New York Yankees: A Statistic that Must Continue on the Quest to 28
By: Jim Pizappi
2019 has been a very interesting year for the New York Yankees thus far. Whether it has been the devastating injuries to major players, the men who stepped up behind them, or the suspect starting pitching from guys you expect more from, this season has had it all. As the Yankees wind down their final west coast trip of the year (thank goodness, I’m tired), I’d like to highlight something this team has done exceptionally well that is a key reason they are competing for home field advantage with their sights set on their first World Series appearance of the 2010’s. Hitting with runners in scoring position.
The Yankees lead all of Major League Baseball with a .298 BA with men in scoring position, a massive contributor to their stellar record. This has been especially important given the fact that their starting pitchers have been anything but consistent. It’s no secret the Yanks can hit the ball out of the park. Hell, they crushed the record for most home runs in a month EVER with a few games still to go. This season, however, they can do even more thanks to a well-rounded lineup.
The following numbers are ranks in the American League. We all know the legend of DJ LeMahieu with RISP, who is hitting .398 in those situations and trails only Miguel Cabrera (wow), but how about Gio Urshela who is right behind him? Gio is hitting .374 with RISP, and man do Aaron Boone and company have some tough decisions to make when guys like Luke Voit, Edwin Encarnacion and Giancarlo Stanton come back. Gleyber Torres is also hitting .357 with RISP in the middle of a MONSTER season at 22 years old. This is going to be a difference maker for the Yankees moving forward because in playoffs’ past (see the 2017 ALCS) the Yankees just could not get the job done with men in scoring position.
Not only have the Yankees been hitting with men on, they have been hitting for power. They lead everyone and their mother with an .894 OPS with RISP. I am not the biggest advanced stats guy, I think things like WAR and what not are for the birds, but OPS is a very telling number. Do you get on base and do you hit for extra bases? The Yankees do both of these things exceptionally well, especially with a few ducks in the pond.
If the Yankees are going to roll out a playoff rotation consisting of Tanaka, Paxton, German and some combination of arms for a bullpen game, they will need to hit the ball when they inevitably create some traffic. Their team OBP of .343 suggests they will have baserunners since this is good for third in the majors. So there you have it, as long as starters aren’t giving up 8 runs in 3 innings (please, PLEASE do not do that) then the Yankees have the ability to beat anyone. Yes, even them.
Sam Darnold: Week 1 is an Early Test
The Sam Darnold led Jets are -3.5 favorites when the Buffalo Bills come to town Week 1.
The matchup is a crucial first step for a New York club with high expectations despite having a new head coach and young QB.
Yes, the addition of Le’Veon Bell should provide the Jets some strength on the ground.
But perhaps the most intriguing matchup to watch is how Darnold competes against 2018’s stingiest passing defense.
Despite a 6-10 record, the Bills frustrated opposing quarterbacks last season. They split with the Jets, dropping the second meeting.
However, they trounced New York in their first tilt, holding the Jets attack - albeit without Darnold- to only 10 points.
Darnold will likely lead Adam Gase’s offense past Buffalo and onto a home win come September 8th. But this may not be the sure thing some envision it could be. A sub-7 line should certainly keep this one interesting.
NFL Week 1: Eli Will Start Despite the Rise of 'Danny Dimes'
By: Dan Orlando
Daniel Jones has-at least-temporarily quieted his critics three-straight with impressive preseason performances.
Under typical circumstances, a sixth-overall selection in the NFL Draft with the hot hand and superior athleticism would edge out an incumbent starter who has gone 8-23 in the past two seasons.
However, the Giants have made it abundantly plain that they intend to give Eli Manning one more chance to end his New York tenure (and perhaps career) on a high-note.
There are reasons for the hesitation to hand over reigns in order to hold on to a 16-year veteran that has struggled since barely missing the playoffs in 2012.
After Manning delivered the franchise two Super Bowl wins before the close of his 8th season, years of sub-par drafting caught up with the Giants. The result was a squandering of the back-half of Manning’s prime.
