such instances, tied with the San Diego Padres for the best mark in baseball. Even more amazing is that Black didn't join the Mets' bullpen until May 27. Many felt the Amarillo, Texas native would be a key reliever for New York after a solid 15-game showcase last September. Unfortunately for Black, he struggled mightily in spring training when he allowed 23 baserunners in just 9.2 innings, earning himself a demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Control has never been Black's strong suit. Over six minor league seasons, he surrendered 4.9 walks per nine innings. Of course, his mid-90s fastball also allowed him to garner an impressive 10.7 K/9 ratio. New York recalled Black in late May after he posted a 1.45 ERA in 17 appearances for Las Vegas. Although he maintained his high strikeout percentage, walks continued to be a problem as he issued 17 free passes in 18.2 innings.

Photo: David Kohl-USA Today

While his command still needs refinement (18 walks in 32 major league innings this year), his ability so far to extricate himself from trouble others created has allowed him to become a major component of the Mets' late-inning relief corp. Manager Terry Collins is certainly happy he can call on Black when the need arises.

"The difference in this guy, when he comes in a game with guys on base, is incredible. He takes the mound and he's got a different look on his face. When you give him the ball, he's looking right through you. I don't know if he hears a word you say. Seriously, I'm not sure he does."

The numbers certainly bear this out. According to FanGraphs, Black gets noticeably better the trickier the situation becomes.

While Black is thriving in the most pressure-packed situations, he is also benefiting from his fair share of good luck. It's difficult to criticize someone with a 2.20 ERA, but with a FIP of 3.28, an xFIP of 3.96, and a WHIP of 1.29, Black is toeing a fine line between success and failure. Buoyed by nearly a strikeout per inning and a BABIP of just .261, Black has stranded 78.8% of all baserunners this season.

Perhaps he can maintain this type of performance, though the law of averages says it's unlikely. Further clouding his immediate future is a neck issue that has him sidelined, necessitating an MRI that revealed bone spurs and a mild herniated disc. Black isn't concerned, but as the Mets learned with Bobby Parnell,any neck issue for a pitcher can be worrisome.

Assuming the issue is short-lived as Black believes, the Mets have to be pleased with what is turning into a young, hard-throwing relief corps. Furthermore, they can be comfortable knowing an innocent, late-season trade one year ago may have provided the club two more promising pieces to their puzzle.

Jose Bautista talked to Arash Madani, and said that he would like to finish his career with the Blue Jays. Of course, what else is he going to say "well Arash, I can't wait to get out of this hell hole, say` this isn't being taped is it".

Jose goes on to say that it is 'out of his hands', that it is up to the team to offer an extension but that he would be very happy to stay with the Jays and he feels he can win here.

I'm always of two minds on this. I play OOTP Baseball way way too much (my 2016 Jay just cinched first, with 5 games left of the season, after finishing last in the AL East in 2014 and 2015), and my rule is to trade any player before his 34th birthday, as players (at least in that game) tend to take a sudden turn for the worse at about that age. You might get a good season after that age, but they are few and far between. And after that age other teams tend (in the game) not to want to take them in trade. In the latest version of the game, I couldn't trade him because he had 5-10 status and 'refused the trade'. In the game, it is easier to trade guys because they aren't people. There is no emotional attachment.

In real life, I've heard a lot of people saying he should be traded and, of course, I believe anyone should be traded, if you get good value in return. I think, in the case of Bautista, it would be very tough to get good value back but who knows.

I do think that bad teams (and bad fans) tend to blame losing on the team's best player. They think that if Bautista was any good, we would never lose. They think we aren't losing because we have black holes at second base, third base and center field and our pitching has been somewhere between inconsistent and terrible. The reason we are losing is because of the guy with the 4.0 bWAR and the league leading .398 OBP.

My Expos (a team that was badly run for much of their life) traded their best player, and my personal favorite, Gary Carter, after deciding that he was the reason that the team wasn't making the playoffs because of him, not the lack of a supporting case. It didn't matter that the team didn't have a major league middle infield, that wasn't the reason they lost, it was the major league best catcher we had.  We heard that Carter wasn't a leader, he smiled too much, he spent too much time talking to the media (he even leaved a bit of french),  he called too many breaking balls behind the plate. He was traded away for far to little, went on to win a World Series with the Mets and my Expos never made the playoff again.

We are getting the same sort of stuff about Bautista. He's not a leader (how anyone outside the locker room would know that is beyond me), he's selfish, he's not 'clutch', all sorts of stuff that can't be quantified. I've even been told, on more than one occasion, that Munenori Kawasaki is better than have on the team than Bautista (which makes me mourn what has happened to the education system in this country, but I digress).  Yeah, he's been through a slump but then everyone everyone slumps at some point. And, of course, he got ejected once this year, so he can't be any good.

I'm don't like the idea of trading Jose for the sake of trading him. We'd have to get something very good back. With out Bautista there would be a huge hole in the batting order. We haven't exactly been the offensive juggernaut that we were hoping for this year.

I think it is good for a team to have a player that is the 'face of the franchise'. Someone that the even most casual fan knows. I do believe that, at some point, Bautista will have to move to first base or DH, but we can deal with that when the time comes.

Let's have a poll.

Just days after reports surfaced that the Mets would continue their affiliation with the Las Vegas 51s, they did just that, renewing their partnership through the 2016 season.

In what seemed like a foregone conclusion, the Mets officially announced on Thursday that they have renewed their Player Development Contract with the Las Vegas 51s for two more years. The agreement will keep New York's Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League through 2016.

GM Sandy Alderson issued a statement on Thursday to announce the agreement.

"We have had a great partnership with the Las Vegas 51s and the city of Las Vegas, one which continues to provide player development, winning and community involvement. Maintaining continuity in Vegas is something we know will benefit our players, the city, fans and entire community."

After a long period of stability that included 37 seasons in Tidewater/Norfolk, Las Vegas is the third Triple-A franchise the Mets have been affiliated with since 2007, joining New Orleans (2007-2008) and Buffalo (2009-2012).

