Amazin' Avenue - All PostsLove the Metshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46695/amazinavenue-fave.png2024-03-18T12:00:00-04:00http://www.amazinavenue.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T12:00:00-04:002024-03-18T12:00:00-04:00Yohan Ramírez looks to be part of the Mets’ bullpen this year
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<img alt="MLB: New York Mets-Media Day" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IGps8W1DB7LD4UeDBHFKsvmzP8Q=/0x81:3590x2474/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73215359/usa_today_22597618.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The 28-year-old has bounced around a few organizations over the past few years.</p> <p id="zOQweT">While the majority of the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>’ bullpen spots are locked up heading into the 2024 season, at least one remains wide open as Opening Day approaches. Yohan Ramírez is one of several arms trying to claim that spot, and he’s similar to most of the other pitchers who are in the mix when it comes to being out of options.</p>
<p id="IAM0Nf">Entering his age-29 season, Ramírez has spent portions of each of the past three seasons at the major league level and in Triple-A, having made his major league debut with the Mariners in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Having come up through the <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com">Astros</a>’ system after signing with them as an amateur free agent in 2016, Ramírez was a Rule 5 pick by the Mariners in late 2019, and the short season worked in their favor when it came to retaining him. Despite a sky-high walk rate that year, Ramírez finished with a 2.61 ERA in 20.2 innings. </p>
<p id="DEnDT6">Ramírez spent the entirety of the 2021 season with the Mariners and their Triple-A affiliate, finishing the major league portion of his season with a 3.90 ERA and a 5.09 FIP. But as he started his third year with the Mariners in 2022, he struggled mightily, racking up a 7.56 ERA through his first seven appearances. Seattle traded him to Cleveland in mid-May, and he made just one major league appearance there before he was dealt to Pittsburgh that July.</p>
<p id="m00afT">With the Pirates, Ramírez fared better than he had early in the year, as he threw 27.0 innings with a 3.67 ERA and a 3.82 FIP. He started the 2023 season there, too, and put up an identical 3.67 ERA—albeit with a 4.68 FIP—in 34.1 innings at the major league level before the <a href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> claimed him off waivers in September. In just four innings of work there, his 2023 ERA jumped from 3.67 to 4.23.</p>
<p id="ObXokq">Back in December, the Mets got Ramírez from the White Sox for cash, and over the course of this offseason, the reliever <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/17/sports/yohan-ramirez-set-to-reinvent-career-under-pedro-ramon-martinez/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social">spent some time</a> with former Met Pedro Martinez and his brother Ramon, both successful major league pitchers, at home in the Dominican Republic. </p>
<p id="ERSSkI">When it comes to deciding which pitchers to keep on the major league roster for Opening Day, Ramírez has acquitted himself nicely in spring training games. He’s thrown six innings and has neither walked anyone nor allowed a run in Grapefruit League action. Spring training stats are generally not indicative of future performance, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to pitch well when you’re trying to earn an open spot in a bullpen.</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/18/24104702/mets-yohan-ramirez-bullpen-2024-season-opening-day-roster-new-yorkChris McShane2024-03-18T11:00:00-04:002024-03-18T11:00:00-04:00Brooks Raley looks to replicate his very good 2023 season
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<img alt="MLB: New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J9--9cC0eq5aE56VYPo9lMtXHX0=/84x67:2375x1594/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73215218/usa_today_21480856.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With Edwin Díaz out last year, Raley was the Mets’ best reliever.</p> <p id="JXap0s">Over the course of the entire 2023 season, lefty Brooks Raley was undoubtedly the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>’ best reliever. There’s context to that, of course, as Edwin Díaz missed the entire season with a knee injury, and David Robertson had a better ERA as a member of the Mets’ bullpen before he was <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2023/7/27/23810859/mets-news-trade-david-robertson-marlins-vargas-hernandez">dealt to the Marlins for a couple of legitimately good prospects</a>.</p>
