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Paul Sewald is the Victim of the Mets’ Bad Defense, But That’s Due to Change

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When most people think of Paul Sewald, the 30 year old righty on the New York Mets, they think of his career 5.16 ERA, his inability to close games out, and being the epitome of what the Mets’ bullpen has been in recent memory. This often leads to Mets fans groaning and moaning when they hear his name called out of the bullpen, but is that all Paul Sewald is? He’s given up a ton of big home runs and hasn’t been a good reliever, but is that all she wrote?

Using stats that can show the true skill of a player, we can figure out if Paul Sewald is better than his ERA suggests and spark some hope in his success, let’s get to the data!

Can’t Hit It Hard Off Of Him

This was actually surprising when I was studying Sewald’s statcast metrics (from Baseball Savant of course, I spend way too much time on there) he has a career 31.8% hard hit% against, which is below the MLB average 34.5% and a .413 xSLG against which is average, a .318 xWOBA against, which is a little better than average, and a 24.5% K%, which is higher than the MLB average.

Batters struggle to hit the ball hard off of Sewald, and that’s something that for some odd reason has not translated well into a lower ERA, which is the big mystery right?

Death By a Million Hits

Paul Sewald has a career 8.8 H/9 which is not good at all, and combine that with his below average 9.1 BB% in 2018, and that’s how you get a 6.07 ERA. In 2018 he also had his worst H/9 of 9.9 which lead to a 1.509 WHIP. That explains a lot now doesn’t it? Sure he had a 3.98 xERA in 2018, and yea he didn’t get hit hard at all, but he had one massive issue: He couldn’t stop bleeding out hits.

When you look at his spray charts, in 2018 you see the onslaught of hits that he gave up, with a lot of them not being hard hit, not going very far, and making you wonder: Why did he give up so many? Well the answer is actually quite simple

Horrible Defenses Behind Him

It’s often undervalued how much a pitcher with a high contact against rate needs a good defense behind them. The Mets in 2018 had -69 DRS and a -32.1 UZR (which was the 27th in the whole MLB) and in 2019 a -86 DRS (28th) and -12.8 UZR (24th) which is not doing Sewald any favors. Does this situation get any better for the Mets though? Yes actually, it gets a lot better in 2020.

The Mets will be able to have Jeff McNeil in his best defensive position, 3rd base, instead of the outfield where he was below average defensively. Nimmo and Conforto are best at RF for Nimmo and LF for Conforto, so you can put the elite defender at CF Jake Marisnick and now your outfield is above average defensively. Now for the infield, with McNeil at 3rd who will replace Frazier (who was below average at 3rd defensively in 2019) which should help the defensive structure in the infield, however you still have your poor defensive combo in the middle infield.

Does this mean this team will have an elite defense? No, but it will be good in the outfield which is most important as that’s where Sewald got exposed and will see less doubles and triples, and more outs.

Look for Sewald to be closer to his xERA with a 3.80-3.90 ERA and be a solid reliever for the Mets in 2020, as the Mets defense won’t be digging the pitching into even deeper holes.

Former New York Jet Tavon Mason Helps Countless Kids

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New York Jets

An accomplished author, a stellar athlete, a man who dedicates his time to helping others, all this and more perfectly describe former New York Jets wide receiver Tavon Mason.

Through his foundation Tavon Mason Loves the Kids Foundation or TMLTKF for short, Mason has helped countless kids foster a love for reading by visiting schools to promote literacy.  Mason knows just how fundamental reading is and brings awareness through his Summer Reading Program, in which Mason travels around reading his highly popular children’s book Tavon Does it All.  Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Mason recently read his book virtually via Caribu along with NFL great Andre Fluellen  The book follows Tavon, a young star of his football team and a well-rounded young man who holds many passions in life.

The story is a great read as it is highly encouraging and inspirational.  The book also teaches extremely valuable lessons of showing kindness to one another, carrying oneself with respect, and being a good sport both on and off the field.    Be sure to pick up a copy at https://www.amazon.com/Tavon-Does-All-Mason/dp/1519383290.

Mason knows that a good education and a healthy lifestyle go hand in hand in ensuring a balance in equilibrium in the lives of the next generation.  Mason promotes good nutrition and exercise.  During the summer seasons, Mason ensures that all kids have something healthy to eat by providing them with nutritious snacks during camps.