A quarterback once making a case for elite status was forced to play behind basement-dwelling offensive lines for six -straight seasons, attempt to prop-up a comically bad secondary that blew multiple late-game leads in 2015 and carry an entire offense on his back before New York revived its running game in 2018 behind Saquon Barkley.
So what can Manning do behind the revitalized offensive line that is set to take the field with him on September 8th? What kind of plays can he make with one of the league’s biggest stars making the offense two-dimensional once again?
Quite honestly, the Giants don’t know. It may be too little, too late. But Manning is going to get a chance in a game that counts to show that he’s got a few laps left.
If Manning can regain some of his old form, the Giants enter 2019 with a championship-caliber QB who is armed with a plethora of in-game experience and veteran intuition.
That’s not exactly a bad spot for a team that may have all the other pieces in place that it needs to be competitive in December once again.
If the reinforcements aren’t enough to make him dangerous again? Then “Danny Dimes” won’t need to wait until 2020 to see some time under center.
NFL Week 1: Did Cam Newton's injury ensure LAR is your best Cali play?
By: Dan Orlando
FanDuel has the defending NFC Champion LA Rams opening up as only 3 point favorites when they visit a Panthers club that finished 2018 at 7-9 on Sept. 8th.
Even with a healthy Cam Newton- which is now on shaky ground-, this projection is a bit hard to buy into.
Carolina was the 19th ranked defense last season.
Yes they added Brian Burns for the edge in the NFL Draft and signed Gerald McCoy to give this unit a bit more teeth, but I’m not yet buying that the Panthers keep up with Sean McCoy and company just yet.
Last season, Goff landed about 325 yards shy of a 5,000-yard campaign. He threw for 32 TDs and only 12 interceptions. This was in addition to his top RB, Todd Gurley, eclipsing 1,200 yards.
Newton fell short of 3,400 yards while tossing 8 less TDs and one more interception. The offense finished above the mean at 14th overall, a solid 12 spots behind LAR.
Newton was already entering the 2019 opener fresh off of shoulder surgery. On Thursday night, in a preseason matchup against New England, Newton dinged his left ankle/foot, casting doubt on his availability for Week 1.
If Newton can’t go, or is not on his A-game, it’s hard to imagine the Panthers keeping pace with one of the most dynamic offenses in football and finishing Q4 within 3 points of the Rams.
Even if top-shelf Cam is ready to roll, I don’t see the Rams winning by less than 7.
*As always, the analysis and projections in this piece are suggestions based off of opinion, and do not guarantee the outcome of any contest.
NFL Fantasy Football: Expert Advice on 8/21 via Twitch
By: Mike Solan
The number of fantasy football teams drafted online is now in the millions, and that number continues to climb with each passing minute. If you ask me, it is still a bit early to be drafting with full confidence. It has already been a tumultuous training camp regarding injuries, but to each their own I suppose.
In general, I would say the more serious fantasy leagues will be waiting at least another week or two before finally drafting. Which means now is an extremely important time for owners to decide which direction they want to take their team.
Maybe last year you went wide receiver heavy, and struggled with running back depth. Maybe the opposite. It is easy to look back on your previous season with regrets and a ’shoulda-woulda-coulda’ mindset. However, the great thing about fantasy football is that each season gives an opportunity to change strategies and start fresh.
This Saturday (8/24), the first official dbwins.com Fantasy Football Newsletter will be released, with all the starting information you need to prepare for this years draft. The newsletter alone is guaranteed to give you a boost over the preparation you had any previous season, and I will be by your side for the duration of the season to help you work through those tough decisions.
Starting tomorrow (8/21), I will begin my live fantasy football show on twitch.tv. The show will run weekdays from 6-12 P.M. Eastern Time, as well as all morning on Sunday. The show is designed to help you through start-em sit-em situations, but for the time being will be entirely focused on draft preparation. Drop by the show anytime @ twitch.tv/moneymikewins to chat and discuss all things sports.
I look forward to interacting with you all, and stay tuned for more content as we inch closer to another fantastic NFL season.
NFL 100: Bears Head Into Packers Matchup as Super Bowl Favorites
By: Dan Orlando
Vegas is feeling the deep dish love, with Caesars sportsbook giving the Bears 9-1 odds to take home the Lombardi.
