“All-In” Mets Acquire Pitcher With Lifetime 6.51 ERA To Help Pitching Woes

7 May

Wilmer Font
NYPost.com:

With their pitching staff under siege by injuries, the Mets worked the trade market for relief.

The Mets acquired Wilmer Font from the Rays on Monday for a player to be named later, The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed.

With relievers Jeurys Familia (shoulder soreness), Luis Avilan (elbow soreness) and Justin Wilson (elbow soreness) all on the injured list, and starters Steven Matz (nerve irritation) and Jason Vargas (hamstring) potentially joining them there, Font will provide depth and versatility.

The 28-year-old righty had a 5.79 ERA in 10 appearances with the Rays this season — four of which were multi-inning outings — while striking out 18 and walking five.

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Mets DFA Travis d’Arnaud, Should’ve Kept Devin Mesoraco

28 Apr


ESPN.com:

The New York Mets designated Travis d’Arnaud for assignment Sunday, one day after the slumping catcher was booed repeatedly by fans at Citi Field.

D’Arnaud missed most of last season because of an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He had gotten off to a slow start this season, with only two hits in his first 23 at-bats.

The Mets announced the roster move before Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Catcher Tomas Nido was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move.

Mets fans booed d’Arnaud before his first-at bat in the second inning and again after he struck out in the fourth inning of Saturday’s 8-6 loss to the Brewers.

A rough night got worse three innings later, when d’Arnaud was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, drawing more boos.

I’ve said this before. It was a huge mistake for the Mets to let Devin Mesaraco go this past off-season. Huge. Mesaraco was great with Jacob deGrom last year, could hit with power and wasn’t a defensive liability behind the plate. Instead they went with the injury-prone d’Arnaud, degrom is now struggling mightily and now d’Arnaud is gone. SMH.

Jacob deGrom Delivered Another Stinker Last Night

27 Apr

Jacob deGrom
NorthJersey.com:

Maybe the Mets should have done another rain dance.

Intent on playing Friday’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field and pitching ace Jacob deGrom, they had to live with the results after a rain delay that lasted nearly three hours. And the results weren’t pretty.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner blew up for five earned runs in the third, giving up more in one inning than he did any singular outing last season, and the Mets were blown out yet again 10-2. It was deGrom’s third straight loss.

“My arm feels great, that’s what’s really frustrating about it,” he said. “It felt good warming up, it felt really good in the bullpen out there so to go out there and do that, that’s embarrassing.”

You can’t go from just winning a Cy Young to be being this bad so soon, can you?

Gio Gonzalez Signs With Brewers

24 Apr

Gio Gonzalez
NYPost.com:

On a day the Mets trot out Jason Vargas to the mound, a potential replacement fades away.

Gio Gonzalez is signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Brewers, The Athletic first reported Wednesday. It’s a major league deal that also includes performance bonuses. It’ll be a reunion for the free-agent starter, who came to Milwaukee in a deadline deal from Washington last offseason.

Milwaukee reportedly was more attractive than other suitors because he can slot right into the rotation, whereas the Mets may have wanted him out of the bullpen, too.

The Mets, according to The Post’s Mike Puma, viewed Gonzalez as a marginal upgrade at best over Vargas. They did not want to eat his money if he flopped.

My guess is that with the Mets in first 1st place and deGrom’s MRI coming back ok, there just isn’t a pressing need to sign a starting pitcher.

Amed Rosario Is Currently The Mets Only Shortstop

22 Apr

Amed Rosario
NYPost.com:

Amed Rosario has five errors in his past five games, but the Mets shortstop shouldn’t expect a day off anytime soon.

“We don’t have another shortstop, so he’s not getting a day,” manager Mickey Callaway said after the Mets fell to the Cardinals 6-4 Sunday at Busch Stadium. “No, he’s fine.”

Rosario’s first of two fielding errors Sunday was the more costly. It came on a weak ground ball from Cardinals pitcher Dakota Hudson in the bottom of the second as Rosario couldn’t field it cleanly, loading the bases with one out in a 1-1 game. Two batters later, Paul Goldschmidt cracked a two-run single and the Cardinals led the rest of the way.

I assume that this is why we picked up Jed Lowrie in the off-season, but he’s still on the DL. I’m also of the feeling that Rosario’s errors contributed heavily to Steven Matz’s horrible last start where the Phillies scored 10 runs in the first. If Rosario’s fielding woes continue, the Mets will really be in trouble.

Jacob deGrom Should Have The MRI

20 Apr


ESPN.com:

Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom says his elbow felt better Saturday, one day after the team had said he would return to New York for an MRI.

Manager Mickey Callaway said deGrom now may not need to have the MRI, but will be checked out by the team’s medical staff when the Mets return to New York on Monday.

On Friday, the Mets said the reigning Cy Young Award winner would be placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Tuesday. DeGrom was scratched from his Saturday start against the Cardinals.

“It’s just a little sore,” deGrom said in St. Louis after throwing in the outfield.

I mean, why take any risks? Just get an MRI to be on the safe side.