D'Arnaud breaks foot, out 4-8 weeks

Mets catching prospect recently broke his left foot during a Triple-A game. Sandy Alderson said that d'Arnaud will be in a walking boot for some time, but will not undergo surgery. It is estimated that d'Arnaud will be out for the next 4-8 weeks. He was hitting .250 with 5 doubles and 1 home run in 36 Triple-A at bats this season. 

When this story initially broke out, it seemed as though d'Arnaud would be out for at least a few months. So, 4-8 weeks is probably the best case scenario here. John Buck has done a fantastic job filling in as the temporary starting catcher, and I still expect to see d'Arnaud make his major league debut sometime in July or August. 

I am not terribly concerned with d'Arnaud's brief injury history, because catchers often get roughed up and involved in tough situations. Hopefully he takes his time and is 100% when he returns, because the Mets will need him long-term. 

Mets looking at CarGo and Stanton

According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets are currently monitoring the situations of both Carlos Gonzalez and Giancarlo Stanton. One Mets official told Martino that there is "heat" in the trade talks, and the Sandy Alderson has definitely had preliminary discussions about acquiring either player.

The Mets have shown us time to time that they are "interested" in a certain player, but never make the full push to acquire him. However, Alderson could be using the same method that Frank Cashen used with the Mets in the 1980's, as Martino points out. Cashen loaded up on top prospects in the early stages of the decade, and traded them away to receive All-Star players such as Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter. 

Carlos Gonzalez has turned himself into an All-Star outfielder ever since coming to Colorado in the Matt Holliday deal. However, many people, including myself, believe that the hitter-friendly conditions of Coors Field have drastically helped his numbers. In 2012, Gonzalez hit .368 with 13 home runs at home, and a mere .234 with 9 home runs while on the road. Despite that, Gonzalez's defense is solid. In 568 career games in the field, he has a total of 10 errors, and 1071 putouts. 

The Rockies would ask for pitching in a potential deal, and due to Gonzalez's inconsistency, I definitely wouldn't offer Zack Wheeler. Instead, I would give a 2nd-tiered prospect or two such as Hansel Robles and or Jacob deGrom. Gonzalez would be a great fit in Citi Field, but the Rockies need to have a bad 2013 season to even think about dealing him.

As for Stanton, he is easily the best rising star in the game. The 23 year old outfielder would require a king's ransom, especially if the Marlins have to trade within the division, but the Mets certainly have prospects that could interest Miami. I wouldn't give up Travis d'Arnaud, but Zack Wheeler could be let go. Wheeler's potential is sky-high, and the Marlins need a top-of-the-rotation pitcher to lead them to success. It is also interesting to consider that Alderson recently said that he wouldn't have a huge problem dealing Zack Wheeler, given that he originally acquired him via the trade. 

Stanton would clearly be a solid upgrade in the lineup, and the Mets would be getting four years of team control over him. The question is: is it worth risking your entire future for one single player who has the potential to be great? 

Mets starting rotation ready to take over the MLB

The Mets have gotten off to a great start to there 2013 season, winning 5 of 7 games. The entire starting rotation (with the exception of one start from Aaron Laffey) has been incredible. Sandy Alderson and Co. have recently been stockpiling on young arms as the team looks towards the future, and some of the arms are going to make a profound impact soon. 

The Mets seem to be counting on their starting rotation to carry them through this year, and years to come. Jon Niese found success in his Opening Day start, and the organization recently invested in him when he signed a 5 year, $25.27 million deal with the club in the beginning of 2012. Terry Collins realizes that, despite the loss of Johan Santana, Niese is fully capable of stepping up and being the No. 1 starter. 

"I just think he's growing into the pitcher that everybody thought he was going to be," Collins said. "We all know if he wants to he can go 90-93 (mph). He's pitching it 91, 90, 89 because he's locating and trying to get the ball to move around the strike zone. I think he's really become a real good pitcher." 

Matt Harvey, the club's current No. 2 starter, has lived up to his first round pick status thus far, posting a 0.64 ERA in 2 strong starts. Harvey's future with the Mets is so incredibly bright, so much so that legend Dwight Gooden recently complimented the hurler on his game. 

"I am sitting here watching Matt Harvey...this kid is better than advertised...looking forward to watching him every 5th day."

Harvey's attitude is also what makes him so special. He rarely seems satisfied with what he does on the mound, and that mindset seems to get him motivated to go deeper into games. Even Terry Collins has high expectations of the 24 year old pitcher, so much so that he didn't seem overly excited about his recent 7 inning, one run outing. 

