What's the latest with Jay Bruce and the New York Mets Outfield?

Jose Reyes Talks Yoenis Cespedes, David Wright and 2017 Mets

Jeurys Familia Likely Suspended After Domestic Violence Case Dropped

If it ends up being 30 games suspended the Mets can live with Addison Reed as their closer during that time.

Why Aren't the Mets Considering Obtaining Andrew McCutchen?

An MVP only 3 years ago and while he had an off-season last year, his 2nd half was pretty good and for the right 'ML-ready' players he could be available. Then too, if McCutchen has a comeback year (he's only 30 so the chances are more likely that he will) he would provide excellent protection for Cespedes in the lineup. And he gives a mostly (outside of Jose Reyes) slow Mets offense much-needed speed. With 36yo Curtis Granderson slated to start in CF next year and Juan Lagares serving as his backup, Andrew McCutchen would certainly be an upgrade.

Matt Harvey: "I'm right where I want be, everything's feeling great"

Terry Collins Wants Tim Tebow At Mets' Spring Training

Mets GM Sandy Alderson on Why He Did Nothing During Annual Winter Meetings

Mets Considering Zack Wheeler for Bullpen

ESPN.com:

Alderson plans to have Addison Reed slide into the closer role in Familia’s expected absence. The team potentially will add a couple of middle relievers, ideally on one-year deals.

“The first guy we signed was a two-year deal, and that didn’t work out,” Alderson said, referring to the Mets’ signing of D.J. Carrasco in December 2010, shortly after Alderson took over as GM.

 “We’ve had subsequent two-year deals that didn’t work out all that well. In fact, we have about one a year. That’s why I think we’ll be a little bit cautious, especially with that midrange.”

Alderson said the answer may be using some of the Mets’ starting-pitching depth in relief next season, assuming everyone is healthy. Alderson listed Zack Wheeler as a potential reliever, presumably with Robert Gsellman in the rotation. Wheeler has missed the past two seasons while dealing with setbacks from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in March 2015.

Alderson suggested Wheeler may be a suitable reliever because he throws hard, and bullpen work may “minimize whatever lack of control may exist.”

“There’s no reason for us to say, ‘Well, he’s got to be a starter,’” Alderson said. “Now, he may feel that way himself. But it may be that coming back after two years he’s better off pitching out of the pen. You might have to be careful. You might not be able to pitch him back-to-back [days]. It might have to be two innings at a time. These are all hypothetical at the moment. But I don’t see any reason to just eliminate that possibility.”

I like this idea. As long as Wheeler's been gone now and with the higher risk of aggravating his injury if he continues to be a starter, he could be the in-house answer to the bullpen help the Mets so desperately need.

Steven Matz Talks Injuries and his New York Mets Future

Does the Yoenis Cespedes Signing Change the Mets Need at Catcher?

Yeah, the combination of Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Plawecki and Rene Rivera (who is definitely coming back per a one-year deal he just signed) were pretty bad offensively and defensively last season. But with Cespedes back in the fold and hopefully Sandy Alderson doing the right thing by keeping Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce for 2017, do the Mets really need a change at catcher?

I mean, Met pitchers seem to always praise their backstops ability to call a good game and considering that we traded a Cy Young winner to get d'Arnaud, I wouldn't be quite ready to give up on him just yet (tho it's kind of scary how powerless he looked at the plate when he came back from his latest injury in 2016). Plus with the market being pretty low for catchers (yeah, Matt Wieters is still out there, but he's 30yo and injury-prone, so how long does he have left playing catcher?) these days and the need to acquire bullpen help being great, it might be in the Mets best interests to keep what they have, save money and hire a new catching coach instead.

Mets Re-Sign Yoenis Cespedes for 4 Years and $110 Million

I was hoping for a 5-year deal, but whatever. He's back and that's all that matters because the Mets window for winning is now.

SNY's Mets Hot Stove checks in with Wilmer Flores

What can David Wright still contribute to the New York Mets?

So Jose Reyes, who should be playing every day and batting leadoff anyway, will be backing up Wright at 3rd?

What's Next for Jeurys Famila and the New York Mets Bullpen?

Bring back back Jerry Blevins and sign Boone Logan too, then make Addison Reed your closer while Familia's gone...there's your answer.

Neil Walker Accepts Mets’ Qualifying Offer; Yoenis Cespedes Rejects It

NYTimes.com:

Second baseman Neil Walker informed the Mets just before a 5 p.m. deadline on Monday that he would accept a $17.2 million qualifying offer for 2017, a decision that keeps one of the team’s two most important free agents in Queens.

The other, the star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, rejected the Mets’ qualifying offer, as expected, making him perhaps the most attractive free agent on the market.

Although Cespedes declined the offer, that does not preclude the Mets from continuing to pursue him. General Manager Sandy Alderson made clear last week at the annual general managers’ meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., that the team was serious about re-signing Cespedes.

Alderson had also said the Mets wanted to keep Walker, 31, for next season — and beyond that, if possible. Walker, a switch-hitter, replaced Daniel Murphy at second base in 2016, hitting a team-leading .282 with an .823 on-base plus slugging percentage, second on the team only to Cespedes’s .884. Walker also hit 23 home runs and emerged as a clubhouse leader.

I like Walker, but his injury is a tough one to come back from and with Reyes and TJ Rivera around for next to nothing and capable of playing 2nd base, I figured that the Mets could save some money and put it on a quality relief pitcher instead. Now the question is: do you possibly move Walker to 1st base, let Reyes play 2nd full-time? Because I don't see how Reyes doesn't leadoff and play every day.

Bartolo Colon Signs With Braves, Big Sexy Era With Mets Ends

"Key component" is an understatement as without Colon we don't make the playoffs this year. His pitching, durability and of course, his hitting will be missed. By guess is that Zach Wheeler, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellmann will all have a shot at being the 5th man in the rotation.