Led by manager Wally Backman, the 51s have won consecutive PCL Pacific Southern Division titles and enjoyed back-to-back 80-win seasons for the first time in franchise history. Prior to affiliating with New York, Las Vegas partnered with the Blue Jays (2009-2012), Dodgers (2001-2008), and Padres (1983-2000).

Dice-K's back for the first time in over a month.

While one Mets pitcher was activated before tonight's game against the Braves, another headed to the disabled list.

ROSTER MOVE: #Mets place RHP Vic Black on the 15-Day Disabled List retroactive to Aug. 24 with a herniated disk in his neck.

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 28, 2014

Black has been a solid option out of the bullpen for the Mets this year–noted for his ability to come in with runners on and effectively close out innings–but the team will now have to do without him for a little while.

Meanwhile, taking his place on the roster will be Daisuke Matsuzaka.

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka was returned from his rehab assignment and activated from the Disabled List.

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 28, 2014

Matsuzaka was placed on the disabled list on July 26 with elbow inflammation. After recovering and making several successful rehab starts in the minors, he finally gets the return call today.

Even with the moves, the Mets are still short of a 25-man lineup (as Adam Rubin noted in his blog earlier) because Daniel Murphy remains out with a sore calf, which he is scheduled to get an MRI on.

Jon Niese pitched a nice game but it went for naught. The Mets' lineup struggled against Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor, who also went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

The Mets' lineup tonight featured several established major league-caliber hitters. Unfortunately, they collectively hit like a bunch of minor leaguers, managing just four hits against Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor and two relievers.

Minor sent down the first 12 batters he faced and generally kept the Mets off balance all night. Lucas Duda broke up the perfect game with a leadoff single in the fifth inning. The Mets scored their only run of the game in the eighth inning, when Travis d'Arnaud led off with a double and Eric Campbell singled him home. All told, the Mets had just five baserunners and four at-bats with a runner in scoring position.

Jon Niese pitched well but couldn't match the heroics of Minor. Niese went 7.1 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking one. Minor notched two of those hits, including an RBI single in the second inning and a leadoff double in the eighth inning that spurred a two-run rally. Not a bad night for that guy. Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed three runs in the ninth inning to squash any hopes of a Mets comeback.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by LaRomaBella; her effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

In a move that took everyone by surprise, the Mets promoted Dilson Herrera from Double-A Binghamton on Thursday night. The 20-year-old replaces Daniel Murphy, who was officially placed on the disabled list.

The Mets are usually known for their deliberate methods in promoting prospects from one level to the next, but they called up Dilson Herrera from Double-A Binghamton after losing to the Braves this evening. The 20-year-old will replace Daniel Murphy, who will be placed on the disabled list thanks to a strained right calf he suffered on Sunday in Los Angeles.

#Mets will place Daniel Murphy on the 15-Day DL tomorrow with a strained right calf and select infielder Dilson Herrera from Binghamton (AA)

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 29, 2014

Just one year and one day after being acquired from the Pirates in the Marlon Byrd and John Buck trade, Herrera will be the first Met to make the jump from Double-A to the major leagues since last year, when Wilfredo Tovar got the call in September. The difference this time around is Herrera has staked his claim as the best offensive prospectin the Mets system.

The 20-year-old finished 3-for-4 and blasted his tenth home run for the B-Mets on Thursday night, raising his average to .340 in 61 games at the Double-A Level.

The Mets' offensive struggles continued, as Mike Minor shut our heroes down and the Braves won the three-game series.

The Mets won't be playing meaningful games during the rest of the season, in that they will not be in the playoff hunt. They can, however, play spoiler in some meaningful games for their NL East opponents. The Nationals, Braves, and Marlins are all jockeying for playoff position in varying degrees of seriousness, and many of the Mets' remaining games are against these foes. Tonight's game against the Braves presented such a spoiling opportunity. Unfortunately, our heroes shit the bed and the hated Braves didn't lose any ground in the Wild Card race.

Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor was the star of the game. He dominated the Mets on the mound (seven innings, one run, four hits, five strikeouts, zero walks) and at the plate (2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI). He was perfect through four innings before Lucas Duda singled leading off the fifth inning.

Hat tip to Minor, for sure, but he wasn't exactly facing an offensive juggernaut tonight. Outside of Duda, Juan Lagares, and Travis d'Arnaud, the Mets' lineup is pretty sorry right now. David Wright and Curtis Granderson combined to go 1-for-8 (Grandy managed an infield single) and now have OPSs of .687 and .688, respectively, on the season. Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada combined to go 0-for-6. Where would Tejada's OPS+ be without the 11 intentional walks he's been awarded this season? The Mets scored their lone run in the eighth inning, when d'Arnaud led off with a double and Eric Campbell drove him in with a single. Cheers to TdA extra-base hits.

Minor's counterpart, Jon Niese, pitched a serviceable game. It looked like he was throwing slop early on, as the Braves had three hits and a walk (including an RBI single by Minor) in the first two innings. He settled down after that, though, and breezed through innings three-through-seven in just 52 pitches, an average of about ten per inning. Despite the low pitch count, Niese faltered in the eighth inning, and Minor was once again the agitator. He led off with a well-struck opposite-field double, and was driven home two batters later by an Emilio Bonifacio triple that was hit too deep into center field for even Lagares to catch. Freddie Freeman then singled home Bonifacio, extending the Braves' lead to 3-0 and chasing Niese. Carlos Torres entered and struck out both Justin Upton and Chris Johnson to end the frame.

The Braves put the game out of reach in the ninth inning by scoring three runs against Daisuke Matsuzaka, fresh off the DL and making his first Mets appearance since late July. Welcome back, Dice-K!

Some bullet thoughts:

• Curtis Granderson's performance is concerning. He's been a debacle in the second half, hitting just two home runs with an OPS around .500. The comparisons to Jason Bay are becoming more fair by the game, and even Bay was better than this in his first Mets season. Maybe Granderson will be inspired by his bobblehead day on Saturday.
• Why isn't David Wright on the DL? Everyone knows he is hurting and it shows in his performance. The Mets just put Daniel Murphy on the DL; why not do the same for Wright? Shut him down, 2014 is over. No one is looking for a hero on a 62-72 team.
• It's legitimately surprising when a fly ball is hit in the same zip code as Juan Lagares and he doesn't catch it. Even if it's a ball Willie Mays nor Andruw Jones nor Carlos Beltran ever could have come close to catching. Lagares is better than Endy Chavez, something I never thought I'd say about a Mets outfielder.
• The report that the Mets are considering moving Travis d'Arnaud to left field doesn't appear to be a big deal. It seems like a conversation any organization would have about its young, talented, and frequently-concussed catcher. Also, I'll bet my John Olerud rookie card that it doesn't happen.

