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MLB: New York Mets, July record of 9-17, overall record of 53-52, third place in NL East, seven games back

Position Player of the Month: Outfielder, Angel Pagan

In a month in which the Mets plummeted down the standings, Angel Pagan was one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise anemic offense. The switch hitter managed to get on base even during the roughest of patches for the Mets and has continued to hit will with runners in scoring position.

During July, Pagan hit .337 with five home runs and nine stolen bases. His .402 OBP was all the more impressive. He showed Mets management that he had no business losing out on playing time despite the return of Carlos Beltran. With health has come production from Pagan.

Pitcher of the Month: Left-handed pitcher, Johan Santana

After a great July, Johan Santana appears to have returned to form. In six starts, he posted a 3-0 record, giving up just 10 runs in 43 innings of work. His walk totals were down slightly from June and he has clearly regained the command that fans have grown to expect. Five of his six starts were of the quality variety, including a complete game shutout against the Reds.

Santana got rocked in his last outing of the month, but had been nearly flawless in July up until that point. He’ll be looking to bounce back from that start to post his second consecutive excellent month of pitching.

AAA Buffalo Bisons, July record of 13-14, overall record of 54-53, third place in INT North, 8.5 games back

Position Player of the Month: Outfielder, Lucas Duda

Just like last month, Duda has proven to make an outstanding adjustment to AAA pitching, and has continued his hard hitting. In 26 games in July for Buffalo, Duda amassed 31 hits while posting a .313 batting average. He crushed nine home runs and drove in 25 runs.

He’s looking like a reliable middle-of-the-order type hitter who has plenty of pop and can drive in runners regularly. Again, his plate discipline will need some work, but he continues to be shooting in the right direction.

Pitcher of the Month: Left-handed pitcher, Pat Misch

Misch also repeats as pitcher of the month for the Bisons, putting up stronger numbers in July than June. In six July starts, Misch went 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 35 strikeouts. The command is there. He walked just six during the month and appeared in the AAA All-Star Game.

If the Mets are ever in need of another reliable southpaw arm on the big league club, Misch will no doubt be the next name on the call-up list.

AA Binghamton Mets, July record of 12-18, overall record of 54-55, fourth place in EAS Eastern Division, 11 games back

Position Player of the Month: Outfielder, Kirk Nieuwenhuis

After having some severe ups and downs, Nieuwenhuis has really gotten back into shape after pounding the ball in July. His plate discipline is emerging. He did strike out 24 times, but he drew 13 walks in July. He smacked six homers and drove in 17 runs while batting .328 and swiping two bases. His 38 hits are equally impressive.

The Mets clearly value him highly, especially after they turned down a trade in which they would have sent him to Toronto for lefty setup man Scott Downs.

Pitcher of the Month: Right-handed pitcher, Josh Stinson

His ERA seems inflated in July in comparison to his record, but he gets run support. His high walk totals have contributed to some of his struggles, but nonetheless, Stinson knows how to pitch out of trouble and turn in some wins.

In five July starts, he put together a 4-0 record despite a 5.19 ERA. He struck out 19 batters in 26 innings pitched. Despite all the runs he gave up in July, he didn’t allow a single home run.

He really just has to clean up his command before he gets more consideration from scouts.

A Adv. St. Lucie Mets, July record of 14-15, overall record of 18-19 (second half), third place in FSL South, 1.5 games back

Position Player of the Month: Shortstop, Wilmer Flores

One of the Mets’ top prospects at his level, Flores seems to adjust quickly to each level after every call-up. Moving up to St. Lucie has only seen Flores continue to post consistent hitting numbers.

In 29 games in July, he hit a solid .279 with three home runs, 18 runs knocked, 34 hits, and 13 runs. A righty batter, he is also mashing against left-handed pitching, batting over .400 against southpaws.

This kind of all-around game will assist him in rising the ranks very quickly in the Mets farm system. 

Pitcher of the Month: Right-handed pitcher, Erik Turgeon

On a team of struggling starters, relief pitchers have been given a chance to stick it out at St. Lucie. Turgeon is a young righty arm and is developing his stuff in a late inning role for the Mets.

