Series Recap: Mets Lose 2 of 3 To Phillies, Drop 3rd Straight Series

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets

Series Recap, May 9^th – May 11^th

May 9th	Phillies 3	Mets 2
May 10th	Phillies 5	Mets 4
May 11th	Phillies 4	Mets 5

It was another rough series for the Mets, as the Phillies were able to come into Citi Field and take two of three in the series. Both teams were coming into the series after getting swept in their previous series played. It would have been a second consecutive series on the wrong side of a sweep for the Mets had their offense not bailed them out in the ninth inning on Mother’s Day. A rough May continued for the Mets, as they have lost all three series played, losing eight of 10 games played. Their record now sits at 17-19 on the season, with an uninspiring 9-10 record at home. The Phillies also have a 17-19 record, and are 11-10 on the road. Next up for the Mets is the Subway Series, four games against the New York Yankees

-Positives

Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images

Yankees Falter Late Against the Brewers

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 11th, 2014

New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Brewers Post Game Recap

Final Score: Yankees 5 Brewers 6

On Sunday afternoon the New York Yankees were unable to win the rubber-game of the inter-league series with the Milwaukee Brewers, as they lost on Sunday by a score of 6-5. The loss moves the Yankees to 19-17 on the season, which is 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

Yankees Starter David Phelps struggled in his second start of the season, as even with a three-run lead handed to him in the first inning, Phelps got a no decision, as the bullpen let him down in relief. He finished going five innings allowing four runs on eight hits, three walks, and only struck out one batter.

Brewers starter Matt Garza didn’t fair much better on Sunday, as he had a tough first inning but did settle down afterwards. Garza finished going five innings allowing the three runs on six hits, and four walks. Kelly Johnson got the big hit off of Garza in the first, as he hit a ground-rule double to score two runs.

In the sixth inning the Yankees bullpen struggled after Phelps allowed back to back base-hits, as Matt Thornton came in and allowed an RBI single to Jonathon Lucroy. Dellin Betances quickly replaced Thornton, but after a pop-out bunt by Carlos Gomez, Betances gave up two more runs on a double by Logan Schafer, and then a RBI ground-out from Rickie Weeks, who had a nice day at the plate.

The Yankees would rally in the top of the ninth after being down to their final strike with Mark Teixeira at the plate. Teixeira would take Francisco Rodriguez deep to tie the game in the ninth, as it was his seventh homerun of the season, and a clutch hit if their ever was one.

Sadly for the Yankees despite the homerun from Teixeira in the ninth, they would not force extra innings, as Adam Warren couldn’t keep it a tie game in the bottom of the ninth. Warren would allow a double to Weeks, who then advanced to Third Base on a wild pitch. With Weeks on Third, Mark Reynolds was able to single him home to end the game in walk-off fashion and hand Warren his second loss of the season.

Next up for the Yankees will be the start of the Subway Series against the New York Mets on Monday night, as Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 4.43) will be facing off against Bartolo Colon (2-5, 5.36).

Nets Hand the Heat First Loss of Playoffs

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 10th, 2014

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 3 Recap

Final Score: Heat 90 Nets 104

In a must win Game 3 at home for the Brooklyn Nets, they were able to avoid the certain series loss if they fell in Game 3 to the Miami Heat. The victory keeps hope alive for the Nets, as they were able to control the defending champs for most of the game with a barrage of three-pointers.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

As it has been so many times for the Nets in the postseason thus far, it was Joe Johnson who was the Nets best player. In a well balanced scoring attack for the Nets, Johnson led the team with 19 points on seven for 10 shooting, which included five three-pointers made. Johnson continued to do a good job recognizing when to make the pass, as he had six assists.

Positives:

Brooklyn’s bench played a big factor in the Nets victory, as Mirza Teletovic and Andray Blatche were both in double figures off of the bench. Teletovic was one of the main guys in the Nets three-point barrage, as all of his shot were from behind the arc. He went four for seven from deep for 12 points to go along with six rebounds in 19 minutes. Blatche was a monster for the Nets, as he was able to notch a double-double in just 20 minutes. Blatche finished with 15 points on five for 10 shooting with 10 rebounds in what was his best game by far of the series.