Yoenis Cespedes Opts Out of Mets Contract, Walks Away from $47 5 Million

NYTimes.com:

Eight hours after the final out of the World Series on Thursday, the first of many critical periods in the Major League Baseball off-season calendar began. Starting then, teams knew they had until Monday to extend a $17.2 million qualifying offer to any of their players eligible for free agency, who would then have a week to accept.

Teams can exclusively negotiate with their pending free agents until a minute before Tuesday. If no deal is reached, the players may sign with anyone.

Saturday, however, brought one of the most significant dates of the hot stove season: Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes exercised the opt-out clause in his contract ahead of a midnight deadline. He will forgo the $47.5 million and two years remaining on his contract, but given his strong 2016 season, many in baseball think Cespedes could draw offers of $100 million.

During Cespedes’s year and a half with the Mets, his powerful bat helped carry them to the World Series in 2015 and to the National League wild-card game this season. He hit .280 with 31 home runs and a .884 on-base plus slugging percentage in 2016. The Mets would like to retain Cespedes and could employ the same strategy they used last off-season, when re-signing him initially appeared to be a long shot.

Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson waited out the rest of the market, and Cespedes, who wanted to stay in New York, signed a three-year, $75 million deal in late January that included the opt-out clause.

Since it's all about the money and how much Lamborghini's this guy can buy, a part of me is tempted to say Hasta la vista to Cespedes. But frankly speaking, we need him...bad. Sandy Alderson and Mets ownership just have go to get this down and sign him to a longterm deal.

RELATED: Sandy Alderson needs to lock up Yoenis Cespedes long-term — even if Mets have to overpay

Terry Collins Talks New York Mets Future

Jeurys Familia Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge

Mets Interested in bringing back Bartolo Colon, but 'nothing's close,'

NJ.com:

The Mets' quintet of young aces are all expected to be healthy in 2017, but pitching depth will be important following the barrage of injuries that ravaged the club's starting rotation this season. 

With Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler all coming off surgery next year, the Mets will likely look to re-sign veteran Bartolo Colon in order to retain a degree of durability in their rotation. While the Mets are interested in bringing back Colon, there has been little headway in negotiations thus far, according to a report from FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman.  

"Nothing's close on that, but no one would be surprised to see Colon return to Queens," Heyman writes. 

Colon signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal to stay with the Mets last winter and was expected to move to the bullpen in July once Wheeler returned from Tommy John surgery. But Wheeler hits some bumps in his rehab and didn't return to the majors in 2016, allowing Colon to remain in the rotation for the entire season. 

The 43-year-old Colon ultimately went 15-8 with a 3.43 ERA, earning his fourth career All-Star Game selection and leading the Mets' pitching staff in wins and innings pitched (191 2/3).

I refuse to worry about the Mets re-signing Bartolo Colon because the Mets know damn well that they NEED Bartolo next year.

Curtis Granderson wins 2016 Roberto Clemente Award

CBSSports.com:

Major League Baseball annually hands out the Roberto Clemente Award to a player "who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement."

That player in 2016 is Curtis Granderson of the Mets. He was given the award on field before Game 3 of the World Series to a rousing ovation from the Wrigley Field faithful.
How did Granderson win this one? Let's listen to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred:

The Grand Kids Foundation does unbelievable work: Gives baseball clinics, provides playing opportunities to kids that otherwise wouldn't have those opportunities, and runs great programs devoted to character development.

Curtis has also partnered with some of the greatest members of the baseball family, through his foundation he's been a supporter of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, an organization that's near and dear to the hearts of everyone in baseball.

He also made a $5 million donation to our MLB academy here in Chicago. This is the single biggest donation that's ever been made by a Major League player in support of this program, and Curtis deserves tremendous credit for that donation.

Finally, Curtis has been instrumental in the building of a stadium at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Chicago that, I guess not coincidentally, is named Curtis Granderson Stadium.

Mets To Wait Out Yoenis Cespedes?!?

AmazinAvenue.com:

With the timing for his opt-out clause rapidly approaching, the Mets are weighing their options with Yoenis Cespedes. A report from Buster Olney at ESPN seems to suggest that the Mets are choosing to play the long game with Cespedes, which is to say the team would wait for him to opt out and renegotiate with them, as well as any other suitors, this offseason.

"Folks within the Mets' organization fully expect that Cespedes' representation will attempt to parlay that option into more money and explore market alternatives -- and they're willing to wait for his decision, a luxury afforded to them by the strength of the rest of their team and by a market that will be flush with sluggers," says Olney.

The free agent market is strong for power hitters, specifically outfielders, with Cespedes joining the ranks of Mark Trumbo, Edwin Encarnacion, Brandon Moss, Jose Bautista, and others, if he does opt out of his contract. 

Olney mentions that the Mets believe that Cespedes wants to keep playing in New York, but that the team wouldn’t want to offer him a blockbuster deal and would be willing to add in another opt-out clause in a new contract. Olney sites Cespedes’s age and “streaky nature of his production” as reasons for the Mets’ reluctance to sign him to a huge deal. 

While it makes sense that Cespedes would like to stay in New York, it appears that some are writing off the allure of a big-money deal, especially as Cespedes has now, two seasons in a row, put up career-best numbers. The Mets’ strongest bargaining position would likely be to attempt to renegotiate the terms of his contract before the opt-out, which would occur three days after the end of the World Series.

This reeks of stupidity and typical Mets behind-the-scene shenanigans. We've gone to the playoffs two years in a row thanks mostly to this guy and no one had bigger hits this year than him. Plus too we have enough 'streaky' players in Bruce, Granderson and Conforto, Granted, I think Cespedes wants to come back to New York because he loves the limelight here and because he's tired of changing teams. But regardless, why the Met brains would choose to play with fire when it comes to their best everyday player, is beyond me.