While it’s only August, and the season opening tilt between Chicago and NFC North rival Green Bay doesn’t kickoff until Thursday, September 5th, it may take a practice field injury to derail the Bears chances ahead of that date.
Coach Matt Nagy has been keeping his starters in bubble wrap, opting to simulate games in practice rather than submit his headliners to exhibition matchups against other teams that are eager to hit and pop on tape.
The Bears aren’t likely to face a speed bump in Week 1 either. Yes, Aaron Rodgers is coming to town. But he’s bringing a pedestrian offense and last season’s 18th ranked defense with him.
Last season, the Packers finished 19th in points, 29th in overall yards, 28th in passing and 26th in rushing.
Rodgers, won’t have the weapons to overcome what should be a daunting, Khalil Mack defense.
Mitchell Trubisky has a good chance to build on last year’s 66.6 completion percentage against a Green Bay defense that has potential to be good in time but likely won’t dominate its first outing.
The Bears should enter Week 1 Super Bowl favorites and will likely keep that mantle heading into Week 2.
*This article is not meant as official betting advice. For expert insight into which plays to make, signup to talk to Danny B!
New York Giants: Mid-Preseason Final 53 Projection
The Giants will head into what has traditionally been the dress rehearsal for the opener when they play the Bengals on Thursday night in Week 3 of the preseason.
The depth chart can certainly shakeup over the next two weeks, but if the summer ended today, this is where I’d put New York’s 53-man roster:
Quarterback (3): Eli Manning, Daniel Jones, Alex Tanney
After parting ways with Tom Coughlin, the team has not shied away from carrying three QBs on the final 53.
Jones is likely the next man off the bench should anything happen to Manning (or if the latter should struggle) but Shurmur prefers to have veteran QB waiting in the wings.
Two more lights-out showings by Daniel Jones could swing this, and the Giants could use this roster spot elsewhere, but at least for one more year they will carry 3 signal callers.
Running Back (4): Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman, Rod Smith, Paul Perkins
The dilemma here was giving the nod to Perkins over FB Eli Penny. Perkins seemed to knock the rust off against the Bears and two more games like that should keep him around.
The Giants are overstocked with TE depth and Rod Smith can take on FB duties when needed, making the demand for a true one less urgent.
Wide Receiver (7): Golden Tate*, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler, Russell Shepard, Darius Slayton, T.J. Jones
Golden Tate, who is currently in the concussion protocol, is a mandatory scratch until Week 5 due to his suspension.
In his absence, Latimer, Fowler and Russell Shepard have all stepped up. Slayton should see his first game action Thursday night after returning from injury. The rookie is expected to provide a top-end speed to the Giants passing game that his teammates don’t bring to the table.
Jones has come on strong with TD catches in both preseason games and is likely to make the team for the duration of Tate’s absence at least.
Tight End (4): Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, Scott Simonson, C.J. Conrad
The Giants use heavy sets often enough to keep 4 TE’s. Conrad is believed to have the edge over Garret Dickerson. However, Dickerson has two more games to pop on tape.
With Simonson dropping an on target Daniel Jones pass against the Bears, the ink is not yet dry on this position group.
Offensive Line (9): Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Jon Halapio, Kevin Zeitler, Matt Remmers, Spencer Pulley, Chad Wheeler, Chad Slade, Nick Gates
The Giants have depth along the O-Line for the first time in recent memory. Pulley is the top interior reserve with Slade and Gates earning spots as the reserve tackles.
I would not be shocked to see a backup OT snatched up after cut day, which would bump off either Slade or Gates.
Defensive Line (5): BJ Hill, Dalvin Tomlinson, Dexter Lawrence, Olsen Pierre, RJ McIntosh
McIntosh is still a bit of an unknown after being limited by injury his rookie year. Thus far, none of the Giants reserves have done enough to pass him.
Linebackers (8): Alec Ogletree, Tae Davis, Ryan Connelly, Nate Stupar, Lorenzo Carter, Markus Golden, Kareem Martin, Oshane Ximines
Connelly is playing like a steal on the level of Chase Blackburn, Stupar is a special teams standout and B.J. Goodson is a former Reese draft pick playing with the 3rd stringers.
