The Mets were defeated 6-3 by the Boston Red Sox this afternoon. To read more about today’s game, visit MLB.com.
Here are three things that we learned from Sunday’s game…
Jon Niese started sharp, lost it late.
In his first start of the Spring, Jon Niese started out sharp, retiring his first eight batters. It was with two outs in the 3rd inning that Niese ran into trouble, however, allowing four consecutive baserunners before being taken out of the game.
It’s worth noting that the normal pitch count for a first Spring Training start is around 35-40, and Niese wound up throwing 52, which would explain the fatigue at the end of his start. Niese confirmed to Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record that he ran out of gas.
Of Niese’s 52 pitches, only two clocked in at 90 MPH or above, topping out at 91 MPH. Niese’s velocity has been down over the past few seasons, and that may be something to keep an eye on over the next month.
Travis d’Arnaud got off the snide.
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud went 1-for-2 in Sunday’s game, ripping his first hit of Spring Training. D’Arnaud had gotten off to a rocky start, going 0-for-10 at the plate prior to the hit in his second and final at-bat of the day.
After coming back from the minor leagues mid-way through last season, d’Arnaud showed signs of being the hitter the Mets thought he could be when they acquired him as part of the R.A. Dickey trade in 2012. They’ll need him to show more of that this upcoming season.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis is solidifying his place on this roster.
Out of options, Kirk Nieuwenhuis already had a bit of an edge on Matt den Dekker in the battle for the fifth outfielder spot on the roster. The Mets can keep den Dekker in the minors if he doesn’t make the team, unlike Nieuwenhuis who would be subject to being placed on waivers. After going 3-for-4 in today’s game, Nieuwenhuis is now hitting a robust .600 (9-for-15) in the early goings of Spring Training, turning some heads in the process.
If Nieuwenhuis keeps up the hot hitting, obviously not at a .600 clip, over the next month, it appears to be all-but-certain that he will make the Mets Opening Day roster, barring any kind of injury of course.
Other Notes
Minor leaguer Hansel Robles struggled, allowing two walks, a home run and three earned runs in 0.2 innings pitched.
Mets pitchers combined to walk 10 Red Sox hitters in the game.
Juan Lagares went 2-for-4 batting leadoff with an RBI and, as always, made a difficult play look easy in center field.
Prospect Gabriel Ynoa was the only Mets pitcher who didn’t allow a walk.
To see highlights from today’s game, click here.
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