He converted on four save opportunities in July and posted a 2.87 ERA in 12 appearances while striking out 14 and walking only six. Turgeon throws pretty hard and will stand out even more if he can put up larger save totals.

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It goes without saying that Jeff Francoeur has pretty much worn out his welcome in New York. He is hitting a paltry .253, can’t run all that well, or play other positions. Also, with the return of Carlos Beltran to the Mets lineup, New York is rather deep in outfield talent.

The Mets have Carlos Beltran in center and Jason Bay in left. Right now, Angel Pagan and Francoeur are platooning in right, though the two have comparable OPS stats when facing lefties (.695 for Pagan vs. .737 for Francoeur). As a result, the platoon looks like it will be Pagan mostly playing, rather than anything split.

This leads to one question: What do the Mets do with Jeff Francoeur?

Releasing him is an option that is starting to gain steam. Matt Meyers of ESPN wrote, “Francoeur is still running on the fumes of his former potential, but it’s time to realize that he is what he is: A 26-year-old plodding outfielder with a great arm who is capable of hitting some singles when a lefty is on the mound. Does that sound like a player who can help a team in the midst of a nip-and-tuck playoff race?”

Harsh words, but when you look at his stats, they are not what you expect to get from a right fielder. Since June 1, he has hit .265 with three home runs and 15 RBI. They’re not terrible numbers, but where did the 100 RBI player from Atlanta go?

It goes without saying, at least to me, that Pagan is the outfielder to hold on to as the playoff race thickens, not Francoeur. However, I don’t think his stats are so horrendous that an outright release is necessary.

If he was put on the trading block, then there might be a suitor or two. The Red Sox have enough injuries to their outfield that having Francoeur just as insurance could help then keep pace in the AL East. The Giants may take a flier on him, as they could use an outfielder. They signed Dontrelle Willis, so I wouldn’t put it past them.

Beyond that, I can’t think of all that many teams who would want him. He’s only 26, so there is always the chance that he returns to his old form. The Mets also have Jesus Feliciano, who’s playing quite well and is proving to be a much better option due to his versatility.

The only thing the Mets can be glad about, perhaps, is that the person they traded to get him last year, Ryan Church, is hitting .186 and playing even worse.

I do not see Francoeur being in a Mets uniform in 2011 though, in any case. What’s your take? Should the Mets give up and release him? Should they trade him to salvage any value they can? If there are teams looking at Kerry Wood and Dontrelle Willis, there will be some looking at Francoeur, so it’s worth a shot to me.

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The Yankees, Red Sox, and Marlins have proven that it can be done in baseball. The Miami Heat are about to prove it can be done in the NBA.

There are some things money can’t buy, and championships used to be one of them. It’s an unfortunate reality, but reality nonetheless.

As long as it’s done right.

The New York Mets have the fifth-highest payroll in baseball. And while they are clearly contenders in 2010 at 47-39, four games behind the Braves for the division lead and a game behind the Dodgers and Rockies in the Wild Card, general manager Omar Minaya likely had higher expectations.

But this year, it’s not Minaya’s big acquisitions carrying the team. It’s the homegrown kids. It’s the young talent that came up through the organization, the way they should.

Mike Pelfrey leads the team with 10 wins and a solid 3.39 ERA. Jon Niese leads all Mets pitchers not named Johan Santana in strikeouts with 73, and has as many wins as Santana with six.

Angel Pagan, who started his career in 2006 with the Cubs, did not come into his own until he came to New York. He’s hitting .304 with a .364 OBP and a .457 slugging percentage, giving him an .820 OPS, second on the team to David Wright among players with at least 100 at-bats.

And those guys aren’t even the franchise players.

Wright, also a homegrown product, leads the team in every major category (.317 AVG, .329 OBP, 539 SLG, .931 OPS). Jose Reyes, while plagued with injuries in recent years, seems healthy and able to contribute, hitting .277 with 19 stolen bases. He also has 15 doubles and six home runs.

Rookie Ike Davis is also having a solid year. Though hitting a pedestrian .257, he has 16 doubles and 10 home runs to go with a .994 fielding percentage at first base.

And then there’s 23-year-old Josh Thole, recently promoted to fill the Mets’ most inconsistent position since the Mike Piazza days at catcher.

