The New York Mets look to permanently right the ship as they head Philadelphia to continue their 9-game road trip.
By Jeremy Fialkow
Standing with a 5-6 record, New York is in fact tied with the Phillies for second place in the National League East division.
The Phillies (6-7) gain the advantage only through win%.
One could wisely predict this to be the last time that the Phillies will compete with the Mets for second or first place in 2016.
But this is baseball and stranger things have happened.
The series will begin with a bang, as Thor will descend from the stratosphere onto Citizens Bank Park ready to bring his hammer down onto a raw Phillies team.
The Mets need to come out strong on Monday.
If they have any chance of reaching the places and heights that the team desires, New York must begin to dominate the future doormats of the division.
Following this series the Mets will travel to Atlanta to battle the Braves in the final three-game set of their extended road trip.
New York won 13 of 18 total games against Philly last season. If the Mets sweep they’ll be above .500 for the first time in this young season.
Will they get the job done?
Let’s find out…
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Pitching Matchups
Game 1: RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-0, 0.69) v. RHP Jared Eickhoff (1-1, 1.50)
This isn’t news for anyone, but Syndergaard has been virtually unhittable through two starts this season. He’s definitely been the most successful of Mets pitchers through two rotation-go-rounds.
In 2015, Thor shook the Phillies going 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA, 15 K, 2 BB in just two starts.
Need I say more?
Game 2: RHP Logan Verrett (0-0, 1.69) v. RHP Vince Velasquez (2-0, 0.00)
Verrett will be making his second consecutive spot-start in place of Jacob deGrom, who was scratched for the second time, this time to deal with complications involving his newborn baby, Jaxon.
He passed his first test of 2016 last week, tossing six scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins and helping New York win their only game in that disaster of a series.
Like Thor, Verrett was handed a no-decision thanks to a stunning lack of run support in the Miami series.
Game 3: RHP Bartolo Colon (1-1, 2.13) v. RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-1, 4.30)
Bartolo Colon looks to break another milestone Wednesday in Philadelphia.
The 42-year-old pitcher has his sights set on passing Pedro Martinez for second most wins all-time for a Dominican hurler.
If he succeeds it will be Big Bart’s 220th victory of his illustrious career, and will inch him ever closer to catching Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal for the Dominican-pitching record at 243 wins.
Keys to a Series Win
Keep the Swings Coming
Seriously, New York: Stay aggressive and keep swinging the bats.
That’s all it takes.
The Mets scored 17 runs in their series with Cleveland this past weekend. They arrived at Cleveland having scored just 20 runs all season.
Since then they’ve averaged 5.7 runs after stumbling and bumbling through their first homestand.
On Friday they mashed four home runs, doubling their season total up until that game in a 6-5 victory.
On Sunday the Mets offense continued to pound, clobbering Corey Kluber for six runs before the Cy Young Award winner could record his sixth out of the game.
Keep it up.
Efficient Pitching
Of course, what’s the use of good offense without any equally great pitching?
Great pitching is something the Mets can certainly provide, and should certainly provide.
The Mets’ series starters need to stay efficient, going at least six innings in every game. New York’s bullpen is taxed. They need a break, or at the very least, less pressure.
There’s no doubt Thor will get the job done, and the ageless, unshakeable Bartolo is about as consistent as they come. Verrett is the only question mark here. Still, he’s capable of making quick work with the baseball, as he showed last week.
Player to Watch
Michael Conforto
Terry Collins made the decision in Cleveland to change things up, moving Conforto up to the 3-hole against right-handed pitching. He is after all the 3-hitter of the future for the Mets.
Collins said this to the NY Post:
“We thought he was swinging the bat good and we think he was getting on base, so we thought it was time to put him there and see if he can springboard the offense.”
Conforto made Terry look like a genius among men, rewarding his manager by hitting .417 (5-for-12) with three doubles, one homer, and three RBI during the interleague series.
Every time the 23-year-old kid steps to the plate he appears to work a count exactly as he had planned. 2-0, 2-1, 3-1…no matter what the situationm Conforto is in a hitter’s count, moving pressure from himself to the pitcher
That’s why he’s been noted by teammates and coaches for having the best plate-approach of anyone on a talented New York roster.
So, Conforto will remain the No. 3 hitter against righty pitchers, according to manager Terry Collins.
With three righties due up for the Phillies on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, this series provides the perfect opportunity for Conforto to continue his seemingly imminent rise to superstardom.
Game Times, Predictions
- Game 1: Monday, 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY/CSPh
- Game 2: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY/CSPh
- Game 3: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY/CSPh
Now’s the time for the Mets to pounce and prey on the bad teams.
Sure, the Phillies have a better record now but their pace isn’t sustainable over the long haul. Simply put, they’re not a good Major League team.
The Mets will sweep the Phillies, leaving them with an 8-6 record as they fly to Atlanta to take on a Braves team that closely resembles a Minor League squad.
It’s time to right the ship. New York’s bats and pitching are ready to produce for the next 151 games.
Bold Prediction
Aside from Thor pitching a eight shutout innings on Monday, David Wright will hit his first home run of the season, as the Mets sweep.
The Captain loves playing at Citizen’s Bank Park.
JWatch his first AB last year after missing 3+ months dealing with spinal stenosis.
All in all, he has the most zingers by any visitor in Citizens Bank Park history, hitting .292 with 20 homers and 67 RBI in 97 career games.