>>>>>>>>>>2019 MFC Mets Opening Day Lineup

Let the season begin!

 Here is your 2019 New York Mets Opening Day Lineup

2017mfc METS ROOKIES-Gsellman/Rosario - '72 Boyhood Rosario- Happy Birthday Harvey & Nimmo

The first 2017mfc double shot ROOKIE CARD will go to Robert Gsellman and Amed Rosario.

Happy Birthday to Matt Harvey!

And Happy Birthday to Brandon Nimmo too!

Jacob deGROMINATES Phillies!! mfc Highlight card!

What a performance! And the one hit was by effin Elfin, the Philly pitcher.
''I knew who got the hit off me (in the 3rd inning),'' deGrom said with a smile. ''After that, you want the shutout. I went out there every inning like it was the first inning. It was a lot of fun.'' Jacob (6-4) retired 27 of 29 batters. The slim right-hander struck out 7, walked 1 and went the distance for the first time in 68 career starts.

>DeGrom is 15-3 with a 1.63 ERA while pitching in day games and 14-15 with a 3.19 ERA at night.

>DeGrom became the first Mets pitcher to toss a one-hitter since R.A. Dickey against the Orioles on June 18, 2012.

R.A. was also the last Mets pitcher to pitch a one hitter, the one hit being by the opposing pitcher. On August 10th, 2010 Cole Hamels got that hit.

>DeGrom is 4-0 vs. the Phillies and the Mets have won all seven of his starts against them.

>The Mets have 16 homers in six games in Philadelphia.

>They're 31-13 in Citizens Bank Park since 2012.

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The Mets called up OF Michael Conforto and sent OF Brandon Nimmo to Triple-A Las Vegas. Brandon showed promise and his enthusiasm was nice to see. That one homerun he hit showed impressive power. He also showed some good plate discipline.

Nimmo hit .235 with one homer and four RBIs in 16 games. "I know I have a lot to work on and I can do that in Triple-A,'' Nimmo said. ''I know I can play here. This gave me confidence I can do it.''

Nimmo, I'm sure you are going to have many mfc cards in your future. Cya when you come back up.

Conforto, mired in a bad slump, was demoted on June 25. He found his groove in the minors, batting .344 with nine extra-base hits and 15 RBIs.  How he will be used this time up will be something to watch with our over manned outfield.

Lagares has been hot at the plate and we know what he brings us in center. Cespedes has the best arm on the team but he doesn't want to display it in right. Granderson will not be a bench player on this team, nor should we trade him. So where does Conforto fit in the field? Where does he fit in the lineup? Remember when he was first inserted in the 3rd slot? Does he slip right back in there? Does he contribute as a back up off the bench?

It will be interesting to see how Manager Terry Collins handles this situation.

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Tonight Steven Matz goes for the Mets as they try and continue their dominance of the Chicago Cubs.

LETS GO MATZ!

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deGrom card photo by Matt Slocum

Text info from Rob Maaddi

Nimmo! Reyes! mfc SALUTES Jim Hickman!

                                                                 What a crazy couple of days. 

We stopped Atlanta from bleeding us alive. Did you see that play by Loney? And he's hitting too.

The Nats are hitting a big bump (7 game losing streak) and the Mets are right back in it. When they were six games back I was ready to throw in the towel. At least I was the day that Noah Syndergaard left with the sore elbow. I feared the worst. But things are starting to go our way again. Damn, I love baseball.

And not so shocking news: Conforto goes down. He was lost the last few. I was hoping they would let him work it out up here. I understand why he was sent down and I won't argue.

He'll fix his swing and his head and he'll be back, don't doubt it. Conforto's gonna be an all-star caliber player. The kid's hit a World Series home run for crying out loud! Of course he'll be back, and better.

I'm not making a card for him going down. I'm sure he would rather I make one for when he returns, and make it soon.

And Brandon Nimmo comes up! This is logical still I was caught by surprise. I hear so was Nimmo. Brandon, a former first-round draft pick of the Mets in 2011, was batting .328 with 16 doubles, seven triples, five home runs, 37 RBI. He's packing a .409 on-base percentage in 63 games for Las Vegas this year.

Best of luck Mr. Nimmo and welcome to the Mets. Here's your mfc rook.

Rated, no less.

And whats this other bit 'O news? Jose Reyes returns to New York!?

If Wright can return before the seasons over AND we make it to the big show again, this time with Wright & Reyes, for me this would be a dream come true. A storybook ending.

 It's not for me to forgive Reyes his past indiscretions. They are now a matter between he and his wife, who are still together and trying to work things out. I hope Jose find success here as his career winds down.

Don't get me wrong, Reyes is not replacing Cabrera at short. He's been far too valuable. Walker at second? Same deal. Third? He should be a better alternative then Flores, although I haven't seen enough of Matt Reynolds ( I will make a 1st MLB HR card for Matt soon).

 I picture Reyes off the bench, pinch hitting, pinch running, giving the IF guys a breather. But the way things are going this year...you never know. A sudden injury could put Jose right in the thick of things.

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We lost an original Metropolitan this past week. Jim Hickman, who played for the Mets from 1962 through the end of 1966. "Gentleman Jim" spent five seasons in New York, then went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1968), Chicago Cubs (1968-73) and St. Louis Cardinals (1974).

He was an All-Star in 1970 when he hit .312 with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs. This was the year I became aware of him because I saw the Mets play the Cubs a lot in those days. And of course Hickman drove in Pete Rose in the famous play at the plate to close the 1970 All-Star Game. Everybody remembers that one, where Rose steamrolled catcher Ray Fosse. The National League won that game 5-4 in 12innings.
 

After his playing career Jim was the Reds minor league hitting coordinator from 1987-2006. 

RIP Jim Hickman.

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On a side note I have not been making cards or blogging lately. My PC croaked and I'm working on saving all my graphic work and transferring it to a new PC. There are other things going on in my personal life and I have not been able to make this a priority. 

I wanted to make a Familia RECORD BREAKER but those blank borders have yet to be transferred. I hope to be back on a regular basis real soon.

I have to get back. Too many things need cards this season. Oy!