Sure, it’s only been eight games. But his .500 batting average (8-for-16), .579 OBP, .563 slugging percentage, and 1.141 OPS would all be team-highs if he had enough at-bats to qualify. Of course, realistically, he cannot maintain that pace. However, there’s nothing more important to a young baseball career than a hot start, and Thole is having just that.

This core of young talent, at an average age of around 25, will be the nucleus going forward.

If Carlos Beltran returns from injury, he would provide a surefire boost, assuming he returns as the Beltran of old. Oliver Perez was just promoted to Triple-A Buffalo for another rehab start. If he and John Maine (currently on the disabled list) can return to form, the pitching staff would get the boost it desperately needs.

In the meantime, the Mets are in contention and look to be there to stay, and it’s not because of the big-name acquisitions with the big paychecks. It’s because of the homegrown talent coming into their own.

Just because championships can be won with a checkbook, doesn’t mean you can’t still do it the old-fashioned way.

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SAN JUAN, PR—So far this season, Mike Pelfrey has won six of his 10 games following a Mets loss. That’s the definition of a stopper. In his last start, he did the same, winning on Friday night after the Mets lost to the Tigers the night before.

He has also been there for prolonged losing streaks, like after the Mets got off to a 2-6 start. Or the memorable Monday night in Atlanta, when the Mets had just been swept in a four-game series in Miami. Prior to that game, they had their entire front office (including the Wilpons) in town, with Jerry Manuel firmly on the hot seat.

Now, although it’s not that type of a crisis just yet, it’s still a game the Mets must win to stay in this race. They have lost two games in a row to a Marlins team that was reeling, having just been swept at home by the Padres over the weekend, and a team that has had a lot of controversy lately.

Up until last night, they didn’t know who their long-term manager would be, until it was announced last night that Edwin Rodriguez would keep the job for the rest of this season.

The Mets meanwhile, were the hottest team in the National League, having gone on a tear since May 22 to pull within a half-game of first-place Atlanta.

After somewhat proving that their road woes were over on their last trip, when they went 7-2 and swept the lowly Orioles and Indians, they have regressed, starting this one 0-2.

They are now 0-6 this season against the Marlins away from Citi Field. Ironically, the last time the Mets got swept by the Marlins on the road, Mike Pelfrey was the guy to get them back on track in Atlanta. Now, he’ll hope to get them back on track against the Marlins, as they try to gain ground on Atlanta.

Pelfrey will be going for his 11th win of the season, and his last couple of starts haven’t been perfect. His last one came against the Twins on Friday night, and his line shows that he pitched decently, going six innings, allowing two runs and six hits, but he did allow a leadoff home run to Denard Span on the second pitch of the game. His two combined starts prior to that, against the Orioles and Yankees, Pelfrey gave up eight runs in 13 innings of work.

In this series thus far, the Marlins have found the power stroke, bashing five home runs in two games, all of major importance. Pelfrey doesn’t allow the long ball, only giving up six home runs this season—one every 16.2 innings pitched. Still, it may be hard, given the Puerto Rican humidity and a power-laden lineup, for Pelfrey to control the home run.

If it will be a slugfest, the Mets will have to produce on their end against a guy they haven’t faced this season, Chris Volstad. As a first-round pick by the Marlins in 2005, Volstad hasn’t lived up to expectations so far.

The 23-year-old pitched great when he was called up in 2008, going 6-4 with a 2.88 ERA in 14 starts. But he struggled in his first full season in 2009. Last season, Volstad went 9-13 with an ERA of 5.21 in 29 starts, and he walked 59 batters in 159 innings, one every 2.7 innings.

This season, it hasn’t come easily for Volstad, either. He hasn’t had a lot of terrible starts, but only a few have been quality starts. He did throw a quality start his last time out against the light-hitting Padres, giving up three runs in six innings, and he struck out six without allowing a walk. Unfortunately for him, the Marlins were shut out, 3-0, as he fell to 4-7 on the season.

Angel Pagan did finally return to last night’s lineup, but he got pinch-hit for when a right-hander came into the game. He still can’t bat from the left side of the plate, and with the right-hander Volstad starting tonight, Pagan will not start. Manager Jerry Manuel did say after last night’s game that Pagan should be able to bat left-handed starting Thursday night in Washington.

