Your Sunday morning dose of Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
The Mets beat the Phillies in extra innings last night thanks to great pitching from Dillon Gee and the bullpen and a big hit by Lucas Duda in the eleventh. The Mets are somehow still just six games back of the second Wild Card spot in the National League, though they will have to start passing teams in the standings to be considered in the race.
Choose your recap: Amazin' Avenue short, long, Newsday, New York Post, New York Daily News, The Record, Star-Ledger, New York Times, ESPN New York, MLB.com
With Chris Young no longer on the team, the Mets will use a platoon of Eric Campbell, who has been slumping lately, and Matt den Dekker in left field. den Dekker did not play in his first game back in the big leagues last night after catching a red eye flight, as Phillies lefty Cole Hamels was on the mound. For what it's worth, den Dekker says he has changed his swing, which might help address his high strikeout rate.
Jenrry Mejia was off last night after back-to-back outings with a sore calf, but Jeurys Familia stepped in and closed out the game. It wasn't a perfect inning, but Familia got the job done.
While the Mets have indicated they will focus on playing their young players down the stretch this year, Ken Davidoff writes that the youth movement cannot be an excuse not to sign free agents this winter.
The Mets and Yankees both like Rob Manfred in the race for Major League Baseball's next commissioner.
Bobby Parnell threw a baseball for the first time since his Tommy John surgery earlier this year.
Around the National League East
The Braves lost to the Nationals last night, which is probably the preferable outcome of any such game at this point of the season as far as the Mets are concerned.
The Marlins beat the Reds, which kept Miami one-and-a-half games ahead of the Mets but dropped put Cincinnati within three games' reach for New York.
The Phillies got into the mess they are in because general manager Ruben Amaro ignored his own rules about contracts.
Around Major League Baseball
When the Tigers acquired David Price, plenty of folks were penciling in an A's-Tigers ALCS. Well, the Tigers are going to have to earn a postseason spot first, as the Royals are once again giving them a run for their money.
Speaking of trades, the Dodgers acquired Kevin Correia, who has not been good, from the Twinsyesterday.
Over the Monster notes that Mike Trout's early and extraordinary success make things tougher for Red Sox youngster Xander Boegarts.
The Pirates are considering moving Pedro Alvarez to first base because of his defensive struggles and Josh Harrison's success at the plate.
Corey Kluber has been pretty, pretty good this year.
Yesterday at Amazin' Avenue
Matt Harvey threw again from a mound.
The Mets' contention dreams might be dead.
What is Kevin Mitchell doing in this photo?
And the Campbell-den Dekker platoon in left field seems to make sense.