The Mets start a three-game weekend series with the Phillies on Friday night at 7:10 pm ET. The pitching matchup is Jacob deGrom vs David Buchanan.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* Talking Chop GameThread

Win Probability Added

(What's this?)

Big winners: Eric Campbell +4.8%, Curtis Granderson +4.5%
Big losers: David Wright -18.1%, Juan Lagares -14.1%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Eric Campbell RBI single in the eighth inning, +8.4%
Teh sux0rest play: David Wright grounds into double play in the seventh inning, -15.8%
Total pitcher WPA: -3.3%
Total batter WPA: -46.7%
GWRBI!: Emilio Bonifacio RBI triple in the eighth inning

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

Meet the Mets

New York was shut down by Mike Minor and fell to the Braves 6-1. Jon Niese was solid with thee runs allowed in 7.1 innings, but the Mets managed just four knocks all night. Emilio Bonifacio racked up four hits by himself himself for Atlanta.

Recap Parade: Amazin' Avenue short, long, MLB.com, ESPN NY, New York Times, Post

The Mets announced that Daniel Murphy and his "day-to-day" calf injury will be heading to the 15-day disabled list. Perhaps a bigger deal is who will be taking the second baseman's place: 20-year-old Dilson Herrera, who was traded to New York just over a year ago.

In other injury news, Vic Black is now on the DL with a herniated disc in his neck. Daisuke Matsuzaka is returning from his rehab assignment just in time to take Black's place in the bullpen.

With Travis d'Arnaud now starting to look like a big part of the Mets' future, Terry Collins said that the team has discussed moving the catcher to left field in order to keep him from getting injured. With no full-time left fielder on the current roster and Kevin Plawecki heating up in the minors, the move seems to make sense on paper.

Something that doesn't make sense on paper: The Mets partnering with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s on a player development deal. Nevertheless, the two franchises will continue to be linked for at least the next two seasons.

Larry Brooks of the Post says that Curtis Granderson should be benched. The left-handed slugger has been awful lately, but he is a rare source of power in the Mets' lineup.

The Mets invited the RBI World Series Senior Division champions from Jersey City to Citi Field for a fun time.

Around the NL East

The sad news coming out of Atlanta is that left-handed reliever Jonny Venters has torn the UCL in his elbow for the third time.

Phillies president David Montgomery is taking a leave of absence to get treatment for cancer. Get well soon, Dave.

Like star-crossed lovers, Giancarlo Stanton and the rest of the Marlins organization just didn't meet at the right time.

As awesome as the 2014 season has been for the Nationals so far, they have plenty to look forward to in the future as well.

Around the Majors

Former Mets farmhand Yusmeiro Petit set a major league record by retired his 46th consecutive batter on Thursday afternoon against the Rockies.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is hitting just as poorly as Granderson is, and that guy probably won't be getting benched either.

Speaking of the Bronx Bombers, they might become cool again if they call up the amazing switch-pitcher Pat Venditte.

Joe Posnanski breaks down the chances of Royals outfielder Alex Gordon to win the American League MVP Award.

Craig Calcaterra takes on the "can women play in the majors?" discussion.

FanGraphs scouted a confrontation between extreme power pitcher Aroldis Chapman and extreme power hitter Javier Baez.

Here's a video of beleaguered Tigers closer Joe Nathan reading mean Tweets about himself.

Yesterday at AA

Steve Sypa gave us a complete scouting report on Cuban second base prospect Pavel Quesada.

The freshest episode of Amazin' Avenue Audio is now available.

Eric Simon's AMA continued.

On this date in 2009, Carlos Beltran was clutch. Oops, that must be a typo that I'm too lazy to fix.

Mike Minor spins a gem against the Mets, and more!

Braves News:

Minor Looks Like an Ace in 6-1 Win

This has something Braves fans have been waiting to see all season: Mike Minor pitching well. Sometimes, all it takes is a faceoff with the Mets to get a solid outing out of your starter, as Minor went sevent strong innings, giving up hust four hits and one run en route to his sixth win on the season. On the offensive end, Emilio Bonifacio had himself quite the game, going 4-5 with a triple, and two RBI.

Defense, Bullpen, Helping Braves into Playoffs

While the Braves chances of winning the NL East are slipping away (and falling into the hands of Washington) but there's still a solid chance Atlanta squeak into the postseason, thanks to the second wild card. Alas, a playoff format isn't thee only thing helping the Braves, but so is their incredible defense (most notably Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward) and a solid bullpen anchored by the one and only Craig Kimbrel.

Jonny Venters tears UCL, Third Tommy John Surgery Coming

Injuries suck, there's no way around that. Especially when they happen to talented members of your pitching staff. Unfortunately for Jonny Venters, that's exactly the case, and unfortunate as it is to say this, his career may be over as he faces a third Tommy John Surgery. if this is the end for Venters, he would retire with a career ERA of 2.23.

Prospects Who You Won't be Seeing in September

Wait aren't we supposed to be excited about the prospects that we will be seeing once the rosters open up? Sure, but there's plenty of exciting prospects who won't be joining the big league squad as well. Be it a lack of experience, injury, some guys just won't be making the cut this fall.

MLB News:

Petit Sets MLB Record

Retiring 27 batters in a row is a perfect game, and that's pretty awesome. Now what about setting down 46 straight? Sure, it wasn't in just one game, but over a course of many games for San Francisco's Yusmeiro Petit, who broke Mark Buehrle's record of 45 consecutive batters sent down on Thursday by striking out Colorado's Charlie Culberson. The right-handers' streak was snapped in the next at-bat when Jordan Lyles doubled to left-field.

