The Mets attempted to balance health and the opponent once they finalized their 25-man roster and starting lineup for Wednesday’s National League wild-card game against the San Francisco Giants.
With their showdown with Giants’ ace Madison Bumgarner, the Mets turned towards the lineup they used heavily throughout the playoff push to end the regular season. Jose Reyes was leading off and also at third base, followed by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, left fielder Yoenis Cespedes and center fielder Curtis Granderson.
To interrupt in the left-handed batters against left-handed Bumgarner, rookie second baseman T. J. Rivera, a Bronx native, was slotted in between Granderson and right fielder Jay Bruce. Catcher Rene Rivera, first baseman James Loney and pitcher Noah Syndergaard rounded out the remainder of the lineup.
The choice to start out Loney added a little bit of intrigue because Lucas Duda was left from the roster entirely. Mets Manager Terry Collins said the Mets wanted Loney’s defense and experience.
“I thought I’d opt for a man who a minimum of has played 100 games, rather than someone who has got 10 at-bats, ” Collins said. “And I talked to Lucas about this. I do know he worked very, very difficult to go back to and obtain ready, but this really is an awful big challenge tonight for a man that’s just been back for ten days. ”
Loney doesn‘t hit for much power but he is well known regarding his hit better in September and had key hits throughout the playoff push. Duda offers more power potential but he missed four months due to a stress fracture in her back. He returned straight towards the major leagues on Sept. 17 and also has played in eight games although not complete games to back because his body wasn‘t ready.
When the Mets advance, Duda could be placed on the roster. Even without Duda, Collins was visiting have an eight-man bench for Wednesday’s game, having a near-even split of batters from each side from the plate to deploy whenever he wishes to push for offense.
The Mets have three catchers for Wednesday night, which might free up Travis d’Arnaud like a pinch hitter offered the presence of backup Kevin Plawecki. The bench also included Michael Conforto, Alejandro De Aza, Ty Kelly, Kelly Johnson, Eric Campbell and Juan Lagares, who could be useful like a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
Collins pointed to switch-hitting Kelly’s positional versatility and skill to pinch hit like the reason for including him upon the roster.
“We’re a team that double-switches because we wish to maybe purchase an inning and also a third out in our relievers, ” Collins said. “So he gives us versatility where Lucas is limited to at least one spot. ”
The Mets carried one fewer pitcher you extra bench player than most wild-card teams because Collins wanted the chance to pinch run or deploy double switches when needed.
As to the bullpen, the Mets were using eight pitchers. Starters Bartolo Colon and Robert Gsellman will have there as section of the Mets’ all-hands-on-deck efforts. Seth Lugo was left off as protection just in case the Mets advance and Colon and Gsellman are applied on Wednesday.
If Colon Isn‘t applied on Wednesday and also the Mets advance, Collins said Colon would start Game 1 from the National League division series against the Chicago Cubs. Colon could possibly be a middle-innings reliever on Wednesday.
Gsellman could start Game 1 if Colon is designed on Wednesday. Collins said Gsellman could possibly be used against the Giants when the Mets are trailing as well as game goes into extra innings. However the possibilities were many.
The typical relievers – Jerry Blevins, Hansel Robles, Fernando Salas, Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia – will certainly be inside the bullpen. Though there was one mild surprise : Josh Edgin was selected over Josh Smoker like the second left-handed reliever.
Although Smoker’s arm offered impressive glimpses, Edgin had better results against left-handed batters. Edgin held them to be able to a. 235 batting average when they hit. 360 against Smoker.
The form from the playoff roster, which may be reset each round, would undoubtedly change when the Mets win on Wednesday and advance to face the Cubs on Friday.
INSIDE PITCH
Wilmer Flores, perhaps one of the Mets’ best backup infielders, will undergo surgery upon the hamate bone in her right hand later this wee, Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said. Flores has not played since he injured his right wrist inside a collision in your own home plate on Sept. 10, however this hamate bone injury was believed to possess emerged following the collision.
0 comments:
Post a Comment