<p id="tqw4zW">The Mets got Raley in a trade with the Rays back in December of 2022, and it’s worth reading or re-reading <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2023/3/23/23652027/mets-brooks-raley-their-bullpen-lefty-2023-relief-rays-lgbt-pride-night">Christian Romo’s piece</a> from last year about balancing rooting for Raley the pitcher and being let down by the Mets adding Raley the person, whose actions and words surrounding the Rays’ Pride celebration were awful. </p>
<p id="2xDQml">On the mound with the Rays, Raley’s story in Tampa was a familiar one. After working his way up through the ranks as a starting pitcher in the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>’ system, Raley earned a couple of cups of coffee in the big leagues in Chicago in 2012 and 2013 but never stuck. He split his time in 2014 between the Twins’ and Angels’ Triple-A affiliates. The Cubs used him out of the bullpen during his major league stint in 2013, and the Twins used him out of the bullpen in the minors. From 2015 through 2019, Raley played in Korea, and pitched exclusively as a starter. </p>
<p id="oF8Bev">Several weeks before the pandemic hit hard in 2020, Raley returned stateside and signed a deal with the Reds. Cincinnati deployed him out of their bullpen, and he wound up throwing only four innings in the delayed and abbreviated season before he was traded to the <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com">Astros</a>. In total, he threw 20.0 innings in 2020, all as a reliever, and had a not-so-great 4.95 ERA with a 3.94 FIP. The following year, he remained in the Astros’ bullpen and threw 49.0 innings with similar results in the form of a 4.78 ERA but slightly better underlying metrics that totaled a 3.27 FIP.</p>
<p id="zQH2QF">Raley hit free agency following that season and signed with the Rays. The transition from starter to reliever had already been made, but was able to drastically improve the results he was getting on the mound. In his age-34 season, Raley had the best year of his major league career in 2022, finishing with a 2.68 ERA and a 2.74 FIP in 53.2 innings. </p>
<p id="jqN7NV">In his first couple of years back in Major League Baseball, Rlaey didn’t have an awful home run rate, but he cut it in half in 2022. Raley’s fastball has always averaged around 90 miles per hour, and that didn’t change in his year with the Rays. But his pitch usage changed, as he threw his slider, sinker, and changeup more often than he had in either of his previous two seasons. And he threw his cutter less, albeit just about as frequently as his changeup. Here’s how his pitch usage over the past few years looks <a href="https://www.brooksbaseball.net/outcome.php?player=548384&b_hand=-1&gFilt=&pFilt=FA|SI|FC|CU|SL|CS|KN|CH|FS|SB&pFilt=FA|SI|FC|CU|SL|CS|KN|CH|FS|SB&time=year&minmax=ci&var=pcount&s_type=2&startDate=04/01/2020&endDate=11/01/2023">over at Brooks Baseball</a>.</p>
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<img alt="A graph showing Brooks Raley’s pitch usage from 2020 through 2023. Data is available in a table at the link in “credit.”" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/v2Du6c1syW4dJuuRujTnS69lHPs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25341977/brooks_baseball_raley.jpeg">
<cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://www.brooksbaseball.net/outcome.php?player=548384&b_hand=-1&gFilt=&pFilt=FA|SI|FC|CU|SL|CS|KN|CH|FS|SB&pFilt=FA|SI|FC|CU|SL|CS|KN|CH|FS|SB&time=year&minmax=ci&var=pcount&s_type=2&startDate=04/01/2020&endDate=11/01/2023" target="_blank">Brooks Baseball</a></cite>
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<p id="1f1M2B">And in 2023 with the Mets, Raley petty much kept those changes intact when it came to pitch usage. Shortly after he was traded to the Mets, Lukas Vlahos broke down the changes that Raley made with the Rays and expressed reasonable concerns about his second-half performance in Tampa.</p>
<p id="3j39OU">Fortunately for the Mets, Raley wound up pitching nearly as well in his first season in Queens as he had in his year in Tampa. In 54.2 innings, Raley had a 2.80 ERA and a 3.68 FIP. The team <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2023/11/3/23945976/mets-brooks-raley-option-2024-season-contract-new-york">picked up his option for the 2024 season</a> without hesitation following that performance. </p>
<p id="NIZFlJ">Raley’s strikeout and home run rates remained pretty steady with what he had done in Tampa. His walk rate, however, jumped from 6.8 percent to 10.6 percent. The major league average for relievers last year was a 9.5 percent walk rate, meaning Raley’s wasn’t atrocious. But it does leave some room for improvement in his second year with the Mets.</p>