To help ease students in to back to school time, Mason makes sure that students of Baltimore City have all of the essentials needed to excel during the upcoming school year.

When the winter months hit, Mason holds a drive to collect winter coats and necessities for men at shelters and give books and arts and crafts supplies to and provide a hearty meal for all at the women and children’s shelter.  The cold winter season can be a difficult time for those in need and Mason is so generously trying to ease their struggles through this program and beyond.

Each year, Mason also collects slippers to hand out to kids at local children’s hospitals.  Something as simple as a slipper can truly make a difference in the lives and brighten the days of these amazing warriors!

Mason is a class act and truly selfless when it comes to making a difference in the lives of so many.  He exemplifies kindness, humility, and is an inspiration and role model to all!  He is a true game changer when it comes to promoting awareness about education, nutrition, and physical well-being!

New York Mets: Should Seth Lugo Be A Utility Pitcher?

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The New York Mets have seemingly struck gold with Seth Lugo, as he’s become one of the premier relievers in all of baseball. Over the last two seasons, Lugo has pitched 181.1 innings in the last two seasons to the tune of a 2.68 ERA, 2.96 FIP, 3.38 xFIP, 3.10 SIERA, and a 3.8 fWAR.

The starter converted to reliever has expressed interest in starting again, and with Noah Syndergaard out, should the Mets consider trying to make Seth Lugo a utility arm, getting him to both start some games, and come out of the bullpen. With a 60 game season, Lugo could pitch the Mets out of trouble to close crucial games out, or get the Mets 4 solid innings to start a game and hand it to guys like Robert Gsellman and Justin Wilson for the 5-7 innings.

Is Lugo the Mets Best Pitcher Not Named deGrom?

If you think about the Mets without Syndergaard, who else is as valuable and pitches to as high of a volume out of the bullpen as Lugo? When you look at peripherals and even result-based metrics, you can’t say that he’s not their second best pitcher, and out of the bullpen he’s their best bet, as while yes Betances is better, being able to use Lugo as much as the Mets have been able to does matter.

The Mets need their pitching to hold up as their bullpen’s potential with a better Diaz and a healthy Betances. Their bullpen being as good as expected with their talent gives them a leg up over their division, but what about a super pitcher?

Having Something The Other Don’t

The NL East contenders do not have the type of pitcher Lugo is, and so by using him to his full potential, you create a sort of super pitcher role that not only can other teams in their division not fully prepare against, but cannot use against the Mets, as none of them have a great reliever with that much versatility, and so they will often struggle more than the Mets in terms of pitching

The Mets have 60 games to take every little advantage they’ve got with a loaded up roster and win the NL East, and if they use Lugo as a utility arm, they’re going to enjoy bypassing the wild card and going straight to the NLDS.

New York Yankees: What should fans expect from Gerrit Cole in shortened 2020?

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New York Yankees, Gerrit Cole

The New York Yankees are officially back in business, and they were shown on the field Thursday afternoon. Of course, the standout that everyone was excited to see is the Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole. The Yankees 326 million dollar man threw on Thursday against the likes of Aaron Judge and Luke Voit.

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You can feel the excitement from Yankees fans everywhere about Cole’s debut later this month. Of course the expectations are high for Cole, but what should fans expect in this shortened season from the ace?

The reality is that fans need to be realistic with their expectations for Cole. In a 60 game season, Cole is currently scheduled to get 12 starts assuming he stays healthy. Cole is not going to go 12-0 with a 0.00 ERA. It will only take one bad start to really inflate the numbers to give the appearance that Cole isn’t having an elite season.

New York Yankees & Gerrit Cole realistic expectations

If we are looking at the 12 starts, I think that 8-3 with a 3.37 ERA is a realistic line for Cole in his first season in pinstripes. Yes, the ERA is significantly higher than it was last year, but you have to keep in mind that Cole will be pitching in a new environment with less room for error. He’s still going to show everyone that he is arguably the best pitcher in the game, but there might be a slip-up here or there.

I think the Yankees need to go into this season with a World Series or bust mentality. However, fans should be realistic on the expectations for the individual players. Aaron Judge is not going to hit 300 with 25 home runs, and Gerrit Cole is not going to have an ERA under one. This season is going to be fast and furious, and with less room for error, fans’ patience is going to be running thin in the pressure cooker that is New York. I think Cole is going to show out this year, but it’s important to be realistic about what we should expect as fans.

