Noah Syndergaard

New York Mets: The Season Finale

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

As the New York Mets went into the All-Star break, fans were fed up and sick of watching this underachieving team. At the end of the season, everyone is starving for more and cannot wait for 2020 to finally arrive. Most of those feelings is due to the Mets ending their season on a high note with a walk-off win to cap off a sweep of the Atlanta Braves.

Dom Smith was one of the biggest reasons why this Mets team had so much heart. He supported his first base competitor, Pete Alonso, all season and pumped up the crowd while he was injured. Unfortunately, he has spent the last two months on the shelf. So it was safe to say he was pumped up for his first at bat since July.

Smith jumped all over Grant Dayton’s fastball to launch a three-run walk off home run to end the Mets season in jubilation. The home run was a symbol of how resilient the Mets were all year. When their bullpen put them behind, their offense did whatever they could to back them up.

Syndergaard’s Finds His Groove

Through his catcher drama and his poor performances, the last four starts were unlike the Syndergaard we saw in the second half. He figured things out with Tomas Nido as he threw seven innings, allowing three runs and striking out nine. His ERA finished at 4.28 and it will be interesting to see what the Mets decide to do with him in the offseason.

The Mets just missed out on the playoffs but played amazing baseball during the second half. They went 46-26 and could have easily won 50 games if a couple rough games went their way. Despite missing the playoffs, they give plenty of reasons to think a postseason run is in them next season. Before they get to 2020, they will have to patch a bunch of holes and find answers to a lot of questions.

The talent is up and down this roster, but it is just a matter of if they can put it all together for an extended period of time.

 

New York Mets: Rene Rivera to Catch Noah Syndergaard

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

After a week full of speculation and drama, the New York Mets are finally ending the forced relationship between Noah Syndergaard and Wilson Ramos. Rene Rivera will be behind the dish for his next start Wednesday against the Rockies.

Too Little Too Late?

The Mets slipped to five games out of the Wild Card race with 12 games to play and are all but eliminated. If the Mets wanted to give Rivera the start behind the dish, they should have done it during the series against the Dodgers. The Mets were still in the race and could have used a dominant start from Syndergaard to match Clayton Kershaw’s.

There is no doubt Syndergaard has always pitched better to Rivera and the Mets hope to end his season on a good note. He has been inconsistent throughout the year and switching to a catcher Syndergaard is comfortable with could get him on track.

Where Does This Leave Ramos?

Ramos and Syndergaard will likely be on the roster in 2020, but who knows where Rene Rivera will be. The Mets were lucky to bring him back in the offseason, but plenty of teams could use Rivera as their backup. Ramos and Syndergaard will either have to use the entire offseason and Spring Training to get on the same page or just scrap the idea all together.

Tomas Nido also has a good connection with Syndergaard and will likely be his personal catcher should Rivera head else where. No matter who is catching, if Syndergaard is not reaching his full potential he will quickly lose the ability to pick his battery mate. There is immense pressure for him to succeed over his last couple of starts, because more than likely there will be a new Mets manager next year. The new manager likely will not be as flexible as Callaway.

At this point, Syndergaard is hosting the baseball version of “The Bachelor” with the three catchers in the palm of his hands.

New York Mets: Wilson Ramos to Catch Noah Syndergaard Friday Night

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

Despite all the drama and frustration, the Mets are going to pair up Wilson Ramos and Noah Syndergaard once again. They will be the starting battery for Friday night’s game against the Dodgers. Hopefully, they can get on the same page and shutdown the strong Dodgers lineup.

It was very interesting to head Mickey Callaway bring up the fact Syndergaard’s win-loss record is better pitching to Ramos. There is no doubt Ramos makes the offense much stronger than any other catcher the Mets have, which is why the W/L ratio is better. The plan seems to get the Mets best lineup on the field with Clayton Kershaw pitching and hope Syndergaard’s ability takes over on the mound.