<p id="iyCbPm">With Edwin Díaz set to return as the team’s closer, Raley enters this season as the team’s second-best reliever on paper. New addition Jake Diekman has joined the Mets’ bullpen coming off a massive improvement after joining the Rays last year, and <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/6/24092118/mets-jake-diekman-bullpen-2024-new-york-season-preview-mlb">both pitchers are left-handed with minimal platoon splits</a>. That should give new Mets manager Carlos Mendoza some flexibility when it comes to balancing workloads for high-leverage relievers in their mid-to-late 30s.</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/18/24104657/mets-2024-season-preview-brooks-raley-bullpen-new-yorkChris McShane2024-03-18T10:00:00-04:002024-03-18T10:00:00-04:00The state of the National League East
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<img alt="Division Series - Atlanta Braves v Philadelphia Phillies - Game Four" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FpkZPIGB1P_od2LfGBYa2C0QIvk=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73215058/1721393331.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Here’s how the Mets stack up against their divisional competition.</p> <p id="WlNQzC">One year ago, <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2023/2/13/23573121/mets-analysis-nl-east-rivals-teams-2022-offseason-additions-braves-phillies-nationals-marlins">we sized up</a> the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets’</a> competition in the National League East in preparation for the upcoming season, analyzing which teams could stand the most in the way of the Mets run for their first divisional crown since 2015. It turns out the team that most stood in their way in 2023 was themselves. Go figure. </p>
<p id="xkOXFz">This year, the Mets don’t figure to have much of a chance at the divisional crown, but it’s still worth it to look at the other four teams in the NL East and see how they stack up, and what lies ahead for the Mets in terms of divisional competition.</p>
<h3 id="eIBKCK">Atlanta Braves</h3>
<p id="5bul5E"><strong>Key additions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="c90687">SP Chris Sale</li>
<li id="kNIP7v">SP/RP Reynaldo Lopez</li>
<li id="lMMVZf">OF Jarred Kelenic</li>
<li id="0HSHXN">IF David Fletcher</li>
<li id="FRBllK">IF Luis Guillorme</li>
<li id="L6kFoS">RHP Aaron Bummer</li>
</ul>
<p id="MZs2Jd"><strong>Key subtractions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="0KlMPc">OF Eddie Rosario</li>
<li id="a7N9MN">IF Vaughn Grissom</li>
<li id="2RKEOP">SP Mike Soroka</li>
<li id="wxvYHs">SP Kyle Wright</li>
<li id="HzkN9S">RP Jesse Chavez</li>
<li id="gMA7ci">RP Michael Tonkin</li>
<li id="batzyx">IF Nicky Lopez</li>
</ul>
<p id="JUlPYk">The Braves are just gonna keep on keepin’ on. They returned most of their 101-win team from 2022 into 2023, and then they won 104 games. The team still remains mostly the same now, and will for many years, as they have basically their entire core locked up for most of the 2020s.</p>
<p id="ub7Wno">If you want to poke holes, Orlando Arcia does not exactly stand out at shortstop, the Kelenic/Duvall platoon in left has some serious downside, and the bottom of the rotation of Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez is risky as well.</p>
<p id="TYITPJ">But it doesn’t matter. There are stars at every other position. The top three in the rotation remain, and Sale looks great in spring. Even if things go awry in the rotation this year, the Braves have better depth there than they did last year. Bryce Elder—who had a 3.81 ERA in 174 IP last year— is probably going to start the year in Triple-A. AJ Smith-Shawver can also be called upon, and Hurston Waldrep, a top-30 prospect in the sport according to Baseball Prospectus, could be ready this year. </p>
<p id="TYNP2i">Oh yeah, did you know that? Just as Max Fried is about to hit free agency after this season— the Braves’ only potential big loss over the next several years—they drafted another potential ace in the first round last year, at pick #24. </p>
<p id="PUhcKk">They’re just never going to be bad again.</p>
<p id="bZdlmq"><strong>PECOTA projection:</strong> 100-61<br><strong>FanGraphs Depth charts projection:</strong> 97-65</p>
<h3 id="qcxxeI">Philadelphia Phillies</h3>
<p id="kCfdtO"><strong>Key additions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="vdS523">IF/OF Whit Merrifield</li>
<li id="R1yr4f">SP/RP Spencer Turnbull</li>
</ul>