On This Date: Mets' Improbable Rally Defeats Red Sox in Game 6

ESPN.com:

The ending

The Red Sox's win probability and chance to win their first World Series since 1918, jumped to 99 percent when Schiraldi retired the first two Mets in the bottom of the 10th. But the last out was an elusive one.

First, Carter singled to left. Then, pinch-hitter Kevin Mitchell, a former roommate of Schiraldi’s, singled to center. Then on 0-2, Knight fought a pitch off the fists and singled to center, scoring Carter.
Red Sox manager John McNamara took Schiraldi out and brought in his other top reliever, Bob Stanley to face Mookie Wilson.

Wilson worked the count to 2-2, including a two-strike foul in which he barely ticked the ball. Stanley then threw an inside pitch and Gedman didn’t slide over to block it. Mitchell scored to tie and Knight moved to second base.

Wilson extended the at-bat with two more foul balls, then hit a ground ball to first base that became forever memorable. Buckner, still in the game, moved for the ball, bent to field it and watch it tick off his glove and roll through his legs. Knight scored the winning run, evening the series, 3-3.

Greatest game in Mets history IMO. I can still remember almost being in tears watching the game in my parents living room with my mom after Henderson hit that home run in the top of the 10th inning...yeah, I too thought the series was over right then and there. Thank goodness I was wrong.

Does Jay Bruce Have A Future With The Mets?

Forbes.com:

When the New York Mets acquired outfielder Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds at the deadline, his $13 million team option for 2017 seemed below market value. Bruce, 29, managed a .265 batting average with 25 home runs in the first half of 2016 for the Reds. Despite his ineptitude in the field and versus left-handed pitching, his first half production would have been a boon for the hampered Mets’ offense.

Bruce struggled mightily upon his arrival in Queens, however, hitting just .219 with eight home runs. To his credit, he showed flashes of brilliance over his final 28 plate appearances, batting .480.

With almost $20 million in arbitration raises, and the likelihood of extending Neil Walker’s $17.2 million qualifying offer, the Mets’ Opening Day payroll could see a $30 million spike (assuming the team makes a run at re-signing Yoenis Cespedes). The presence of Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto also displaces Bruce, putting his future with the Mets in question.

Still, general manager Sandy Alderson may retain Bruce on his team option, and attempt to spin him off in a trade.

IMO the Mets have to re-sign Jay Bruce. Michael Conforto had his chance to be an everyday outfielder, but blew it. Bruce like Granderson is a streaky hitter, but they're both vets and have proven to be more than capable of providing big hits when you need them.

Mets To Reportedly Exercise Jose Reyes' Club Option

CBSSports.com:

The Mets intend to exercise infielder Jose Reyes's club option for the 2017 season, according to Jon Heyman. If you didn't realize Reyes had a club option, you aren't alone. That nugget was reported at the time of the original signing, however, it was swept aside by the bigger issues at hand -- like remembering why Reyes was suspended for 51 games in the first place:

His wife told responding officers that Reyes grabbed her off the bed and shoved her. Sources say she also told police that he grabbed her throat and shoved her into the sliding glass balcony door.

Once the suspension was over, the Colorado Rockies released Reyes. It's not enough to say his poor play the previous season precipitated that move. We can read between the lines. (We also know that Trevor Story's emergence was probably the one thing stopping Reyes from returning as a regular in the Colorado lineup.) And, because Reyes was released, the Mets had to pay him only the prorated league minimum when they signed him a few days later -- the Rockies were on the hook for his actual salary, and will continue to be, while the Mets pay him the league minimum once again in 2017.

Reyes then appeared in 60 games for the Mets, hitting .267/.326/.443 (a 104 OPS+) while primarily playing third base. From a production standpoint, he was a fine, necessary stand-in for the injured David Wright. From every other standpoint? The entire thing was gross. It's getting grosser, since the Mets will continue to benefit from Reyes's arrest and subsequent suspension by way of the aforementioned option.

Good. Jose Reyes is a huge reason we were able to make it to the wild card game this year, you can have him at the league minimum and so far he's doing everything he's supposed to do as far as his punishment for violating the league's domestic abuse policy goes. This is a no-brainer. Only issue here is whether or not the Mets will choose to save a ton of money by not re-signing Neil Walker, then allow Reyes to be your starting 2nd baseman with Wilmer Flores and T.J. Rivera backing up David Wright at 3rd and in the infield in general. My guess for anyone who has a problem with the Mets re-signing Reyes is that they don't believe in giving people second chances--which is pretty hypocritical for so-called liberal sportswriters.

Mets Need To Resign Kelly Johnson

Small potatoes compared to all the other big decisions the Mets have to make this off-season I know. But Johnson's more than proven himself as a viable pinch-hitter and versatile option off the bench who can play both the infield and outfield. So why risk not getting him again in a mid-season deal? Plus the guy's openly said that he wants to hit like Daniel Murphy....so sign the guy to a 2-year deal already.

What If The Mets Held Onto Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner?

NJ.com:

The Mets weren't long for October, but that doesn't mean there's not a Mets feel to the 2016 MLB postseason. 

Last week, an epic relief appearance by Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was likely Los Angeles' only chance of retiring Nationals MVP candidate and October monster Daniel Murphy. Now that Washington is out, the spotlight has shifted to an ex-Met in the middle of the Dodgers' bid to upset the World Series favorite Cubs: Justin Turner.

During Tuesday night's Game 2 of the NLCS, Turner delivered with a home run in a 6-0 Dodgers win.

The soon-to-be free agent ended the night with a nice grab to seal the victory.