Other Catching Options

Syndergaard has always had a better time pitching to Tomas Nido or Rene Rivera. He has a 2.45 ERA with Nido and Rivera was the main catcher for Syndergaard during their 2016 Wild Card run. On the other hand, Syndergaard has an ERA over five with Ramos behind he dish. If the Mets get to the postseason, he would likely need to pitch to Ramos. Syndergaard is too talented to be unable to figure things out with Ramos.

Thanks to the way the media likes to blow things up, this leaked story has become a big deal. One thing for certain is that both Syndergaard and Ramos are professionals. Something like this gets handled internally and both parties reach an agreement and get on the same page. At the end of the day, if success is the final result no one complains about anything. Syndergaard now has the opportunity to shut down the topic with a strong start and a victory.

New York Mets: The Noah Syndergaard Drama

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

The Mets put together a solid win over the Diamondbacks on Monday, but it did not come without some pregame controversy. Noah Syndergaard aired out his frustrations to Mets management on having Wilson Ramos catch him. Syndergaard was reportedly “livid” with pitching strategist Jeremy Accardo and Mickey Callaway.

This led to a half hour meeting with GM Brodie Van Wagenen. In his last start, Syndergaard allowed four runs over five innings in the Mets 10-7 loss on Sunday. Syndergaard was frustrated after the game, but Callaway explained that he was simply trying to help the offense out. This also comes after Syndergaard talked about putting an end to the trade rumors surrounding him for the last two years.

Two Schools of Thought

One side of the argument says, Syndergaard has not earned the same privilege Jacob deGrom might have to pick his catcher. Ramos is the starting catcher and one of the best hitters on the team. If the Mets need him to play a majority of the games down the stretch, they should play him. Jacob deGrom just threw one of his best games with Ramos behind the dish. He showed is did not matter who his catcher is, he will still dominate.

Syndergaard does damage to himself by his inability to hold runners on which gives Ramos no chance to throw runners out. There could also be a disconnect on the type of game Ramos calls as well. No matter what the issues are, there is a major difference for Syndergaard depending on the catcher. Through 15 starts with Ramos he has a 5.09 ERA compared to 2.45 with Tomas Nido and a career 2.52 with Rene Rivera.

On the other hand if the Mets do not give Syndergaard his personal catcher it could cause him to want out of New York. He has stated on multiple occasions how much he loves playing for the Mets. It would be a shame to lose a potential Cy Young candidate, just because the Mets want to force a bond between him and Ramos.

The Verdict

There is no doubt he can act needy at times, but it is because he wants to win. If Syndergaard can consistently pitch to a 2.5 ERA with Nido or Rivera, then it is worth it. The difference is significant enough to make the decision to reward him with a personal catcher. Syndergaard understands the bat he loses in the lineup with Ramos is out of the lineup, but the Mets offense also has enough strength to support him.

The Mets do not want to risk losing their season or future just because they need an extra bat in the lineup. Ramos can catch the four starters in the rotation as long as Syndergaard consistently throws like an ace.

New York Mets: Shell Shocked in 10-7 Loss

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs had the makings the Mets ending their four game losing streak…until the game actually started. They had one of their aces on the mound against Kyle Hendricks, who has been notoriously bad on the road this season. The game even started with a Noah Syndergaard strikeout, but after that it all went down hill for Thor and the Mets.

Syndergaard’s Demise

After the strikeout, things started to break in the Cubs direction. Nicholas Castellanos was drilled in the hand and Kris Bryant followed with a single. Javy Baez weakly hit a broken bat ground ball to Amed Rosario and he tried to make a quick throw to Joe Panik at second, but threw the ball into right field to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Instead of simply trying to get the force at second Rosario tried to rush a double play, which would not have been completed due to the speed of Baez.

From there the flood gates opened for the Cubs as they put up a six spot against Syndergaard in the first inning. It ended his streak of eight straight quality starts. The Mets answered back with a run in the bottom of the first, but they seemed lifeless through first three innings of the game. Two-run home runs from Kyle Schwarber in the second and Castellanos in the third gave the Cubs a commanding 10-1 lead.