On the edge, I could see the Giants pulling from another spot to keep 5 edge rushers, but their ideal situation is likely stashing Jake Carlock on the practice squad.
Cornerback (6): Janoris Jenkins, Deandre Baker, Grant Haley, Sam Beal, Corey Ballentine, Antonio Hamilton
The young corners have looked strong opposite Jenkins and if Sam Beal can string together some practices and get on the field, this unit may get even stronger.
Safety (5): Antoine Bethea, Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love, Michael Thomas Sean Chandler
Love can play both CB and safety and Chandler is another special teams standout. Peppers has potential be a star but time will tell if he exceeds Landon Collins in Washington.
Special Team (3): Aldrick Rosas, Riley Dixon, Zak DeOssie
No turnover here despite the Giants bringing in another punter to compete with Dixon.
NFL Preseason Week 2: The Rams left Goff & Gurley on the mainland
By: Dan Orlando
If you're looking for action before the games count, keep in mind that the LA Rams didn’t bring the whole family on vacation.
Jared Goff and Todd Gurley didn’t make the trip to Hawaii which in theory should limit the amount of points LAR will put up against whoever Dallas decides to trot out there for their exhibition tilt tonight at 7 PM Pacific.
This is the latest development in a new trend that’s begun to take hold around the league, as more coaches forgo knocking off star players’ rust in a game setting and instead dedicate the preseason to depth matchups and position battles.
The Bears opted not to play their starters in last night’s loss to the Giants, while NYG coach Pat Shurmur let the majority of his starting offense and defense take the field as they continue to gel. The second-year head coach suggested that it’s the team’s youth and status as a rebuilt club that factored into the decision, perhaps hinting that August 2020 may see less playing time for starters than this go-around.
Star RB Saquon Barkley, oft-injured but dangerous TE Evan Engram, and starting WR Sterling Shepard have yet to see summer snaps and may stay sidelines until Week 1 in Dallas. One has to wonder if Golden Tate would also be sitting out if he wasn’t already facing a four-game hiatus due to an upcoming suspension.
While their is certainly arguments for both strategies, injuries to players such as Derwin James and Avery Williams underscores the gamble of putting stars in live-action situations when the games don’t count.
What shows up on injury reports over the back-half of August will impact your picks when September rolls around. We’ll have to wait and see if any other marquee players are snatched up by the dreaded preseason injury bug.
Until then, enjoy watching the third stringers fight for the 53.
Dallas Cowboys: Will they get to 10 Wins in 2019?
By: @MoneyMikeWins
Over/Under 9.5
Last Season- 10-6 (1st in NFC East)
Philadelphia’s main contention for the NFC East title, the Dallas Cowboys enter 2019 with playoff hopes, as well as financial headaches. Can they reach 10 wins? Let’s take a look:
As of today, contract disputes remain the black cloud over the otherwise optimistic Cowboys. It is my true belief that all three players in question (Elliot, Prescott, Cooper) will be on the field for Week 1. Following a playoff loss in the divisional round to the NFC Champion Rams, this Cowboys team features a plethora of additions that could put them over the hump. The biggest of any addition is the return of all-pro center Travis Frederick. It’s no secret that the Cowboys look to be a run-first offense, and Frederick brings unparalleled leadership to an incredibly talented front.
The defensive side of the ball returns emerging stars Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch holding down the middle of the field. These two have only gotten better as they progress through their short NFL careers, and are widely regarded as a top 2 linebacker duo. Question marks at safety were ‘fixed’ with band-aids rather than reinforcements with the signing of George Iloka. A solid career NFL player, Iloka is a guy that will help you more than he will hurt, and at the end of the day. Without any major injuries, this should be a top 5 defense.
The main thing to focus on with team total win over/under is scheduling. The Cowboy schedule this season is as follows:
Week 1: Giants
Week 2: @ Redskins
Week 3: Dolphins
Week 4: @ Saints
Week 5: Packers
Week 6: @ Jets
Week 7: Eagles
Week 8: @ Giants
Week 9: Vikings
Week 10: @ Lions
Week 11: @ Patriots
Week 12: Bills
Week 13: @ Bears
Week 14: Rams
Week 15: @ Eagles
Week 16: Redskins
The key games that will determine the result of this season begins with a rematch with the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys manhandled New Orleans all game during last season’s matchup, but struggled to move the football in a 13-10 win. This game will speak volumes for both teams.
