10/5/2016 San Francisco Giants 3, New York Mets 0

Citi Field, Flushing, NY

NL Wild Card Game

Seems like I'll never get my "Jay Bruce: Postseason Hero" book project off the ground.

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter 

(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!

11/1/2015 Kansas City Royals 7, New York Mets 2

Citi Field, Flushing, NY
World Series Game 5
KC wins the Series 4-1

So many #feels...the World Series ends with Game 5, when it feels like it was played all seven. I could trot out a blathering repertoire of analysis and chuck wagon here, but I'm kind of speechless. The team that came this close to winning it all last year, defeating a team that I really have no troubles with (yes, even though they swept the Cubs).

Instead of me going on and on about this, you're better off reading Sam Miller's commentary at Baseball Prospectus (don't worry, paywall cheapazoids...it's a free article, no $ required).

As for my revered Uncle Bob...sorry about the loss, but be proud of what you've taken an active part in over the past several years. 

Leave it to the guy who represents my original interest as a child in baseball to introduce a new and unusual theological dilemma into my eccentric blend of fandom. I was rooting for the Royals, but felt like I was rooting for Bobby the whole time...I'm too old to be confused anymore, but I certainly enjoyed whatever it was that stayed with me throughout the series.

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

10/17/2015 Chicago Cubs 2, New York Mets 4

Citi Field, Flushing, NY

NLCS Game 1

AW, DAMMIT

My scoresheets, using my pitch-counting method! Read about it HERE, download the scoresheets for free HERE!

If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter 

(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!

7/7/12 Chicago Cubs 1, New York Mets 3

Citi Field, Flushing, NY
Game 2 of 3

Well, it finally happened!  On June 26, just over a week ago, RIZZOMANIA arrived in Chicagoland!!

Kevin Goldstein now has an extra 3 hours of his day back (only to be replaced by questions about Junior Lake, I suppose...or twice as many questions about Brett Jackson), and the Cubs have Anthony Rizzo in the lineup.  And this is pretty exciting stuff.

Sure there are lots of expectations for Rizzo in Chicago, and the pressure is certainly on.  There were also expectations for Rizzo in San Diego last year, but the shoes he was expected to fill were pretty darn big (Adrian Gonzalez) for starters, his eventual thumb injury didn't help batters...but the story is quite different now.  I don't think even the most psychotic of Cubs fans expects Rizzo to be the key to a World Series any time over the next 5 years; at best his presence at first will fill a void some fans found vacant when Derrek Lee was traded, a void that even Carlos Pena couldn't fill.  Only time will tell how that's going to work out, but for now, Rizzo is here and he's a great deal of fun to watch.  

Rizzo's debut in a Cubs uniform was, incidentally, against the Mets at home.  He was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI and the Cubs beat the Mets 5-3.  So, this is what hope is about: Randy Wells started that game (and couldn't finish it) against Dillon Gee.  10 days later, the Cubs are in New York, Gee is on the mound again, and Wells is back at AAA (he was sent there immediately following the June 26th outing, also known as "Randy's Last Straw"), and this is the first time I am seeing Rizzo in action with the Cubs.

With Wells gone, Samardzija is here to face Gee; this time the tables are turned and Gee turns in an amazing performance, 8IP, 7H 1ER, 4K.  Samardzija seems to be rushing his delivery a bit, and gets tagged for 2 HRs, from which all 3 of the Mets runs were scored.  Still, the Shark goes 7 innings, walks 2 and strikes out 4 (3 of those were swinging).  One would like to look at this outing and think he didn't do all that poorly...well, but Gee had the upper hand, and that's that.

But, hey...who in the hell is Jordanny Valdespin??

This guy was truly shocking, could this be the dawning of the "Valdespin Era" for Mets fans?  I was surprised to see him in the lineup, as I really honestly didn't know who he was.  Found out quickly who he was when he tattooed a solo shot waayyyy over in right-center field on a 1-1 pitch in his first at-bat of the game, 2nd inning.  

Valdespin moved up rather quickly in the Mets system, so quickly over the past couple of years that between the last time I saw the Buffalo Bisons in Louisville last season, he was in Binghamton...he was called up to Buffalo in August, and barely hit the ground there to start the AAA season in April when he made his Mets debut in April 23.  Mostly making spot starts and appearing in primarily pinch-hitting roles, but the more PAs he started to get, the better his results...through May 30, he was .095/.136/.238, 1HR and 3 RBI (WPA 0.147) in 22 PA.  By comparison, in June he was .286/.302/.524, 1HR and 9 RBI (WPA 0.281) in 43 PA.  Kinda sexy stuff.