From 2010-2013, Murphy and Turner were Mets teammates and infielders trying to become consistent players for the franchise. Murphy eventually succeeded and helped the Mets reach the 2015 World Series. Turner—after posting just a .696 OPS in parts of four seasons in New York—was eventually non-tendered and allowed to walk away.

Now? Murphy and Turner are two of the most prolific postseason hitters in the sport. Check out their career postseason slash lines, including the updated stats to include Turner's Game 3 homer run:

Turner: .391/.500/.696/1.196
Murphy: .351/.430/.662/1.092

Honestly, I still don't believe that the Mets had to choose between offering Daniel Murphy a contract or Yoenis Cespedes. I think that if Sandy Alderson really wanted to, he could've convinced the Wilpon's to do both. IMO, despite Murph essentially carrying the Mets to the World Series by his lonesome, Alderson thought about that error in Game 5, Murph's overall defense, Neil Walker's availability, Michael Conforto's potential and yes, even Murph's unabashed Christianity and figured that he could get away with not offering Murph a longterm contract. As for Turner, while he showed flashes at times of potential as a Met, overall he was just an average player for us. And with David Wright ahead of him at 3rd base in '13, barring an unforeseen injury (ironic how that played out) there was no way he would've reached his cap staying in New York.

Mets Bench Provides Spark in Sweep of Twins

Cespedes shouldn't have played today, Collins had no business taking out Ynoa an out away from qualifying for a victory and I hate that we had two opportunities of bases loaded with nobody out and couldn't plate a single run. But we got the sweep that we needed and we're tied for the 1st place wild-card spot. That's all that matters.

Mets Can't Take Easy Schedule for Granted

Everyone's talking about the easy schedule the Mets have the rest of the way. I just hope that it doesn't get into their heads. I mean, who can't be excited about Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson hitting again? And who can't be excited about rookies like Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman stepping up and providing quality starts in the absence of DeGrom, Harvey and Matz? But regardless of their record, teams like the Reds, Braves, Phillies and Twins aren't just going to lie down for us and it's uo to Terry Collins to remind his team of that.

Mets Fail To Sweep Phillies, Still 2.5 Games Back of Wild Card

They're winning series', but also running out of time. Robert Gsellman pitched well, but Jay Bruce really needs to step it up and start hitting.

Yoenis Cespedes Homers to Back Stellar Noah Syndergaard

The Mets Just Look Really Bad Right Now

Injuries happen to every team so forget that. But not scoring when the pitching is great and scoring plenty, but getting worse pitching and losing. Guys unable to hit in the clutch, no speed, relying too much on home runs, unable to put together any kind of streak and losing series to bad teams....can you blame any Mets fan for giving up on the 2016 season? And what with 3 teams in front of them, is there a realistic shot at getting a wild card this year? I don't think so--thank goodness football starts soon.

Is T.J. Rivera For Real?

From Kevin Plawecki to Logan Verrett to Michael Conforto, Mets rookies have been pretty bad this season. But now after going 4-for-4 yesterday and hitting .364 in 7 games, the question begs to be asked: Can T.J. Rivera be the Mets rookie who can actually help this team get in the playoffs this season? Only time will tell.

It's Time For Jon Niese To Put Up Or Shut Up

Now back with the Mets fighting for a playoff spot, it's time for Jon Niese to step it up and prove to everybody that, at this point in his career, he's more than just a left-handed specialist. You'd like to think that Niese's return to a starting rotation would motivate him, but you never know. One thing's for sure: it's mid-August and the Mets need him to good, really good.

RIP Choo Choo Coleman

NYTimes.com:

Choo Choo Coleman, a catcher for the Mets during their comically dismal early seasons — and a fond, chuckle-inducing memory for Mets fans — died on Monday in Orangeburg, S.C.

The cause was cancer, The Associated Press reported, citing a niece who said he was 80, born on Aug. 18, 1935. Public records say his date of birth was a week later, Aug. 25. Numerous online biographical sources, however, say he was born on Aug. 25, 1937, indicating he was 78.

Coleman had a brief big league career, playing in parts of four seasons, and his performance was undistinguished: Appearing in 201 games, he hit just .197 with nine homers and 30 runs batted in.

But he had the good (or ill) fortune of playing for the Mets in their history-making first two seasons, 1962 and 1963, when the team won 91 games, lost 231 and became legendary in its ineptitude. 

He stood 5 feet 9 and played at 165 pounds or less, slight for a catcher. His hands were suspect — he “handles outside curve balls like a man fighting bees,” Roger Angell observed in The New Yorker — and in 1963 he finished third among National League catchers in errors (15) and fourth in passed balls (11) despite starting just 66 games behind the plate. He was known for his hustle, and, Angell observed, he was speedy on the bases (though he added, “This is an attribute that is about as essential to catchers as neat handwriting”).

Coleman was a Met fan’s Met, an emblem (like so many of his teammates) of a team that returned National League baseball to New York and was welcomed by New Yorkers still heartsick at the departure of the Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast after the 1957 season.

Lowly Mets Get Swept At Home By Last Place Arizona Diamondbacks

Terry Collins certainly deserves to be on the hot seat and the Mets just need to accept that Travis D'Arnaud is a bust. However, my question is: for all the inept hitting this outside Cespedes, Walker and Cabrera, why isn't the hitting coach, Kevin Long, getting any share of the blame?

Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto Need To Prove They're Not Busts

For all the talk/criticism going on about Yoenis Cespedes going on the DL partly due to his off-the-park golf habits, no one seems to want to talk about how one man shouldn't be expected to carry a team's offense for the entire season. Or that besides a couple of stretches from Neil Walker, Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto early in the season, Cespedes and perhaps James Loney since he came to the Mets, have been the only consistent offensive performers. Then too is the fact that for all the hype surrounding them in the minors, Conforto (who's looked especially bad at the plate of late) and Brandon Nimmo have done little to contribute to the Mets this season. With the Mets struggling for playoff contention it's long past time they both step up.

