Game #17: Mets 2, Nationals 0

With some surprisingly good pitching, and a touch of generosity from the opposition, New York completed its thaw-out from the previous week in grand style.

John Buck's moonshot gave Dillon Gee and company all the run support it needed as the Mets knocked off the Nationals 2-0 to win the teams' first series of the year.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• On a 3-1 fastball from Jordan Zimmerman in the bottom of the 2nd, John Buck continued his stampede to NL Player of the Month, blasting off a rare upper-deck home run to put his team on the board. The solo shot was his seventh round-tripper of the season (more than halfway to his total last season) and league-leading 22nd RBI.
• Mike Baxter's sac fly in the 4th provided Dillon Gee some much-welcome (if not needed) insurance, as Gee turned in 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, three walks, and striking out six on 98 pitches.
• New York stole two more bases on the afternoon, as Jordany Valdespin stole third in the 1st inning and David Wright swiped second in the 5th.
• After Gee walked the bases loaded in the 6th, LaTroy Hawkins came on and calmly struck out Ian Desmond to preserve the Washington goose egg.
• Brandon Lyon cruised to a 1-2-3 7th, but Scott Rice had some trouble to lead off the 8th, allowing a single to Steve Lombardozzi and a walk to Denard Span. Now here's where the aforementioned generosity comes in to play: after working the count to 3-0, Jayson Werth was given the swing away sign, which he promptly turned into a 6-4-3 double play to let Rice mostly off the hook. Not even Bryce Harper could save this rally, as Rice took care of him by way of the K.
• Bobby Parnell pitched a brilliant 1-2-3 9th, striking out two Nats en route to his second save of the season.

The Bad Stuff:

• The team went 0-8 with RISP and stranded seven castaways on Gilligan's Island. But they won the game anyway, so we can forget about them. They'll be fine; they've got the Professor. And Mary Ann.

Final Analysis:
That'll do. Dillon Gee finally showed signs of life on the mound and John Buck continued his Flushing Renaissance, as the Mets held their own in what turned out to be a hard-fought and very exciting series. With the New York-Washington rivalry only set to heat up as the weeks, months, years go by, the taste of what's to be we got this weekend makes it that much more scintillating.

MM

Game #16: Nationals 7, Mets 6

Author's Note: Please excuse the late edition to the blog - as a result of attending the game in person, it took quite awhile to get back to Washington, D.C., where I am living this semester. It was my first visit to Citi Field and I met up with the staff from my other blog, Rising Apple.

(L-R: Will DeBoer, Danny Abriano, Dan Haefeli, Matt Musico, Rich Sparago, Sam Maxwell)

A fun time was had by all, despite the results and the best efforts of our new nemesis. And now, without further adieu, the recap from this afternoon's game.

For those of you keeping track, this sequel shall be titled Chipper the Met Killer Part XVII: Larry Lives.

The Nationals pounded out four home runs, and Bryce Harper's second blast of the day provided the margin in a 7-6 Mets loss.

The Bad Stuff:

• The trouble started on Jeremy Hefner's first pitch of the 2nd inning, which Ian Desmond deposited into the left field stands (not too far from where I was sitting) for a 1-0 lead. In the 3rd, after a double by Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper continued his hot start with a two-run bomb to right center.
• After the Mets clawed their way back and chased Gio Gonzalez in the 4th, Aaron Laffey gave away a 5-3 lead in the very next inning, allowing a three-run homer to Adam LaRoche to make it 6-5.

(NYDailyNews.com)

• New York once again made a comeback in the 7th when John Buck's RBI double knotted things at 6-all, but on the first pitch he saw from Josh Edgin in the 8th inning, Bryce Harper put Washington back in front with a monstrous home run.
• New York would not have another comeback in them, going down to Rafael Soriano in the 9th to even the series.

The Good Stuff:

• Making the most of rare starts, Collin Cowgill and Justin Turner each contributed two-run singles as part of the Mets' five-run 4th.
• Daniel Murphy went 2-5 with an RBI single.
• David Wright laced a triple to start the rally in the 4th, giving him two games in a row with a three-bagger.

Final Analysis:
Three takeaways from this ballgame.

First: Chipper Jones lives. And his name is Bryce Harper. And he's 20. Uh-oh.

Second: Jeremy Hefner would make a great long man in the bullpen. The problem is, in order for the Mets to have a long man, they need a fifth starter. In turn, in order to have a fifth starter, they need a fourth starter. It's a vicious cycle indeed, one where the answer could be Shaun Marcum, Zack Wheeler, or someone else entirely. But until New York finds at the very least a reliable fourth starter, they will be automatically out of half the games due to simply having half a rotation.

Third: the Mets-Nats series is going to be a good one for the next decade. With a cavalcade of young stars on both sides, the fireworks of this weekend at Citi Field are only the beginning. This season may turn out to be one-sided toward the team from DC, but hopefully it won't stay that way for long.