<p id="OeQpwO"><strong>Key subtractions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="AEhig7">RP Craig Kimbrel</li>
<li id="myz5D3">1B Rhys Hoskins</li>
<li id="bGGQ0c">SP Michael Lorenzen</li>
</ul>
<p id="rgIb7Z">One of the most active teams in free agency the last two offseasons just kind of...sat this one out. Other that retaining Aaron Nola, of course, and extending Zack Wheeler, the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> lacked the big splash we had become accustomed to them having. They were connected to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and have been in and out of the Blake Snell market, but so far, no dice on anything.</p>
<p id="BzkOJE">As such, the Phillies return most of the same team that has gone to the NLCS each of the last two years. That can’t be a bad strategy, but if you’re looking for downside, this team isn’t exactly young and there isn’t a swath of prospects on the cusp here, either. Further decline by Nick Castellanos and JT Realmuto could leave this team in a good bit of trouble.</p>
<p id="nzmcsi">Regardless, a full year of Bryce Harper fully recovered from his Tommy John and a presumptive return to form for Trea Turner could help mitigate that quite a bit. </p>
<p id="r5vdNj">On the pitching side, the Phillies return their 1-2 punch of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola alongside Ranger Suarez and Quintessential Fourth Starter Taijuan Walker. They could have tried to upgrade on Christopher Sanchez out of the five spot, but they do have Mick Abel as as a possibility to call up at some point this year.</p>
<p id="kR9utP">It’s not a rotation that will rival the 2011 Four Aces Phillies rotation, but merely having two legitimately good starters and two other solid ones gives the Phillies one of the best rotations in the NL in 2024. The state of starting pitching is pretty dire across baseball and the Phillies are fighting that by having two of the most durable and effective starters in baseball, and that should go a long way towards helping them get back to the postseason.</p>
<p id="3kouCM">So yes, there may be some age-related regression here, but its hard to see them regress too hard just because the star talent still on this roster puts them ahead of all but two or three other teams in the NL.</p>
<p id="es1dEL"><strong>PECOTA projection:</strong> 85-77<br><strong>FanGraphs Depth Charts projection</strong>: 85-77</p>
<h3 id="yRBJrQ">Miami Marlins</h3>
<p id="ofLQRk"><strong>Key additions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="2Xuo75">SS Tim Anderson</li>
<li id="v1lnUZ">C Christian Bethancourt</li>
</ul>
<p id="DMOKXD"><strong>Key subtractions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="xZTB7E">OF/DH Jorge Soler</li>
<li id="7Zf5NH">RP David Robertson</li>
<li id="0HX0Fa">IF Garett Hampson</li>
<li id="1klJ7t">RP Matt Moore</li>
<li id="Dw05ev">C Jacob Stallings</li>
<li id="locYA8">IF Joey Wendle</li>
</ul>
<p id="WIkD5S">Last year, my analysis of the team the Marlins built was as follows:</p>
<blockquote><p id="sWccPi">The Fish are a team built with the goal of lucking their way into an 84-win Wild Card berth, and that’s only if things go really well for them.</p></blockquote>
<p id="IIy56o">Well, would you look at that! Things went really well for them, they made some offensive additions at the deadline, teams like the Mets, Giants, and Padres all collapsing opened the door for them to jump into a Wild Card spot, and thus they did—with exactly 84 wins. </p>
<p id="ldGVyM">Unfortunately, in classic Marlins fashion, they have chosen to capitalize on that this year by doing basically nothing. Jorge Soler, the big bopper in the Marlins’ low-scoring lineup last year, is gone, and not replaced. The biggest offensive addition for a team that was 26th in runs scored last year was Tim Anderson and his .583 OPS.</p>
<p id="pQsbEX">A full year of Jake Burger and Josh Bell may help, but this is a team that will once again rely on its pitching. But with Sandy Alcantara already out for the year, Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett are now also projected to start the year on the injured list with shoulder issues. That means they’ll have to rely on AJ Puk, Ryan Weathers, and Trevor Rogers in their rotation to start the year with Max Meyer as the only real reinforcement in the minor leagues.</p>
<p id="k7rbBD">The Marlins still have a group of really talented pitchers, but their depth is thin. And the Marlins don’t really have the offense to make up for injuries on the pitching side of things.</p>