Congrats To Hall of Famer Mike Piazza

Not the greatest Met catcher ever (that distinction belongs to Gary Carter RIP), but still a great player, great Met and a definitive HOF'er.

RELATED: Homer No. 1? 352? 10 greatest moments of Mike Piazza's Career

Mets Just Need To Concentrate On Winning Series

That's really all they can do: just do what it takes to win as many series' as they can and let the chips fall where they may as far as the postseason is concerned. If the Mets do their part, they'll be there in October.

Mets Need To Stop Pitching To Daniel Murphy

A Christian who's always worn his beliefs on his sleeves, I truly believe that it wasn't just Daniel Murphy's at times poor defense that made the Mets choose to not offer him a legitimate contract in the off-season (after all, the Mets do play in uber-liberal New York City). And because of that Mets fans have to deal with Murph 18 to 19 times a year in their own division as a member of the front-running Nationals. As I write this Murphy has 7 home runs against the Mets, while hitting at a more than .400 clip. Call it a coincidence or not, but it's why politics should never mix with sports and it's why the Mets need to start treating Murph like Barry Bonds in his heyday and stop pitching to him.

The Daily News Does Jose Reyes Dirty

Since his return to the Mets Jose Reyes has been totally contrite. He's in counseling and even went out of his way to speak to minor leaguers about the seriousness of what he did. He's been punished and banned by Major League Baseball too, as he should've been. But apparently all that's not enough for the holier-than-thou's in the New York Daily News offices who want to condemn the man for life for making one very bad mistake. Any wonder why professional athletes don't want to be bothered the press sometimes? Good thing Mets fans did the right thing and gave Reyes a standing ovation in his return, because we all make mistakes and he deserves a 2nd chance.

Mets To Activate Jose Reyes on Tuesday

Of course, Reyes was going to be called up eventually, but I don't know about right now. I mean, the Mets are at home and with a 5-game winning streak, playing really well. What's impressed me the most is the professional at-bats they've been taking, especially James Loney's RBI groundout against the Marlins today. Then too what with Reyes still learning how to play 3rd base, them being at home till the All-star break, Wilmer Flores getting hot and Reyes still having a cloud over his head what with the domestic violence charges controversy, you would've thought that the Mets would wait till after the break and them being on the road to bring Jose back. In other words, the timing just seems to be off.

Mets Demote Michael Conforto, Promote Brandon Nimmo

I love Conforto, seems to be a great guy, plenty of potential, had a very nice 2015, got off to a great start this season and who didn't love that throw he made the other day to throw out Emilio Bonifacio in Atlanta for an inning-ending DP? But damn, if Confronto hasn't been slumping at the plate lately, especially against left-hand pitching. And you can't just bench him. So sending him down and giving him consistent at-bats in the minors so he can hopefully work out his issues and come back later, while giving Brandon Nimmo a shot definitely seems like the wise move right now.

I Don't Want Jose Reyes Playing in the Outfield

So the Mets put a stop to all the rumors and speculation and finally sign Jose Reyes and now we gotta hear about the possibility of them turning Reyes into a jack-of-all-trades, including possibly playing in the outfield?!? Can Reyes learn how to play 3rd base (a position he's never played before either) first? Then too, recalling the Daniel Murphy and Todd Hundley disastrous turn's in the outfield, can the Mets please put a stop to this infielder-to-outfielder experimentation? If heproves capable, then let Reyes hit leadoff and play 3rd and keep it moving. After all, we're supposed to learn from our past mistakes, not repeat them.

Lineup-wise, Jose Reyes Just Isn't A Good Fit For Mets

I honestly don't care about the domestic violence charge. The guy screwed up and paid the price with his suspension--is he not entitled to a second chance in a professional sports world where athletes have done far worse and been given second chances? I think Reyes would be highly motivated to comeback and play for the Mets and Lord knows that we could use his speed. But where exactly is he gonna play? Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walked have made for tremendous tandem, offensively and defensively for the Mets. Wilmer Flores is hitting and playing pretty well at 3rd since David Wright went down. And Walked hasn't played 3rd base in like 6 years. So yeah, Reyes costing a penny and coming back to the Mets is certainly intriguing, but you're not bringing him back to come off the bench and be a pinch-runner.

Mets Should Definitely Have A Tom Seaver Statue Outside Citi Field

Yet another example of the ineptness of the Wilpon's when it comes to public relations and team history. I mean, this is a no-brainer that only Fred and Jeff could turn into an issue. Hall of Famer. Best player to ever put on a Mets uniform. The Franchise. 3 Cy Young's. 1969. Do the right thing and give the G.O.A.T. a statue already.

Cuban Slugger Yulieski Gourriel To Privately Work Out For Mets

ESPN.com:

NEW YORK -- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said team officials plan to work out Cuban defector Yulieski Gourriel, who has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball.

ESPN's Jim Bowden reports that the Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Houston Astros also are interested in the 32-year-old infielder. The Mets have lost David Wright, potentially for the season and beyond, after the captain underwent a discectomy and fusion to address a herniated disk in his neck on Thursday.

"We're going to do our due diligence on that player," Alderson said Tuesday about Gourriel. "So we've made arrangements to do that. At the same time, this player hasn't seen live pitching for weeks if not months. It's not clear how long a player in that situation would take to be ready. And, of course, there is the investment and all the other issues -- and making an evaluation currently of the player based on workouts and not game competition. But we're going to go through that process."

The Mets have not participated in the market for players directly from Cuba during Alderson's six-year tenure as general manager, but the team is now getting more serious about that route.

The Mets need another big bopper in the starting lineup....badly. I say that if Gourriel is in shape and can hit major league pitching, you have to sign him.