MM

Game #15: Mets 7, Nationals 1

The mantra of tonight's ballgame was "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." It was a running theme in both the inter- and intra-squad contests.

Ike Davis and Lucas Duda each went yard twice to help Matt Harvey and the Mets beat Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals, 7-1.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• In the first edition of a matchup that will define the next decade in the National League East, Matt Harvey outdueled Stephen Strasburg to become the first four-game winner in the majors. Harvey gave up a single run on 4 hits in 7 innings, walking 3 and striking out 7 on 105 pitches. After getting into trouble in his final frame (walk, single, single + run, error to lead the bases), the Harv buckled down to strike out Kurt Suzuki, get Roger Bernadina to pop up behind the plate, and forced a groundout by Denard Span to end the threat and earn a hearty handshake from the manager.
• On a night when there were fireworks on the mound, there were just as many at the plate for the team from New York. Ike Davis took Strasburg's first pitch of the 6th inning and deposited it in the left center stands to end a home slump and make it 3-0 home team. Two batters later, Lucas Duda had what Ike was having and blasted a solo home run to dead center. The knockout punch to Harvey-Strasburg I resulted in a resounding chorus of "HARVEY'S BETTER!" from the Citi Field crowd.
• After David Wright led off the 8th with a triple against Washington's Drew Storen, Davis continued his mojo and shot a rocket off the Pepsi Porch in right field. Two batters later,
• Scott Rice and Bobby Parnell each delivered 1-2-3 innings in relief, with Rice sitting down Bryce Harper and company in the 8th and Parnell nailing it down in the 9th for the bounceback win.

The Bad Stuff:

• Harvey and John Buck were having a bit of miscommunication in about the middle of his start, but it got worked out just fine.

Final Analysis:
With Dwight Gooden in the house, Matt Harvey was a Doctor on the mound. Harvey electrified the Flushing faithful in a way not seen since No-Han. But unlike Johan Santana's triumphant night, many, many repeat performances are expected in this case. The future is now for the Mets' budding ace, and this time the world is taking notice.

In other news, Davis and Duda showed more than just signs of life at the plate, giving fans a glimpse of what could become the next Bash Brothers duo (minus the 'roids, of course). If the D&D Boys can keep swinging like that, New York should regularly compete even with a weakened bullpen.

To make a long story short: great game. That is all.

MM

Game #14: Rockies 11, Mets 3

On a day that started out bad for Travis D'Arnaud, for his future team, it ended with a resounding "D'oh!"

The Rockies erupted for a six-run 7th to bury the Mets, 11-3, in a series that won't "officially" end until June 27.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Down 3-2 in the 7th, New York turned it over to the bullpen after Jonathon Niese's quality start (see Good Stuff below). The results weren't pretty, as Josh Edgin, Scott Atchison, and the recently-promoted Jeurys Familia combined to allow six Colorado runs in that one inning, with Atchison failing to retire any of his three batters.
• In an 8th-inning tune-up before Saturday's scheduled start, Jeremy Hefner allowed solo home runs to Dexter Fowler and Troy Tulowitzki, which provided the final margin.

The Good Stuff:

• Despite the intensely cold weather, Jonathon Niese was able to piece together a quality start, taking a relatively tough loss by allowing 3 runs on 9 hits in 6 innings, walking 1 and striking out 3 on 96 pitches.
• The Mets' 1-4 hitters combined to go 7-11, as Jordany Valdespin and Daniel Murphy picked up a double and a single each, while David Wright's continued dominance at Coors Field included 2 RBIs, and Ike Davis drove in a run for the first time in what seems like forever.

Final Analysis:
Factor in a clean sweep at the hands of a team they should have beaten, an injury to their top catching prospect, and the realistic possibility that half the team got frostbite, and this road trip could not end soon enough. Now, weekend forecasts of 60 degrees on Saturday and 55 on Sunday certainly aren't summery, they should feel positively like Miami after the week the Mets spent in one of Dante's colder layers of hell. Good day, and good riddance to cold weather.

MM

Games #12 & #13: Rockies 8-9, Mets 4-8

You're cold and tired, I'm cold and tired, the Mets are cold and tired, let's just get this over with and go to bed.

Dillon Gee's 5th inning implosion lifted the Rockies to a 8-4 victory in the afternoon game of the doubleheader, while Ruben Tejada's sixth error in 13 games spelled doom for the Mets in a four-hour, 10-inning day-after-Tax-Day cold-fest of misery.

The Bad Stuff:

• Dillon Gee got plowed like the snow at Coors Field in the first game, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 4.2 innings, walking 2 and striking out 2 on 88 pitches.
• While David Wright and John Buck combined for five hits in the opener, the rest of the New York squad teamed up for just three.
• Up 8-2 after a five-run explosion in the 5th inning of the night game, the Mets turned around and gave up four runs the very next inning. In the 8th, Bobby Parnell looked like he got out of a tough jam, but Ruben Tejada threw away what would have been the third out and let the tying runs score.
• After getting runners in scoring position in the 9th and 10th, New York failed to plate the go-ahead. Then a walk and an error off Greg Burke with two outs allowed Jordan Pacheco to play the hero with the game-winner, breaking the Mets' hearts while at the same time warming up the rest of their bodies as they descended into the dugout.
• The Mets extended their home run streak to 12 games after the first, but failed to leave the yard for the first time all season in the second.

