The Atlanta Braves are coming home to Turner Field after a sweep of the Miami Marlins. They now have a three game series with another divisional rival, the New York Mets. The Mets just completed their first series of the season yesterday by defeating the Washington Nationals. They actually took two out of three games versus probably the best team in the NL, on paper.
Both teams did a solid job in their first series of 2015, but that is now behind us. A matchup with the Mets sounds favorable for the Braves but like I’ve been saying for weeks, games are won on the field.
To get us ready for the series, I reached out to Sam Maxwell at Rising Apple, the New York Mets blog site on Fansided, for a little Q&A.
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Tomahawk Take: The Braves will avoid seeing starting pitcher Matt Harvey in this series. Was there a reasoning behind starting Bartolo Colon on Opening Day instead of Harvey? Was the matchup between him and Strasburg planned?…Or was it Harvey didn’t want to see the dangerous lineup of the Braves?
Rising Apple: It’s as simple as good business. By starting Bartolo Colon, Jacob deGrom, then Matt Harvey, you have Jacob deGrom lined up for Home Opening Day, an always sure-fire hit at the box office, and then Matt Harvey in game 2 of 81. That game, a night weekday in April, is almost ALWAYS a box office letdown, especially for the Mets in these lean years. I am going Tuesday, April 14, and you can guarantee, ESPECIALLY if the Mets continue playing well, that #HarveyDay will increase return at the box office.
TT: Your two biggest stars in your lineup, Curtis Granderson and David Wright are off to very slow starts to the season. Are you worried at all about these guys? Especially heading to Atlanta where our pitching staff isn’t as ‘star power’ as Washington’s but still very effective
RA: David Wright and Curtis Granderson should be fine (both got big hits in the finale with the Nats.) I think it even begs the question how much respect the rest of the league is giving Lucas Duda. As of now, Lucas Duda is the best hitter the Mets lineup has based off of the last season, and a top 5 slugging 1st baseman. I foresee, though, others challenging him NOT named David Wright or Curtis Granderson in the Mets lineup. Those two, however, should be fine.
TT: Tell us about the three starting pitchers the Braves will face
Sep 1, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jon Niese (49) throws during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
RA: Jon Niese is a solid pitcher, though he seems to have some shoulder trouble and other ailments. The big inning can sometimes get to him, where it snowballs, but he’s gotten better over the years, but keeps getting injured, scaring off potential trade suitors. Dillon Gee is similar, though he was never as touted as Niese. When locked in, he is actually one of the best pitchers in the league, as he showed for a 12-month period from may 2013 till injury struck him in May 2014. A great Gee could still get moved, and early, so these are important games for that narrative. As for Bartolo? What can I say? He’ll throw strikes, hit the corners, may give up a bomb, and look entertainingly silly batting.
TT: How’s the Mets bullpen this season? With Bobby Parnell on his way back, one would think that helps but haven’t heard much about this bullpen group.
RA: Because of some injuries, especially from the left-handed side, the Mets have had to piece it more together than expected, and well from the trade market in Blevins and Alex Torres. Though Buddy Carlyle, a good veteran piece, might become victim when Parnell and Vic Black come back, the injuries and lack of trading Dillon Gee have allowed Rafael Montero, a SP usually, to emerge in a vital relief role. He looks poised so far, and it might not be before long we see him in the rotation.
TT: The Braves are 3-0 after sweeping the Marlins, the Mets took two from Washington…how do you see this series going in Atlanta?
RA: I am EXTREMELY CONFIDENT of the Mets chances these days. Though I think it’s always going to be a dogfight in the NL east, I feel the Mets are in a zen-like state of focus on the prize…and not just getting better. Being the BEST. They might prove me wrong for at least this series, but I feel the time has come for the Mets to be serious. And REAL serious.