Mets Swept By Braves, Fall To 3rd Place, 6.5 Games Behind Nationals

No expects you to win every game and go 19-0 against the pitiful Braves, but getting swept bt ATL at home? There's just no excuse for that. Then too, you can't pin this hitting slump on Wilmer Flores or James Loney, who've both played really well since becoming fixtures in the starting lineup. Hell, even Curtis Granderson's finally come around and hitting like he should of late. The starting pitching has been fine, but the relief needs a tuneup, namely Antonio Bastardo and Hansel Robles. And let's face it: Michael Conforto just can not hit left-hand pitching. The All-break isn't here and they're only 6.5 games out, but if sending Conforto down to the minors and giving Brandon Nimmo a shot can help turn things around and boost the lineup then I'm all for it. Travis D'Arnaud is coming back next week, but with his track record, it's only a matter of time before he gets injured again. Still, with a series against the Nats soon coming up and Zack Wheeler's impending return getting closer and closer, I wouldn't panic or look to make a big trade just yet as the Braves sweep could just be an aberration.

David Wright To Have Neck Surgery, Could End His Season

Great guy, hard worker, great Met and the team captain. But spinal stenosis and now a neck injury/surgery, in addition to looking like he's on the downside of his career anyway...just equates to the idea that chances are likely that it might be best for Wright to put his long-term health first and retire after the season.

Is Carlos Beltran a Hall of Famer?

What with Carlos Beltran being 39 and currently leading the Yankees in home runs, there's been some talk lately on whether or not he's a Hall of Famer. Looking over at his career stats, I granted Beltran with about 10 HOF seasons entering 2016. And he's had a couple of great postseasons (one with Houston in 2004 and the other with St. Louis in 2012), but unless he does something incredible with the Yankees before his career is over, unfortunately he'll be remembered mostly for this moment to us Met fans. But he's also an 8-time All-Star, won a Rookie of the Year, has 3 Gold Gloves and finished in the Top 10 in MVP voting twice. I don't like that Beltran's been on so many teams (6) and he's never struck me as a 'great' player (more like 'pretty good'). So all in all, I'd say that Beltran is a borderline HOF'er.

Mets Do The Right Thing and Pick Up James Loney

Loney is a lifetime .285 hitter who can hit the occasional long ball, is well-known for playing pretty good defense at 1st base, comes cheap and I believe wants to prove that he still belongs in the big leagues. In other words, this move was a no-brainer:

The New York Mets have acted swiftly to offset the loss of first baseman Lucas Duda, acquiring veteran James Loney in a trade with the San Diego Padres, the team announced Saturday. The Padres will receive cash considerations.

The Rays released Loney on April 3 and are still responsible for his salary, meaning the Mets will be on the hook for only a prorated portion of the major league minimum for this season.

Loney, 32, had been playing with Triple-A El Paso in the Padres organization. He was hitting .342 with two homers and 28 RBIs in 158 at-bats with the Pacific Coast League club.

Face It, Chase Utley Just Loves Killing The Mets

When I think of Met Killers, yunno guys who always seemed to step it up a notch when they faced us, the first ones that come to mind are Tim Raines, Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones and pretty much any Philadelphia Phillie player in the late 2000's, but damn if Chase Utley doesn't rank highest on the list now. Because I sincerely feel that Utley just relishes faces the Mets, to the point that it's become personal. Of course, the Ruben Tejada take-out slide last year didn't help, much less the crucification from Mets fans Utley's gotten since because of it. Yet, like I mentioned before, Utley's been a Met killer since his career started and screw that rookie umpire for totally overreacting and throwing out Noah Syndergaard yesterday instead of giving both teams a warning and basically motivating Utley to bury us again with two home rums. All said, thank goodness after this series we don't have to see Utley again for the year...during the regular season anyway.

Mets Beat Dodgers Despite Terry Collins Best Effort To Lose The Game

Top of the 9th inning, 4-run lead and the manager brings in...his closer (who just pitched two days before on Wednesday, so no one can run with the old excuse that he 'needed the work') in a non-save situation because 'You’ve got to win tonight, so you bring him in.'

So basically either you don't believe that anyone else in your bullpen has the ability to hold a 4-run lead or you just forgot that your team is only a game out of 1st game and it's only May 27th for chrissakes. Since when do teams a game out of 1st place have must win games in late May, anyway?!? This was just a dumb decision by Collins and it almost cost us. Now Familia, who had no business being on the mound last night is reportedly upset at his meltdown and thanks all those pitches he threw last night, in a game he had no business being in the first place, will most likely be unavailable to pitch tonight and possibly tomorrow night when we face Clayton Kershaw. SMH.

Schein: It's Officially Time to Panic About Matt Harvey

Sorry, but I don't buy that it's time to 'panic' about Harvey--not yet anyway. It's still May for chrissakes and the Mets are only 2.5 games out of first place as I write this. I'm more worried about my leadoff hitter batting below .200, David Wright's alarming strikeout rate and why the Mets don't release the awful Eric Campbell and call up Dilson Herrera already. If Harvey's ERA is still above 5 come say mid-July and the Mets are...say more than 7 or 8 out of first place, then I'll start panicking. Till then everyone needs to calm down and let Harvey figure it out.

Curtis Granderson is Killing the Mets

It's a wonder that the Mets are a game out of first place what with the horrific start of their leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson and 2nd place hitter David Wright. Dykstra and Backman they're not as Granderson is barely above the Mendoza line with a .207 batting average (and .296 OBP) and zero stolen bases, while Wright's batting a meek .233, but leading the team with a robust .375 OBP (which alone warrants him staying in the 2nd hole despite his alarming amount of strikeouts.)