However, you may be asking yourself...how are the Mets doing with Valdespin's performance during these two distinct periods of time?  From April 23 through May 30, the Mets were 8-8 in the 16 games Valdespin played in.  From June 3 through June 23, the Mets were 7-10 in the 17 games Valdespin played in; about the same amount of games, just about twice as many PA.  I guess that's why they call it "win probability added"...sure, it's higher during his better offensive period, but his offense isn't the single most contributing factor to the team's winning games.  One month in comparison to another is also two sample sizes that are almost too small to call...even with more PA, Valdespin averaged 2.47 AB per game (2.53 PA) during June.  It will be interesting to see how he does with more playing time...and how that playing time contributes to what could be a great season for the Mets.

Go CUBS!!!

8/11/11 San Diego Padres 3, New York Mets 2

Citi Field, Queens, NY
Game 3 of 4


Cameron Maybin…by golly, in case you hadn’t heard he’s a PADRE now!!

I have to admit, with everything that’s been going on this season, I haven’t done my due diligence in following the Padres as I have the past few years. Of course, I continue to be challenged to only seeing games on TV if they are on FOX, TBS, or MLB Network (remember, I said “no” to ESPN a long time ago). Of course, I can listen to any games via Gameday Audio, and I’ve done that a few times in the past couple of years, but there has been some displacement with an increase in MiLB and Independent League Baseball this season.

And no, it’s not because Adrian Gonzalez is gone. I always knew he wouldn’t be around much longer. That being said, here (in August, crikey!!) is the first Padres game I’ve watched in several months. And I have to tell you, not just because of one game, but because of one guy and his impact on this young team: the future for the Padres is looking good. I believe that and so should you.

A-Gon is “Gone.” That’s it, get over it. And arguably in a much better place. Yes. The signing of Cameron Maybin was a question mark in my mind, but let’s face it: he delivers. He’s 3rd on the team for AVG, 7th in OBP, 5th in SLG, and 2nd in games played. With now-gone Ryan Ludwick leading the team in homers, Maybin is right behind him and is the current HR leader for the Padres, not having reached double-digits yet. His OPS is better since All-Star break.

So Statistically, what I’m saying about Maybin’s impact on the team doesn’t really hold a bunch water…and I never want to go on record as saying one person alone makes a difference…I am a “team” guy and always will be. This game is a small sample size, true…but in this game alone I see something I didn’t see a lot of last year when Mat Latos wasn’t pitching…and that is some residual electricity coming from a player who has the experience to galvanize the whole staff, and today, that somebody was Cameron Maybin, and I think it’s a good thing to recognize this.



Not wanting to discount the Mets…their problems are in magnitude severe compared to the Padres problems (which are in some ways similar to, but still not as bad as the Cubs’ problems but closer to the Royals’ problems). I was just as surprised to see the Mets and their candor on the field and their support of SP Jonathon Niese…even to the point of SS Ruben Tejada’s 2 errors in tight situations. The Mets aren’t laying down, and in the first 2 games of the series handed the Padres consecutive rounds of defeat.

Game 3 changed the tone of the series, and Maybin made things happen today, with a solo HR in the 5th to finally put the Padres on the board and some sexy baserunning in the 8th to help the Padres get their game-winning run in. True, Tejada’s error allowed Maybin to score from 3rd, but Maybin was there in 2 successful stolen base attempts after a lead-off single. You could feel the lineup’s confidence increase when Maybin got on base to start the inning…these guys knew the chances were good that Maybin could make it if they all did their part and eked out a run to break the 2-2 tie.

And they did. And that’s really what mattered. Padres bullpen looked good, and the Mets pitching staff did an enormous job of ‘doing their best’ to keep the Pads down. Hats off to Padres SP Cory Luebke, my first time seeing him and he was impressive.

I hate to be one of those guys that keeps saying “next year…” but then again I never hesitate to say it, and if this game is any indication…I have every right to. Here's hoping Cam stays on for a few more years and further entrenches his role on this team as an ignitor.