The Bullpen/Bats Attempt at a Comeback

Paul Seward and Brad Brach gave the Mets four shutout innings out of the bullpen to keep the Mets small hopes of coming back alive. The Mets put up five in the fifth to knock out Hendricks and make it a 10-6 game. After Brach pitched a one, two, three top of the sixth inning it felt like the Mets were going to complete their comeback in the bottom half.

Todd Frazier and Jeff McNeil both hit singles to start the bottom of the sixth and put the tying run on deck for J.D. Davis. Davis had a favorable matchup against a lefty and homered earlier in the game. He grounded into a double play which seemed to suck all the energy out of the building. Davis smoked the ball but Baez did not have to move to complete the double play. Michael Conforto had a chance to boost the energy with two outs but grounded out to strand Frazier at third base.

The Mets narrowed the deficit to 10-7 heading into the ninth and set the stage for a comeback against Craig Kimbrel. Wilson Ramos ambushed Kimbrel with a leadoff single and Rajai Davis brought the tying run to the plate with a walk. Rosario was due up, but for some reason it felt like the comeback was not really going to happen throughout. Almost as if it was fake energy resonating from the fans and the players who were drained from even getting this close to tying the game. Kimbrel settled down to retired Rosario, Lagares and Frazier in order to push the Mets four games out of the second wild card spot.

Where are the Positives?

First, the Mets bullpen did a terrific job of giving their offense a fighting chance. The threw six shutout innings and Edwin Diaz looked like the closer who had 57 games last year. He struck out the side in the eighth inning and showed there were no ill effects to his trap injury. Everything with Diaz needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but the outing was thee best he looked since April.

In almost any other situation the headline would read, “Cubs put the nail in the Met coffin,” but there is only one reason to think they Mets still have a chance to comeback. This reason goes by the name of Jacob deGrom. He has been their steady ace for the last two season and they will depend on him to stop their losing streak. Should the Mets lose you can close the chapter on the unfinished comeback this year. If they win, they will be three games out with 29 games out of the second wild card spot, which is very capable of coming back from. The Mets have shown their ability to dig out of holes the entire second half and need one last push to get themselves back on track.

New York Mets: The Resurgence of Noah Syndergaard and Jeurys Familia

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

Earlier this season Noah Syndergaard and Jeurys Familia headlined a group of underachieving Mets which led to their horrible first half of the year. During the Mets huge turn around, they have been at the forefront of their new found success.

Before the rain caused an early ending, Syndergaard was dealing Thursday night. He retired the first 16 batters against him before Tyler Naquin blooped a single out of the reach of Juan Lagares. In total Syndergaard went six innings, allowed two hits and struck out five on just 73 pitches. He has a 1.82 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 54.1 innings pitched during the second half. Syndergaard’s ERA on May 7 was 5.14 and has lowered it down to 3.71.

Familia Time?

Prior to 2019, Jeurys Familia was one of the most consistent relievers in all of baseball. It earned him the three year deal in the offseason and he was counted on to set up Edwin Diaz along with Seth Lugo. Familia was dreadful in the first half of the season, he had a 7.50 ERA and 22 walks in 30 innings. The Mets even avoided using him in any important situation through the end of the first half.

Familia has returned to his All-Star form with a 1.64 ERA in the second half and is quickly becoming a dependable option in the Mets bullpen. Mets fans tend to think of home runs from Alex Gordon and Conor Gillaspie when it come to Familia which forces them to forget about how dominant he was. Without Familia, their magical 2015 run does not happen and now it does not seem like this year’s run will be possible without him.

The way Mickey Callaway is using his bullpen now, it seems like he is trying to avoid using Edwin Diaz. He would prefer to have Familia throw the eighth and Lugo throw the ninth. Friday night’s game again the Braves will be a huge test for the bullpen, assuming deGrom goes deep into the game. Familia likely will not pitch three days in a row which could force Callaway’s hand to throw Diaz in the ninth if the Mets have a lead. If the Mets can get Diaz right, they can finally have a legitimate trio in their bullpen.

