A blog dedicated to the New York Mets with some other baseball thrown in.

Friday, August 11, 2006

The Producers

Only two baseball teams have allowed fewer runs than the Mets this year. One is the Detroit Tigers, who are far ahead of every team in runs allowed, and the other is the Colorado Rockies, who seemed to have figured out how to keep more balls in the park. Of course they play half of their games in a pitcher's park which certainly helps, but the fact they play half of their games in a pitcher's park is why the fact the Mets are leading the National League in runs scored and are fourth overall in the Major Leagues is so impressive. The Mets are on pace to score 870 runs this season. They have only broke 800 runs three times previously when they scored 853 in 1999, 823 in 1987, and 807 in 2000.

Since 2002, the Mets only broke the top twenty in runs scored in the Major Leagues once in 2005 when they finished 18th in the league. They have not finished first in the National League since 1990. This season, the Mets are tops in the National League by twenty-one runs and fifth overall behind the White Sox, Red Sox, Yankees, and the Indians. The Mets are second in run differential to the Tigers and forty-nine runs ahead of the Dodgers in the National League for run differential. While they might not have as deep a lineup as the American League power houses, they are holding their own. They are one of only four teams this season, and the only National League team, with over 400 extra base hits and they are third in the Major Leagues behind only Texas and Toronto, who both play in hitter's parks, in that category. If the Mets can get some hot pitching from Pedro, Glavine, The Duque, and Maine this post season, the Mets will be a tough team to beat.

* * *

  • Baseball America has it's NL and AL Best Tools piece out yesterday, and the Mets were well represented.

    BEST HITTER
    1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals
    2. Nomar Garicaparra, Dodgers
    3. David Wright, Mets


    BEST BUNTER
    1. Juan Pierre, Cubs
    2. Jose Reyes, Mets
    3. David Eckstein, Cardinals


    BEST BASERUNNER
    1. Jose Reyes, Mets
    2. Juan Pierre, Cubs
    3. Bobby Abreu, Phillies

    FASTEST BASERUNNER
    1. Jose Reyes, Mets
    2. Juan Pierre, Cubs
    3. Willy Taveras, Astros


    BEST FASTBALL
    1. Billy Wagner, Mets
    2. Derrick Turnbow, Brewers
    3. Brad Penny, Dodgers


    Strange how #1 and #2 on the list are really not fooling many people these days.

    BEST SLIDER
    1. John Smoltz, Braves
    2. Brad Lidge, Astros
    3. Pedro Martinez, Mets

    BEST CHANGEUP
    1. Trevor Hoffman, Padres
    2. Pedro Martinez, Mets
    3. Chris Capuano, Brewers

    BEST CONTROL
    1. Greg Maddux, Dodgers
    2. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
    3. Pedro Martinez, Mets


    Pedro is a stud.

    BEST DEFENSIVE THIRD BASEMAN
    1. Scott Rolen, Cardinals
    2. Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
    3. David Wright, Mets

    BEST DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP
    1. Omar Vizquel, Giants
    2. Jose Reyes, Mets
    3. Adam Everett, Astros

    BEST INFIELD ARM
    1. Jose Reyes, Mets
    2. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers
    3. Scott Rolen, Cardinals

    BEST DEFENSIVE OUTFIELDER
    1. Andruw Jones, Braves
    2. Jim Edmonds, Cardinals
    3. Carlos Beltran, Mets

    BEST OUTFIELD ARM
    1. Jeff Francoeur, Braves
    2. Carlos Beltran, Mets
    3. Andruw Jones, Braves

    MOST EXCITING PLAYER
    1. Jose Reyes, Mets
    2. Albert Pujols, Cardinals
    3. Carlos Beltran, Mets


    The Yankees appeared nine times (Giambi once, Jeter four times, Rivera once, and Mussina twice) with one of them being their manager Joe Torre on the AL list while the Mets appeared fifteen times (Wright twice, Reyes six times, Wagner once, Martinez three times, and Beltran three times).

  • Phil Humber made is second start for the B-Mets and though he lost, this one was much better. He lasted seven innings and gave up six hits, four runs, three earned runs, one walk, and one homer while striking out seven.

