Series Thread: Chicago Cubs @ NY Mets (8/15-18)

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I wouldn't be too surprised if the cubbies come in here and take 3 of 4...or even sweep....smh.



Series preview: Mets vs. Cubs - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK

FIRST PITCH: Sharknado? No. Just the Washington Nationals.

After a woeful series against the D.C. ballclub, the Mets now entertain the Chicago Cubs in a four-game wraparound series at Citi Field.

Zack Wheeler (7-8, 3.53 ERA) opposes left-hander Travis Wood (7-9, 4.86) in Friday’s 7:10 p.m. opener.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK -- Many Mets fans fancy Starlin Castro calling Queens home next season. Is that realistic? Well, it's fun to dream.

Baez

Castro
A source familiar with the Mets' plans recently suggested that free-swinging Javier Baez might be a more realistic acquisition by the Mets, although he too would be costly in a trade with the Cubs. And the Mets are not believed to be willing to dismantle their young-pitching corps even for a major trade acquisition.

The 21-year-old Baez, who made his major league debut on Aug. 5, has four homers in his first 10 major league games. (He also has no walks.) Baez has been playing second base because he is blocked at shortstop by Castro.

The Mets got a look at Baez during a two-game spring-training series against the Cubs in Las Vegas in March.

“Big-time power,” Terry Collins said pregame Friday. “Real aggressive at the plate. Right now, probably the wisest thing is to keep the ball out of the middle. This guy has got four homers in nine games. It kind of shows you what power he’s got. We saw that out there.”

Meanwhile, the crown jewel among Chicago's shortstop prospects is Addison Russell, who was acquired from Oakland at the non-waiver trade deadline. He is currently in Double-A.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Russell will be traded before Castro or Baez are.

Castro is most likely not going anywhere.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

8/15..Friday night lineups......Cubbies @ Metsies

Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, 1b
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Eric Campbell, lf
Juan Lagares, cf
Wilmer Flores, ss
Zack Wheeler, rhp




Chris Coghlan, lf
Javier Baez, 2b
Anthony Rizzo, 1b
Starlin Castro, ss
Welington Castillo, c
Arismendy Alcantara, cf
Ryan Sweeney, rf
Chris Valaika, 3b
Travis Wood, lhp

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Mets sneak by the Cubs 3-2 behind Soup, Wheels & the BP.

Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets - Recap - August 15, 2014 - ESPN

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK -- Zack Wheeler wants to get more efficient with his pitch count. What he's providing now is pretty darn good, though.

Wheeler limited the Chicago Cubs to two runs on four hits and four walks and struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings as the Mets won, 3-2, Friday at Citi Field. Wheeler, who tossed a career-high 120 pitches, improved to 5-0 with a 2.02 ERA in his past nine starts. Now 8-8, he reached .500 for the first time this season. He has not completed seven innings in any start during that unbeaten stretch, though.

USA TODAY Sports. Zack Wheeler is 5-0 in his past nine starts.




"Any starting pitcher wants to get through seven -- at least -- if not deeper," Wheeler said. "It's unfortunate that my pitch count throughout the season has been high. That's something that I'm definitely going to look at during the offseason and try to figure something out."

On Friday, Wheeler was at 59 pitches and had produced five strikeouts through three innings. He ultimately got more efficient and came within one out of completing seven innings for the first time since tossing a three-hit shutout at Miami on June 19.

Terry Collins said ideally Wheeler would not have exceeded 115 pitches. But the manager let him have one more batter after he struck out the opening two Cubs in the seventh. Chris Coghlan then walked, prompting Collins to insert Vic Black for the final out of the frame.

"Obviously everybody knows my pitch count is always high," Wheeler said. "I always try to pitch to contact early, but sometimes I catch myself trying to do a little bit too much sequence-wise or just command-wise. Sometimes I catch myself throwing a lot of pitches at the beginning of the game."

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK -- Terry Collins notes that Eric Campbell really is not a power hitter. If he ever becomes one, the manager added, Campbell will have a hard time talking his way out of the lineup.

Campbell's second homer in 57 major league games proved the difference as the Mets beat the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, on Friday at Citi Field. Campbell, now regularly starting against southpaws in left field, delivered a three-run shot against left-hander Travis Wood in the fourth inning as the Mets overcame an early two-run deficit.


"He was struggling with his command that inning, so I figured if he's going to throw a strike, it's probably going to be something toward the middle, just trying to get it over," said Campbell, who had watched two teammates walk that inning. "He did. He left one over the plate and I got the barrel out there."

The shot also snapped an 0-for-18 beginning to the homestand for the Mets with runners in scoring position.

Collins, meanwhile, left Campbell in for the ninth inning with the Mets nursing a one-run lead, rather than insert Matt den Dekker or Kirk Nieuwenhuis as a defensive replacement.