Did the New York Yankees make a mistake not trading Deivi Garcia?

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New York Yankees, Deivi Garcia

After a 6-1 loss for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders against the Rochester Red Wings, the New York Yankees might have stepped on their foot by not trading youth pitcher Deivi Garcia.

Garcia allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings after escaping the trade deadline and staying put in an impressive Yankees farm system. He’s the youngest player to reach the top level in the minors for the Bombers this year, but he’s struggled as of late due to the different grips on the ball and increased talent.

At just 20-years-old, Garcia has plenty of time to refine his skillset and adapt to the quality of players in Triple-A ball. There’s no rush to call him up to the big leagues just yet unless injuries being to mount and manager Aaron Boone has no choice.

However, he could have been used as a trade piece ahead of the deadline, and several teams were calling for him in a potential deal. The issue was — the Yankees had no leverage and were being asked for far too much in return for a quality pitcher.

They missed out on Zack Greinke, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and more, but staying put might have been the best move considering the asking price for most of the options available.

Was it a smart move for the New York Yankees to keep Garcia?

At such a young age, Deivi has a ton of potential that’s yet to be understood and unlocked. He can turn into an ace-caliber player with a bit more development and experience, but trading him for a proven option is justifiable. There’s no guarantee he will emerge as a starting pitcher in the Big Leagues, and the Bombers needed to add reinforcements to a rotation that has been awful recently.

Not a single starter has an ERA lower than 4.00 and injures piling up with CC Sabathia being moved to the IL. General manager Brian Cashman seems to have more confidence in his pitchers than most, considering the quality they displayed in 2018. They have taken a significant step back, but that doesn’t mean they can’t take two major ones forward to return to glory.

Maybe it’s Larry Rothschild at fault, or perhaps it’s a confidence issue. Something realistically needed to be done, and now we will have to bear the burden of staying put with the current rotation.

 

 

New York Mets: Will Noah Syndergaard Survive the Trade Deadline?

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

Over the last few days, rumors have swirled that the New York Mets are trying to move Noah Syndergaard before the July 31 trade deadline. The Mets are expecting a heavy load of top tier prospects in return for their innings leader this season.

Why Trade Syndergaard?

Syndergaard has not pitched as well as he did last season but has still been very solid. In 126.2 innings this year he has a 4.33 ERA and 126 strikeouts. Much like Jacob deGrom, he had a subpar April and has seen his ERA decrease in each month this season.

Zack Wheeler was originally the most likely pitcher to be traded, but his shoulder injury sidetracked any ideas. Syndergaard still has two more years of control and is also two years younger than Wheeler. All of those factors would allow the Mets to rebuild their farm system after losing key players in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade.

Should the Mets move Syndergaard?

The Mets must believe they are going to receive a strong enough package to replace Syndergaard in the rotation if they deal him. It certainly would not fall in line with Brodie Van Waganen’s “Win now and win in the future” mentality.

Many teams around baseball are searching for starting pitching and the Mets are unique because they do not have the same problem. The problem is their bullpen and below-average defense. If the Mets want to contend in 2020 they will keep Syndergaard, until the offseason at worst. Let Syndergaard lower his ERA and raise his stock so if the Mets want to trade him they receive even more in return. If they decide to keep him they will comeback with a strong rotation in 2020.

New York Yankees could trade Deivi Garcia for Noah Syndergaard

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

The New York Yankees are being forced into trading for a starter, but who will it be?

The New York Yankees are in dire need of starting pitching support, after allowing the Boston Red Sox to rack up 19 runs in one game and seven in the first inning on Thursday night.

If that wasn’t an indication of the help they need, I don’t know what could convince BM Brian Cashman to make a move. However, he’s known for his deadline deals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a pitcher like Noah Syndergaard took his talents across the Queensboro Bridge and over to the Bronx on July 31.