    Fernando Martinez and Mike Carp each pulled 0-fers, but Jesus Flores went 2 for 4 with two solo homers in St. Lucie's 6-2 win.
    Flores now has sixteen homers this year and is closing in on fifty extra base hits.

    Jon Niese had a rough outing in Hagerstown's loss. Niese went six innings and gave up six hits, seven runs, five earned runs, three walks, and one homer while striking out two. Sean Henry went 1 for 3 with two runs scored, a double, and a walk in his low-A debut.

    The Tides are the most unwatchable team in baseball. Not that I've ever seen them, but I'm just taking a wild guess. They are so bad they are even causing Heath Bell to give up AAA runs. Bell gave up three hits, one walk, and two runs while striking out three in one inning of work. He had only given up two earned runs in 26.2 innings prior to yesterday's 'nightmare' inning. Brian Bannister also had another rough outing going 4.1 innings and giving up seven hits, four runs, three earned runs, and one walk while striking out five. Steve Trachsel can feel safe again.

  • From the Devil Rays Media notes:

    Through the first 55 home dates, the Rays attendance is up 28% over last year at the same time…The jump matches the White Sox for the largest in the major leagues. Next up are the Mets (20%) and the Tigers (17%).

  • Anytime you can get your bench into the game and start them at four positions while still winning, it's a good day.

    "We've been doing it all year," third baseman David Wright said. "We got a great bench, these guys just step up. Whenever our everyday guys need a day off, you're not losing much at all."

  • Orlando Hernandez continues to look like a great pickup for Mets and aside from two outings, he has been sparkling.

    Hernandez is looking like himself recently, to the relief of Randolph and to the benefit of the back end of the Mets' rotation. Yesterday he scattered four hits and a walk and struck out four over seven innings in a 7-3 victory.

    Since coming to the Mets on May 24, Hernandez is 6-4 with a 4.18 ERA. In his last six starts, he is 4-0 with a 3.34 ERA. His last loss was on June 30 against the Yankees.


    In thirteen starts with the Mets, he is 6-4 with a 4.18 ERA, 8.12 h/9, 7.77 k/9, and a 1.19 WHIP. If you take out his two horrible starts in which he failed to make it out the second inning, he has eleven starts with a 3.00 ERA, 7.13 h/9, 7.63 k/9, 1.06 WHIP, and a 2.38 bb/9. He as gone at least seven innings in six starts and at least six innings in eight starts. Fucking swell.

  • Jose Reyes is quickly becoming the man around Queens and biggest part of this offense.

    At least they do if they're Reyes, who has a lot going for him. Pedro Martinez has said that if he could start all over again, he would be Reyes. David Wright, who got an even bigger contract than Reyes did last week, calls himself Reyes' biggest fan.

  • Mike Pelfrey is on the DL.

    OH, PEL: Mike Pelfrey has been placed on the disabled list in the minors with a strained right lat muscle and has been scratched from tonight's start. The 2005 first-round pick had made one start with Triple-A Norfolk since being demoted, giving up two runs and three hits in five innings.

  • Howard Johnson may be done as a Met.

    NO DECISION: Howard Johnson's status with Triple-A Norfolk remains unresolved, GM Omar Minaya said. The hitting coach, who was suspended for leaving the Tides without permission to attend a tournament his son was playing in last week, is expected in Norfolk today, but speculation is he may just be there to collect his belongings.

    There has to be more to this story. It is all very weird they their relationship would be severed over this.

  • Beltran apparently has a balky knee.

    "[The medical advice was] that I need to be smart, that there are going to be days where I'm going to have big pain and I just need to let the trainers know," Beltran said. "But every day I just feel something there, but [yesterday] I feel like it was sore, and I just took treatment the whole day."
  • 27 Comments:

    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    What I like about those BA lists was that it was managers and coaches that voted on these things. Not writers or anything like that.

    I think you could put Endy Chavez as one of the best bunters. He's real good. I've never seen him mess up.

