Boys Majors Mets: My Site News

June 24 Yankees vs Mets 9-6

We needed to be at our best for the playoffs against the Yankees and came up just a little bit short.  We started out with a rough few first innings and then settled into a groove.  Very similar story to our other losses, we needed to make some routine plays on ground balls and fly balls and walks and strikeouts always hurt.

The middle part of the order really stepped up and had key hits with runners on base.  We did leave a lot of runners on base and several times with strike outs.  When we really needed to get the big hit with bases loaded, it didn't happen.

If you play or coach baseball long enough, you recognize that this is just part of the game, even the best teams struggle from time to time.  The Yankees were the better team in this playoff game. 

It was a wonderful season and for some of the boys, they are moving onto the Seniors next year and we wish them continued success  For all those returning to the Majors, you now know that it's a much different game than the Minors and to be successful at this level, requires hard work and practice.  You have to be able to execute all parts of the game, not just one aspect.  As some of you found out the hard way, the baseball will find you when you least expect it.

Enjoy the summer, work hard in school by getting good grades and we will see most of you next spring.

June 23 Mets vs Phillies  9 - 16

That one "challenging" inning found us again!  We started out well with solid pitching from Justin and took the lead in the bottom of the first, we looked like a team ready to play.  The bottom of the order for the Phillies did the most damage as they put the ball in play and we didn't make the defensive plays. We missed simple plays by not moving for ground balls, pop ups or fly balls, not knowing what to do with the ball when it's hit or not paying attention to the coaches on the base path.  We had the chance top throw out 5 runners on the base path and missed everyone one of them - we normally make those plays.

We had our chance, but left over 12 runners on base, several strikeouts ended the rally without scoring any runs.  Justin Peters with the big catch in RF at the top of the 6th to hold down the Phillies.  We started a rally in the bottom of the 6th, but the Phillies shut us down with a key double play, Ross hit a line shot to 2B that caught Justin stealing, he was almost past the 2B when he caught the ball - nothing you can do on that one.

Each player has to look deep inside and find the will and the spirit to play the game the way they are capable of.

We have to be ready to play on Thursday for the playoffs - FOCUS, EXECUTION and COMMITMENT!

June 19 Yankees vs Mets  5-3 

What a great game to watch - Mets took the lead into the 5th inning, but the Yankees fought back with the bottom of their lineup and found a way to win 5-3.  SOLID pitching by Justin to start, four (4) scoreless innings and the bomb to left field of KJ to get us going, missed a home run by 1 foot.

The top of the lineup worked hard to get on base and the middle of the lineup struggled.  We didn't have a lot of big hits and when we did, we hit the ball right at the defense.  Often times, we looked uncomfortable in the batter's box, not taking agressive swings.

The game was decided by a few routine plays across critial walks, HBP and "seeing eye" ground balls.  We had a chance to make the plays and just didn't this time around.  Up until that point, the defense was spectacular.  Ross got us started in the bottom of the 1st with the catch of the deep drive to RF off the bat of KJ to Thomas "Derek Jeter" Platt in the infield snaring ground balls to end innings.

As we told everyone after the game, teammates need to help out each other - whether on the mound or in the field.  Step up, give 150% effort and make a big play!

Let's get ready for the playoffs.

June 14 Mets vs Cubs    14-6

When you don't show up ready to play and take the other team for granted, you typically lose!  Way too many walks, 12+, several errors, several mental errors on the base path and lots of not showing effort to catch the ball.

We did have some big hits with runners on base, picked a player of 2B and had a few chances at double plays.  On the other hand, we ran into a triple play with runners on 1st and 3rd AFTER talking to both runners right before the play.  ATTENTION, FOCUS and EXECUTION are critical to success, difficult to play baseball without all three working for you.

Dust this one off, take the memory of losing and channel those feelings into improving for the next game, everyone needs to find a way to contribute to the team.

Bring back the Mets from the Sunday game - where did they go?

June 13 Yankees vs Mets  1-4 RAINOUT

Tough break for the Mets as we were one pitch away from an official game and a big win against the Yankees.  We started early against KJ with some critical hits, running everything out and then the big hit by Ross Campbell to drive in runs.  While waving to his fan club and the girls in the stands, Ross was picked off 3rd base.

Justin Loquercio started on the mound throwing heat and hitting the corners and kept the Yankees to just one run - he ran into pitch count and then Ross Campbell had to relieve.  Without throwing pitch, Ross picked off KJ at first to end the inning!  Matt Shiferal continues to throw people out on the basepath and put the block on home plate.

Just a little day dreaming on the base paths, we need to work on our extended lead offs as the ball travels to the plate.  Too many kids are trying to return to the bag while the ball is "live".  We also need to learn to put our body in front of the ball, we had a routine ground ball go past our 2nd baseman and our right fielder and travel all the way to the fence.  Neither player got in front of the ball and used their body as defense.

It's the little things that seperate an average team from a championship team.

June 7 Mets vs Rangers 13-3 

Solid TEAM baseball - in all aspects!  Everyone contributed in the field, at the plate or on the basepath.  Great starting pitching, Justin turned the ball over to Ross a.k.a Cy Young and he looked terrific on the mound.  It wasn't enough to pitch well, Ross decided to bring the big bat and drive in lots of RBI's.  We stole bases, played some great defensive - Shiferal with the golden glove at shortstop and at the home plate.

Alex, Andy and Justin P all made great contact and spent some time stealing bases and scoring runs!

We can we improve - making some of the routine plays on fly balls, ground balls and baseball recognition.