<p id="GysFxd">So this looks, once again, like a team built to take advantage of some variance and low-scoring games and sneak in to a Wild Card. Can they do it twice in a row? Crazier things have happened, but a lot more will need to go right for them to match their 84 wins from a year ago.</p>
<p id="ME3pL5"><strong>PECOTA projection: 79-82</strong><br><strong>FanGraphs Depth Charts projection: 80-82</strong></p>
<h3 id="FbndHx">Washington Nationals</h3>
<p id="2R95fX"><strong>Key additions: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="fMFknm">OF Eddie Rosario</li>
<li id="eASZ4l">OF Joey Gallo</li>
<li id="jvDEjD">IF/OF Nick Senzel</li>
<li id="fQHPzs">RP Robert Gsellman</li>
</ul>
<p id="UbE5HH"><strong>Key subtractions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="F5dcXl">1B Dominic Smith</li>
<li id="SiXcEI">RP Carl Edwards Jr.</li>
</ul>
<p id="kg1Wgs">We disrespected the Nats going in to last season by basically insinuating they were barely a major-league team, and they surprised us by winning a respectable 71 games, only four games worse than the Mets. </p>
<p id="H0BKNp">But it’s not like Washington has really done much to improve their team a whole lot beyond those 71 wins. There are, indeed, more interesting players here now. Mackenzie Gore and Josiah Gray have proven they belong in a major league rotation, CJ Abrams is flashing newfound power, Lane Thomas is a legitimately solid player, and 600 PAs of Joey Gallo never fail to be boring, no matter how it turns out. But this team also still has Patrick Corbin, Trevor Williams, and Jake Irvin in their starting rotation, and that’s before anyone gets hurt. Six of their projected starting nine were worth under 1 fWAR last year. The Nationals are still several years away at best.</p>
<p id="e46ygN"><strong>PECOTA projection: 58-103</strong><br><strong>Depth Charts projection: 66-96</strong></p>
<p id="Jzqbtd">The competition in the NL East is as tight as it always is. This remains one of the most formidable divisions in baseball, largely on the strength of the Phillies and Braves. It does not seem like the Mets can compete much with the Braves short of a 90th+ percentile outcome. The Phillies on paper look stronger, but the projection systems, interestingly enough, have the Phillies and Mets much closer than you would think. </p>
<p id="wvPaBV">The Marlins took steps back this year, and may have overplayed their true talent level last year anyway, and the Nationals remain one of the worst teams in the league. It’s not as promising as it has been recent years, but with a few good outcomes, the Mets could make some noise and be a factor in this division.</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/18/24098605/mets-baseball-nl-east-analysis-phillies-braves-marlins-nationalsDavid Capobianco2024-03-18T09:30:00-04:002024-03-18T09:30:00-04:00Flushing is Burning: Oscar Hangover Szn
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<p>Some baseball news and the last bit of Oscar chat for many months.</p> <p id="GENruy">Grace is back for a post-Oscar roundup and baseball and other news! First, Grace gets into the recent <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> news, who they may or may not sogn, who may or may not be hurt and who may or may not be good. Then a little league-wide round up of a terrible week for arm health.</p>
<p id="4ahJSo">Then, Grace transitions into a post-Oscar round-up. the good, the bad, the disappointing. Good show, some really good winners, but one big disappointment (at least for Grace). Then she takes a few minutes to speak on the recent tragedy surrounding Nex Benedict and what we as a society should be learning from this (and how the people that need the lesson the most seem to be missing it altogether).</p>
<p id="GaBSX1">Finally, a movie minute that bundles one of Grace’s favorite nominees from this year’s Oscars with her favorite actor currently working, one that is starring in what will almost certainly be one of Grace’s favorites from this year (and that she’s seeing next week!)</p>
<p id="3PnRNE">Follow us on Twitter/X <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBPod">@FIBPod</a>, on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/flushingisburningpod/">@FlushingisBurningPod</a>, and email us at <a href="mailto:flushingisburning@gmail.com">flushingisburning@gmail.com</a>!</p>
<p id="kPh4Zj">As always, you can listen or subscribe to all of our Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts.</p>
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https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/18/24102104/mets-podcast-flushing-is-burning-oscar-hangover-sznGrace Carbone2024-03-18T08:30:00-04:002024-03-18T08:30:00-04:00Mets Morning News for March 18, 2024