Carlos Beltran participated in another rehab game yesterday morning as the DH, and he got one hit in five at-bats.

It’s the final game in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the Mets and Marlins, and the Mets will hope to fly to the Nation’s Capital with a win.

Mike Pelfrey vs. Florida (career)
*1-6, 5.63 ERA, 56 IP, 68 H, 25 BB, 35 SO

Chris Volstad vs. New York (career)
1-2, 2.70 ERA, 23.1 IP, 21 H, 10 BB, 14 SO

*Most losses against any team in career, highest ERA against any team (minimum five starts)

2010 season series (New York vs. Florida)

April 5: New York 7, Florida 1
April 7: Florida 7, New York 6 (10)
April 8: Florida 3, New York 1

May 13: Florida 2, New York 1
May 14: Florida 7, New York 2
May 15: Florida 7, New York 5
May 16: Florida 10, New York 8

June 4: New York 4, Florida 3
June 5: New York 6, Florida 1
June 6: New York 7, Florida 6

June 28: Florida 10, New York 3
June 29: Florida 7, New York 6

Marlins lead series 8-4

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Earlier this week, I wrote an article talking about the Mets outfield dilemma now that Carlos Beltran is playing rehab games for the St. Lucie Mets.  I concluded that the best-case scenario would be for the four outfielders to platoon.  I also joked that maybe Angel Pagan should take ground balls at second base, giving Jerry Manuel the ability to play all four outfielders at once.

Though the idea for Pagan to play second is far-fetched, it’s also pretty unwise.

Ruben Tejada is the current second baseman.  Personally, I am a big fan, largely because of his spectacular defense.  Tejada is a natural shortstop, who has stepped in at second and played like he has been a second basemen all of his life.  Mets announcer Gary Cohen can’t help but marvel every game at Tejada’s ability to turn double plays, and make hard plays look easy. 

Undoubtedly, a good offensive player will win a spot over a good defensive player most of the time.  For that, I had expected that hypothetically, if Manuel had to choose between Tejada and Pagan, he would choose Pagan.  Tejada, however, is proving to be a better offensive player than we had thought.

The twenty-year-old Tejada is currently hitting .264 with a .328 OBP.  While these numbers are only mediocre, that is not what impresses me.

What I am impressed by is his consistency; he currently has a nine-game hitting streak, and has gotten a hit in 13 of the 16 games he has started this year!  His 11 runs scored also means that he has scored more than half of the times that he has reached base.

Tejada is the future, and his playing time and at-bats are a valuable experience for him to improve an offensive game that, mixed with superb defense, will make him a good player for years to come.

So if Tejada is not taken out of the lineup for Pagan, that still leaves the Mets with four outfielders.  While platooning outfielders is still the most likely option, I have a suggestion.

Why don’t the Mets consider trading Carlos Beltran?

Despite his relative inability to stay healthy recently, he undoubtedly has the highest trade value of all of the outfielders.  If the Mets want to snag a pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline, maybe they should consider shopping Beltran for a Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt.

Beltran is 33, and becomes a free agent after the 2011 season.  He is due $18.5 million this year and next.  His hefty price tag and questionable health may be question marks for teams who are looking to unload payroll by trading their superstars, but at the same time, Beltran is still a very talented player, whom every team wouldn’t mind having at the top of their lineup.

For the Mets, unloading Beltran would give them a little bit of financial flexibility to resign a newly acquired pitcher.  Also, trading Beltran would allow the Mets to keep their current core of youth intact.  They would be able to acquire a pitcher while keeping their prospects, as well as the players who have led the Mets to a 42-31 record.

I hate to see a starter lose his job to injury, but at the same time, I hate the prospect of breaking up the current team, which has been a tremendously pleasant surprise in 2010.  You know what they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Now, I have to admit that I don’t think a Beltran trade is very likely, or even on the mind of the Mets brass.  Beltran has a full no-trade clause, teams would be skeptical about picking him up after his knee surgery, and trades of this caliber rarely take place.

But the idea makes sense, and swapping Beltran for a pitcher of equal pedigree could catapult the Mets into the playoffs.

What do you guys think?