The combination of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were both able to have nice efficient, effective games for the Nets in their supporting roles on Saturday. They were both in double figures, as Pierce finished with 14 points on five for 10 shooting, and Garnett was able to add 10 points on five for six shooting.

On defense the Nets did a much better job stopping Ray Allen, who scored 19 points in Game 1 and then 13 points in Game 2. Game 3 however Allen scored just nine points on two for six shooting and missed his only three-point attempt. Alan Anderson and Allen got into a little skirmish in the second half that resulted in double technicals for both players.

Chris Bosh was also held in check by the Nets, as Miami’s third weapon had a quiet Game 3. Bosh finished with just 12 points on five for 11 shooting with just five rebounds, as it was the worst game of the series so far for Bosh, and the Heat clearly missed his production.

Negatives:

Trying to stop the great duo of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James is going to be a difficult task, but with the their supporting cast have bad games for the most part, the Nets were able to survive good games from Wade and James. Wade finished with 20 points on nine for 18 shooting. James scored 16 points in the first quarter, as it looked early like it was going to be a special game from James. He finished with 28 points on eight for 15 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and five assists.

Next up for the Nets will be Game 4 in Brooklyn on Monday, as Brooklyn will look to even up the series.

Series Recap: Mets Swept by Marlins

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins

Series Recap, May 5^th-May 7^th

May 5th	Mets 3	Marlins 4
May 6th	Mets 0	Marlins 3
May 7th	Mets 0	Marlins 1

Click here for Game 2 Recap

The New York Mets road trip came to a disastrous end, as they Miami Marlins swept them in the three-game series. The Mets fell under .500 for the first time since April 19^th, losing six of their last seven games as the Marlins pitching staff mowed down the Mets lineup every night. The Mets were unable to get anything going against a Marlins team that has been dominant at home with a 17-5 record. Here are some things to take away from the series.

-Positives

The Mets starting pitchers were able to bounce back after ugly performances against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. All three starters, Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and Zack Wheeler, threw quality starts and lasted at least six innings. Niese continues to toss gem after gem for the Mets. Through six starts on the season, Niese owns a 1.82 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 39.2 innings. He has given up one or less earned runs in four start starts, yet disappointingly, he only has a 2-2 record to show for his efforts.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Mets Blanked By Marlins as Road Trip Struggles Continue

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, May 6^th, 2014

New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins

Post Game Recap

The New York Mets road trip struggles continued again Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins, as they were shut out 3-0. It is the second consecutive loss for the Mets in Miami, who have lost five of their last six games since opening the road trip with a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. This was only the fifth time all season that the Mets did not hold a lead at some point in the game. With the loss the Mets fall back to .500 with a record of 16-16. The Marlins run their record to 18-15, with a dominating home record of 16-5.

Tonight the Mets were shutdown by Henderson Alvarez. Alvarez went the distance, tossing a complete game shutout. The Mets did not mount much of a threat offensively all evening, managing only six hits. Alvarez struck out seven over his nine innings as well. Alvarez is the first Marlin since Dontrelle Willis on July 3^rd, 2005 to shut out the Mets.

Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Bullpen Walks the Park in Yankees Loss to Angels

espn.go.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 5^th, 2014

New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Angels

Final Score: Yankees 1 Angels 4

The New York Yankees had the tough task of traveling to the West Coast without getting an off-day, as on Monday the Yankees offense and bullpen looked like they forgot to make the trip to Los Angeles. The loss to the Angels moves the Yankees to percentage points behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East with a (16-15) record.

Getting his first start of the season, David Phelps was very good for the Yankees, even though he didn’t factor in the decision. Phelps went 5.1 innings allowing just one run on three hits and one walk, while throwing 87 pitches. The only problem Phelps had was in the fifth inning, as Ian Stewart was have an RBI ground-out.

Angels Starter Jered Weaver was fantastic against the Yankees, as he shutdown their offense and deserving picked up his third win of the season. Weaver went eight innings allowing just one run one six hits, one walk, and struck out seven batters.