"I was a little nervous when the hitters were advancing toward the record. But in that pitch to the pitcher, I was not nervous," Petit said. "I was doing my job. The first pitch was fine. The second pitch was fine, too, but it slid a little bit where I didn't want it to."

Mets Making Mistake Playing Wright

David Wright is the face of the Mets, without a doubt, and has put together quite a career. In 2014, however, Wright is having a terrible year in comparison to his others: a .266 AVG, 8 HR, and a .692 OPS. The 31-year-old has also been fighting back some injuries as of late, but has yet to make a trip to the disabled list on the year, for whatever reason that may be. Let's face it, the Mets aren't in a heated playoff race, and Wright isn't playing for any postseason awards, so why are the Mets still continuing to trot out the injured third-baseman?

This week in 1999: The Mets' infield comes to blows while their bullpen nearly blows everything.

The Mets ended their last westward swing with a good showing at the Astrodome and a historic offensive night from Edgardo Alfonzo. But on their return to New York, they displayed an unwelcome offensive outburst. After a spring full of strife and tension, the team had enjoyed a summer full of winning baseball and free of drama. They were overdue for an embarrassing public blow up.

It came in the wee hours of September 2, following their flight back from in Houston. During a bus ride from Newark Airport to Shea, Rey Ordoñez and backup infielder Luis Lopez came to blows. Why this happened was unclear. Some said Lopez, whose playing time had dwindled to nothing thanks to The Greatest Infield Ever, was jealous of Ordoñez. Others said Ordoñez had caught Lopez subjecting rookie Jorge Toca (like the shortstop, a Cuban refugee) to some rookie hazing and objected.

Steve Phillips arranged a press conference the next afternoon at Shea Stadium, standing between the two infielders and swearing they'd patched things up while Lopez and Ordoñez (sporting an ugly shiner) stood there like two misbehaving school kids. Both players said their feud was over, but their refusal to discuss why they fought in the first place and their obvious discomfort at being in the same room said otherwise. It was a humiliating event for all involved, including one misinformed reporter who continually addressed Lopez as "Rey" until he finally corrected her.

Bobby Bonilla saw the strife and decided he wanted a piece of the action. The deservedly maligned outfielder had been on the disabled list for much of the summer while Roger Cedeño and Benny Agbayani did their best to ensure he'd get no playing time when he returned. Bonilla was eligible to come off the DL for days, if not weeks, but the Mets waited until September 1 to reactivate him, when roster expansion meant they wouldn't have to demote anyone to do so.

"I'm going to sit back and enjoy it all," Bonilla said upon his return, displaying the attitude that attracted so many boos. Phillips, meanwhile, scared the hell out of everyone when he insisted Bonilla would be the Mets' go-to lefty pinch hitter early in games, signifying the front office was more concerned with salvaging some of the cost expended on Bonilla's salary than they were in maintaining harmony in the dugout.

Among the other September callups was Jay Payton, one of the Mets' best position prospects, but who was known at the time primarily for his inability to stay healthy and his costly baserunning blunder during the team's five-game losing streak at the end of the 1998 season. They also brought up Melvin Mora, who tore the cover off the ball in spring training but was relegated to triple-A anyway. Since then, he'd ridden the Norfolk express a few times and was used primarily as a defensive replacement for the team's crowded but leather-challenged outfield.

The Mets' latest homestand also marked the return of John Franco, who'd been sidelined by a finger injury since June. Franco was so anxious to rejoin the bullpen, he'd recently stomped through the locker room wielding a broken bat handle, threatening to use it if he wasn't reinstated post-haste while hastening to add he was only kidding. In his absence, Armando Benitez had taken over the closer's role and dominated opposing batters. Bobby Valentine saw no reason Franco couldn't close again but said it might be better if he took on lower-leverage innings at first, a polite way of telling the Mets' Closer For Life that he'd been replaced.

This awkwardness aside, Franco couldn't have picked a better time to come back, as the Mets' bullpen had been exhibiting troubling signs of wear and tear following a season of overuse. Both Dennis Cook and Turk Wendell were given extended time off during the Mets' last road trip—time off they neither requested nor desired—and both relievers struggled upon their return to action The struggles continued in the series opener against the Rockies on September 3 when Wendell and Chuck McElroy conspired to cough up three runs in the top of the tenth, leading to a 5-2 loss.

New York took the following two games from Colorado, with Al Leiter going 8 2/3 innings in a 4-2 win that also saw Robin Ventura club his 30th homer of the year, followed by a 6-2 victory over Darryl Kile, who hadn't lost a game at Shea Stadium since 1992. The Mets then welcomed the Giants for three games beginning on September 6 and won 3-0 behind Kenny Rogers, who pitched his second complete game of the year. Both had come against a San Francisco team that apparently despised him.

Unfortunately, the next two games brought more warning signs from the relief corps. Rick Reed, fresh off the DL from his own finger injury, was far from effective in the second Giants game, but his teammates rallied to take a lead, only to watch Wendell and a clown car's worth of relievers give it right back. The 7-4 loss was followed by a fine outing by Octavio Dotel, who stifled the Giants for seven strong innings. Mindful of the rookie's workload and with a six-run lead to work with, Valentine removed Dotel at that point, whereupon his relievers made things far too interesting. Pat Mahomes allowed a run while retiring no one, Cook gave up a three-run homer, and even Benitez crawled to the finish line, notching the save in the 7-5 win by the skin of his teeth.

Wendell compounded the Mets' bullpen issues with a self-flagellating injury. After being removed in the second Giants game, he sat on the bench pounding his glove in frustration over and over again. This masochistic exercise resulted in a swollen knuckle that would knock him out of action for a week. Such nonsense almost overshadowed the fact that the Mets had completed a successful 4-2 homestand, and had put themselves in excellent playoff position—3.5 games up in the wild card spot, 3.5 back of the first place Braves—as they embarked on their final west coast trip of the season.

With just over a month left in the regular season, the Miami Marlins' front office is still thinking about winning now. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro asked President of Baseball Operations Mike Hill several questions pertinent to a Marlins playoff run.

The Marlins are refusing to think about 2015.

