The Mets defeated the Marlins today in a walk-off fashion by Marlon Byrd, and have won the 3 game series. They currently have a record of 4-2, and will visit Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Colorado on the upcoming road trip.
The strong pitching rotation has carried the team so far this season. Jon Niese has looked good in both of his starts, and Matt Harvey looked amazing in his 10 strikeout outing against the Padres. Additionally, Jeremy Hefner and Dillon Gee managed to put up solid outings and keep the team in their respective games. Today, Aaron Laffey went out for the Mets, and struggled against a weak Marlins lineup. It is unknown if he will stay up in the big leagues until Shaun Marcum returns from the disabled list, but he certainly didn't help his case today.
The bullpen struggled for the most part. Despite today's solid performance, some players began to put doubt in Met fans' mind about their future with the club. Players such as LaTroy Hawkins and Greg Burke may be on short leashes because of their inconsistent performances. Yet again, the team doesn't have too many options, so they won't be quick to get rid of either one.
The offense exploded in the first two games of the season, but was unpredictable in the last 3. Some players, such as Collin Cowgill and John Buck, came right out of the gate and played extremely well, while others, such as Ike Davis, have yet to get it going. Cowgill's production could be exciting to watch if he gets everyday playing time. At the end of Spring Training, Terry Collins said that he planned on giving Collin everyday playing time, but Collins has apparently changed his plan. He now wants to change up the outfielders every so often in order to keep everyone fresh and alert.
Buck has been the team's best hitter so far, and is actually leading the National League in RBI's. It seems like he doesn't want to just serve as a halfway-decent stop-gap catcher for Travis d'Arnaud. He'd much rather make the most of his time, and teach the young pitchers on the staff a few small tips along the way. He seems like a great fit for this team, and hopefully he continues to have success.
Ike Davis has gotten off to his usual slow start, and the strikeouts are extremely concerning. He has had a brief history of being a streaky hitter, so it is expected that he gets it going soon.
Lucas Duda has actually really surprised me. For a guy that I was quick to write off this spring, he has really impressed me with his plate discipline and power presence at the plate. Despite his poor .176 batting average, he has a solid .417 OBP at the plate.
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