The numbers have been telling. Eduardo Escobar, an All-Star last season, has never hit quite like he is hitting this season. He is working pitchers more than he ever has. He fought through a 10-pitch walk against Carlos Rodon on Wednesday, taxing a starter the Mets wanted out of the game as quickly as possible. … Read more
Remember a 1966 hit by the Statler Brothers, “Flowers on the Wall”? It was a clever, sarcastic song about tedium: “Countin’ flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all. Playin’ solitaire ’til dawn with a deck of 51. Smokin’ cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo. Now don’t tell me I’ve nuthin’ to do.” Those … Read more
Buck Showalter is doing such a boffo job his first few weeks as Mets manager, one wonders why he was relegated to TV duty three straight seasons after being let go by the Orioles. And why, specifically, did his old Yankees team not think about bringing him back? Well, actually they did. But only for … Read more
The press conference room at Citi Field is ringed by enlarged covers of Mets yearbooks past. And the one from 1992 — the smiling portrait of Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Bret Saberhagen and Jeff Torborg — offers a reminder that events can go awry in Flushing and never get right. The disappointment of a 70-something-win … Read more
The Post’s Jon Heyman delivers news and notes from around MLB. Mets nixed Padres deal after differing on package Padres GM AJ Preller told Eric Hosmer when the deal for outfielder Dom Smith fell through to the Mets, “The game plan is to win with you.” Preller offered no guarantees, but manager Bob Melvin is … Read more
Three heads are not always better than one. With hitting coach Eric Chavez, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and player development coordinator Dick Scott managing in place of the absent Buck Showalter, no one stopped Starling Marte from running the Mets out of a potential late rally Thursday in a 5-2 loss to the Giants . … Read more