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<img alt="MLB: Spring Training-Miami Marlins at New York Mets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vz2Sqs3A9Fr0b5YuEAsa0jXAWFA=/0x0:7889x5259/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73214835/usa_today_22800049.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Your Monday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.</p> <h2 id="rxy72W">Meet the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>
</h2>
<p id="ukRtSG">Steve Cohen was at Spring Training yesterday and answered questions about <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769383967814299974">his opinion of the farm system</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769383538615259602">what a successful season looks like</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769382189454545194/video/1">whether he will personally add to the roster</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769386937767387454">Citi Field never getting a roof</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769382574814622146/video/1">Our Plan</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769385970015621521/video/1">Pete Alonso’s future</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769385177505988804/video/1">that 3-5 year projection</a>.</p>
<p id="yMOSzz">Hey Mike, first time long time, do you think the Yankees’ Carlos Narvaez and the Mets’ Omar Narvaez ever get together for dinner or something when they’re both in town? Wait, <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/omar-carlos-narvaez-mets-yankees-mk9od627?utm_source=tw_sp">they’re cousins? Oh, I guess they do</a>.</p>
<p id="XGjkoi">Yohan Ramirez is competing for one of the final spots in the Mets bullpen and if he gets there, <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/17/sports/yohan-ramirez-set-to-reinvent-career-under-pedro-ramon-martinez/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social">the lessons learned from Ramon and Pedro Martinez will be what makes it happen</a>. </p>
<p id="6CZIkk">Some arm fatigue is plaguing Sean Reid-Foley, but it <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1769380218421023201">shouldn’t be problematic enough to keep him off the Opening Day roster</a>.</p>
<p id="g3u0P7">In his spring debut against the minor league Marlins, <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemayer22/status/1769429271074734215">Jeff McNeil went 2-3 at the plate while seeing five innings of action at second base</a>. </p>
<p id="npjGaf">An MLB players survey <a href="https://twitter.com/SNY_Mets/status/1769452446798016720">named Francisco Lindor baseball’s “Most Stylish” player</a>.</p>
<p id="uVwOgZ">Mark Vientos, Harrison Bader, and Jose Iglesias <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8r1TCxpPnk">all homered in the Mets’ win over the Marlins</a>.</p>
<h2 id="dMHsNO">Around the National League East</h2>
<p id="QjjchF">The Phillies say they aren’t concerned, but it’s worth at least <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5349126%2F2024%2F03%2F17%2Fbryce-harper-back-stiffness-phillies%2F%3Fsource%3Demp_shared_article&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazinavenue.com%2F2024%2F3%2F18%2F24104551%2Fmets-morning-news-spring-training-lindor-cohen-mcneil-mlb-new-york-opening-day" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">keeping one eye on Bryce Harper’s lingering back issues</a>.</p>
<p id="uNFDwi">Josiah Gray became the first pitcher since 2011 not named Strasburg, Scherzer, or Corbin to be crowned <a href="https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/1769374034746101808">Nationals Opening Day starter</a>.</p>
<p id="DL3UnC">Spencer Strider <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexFast8/status/1769435367428571392?">hasn’t allowed a single run through his first 18 innings</a> this Spring.</p>
<p id="nA3sZv">In Philadelphia, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/zack-wheeler-named-phillies-2024-opening-day-starter">Zack Wheeler was named Opening Day starter</a>, ending Aaron Nola’s six-year streak of taking the ball on day one.</p>
<p id="aqHnYX">Until they do more evaluations and tests, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/eury-perez-has-right-elbow-injury-in-addition-to-nail-issue">the Marlins have no clue when Eury Perez will be back on the mound</a>.</p>
<p id="GRLzRJ">While every other Marlins starting pitcher is undergoing what we in the business call a “Springfield Nuclear Power Planting,” <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/braxton-garrett-nearing-return-from-shoulder-injury">Braxton Garrett was able to give Miami some good news as he faced batters for the first time this spring</a>.</p>