The Good Stuff:

• David Wright went 3-4 with his first two homers of the season in the first game, driving in three runs and scoring twice.
• Marlon Byrd had three RBIs in the second game.
• Ruben Tejada picked up three RBIs between the two contests, proving that at least something was working for our troubled young shortstop.

Final Analysis:

(NYDailyNews.com)

First off, props to the grounds crew at Coors Field for managing to get all that mountainous snow off the field in time to get both these games in tonight. While it may have been a miserably cold affair, the odds of the Mets having to make the return trip to Denver in the summer just went down with the mercury.

Secondly, I think these guys have the best summary as to how today went. And my goodness, what is going on with Ruben Tejada? Less than a tenth of the way into the season and he's already halfway to his error total for all of last season. Young he may be, but there's no excuse for such sloppy baseball. If he doesn't get back on track soon, he may lose his starting job at shortstop. I'm sure Omar Quintanilla would be more than eager to fill in.

Final thoughts of the night go to this tweet from @_mistermet. We'll start fresh in the morning. Sleep well, everybody. As well as possible once the frostbite sets in.

MM

Game #11: Mets 4, Twins 2

(NYDailyNews.com)

When Justin Morneau's high fly ball in the 7th clanked off the right field foul pole, it knocked the wind out of New Yorkers watching for a slice of history. For the man on the mound, however, it wasn't more than a kink in his latest pitching masterpiece.

Matt Harvey flirted with a no-hitter for almost seven innings and the Mets' big bang in the 5th gave him his third win of the season, 4-2 over the Twins.

The Good Stuff:

• The future continues to be now for Matt Harvey, who for 6.2 innings was literally unhittable. A solo home run by the aforementioned Morneau ended his bid for history, but Harvey fought on through eight outstanding innings, allowing just one more hit, walking two and striking out six on 107 pitches.
• Harvey's effort was also a first for Mets fans: while the breakup of the no-hitter may have been disappointing, it was the first time we were not obligated to turn grudgingly and say, "Not today, boss." It's a good feeling. Thanks, Johan Santana.
• Still scoreless after four frames, Marlon Byrd broke the ice with a solo bomb off Scott Diamond to the second deck in left field to lead off the 5th. That blast opened the floodgates for a single, single, and double by Ike Davis (thrown out trying to stretch it into a dobule), Justin Turner, and Ruben Tejada. Collin Cowgill, Daniel Murphy, and David Wright followed with run-scoring singles each, and all of a sudden the visitors were up 4-0.
• It was all the offense they needed. Bobby Parnell gave up a run on a couple doubles but ultimately locked down Minnesota in the bottom of the 9th for his first save of the season.

The Bad Stuff:

• John Buck went hitless for the first time in recent memory, going 0-4.

Final Analysis:
Long story short: this Harvey guy's pretty good. We've got a lot to look forward to.

MM

Game #10: Mets 16, Twins 5

Not even the blinding snow of Minneapolis could cool off John Buck, whose heat spread like wildfire to his teammates on Friday night.

Buck's record-setting grand slam in the 2nd inning put the Mets into double digits, as they cruised to a series-opening 16-5 win over the Twins.

The Good Stuff:

• With flurries fluttering all around, the runs came in as such when Jordany Valdespin led off the game with a bloop single to left. Daniel Murphy doubled to put them both in scoring position and David Wright's double made it 2-0 quickly off Minnesota starter Vance Worley. After Ike Davis walked, John Buck converted his blazing hot start into a bit of luck as a hard groundball to third went through the wickets of Trevor Plouffe. After a Marlon Byrd two-run single two batters later, the visitors had a commanding 5-0 lead.
• After the Twins responded with a couple runs in the bottom of the 1st, the Mets kept the train a-rollin' in the 2nd, when Valdespin, Murphy, and Wright produced deja-vu singles to make it 6-2. Davis drew another walk, this one of the 10-pitch variety, to bring up Buck, who left no doubts on who the hottest baseball player on the planet is with a second-deck grand slam to left. After adjusting his beard on the steps, Buck descended into the dugout with the following marks:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Buck's six home runs on the season have now surpassed the home run totals of all Mets catchers during the entire 2012 season.
• He has hit home runs in four consecutive games, one shy of Richard Hidalgo's franchise record, making him the first Met to accomplish the foursome since David Wright in June 2007.
• Buck's 19 RBIs are the most any player has ever driven in during his first 10 games with a new team. The mark is also the second most in Amazin' history, five shy of Jeff Kent's April 1994 record of 24 ribbies. And we're still closer to April Fool's Day than May Day.
• Buck's heroics relegated these outstanding offensive lines to page two:
• Jordany Valdespin - 2-5, 3 R, 1 RBI
• Daniel Murphy - 4-5, 2 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI (mostly courtesy of a bases-clearing two-bagger in the top of the 7th)
• David Wright - just a HR shy of the cycle, Captain America's line read 3-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 4 RBI (doubling his total for the season)
• Even New York's 7-8-9 tandem of Marlon Byrd, Mike Baxter, and Ruben Tejada combined to do great things, collectively going 5-15 with three runs.
• Scott Atchison, Greg Burke, and Aaron Laffey combined for four innings of scoreless, one-hit relief pitching.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jonathon Niese's 22-game streak of six or more innings ended as he only lasted five frames, giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits, four walks, and a strikeout on 101 pitches. This can be excused for two reasons: first, the snowy weather was playing tricks on both starters; second, scoreboard. The result: W #2 of the season for Niese.
• Ruben Tejada's defensive woes continued as a throwing error in the 5th clocked him up to five E6s on the young season. It took him until July 23 to get to that many last year.