This Day in Yankees History: Derek Jeter makes “The Dive”

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New York Yankees’ captain and superstar Derek Jeter has accomplished so much during his 20 years wearing pinstripes. Besides the five World Series championships Jeter won in his career and the 14 All-Star games, there were many things that separated him from the rest of the league. There are several distinct plays that Jeter made that showed his absolute hustle for the team. It’s been 16 years since one of the most famous plays in his career was made, and Yankee fans haven’t forgotten it one bit.

In the 12th inning against the Red Sox, Trot Nixon hit a popup down the left-field line. With two outs and two runners on, the ball would have landed in fair territory and those runs would have scored. Jeter had other plans:

Catching the ball in fair territory and unable to stop his momentum, Jeter flies into the seats and comes up bleeding and bruised up. According to the Associated Press that reported on this game saying, “The All-Star shortstop made one of the greatest plays of his championship career.”

The AP went on to say about Jeter’s injuries from making this play:

Jeter left the ballpark with the face of beat-up boxer, a bloodied chin and a red, swollen cheek. He also had a bruised shoulder. X-Rays were negative.

“When he went into the stands, you knew he’s going to get hurt,” Cairo said. “You just hope it’s not bad.”

Jorge Posada was among several teammates that walked off with Jeter.

“He says he’s playing tomorrow. That’s the way Derek is, he has that intensity,” Posada said.

This play by no means lead to a World Series title or secured a playoff spot for the Yankees. However, it legendary because it shows how much of a gamer Derek Jeter was. His intensity and dedication to the game are just one of the many reasons why Jeter is an All-Time great.

New York Knicks: Kenny Wooten Earns All-Defensive Team Award

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New York Knicks, Kenny Wooten

Kenny Wooten Jr. who is currently on the New York Knicks affiliate squad, Westchester Knicks recently earned the All-Defensive Team Award. Wooten is a master when it comes to blocking shots and applying pressure to opposing rim attacks.

The 6’9″ 220-pound pogo stick in Kenny Wooten is making it easy for the Knicks due to his hard nose style of play. Current main team teammate, Mitchell Robinson believes Kenny Wooten is actually the highest leaper on the entire team, both New York and its Westchester affiliate combined.

Kenny Wooten who is fully healed from his thumb injury is looking to earn a spot on the New York Knicks main team this offseason under new Knicks front office led by Leon Rose and William Wesley also known as “World Wide Wes”.

The Knicks are currently in need of a backup center and if Kenny Wooten continues to improve and gain accolades especially due to his defensive disruption, there might be a spot on the main Knicks squad behind Mitchell Robinson. If LaMelo Ball falls unto the New York Knicks lap on draft night, then there’ll be two bigs who’ll make LaMelo’s life super easy when it comes to the pick and roll and lob attacks.

The front office for the New York Knicks seems to be playing chess instead of checkers under Leon Rose. Many fans disagreed with the recent waiving of Allonzo Trier, however, that decision seemed more like a financial one.

Overall, Kenny Wooten is already loved by Knick fans and he hasn’t even played a single game for the New York Knicks under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. He’ll get his opportunity whenever the time is right. Wooten’s hard work and humility are not going unnoticed.

New York Yankees: Biggest storylines to follow this season

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New York Yankees, Gerrit Cole

The MLB and MLBPA have finally come to terms on a season and there will be baseball in 2020. The New York Yankees will take the field and will have a go for World Series number 28. As we wait for the season to begin, there are a number of storylines that every Yankee fan should follow.

Gerrit Cole pitching in pinstripes

One of the most obvious ones, but still an important one. Gerrit Cole signed the biggest contract for a pitcher in MLB history this offseason and every Yankee fan has been itching to see him take the mound at Yankee Stadium and pitch. With this huge salary over his head at all times, it’ll be interesting if Cole can live up to the hype.

It’s no question that Cole is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, but it’ll be tough to repeat last season’s numbers with the Houston Astros.

Will Judge, Stanton stay healthy?

The injuries between these two MLB stars are super frustrating for New York Yankees fans. We know how incredibly strong our lineup is with these two in it, so when Yankee fans see that they’re out for two weeks with a “calf strain,” frustration is the bare minimum emotion.