"Obviously he wasn't real sharp, but he was still very good. The fact that the change-up has helped him. He threw some very good breaking balls today. He just wasn't as sharp with the command of his fastball." Collins said.

As for the No. 3 starter, it seems like it will be Dillon Gee. Gee, who was shut down during the middle of the 2012 season due to a blot clot in his shoulder, put up a strong outing against the Padres. As for his future with the club, it will depend on whether the team decides to sign a middle of the rotation pitcher in the next few off-seasons. Also, a few of top-notch prospects could push him down the in rotation, or even out of New York. 

Right now, with the absence of Shaun Marcum, Jeremy Hefner is getting a crack at the big league rotation. Hefner put up mixed numbers in 2012, and many people didn't like the fact that the team did not sign a free agent to take over his spot. 

Terry Collins seems to have faith in Hefner, who pitched well but took the loss in his most recent start. "I thought Jeremy pitched very well. It was tough circumstances to pitch in the wind and the cold. We didn't make the plays we needed to make after we took him out. One thing about Hefner is he's going to pound the strike zone, he's going to change speeds and you've got to catch the baseball behind him."

The No. 5 spot in the current rotation is up for grabs right now, but many believe that top prospect Zack Wheeler will make his debut sometime this season. Once Wheeler enters the rotation, it is unlikely that he goes back to the minor leagues. That said, the club is waiting until they know for sure that he is ready to officially bring him up and allow him to face major league hitting. 

Of-course, as mentioned before, there are several strong arms down in the minor league system. Noah Syndergaard, who was recently acquired in the R.A. Dickey trade, has the potential to be just as good as Harvey and Wheeler. Sandy Alderson took a gamble with Syndergaard, but believes that he is fully capable of living up to the hype.

"Noah is a very high-ceiling power pitcher," Alderson said. "We believe that he's got tremendous upside potential."

Other notable names that are in the Mets farm system include: Rafael Montero, Michael Fulmer, Hansel Robles, Jacob deGrom, and Domingo Tapia. 

The Mets have a bright future, and as mentioned before, the pitching will be the key to their success. If the team has a rotation that includes Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard, and they all live up to their hype, then they will be an offensive force in the league for a long time. 

Mets finish home-stand with 4-2 record,

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.

Mets option Familia to Triple-A, send Santana to 60 day DL, promote Laffey

The Mets have optioned pitcher Jeurys Familia to Triple-A, and moved Johan Santana to the 60 day disabled list. Santana is now off of the 40 man roster, and the team will make a corresponding move tomorrow. It is expected that they will promote Aaron Laffey to make a spot start against the Marlins on Sunday.

With Shaun Marcum on the disabled list and missing tomorrow's start, the Mets will bring up Aaron Laffey sometime tomorrow morning to make a start against the Marlins. It seems like that the team just wants to see what he can do in one game, and will make a decision about his future with the club shortly after his outing. I wouldn't be surprised if Laffey has a semi-decent outing tomorrow, because he is facing the weak hitters of Miami's lineup. As for the longer-term, I'd rather have Collin McHugh in the rotation because of his youth and decent potential. Hopefully Marcum comes back soon and this situation doesn't need to be dealt with. 

As for Familia, he had options so it makes sense to send him down. From a statistical standpoint, he has been iffy. Hopefully he goes down to Triple-A and works on his control, because that is what is holding him back. He has the incredible velocity on his fastball to be a dominant relief pitcher. However he has a hard time throwing strikes on occasion. 

If the Mets need to make another move in the near future, I expect Greg Burke to be designated for assignment. Burke hasn't played well at all, and made the team despite his poor spring training. I would imagine he would clear waivers, so the organization would still be able to retain him. 

Opening Day was definitely one to remember

Coming into Monday's game, the Mets desperately needed to start their season on the high note, given the recent, and horrific news about Johan Santana and his season-ending, and possible career-ending injury. The entire baseball atmosphere was back, and despite the question marks surrounding the team, several fans showed up to the game. The team routed the San Diego Padres by a score of 11-2, making the transition back into baseball a whole lot easier for those in Flushing. Granted, the Mets will lose games, some that may even be heart-breaking, but this team showed energy and intensity that we as fans haven't been able to see for the last few years or so.