Your leadoff guys are supposed to be your table-setters and here we are in mid-May and Granderson especially has been terrible. I realize that Granderson has a big contract and that he tends to be incredibly streaky, but for the sake of the Mets season Terry Collins needs to at least address this issue (the same way he recently addressed Kevin Plawecki not hitting enough) and possibly move Curtis from the leadoff spot and put him down in the order, maybe 6th or 7th in the lineup...till he gets his bat right. If that doesn't happen anytime soon, then screw it, give Juan Lagares and/or Alejandro De Aza a chance to play more.

Bartolo Colon's Home Run Card Shatters Sales Records of Topps Now

ESPN.com:

A baseball card of Bartolo Colon's home run shattered sales records of Topps Now, the card manufacturer's new on-demand printing business.

The company sold 8,826 cards of the 42-year-old pitcher hitting a home run on Saturday. The card went on sale at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday and stopped production exactly 24 hours later.

"This moment was the perfect storm," said Jeff Heckman, director of product development and e-commerce for Topps. "It was the right player in the right market and it happened on a weekend."

So Far, Asdrubal Cabrera Is Proving All the Critics Wrong

NYPost.com:

“I believe scouts. I trust them, [but] I’ve got to tell you something: They’re wrong on this guy. This guy can really play shortstop,” Collins said. “And I think he’s gotten this opportunity because he likes to play shortstop to go out and show people that he still can. That play he made [Friday] night in the hole, no disrespect to the guys who have been here the last few years, we haven’t made that play. So he brings a lot to the table.”

Part of what the two-time American League All-Star brings is the .300 average he fashioned in April. And Cabrera is a switch hitter, another aspect of his game that causes tears of joy for managers.

“He’s dependable, that’s probably the best word,” Walker said of his new double-play pal. “You know when he steps to the plate, he’s going to give good at-bats, put good swings on balls. He understands situations. That’s the sign of a dependable player. And he’s a switch hitter, he uses the whole field and takes his walks when he has them.”

Plus he proves the scouts wrong virtually every time he takes the field. He showed it Friday — and for anybody to rave about one mid-game defensive play on a night when the offense exploded for 12 runs in one inning says something.

The guy has played solid defense, is hitting .300 and seems to be a great teammate. What more can you ask for out of your shortstop?

How Much Do the Mets Really Need Kevin Plawecki to Hit?

So with the injury-prone Travis d'Arnaud back on the DL, the spotlight is back on how much can the Mets expect from Kevin Plawecki as their No. 1 catcher. And I honestly don't think it matters that much. The Mets starting lineup, even without d'Arnaud, is highly potent. Especially with the spectacular show Neil Walker's been putting on since season started. Besides David Wright striking out too much and our leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson being such a streaky hitter, I'm not really worried about the Mets offense. Of course, Plawecki hitting around .250 and getting some clutch RBI's over the season could only help the Mets, when it comes to the overall state of the ballclub I'm much more concerned at what he does behind the plate in regards to throwing out runners and how he handles Mets pitchers. And so far, Plawecki has been doing a pretty sound job with both, throwing out a third of runners attempting to steal on him and Mets starters having a full run less of an ERA with Plawecki behind the plate versus d'Arnaud. If Plawecki continues with those type of numbers defensively and the Mets offense stays formidable, then Plawecki's offense should be the least of our problems moving forward.

Yoenis Cespedes Should Be Batting Cleanup, Not 3rd In Mets Lineup

As a baseball purist, its always been my opinion that your best average hitter should be batting 3rd and best power hitter 4th. It's really not complicated and it certainly worked for the Mets in '86 when Keith Hernandez consistently batted 3rd in the lineup with Gary Carter right behind him. That being said, why Terry Collins wants Yoenis Cespedes as his 3rd place hitter with David Wright Wright batting second is beyond me. Cespedes is a streaky hitter and the Mets best power hitter. Wright, for all his recent injuries, I feel if he stays healthy, can still hit in the .280 to .300 range, get you about 35 doubles and drive in 80 to 90 runs. Wright also strikes out a lot and is not a what used-to-be-typical 2nd-place hitter: a guy puts the ball in play a lot, can lay down a good bunt every now and again and can slash-one-behind-the-runner when you need him too. Considering too that Collins has gone on record stating how much he despises the new era of sabermetricians (which I loved because I hate it too). leaves me wondering why Collins has Wright batting 2nd and Cespedes 3rd instead of say a Michael Conforto or Asdrubal Cabrera batting second behind Curtis Granderson with Wright and then Cespedes behind them. Of course, it's easy to pick on Cespedes now that he's opened the season in a huge slump. but Collins backing up his ealier opines and going with a traditional lineup, to me, would be the best option for the Mets in the long run.

Why Hasn't Steven Matz Started A Game Yet?

Matz is supposed to be the Mets 4th starter and yet, through 5 games this season, he hasn't appeared in game. Matz was passed over for Bartolo Colon yesterday in what would normally be his spot in the rotation and I haven't seen or heard any word on when exactly Matz will finally appear in a regular season game. I know that Matz didn't pitch too great during spring training...but that's spring training. And when he did pitch last, he pitched pretty well, delivering 5 no-hit innings against the Cubs in the Mets’ final spring training game on April 1st. Matz hasn't appeared in a game since, tho there was some talk of him pitching in relief of Noah Syndregaard against the Royals in Kansas City the other day. I know that Matz has hi share of aches and pains last season, that included a stint on the disable list. But for a guy who's been designated the 4th starter and a huge key to the Mets' chances of winning this year, I just think it's strange that we haven't seen Matz pitch a game yet thin season.

Thanks To Noah Syndergaard, Mets Split Season Opening Series With Royals

NYDailyNews.com:

Noah Syndergaard just laughed as the crowd at Kauffman Stadium tried to shame him. One woman waved a sign that read: “World Champions don’t need ‘tricks,’ ” which everyone in the Mets bullpen found hilarious.