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Carlos Beltran will begin his minor league rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets tomorrow, and the atmosphere and expectations within the team can’t be any higher.

Beltran will have to be activated to the big league roster by the time the season resumes after the All-Star break, and players just know the boost that the outfielder will bring to the team when he is back patrolling centerfield and hitting in the heart of the lineup.

The Mets announced Beltran’s timetable yesterday, prior to the first of three home games against the Detroit Tigers. As the news spread around the team during batting practice and pre-game warmups, there was a collective agreement that his return would be a massive boost.

Jason Bay told me it would be similar to trading for an All-Star, and David Wright called Beltran “special”. As much as the Mets can’t wait to welcome him back, the overwhelming feeling was that the Mets should not push Beltran too hard the day he rejoins the big club.

Angel Pagan leads the club with a .304 batting average, and only Jose Reyes has more stolen bases. It’s an understatement to say Pagan has simply “filled in” for Beltran, and he reminded front room staff that he shouldn’t be overlooked when he fell a home run short of the cycle on Tuesday night.  His effort hasn’t been lost among his peers either, who said they have been impressed with just how well Pagan has embraced the challenge of starting full time.

“Carlos Beltran is a special player, but with that being said, Angel Pagan really deserves a ton of credit for doing what he’s been able to do this year. He’s not only held the fort down, but really excelled and he’s been a very valuable player for us this year,” said David Wright. 

“It will be exciting to see what Carlos does in his rehab, but it’s also been a blessing having Angel here doing what he’s been able to do.”

Pagan has only sat out two games this season for the Mets, and it has been his performance that has left some to question whether it should be Jeff Francoeur who moves to the bench after the All-Star break when the Mets travel to San Francisco on June 15.

Francoeur didn’t speculate on who would become the fourth outfielder three weeks from now, instead highlighting how important Beltran is to the team and the need to ensure he’s 100 percent healthy when he returns.

“Obviously it’s one of those things where he’s a great player,” Francoeur said.  “Hopefully he’s healthy and we are going to welcome him back, but until then we have to play with what we’ve got and that’s what we’ve done all season.

“The last thing you want to do is get him back and then have hum hurt his knee two days later. So hopefully he can keep rehabbing and getting better, and I’m sure when he gets back it will be a huge boost.”

The outfielder least likely to lose his starting job, Jason Bay, said the importance of Beltran’s return cannot be overestimated.

“I think it’s almost like making a big trade,” the left fielder said, standing next to the Mets dugout on Tuesday. “You don’t have a guy and all of a sudden, boom, you get him back. It’s like acquiring a guy.

“Carlos isn’t just an average guy. I mean, he’s one of the better plays in the game and like I said, it’s like picking up a huge piece for us and it can’t do anything to help us, that’s for sure.”

As well as giving the team a huge morale boost, an upgrade at the plate, and Gold Glove defense in the outfield, Beltran will bring that winning mentality to the club, Johan Santana said.

“He means a lot to this team. He’s been around for a long time and he knows how to win games. It’s definitely going to be a plus for us, but at the same time we want him to be 100 percent to help us out. It’s going to take time to get back on track into baseball activities, but definitely the sooner the better.” 

Pundits said the Mets would be lucky to tread water until Beltran returned, and that was when the front office thought he might be back much sooner. The Mets, 10 games above .500, have done more than stay afloat, and now they are primed to get a massive cog back in their lineup.

If Beltran has even part of the impact his peers expect, the Mets could become a very serious contendor in the National League in 2010.

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On the eve of the announcement that Carlos Beltran will be making a rehab start and is on the brink of returning to the Mets, his replacement, Angel Pagan, played arguably his best game of 2010.

Pagan, who has been nothing short of stellar for the Mets this season, went 4-for-6 with four RBI and three runs scored. He was just a home run away from the cycle.

Angel has been an angel in the outfield for the Mets this year. He has been one of their most consistent players and has shown tremendous personal improvement in all facets of his game, especially base running.

In 2010, Pagan is hitting a team leading .304, with a .363 OBP, 41 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. He has provided excellent defense in centerfield and has proven to be a dynamic duo with Jose Reyes atop the Mets’ lineup.