Final Analysis:
Said Keith Hernandez on tonight's SNY telecast about John Buck, "I don't think I've seen anyone hotter out of the shoot." Amen, brother. So I'll talk about the rest. Sure, the Minnesota Twins may have some of the worst pitching in baseball (Philadelphia outcast Vance Worley was their Opening Day starter), but they've still managed to win four games so far, so our boys must have been doing something right. In any other situation we'd be singing the praises of a red-hot Daniel Murphy, but instead he takes a backseat to the white-hot Buck. When either of them cool off is yet to be seen, but if they both keep it up for another week or so, they may be battling each other for NL Player of the Month for April. Because just imagine how good they'll be when they don't have to play in (mini) blizzard-like conditions. Whoa baby.

MM

Game #9: Phillies 7, Mets 3

The power was surging, but the lines were bringing it directly to the wrong place.

Three solo home runs between John Buck and Lucas Duda failed to make up for Jeremy Hefner's rough outing as the Mets dropped the series to the Phillies, 7-3.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• The last time Jeremy Hefner faced Philadelphia, he failed to get a single out. This time he didn't fare much better, letting the first six guys get on base (Ben Revere was caught stealing second) and allowing five earned runs before getting an out himself. Like Dillon Gee the night before him, Hef was gone after the 3rd inning.
• The New York offense couldn't do nearly enough against Kyle Kendrick, whose only damage came on two solo home runs spread over six innings. The 2-4 guys in the order (Daniel Murphy, David Wright, Ike Davis) combined to go 0-11 with a walk and four strikeouts.
• Lance Nix victimized New York's LaTroy Hawkins in the 6th inning with a two-run homer, his first of the season.

The Good Stuff:

• John Buck's hot start has gone on for so long I've run out of hyperbole for it. Buck launched another home run, a solo bomb of Kendrick in the 2nd inning, to give him five for the season and equaling last year's power numbers of every other Mets catcher combined. It also gave New York its longest home run streak to start the season in franchise history: never before have the Mets hit home runs in each of their first nine games.
• Lucas Duda braved the wind and the deficit by launching two home runs of his own, the first one going so high and so far that it left not only Citizens Bank Park but also both Veterans Stadium and Shibe Park. Imagine their surprise...
• The Mets managed to outhit the Phillies 11-10, with Jordany Valdespin, Mike Baxter, and Ruben Tejada each picking up multi-hit games.

Final Analysis:
Think a three-man rotation would work? Jeremy Hefner is not a starter; he belongs in the bullpen as the long man, as he was kept on the team to do. Unfortunately for him the injuries to Shaun Marcum and Johan Santana have forced him and Aaron Laffey into this position, and they, as well as we, will have to put up with it until Marcum comes back and Zack Wheeler gets his promotion. Until then, the mantra Mets fans will be singing goes like this: "Harvey and Niese and Gee, wouldn't rain be cheque?"

Tough to lose the series to the Phillies but the Mets are still 5-4 and are going to the last-place caliber Minnesota Twins for the weekend. That is, if they don't get snowed in.

MM

Game #8: Phillies 8, Mets 3

In tonight's battle of Gee vs. Lee, it was Lee that had Mets fans saying, "Oh, Gee!"

Dillon Gee didn't make it to the 3rd inning, while Cliff Lee came within one out of a complete game as the Phillies took care of the Mets, 8-3, to even the series at a game apiece.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• A night after New York did a number on Roy Halladay, Philadelphia turned it around and did the same number on Dillon Gee. After retiring the first four batters of the game, Gee let four runs score on six 2nd-inning hits. The seas got rougher in the 3rd as he gave up solo home runs to Ryan Howard, Michael Young, and John Mayberry in the span of four at-bats. Down 7-0, the Mets were sunk just a third of the way into the game.
• Except for a couple pitches, Cliff Lee was vintage tonight, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits in 8.2 innings, walking none (typical) and striking out 6 on 106 pitches. Only a couple 9th-inning singles by Marlon Byrd and Justin Turner prevented Lee from getting the 27th out himself.