As the young right-hander warmed up, he was introduced on the video board. The sellout crowd booed.

When he took the mound in the bottom of the first, “American Woman,” blared out of the stadium speakers.

“He was cracking up,” said a friend of Syndergaard’s who was in the bullpen Tuesday. “Absolutely cracking up. He loved it.”

With his long locks flowing, Syndergaard certainly was not rattled. Public Enemy No. 1 in Kansas City because of a message pitch he threw in the World Series, just mowed down the Royals in response. He threw six scoreless innings, striking out nine, as the Mets shut out the defending champions, 2-0.

Honestly, I expect Syndergaard to be great all season. His poise on the mound and pitching repertoire are amazing and he's part of the Big Three that the Mets will need in order to repeat as division champs. I'm more excited about Jim Henderson's scoreless 7th yesterday, The Royals showed us last year what a strong bullpen can do for a team and having always been a fan of having closers (or former closers) on your team, I think Henderson along with Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia can be huge all year for the Mets.

Mike Piazza Irked That 9/11 Jersey Is Up For Auction...And Rightly So

ESPN.com:

Former New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza is not happy that the jersey he wore during the first game back after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is scheduled be auctioned off later this month.

Goldin Auctions plans to auction the jersey April 30 in New York City, ESPN's Darren Rovell reported last week.

"I'm very disappointed with the situation regarding my game jersey from Sept. 21, 2001," Piazza told the New York Post. "I've expressed my feelings to [chief operating officer] Jeff [Wilpon] and the Mets. And while it never should have left Citi Field, they have assured me that contact with the seller has been made and they are making a concerted effort to get the jersey back. I'm hopeful that an agreement can be reached and we can give back to the fans and all New Yorkers a piece of that evening that was more than just a game."

Goldin has said the jersey was consigned to the auction by the world's biggest Mets memorabilia collector, who lent it to the team for its museum but recently got it back to put it in the auction.

"We made a mistake in selling the jersey, and Jeff called Mike to express our regret in so doing," a Mets spokesperson said in a statement to the Post. "We have dedicated a section in the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum to celebrate Mike's achievements and his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and are exploring memorabilia to display in that area. We can't verify the item being auctioned, but can confirm that our memorabilia group sold a jersey that meets this description, which was not authenticated with respect to game use."

Smh. Did Mets management really need to be told that this was a bad idea to begin with? Citi Field has a Hall of Fame section for a reason. The jersey belongs there.

ESPN First Take Today - Mets vs Royals: Who will win the World Series this year?

Bobby Valentine Rates Mets Pitching Staff as Best Ever

Gotta disagree with Bobby here, as that mid to late 90's Braves staff had 3 Hall of Famers.

Noah Syndergaard Says Purpose Pitch in World Series Doesn't Warrant Retaliation

NJ.com:

Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard said Wednesday that he doesn't believe the purpose pitch he hurled at Alcides Escobar in Game 3 of the World Series justifies retaliation from the Kansas City Royals during their upcoming rematch on Opening Night at Kauffman Stadium. 

Syndergaard rankled the Royals last fall by throwing a 98-mph fastball up and in to Escobar to open Game 3, the only meeting the Mets won. A Newsday story published Tuesday reported that the Royals were still upset by the incident and "have been quietly signaling their intent to seek retribution" against the Mets on Sunday. 

"I don't think they're too fond of me, but as far as retaliation goes, I really don't know what they're going to retaliate against," Syndergaard said following the Mets' 12-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. "All I did was establish the inner part of the plate. So I don't know what this whole retaliation talk is all about. But it's going to be an interesting time.

"I simply threw a pitch on the inside corner. Elevated. A purpose pitch. I don't really see how any retaliation could be made."

This shouldn't even be news, But hey, it's still spring training so the media is desperate for headlines and thanks to the stupidity of interleague play, the Royals and Mets are facing each other to start off the season. Bottom line, Syndergaard did nothing wrong but establish the inside of the plate with that pitch which asa pitcher is something he's probably long been taught to do. He didn't hit anyone and he certainly didn't show anybody up, which would've really dumb when you consider that the Mets were down two games to nothing at the time. Instead he made a statement with that pitch and went on to pitch a great game to get his team back in the series, which in case any Royal is really thinking about retaliating by the way...Kansas City went on to win. So there's your payback right there. Now it's time to move on.

Matt Harvey Won't Miss Opening Day Despite Bladder Infection

Matt Harvey Has Non-baseball Medical Issue, Could Miss Opening Day

ESPN.com:

New York Mets right-hander Matt Harvey is dealing with an undisclosed medical issue that may place his Opening Day start on Sunday in jeopardy.

General manager Sandy Alderson declined to specify the issue, other than to say it was not related to an elbow or shoulder or anything else orthopedic. Harvey reported the issue to Mets personnel early Monday after a symptom unexpectedly arose, Alderson added.

"It's a non-baseball medical issue that we have to address," Alderson said after Monday's 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. "It came up this morning as far as I know. There will be some follow-up tests and consultation that will take place over the next couple of days."

Asked if there is any gravity to the undisclosed issue, Alderson added: "I think it's a little early to attach any level of concern. ... I think we need to wait for more medical information before we decide it's of concern, or great concern, or no concern."

Harvey will be scratched from Tuesday's Grapefruit League start against the Miami Marlins. That had been slated to be his final tuneup for Opening Day opposite Kansas City Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez at Kauffman Stadium in a rematch of Game Nos. 1 and 5 of the World Series.

The fact that Harvey could miss his Opening Day start and the Mets aren't saying why is a really bad sign.

Yoenis Cespedes & Noah Syndergaard Ride Horses to Mets Camp