Mets Morning News: Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Meet the Mets

So the 2013 Mets are not a particularly good baseball team. This is known. They aren't awful. They can pitch a little, the bullpen's been better, and the've been roughly average at scoring runs. And then sometimes this happens. Hope you saved some LOLMets jokes!

And of course, when I say the Mets have "been roughly average at scoring runs," I mean "they've been roughly average at scoring runs when they have David Wright, who has been playing at an MVP level, in the lineup." He is not going to be in the lineup for a few weeks, so the Mets are mulling their options. I think you probably all know where I stand: HAIL!

One nice moment from the weekend was the return of Pedro Feliciano to the major league pen. After not pitching for nearly three years, Terry immediately used him on back-to-back days. Just like old times!

It wasn't just Marlon Byrd's fault that Sunday's game quickly spiraled out of control. Wheeler struggled to make pitches even when they weren't being subsequently dropped by his catcher or right fielder. So Terry Collins decided to indulge in a little tough love in the postgame. Of course the really tough love will come in Wheeler's next start when Terry pencils in Duda in left, Murph at third, and Eric Young at second. Better make those pitches, Wheels.

Over at Faith and Fear, Jason Fry writes what we are all thinking at this point in the season.

And five Brooklyn Cyclones were named to the NYPL All-Star team. The game will take place next week in Norwich.

Yesterday at AA

Brock Mahan looked back at the famous Joel Youngblood Game(s).

And to cheer you up, we posted a GIF of Keith Hernandez eating a meatball grinder.

Around the NL East

The Phillies and Braves are two teams headed in very different directions. The Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Phils Sunday Night, leaving Philly fans to drown their sorrows in the promise of a better draft pick (which the Phillies will use on a toolsy high school player with no actual baseball skills who will top out in Double-A).

To be fair, at least our pals over at The Good Phight are keeping their 2014 expectations in the realm of reasonableness.

The Indians shut out the Marlins (see, it is possible to tame their offense). Scott Kazmir was on the bump for the Tribe, and he's had a pretty good season all in all. I never thought he'd get the velocity back, but good for him.

And the Brewers salvaged a game against the Nationals, winning an 8-5 slugfest.

Around MLB

Here's all of Sunday's action in one handy dandy scoreboard.

The big news of the day is that the Biogenesis suspensions will finally, mercifully be handed down. A-Rod and twenty other guys—but mostly A-Rod apparently—will officially start serving their suspensions, barring any appeals. A-Rod has said he plans to appeal, and may be in the lineup tonight for the Yanks. I know it is wrong, but I kind of hope he hits the cover off the ball the rest of the way and leads the Yanks into the second wild card game, where they lose when Girardi pinch hits for A-Rod against a right-handed reliever.

The internet does love them some A-Rod apologias, though. Take your pick, we have Jeb Lund, Jonathan Bernhardt, and Rob Neyer.

Minor League Ball checks in on some organizational sleepers. Jack Leathersich gets the nod from the Mets organization. I suppose he is a sleeper if you never actually visit this site, which you are clearly doing right now.

Eno Sarris is really doing cool stuff with his BBWAA card over in the Bay area.

And here's one I haven't heard before. Always love the 'talent evaluator' source, because that phrase really has no meaning for me.