Even without Stanton and Judge in the lineup, the Yankees are lucky enough to have above-average players coming off the bench. However, having Stanton and Judge healthy for a full season would be monumental for the club.

Can Gio Urshela repeat last season’s success?

Third basemen Gio Urshela had an extremely good offensive season last year, ironically the year after he was traded for the lack of offensive production. Urshela batted .314 with 21 home runs and 74 runs batted in. He was one of the leaders in batting average for the American League as well.

There should be no concern with his defense, however offensively he’ll be interesting to watch. I personally believe that the Yankee coaching figured out Urshela’s swing and he’s a different player at the plate now, but it’s possible that it was a one-year success story.

Gleyber Torres taking over shortstop

The New York Yankees didn’t resign Didi Gregorius last offseason because they feel that Gleyber Torres is the future shortstop of the organization. As much as Yankee fans loved Gregorius (and for good reason), I believe this is the right move.

There’s concern about Torres’ defensive ability, however, I think these thoughts are ludacris. Torres showed tremendous ability over at second base and when Gregorius was healing from Tommy John surgery, he held it down over at shortstop. Nonetheless, it’ll be fun watching the young superstar take the field at shortstop.

Why Did Adam Ottavino Regress in the Postseason? Is This What We’re Going to Get in 2020?

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New York Yankees, Adam Ottavino

People aren’t sure what Adam Ottavino’s 2019 was, as his regular-season seemed great and then his postseason saw an implosion, with an 8.10 ERA in 3.1 innings with 3 walks. He didn’t lose velocity, nor his spin, nor was severely injured after the postseason or during it. While those are the initial factors looked at when we look at a downward spiral in performance, they aren’t always the only factors involved.

Using peripherals and breaking down Ottavino’s 2019, we can see that there not only were clear signs but signs that were apparent way before the postseason began.

How Good Was Adam Ottavino’s “Stuff”

Using a Statcast site called Baseball Savant, we can look at how Adam Ottavino’s stuff was beyond excellent, with a 27.6% Hard hit rate, .293 xSLG, .271 xWOBA, and a mere 85.1 MPH average velocity against. His slider and sinker combo worked magic, with his slider having an unreal 35.3% whiff rate and his Sinker only having 1 home run hit off of it. Ottavino didn’t just have good stuff, he had otherworldly stuff, so what the hell went wrong with Otto?

Walk It To ‘Em Otto

Adam Ottavino walked 14.1% of all batters he faced, for a 5.43 BB/9, which is beyond bad. This meant his WHIP skyrocketed to a 1.31, as he only gave up 7 more hits than batters walked. The thing is that we could’ve seen this from a mile away, as his xFIP was a 4.32 and his SIERA and 4.09, two stats that really punish a pitcher for giving up walks, and so the Yankees and baseball fans had ample time to see this coming, but why didn’t we?

Well, the thing is that over-performing metrics isn’t anything new at all, I love xFIP and SIERA, but they often don’t get used for one-year windows. A player usually doesn’t just have his peripherals rear their ugly head until projections for the next season, but it came in October. Does this mean Otto will be bad next year? No, I think if he has better command then his stuff is very much so still there. Pitching is an art, and with art, you need to be refined even if you have all the skills in the world. A great slider is going to help a lot but knowing how to throw it for a strike is crucial as well.

Ottavino can be great next year, but it all comes down to his command. Next year he can have a 2.50 ERA and a 3.00 FIP and xFIP if he can at least get his walk percentage down to like 10%.

New York Giants: Why Nate Solder will improve in 2020

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

The New York Giants’ offensive line struggled in 2019, Nate Solder was a big part of it. As of right now, it’s still a mystery if Nate Solder will start this year. The New York Giants made some reinforcements to the offensive line this offseason, the new additions could push Solder out of the starting lineup.

In 2019, Nate Solder allowed 11 sacks, the third-most in the NFL. To go along with the sacks, Solder allowed 57 pressures and was responsible for five penalties. It seemed like every game Daniel Jones was getting sacked, sometimes it was hard to watch as a fan. He would get such a late jump on snaps, defenders would blow by him with ease. Also, Nate Solder was responsible for protecting the Jones’ blindside. There needs to be a change, the Giants can’t trust him at left tackle anymore. I think Solder can make the change to right tackle, there will be less pressure of him there and he won’t have to worry about going up against the best defenders anymore.