The Good Stuff:

• John Buck can't do it all at the plate, but he sure as heck tried. Hitting cleanup for the first time since about half the guys on the Mets were playing tee-ball, Buck launched another opposite-field home run, this one of the two-run variety in the top of the 4th. His 14 RBIs are miles ahead in the National League, and his fourth home run bring him one shy of matching the combined efforts of all four Mets catchers in 2012 (Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas, Rob Johnson, Kelly Shoppach). Five percent of the season gone, and he's already been worth it.
• The New York bullpen did a nice job of keeping the team from getting completely blown away, as Greg Burke, Scott Rice, LaTroy Hawkins, and Brandon Lyon combined for five innings of one-run relief following Gee's departure.

Final Analysis:
Lest we forget, two years ago the Philadelphia Phillies had perhaps the most feared rotation in baseball since the Orioles of the early 1970s. Three-fourths of that rotation are still on the team, and while Roy Halladay is going through some hardships, they still haveLee and Cole Hamels. Mets fans see Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Jonathon Niese in their future and are overjoyed at what could be. But in order to get there, they'll have to first overtake the Phillies, who showed through Cliff Lee tonight that they aren't done just yet.

MM

Game #7: Mets 7, Phillies 2

On a night when national eyes were looking forward to an Ace on the hill, they got him. Just not the one they were expecting.

Matt Harvey lambasted the Phillies for seven innings and the Mets shelled Roy Halladay in a little more than four, taking the series opener in Philadelphia by a decisive 7-2 margin.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Matt Harvey was pure electric under the lights at Citizens Bank Park, allowing a single earned run on 3 hits in 7 innings, walking 2 and striking out 9 on 110 pitches. Through two starts this season, Mr. Harvey has put a dent in the National League, sporting a 0.64 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 14 innings.
• Mets fans have been used to seeing Roy Halladay do to them what Matt Harvey did to Philly tonight. But if revenge is a dish best served cold, New York was ready to bust out a Carvel ice cream cake.
• Marlon Byrd continued the party he started yesterday with a one-out double in the 2nd. After Lucas Duda was hit by the pitch, the red-hot John Buck went wild once again, hammering a three-run homer to the opposite field. Buck's 12 RBIs through 7 games are a franchise record, topping the great Darryl Strawberry's mark of 11 ribbys in 1987, and the Mets matched another '87 team record by leaving the yard in its first seven games.
• Duda added another run in the 3rd inning with a single to score Daniel Murphy. Then in the 5th, Murphy creamed a ground-rule double and came in on David Wright's single. Ike Davis chased Halladay with a single of his own, then four batters later with the bases loaded and two out, Ruben Tejada fought back from 0-2 against Chad Durbin to poke a full count single into left to plate two more runs. When the dust had settled, the New Yorkers had themselves a comfortable 7-1 lead.
• Josh Edgin allowed a run and a hit in two relief innings but was able to finish the game, giving the rest of the bullpen a nice night off.

The Bad Stuff:

• The leadoff spot in the Mets' order was the only one to go hitless on the night: Kirk Nieuwenhuis started and went 0-3 with a strikeout, and Collin Cowgill didn't fare much better in his two at-bats, striking out once as well.

Final Analysis:
Once a house of horrors for the rest of the NL East, Citizens Bank Park is suddenly becoming a home away from home for the New York Mets, who dominated from start to finish in their first game back in a venue they went 7-2 in last season. The future is now for Matt Harvey, who looked every bit the ace he is expected to be. John Buck continues to light it up for his new team; at this rate he'll match the production of a certain former #44 by the end of the month. All-in-all a phenomenal win in front of a national television audience, who know now the Mets' best days are ahead of them.

MM

Game #6: Mets 4, Marlins 3

In a game they had absolutely no business winning, as WFAN's Josh Lewin put it, it took the Mets' Marlon to take down Miami's Marlins.

Marlon Byrd's two-run walk-off single gave the Mets a dramatic and unexpected come-from-behind victory, as they defeated the Marlins 4-3 to win consecutive series to start the season for the first time since 2006.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th, Ruben Tejada got hit by a pitch from side-armed closer Steve Cishek. That brought up pinch-hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who laced a single in to left. Aware of Juan Pierre's weak arm, Tejada bolted for third, sliding in safe ahead of a throw that allowed Nieuwenhuis to take an extra base. That brought up Marlon Byrd, who hadn't started the game but had already struck out twice. But with the infield in, and on Cishek's second pitch, Byrd poked a groundball down the third base line to score both runs and made sure everyone knew that for the first time as a New York Met, the Byrd was the word. Justin Turner knew the word and made sure it was properly punctuated with the first whipped cream pie-in-the-face of the young season.
• The Mets were outhit 13-5 over the course of the game but were kept in it thanks to stellar relief work from the bullpen. Greg Burke, Josh Edgin, Scott Atchison, LaTroy Hawkins, and Scott Rice combined for 4.2 scoreless innings after starter Aaron Laffey made his exit in the 5th, with Rice picking up his first career W after finishing the 9th.
• With the hot-hitting John Buck getting the day off, Anthony Recker filled in nicely both behind the plate and at it, throwing out Donovan Solano on what could've been a passed ball and punching an RBI double to get the Mets on the board in the 5th.
• Daniel Murphy launched an absolute bomb to dead center in the 6th inning to get New York within one. It was his second home run of the young season; last year, when he hit just six, it took him until June 17 at Wrigley Field to get his second home run (his first two of the season came in that game).

