NL East (2018)

[welch]

Mets were desperate for a catcher. D'Arnaud and Plawecki are hurt, with D'Arnaud out for the year. A win for the Mets, who are losing badly to the Reds just now.

[Natsinpwc]

Remember how it was going to take the Nats months to catch the Mets? Goes to show you never know in sports.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

The people who laughed at "it's early" have egg on their face.

[Natsinpwc]

The people who laughed at "it's early" have egg on their face.

Most teams don't play the same steady rates all year. There are ups and downs. Real baseball fans know that. Panic monkeys do not. They still need Eaton and Murphy back. Or at least one of them.

[HalfSmokes]

I’ll take the egg, they did in a week what I though would take a season. I still think we end up in a race with the braves, but maybe not

[Natsinpwc]

I’ll take the egg, they did in a week what I though would take a season. I still think we end up in a race with the braves, but maybe not

The Braves have a good lineup. If their pitching holds up. The Mets and Phillies are improved also over last year. None are great. But the race will be tougher this year.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I've said don't count out the Braves, so I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Nobody is playing way over their head on that team aside from Suzuki.

[aspenbubba]

I've said don't count out the Braves, so I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Nobody is playing way over their head on that team aside from Suzuki.

I also reminded people on several threads that the Braves were 10-9 against us last year. It wasn't a fluke. I still believe we will win the division but ONLY by 7-8 games. Hellickson improved our odds and maybe we found a # 5 starter. Now we need to get Murph and the mighty midget back and sustain no MAJOR injuries. And what's up with Harp???

[bluestreak]

I've said don't count out the Braves, so I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Nobody is playing way over their head on that team aside from Suzuki.

I don’t believe Nick Markakis is really one of the ten best hitters in baseball.

[imref]

I've said don't count out the Braves, so I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Nobody is playing way over their head on that team aside from Suzuki.

I wonder if Atlanta tries to make a big move and say trade for Machado?

[dcpatti]

I've said don't count out the Braves, so I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Nobody is playing way over their head on that team aside from Suzuki.

I don’t believe that Sean Newcomb is a Top 25 pitcher at this stage of his career; he may grow into one, but I don’t think he maintains his current pace. And I think Wisler is due for some serious regression.

[Greg_SRT]

The Braves and Phillies don’t have the pitching necessary to win over the course of 5 months.

The Mets don’t have the lineup.

If the Nats can’t get people back and stay back...

Someone will obviously win the division. But the Nats are still the only good team in the NL East.

[dcpatti]

I wonder if Atlanta tries to make a big move and say trade for Machado?

With Albies killing it on 2B and Dansby finally finding his form, I can’t see them making this type of move. I’d imagine if they made a trade at all, it would be for late inning pitching.

[Greg_SRT]

Manny to Dodgers seems somewhat likely

[bluestreak]

Manny to Dodgers seems somewhat likely

Dodgers don’t have the prospects unless they want to give up Verdugo (they don’t). Also Taylor is an adequate replacement for Seager. They have options for CF.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I don’t believe Nick Markakis is really one of the ten best hitters in baseball.

I don’t believe that Sean Newcomb is a Top 25 pitcher at this stage of his career; he may grow into one, but I don’t think he maintains his current pace. And I think Wisler is due for some serious regression.

I said "way" over their heads.  Markakis and Newcomb most certainly aren't this good, but it wouldn't be shocking if they turned out good seasons.

Suzuki, on the other hand, is due to regress back to suckitude.

[DPMOmaha]

So the Mets moved Harvey to the minors after all, huh?

[GburgNatsFan]

So the Mets moved Harvey to the minors after all, huh?

[mitlen]

So the Mets moved Harvey to the minors after all, huh?

[Steve Rogers]

Mets fans are imbeciles.  New Yorkers have two teams to choose from.  The Yankees, with 27 World Series rings and are perpetually in the playoffs.  Or the Mets, who every five years or so are decent but otherwise stink. 

They choose the Mets.

I do not support self-loathing behavior.

In past half century, only the Cardinals have won more NL pennants than the NY Mets.

[Dschmiel]

I also reminded people on several threads that the Braves were 10-9 against us last year. It wasn't a fluke. I still believe we will win the division but ONLY by 7-8 games. Hellickson improved our odds and maybe we found a # 5 starter. Now we need to get Murph and the mighty midget back and sustain no MAJOR injuries. And what's up with Harp???

BABIP is historically low - .184 through last night's game.

If his BABIP was even decent (say .250), then his overall BA would be .279.  If his BABIP was at typical levels (around .300 for most players), his overall BA would be .311. 

Sometimes BABIP bad luck can extend over a long period of time (several months).  Manny Machado hit. 215 for the first 80 games last year, with a BABIP of .223.  For the second half of the season, he hit .303 with a BABIP of nearly .300. 

[varoadking]

BABIP is historically low - .184 through last night's game.

If his BABIP was even decent (say .250), then his overall BA would be .279.  If his BABIP was at typical levels (around .300 for most players), his overall BA would be .311. 

Sometimes BABIP bad luck can extend over a long period of time (several months).  Manny Machado hit. 215 for the first 80 games last year, with a BABIP of .223.  For the second half of the season, he hit .303 with a BABIP of nearly .300.

BABIP is a statistic...not a reason...

[rbw5t]

In past half century, only the Cardinals have won more NL pennants than the NY Mets.

Count again, Steve.  Dodgers have won 6, to the Mets 5. 

Also, besides just being flat wrong, your statement is certainly misleading.  While the Cards and Dodgers have won more pennants than the Mets over the last 50 years, the Reds, Giants, Phillies and Braves have won as many as the Mets (5 each).  So, 6 other teams have won as many or more NL pennants than the Mets over the last 50 years.

(Now, if I were you, rather than making the silly statement you make above, I'd just point out that 5 for the mets is way more than none for the Nats.  No arguing with that, unfortunately.)

[bluestreak]

GTFO with this BABIP talk.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

In past half century, only the Cardinals have won more NL pennants than the NY Mets.

If we're pointing at arbitrary cutoffs, let's look at what the Mets have done since their last World Series win: 2 whole NL pennants in 31 years of play.  Both times, they were quickly dispatched from the World Series.  Pretty sure fans of the Braves, Phillies, Giants, Dodgers, and possibly even the D'Backs and Marlins have to be happier with what they've accomplished over that same three-decade time frame.