Nets Narrowly Defeat Raptors in Game 7

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 4^th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Game 7 Recap

Final Score: Nets 104 Raptors 103

In a win or go home Game 7 in a hostile arena in Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets were able to survive the young Raptors for a thrilling Game 7 victory on Sunday. A few missed free throws at the end of the game for the Nets nearly cost them, but a block by Paul Pierce on Kyle Lowry sealed the deal for the Nets, as the advanced to the next round.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Easily the best player for the Nets throughout the entire series was Joe Johnson, and Game 7 was no different. Johnson finished with a team-high 26 points on 11 for 25 shooting, with four rebounds, and four assists. The Raptors threw the kitchen sink at Johnson with multiple defenders guarding him and frequent double-teams, but Johnson made the right pass out almost every time, as he could have a lot of hockey assists.

Positives:

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were in different roles in this Game 7 than previous seasons. They both only played 25 minutes, but it was an effective one from both of them. Pierce finished with 10 points on four for 10 shooting, but made the play of the game for the Nets blocking Lowry's shot in the final seconds. Garnett had a very good game, as he was able to notch a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, as it was his first double-double since February 1^st.

Sabathia Struggles Yet Again in Yankees Loss to Rays

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 4^th, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees

Final Score: Rays 5 Yankees 1

In Sunday's finale of the three-game series between the Rays and Yankees, the Yankees were unable to win the rubber game with C.C. Sabathia on the mound against Erik Bedard. The loss moves the Yankees to (16-14) on the season, but they are still atop the ultra tight AL East.

Once again for the Yankees like much of last season, C.C. Sabathia struggled, as their has to be some major concerns brewing about the former ace after a poor start to the season. In already his fourth loss of the season, Sabathia allowed five runs on 10 hits and a walk, as Joe Girardi had to pull him in the fourth inning with things getting out of hand. In 2014, Sabathia has an ERA of 5.75, as what the Yankees hoped would be a bounce back season for Sabathia isn’t looking like that at all.

Rays Starter Erik Bedard shutdown the Yankees offense on Sunday for his first win of the season, as the Yankees offense struggled to get anything going against him. Bedard went six innings allowing just one run on six hits and one walk, while striking out three batters. The Yankees were only able to produce a run in fourth inning, as Yangervis Solarte hit a sac-fly to score Mark Teixeira.

Series Recap: Mets Get Roughed Up By Rockies, Drop 3 of 4

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies

Series Recap, May 1^st – May 4^th

May 1st	Mets 4	Rockies 7
May 2nd	Mets 2	Rockies 10
May 3rd	Mets 10	Rockies 11
May 4th	Mets 5	Rockies 1

Click here for Game 3 Recap

The New York Mets ran into a buzz saw once again in Colorado, as the Colorado Rockies were able to take three of the four in the series this weekend. It was a rough weekend for the pitching staff as a whole, as the hitter’s haven of Coors Field did not disappoint. The Rockies have one of the best offenses in the MLB and they showed the Mets exactly why. The Mets record now sits at 16-14 with a road record of 8-6. The Rockies ran their record to 19-14, with a record of 11-5 at home.

-Positives

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Mets Losing Streak Hits 3 as Pitching Staff is Roughed Up

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Saturday, May 3^rd, 2014

New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies

Post Game Recap

The New York Mets struggles in Colorado continued Saturday night, as they fell to the Colorado Rockies 11-10. It was a struggle for the Mets pitching staff tonight, as they blew two separate leads in the game. The loss gives the Mets three straight, as they have struggled mightily to keep up with the Rockies in the thin air of Denver. The Mets have struggled in Denver in recent memory, losing 21 of 29 games there since 2007. Tonight was the second straight season they blew a six-run lead to the Rockies there.

 

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Tonight the culprit was Jenrry Mejia. For the second consecutive start, Mejia struggled mightily. After cruising through the first four innings without many problems, Mejia ran into a road block in the fifth inning.

Tanaka Stays Perfect, as Yankees Defeat Rays

mcall.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 3rd, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees Post Game Recap

Final Score: Rays 3 Yankees 9

The New York Yankees were able to bounce back nicely after Friday night’s extra-inning marathon loss with a rather easy win on Saturday. The win moves Yankees to (16-13) on the early season, as they are currently .5 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

Yankees Starter Masahiro Tanaka didn’t have his best stuff on Saturday, but was still very good and improved to (4-0) on the season. Tanaka went a much needed seven innings for the Yankees bullpen, as he allowed three runs on eight hits, with five strikeouts. Tanaka would get hurt a bit by the long ball on Saturday, as Desmond Jennings and Wil Myers each hit solo-homeruns off of him.