The Bad Stuff:

• Aaron Laffey was less-than-stellar in his first start in a New York uniform, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings, walking one and striking 5 on 90 pitches.
• The Mets couldn't get anything going against highly-touted prospect Jose Fernandez, who made his major-league debut to the tune of 8 strikeouts on 80 pitches over 5 innings. It was the beginning of a breezy afternoon at the plate for the home team, who struck out 13 times overall.

Final Analysis:
Every time the Fish looked like they would pull away in this game, the Amazin's kept reeling them back in, and with every reel, they felt that maybe, just maybe, they could catch them for good. The usually paper-thin New York bullpen kept the game from getting out of the way all day, and Marlon Byrd's heroics secured the unlikely victory. And as the Mets go out on the road for the first time tomorrow, they take with them a winning record and hopes for a continued strong start.

MM

Game #5: Mets 7, Marlins 3

The first half of the ballgame was reminiscent of last night's ugly affair. Then the Captain got a rally going and the Mets rode the Buck all the way to victory.

John Buck drove in four runs, including three of New York's five between the 6th and 7th innings as the Mets took the second game of the series from the Marlins, 7-3.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• John Buck got the scoring going in the 1st inning with a sac fly to right field that scored Mike Baxter. Five innings later with his team down 2-1, he delivered again with a two-run double to plate David Wright and Ike Davis.
• Tied 3-3 in the 7th, Mike Baxter got the ball rolling with a one-out walk. He then promptly stole second and went to third on a throwing error by catcher Miguel Olivio. All Daniel Murphy needed to plate him was a bloop single, but instead Murph sent a rocket to the wall in center and ended up on third with an RBI triple. Wright then plated Murphy with a single to cap a 3-4 day at the plate. Wright then followed Baxter's script, stealing second and ending up on third via another Olivio error. Ike Davis was then walked intentionally to get to Buck, who made Miami pay with his second sac fly of the game.
• Collin Cowgill provided some insurance in the 8th inning, poking a solo home run into the Party City Deck to lock in place the final line.
• The offense came too late for Jonathon Niese, who didn't factor into the decision despite another strong outing: 6 innings, 8 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts on 100 pitches.
• Brandon Lyon struck out two to breeze through the 8th inning and Bobby Parnell shut down the Fish 1-2-3 in the 9th to secure the W.

The Bad Stuff:

• Scott Atchison coughed up Niese's lead in the 7th inning by putting a baserunner on that Josh Edgin inherited and let score.
• Ruben Tejada committed his fourth error in five games, rushing a double play throw in the 5th inning that lead to an unearned run. It took until late June for Tejada to pick up his fourth error last season.

Final Analysis:
John Buck has been as hot as hot can be to start his Mets tenure, hitting .421 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs and helping Jon Niese and the rotation post a 1.40 ERA in its first five starts. Take him out of the equation and this comfortable 3-2 start for the New Yorkers would likely be closer to 0-5 than the other way around. Buck will eventually cool off, but hopefully not too soon. His team will need all the offense they can get while in pursuit of a winning month.

MM

Game #4: Marlins 7, Mets 5

Remember yesterday how the Mets lost a close game to the Padres and everyone was all, "Yeah, that's wasn't so bad." Not so much the feeling tonight.

Ruben Tejada's error and inconsistent relief pitching combined to bury the Mets late, as the Marlins scored five runs in the 7th inning en route to a 7-5 victory, their first of the season.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• You knew things were going to go south when the bullpen became a factor, but Ruben Tejada's third error in four games on a Donovan Solano groundball sealed New York's fate. Greg Burke and Scott Rice were helpless to stop the suddenly-potent Miami offense, letting in five runs (two earned) in the top of the 7th inning and turning a 1-0 nail-biter into a 6-0 laugher.
• LaTroy Hawkins picked out an insurance policy for the Marlins in the form of one more run in the 9th inning, this one coming on a two-out single by Justin Ruggiano.
• The formerly lively Mets offense once again came up cold on this frigid April evening in New York, hitting 2-11 with RISP and stranding a dozen men.
• Ike Davis went 0-4 with a walk, run, and strikeout, dropping his average in the first four games to a 2012-esque .063.