Miami's front office is still in 'win now' mode with the squad sitting five games out of a wild card spot with exactly 30 games left to play. The Marlins will be playing meaningful baseball in September, but that may not last long.

After a promising homestand, the Marlins lost two of three to both the Rockies and Angels and will head to Atlanta before taking on the Mets at home. Miami's goal was to improve as a team, and a young core, even without Jose Fernandez, has appeared to progress.

MLB.com's Joe Frisaro discussed the organization's approach for the rest of the season with President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill, who answered several key questions.

Would the Marlins consider a last minute trade?

Considering the Marlins didn't put together a deal they liked until the final minutes of the non-waiver trade deadline, it is unlikely the team will look to add to the roster with players not currently in the organization.

"If there was an area that we felt like we could add, we'd look into it," Hill said. "Obviously, we're always looking for ways to improve our roster. But I would say, what you see is what you get, and hopefully we can get some guys healthy."

Nathan Eovaldi has struggled, and Miami's rotation could use a boost, but the Marlins have internal options such as Anthony DeSclafani or Brian Flynn if a starter is needed.

Offensively, things have been notably quiet for Casey McGehee at third base and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (with the exception of the last week and a half) behind the plate. The return of Derek Dietrich and addition of a few bats may help the Marlins throughout September.

Is bullpen depth necessary?

With Bryan Morris going down on Tuesday night in Los Angeles but not being placed on the disabled list, the Marlins are short an arm in the bullpen.

Both Dan Jennings and Carter Capps are expected to return, which will make Miami's bullpen significantly deeper and likely more effective.

"We hope they will be nice adds for a September run," Hill said.

DeSclafani and Arquimedes Caminero could both see time out of Miami's bullpen moving forward.

Will Andrew Heaney be promoted?

Miami's top pitching prospect, after being promoted and initially struggling through his first several starts, could be slotted into the rotation.

Heaney has posted a 3.84 ERA and 3.62 FIP in 77 and a third innings with Triple-A New Orleans and figures to be a part of the Marlins' rotation in 2015.

The Marlins have taken a cautious appraoch with regard to Heaney, and rightfully will not promote him unless he has a defined role.

"It's going to depend on what we think his usage is going to be," Hill said. "If we don't see an opportunity for him to pitch and get what he needs to help his continued development, then it might be a case where we just start him on his offseason program and get him bigger and stronger and have him ready for go for Spring Training."

How many callups can be expected?

The Marlins don't want to call a player up just for the sake of doing so. J.T. Realmuto and several relievers could be added as soon as Monday.

"It will be nice to have some extra bodies here," Hill said.

The New York Mets promoted second base prospect Dilson Herrera to the major league roster today, replacing Daniel Murphy who has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a calf injury. Herrera was completing an outstanding minor league season that saw him thrive in Double-A as the youngest player in the Eastern League. Here are some thoughts about what to expect from the newest Metropolitan.

Herrera was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Colombia in 2010, earning a $220,000 bonus. He thrived in the 2011 Venezuelan Summer League (.308/.413/.472 in 65 games), then more than held his own on promotion to the Gulf Coast League in 2012 (.281/.341/.482). He was traded to the Mets in the Marlon Byrd/John Buck/Vic Black trade late that summer.

He didn't have a terrific season in 2013, hitting .265/.330/.421 with 37 walks and 110 strikeouts in 423 at-bats for Savannah in the South Atlantic League, although his overall production was still above-average for the context (wRC+112). His bat improved in 2014 however, as he hit .307/.355/.410 (wRC+120) in 309 plate appearances for High-A St. Lucie, followed by an outstanding .340/.406/.560 (wRC+ 165) in 278 plate appearances after being promoted to Double-A Binghamton.

Born March 3, 1994, Herrera is listed at 5-10, 150, although observers who have seen him in person say he looks more like 5-8, 170. He's strong for his size either way and has no problems driving the ball, maintaining his production against advanced pitching this summer despite his extreme youth. His power is to the pull side primarily, although when he's going well he can take pitches the opposite way. While not a walk machine, he has a decent eye for the zone and doesn't strike out an excessive amount. He has reduced his whiff rate this year and the results are obvious.

Herrera has above-average speed and should be good for 15 steals a year if given a green light. Scouts aren't wild about his defense due to stiff actions; this is not a future Gold Glove player, although his defense at second base has improved over the last two years. He can play shortstop in an emergency but lacks the range or instincts to play there regularly.

Given his youth, offensive production, and good-enough defense, Herrera profiles as a regular second baseman, although there is talk that he could take a super-utility role as well. Up until now, Herrera looked like an option late in 2015 or 2016, but now has a chance to make a positive impression in September and jump that timetable.

Editor's Note: SB Nation's partner FanDuel is hosting a one-day $18,000 Fantasy Baseball league for tonight's MLB games. It's $2 to join and first prize is $2,000. Jump in now. Here's the FanDuel link.

The Mets just called up their top hitting prospect. What can we expect from the fast-rising 20-year-old infielder?

To the surprise of many, the Mets have called up their top offensive prospectDilson Herrera. We've all heardlots about the 20-year-old slugger in this his breakout season. However, with excitement high for the debut of the next young wave of homegrown offensive talent, what can we realistically expect from the diminutive infielder?

Well, to help us understand that we need to fully understand what he's done to this point:

The Pirates signed Dilson Herrera out of Colombia at the age of 16 for the price of $220,000. He was considered one of the better international prospects of that class and was one of the club's top three signings of the year. Said Pirates Director of Latin American Scouting Rene Gayo: "Dilson is a player we have been scouting since he was 13-years-old."

Herrera showed good promise in a couple of seasons of rookie ball in Pittsburgh's system, nabbing the organization's Gulf Coast League player of the year award in 2012. Specifically, his surprisingly potent bat belied his compact physical build, though at that point it was unclear if he would develop enough offensive to play every day at the highest levels. Pirates brass responded by aggressively pushing the teenager to the South Atlantic League  in 2013 where he starred as one of the youngest players at that level -- a common theme throughout his career.

In the midst of a strong campaign for West Virginia, Herrera was introduced to Mets fans as part of the return in the fateful deal that sent Marlon Byrd and John Buck to Pittsburgh. His new club sent him to Savannah to cap a strong season in the SAL where he ended up batting .267/.334/.416 with 11 home runs and 14 stolen bases.