<h2 id="USt7zM">Around Major League Baseball</h2>
<p id="kAEokW">Josh Lowe going down with a second injury right as he was scheduled to come back from his first has <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2024/03/17/josh-lowe-oblique-strain-richie-palacios-opening-day/">turned the Rays outfield plans a little bit upside down</a>.</p>
<p id="dWqm7A">On the first pitch he saw as a Toronto Blue Jay, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/joey-votto-homers-in-first-spring-training-at-bat-with-blue-jays">Joey Votto hit a home run</a>, naturally.</p>
<p id="2xu8h2">That first pitch as a Blue Jay ended up being the only pitch Votto saw on Sunday after he <a href="https://twitter.com/keeganmatheson/status/1769427076556181636?t=sFQ1esZ2sOxJBCUP0CZX3g">rolled his ankle on a bat in the dugout</a>.</p>
<p id="RzXbqA">Reds MVP-vote-getter <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/tj-friedl-facing-extended-absence-due-to-wrist-fracture.html">TJ Friedl will be completely sidelined for at least a month thanks to a fractured wrist</a> with an actual return to game action being an unknown amount of time away.</p>
<p id="mkfxtV">Bud Black and the Colorado Rockies are <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/03/17/bud-black-rockies-contract-extension-talks/">discussing a contract extension to keep the veteran manager on the team for his ninth season and beyond</a>. </p>
<p id="H6ecoV">With offseason acquisition Sonny Gray still dealing with a hamstring issue, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/miles-mikolas-cardinals-2024-opening-day-starter">Miles Mikolas will be the Cardinals’ Opening Day starter</a>.</p>
<p id="aDQy9c">In Guardians camp, José Ramírez is doing what can only be described as <a href="https://twitter.com/Travis_Sawchik/status/1769503246975119565">the worst Cespedes Car Show ever conceived</a>. </p>
<p id="Jf9LYc">The Houston Astros have gone from <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/astros-reportedly-long-shots-to-land-blake-snell.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook#google_vignette">serious pursuiters in the Blake Snell sweepstakes to long-shots</a> in what feels like record time.</p>
<p id="naKNme">The currently-in-Korea <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/padres-tommy-pham-discussing-one-year-deal.html">San Diego Padres and Tommy Pham are said to be getting close on a one-year deal</a> to bring the Mets Legend back to the brown and gold.</p>
<h2 id="Q5HA7x">Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue</h2>
<p id="GGpJC6">Chris McShane <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/17/24103747/mets-2024-season-preview-ottavino-bullpen-new-york">previewed the 2024 season of Adam Ottavino</a>, the only member of the roster to decline a player option and then come back voluntarily in one offseason.</p>
<h2 id="PfOxEp">This Date in Mets History</h2>
<p id="m2Z7ea">On <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2013/3/18/4119426/this-date-mets-history-march-18-joe-mcewing-jesse-orosco-trade-luis-castillo-released">this date in 2000</a>, Joe McEwing became a Met. On <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2013/3/18/4119426/this-date-mets-history-march-18-joe-mcewing-jesse-orosco-trade-luis-castillo-released">this date in 2011</a>, Luis Castillo ceased to be a Met.</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/18/24104551/mets-morning-news-spring-training-lindor-cohen-mcneil-mlb-new-york-opening-dayRichard Staff2024-03-17T12:50:00-04:002024-03-17T12:50:00-04:00Open thread: Mets vs. Marlins, 3/17/24
<figure>
<img alt="MLB: Spring Training-New York Mets at Washington Nationals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ly4igloXV7OkhMIDl4axq0D4o8w=/0x0:4869x3246/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73213345/usa_today_22760713.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is the home game of the Mets’ split-squad spring training day.</p> <h3 id="IBwteb">Mets lineup</h3>
<ol>
<li id="44ZXIt">Brandon Nimmo - LF</li>
<li id="tW6inL">Francisco Lindor - SS</li>
<li id="QbTT1u">Francisco Alvarez - C</li>
<li id="tFmPsL">Tyrone Taylor - RF</li>
<li id="sd2DDo">Starling Marte - DH</li>
<li id="rAa2iY">Mark Vientos - 3B</li>
<li id="B6dvGc">Ji Man Choi - 1B</li>
<li id="yzUQYx">Jose Iglesias - 2B</li>
<li id="CMabdQ">Harrison Bader - CF</li>
</ol>
<p id="KKogGE"><strong>SP</strong>: José Quintana</p>
<h3 id="Yxc0nr">Broadcast info</h3>