The Good Stuff:

• Jeremy Hefner proved his worth on the mound, allowing just one run (a 2nd inning solo homer to Greg Dobbs that barely cleared the Mo-Zone) on five hits in six innings, walking two and striking out three on 102 pitches. While it was just against the Marlins, it's an encouraging sign from a man the New Yorkers will unexpectedly have to depend heavily on to get through the season.
• Daniel Murphy did his best to get the Mets back into the swing of things with a three-run opposite field shot in the 7th inning.
• Other offensive highlights included Jordany Valdespin, who went 2-3 with a walk and a run, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who pinch-hit in the 9th and delivered an RBI double.
• Arguably the most positive thing about the Mets tonight was the debut of the team's new alternate uniforms: beautiful deep-blue jerseys with bright orange piping and white pants, complete with the classic solid blue caps with the orange "NY" insignia. These new digs were far superior to the black jerseys of the past decade, and hopefully they stay the team's official third uniforms for years to come.

Final Analysis:
The whole evening was accompanied by an uncomfortable sense of deja-vu dating back to last season's great offensive drought. The area the Mets showed the most skill in tonight was making the formerly hapless Miami Marlins find their hap, and their first win of the young season. Whereas at least two of the team's major components (staring pitching, bullpen, offense) needed to show up to win the ballgame, only one third of it was there entirely. The result? A disappointing loss to start the opening weekend.

On the bright side, in four starts this season, the Mets' starters have given up four earned runs in 26 innings. Jeremy Hefner was just as good tonight as Dillon Gee was yesterday and was nearly on par with Jonathon Niese on Monday (no one can touch Matt Harvey's shining performance on Wednesday). If he and his three predecessors in the rotation can keep pitching this well, New York will almost surely compete for a .500 record in 2013.

MM

Game #3: Padres 2, Mets 1

A common refrain of mine whenever the Mets score a bunch of runs is to say, "Hey now, pace yourselves! We might need those runs later!" Usually this is just a little blip I include in the Bad Stuff on days when there wasn't any Bad to speak of. After the blowouts of the past two games, however, that mantra carries more weight than usual.

John Buck's 9th-inning home run was too little, too late, as the Mets wasted a strong outing by Dillon Gee and a chance at a season-opening sweep, falling to the Padres 2-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• After scoring 19 runs over games on Monday and Wednesday, the New Yorkers ran out of gas against Eric Stults and the Friar bullpen, only managing five hits and striking out a whopping 14 times.
• The worst culprits of this sudden zombie syndrome at the plate were the most important part of the order, as the tandem of David Wright, Ike Davis, Marlon Byrd, and Lucas Duda combined to go 0-12 with 10 Ks (Daniel Murphy pinch-hit in the 6-hole in the 8th inning, striking out to give the 3-6 hitters 11 Ks on the afternoon.
• Jeurys Familia fell well short of potential during his stint in the 8th, walking Chris Denorfia, allowing him to go to third on a Yonder Alonso single, and bringing him home with a wild pitch in the next at-bat. The only out he got was a foul-out to first of Jedd Gyorko, bringing his season ERA "down" from infinity to a less-than-infinite 27.00. The good news? He's got nowhere to go but down. Probably.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Dillon Gee looked impressive in his first start since before last year's All-Star Break, allowing one run on three hits in 6.1 innings with three walks and four strikeouts in 93 pitches. Those three hits were concentrated during a brief lapse by Gee, coming consecutively in the 4th inning.
• The Mets' five hits were also concentrated into just two batters, as Justin Turner went 3-4 with a double in his first action of 2013, while John Buck continued to impress, going 2-4 with a monstrous home run off San Diego closer Huston Street in the 9th.

Final Analysis:
Gee showed no signs of rust after returning from a potentially serious blood-clot last July. With the bottom part of the Mets' rotation in question, it will be especially important to have consistency from the top three starters. Though the sample size is admittedly small, the body of work of Gee, Matt Harvey, and Jonathon Niese is so far outstanding.

Buck saved the home team from an embarrassing shutout, proving to be the MVP of the Mets' position players in the first series of 2013. Look for an extended piece on his importance on RisingApple.com soon.

Starting a second straight season with a sweep would have been nice, but all-in-all the opener was a successful one for the Mets, who will look to add to their momentum by thrashing the feckless Fish this weekend. With series against the Marlins, Phillies, Twins, and Rockies coming up, the Amazin's should be expected to at least finish the month of April with a winning record.

MM

UPDATE: Here is that extended piece: "John Buck: Placeholder or Tenant?"

Game #2: Mets 8, Padres 4

The awkward off day did nothing to deter New York's early-season power serge. If anything, it helped to kickstart the power behind three of its most important youngsters.