For the Rays, Jake Odorizzi got the start, but he didn’t factor in the decision or last very long in the game. Odorizzi went just four innings while allowing three runs on five hits and two walks, as he didn’t help out the Rays bullpen much after the long game on Friday.

Nets Defeat Raptors to Force Game 7

usatoday.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 2nd, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 6 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 83 Nets 97

The Brooklyn Nets were able to bounce back from their Game 5 loss in Toronto with a Game 6 victory in the Barclays Center to keep their season alive, and force another Game 7 in what has been a great First Round in the Playoffs this season.

Player of the Game: Deron Williams

For the Nets their recipe is to win is pretty simple, when Deron Williams’ plays well they win, and luckily in Game 6 for the Nets, he played well. The Nets Point Guard was under a lot of pressure heading into the elimination game, as he responded well with a team-high 23 points on eight for 16 shooting, including four three-pointers. The aggressive Williams also had five rebounds, four assists, and one steal to help lead the Nets to the victory.

Positives:

The very solid performance from Williams also came at the expense of Lowry, who had by far his worst game of the series, which was a great sight for Brooklyn. Lowry, who was coming off a 36-point game in Game 5, was held in check in Game 6. He was only able to score 11 points on a poor four for 16 shooting night from the field, and also turned the ball over four times. If Williams can outplay Lowry like this or even keep it close stats wise in Game 7 the Nets will be in great shape to advance.

Yankees Get Shutdown By Roenis Elias and Mariners

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

May 1st, 2014

Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees Post Game Recap

Final Score: Mariners 4 Yankees 2

For the second straight day the New York Yankees were unable to defeat the Seattle Mariners and Robinson Cano on Thursday night. The loss moves the Yankees to (15-12) on the season, and now the Baltimore Orioles are closing in on first place in the AL East, as they are just .5 games behind.

Making only his sixth start in the majors, Mariners Starter Roenis Elias looked fantastic against the Yankees in his second win of the season. Elias pitched seven strong innings allowing just two runs, only one of which was earned, while striking out 10 batters on 110 pitches. Due to the rain delay on Tuesday, the Mariners could have gone with Felix Hernandez, but instead stuck to the rotation, and it paid off.

Yankees Starter Hiroki Kuroda wasn’t all that good again after a horrendous start against the Angels, as he picked up his third loss of the season. In six innings of work Kuroda allowed four runs, three of which were earned on seven hits, and one walk. After the fourth inning Kuroda would settle down a bit, but the damage was already done.

Robinson Cano was once again booed by Yankees fans, and after a 1 for 5 return to face his old team on Wednesday he followed it up with a 1 for 4 two RBI game on Thursday.

After three games off with a sore hand, Jacoby Ellsbury made his return to the Yankees, and made an impact early. Ellsbury was one of the few Yankees to find success against Elias, as he hit a solo-homerun to lead off the game, which was his first homerun as a Yankee.

The bullpen was strong for the Yankees after the tough start from Kuroda, as Matt Thornton, Adam Warren, and Shawn Kelley combined to pitch a scoreless final three innings, where the Mariners only got one hit off of them.

A strong performance from the Yankees bullpen was matched by the Mariners bullpen, as with the lead they went to Yoervis Medina, who pitched the eighth inning, and then was followed by Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning, as he earned his sixth save of the season.

Next up for the Yankees will be a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, as Friday Starters will be Vidal Nuno (0-0, 6.59) going against David Price (3-2, 4.75).

Nets Game 5 Comeback Falls Just Short Against Raptors

newyork.cbslocal.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 30th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 5 Recap

Final Score: Nets 113 Raptors 115

In a crucial Game 5 on the road after losing Game 4 at home due to a late game scoring drought, the Nets found themselves down by 26 points at one point on Wednesday night, but fought back. Their miraculous attempt of a comeback however came up a little short, as after a offensive rebound on a missed free throw on purpose by Andray Blatche, he threw a wild pass over Deron Williams head, leading to a backcourt violation and a loss.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

As it has been for most of the series, Joe Johnson has been the Nets go to guy, and in an important Game 5 it was no different. Johnson took over the game for the Nets in the second half, as he finished with a team-high 30 points on 13 for 23 shooting, and was the major catalyst in the Nets attempted comeback. Johnson was a ridiculous +22 when on the court in the loss, but his early foul trouble in the first half certainly put the Nets behind the eight-ball.

