Today marked the Mets first game of the year, sort of, with the Mets playing an intrasquad with a portion of it being shown by the Mets on periscope. I know it was just the Mets playing against themselves but it was great to see live baseball in some great Florida weather.
Lefty Sean Gilmartin got the start for Team Blue and right-hander Robert Gsellman for Team Orange. Team Blue won by a score of 4-3.
Here are some notes and stats from the hitters:
- Game started off with three consecutive singles by Alejandro De Aza, Matt Reynolds, and Michael Conforto with the one by Conforto driving in a run.
- Reynolds singled, struck out, and doubled in his first three at bats, he started the game at shortstop.
- Dominic Smith went 2 for 3 with a walk while playing first base.
- T.J. Rivera singled in his first at bat and hit a two-run homerun off Chasen Bradford in his third. He started the game at second base for Orange.
- Juan Lagares was the show of the day, hitting a homerun to left field off Gsellman then singling and stealing second in his at bat.
- Dilson Herrera hit a solo homerun off minor league lefty Duane Below.
- Johnny Monell ground out in his first two at bats, hit a RBI double in his third.
How the pitchers fared today:
- Gilmartin settled down after allowing the three straight hits, he pitched two innings allowing one run on four hits and a strike out.
- Gsellman pitched two innings allowing one run on two hits, he induced four ground ball outs.
- Logan Verrett pitched two scoreless innings, giving up only a walk and striking out two.
- Impressive outing for right-handed reliever Zack Thornton who threw two scoreless innings and struck out five batters.
- Seth Lugo had a perfect first inning of work then allowed two earned runs to score in his second frame.
Mets shortstop prospect Gavin Cecchini had a good all-around game. At the plate he singled and stolen a base in his first at bat. He made a great diving stop to start a double play in the second inning, he started the game at shortstop.
Wilmer Flores was a scratch was the original lineup because he was sick, prospect Luis Guillorme played third base in his place. Guillorme has played his entire pro career at shortstop in the Mets system.
Without any play-by-play the audible you got to hear was from the umpire and the catcher receiving the pitches. The noise from the catchers glove got noticeably louder when lefty Josh Smoker came in, is was popping! Smoker pitched two scoreless frames and is certainly a guy to keep an eye on this spring.
Thanks for the fast recap!
one question and an observation
Who made the error that led to the unearned run?
And the team playing Guillorme at third in a pinch, I think had more to do with seeing Reynolds at short. Pretty sure they would have switched them if the game counted.
And Smoker – closer upside more than any other RP in the minors
Thanks Michael for this recap. At last some sort of Mets baseball! Instead of some of the other stuff going on in the comments section of MMO ie politics, Cespy’s car, hog, all of a sudden Cespy is a cowboy, the usual trolling by some, etc.
Michael how did Domo look AB and D at 1B and how did Matt Reynolds look D at SS?
Eh, to Sean Gilmartin being a depth SP option for the Mets at AAA. IMO, his stuff is just too soft.. I prefer both Lo-Ver and Gsellman to Sean as a Mets SP depth option parked at AAA.
Out of curiosity what would have been a comparable trade for chapman in terms of prospects for the mets?
I think Sean is definitely better served as a long man out of the pen but he is still better starting depth than guys the Mets have had pitch in the past like Laffey/Misch.
Honestly the angle they had for the game made it tough to evaluate anything defensively. It was quite a ways behind home plate.
He’s the perfect long/mop up/emergency starter…I believe he’s starting pitching depth in the sense that he’s a good rubber arm that can spot start for a late scratch, not someone you want making consecutive starts
I’m starting to like that Thornton kid, he did a good job of keeping the ball in the park in a full season pitching in those launching pads in the PCL
That’s a good way of looking at it. Sean can probably flip a switch and pitch say 2IP in mop up relief or a extra inning game and then when he pitches again spot GS.
Thanks anyway Michael and thanks again for the game recap.
I believe it was Muno with the error and ya that makes total sense with the Reynolds/Guillorme observation. I think the only other reliever that can still rival his potential is Akeel Morris.
Of course man, thanks for reading.
I thought there was a chance we saw him last year, his 40 man standing is really hurting him right now.
I have always gotten the middle relief feel for Akeel, maybe set up. Havent bought into him closing in the majors yet.
He already has a very good two pitch combo which is good start for a closer. Pretty tough to pick up as well and has excelled in the closer role already.