The following game is no bigger or smaller in value to the mindset of Dallas. Aaron Rodgers has lived rent free in the minds of every Cowboy fan over the last decade. A win at home over the Packers is vital for this group to make the next step.
Lastly regarding the schedule, the Cowboys must go 4-2 against the division (if not better) if they want to secure separation from the extremely talented Philadelphia Eagles.
Look for the Cowboys to show vast offensive efficiency improvements under new Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore. I look for Ezekiel Elliot to thrive against defenses that have to be wary of the pass for a change. Assuming Dak Prescott gets paid, I see him having his most efficient season thus far, especially considering a full offseason with superstar receiver Amari Cooper.
Final Prediction 11-5
Verdict- OVER
New York Jets: Williamson lost for season after questionable Gase decision
By: DB Staff
Avery Williamson tore his ACL after new coach, Adam Gase, opted to keep him in the game after the other starters had been sent to the bench on Thursday night in Atlanta.
Gase defended the decision after the game, citing that they wanted to see the former Titan in certain packages before ending his night.
Nevertheless, losing the free agent pickup will be a blow for a new look Jets LB corps that also sports CJ Mosley. Williamson had previously only missed one game since his rookie campaign in 2014. He also notched 80 solo tackles in 2018, including 6 for loss.
Williamson will look to take the field again during the second year of his new $22.5 million deal, $16 million of which is guaranteed.
New York Giants: Who's behind Saquon Barkley in 2019?
By: Dan Orlando
In NFL Preseason action against the Chicago Bears, the New York Giants saw their RB3 - and possibly their RB2 - competition get much closer.
Wayne Gallman currently sits at number two on the depth chart and may very well stay there. But after missing last night’s matchup due to injury, the former Clemson standout may see his snaps reduced if the other RB understudies continue to hog the spotlight.
For Paul Perkins, Friday night was an opportunity at redemption after a shaky outing against the Jets where he committed a fumble and a dropped pass.
The UCLA alum looked sharp, hitting the hole with force and fighting for tough yards. He also notched an impressive chunk play down the sideline that may remind fans of the 67-yard catch-and-run in 2016 against Minnesota that elevated his career.
He notched only 112 yards rushing and 15 receptions as a backup during his rookie year in limited duty, but that was enough for the McAdoo administration to name him the starter in 2017.
That experiment would flame out quickly, and he would only put up 90 yards on the ground that season before missing all of 2018 due to injury.
Rod Smith clearly outperformed Gallman in the first week of the preseason and had bright moments against Chicago as well, including an impressive hurdle over an incoming defender.
However, after committing his own fumble, he did his part to keep Perkins in the hunt after the latter looked like he may be headed towards being cut before Friday night.
While Jon Hillman, put up 56 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries towards the end of the contest, it may be tough for the rookie to even make the roster, especially if the team decides to seep Eli Penny as a FB.
NFL Week 1: Why the Chargers may 'Luck Out'
By: Dan Orlando
The Chargers are set to enter Week 1 as the favorites against a team that some felt could challenge for the AFC Title in 2019. The projection is due in part to the development of a “high ankle problem” that has star QB Andrew Luck’s status for yet another season opener shrouded in mystery.
It’s worth noting that the Chargers, who enter the season with strong expectations as well and are listed as a favorite to win the Super Bowl by USA Today- are still not heavy favorites over Indy, despite hosting a Colts team that may not even field it’s biggest star.
With the line hovering around 3, Los Angeles has some concerns of their own.
Star running back Melvin Gordon has still not shown for camp despite sustaining $30K per day in fines. He hasn't even been rattled by additionally losing about $330K per preseason game, which suggests he could be inclined to go the route of current Jet, Le’Veon Bel, and leave the Chargers without his services when the games count.
