Post by Commissioner Erick on Jul 21, 2018 13:53:36 GMT -5
New York Mets (42-41) @ San Francisco Giants (34-49)
NYM: Robert Gselman (3-8, 5.40)
SF: Joan Gregorio (5-10, 5.33)
The San Francisco Giants sold off most of its talent last offseason, and after a brief hot stretch to start the year, have settled in as a non-contender. The New York Mets were loaded with talent, and after a miserable stretch to start the year, have settled in as a playoff contender.
Two teams finding their level square off in the Game of the Week when the San Francisco Giants take on the New York Mets.
San Francisco's pitching-and defense philosophy hasn't worked the same way with arms like Madison Bumgarner, Daniel Norris, and Mark Melancon elsewhere, but the team is still holding its own with its arms. However, despite being above-average as a staff, the team rotation needed to be dominant for the strategy to pay off.
Just as damaging, a defense that was stellar in 2017 and 2018 has seen a drop off in virtually every position. Instead of being elite, the defense has graded out as an average one this year, despite mostly the same personnel. Most of this is a consequence of aging as most key position players on San Francisco are 28 or older. The team is still on the hook for most of its veterans until 2021, so Samuel Rutledge will need to hope the defensive slide isn't anything to do with skills, and more to do with veterans knowing the club won't be making the playoffs this year and not playing up to par.
The biggest disappointment has to be Christian Arroyo though. After leading the league in average, on-base percentage, and doubles in 2018, he's cratered this year. He's only hitting .240, with a .309 OBP. He's walking at the same rate, but his strikeout percentage is up, and his BABIP has plummeted. He's been solid in high-leverage situations, but in other situations he's been brutal. If this is a temporary blip, in a down year, then it's not an issue, but the Giants are counting on Arroyo being an All-Star caliber performer for them to reach their peak.
Arroyo will take his position against a Mets team that's starting to come together and play good baseball. They went 18-11 in June, and split six games against the best teams in the National League, the Dodgers and Cubs. With six games against the Giants and Diamondbacks before the All Star Game, the Mets could find themselves the frontrunners for the Wild Card spot in the second half.
Of course, nothing comes easy with this Mets team as they continue to be plagued with injuries. Matt Cain was rushed to the big leagues and strained his forearm, sending him to the disabled list to join Zach Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. It's likely that Robert Gselman, recently exiled to Las Vegas, will rejoin the team and start in the rotation.
The Mets turnaround, though, has coincided with the bats heating up, particularly the figurehead for the team's resurgence, Dominic Smith. Smith had a high average for the first two months, but had just two home runs through June 7, which is incredibly low for a first baseman. Steve Cox even criticized Smith publically, saying he didn't look like the long term answer at first base. Smith had a two-home run game in Arizona on June 7, and wound up hitting .347 with 20 walks against 14 strikeouts, and six home runs in June, capturing the NL Player of the Month award. If Smith can provide even half of that power going forward, his high average and well-rounded skill set will play. If he can provide that level of juice though, then the Mets offense will take off.
Smith wasn't the only performer who heated up when the weather did. Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes each popped seven home runs, Justin Williams hit nine, Khris Davis batted .391 with 18 driven in, and Nick Senzel's .322 average and five home runs were the result of his finest month in the pros. The pitching staff is still a mess, but the Mets' bats have roared to life, making up for the injuries. That was the case last week, when the Mets allowed five runs or more in five of their six games. However, a pair of nine-run outbursts over the weekend allowed the team to win a series against the Dodgers and split a difficult week.
They were stymied by Clayton Kershaw who struck out an NL-record 17 Mets on Friday, in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers. With Joan Gregorio no Clayton Kershaw though, it may take Christian Arroyo waking up for the Giants to earn a win.
Questions for the GMs:
For Steve Cox, you stated that Dominic Smith wasn't your first baseman of the future a month ago, though you did state that he had the season to change your mind. Has he changed your mind?
Your Triple-A roster is a mess with only nine or so position players. How do you evaluate minor leaguers with such a haphazard approach to system building?
Ahmed Rosario is tired and has a sore knee. However, you have Thursday off and a nice long vacation coming with the All-Star Game on the horizon. Will you have him play or give him the day off?
For Samuel Rutledge, obviously this hasn't been the easiest of years. You knew your team was going to go through a retooling phase, but what has disappointed you thus far, if anything.
You didn't sign any of your draft picks this year. Not impressed with a weak class?