<p id="S5JWNP"><strong>First pitch</strong>: 1:10 PM EDT<br><strong>TV</strong>: WPIX</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/17/24103761/mets-marlins-spring-training-lineup-watch-new-yorkChris McShane2024-03-17T12:45:00-04:002024-03-17T12:45:00-04:00Open thread: Mets at Nationals, 3/17/24
<figure>
<img alt="MLB: Spring Training-New York Yankees at New York Mets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QNrq8koLAL7tU1MsLQYlJsIJF4E=/0x0:3744x2496/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73213337/usa_today_22698446.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is the road game of the Mets’ split-squad spring training day.</p> <h3 id="qXa2JF">Mets lineup</h3>
<ol>
<li id="Gx9kr7">DJ Stewart - RF</li>
<li id="jNSlXA">Trayce Thompson - CF</li>
<li id="yD0H5Z">Pete Alonso - 1B</li>
<li id="U0Xq3W">Brett Baty - 3B</li>
<li id="tFfJgy">Luke Voit - DH</li>
<li id="Tv58PJ">Omar Narváez - C</li>
<li id="tSXnpF">Joey Wendle - SS</li>
<li id="dSZhhu">Zack Short - 2B</li>
<li id="jkUknT">Ben Gamel - LF</li>
</ol>
<p id="o6Xar0"><strong>SP</strong>: Tylor Megill</p>
<h3 id="p70WlC">Broadcast info</h3>
<p id="QWcTPp"><strong>First pitch</strong>: 1:05 PM EDT<br><strong>Radio</strong>: WCBS 880</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/17/24103759/mets-nationals-spring-training-lineup-broadcast-info-and-open-thread-3-17-24Chris McShane2024-03-17T10:00:00-04:002024-03-17T10:00:00-04:00Adam Ottavino is back in the Mets’ bullpen in 2024
<figure>
<img alt="New York Mets v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f88yHS_wyOK6oJPWEUtNu5enFvk=/116x160:2876x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73213083/1630922199.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ottavino is entering his age-38 season.</p> <p id="TQXqWZ">Back at the start of this offseason, Adam Ottavino chose to <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2023/11/7/23950554/mets-adam-ottavino-option-decline-player-new-york-bullpen-contract">decline his option</a> to stay with the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> on a $6.75 million salary for the 2024 season. After testing free agency, the 38-year-old reliever ended up signing back with the Mets on <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/1/28/24053319/mets-adam-ottavino-relief-pitcher-bullpen-edwin-diaz">a one-year, $4.5 million deal</a>. In between those decisions, he also made some appearances on SNY and expressed concerns about what the Mets were trying to accomplish this year along with his desire to play for a contender. It was all a bit weird.</p>
<p id="5OoJpq">Here we are, though, with Ottavino set to begin his third season as a member of the Mets’ bullpen. His first came in 2022 and was undeniably excellent. That year, he threw 65.2 innings and had a 2.06 ERA and a 2.85 FIP. Last year, he wasn’t quite as good, finishing the season with a 3.21 ERA and a 4.52 FIP in 61.2 innings. His walk rate jumped from 6.2 percent in 2022 to 11.1 percent in 2023. His strikeout rate dropped rather significantly, from 30.6 percent to 23.8 percent. And home runs were a bit more of an issue than they had been in 2022.</p>
<p id="fXYZTH">Ottavino’s average fastball velocity dropped by a little more than one mile per hour from 2022 to 2023, too, though that had happened from 2021 to 2022, too, and coincided with better performance, not worse.</p>
<p id="80XPg4">Given the underlying numbers last year and his age, it’s not surprising that projection systems all forecast an even higher ERA for Ottavino this year. The various models at FanGraphs all have him hovering around a 4.00 ERA, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/adam-ottavino/1247/stats?position=P">to be specific</a>. But relievers are generally unpredictable on a year-to-year basis, and neither significantly better nor or worse outcomes than the projections would be surprising.</p>
<p id="lbZdVz">As for Ottavino’s role in the Mets’ bullpen this year, Roster Resource currently lists him as <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/mets">the team’s primary setup man</a>. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where he isn’t in that role, however, especially if Jake Diekman retains the things that made him a dominant reliever in Tampa Bay last year and Brooks Raley remains as good as he’s been over the past couple of seasons. Both are left-handed pitchers, but neither of them have significant platoon splits.</p>
<p id="KGrtcS">That wouldn’t entirely alleviate the need to have Ottavino throw high-leverage innings, but at least there appears to be some flexibility in bridging the gap between the Mets’ starting pitchers and the returning Edwin Díaz.</p>
https://www.amazinavenue.com/2024/3/17/24103747/mets-2024-season-preview-ottavino-bullpen-new-yorkChris McShane