Matt Harvey picked up right where he left off in 2012 with a sensational start, and monumental home runs from Lucas Duda and Ike Davis provided the spark for the Mets, who held off the Padres late to win 8-4.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• In the last start of his rookie season, Matt Harvey tossed a brilliant one-hitter against the Phillies. In the first start of his sophomore season, he was even better, turning in 7 one-hit shutout innings with just two walks and a whopping 10 strikeouts on 94 pitches.
• Unlike Harvey's 2012 finale, the New York offense got him a steady supply of run support throughout the game.
• Lucas Duda opened the scoring with a two-run rocket shot in the 2nd inning that reached the Pepsi Porch in a hurry.
• Duda managed another extra-base hit, a double, in the 4th inning, coming home three pitches later when John Buck took Clayton Richard to the opposite field for his first home run in a Met uniform, which made it 4-0.
• In the bottom of the 5th, David Wright chopped a hard groundball into the left field corner, scoring Daniel Murphy from first to make it 5-0. The Captain went to third base on the throw, meaning it would only take slumping Ike Davis a flyball to score.
• Well, ol' Ike hit a flyball all right. One that kept flying, and flying, and flying...all the way to the Shea Bridge. The Home Run Apple did its thing for the third time, and after an RBI single by Buck to score Marlon Byrd later in the inning, the Mets had a resounding 8-0 lead.

The Bad Stuff:

• Just like in Harvey's last start, however, the New York bullpen threatened to derail the whole shebang. Greg Burke let the shutout get away in the 8th inning and San Diego got three runs in the 9th off 40-year-old LaTroy Hawkins (albeit only one was earned)
• Hawkins's two unearned runs came as consequence of Ruben Tejada's second error in two days. He made up for it with a nice play to end the game.

Final Analysis:
What else is there to say about Matt Harvey? We're watching an ace develop right before our eyes. With Johan Santana out of the picture and the title of Team Ace up for grabs, Harvey could have it secured by the end of the summer. Lucas Duda has such potential at the plate; it was extraordinarily encouraging to see Big Dude get not just one but two extra-base hits. His Pepsi Porch home run would've been the talk of the town if not for Ike Davis's Shea Bridge moon shot in the 5th. Ike struggled mightily on Opening Day, so it was nice to see him get off the schneid.

The first two games of 2013 have gone about as well as they could have for the Mets: the starters have been locked in, the bullpen hasn't fallen apart yet, and the offense has been on a tear with 19 runs in two games. New York can do a lot for its early-season momentum by finishing off the Padres tomorrow afternoon.

MM

Game #1: Mets 11, Padres 2

Hope springs eternal for everyone on Opening Day, but for none more so than the New York Mets, and in their 52nd ever Game #1, they added another notch into their baseball's-best belt.

Collin Cowgill's grand slam provided the exclamation point on Jonathon Niese's strong starting effort, and the Mets built on an already strong Opening Day tradition with an 11-2 victory over the Padres.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Jonathon Niese's first pitch of the new year resulted in a hard single by Chris Denorfia, one of two baserunners in the inning for San Diego, but Niese got out of the jam unscathed. The makeshift rotation frontrunner would not surrender much more on the afternoon, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits in 6.2 innings, walking a pair and striking out 4 on 101 pitches.
• New York's first run of 2013 came the way so many did in 2012: clutch hitting and pure hustle. With John Buck on first after a two-out walk in the 2nd inning, Ruben Tejada slashed an Edinson Volquez fastball into the left field corner. The burly catcher barreled his way around the bases, charging towards the plate on orders from Tim Teufel. The throw home was well off-line as Buck slid home, scoring on Tejada's double. It was the first of many runs for the home team on this day.
• In the 7th, a man named Collin had a fever, and the only prescription was more Cowgill. With two down and runners everywhere, the leadoff center fielder took a 2-2 fastball from Brad Brach and really explored the space in left field (there will be many, many more of these). Cowgill was hustling so hard he didn't even notice the umpires had signaled for a home run; it took him until third base to start his glorious trot. All it meant is the New Yorkers got their 11th run across the plate all the more faster, turning what was already a blowout into a bona fide laugher and a good time all around for the Citi Field sellout crowd of 41,053.
• Other offensive highlights on the day included:
• Birthday boy Daniel Murphy (2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI)
• Newly-minted Captain David Wright (1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB)
• Outfield acquisition Marlon Byrd (2-5, 1 R, 2 RBI)
• Buck, Tejada, and Niese (2 hits, 1 RBI each)
• The Mets' bullpen combined for 2.1 hitless inning of relief, as Brandon Lyon finished off the 7th, Scott Atchison blew through the 8th, and Scott Rice struck out two in a 1-2-3 9th, his first major league action after 14 long years in the minors.

The Bad Stuff:

• Ike Davis and Lucas Duda combined to go 0-7 with 5 strikeouts. Davis accounted for 4 of those Ks, sparking worries he may regress into his first-half mode from 2012.

Final Analysis:
The Mets' Opening Day dominance continued in their 52nd season, as they improved to 34-18 in seasons' first games, good for a far-and away league-best .654 winning percentage. Terry Collins got his team to play with hustle and intensity as they took care of business against a weaker Padres squad. Sure, it's only one game, and the team probably won't stay in first place much longer, but as I've said before, all that matters is the New York Mets won today. All they have to focus on, as do we, is winning tomorrow. If we all can do that, this supposed lost season will become an Amazin' one.

MM