New York Mets: Noah Syndergaard dominant in 3 1/3 vs. Nationals

New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard is once again dominant in outing against the Washington Nationals.

The New York Mets rivalry with the Washington Nationals has been a heated one, and one that has grown in spades over the years. As the Nationals have gotten good and the Mets have built things back up, the rivalry has become one of the more heated ones. If Noah Syndergaard contines to pitch the way he did yesterday, the Mets will soon have the upper hand.

It’s easy to lose or not be aware of a spring training performance. So much time is given to the younger fringe players that we forget that the perennial starters get their work in as well. But the man they call Thor was just superb. In his performance against their division rivals, Syndergaard pitched 3 1/3 scattering two hits, allowing two walks and striking out seven.

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Not only did he strike out seven, he struck out seven IN A ROW. We also aren’t talking about the guys that aren’t going to make the big leagues. Players that fell to the power of Thor include Harper, Turner and Rendon.

The scary part is that Noah didn’t even think he had his best stuff. That would be the way we define an “ace”. An ace is a pitcher that you can count on to get it done when his turn comes around. He can keep the good vibes going and he can stop a losing streak by taking the mound and pitching his game.

When that ace is good enough to win a game with only his “B” stuff you have the makings of a pitcher that is very special.

Now we just need Syndergaard to stay healthy and the Mets will be all set.

Just have a look at how good he really was:

He may not think he is in midseason form but he sure looks it, doesn’t he? The idea that he can have such a deadly fastball yet be able to rely on his breaking pitches tells us two things. One, it tells us that his stuff is growing. Noah Syndergaard is the farthest thing from a “one trick pony”.

It also says that he is growing as a pitcher. What do I mean? When a hard thrower comes up from the minors he relies on that pure heat. He doesn’t necessarily understand the need to adapt when the fastball just isn’t working for him. In this game, even though it was a preseason game, he realized he needed his breaking stuff to get through. Noah used it and he did more than get through, he prospered. That is the evolution of a pitcher from a thrower, and that prospect should make hitters very nervous.

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Or course this is still a spring training outing. 3 1/3 innings in Florida may not amount to very much when the team heads up to New York. However, good signs are still good signs. Noah Syndergaard blowing people away is only a good sing for the Mets and his fans. Now he just needs to stay healthy in order to make 30+ starts. Then the Mets are in business.

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