    I dunno what it is but I really like David Bell at 3rd. Everytime I see a game he's in he's always doing crazy outrageous play. I like him better than Bell. He may not be a big name but I like Bell at 3rd for defense. Is it just me?

    Aww man, Mike Cameron didn't make the best defensive outfielder list?

    Kris Benson got traded for John Maine, Orlando Hernandez, less commitment, less craziness, and money!
    Fuck Kris Benson.

    12:24 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Benny - absolutely right. It also helps that Kris is on his annual "my elbow hurts" tour of duty...as for Omar, he always gets my benefit of the doubt -- I have been known to flame him for his past moves. It's either dumb luck or just smarts on his part. Somehow, I guess OPerez will work out for the best too (I hope).

    12:47 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Bell is a great team guy like LoDuca and solid player. He makes some great plays, but I think his name hurts him there, though Inge made it on the AL side.

    I think Chavez is better than Reyes, but Reyes rarely bunts anymore. I think his hot year has helped him there.

    I agree, Fuck Kris Benson....

    I think the Mets got lucky on Chavez and Valentin and the Benson deal ended up working out.

    12:53 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    i'd rather have reyes on my team than tejada, jeter or any other shortstop. reyes = swell.

    so much for going to see pelfrey pitch tomorrow.

    1:32 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Don't get discouraged Jake, you can catch Iriki or Jose Lima spot start.
    Get a look at old time friend Edgardo Alfonzo.
    Or be amazed with the young guns in Victor Diaz and Ruben Gotay.
    Should be a fun night.

    1:43 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    how about i just stay home and watch the best big league team on tv?

    oh yeah, i can't, bc peter angelos has blocked virginians from viewing nats games.

    1:47 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    3. New York Mets (Dartboard Factor = 96, +3): Anyone else feel that Jose Reyes is once again ridiculously overrated? Don’t get me wrong, he’s a very good player, but I challenge someone, anyone, to prove to me that Reyes is better than Carl Crawford. Reyes may be two years younger, but Crawford is a better hitter, better fielder (which negates the positional difference between the two), and has a much brighter future ahead of him. Crawford’s big (6’2”, 219 pound) frame suggests that he will continue to add power (as documented by yesterday’s article on the relationship between size and performance), while Reyes’ suggests that he will struggle to hit any substantial number of home runs. Reyes also has a nagging injury history, while Crawford has played three straight seasons of more than 150 games. This isn’t to say that Reyes isn’t good or won’t be good, but it’s more that I wish we would approach him with tempered enthusiasm.

    Emad

    2:15 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    buddy -- the question you posit is like asking me if i would rather have $1,000,000 or $1,000,001.

    crawford and reyes are both ridiculous.

    2:25 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    and, no, i don't mean ridiculously overrated. just look at the numbers. there is a decent argument to be made that reyes should be the number one pick in fantasy drafts next spring for leagues that count triples. that should answere the question of whether he is overrated. if you're still not sold, watch some mets games. when he plays well, the mets win.

    2:28 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    'there is a decent argument to be made that reyes should be the number one pick in fantasy drafts next spring for leagues that count triples'

    Interesting. I've never played in a fantasy league that counted triples. Seeing as how i'm currently breezing to a Top 3 finish in my current league, with minimal, almost monthly, effort, I may need to find a better one next year.

    Emad

    2:32 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    reyes = swell.

    You better believe it! I've all aboard the Reyes lovefest. I'd take him over any shortstop long term at this point.

    It might be Iriki! HA! What did you do to piss of god jake?

    oh yeah, i can't, bc peter angelos has blocked virginians from viewing nats games.

    Angelos controls that DC area. He weilds a lot of power and rules with an iron fist.

    Reyes may be two years younger, but Crawford is a better hitter, better fielder (which negates the positional difference between the two), and has a much brighter future ahead of him.

    Huh? What the fuck?

    Reyes: .296/.351/.475 - 38 walks - 60 K's - 48 SB's
    Crawford: .306 /.351 /.505 - 29 walks - 60 K's - 34 SB's playing premium power position with a less than powerful guy in center

    I case can be make for Reyes's being more desireable, but I'd gladly take both. Both are ridiculous and very young.