Most Mets fans will agree that when Beltran comes back, Pagan absolutely deserves to remain a starter.

The only problem is, who sits?

Left fielder Jason Bay is undoubtedly going to continue to play everyday, given his salary, pedigree, and potential when he is hot.

Right fielder Jeff Francoeur, though struggling at times this season, is a stellar defender and is generally regarded as an everyday player.

With that, Pagan may be the odd man out. The other option may be to platoon Francoeur and Pagan, although playing two starters irregularly may not be the best for either players’ timing.

As the trade deadline approaches, there is also talk about the Mets trying to acquire a pitcher such as Roy Oswalt or Cliff Lee. Perhaps one of these outfielders could be packaged with prospects in a blockbuster trade.

Pagan seemingly has more trade value than Francoeur, but I think trading Pagan would not be favorable amongst the Mets fans.

Maybe the best option would be to have Pagan taking ground balls at second base. Although this idea is far-fetched, playing all four of the outfielders at the same time would be the best case scenario.

And Pagan, who has adjusted his game throughout his young career to establish himself as a starter, would probably not be opposed to that idea.

You see, Pagan has established himself as a hard nosed player who does everything right and puts his ball club in the position to win time and time again.

Personally, I would hate to see Pagan moved to the bench. I think he deserves to remain a starter over Francoeur.

If only the Mets were in the American League, and they could just slide Beltran into the DH spot. Oh well.

Nonetheless, it will certainly be interesting to see what manager Jerry Manuel decides to do once Beltran returns.  

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The New York Mets will be adding a bat sometime within the next three weeks to four weeks. The team announced that center fielder Carlos Beltran will begin a rehab assignment tomorrow (Thursday) with Class-A St. Lucie.

Assuming there are no setbacks, Beltran would return to the Mets no later than July 15, the first game after the All-Star break.

Beltran has been playing in extended spring games since last month. General manager Omar Minaya traveled to Port St. Lucie earlier this week to watch Beltran play. After speaking with the center fielder and his rehab staff, it was determined his star player was ready for minor league games.

The Mets have said that when Beltran returns to the team he will play center field.

Angel Pagan has taken over the position while Beltran has been out, and Pagan is putting together a very fine season. The Mets need Pagan in the lineup.

But can they do that when Beltran comes back?

Pagan’s versatility may actually go against him in this situation. Because of Pagan’s ability to play all three outfield positions, the Mets will likely use him in a fourth outfielder role.

It will be tough, however, to take a .304 hitter out of the everyday lineup. Pagan also has 14 doubles, five triples, and four home runs this season while driving in 35 runs.

Pagan has batted in many spots throughout the Mets’ lineup, but lately he has been a fixture in the No. 2 hole.

Continue Reading This Article at Double G Sports .

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Every week, aside from my standard Fantasy Baseball dealings, I practice a little exercise to improve my research and team management skills.

On Sunday evenings I comb through who is available on the waiver/free agent wire, regardless of need, to familiarize myself with the current inventory.

Next, I try and create an entire starting team from all available players to compete against my current starting squad. This helps me on a broad spectrum for watching the trends of potential replacements, upgrades, and the occasional spot starter.

Below are the players I feel have the best chance of competing against my Starters.  FYI: It’s a Yahoo – 12 Team – H2H – 5X5. 



Included are the previous four weeks stats:



Week 12 Hitters (R-HR-RBI-SB-AVG)

C = Ronny Paulino FLA  (11-1-15-1-.333): With John Baker on the 60-day DL until August, Ronny has been very productive playing every day, and is worth the start with the hot bat.



1B = Lyle Overbay TOR (10-3-11-0-.298): Lyle has had four mutli-hit games in the past ten days. I’ll take that over the inconsistency of rookie Justin Smoak, even though his numbers are better over the month.



2B = Neil Walker PIT (12-2-9-2-.299): WHO??? That’s right Neil Tops my list at a VERY weak position. He was the 11th overall pick in 2004, but is still only 25. Needing runs from this position, he fits the bill because of his ability to get on base while hitting 2nd in the order.



3B = Kevin Kouzmanoff  OAK (11-3-14-1-.327): Finally….Kouz since May 31st has raised his BA 41 points from .244 to .285.  It didn’t hurt that he had seven multi-hit games in nine days over the last two weeks.

