Mets Morning News: Giants and Tigers and Bears...eh, shrug

Meet the Mets

In case you missed it, the Mets moved the fences in for the 2012 season. Unsurprisingly, that led to more runs being scored. Not enough more runs for the Mets though. MOVE THE FENCES BACK!

With the reported impending retirement of Jason Isringhausen, Faith and Fear reckons that he is the last Mets player from the 90s to hang up the spikes. Lordee, I'm getting old.

Mike Puma is reporting that the Mets are likely to non-tender Mike Pelfrey and possibly Andres Torres as well. I suppose this qualifies as 'news.' Puma's source also states that the Mets are interested in bringing back Pelfrey on a less expensive deal. Maybe I'll finally get to use this clever photoshop I made before the 2012 season and never got to use.

And at TedQuarters, Ted Berg has a Dickey poll for you to take. Heh heh, Dickey poll.

This Traaaaaaaain

The Giants came all the way back from 3-1 down, squashing the Cardinals 9-0 in Game 7 of the NLCS. That's six straight wins in elimination games for Bruce Bochy's crew. Game 1 of the Fall Classic is Wednesday as Justin Verlander takes on Barry Zito. Yep, that Barry Zito.

What in the Sam Hill got into Marco Scutaro this postseason? Jeff Sullivan investigates.

And this column from Grant Brisbee has a shelf life of exac...oop, nevermind, it's over.

Yesterday at AA

Rob Castellano profiled Jordany Valdespin, leading to a fracas in the comment section unseen since the great Pagan/Francouer wars of 2010. Or people just respectfully disagreed about JV1's ultimate ceiling, whatever.

And Brock Mahan looks back at the Mike Piazza/Roger Clemens bat-throwing kerfluffle.

Around MLB

Jonah Keri wrote a really, really good piece on Phil Coke for Grantland. Despite my general dislike of the site, they do churn out some great longform stuff every once in a while.

At Sports on Earth, Will Leitch takes a look at why broadcasters won't embrace advanced stats.

Over at FanGraphs, AA's own Eno Sarris has some more on Japanese high schooler Shohei Otani.

Toby Hyde takes a look at the depressed run scoring in the Arizona Fall League. And don't you think for a moment that Ted Berg forgot that Cole Hamels was on BRAVO last week.

The Padres are joining the Mariners and the Mets and moving the fences in at Petco.

Mike Trout just can't win (a rookie of the year poll unanimously).

And finally, Beyond the Box Score examines how velocity changes with a move from relief to the rotation.