The Mets have been winning with the long ball recently, and you have a rested bullpen. What will be your staff's strategy for getting the Mets out today?
NYM: Robert Gselman (3-8, 5.40)
SF: Joan Gregorio (5-10, 5.33)
The San Francisco Giants sold off most of its talent last offseason, and after a brief hot stretch to start the year, have settled in as a non-contender. The New York Mets were loaded with talent, and after a miserable stretch to start the year, have settled in as a playoff contender.
Two teams finding their level square off in the Game of the Week when the San Francisco Giants take on the New York Mets.
San Francisco's pitching-and defense philosophy hasn't worked the same way with arms like Madison Bumgarner, Daniel Norris, and Mark Melancon elsewhere, but the team is still holding its own with its arms. However, despite being above-average as a staff, the team rotation needed to be dominant for the strategy to pay off.
Just as damaging, a defense that was stellar in 2017 and 2018 has seen a drop off in virtually every position. Instead of being elite, the defense has graded out as an average one this year, despite mostly the same personnel. Most of this is a consequence of aging as most key position players on San Francisco are 28 or older. The team is still on the hook for most of its veterans until 2021, so Samuel Rutledge will need to hope the defensive slide isn't anything to do with skills, and more to do with veterans knowing the club won't be making the playoffs this year and not playing up to par.
The biggest disappointment has to be Christian Arroyo though. After leading the league in average, on-base percentage, and doubles in 2018, he's cratered this year. He's only hitting .240, with a .309 OBP. He's walking at the same rate, but his strikeout percentage is up, and his BABIP has plummeted. He's been solid in high-leverage situations, but in other situations he's been brutal. If this is a temporary blip, in a down year, then it's not an issue, but the Giants are counting on Arroyo being an All-Star caliber performer for them to reach their peak.
Arroyo will take his position against a Mets team that's starting to come together and play good baseball. They went 18-11 in June, and split six games against the best teams in the National League, the Dodgers and Cubs. With six games against the Giants and Diamondbacks before the All Star Game, the Mets could find themselves the frontrunners for the Wild Card spot in the second half.
Of course, nothing comes easy with this Mets team as they continue to be plagued with injuries. Matt Cain was rushed to the big leagues and strained his forearm, sending him to the disabled list to join Zach Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. It's likely that Robert Gselman, recently exiled to Las Vegas, will rejoin the team and start in the rotation.
The Mets turnaround, though, has coincided with the bats heating up, particularly the figurehead for the team's resurgence, Dominic Smith. Smith had a high average for the first two months, but had just two home runs through June 7, which is incredibly low for a first baseman. Steve Cox even criticized Smith publically, saying he didn't look like the long term answer at first base. Smith had a two-home run game in Arizona on June 7, and wound up hitting .347 with 20 walks against 14 strikeouts, and six home runs in June, capturing the NL Player of the Month award. If Smith can provide even half of that power going forward, his high average and well-rounded skill set will play. If he can provide that level of juice though, then the Mets offense will take off.
Smith wasn't the only performer who heated up when the weather did. Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes each popped seven home runs, Justin Williams hit nine, Khris Davis batted .391 with 18 driven in, and Nick Senzel's .322 average and five home runs were the result of his finest month in the pros. The pitching staff is still a mess, but the Mets' bats have roared to life, making up for the injuries. That was the case last week, when the Mets allowed five runs or more in five of their six games. However, a pair of nine-run outbursts over the weekend allowed the team to win a series against the Dodgers and split a difficult week.
They were stymied by Clayton Kershaw who struck out an NL-record 17 Mets on Friday, in a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers. With Joan Gregorio no Clayton Kershaw though, it may take Christian Arroyo waking up for the Giants to earn a win.
Questions for the GMs:
For Steve Cox, you stated that Dominic Smith wasn't your first baseman of the future a month ago, though you did state that he had the season to change your mind. Has he changed your mind?
Your Triple-A roster is a mess with only nine or so position players. How do you evaluate minor leaguers with such a haphazard approach to system building?
Ahmed Rosario is tired and has a sore knee. However, you have Thursday off and a nice long vacation coming with the All-Star Game on the horizon. Will you have him play or give him the day off?
For Samuel Rutledge, obviously this hasn't been the easiest of years. You knew your team was going to go through a retooling phase, but what has disappointed you thus far, if anything.
You didn't sign any of your draft picks this year. Not impressed with a weak class?
The Mets have been winning with the long ball recently, and you have a rested bullpen. What will be your staff's strategy for getting the Mets out today?