SS = Cliff Pennington OAK (11-0-3-3-.213): Anther Athletic making the list here.  Rookies like Cliff have stats that are Volatile and Inconsistent. I’ll ride the bullish bat in a current five game hit streak and seven of eight.



OF = Delmon Young MIN (15-4-26-1-.360): Ninth HOTTEST hitting Outfielder in ALL of baseball right now.



OF = Angel Pagan NYM (16-1-13-9-.311): Pick a Met, any Met (I can’t believe I’m saying that). You get a little bit of everything with Pagan. The stolen bases are especially nice.



OF = Jason Kubel MIN (12-6-22-0-.277): The law of baseball averages is never wrong…it was only a matter of time. Hitters will hit.

Week 12 Pitchers (IP – W – SV – K – ERA – WHIP)

SP = Jeremy Bonderman DET (40.2 -2 -0-30-3.32-1.20): Good to see him back to form. 



SP = Mark Buehrle CWS (32.2-3-0-23-3.86-1.47): Probably the most consistent in baseball. One of only a few TRUE Aces.



SP = Bronson Arroyo CIN (40.2-3-0-16-4.20-1.43): Ground ball pitcher is finally getting run support & Wins.  Can’t rely on him for many or any strikeouts he’s just not overpowering enough.



SP = Scott Feldman TEX (39.1-4-0-24-4.35-1.53): 17 Wins in 2009, but only five in 2010. The good news, four have been in the last month, and the Rangers are winning lots of games. May still get to 15 this season.



SP = Jason Hammel COL (41.1-4-0-32-1.74-1.16): WOW I can’t believe this guy is not on a roster.



RP = R.A. DICKEY NYM (32.1-5-0-29-2.78-1.39): There are NO closers available, so I felt that R.A. deserved the final spot on my roster.  As my reliever (Duel Eligibility SP/RP) he has more wins than any of my starters over the past month with five.  And oh yeah…. Pick a Met, any Met.

Who could you use to beat your starters?  
Post a comment with your thoughts and your Free Agent Roster. 
I’ll post the results next Sunday night.

Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/TheFantasyFix or Twitter.com/FantasyFix_FM

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Fresh off the heels of rookie Jon Niese’s near-perfect one-hit complete game shutout, the Mets head to Baltimore tonight to resume interleague play.

After all the troubles the Mets have had on the road, the schedule softens up for the next week as they face the Orioles and Indians, two of the worst teams in baseball. If there was ever a time to remedy the putrid 8-18 road record the Mets are currently sporting, these six games are the time to do it.

Especially since after Camden Yards and the Jake in Cleveland, they’re headed to the Bronx to face a Yankees team that will likely have revenge on the mind, not to mention the home field advantage.

The Mets finished a 5-1 homestand by taking two of three from the Padres, a surprising team that had the best record in the National League coming into the series. The Mets are now 24-10 at home, the best record in the majors.

The most refreshing thing about the Mets lately is the contributions they’ve gotten from their homegrown prospects. For the first time in my lifetime, the farm system has produced quality and quantity on the big league team unlike anything I can ever remember.

When Jon Niese and Mike Pelfrey are on the mound, they join David Wright, Jose Reyes, Ruben Tejada, Ike Davis and Angel Pagan in the Mets starting lineup, giving them six homegrown guys in their starting nine.

Think about that for a second. This is not the Tampa Bay Rays or the Minnesota Twins here. The New York Mets, a big market National League team known for their uneven free agent signings, actually has an entire homegrown infield at the moment, with Luis Castillo on the shelf.

David Wright and Jose Reyes are still only 27 years old, and it feels like they’ve been here forever. Both are multiple time All-Stars who are just now hitting their prime. Now they’re joined by wunderkind Ike Davis, he of the sweet lefty glovework and the timely moonshot homers. Davis, for the record, is second among all rookies in SLG only behind the superhuman Jason Heyward.

The youngster Ruben Tejada, a 20-year-old middle infielder from Panama, has taken over the everyday second base duties in the past few days filling in for the injured Luis Castillo, and he’s brought a defensive presence that Castillo has lacked since his Florida Marlins days.