Positives:

When the Nets went down by 26, Jason Kidd would strike gold with a few bench players, as Mirza Teletovic, Alan Anderson, and Blatche were big parts of the comeback. Teletovic was the Nets best player off the bench, as he finished with 17 points on six for 10 shooting, which included four three-pointers, and seven rebounds. Anderson also played well down the stretch, as he scored 13 points on four for seven shooting, and had two four-point plays in the fourth quarter.

Yankees Lose in Robinson Cano's Return

nypost.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 29th, 2014

Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees Post Game Recap

Final Score: Mariners 6 Yankees 3

In Robinson Cano’s return to Yankees Stadium, the New York Yankees were unable to defeat their former star and his new team the Seattle Mariners, as they lost 6-3. The loss moves the Yankees to (15-11) on the season, which is two games in front of the field in the AL East.

Yankees Starter C.C. Sabathia had a rough outing on Tuesday, as after receiving a two-run lead to work with, and Sabathia let it all up. Sabathia, in his third loss of the season gave up four runs on nine hits in five innings. The fifth inning was where all the damage was given up by Sabathia, as the Mariners ripped off a four-run inning.

For the most part the Yankees did a good job holding their former player Cano in check, as he went 1 for 5 with an RBI, run scored, and struck out twice. Cano was greeted by a lot of boo’s and a chant of “You Sold Out” by Yankees fans.

Seattle got a good start from veteran Chris Young, who earned his first victory of the season. Young gave up two-runs, only one of which was earned on three hits and three walks in 5.2 innings.

Dellin Betances and Preston Claiborne had a tough time in the seventh inning in a manageable two-run game, but Betances let up two hits and then Claiborne allowed two more hits to charge the final run to Betances before he could get the final out of the inning.

For the most part the Yankees offense was pretty quiet, but Mark Teixeira did hit his third homerun of the season in the second inning off of Young.

The heart of the Yankees order had a very disappointing day at the plate, as Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, and Alfonso Soriano went a combined 0 for 12 with five strikeouts. Hitting with runners in scoring position wasn’t much better, as the team went 1 for 10.

2014 New York Giants Schedule Release

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

April 29^th, 2014

New York Giants 2014 Schedule

The NFL released schedules for all of its teams last week, and the New York Giants and Tom Coughlin will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 campaign. Even after going only 7-9 last season and missing the postseason, the Giants will still appear in five primetime games; once on a Thursday, twice on Sunday night and twice on Monday. The Giants looked poised to have a bounce back season, as their opponents in 2014 had a .465 winning percentage last season, the sixth lowest in the NFL.

www.bigtimefootball.com

Preseason:

Hall of Fame Game: Sunday August 3rdvs. Buffalo Bills 8:00 PM

Week 1: Sunday, August 9^th vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 7:30 PM

Week 2: Sunday, August 16^th @ Indianapolis Colts 7:00 PM

Week 3: Friday, August 22^nd @ New York Jets 7:30 PM

Week 4: Thursday, August 28^th vs. New England Patriots 7:30 PM

Regular Season:

Mets Defeat Phillies Behind Jon Niese

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, April 29^th, 2014

New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Post Game Recap

After a one hour, 28 minutes rain delay, the New York Mets were able to continue their strong play, once again on the back of a dominant starting pitching performance. Tonight it was Jon Niese who led the charge, as the Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 to take Game 1 of the quick two game series. The victory moves the Mets record to 15-11, the highest above .500 on the season, and an impressive 7-3 away from Citi Field. The 15 wins are the most for the Amazins’ in the month of April since 2007. The Phillies drop to 13-13 with the loss.

Calista Condo/South Jersey Times

Nets Offense Disappears in Game 4 Loss

nj.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 27th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 4 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 87 Nets 79

In a must win Game 4 for the young Toronto Raptors on the road, they were able to rise to the challenge and win their first playoff game on the road since 2001. The loss for the Nets evens the series up at two games a piece, and the home-court advantage switches back into the Raptors favor.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

In the Game 4 loss for Brooklyn they did receive a strong performance from Paul Pierce, who led the team in scoring. In the low scoring game on Sunday night, Pierce was able to drop 22 points on a great nine of 14 shooting from the field. Pierce added five rebounds and two assists to his final line, but was one of the few Nets to have a good game in the disappointing home loss.