That brings us to 2014, which has been a revelation in terms of development for the young infielder who we ranked number nine on our preseason top 25 prospects list. Starting the year in Advanced-A St. Lucie, Herrera quickly showed that he was up to the test against more advanced pitchers. In 67 games he batted .307/.355/.410 while also effectively implementing the organization's more patient philosophy.

Excitement for his quickly developing bat came to a head when Herrera was promoted to Double-A Binghamton and thrived. A refined swing seemed to work wonders, even against upper minors competition. His strikeouts plummeted while his power continued to emerge despite the fact that he was the youngest player in the Eastern League. Through 61 games he batted an outstanding .340/.406/.560 with ten home runs and nine stolen bases. The kid who had begun the 2014 season as an emerging sleeper would seemingly end it as a top prospect with a serious chance to be an everyday major league regular, possibly more.

Today, scouts are bullish on his long-term chances. Here's what Baseball America had to say back in July:

"Herrera may not have a single knockout tool, but the 20-year-old Colombian does many things well and has made the jump to Double-A in the second half without a misstep. In fact, he hit .320 and ranked third in the minors with 139 hits at the end of July, thanks to a quick swing and plenty of hard contact. He has enough power, speed and control of the zone to profile as a big league starter at the keystone."

Further, ESPN's Adam Rubin recently quoted a scout that deemed Dilson 'equipped' for the next level while fellow Worldwide Leaderite Keith Law stated that "if [Herrera] ended up on a few All-Star teams, I wouldn’t be shocked.'

In terms of what to expect, the general consensus seems to be somewhere between average regular and something slightly more. In the past I've compared Herrera's best case to a pre-decline Danny Espinosa, expecting something in the neighborhood of the Washington infielder's 2012 campaign where he hit .247/.315/.402 with 17 home runs and stole 20 bases, while also striking out a fair bit. At this point I think that's a fair baseline, including Espinosa's strong glove at second base with the ability to capably handle short, if need be.

That said, Herrera's standout 2014 has some reaching for more. As BA pointed out Herrera's tools rate good, not great across the board; however, what we're witnessing this season -- most likely thanks to a shortened swing and a more patient approach -- is that his hit tool may in fact be better than we thought. Take his .340 mark in Binghamton -- the last age-appropriate Mets farmhand to post that high an average at Double-A (min. 200 PA) was none other than David Wright back in 2004 (others to do it include Jay Payton and Gregg Jeffries).

While 15-to-20 home runs may be more of a peak projection, Herrera may have it in him to post a .300 batting average once he gets his feat underneath him at the major league level. As for these early days of his career, it's really anyone's guess. I will say that based on the extreme bat speed and the obvious momentum he's been riding all summer, I'm pretty optimistic that Herrera will transition quickly -- perhaps giving Sandy Alderson the confidence to once again actively shop Daniel Murphy this winter.

In short, we're talking about a potential 3-5 WAR player if things continue to go right for Herrera and the Mets -- and if this season has been any indication, Mets fans have reasons to be very optimistic.

The Mets play the Phillies for the final time in 2014. Where will the wins come from in September?

What's going on with the Phillies?

They may be in last place in the National League East, but the Phillies keep fighting, as they are wont to do. Ryne Sandberg's club has now won three straight series over playoff contenders, including an impressive three-game sweep over Washington. That should give the Phillies all the momentum they need to break the spell that the Mets have held over them lately (New York has dropped just five games to Philly all season), but this club didn't get where it is by being the most consistent bunch.

Even with the recent spurt of success, the Phillies are still a game behind the Mets and nowhere near the National League playoff race. Unless a sweep of the Mets leads to a miracle run, Phillies fans only have September call-ups to look forward to as summer turns to fall. Could we get a first look at top prospect and possible first baseman of the future Maikel Franco next week? I only saw him for a little bit during my trip to a Buffalo Bisons game this season, but I can tell you that Franco's power is legit.

Who are these guys?

Okay, we know who Marlon Byrd is, but why is he still here? After an improbable comeback season in New York and Pittsburgh last year, Byrd has kept the good times going with a .785 OPS and 24 home runs in 2014. Only four players in the National League have more home runs! When Byrd was hitting as well in 2013, the Mets were able to deal him to the Pirates for a nice package, but the Phils seem content to hold onto the Byrd Man. Sure, he has an extra year on his contract this time around, but does Ruben Amaro Jr. really think his team is ready to compete in 2015?

After starting the season with the major league club, Freddy Galvis spent a long time in Lehigh Valley this season before finally being called back up when Reid Brignac was designated for assignment on August 23. The versatile Galvis is making the most of his new opportunity, hitting a home run during a Tuesday start against the Nationals. At age 24, he still has a chance to be part of the Phillies' future, but that future is most likely as a utility player, as Galvis has an OPS of just .606 in 442 career at-bats.

Who's on the mound?

Friday: David Buchanan vs. Jacob deGrom

Buchanan has been surprisingly steady for a rookie pitcher this season. He's helped fill a gap in the Philly rotation by allowing three runs or less in 10 consecutive starts. Low amounts of walks, strikeouts, and home runs allowed make Buchanan a boring pitcher, but also an effective one. The Mets have seen him twice this year and have managed to score seven runs in 12.2 innings against him. For a guy who doesn't use a lot of pitches, the Phillies could probably let Buchanan pitch deeper into games if they wanted to.

During his first start back from a short disabled list stint with shoulder tendinitis, deGrom allowed five runs in six innings to the Dodgers. On the bright side, the young right-hander also allowed just seven baserunners while racking up seven strikeouts. In other words, his ratios were pretty good, so look for deGrom to get comfortable against the Phillies tonight, especially if he can manage their lefties well.

Saturday: Jerome Williams vs. Bartolo Colon

Williams was essentially picked off up the scrap heap by the Phillies when they were desperate for a starter following the Roberto Hernandez trade. Although his ERA for the season is a dreadful 5.42, Williams has given the Phils anything but scrap heap value during his three starts with the team. His strikeout and walk numbers aren't pretty, but he has allowed just four runs in those three games, (all against playoff contenders) while pitching deeper and deeper into each contest. In other words, Williams looks like a rich man's Hernandez. Maybe the Mets can break up his magical run this weekend.