Gordon played in a career-low 12 games last season, notching just under 900 yards and 10 TDs. He finished 17th in total rushing yards.
Despite the middle-of-the-pack ranking, going without Gordon would certainly temper expectations for a Chargers team that expects to compete for Phillip Rivers’ first Super Bowl appearance, let alone title.
Top contender to take over the feature back mantle, Austin Ekeler, will be entering his third season. In 2018 he found the end zone three times and barely broke 550 yards. A relatively unproven entity, it stands to reason that early lines could shift backwards on San Diego if Gordon has yet to take the practice field come September.
But for now, LAC are looking like a strong play against a Luck-less Colts. Stay tuned.
NFL Preseason Week 2
Hello my friends make sure to tune in this Saturday to Inside The Numbers with Danny B recorded Live from #MSG
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Tonight we discuss The NCAA Tournament and give out several on air selections….
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Inside The Numbers With Danny B
Our podcast is now available 5 days a week M-F at 2 EST..
Each day Nate Rawlings and I share selections from MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA and more.. We also feature great guests that share their insights and plays...
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New Website: Danny B Sports Network
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The Mets Are for Real, and They’re Going to Stay that Way (By: Jake Reagan)
Time to play “Two Truths and a Lie;” the New York Mets are on fire right now, the Mets will continue to be one of the best teams in the league, the Mets will regress and this sample size is too small. Clearly, how hot the Mets are right now is no lie. They are 11-2 heading into Sunday and have won a whopping nine straight ball games. The preseason chatter surrounding the Mets since their 2015 World Series run has consistently been centered around the elite rotation in Queens. The season that sparked that narrative saw Noah Syndergaard’s rookie campaign, year two of the Dark Knight’s dominance, and an All-Star performance by 2014 Rookie of the Year, Jacob DeGrom. The conversation about that pitching staff has not just been how dominant they are, even with Harvey’s struggles, but how massively important pitching health is to the team’s success. This prediction manifested itself in the results of the 2017 season. New York finished with a very disappointing 70-92 record, behind the still-rebuilding Braves. The Mets DL saw 9 different pitchers by late July. Harvey, Syndergaard, closer Juerys Familia, Steven Matz and Robert Gsellman all appeared on that list. Jacob DeGrom was the only pitcher on the entire staff to go over 200 innings, finishing with 201.1, which was 82.2 innings more than the second-most innings thrown.
The Mets didn’t make any changes to their core pitching talent this offseason, and their only “big” on-field additions were bringing back RF Jay Bruce, and picking up veteran 1B Adrian Gonzalez who had been released by the Atlanta Braves via the Dodgers. The team also added right-handed hurler Anthony Swarzak, who has already found himself on the DL with an oblique strain. The biggest addition, it could turn out, is new manager Mickey Callaway. Callaway was a below-average ball player, but established himself as an elite pitching mind by working as the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians. So far this season, Callaway has repeatedly shuffled the deck both in the bullpen, and in the lineup. On Sunday, the Mets had only five positions players qualified for the batting title; 16 positions players have seen at-bats so far this season. Astonishingly, 14 Mets have also appeared on the mound thus far. The work has been distributed very evenly for the Mets pitching. The starters have accounted for 70 innings, the bullpen 50; that means, of the 120 innings thrown by Mets pitchers, about 58% has been thrown by starters, 5% less than in 2017. Starters are averaging only 5.1 innings per start, hardly even enough to qualify for a win.
After reading all of this, the question is, “so what?” Bullpenning, as it’s come to be known, is commonplace in the MLB now, what’s so special about the Mets? The special part about what the Mets are doing, is when they are doing it, and how well. Bullpenning really shines and receives the most credit for success in the Postseason. In Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, the Astros used five pitchers and the Dodgers used an astonishing nine different guys to finish the game. The Mets, however, are bullpenning from the beginning, and they’re doing it correctly. Not only is this strategy good in the context of a game, but it will keep pitchers healthier in the long run. Callaway has been putting relievers in situations where they are set to succeed. The team has a 2.78 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, both are second in the majors as of Sunday. Seven out of the nine arms in the bullpen have ERAs of 3.00 or lower, five of those pitchers have WHIPs under 1.00.