    Crawford’s big (6’2”, 219 pound) frame suggests that he will continue to add power (as documented by yesterday’s article on the relationship between size and performance), while Reyes’ suggests that he will struggle to hit any substantial number of home runs.

    Um, one plays left and one plays SS. Reyes can hit 20 a year after he fills out a bit. Crawford will hit more, but he should. He's a fucking left fielder.

    Reyes also has a nagging injury history, while Crawford has played three straight seasons of more than 150 games.

    Cut the kid some slack. 1st two seasons? Problems. Next two? Not so much.

    Emad, that was just silly...what site did you yank that from? I agree with jake A) it's asking whether you want $1,000,000 or $1,000,001 (Reyes could also be the $1,000,001) and B) Reyes could easily be a #1 pick next year.

    In my league, here are the top players right now:

    A. Soriano
    D. Ortiz
    C. Beltrán
    A. Pujols
    J. Reyes

    Crawford is 37th. While Yahoo rankings aren't exactly the main authority on who is better, it says something considering they are similar players on the offensive side of things.

    2:43 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Ours has triples....and sac flys....and errors....and holds...and GIDPs.....

    2:44 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    'Emad, that was just silly...what site did you yank that from?'

    http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tht-dartboard-august-11-2006/

    2:49 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    That reminds me. Is Crawford available? I heard, with all the outfield prospects the Rays have, that CC might be traded. I'd be all over that one.

    Emad

    2:50 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Reyes' VORP is and he is ranked 23rd with a 38.9 while Crawford is ranked 43rd with a 30.7....at two years younger like the article pointed out. I'd take both on my team in a heartbeat, but if I could only choose one, give me my man Reyes.

    2:51 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    There was some buzz earlier about him being dealt, I'd sell the farm for him....What's he under contract until 2010? The Mets would bet smashed at the same time with a lot of contracts though.

    2:52 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Carl Crawford
    4 years/$15.25M (2005-08), plus 2009-10 club options

    Just imagining him and Reyes at the top makes me drool. Pitchers would be having infarctions on a daily basis.

    Emad

    2:57 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    the yahoo rankings are, i believe, based on 5 by 5 format, which does not include triples. ours and my other one do. in my other league the guy with reyes is in first and will not trade him not even for soriano. he fills up all your categories. plus, like i said, we watch him play, so we know how swell he is. next year i'm picking him first i think.

    3:00 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    I wasn't sure if they actually ranked the players by league and what categories were available, which is why I stated my league. But baseball prospectus agrees Reyes is more valuable as well.

    Seems like it's a toss up in reality for what position you need more. The Mets need a shortstop more and the D-Rays...well...they have an incredible amount of each. But they went from more of an outfield log jam to more of an infield log jame. Pretty nuts. One day, they will be good.

    3:15 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    lol, Met fans are suckas, they made that trade.
    I <3 Scott Kazmir

    You are my hero tjmc! See ya in October... maybe ;-)

    3:22 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    aww man, now we need to be approved for comments? lol.
    I liked that Yankee fan guy. He was funny!
    Makes me feel superior.

    3:23 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    No benny, I was just testing I hate it.

    I'm having a crazy day at work and the last thing I needed was Yankee spam....

    3:25 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Reyes is the most exciting guy in baseball, hands down. His blistering speed and uncanny ability to run the bases and hit triples, too cool! Imagine what he will be like when he gets more experience.

    All that, and the kid doesn't stop smiling.

    The Tides vs. Columbus is the battle of two horrible minor league teams. Their talent doesn't really start unitl AA on both sides. Next year, the Tides will actually will a decent team. Every stop should actually be pretty good for the Mets with guys to watch at each level.

    9:33 AM

     
    Blogger I.M. Forme said...

    Now i hate to throw wet blankets, and i have a hard time keeping up with all these new statistics, but is excitement a "tool" now? How do they measure that, by boner-gram? Hard-nipple-ometer?

    on another note, this thread is the first time in history when a rallying cry was "fuck mr. benson" and not "fuck mrs. benson."

    9:20 AM

     
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