The Colon trade rumors are so hot that the big right-hander might not even make this scheduled start for the Mets. On the other hand, Sandy Alderson might not be too eager to make a deal considering how well Colon has pitched lately. He's looked great with five runs allowed in his last 21 innings. With a strikeout-to-walk ratio of just about 6:1 for the season, Colon is going to be hard to pass up for teams that need a starting pitcher down the stretch.

Sunday: A.J. Burnett vs. Dillon Gee

The 37-year-old Burnett hasn't pitched very well this season. He's another guy, like Hernandez, who the Phillies would do well to ship to a contender just to open up a roster spot for a younger player. As the Williams acquisition shows, though, the Phillies aren't exactly ready to give up on 2014 yet. That's too bad, because Burnett pitched brilliantly in his recent start against the Nationals. He struck out a season-high 12 batters while walking just one and allowing one run in seven innings. Like Colon, he's another guy the Dodgers and Angels should be trying to acquire right now.

Gee might not be on his team for much longer, either. The Mets' depth of young pitching combined with Gee's continued ineffectiveness in the second half make the 28-year-old right-hander expendable. He held up well against the Athletics in his latest outing, but Gee still only managed a single strikeout in 6.2 innings. I'd expect Gee to get moved this winter, especially if Colon is still on the team.

Prediction: The Mets sweep the Phillies because why not?

What about some highlights?

The last time the Mets played the Phillies, Anthony Recker blasted his team towards a series victory.

No matter whether his team wins or loses, the Phillie Phanatic always has a good time at the ballpark.

I imagine even a dark lord of the Sith would have a good time with the Phanatic at a baseball game... Oh wait, that actually happened.

Don't forget to check out FanDuel.com for exciting one-day fantasy leagues!

Backman has led the Las Vagas 51s to the PCL's top record this season.

Unless the major league Mets completely embarrass themselves in September, Terry Collins seems locked in as the manager of the team in 2015. That said, there will still be a large faction of fans that believe that the grission of Wally Backman will turn the Mets into a contender as they are currently constructed.

That group got a vote of confidence from the Pacific Coast League today when the organization named Backman its 2014 Manager of the Year. The Las Vegas 51s are 80-61 this season and have already clinched a Southern division title.

It's not as though this is going to convince anyone of anything though. Backman's supporters will see this as a sure sign that he is ready to take the helm of a major league club. His detractors will point to the high amount of talent that the Mets have in Triple-A as the reason the team won so many games.

So what does this mean? It means that Backman did a good job this year, but it's no reason to just hand him the major league job. Terry Collins may be losing more games than he's winning yet again, but he's kept the Mets fairly competitive considering the roster turnover in the bullpen and a lackluster season from David Wright.

Jacob deGrom was great, but the Mets might not have won if not for a big error by Grady Sizemore.

Thanks to a great start by Jacob deGrom, a key error by Grady Sizemore, and fine performances by Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia, the Mets beat the Phillies 4-1 this evening. The Mets scored first when Travis d’Arnaud plated David Wright with a single in the fourth, but the Phillies tied the game at one with a run in the top of the seventh, which scored partially because of a Lucas Duda error.

The Phillies made a far more important error, though, in the bottom of that inning. With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning—and all three Mets having reached by either a walk or hit-by-pitch—Juan Lagares popped a shallow fly ball to left-center field. Grady Sizemore got hit glove on it and should have caught it easily, but he dropped the ball. The Mets scored twice on the play, and they successfully pulled off the Little League double steal to tack on their fourth and final run of the night.

Dilson Herrera went 0-for-3 and made an error in his debut, but hey, it’s just one game.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by MetsFan4Decades; her effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

The Phillies revisit adolescence with dropped balls and using protection. While those things tend to contribute to #Winning in human development, they contribute to #Losing in baseball.

Looking to move out of their division's basement, the Phillies took the field against the Mets with astonishing vim and vigor. Once the game started, however, they regressed to their typical 2014 malaise, falling spell to the flowing locks of none other than Mets ace Locks deGrom.

Early on, both offenses were flummoxed by the dastardly pitching styles of David Buchanan and Jacob deGrom. In fact, through 4 innings, the Phillies were no-hit by Locks deGrom.

The battle of offensive futility finally broke in the fourth when David Wright, who reached on an infield single and advanced on a Lucas Duda groundout, scored on a two out double from Travis D'arnaud.

The Phillies came out enraged that the Mets would so much as dare to score off of future ace David Buchanan. Marlon Byrd led off with a walk, before Franchise Cornerstone Grady Sizemore emerged from the dugout to slap a single to right. The Phillies did Phillies things after that as Ruiz and Asche struck out followed by a ground out from our future ace, David Buchanan. So it goes.

In the 7th, the Phillies finally took offense to Locks deGrom. Byrd singled to lead off, Then Franchise Cornerstone Grady Sizemore hit a routine grounder to Lucas Duda that Duda, overwhelmed by the responsibility of handling a hit off the bat of greatness, drew Wilmer Flores off the bag at 2nd. Safe all around. Then Phillies things ensued, when Carlos Ruiz popped up a bunt attempt. But, don't be so fast to write off the Phillies, dear reader. Cody Asche lined a single over the arm of shortstop Wilmer Flores to score Byrd. Then Dom Brown, pinch hitting for David Buchanan, who had only thrown 64 pitches to that point, ended the inning with a very Dom Brown double play. So much for that.