The newly formed outfield played extremely well, and were basically the spark plug that got the offense going. Marlon Byrd and Lucas Duda had nice games, but it was Collin Cowgill who really stood out. Cowgill, first of all, hit a ball in the right-center gap that would have been a single for most hitters. However, he really hustled and ended up getting a double out of it. 

We heard about Cowgill's gritty style of play, and saw a glimpse of it in Spring Training. However, the power is another aspect to his game that could be an asset. Terry Collins recently said that he will have Cowgill lead off basically because he has all of the attributes that a lead-off hitter should have, and is a threat to hit a home run once in a while. That was evident when he hit a grand-slam in the game -- the first of his career and the first Mets player to hit a grand slam on Opening Day in franchise history. The pop that he has to his bat will hopefully lead to more clutch and timely hits. 

As for Niese, he threw 6 2/3 innings of work, allowing 2 runs and striking out four. After the 6th inning, it appeared as though Collins and Dan Warthen were ready to take him out. However, he begged and pleaded to go back out in the 7th inning, and they let him stay for two more outs. That kind of mental toughness really said a lot about the 24 year old pitcher. It showed that he is, and will be capable of handling big game situations in the future, and that he feels like there is always something better he can do, which isn't necessarily a bad way of thinking. 

Lastly, it is worth that Scott Rice made his MLB debut in the 9th inning of this game. Rice, a first round draft pick by the Orioles in the 1999 draft, was a career minor leaguer up to that point. He played with several Independent League teams, including the local Long Island Ducks, but his persistence and dedication allowed him to finally reach the big leagues. He is just yet another great story that has been able to wear a Mets uniform.

Predictions for the 2013 MLB Season

The 2013 MLB season is set to undergo tonight with the Astros hosting the Rangers at 8 pm. Before the season begins, I will show you my predictions for the season, and with any luck, I may end up being right on some of them.

AL MVP-  Mike Trout- Trout had an unbelievable season in 2013, winning the Rookie of the Year and energizing the Angels' fan-base. He has so much protection in that lineup, especially now with the addition of Josh Hamilton, and should be able to put up monster numbers. 

Honorable mentions: Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols

AL Cy Young- Justin Verlander- I know that this is a boring and obvious pick because we know that Verlander is always going to be in the running for the award, but I truly feel like this is going to be his award for the taking.

Honorable mentions: Chris Sale, David Price

AL Rookie of the Year- Aaron Hicks- I'm going out on a limb here and saying that Hicks, the center-fielder from Minnesota, will win this award. He had a monster spring training, and the Twins lineup has the potential to be a dangerous one if Mauer and Morneau stay healthy. He should have some protection and receive good pitch selection.

Honorable mentions: Jackie Bradley Jr., Wil Myers, Jurickson Profar

NL MVP- Andrew McCutchen- This is a real dark-house pick, but I feel like 2013 will finally be the season where everything clicks for the Pirates. They have shown spurts of greatness throughout the last two years, and hopefully they put it all together this season. If they do, McCutchen, the leader of the squad, will certainly put up MVP-type numbers. 

Honorable mentions: Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Buster Posey

NL Cy Young- Matt Cain- Cain has been very underrated throughout his career, and finally was noticed when he threw a perfect game last summer. He is the ace of the Giants' staff, and deserves to win a Cy Young. 2013 could be a big year for him.

Honorable mentions: Johnny Cueto, Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Zimmermann

NL Rookie of the Year- Julio Teheran- Teheran is the real deal, and will crack the Braves rotation sometime during the season. He put up incredible spring numbers, and there is definitely a spot in the rotation waiting for him now that Jair Jurrjens is in Baltimore. 

Honorable mention: Travis d'Arnaud, Yasiel Puig

Division Winners

AL East- Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central- Detroit Tigers

AL West- Angels

AL Wildcards- Rays, Athletics

NL East- Washington Nationals

NL Central- Cincinnati Reds

NL West- San Francisco Giants

NL Wildcards- Braves, Dodgers

Predictions for the 2013 New York Mets

Optimistic Record -  82-80

Realistic Record   -  74- 88

Home Run Leader- Ike Davis

Stolen Base Leader- Collin Cowgill

Biggest Surprise- Collin Cowgill / Jordany Valdespin 

Biggest Bust- Shaun Marcum / Brandon Lyon / Lucas Duda

Highest Batting Average- David Wright 

Closer by season's end- Bobby Parnell

All-Star Representatives- David Wright, Ike Davis, Matt Harvey