If played right, I think Nate Solder will have a big year in 2020. I’m not saying he will be a pro-bowl offensive tackle, but he will make solid improvement and help the Giants’ offensive line grow.

New offensive line coach

Marc Colombo, a former standout NFL lineman, is in his first season as the New York Giants’ offensive line coach. I think this is a blessing in disguise for the offensive line. Not only has he played the position, but he was also with the Dallas Cowboys for five seasons. All Giants’ fans know how good their offensive line has been, its a dream of mine for the Giants to get an offensive line like Dallas. I think Colombo will be a motivator for Nate Solder and a great mentor. With Colombo in charge, he will breakdown Solder’s game and find out what’s wrong. He will also run a scheme that fits the offensive line best, Joe Judge wants to make a system that fits all players skill set.

Making a move to right tackle

In 2020, I think Nate Solder should make the move to right tackle. The Giants can’t trust him with protecting Jones’ blindside. Also, the Giants just drafted his replacement, Andrew Thomas. It’s best if Thomas starts week one at left tackle, there is no reason for the Giants to start him at right tackle then move him back to left. Moving Nate Solder to the right tackle will take a lot of pressure off his shoulders. At the end of the day, Nate Solder is a reliable offensive lineman who can still play ball. In 2019, he played all 16 games and 95% of offensive snaps.

Improvement of the Offensive line

The biggest key to success for Nate Solder in 2020 will be the pieces around him. With the addition of Andrew Thomas, the offensive line looks good. Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler will be solid guards for the next two to three years, I can see a combination of Solder at right tackle and Zeitler at guard. Those two will work well together, both of them have years of experience in the NFL. As a unit, these big boys can cause some damage. If the offensive line underperforms, Nate Solder will do the same. Hopefully, with Colombo in charge, he will make improvements to the line that best fits every player.

CBS Sports listed New York Giants as potential landing spot for free agent Josh Gordon

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Will the New York Giants claim Josh Gordon off waivers?

Josh Gordon’s NFL career has been far from stable, especially in recent years. Despite his off the field issues and multiple suspensions causing a slew of missed games, he has reportedly reached out to Commissioner Roger Goodell about possibly reinstating him for the upcoming season. Gordon has battled his own internal demons, resulting in several suspensions for substance abuse, but one more chance at the NFL could still be a reality for the 29-year-old former Pro Bowler.

CBS Sports listed potential landing spots for Gordon and included the Seahawks, Buccaneers, Patriots, Redskins, and finally, the New York Giants. From a completely unbiased standpoint, the possibility of the Giants taking a chance on him immediately caught my attention. Definitely a high risk-high reward situation here, but it is worth analyzing the possibility.

What would be the benefits?

Josh Gordon has all the tools to compete with the top receiver talent in the league today. Still only 29 years old, we have seen what he looks like when he plays to his full potential. For example, in 2013 he led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,646, while also scoring nine touchdowns. All the more impressive considering he was catching balls from a quarterback room consisting of Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, and Brian Hoyer. Joe Judge has so far proven to be a “no-nonsense” kind of guy. Not to mention he was Gordon’s WR coach during his stint in New England. Could be the perfect coach to maintain Gordon’s focus on football. Even Bill Belichick, the most “no-nonsense” coach in the history of the sport, gave him a chance, so all hope is not lost for Gordon.

The New York Giants filled a lot of holes this offseason. Drafting a top tackle prospect, acquiring several defensive free agents to bolster their linebacking and secondary units, as well as completely revamping the coaching staff. The receiving corps is one that could look to be addressed next season. Not an area of urgent need, but definitely room for improvement. Darius Slayton looked to be one of the steals of the draft, Evan Engram, when healthy, is one of the better receiving threat tight ends in the game, Golden Tate looked to be one of Daniel Jones’ favorite targets, and Sterling Shepard battled injuries all throughout last season.

Gordon most recently played for the Seahawks, the only team to claim him off waivers in 2019. Gordon is looking for a fresh start, again. With a history of availability issues and disciplinary struggles off the field, could the Giants take a chance with the hopes he returns to his pro bowl form? Adding a big-bodied wide receiver in a massively important second year for Daniel Jones could be an intriguing thought. Gordon is a beast on the field, the only problem is getting him on there and staying there for a full season. Wherever he ends up, I think it is safe to say we all want to see Josh Gordon flourish in a stable situation and return in a productive role.