Tejada, a defensive wizard who only played 37 minor league games at 2B, impressed the Mets brass with his surprising offense after hitting .289 as a 19-year-old in AA last year and .294 in AAA this year. If he hits .250 with the big league squad and continues to play fabulous defense, the Mets seem likely to hand him the job for the foreseeable future.

Amazingly enough, another 2B down in the minors, 2008 first rounder Reese Havens, is tearing up his first go-around in AA , and gives the Mets even more potential homegrown depth at the position, should Tejada start to fade.

Angel Pagan, yes, is technically another homegrown guy. Drafted by the Mets in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, Pagan was an original Brooklyn Cyclone in 2001 and toiled in the minors for six years before the Cubs acquired him and gave him his first taste of big league ball.

Before the 2008 season, Pagan was reacquired by the Mets and he has become invaluable in center field, both with the glove and the bat, a classic late bloomer who has become a under-the-radar star in New York.

According to FanGraphs, Pagan leads all National League center fielders with a 6.9 UZR this year, second in the majors behind Alex Rios, who himself is having a monster season as well. Looking at his value, it’s amazing how good he’s been without the accolades or hype of more highly touted players.

Pagan was worth 29.2 Runs Above Replacement in 2009, and another 19.9 RAR so far this year. Not bad for a guy who had to beat out Gary Matthews Jr for the starting center field job going into the season. As you can see in his WAR rating, he has been worth almost five full wins above replacement in the last two years replacing Carlos Beltran.

Then there’s Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese, two gems drafted by the Mets back in 2005, a draft class that’s shaping up to be one of the best in Mets history. Pelfrey was the ninth overall pick in round one, Niese was picked in round seven.

They also picked up flamethrowing reliever Bobby Parnell in round nine, and top catching prospect Josh Thole in round 13 that year. Kudos to the scouting department on that one. Parnell and Thole are being groomed down in Buffalo right now and likely will be a huge part of the future of the team as well.

Niese was born on the day of the Mets last World Series victory, the day of game seven of the 1986 World Series. I guess he was just destined to be a Met. Niese is 2–0 with a 0.56 ERA in his two starts since returning from the disabled list, and he’s struck out 12 batters and walked one in those 16 innings.

Not too shabby for a 23-year-old who tore his hamstring off the bone following a horrific injury last August that epitomized the 2009 Mets in a nutshell.

And what can you say about Mike Pelfrey right now? If it weren’t for the unconscious Ubaldo Jimenez out in Denver, Pelfrey would be a Cy Young contender. He is not a flash in the pan who’s gotten lucky. What we’re seeing with Big Pelf is a 26-year-old who’s finally learned how to pitch and get hitters out.

A far cry from the pitcher who used to throw fastballs three out of every four pitches in his early days, Pelfrey has mixed in a devastating splitter to become a true ace in the making, a man who throws with a purpose on every single pitch to every batter he faces.

Always a heavy ground ball pitcher, (career GB% of 50.2% ) Pelfrey’s strikeouts have shot up dramatically this season, a career high 6.47 K/9 that, paired with his minuscule BB/9 and HR/9 have translated into high marks in the more traditional stats as well. Pelfrey is 8-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 12 starts, including a 4-0 record and a 1.19 ERA in his last five starts.

Jenrry Mejia, still being held hostage by Jerry Manuel , is another 20-year-old with tremendous upside, that is, whenever the Mets smarten up and send him down to the minors to stretch him out so he can join the rotation.

Needless to say, with the home-cooking the Mets have gotten from their young stars, as well as the hospitality of their home ballpark, it’s looking like home is where the heart is for the Mets.

And that is a big credit to Omar Minaya and his scouting department. He deserves a ton of credit for turning around the farm system, and although it takes years to pay off at times, clearly it’s paid huge dividends to this 2010 team, and it might end up saving his job.

Hey. Winning cures all ailments, doesn’t it? Now, if they can play close to .500 baseball on the road, this will be a team that could be playing in October. Clearly the pressures of the big leagues haven’t deterred the young stars yet, and as long as they keep flying under the radar, this rollercoaster season could have a happy ending for Mets fans.

(This article was originally posted on my personal blog, MetsJetsNetsBlog and can be found here .)

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