Positives:

Besides Pierce the only other Nets player to turn in a good game was Mirza Teletovic, who had a strong game off the bench. Teletovic was second on the team in scoring with 12 points on five for nine shooting, shockingly none of which came from beyond the arc. Teletovic also added five rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end in a good 17 minutes of play.

Dillon Gee Pitches Mets Past Marlins

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Sunday, April 27^th, 2014

Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets

Post Game Recap

The New York Mets were able to defeat the Miami Marlins Sunday afternoon by a score of 4-0 to win their second consecutive series. Just like what the story has been throughout the early season, it was once again the starting pitching that carried the Mets in the game. The victory also puts them at a season-high tying three games over .500, with a record of 14-11.

The Mets also kept their perfect record in games Anthony Recker catches, running that record to a perfect 6-0. The pitching staff’s dominance with him calling the game continued as well.

Today it was their nominal ace Dillon Gee who put on a show. Gee tossed a gem, going eight scoreless with six strikeouts, only allowing seven base runners; three by hit and four by walks. It was the deepest Gee has went into a game thus far this season, and the second time in his last three starts he did not allow a run. Coincidentally, both of those starts are his only wins of the season.

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

Series Recap: Mets Take 3 of 4 From Reigning NL Champion Cardinals

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets

Series Recap, April 21^st-April 24^th

April 21st	Cardinals: 0	Mets: 2
April 22nd	Cardinals: 3	Mets: 0
April 23rd	Cardinals: 2	Mets: 3
April 24th	Cardinals: 1	Mets: 4

Click here for Game 2 Recap

After a rough series against division rival Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets were able to bounce back nicely against reigning NL Pennant winning St. Louis Cardinals. For fans of offense, this one was a tough one to watch, but there was outstanding pitching throughout from both sides. Being able to take three out of four from the Cardinals is an impressive feat for the Mets, and should give them plenty of confidence heading into their weekend series with the Miami Marlins. The Mets record now sits at 12-10, with a 6-7 record at Citi Field.

-Positives

The pitching staffs, namely the starting pitchers, have continued to be dominant for the Mets. They are in the midst of an outstanding run in which they have allowed three or less earned runs, a streak that now sits at 10 games. During that 10-game span, the Mets starting pitchers have allowed only 13 earned runs in 63.2 innings, which equates to an ERA of 1.84. Only one pitcher over that span has failed to last at least six innings.

 

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

That one pitcher who was unable to go six innings was Jenrry Mejia, who was forced from his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a nasty blister. Mejia was not forced to miss any starts, which is a good thing for the Mets as he is dealing right now. Mejia pitched the series opener, and dominated the Cardinals over 6.2 innings. Mejia ran his season record to a perfect 3-0 with a sparkling ERA of 1.99.

Travis d’Arnaud is clearly the starting catcher for the Mets, but Anthony Recker is making a case to get some more playing time. d’Arnaud performed better at the plate against the Cardinals, but not to the level where it should keep Recker on the bench. Recker is not only hitting more than d’Arnaud, but he is also calling outstanding games behind the plate. In games Recker catches, the Mets pitching staff sports a 2.78 ERA and .204 batting average against.

It isnt much, but Curtis Granderson actually ended the series getting hits in the final two games. With how much he has struggled this season, anything positive like that needs to be pointed out. He reached base the final three games of the series, walking in the second game once. The Mets offense has been anemic all season, and a big reason for that is the lack of production from Granderson. The Mets need him to start producing consistently and help get the offense on track.

-Negative

 

Al Bello/Getty Images

After having his 12-game hitting streak snapped in the shutout loss Tuesday, Wright now is on a three-game hitless streak. After going 1-4 in Game 1, Wright was unable to give any production for the Mets the final three games. The Wright finished the series with an ugly 0-11 performance, with five strikeouts. The Mets just have not been able to get everyone on the same page offensively this season, further emphasizing just how impressive their pitching staff has been.