Collins noted Campbell has a couple of outfield assists and has overall played solidly in left field, even though he is a natural infielder. Still, Collins said, his primary motivation for leaving Campbell in the game was to keep his bat in the lineup in case the Cubs had happened to tie the score against Jenrry Mejia. That's the case even though Campbell made the final out of the eighth and likely would not have batted again until sometime in extra innings.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

• Jenrry Mejia converted his first save in a week with a perfect ninth. Even though the Mets suggest the hernia and calf issues are not impediments to Mejia pitching, Collins asserted that a light workload the past week probably has done Mejia good. Mejia was working his second straight day after a three-day layoff.

• Mets' CF Juan Lagares was so graceful, it may have gone under the radar. But he glided into right-center and easily ran down what initially looked like a dangerous shot by the Cubs' Ryan Sweeney to lead off the ninth. "He makes them look easy," Collins said.

• The backswing that struck Mets' C Travis d'Arnaud on the elbow "smoked him," according to Collins. The training staff told the manager that d'Arnaud probably will need to wear a pad over the swollen area on Saturday.

 

[HellAwaits]

The Mets managed to win a game. Holy Shit! They're still shitty though.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

8/16..Saturday night lineups....


Mets
Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, 1b
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Matt den Dekker, lf
Juan Lagares, cf
Wilmer Flores, ss
Jonathon Niese, lhp

Cubs
Chris Coghlan, lf
Javier Baez, 2b
Anthony Rizzo, 1b
Starlin Castro, ss
Justin Ruggiano, rf
Arismendy Alcantara, cf
Welington Castillo, c
Chris Valaika, 3b
Dan Straily, rhp


* where the heck is Soup +/or EYjr?

 

[tabascojet]

im going tomorrow ...whats the matchups?

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

im going tomorrow ...whats the matchups?

Mets rookie Rafael Montero (0-3, 6.12 ERA) tries again for his first major league win Sunday when he faces Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (6-4, 2.77). Montero has served up eight homers in 25 innings, the most in club history through five big league outings. He gave up four home runs in 75 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas this year.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Mets win 7-3
Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets - Recap - August 16, 2014 - ESPN

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

LEFTY SPECIALS

A look at the all-time wins leaders among Mets left-handers:

Pitcher Wins Jerry Koosman 140 Sid Fernandez 98 Al Leiter 95 Jon Matlack 82 Tom Glavine 61 Bob Ojeda 51 Jon Niese 50 John Franco 48 Jesse Orosco 47 Tug McGraw 47



NEW YORK -- Jonathon Niese became the seventh left-hander in franchise history to win 50 career games in a Mets uniform, although the southpaw downplayed the achievement after the Mets' 7-3 victory against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.

Niese had departed with the bases loaded and none out in the seventh and the Mets leading by four runs. Vic Black stranded all three baserunners to avoid an unsightly line for Niese.

“I really don’t evaluate myself on wins,” said Niese, who was charged with three runs on seven hits and two walks in six-plus innings. “It’s nice. It’s nice to get the 50th win. I owe a lot to Vic tonight for that. I don’t think I’ve seen a reliever get out of as big of a jam as he did tonight.”

With the Mets leading 7-1, Niese allowed a solo homer to Justin Ruggiano to open the seventh, then four straight singles. The final hit was an infield single off the bat of Ryan Sweeney that struck Niese in his left forearm.

“It got the meat,” Niese said, minimizing any issue. “It missed the bone, so everything is good. It’s just a bruise.”

Said Terry Collins: “He’s going to have a black-and-blue mark, but he’ll be OK.”

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Vic Black bails out Mets in seventh - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

Wright nailed in already achy shoulder - Mets Blog - ESPN New York

d'Arnaud getting beat up a concern - Mets Blog - ESPN New York


Ahhhhh..... the dog days.

 

[tabascojet]

Mets rookie Rafael Montero (0-3, 6.12 ERA) tries again for his first major league win Sunday when he faces Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (6-4, 2.77). Montero has served up eight homers in 25 innings, the most in club history through five big league outings. He gave up four home runs in 75 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas this year.

so i should bring a glove then?...daughter would love a souvenir.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

NEW YORK -- David Wright is out of the starting lineup Sunday, a day after getting struck with an 88 mph fastball from Dan Straily in the captain's already troubled back of the left shoulder.

Wright did not address reporters pregame, but a team spokesman said the third baseman remained "pretty sore."

It remains to be seen whether Wright will be available for Monday's matinee series finale against the Cubs.

Wright received a cortisone injection heading into the All-Star break because of issues with the shoulder. On Saturday, Wright lamented that the ball struck him directly in the spot that already was injured.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Good Grief.....Mets are trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the 7th...and have just 2 hits??
TC, please pull your head out of yer ass and get Grandy out of that leadoff spot.....give EY jr. some starts.
And why is Flores sitting today for Tejada today??


They can't bring the Tinkering Clown back to manage this team for another year.

We want a new skipper!!!

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Wow... Finally.....Grandy decided to clutch up with a 2 out rbi single to tie the game 1-1 in the 8th....


But then Mejia serves up a 1st pitch leadoff HR to Castro in the 9th.....ugghhhh.