The Phillies decided to heed Sandberg's dictates and play the game the right way in the bottom of the inning. Not inclined to let down ace Locks deGrom, the Mets threatened in the 7th. Actually, whether it was the Mets or Jake Diekman who threatened is a matter of taste. The Mets were able to load the bases off of two walks and a HBP. Should we award that alleged passivity with an active verb tense? That's for you to answer on your own. I answer, "yes." As I was saying, the Mets threatened, loading the bases with two outs in the 7th. Ryne Sandberg opted to bring in RHP Justin DeFratus to face a right Juan Legares. He hit a harmless shallow fly ball to Franchise Cornerstone Grady Sizemore, who, beneficently dropped it to allow two runs to score. You see, Sizemore concerns himself with the long-term health of the franchise and, seeing a protected draft pick slipping out of reach, figured a loss was better than a win. To add insult to injury, Eric Campbell (who?) stole home after Ruiz failed to catch Johnny Legs stealing second. The Phillies chose the last option. Two years ago, I would have been slinging profanities at my television throughout this inning. This year, I just shrug and chuckle. Sometimes you eat the bear; sometimes the bear eats you; the remaining times, you eat yourself.

With that, the final two innings transpired without note before the Phillies retreated to the clubhouse, protecting their 2015 draft pick from the covetous eyes of the New York Mets.

Fangraph of safe sex:

Source: FanGraphs

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

*All results from games played on Friday, August 29^th, 2014

Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (80-62)_______________________________________

LAS VEGAS 6, ALBUQUERQUE 9 (Box)

Gonzalez Germen's five-run meltdown in the eighth proved to be the difference in this one.

• SS Matt Reynolds: 2-5, RBI
• 3B Josh Satin: 0-5, K
• RF Andrew Brown: 2-4, 2 R, 2 HR (21), 3 RBI, BB, K
• 1B Taylor Teagarden: 2-5, 2B, BB, K
• C Kevin Plawecki: 0-5, 3 K
• LF Cesar Puello: 2-3, R, HR (6), 2 RBI, BB
• CF Cory Vaughn: 1-4, R, K
• 2B Anthony Seratelli: 1-3, 3B,
• RHP Cory Mazzoni: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, HR, E (2)
• LHP John Lannan: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, E (1)
• RHP Gonzalez Germen: 1 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR

Double-A - Binghamton Mets (83-56)_____________________________________

BINGHAMTON 1, RICHMOND 2 (Box)

Despite the loss, B-Mets pitchers struck out sixteen Flying Squirrels and Steven Matz was really good again. I ain't even that mad at this one.

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 0-4
• 2B T.J. Rivera: 2-4
• 3B Brian Burgamy: 1-4, RBI, K
• 1B Jayce Boyd: 1-3, BB
• LF Dustin Lawley: 1-4, 2 K
• C Xorge Carillo: 0-2, BB
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 1-3, BB, K
• RF Kyle Johnson: 1-4, R, 2B, K
• LHP Steven Matz: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, HB
• RHP Paul Sewald: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K
• LHP Chase Huchingson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (35-32 / 75-61)_____________________________________

ST. LUCIE 3, PALM BEACH 1 (Box)

Our Florida State League heroes will not go away, as their fourth straight win keeps the playoff hopes going.

• LF Maikis De La Cruz: 0-4, K
• SS Gavin Cecchini: 2-4, R, SB (3)
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 0-4, 2 K, E (10)
• DH Jared King: 1-4, RBI, K
• 1B Jairo Perez: 2-4, R, HR (10), RBI, K
• 3B Phil Evans: 2-4, 2 2B, K
• C Cam Maron: 1-4, R
• RF Eudy Pina: 1-3, BB, K
• CF Gilbert Gomez: 0-4
• RHP Seth Lugo: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, WP
• RHP Jake Kuebler: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K, S (2)

Low-A -Savannah Sand Gnats(40-29 / 84-49)__________________________________

SAVANNAH 6, ROME 5 (Box)

Even with an eight-game losing streak in the mix, Savannah is 11 games over .500 for the second half, and 35 over on the season. John Gant picked up his 11th win in this one.

• SS Yeixon Ruiz: 0-5, K, 2 E (29); Every time I do a report it has gotten to point where I reflexively write "E" before even looking at the box score.
• 2B Jorge Rivero: 1-5, R, HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 K
• 1B Matt Oberste: 1-5, R, 2 K
• DH Jonathan Leroux: 1-4, 3 K
• RF Victor Cruzado: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB (10)
• C Colton Plaia: 1-4, R, HR (4), RBI
• LF Stefan Sabol: 0-3, BB, K
• 3B Nelfi Zapata: 2-4, RBI, K
• CF Patrick Biondi: 1-3, R, RBI, BB
• RHP John Gant: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R/1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, HB
• RHP Ricky Knapp: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Dawrin Frias: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (40-33)__________________________________

BROOKLYN 2, TRI-CITY 3 (Box)

Where Brooklyn's bats at?

• C Adrian Abreu: 1-5, 2B, 2 K, E (8)
• SS Amed Rosario: 3-4, R, BB, K, E (20)
• LF Michael Conforto: 1-4, K
• 3B Jhoan Urena: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K
• 1B Pedro Perez: 0-4
• RF Michael Bernal: 0-2, R, BB, HBP
• CF Tucker Tharp: 0-4, K
• 2B Anthony Chavez: 2-3, RBI, BB, K
• DH Joe Tuschak: 0-4, K
• RHP Corey Oswalt: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, HR
• RHP Gaither Bumgarner: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Rookie -Kingsport Mets(34-34)__________________________________

KINGSPORT 5, ELIZABETHTON 2 (Box)

The K-Mets got their winning ways together to ensure they aren't the only team below .500 in the Mets system.

• SS Leon Canelon: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, K, SB (3)
• 2B Branden Kaupe: 0-3, R, BB, K
• 3B Jean Rodriguez: 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K, 2 SB (4)
• LF Oswald Caraballo: 1-4, 2 RBI, K
• 1B Luis Ortega: 1-4, R, 2 K
• RF Jose Figuera: 0-3, 2 K
• RF Wuilmer Becerra: 0-1
• DH Zach Mathieu: 0-3, BB, K
• CF Ivan Wilson: 0-4, 2 K; As Jeff mentioned yesterday, it is a beautiful profile with an awful hit tool.
• RHP Persio Reyes: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K, WP, BK, HB
• LHP Blake Taylor: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• RHP Alex Palsha: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Rookie -GCL Mets(33-27)__________________________________

Star of the Night

Steven Matz and Amed Rosario, who is 18 years old.

Goat of the Night

A battery: Kevin Plawecki and Gonzalez Germen