The Mets are running nine-deep in the pen, and are not afraid to use all the pitchers out there. The innings have been very evenly distributed, keeping stress off the bullpen as well as the starters. The hyper-effectivity of the bullpen has defeated the strategy of wearing down the elite starters that the Mets have, forcing opposing hitters to deal with Syndergaard and DeGrom more often. The entire staff has become the strength of the team, not just the starting rotation.
Because of this newfound strength, the Mets can lean heavily on their pitching, which is good, considering the team’s offensive production. The pitching of this squad is reminiscent of the lockdown bullpen, and tremendous starting performances of 2015. Unfortunately, the offense is very much like the 2015 team, as well. In late July of ‘15, the Mets offense was worse than the 1962 Mets, a team that lost a staggering 120 games. The ’15 Mets averaged just 3.43 runs a game at that point, the ’62 Mets were just above them with 3.86 RPG. However, the good news for the ’18 Mets, is that heading into Sunday, they are scoring 4.77 RPG, good for 12th in the majors. The offense of the Mets is still top heavy, Asdrubel Cabrera, Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes have more hits than the rest of the team combined, but the team is at least not as abysmal as the ’15 offense.
The Mets remaining as one of the best teams in baseball, seems to be the second truth. This team is hitting at a better clip than a team that went to the World Series, the same starters line up in the rotation, the bullpen is shortening games and most importantly, the team is being managed into spots where players are best aligned to succeed, and stay healthy. Not only are the Mets better than expected, the Mets could win the division… or the World Series.
Weekend Wrap Up (By: Jake Reagan)
Welcome back to Weekend Wrap-up & Week Ahead. The weather played as much of a factor as the teams did this weekend, let’s jump right in…
Wrap-up:
The biggest story of the weekend was clearly Big Sexy. Bartolo Colon took the mound for the Rangers on Sunday Night Baseball and was perfect through seven innings against the defending world champion Astros. Colon’s perfect game was broken up in the 8th when he walked his first batter. Justin Verlander was excellent, just like his counterpart. He went eight strong innings, allowing only one earned run, which was a homerun. Verlander also struck out 11. The Rangers ultimately came away victorious in the 10th inning, 3-1.
The Mets stayed red hot, walking off 3-2, against the Brewers in New York on Sunday. The Mets have now won an astonishing nine games in a row heading into Monday. Noah Syndergaard was stellar through 5.1 innings, striking out 11 and allowing only 2 hits. Syndergaard struck out eight consecutive hitters.
On Saturday, the Cubs and Braves played a wild one in miserable windy and wet weather in Chicago. The Cubs came away with a 14-10 victory even though they were at one point down by eight runs. Braves 2B Ozzie Albies had a day, going 3-5 with four RBIs. A total of 11 pitchers were used in this crazy April matchup.
Week Ahead:
On Tuesday, the streaking Boston Red Sox will escape the blustery Northeast and head to Anaheim to take on the Angels, with Shohei Ohtani toeing the rubber. Ohtani was scheduled to pitch this weekend against Kansas City, however weather delayed that game. David Price will be opposing Ohtani. Against the current Angels roster, Price has a .203 BAA over the course of 133 ABs. However, the aging Albert Pujols has a career .429 BA against Price over the course of 21 ABs.
On Thursday, the Phillies and Pirates renew the Pennsylvania rivalry. At the outset of the year, very few would have had this series circled. But, that was before the Phillies swept two straight series, and the Pirates were holding the top spot in the NL Central. Neither club has released their projected starter yet, but a matchup of Hoskins and Kingery versus a surging Gregory Polanco and Corey Dickerson, should make for a good offensive show in Citizens Bank Park.
Heading into the weekend, the Nationals and Dodgers, both underperforming but expected to win their respective division, meet in LA. Neither team has released their probable starters for the series yet, but if all lines up as expected, Clayton Kershaw and Stephen Strasburg could be the matchup in game one. This series could shed some light on if either, or both of these clubs are in real trouble this early in the season.
This has been the Weekend Wrap-up & Week Ahead. It may be Monday, but at least there’s another week of baseball ahead.