Trading for “Thor” wouldn’t be cheap, though, as he still has two years of team control on his contract and is one of the better pitchers in baseball when confident. This season, he’s been a bit inconsistent, earning an ERA of 4.33, the highest in his five-year career. This could just be an outlier or the fact that the Mets continue to lose games, which ultimately hurts the confidence of the players on the team.

ESPN was told from a source that the Mets are willing to trade the hard-throwing righty:

“It’s beyond listening,” said one. “They want to move him.”

The Yankees would have to be willing to part with a special talent if they want Noah, somebody like their #4 ranked prospect Deivi Garcia would be in the discussion. While I wouldn’t be willing to part ways with such a talented up-and-coming pitcher, the Yankees ‘need’ the support if they truly want to keep their World Series hopes alive.

Garcia has been a menace on the mound this season, reaching the top team in the farm system, the youngest to do so for the Yankees this year. He currently has a 3.17 ERA across the A-ball teams. Allowing just three homers over 73.6 innings pitched.

It’s a difficult decision to make if you’re the Yankees, simply because of his potential, but also the fact that a quality starter is 100% needed at this point in the season. I believe Clint Frazier will be the active trade bait over Garcia, who’s less valuable at this point considering the depth the Yanks have in the outfield with Mike Tauchman emerging.

While the Yankees have been cautious with bringing him up too early, their hand may be forced later on in the year. For now, they have to find a way to lock in a starter without having to trade him away.

New York Yankees: 3 Pitchers That Can Come in and Make an Impact

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Are the New York Yankees interested in trading for Blue Jays pitcher, Marcus Stroman?

It is no question the New York Yankees need starting pitching. Every arm in the rotation currently holds an ERA above 4.00 and each starter has not gone past 4.0 innings in their last game started. None of them are going the distance which hurts the bullpen.

The staff has combined a total of 35 earned runs in their last respective starts. With ace Luis Severino still on the injured list, the Yankees need a consistent arm – maybe more than one.

Marcus Stroman

His record might not show it, but Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays is one of the league’s premier pitchers. He holds a 2.96 ERA this season in over 21 games pitches. The “Stro-Show” also consistently goes the distance – exactly what the Yankees need.

Stroman is not a swing-and-miss pitcher. He knows how to pitch and pitches to contact. He holds a 56% groundball rate. Throwing a fastball at around 93-94, Stroman also flashes a cutter, slider, sinker, changeup, and curveball. This arsenal of pitches keep hitters guessing and off-balance. Another thing to note, Stroman throws strikes. Take a look at this chart from FanGraphs, it shows how consistent he is within the zone.

I believe Marcus Stroman wants to come to New York. His intensity and fire will be loved in Yankee Stadium. Stroman even said this to New York reporters: “I love the bright lights. I was built for this.”

Madison Bumgarner

One of the best in postseason, the Yankees could use a guy like Madison Bumgarner. Last season in the playoffs it was evident that the Yankees struggled with their starters. Everyone remembers the embarrassing 16-1 loss to the Red Sox in the ALDS at Yankee Stadium last year…

Bumgarner holds a 8-3 record with a 2.11 ERA in the postseason. He is known for his dominance in the playoffs. The lanky left-hander played a big part in the Giants’ 2014 World Series championship. The guy knows how to handle big games and is someone who could fill in the missing pieces for the Yankees.

Noah Syndergaard

Many believe the New York Mets won’t trade away their prized Thor. However, many evaluators think differently. Noah Sydergaard will be eligible for free agency after the 2021 season, and that promises many teams two more years if he’s traded. Not only that, but the guy is one of the league’s best pitchers. His record doesn’t show, but triple digit fastball will play. In 126.2 innings pitched, he has fanned 126 while walking 36.

This trade fits perfectly for the Yankees. Syndergaard is a guy who can go the distance and sometimes flash a complete game. Behind the Yankee’s offense, Thor could be unstoppable in the Bronx.