Nice job boys!

June 4   Yankees vs Mets  10-6

That's why we play 7 innings, because the Gods of Baseball work in unique ways and sometimes you have that one great inning or that one tough inning - we had the latter.  No matter where you play on the field, if you are afraid or nervous to make a play, the ball will find you and perhaps multiple times in a game

The Mets started out strong with solid pitching from Justin and Ross and great hitting by the middle of the order - Ross, Justin and Hunter - we had lots of chances to score even more runs but left too many runners stranded.  We threw out two runners at 3rd base, a terrific job defensively.

We looked at a few called third strikes with runners in scoring position, most of those were too close to take, we need to be agressive in the batter's box.

During that one tough inning - almost everything that could go wrong, did.  That inning was a team effort as we made 8 errors between fielding and throwing.  When a coach asks a player for "what were you thinking on that play when the ball came to you" and the player has no response or the look of you just took away my Xbox for a week, we have opportunities for improvement with baseball recognition. 

Baseball is about confidence, desire and the ability to execute - you can't be successful without all three working together.

May 27  Brewers vs Mets 0 - 11 

A very nice win for the Mets - solid hitting as Hunter Labbat continues to put a bat on the ball and drive in runs - maybe he's in the final year of his contract and looking for free agent status.  Very good pitching led by Tom P, Ross and Matt Shiferal.  Limited hits and more importantly, we didn't give up a lot of walks.

We almost turned our first official double play from Hunter to Justin to 1B, but we were one step slow!

The Mets did get their first home run of the season off the bat of Justin Loquercio, a mammouth shot into right center field and then he put on the track shoes around the bases.

May 25  Red Sox vs Mets  15-9 

Not a great game for the Mets - slow out of the gate, we misplayed several fly balls and missed routine plays that cost us several runs.  Unearned runs are a gift to the other team.  While we did steal 13 bases we also had 9 K's, a few with the bases loaded. 

Overall, the bats were very quiet against pitching that we should be able to hit.  We were VERY tentative in the batter's box, not too many agressive swings.

Yes, it was warm, but this is the summer and we will see more of these days.  Drink plenty of fluids, eat lightly and get plenty of rest on game days.

One game doesn't define a season, we have lots of potential.

May 19 Cubs vs Mets  2-7

Another big win for the Mets as the game was tied 2-2 into the later innings when we got some big hits with runners in scoring positions.  We used 7 pitchers to hold the Cubs to 2 runs with 12 K's and only 4 BB's - that's a nice team pitching effort.

Five (5) runs in the top of the 7th inning help solidify the victory as this game could have gone either way.  Congrats to John Platt who decided to become Derek Jeter in the last inning with two great defensive plays to support Thomas Platt on the mound. 

May 15 Mets vs White Sox 14 - 4

Slow start and just a little bit unfocused in the early innings then the bats came alive in the middle innings.  Solid baseball for the rest of the game, pitching, hitting, fielding, you name it!  As a team, we had 20 stolen bases!  Lots of hits and only 4 strike outs - that's working the strike zone.  Jason Shannon and Hunter Labatt with 3 RBI's each and Justin Loquercio with a bomb to the right center fence with bases loaded with 4 RBI's.

Strong middle relief by the PSP rotation - Platt, Stack, Platt.  Ross Campbell started on the mound and had 5 strikeouts.

May 13 - Mets vs Rangers     7-1

Excellent game against the undefeated Rangers.  The Mets started early and never looked back.  Weather interrupted a great match up!  Once again the startng pitching for the Mets looked very good and we had the defensive play of the month by Jason "ESPN" Peters in the outfield.  With Justin Loquercio on the mound trying to stay under the pitch count and a runner on first. the batter hit a flyball that Jason snagged and threw back to 1st base to double up the runner!

Everyone contributed and we are running better on the bases, steal as many as we can based upon the opportunity.  Ross "Lightning Bolt" Campbell took an extra base when he realized that the 3rd baseman was over by the pitcher's mound.

As we see lots of different pitchers throwing at different speeds, stay back in the strike zone, keep the hands back and don't swing at pitches abouve the METS letters on your jersey.  A slower speed pitch looks like a beach ball coming to the plate and many kids have a tendency to lunge forward or throw their hands at the ball which creates a partial swing.

May 8 - Mets vs Brewers 12-0

A terrific "bounce back" game by the Mets with stellar pitching, solid defense and smart base running with timely hitting.  The Mets staff through a combined shutout with several strikeouts.  We saw the first appearance of Alex Long in a relief role and with confidence and desire, he finished out the game for us, the last play on a comeback hit to the mound.

Let's get aggressive on the basepath, continue to work the strike zone (stay off the high pitch) and attack the ball defensively.  We would rather see a player run hard and give 120% effort and maybe miss the ball then someone just standing around hoping not to make a mistake.

May 4 - Opening Day vs Red Sox   12-19

The Mets started out like World Series champions putting 11 runs on the board in the early innings and then stumbled to a 19-12 loss.  Some really big hits, lots of stolen bases and solid defenseive plays, we actually picked off a runner at 2B after a steal.

What did we learn?

Game situations - know where to play defensively, what to do when the ball is hit and where to throw.  PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR COACHES!

We can take more agressive lead offs - steal as many bases as you can!

Hitting - stay focused in the batter's box and swing at the "No Strike Zone", look for your pitch with no strikes, expand the strike zone with two strikes, protect the plate!

It's OK to be nervous - but don't let that control how you play.