http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/players/jonathon_niese/42071 Recent articles about Jonathon Niese en-us Cincinnati Reds (27-18) at New York Mets (17-25) 7:10 PM ET SeasonRd/HmLast StartLast 3 App STARTERSGSRECERAAIPRECERADATEOPPDECIPHERRECIPERA M. Leake (R) 8 3-2 3.726.02-14.225/15@MIAW6.2902-119.12.79 J. Niese (L) 9 3-4 5.405.21-24.505/16@STLW7.1621-215.29.77 Preview: Lefty Jonathon Niese tries for two straight victories after a prolonged losing skid on Tuesday night when the New York Mets host the Cincinnati Reds in the second of three games between the teams at Citi Field. Niese, a 13-game winner in 30 starts last season, opened 2013 with two wins in three starts before a five-start stretch that saw him go 0-4 and his earned run average jump by more than two full runs between April 18 and May 11. He gave up eight runs in a 4 1/3-inning start against Pittsburgh to close the skid, then broke through for a 5-2 defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals on May 16. The 26-year-old Ohio native has won once in four career starts against his home-state team, allowing 16 runs on 30 hits in... Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/preview_game_43_reds_at_mets_leake_vs_niese/13663465 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/preview_game_43_reds_at_mets_leake_vs_niese/13663465 Preview: Game 43 - Reds at Mets - Leake vs Niese http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/preview_game_43_reds_at_mets_leake_vs_niese/13663465 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/c/0cb82ba5f0b7c8fdb4a39a85234134cbd2f1e0a7/mini/6411330.jpg Four more strikeouts from Ike Davis, another boneheaded play from Jordany Valdespin, and another lumbering Met thrown out trying to steal, and yet The Boys From Flushing beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-2, today to snap a six-game losing streak. The reasons were mostly Jon Niese’s strong performance of working into the eighth inning and four hits from Daniel Murphy. NIESE: Breaks slide. ON THE MOUND: Niese was superb, and it didn’t have anything to do with the color of his wife’s panties. Niese threw first-pitch strikes to 19 of 29 hitters and registered 14 groundball outs. … He gave up two runs in 6.2 innings. … Bobby Parnell earned his fourth save. AT THE PLATE: Murphy went 4-for-4. … David Wright drove in two runs. … Davis’ four strikeouts upped his total to 45 and put him on pace for 192. Here’s another way to look at things: If his strikeouts were hits, he would be batting .354. … Unbelievably, with runners on the corners and one out in the seventh, Valdespin bunted on his own. ... Thu, 16 May 2013 18:37:28 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_wrap_jon_niese_shines_in_win_over_cards/13633892 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_wrap_jon_niese_shines_in_win_over_cards/13633892 Mets Wrap: Jon Niese Shines In Win Over Cards http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_wrap_jon_niese_shines_in_win_over_cards/13633892 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg Daniel Murphy had four hits and Jon Niese pitched a gem as the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 to salvage the final game of the series and avoid the four-game sweep. The Mets got on the board in the third when Jordany Valdespin ignited a two-run rally with a perfect drag bunt in the third and then scored when the red-hot Murphy lined double to score Spin and then came around to put the Mets up 2-1 after David Wright drove him home with a single to right. After another double by Murphy in the sixth, the Mets would score two more runs on an RBI-double by Wright and a sac-fly by Lucas Duda. Catcher John Buck broke out of slump with an RBI-single in the eighth for the Mets’ fifth run. Meanwhile on the mound, the Niese we used to know was back and he was dealing. After allowing 15 runs in his last two starts, Niese worked on his mechanics and rediscovered his fastball and curve, using both pitches to great effect to silence the Cardinals offense. The southpaw tossed 7.1 i... Thu, 16 May 2013 18:10:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/murphy_rips_four_hits_niese_solid_mets_end_skid_with_5_2_win_over_cards/13633691 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/murphy_rips_four_hits_niese_solid_mets_end_skid_with_5_2_win_over_cards/13633691 Murphy Rips Four Hits, Niese Solid, Mets End Skid With 5-2 Win Over Cards http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/murphy_rips_four_hits_niese_solid_mets_end_skid_with_5_2_win_over_cards/13633691 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/b/9b4c25ed8c9b6a57973ffdaca9da53f2c822202f/mini/6342976.jpg Entering the season, the New York Mets expected left-handed starting pitcher Jonathon Niese to help fill the shoes of departed ace R.A. Dickey. However, after a strong Opening Day start it's been mostly downhill for Niese. While the lack of productivity has been puzzling, one Mets source told Andy Martino of The New York Daily News that Niese is dealing with a neck issue. One Mets source revealed to the Daily News a potential cause, after Niese struggled yet again in a Saturday loss to Pittsburgh.  “His neck has been bothering him,” the source said. “He hasn’t wanted to talk to (the media) about it, or make excuses. Just a lot of soreness there.” Niese has been asked about the neck issue, but he's downplayed it thus far. He said the injury was bothering him early in the season, but indicated that it was in the past. In the two starts since the reported neck issue, Niese has allowed 15 runs in only 8 1/3 innings. Following another rough outing on Saturday, his ERA st... Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_jon_niese_pitching_through_neck_injury/13607627 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_jon_niese_pitching_through_neck_injury/13607627 Mets' Jon Niese pitching through neck injury http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_jon_niese_pitching_through_neck_injury/13607627 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/b/9b4c25ed8c9b6a57973ffdaca9da53f2c822202f/mini/6342976.jpg Including this weekend’s 11-2 flameout loss to Pittsburgh, the Mets have lost Jon Niese’s last five starts, with him giving up 22 runs and not getting out of the fifth inning in three of them. He has not come close to resembling what the Mets think he should be, and that’s the No. 1 starter in their rotation. The first game in that slide, April 18 at Colorado, and the one preceding it, April 12, at Minnesota, were played in temperatures in the high 20s. I spoke personally to manager Terry Collins about that and he said the cold might have had a residual effect on Niese. “I think there might be. He’s had some stiffness in his back,’’ Collins said when asked if there is a connection between working in the cold and his following ineffectiveness. “He’s had trouble getting loose and (prior to his May 5 start at Atlanta) he didn’t have a good bullpen session.’’ The only thing surprising about this issue with Niese is the injury wasn’t worse and there haven’t been more weather-relate Mon, 13 May 2013 11:38:22 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_need_niese_to_be_the_pitcher_they_thought_they_were_getting/13605992 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/mets_need_niese_to_be_the_pitcher_they_thought_they_were_getting/13605992 Mets Need Niese To Be The Pitcher They Thought They Were Getting http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_need_niese_to_be_the_pitcher_they_thought_they_were_getting/13605992 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg Including today’s 11-2 flameout loss to Pittsburgh, the Mets have lost Jon Niese’s last five starts, with him giving up 22 runs and not getting out of the fifth inning in three of them. He has not come close to resembling what the Mets think he should be, and that’s the No. 1 starter in their rotation. The first game in that slide, April 18 at Colorado, and the one preceding it, April 12, at Minnesota, were played in temperatures in the high 20s. Manager Terry Collins said the cold might have had a residual effect on Niese. Niese beat the Twins, but was given double-digit runs of support. “I think there might be. He’s had some stiffness in his back,’’ Collins said when asked if there is a connection between working in the cold and his following ineffectiveness. “He’s had trouble getting loose and (prior to his May 5 start at Atlanta) he didn’t have a good bullpen session.’’ The only thing surprising about this issue with Niese is the injury wasn’t worse and there haven’t been more Sat, 11 May 2013 20:57:16 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_nieses_injury_related_bad_habits_root_to_rout/13598582 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_nieses_injury_related_bad_habits_root_to_rout/13598582 Jon Niese’s Injury-Related Bad Habits Root To Rout http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jon_nieses_injury_related_bad_habits_root_to_rout/13598582 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/5/65d32bc45fc64c638a0ea6a602181050fe973e8c/mini/6464710.jpg There will be days like Sunday, where the meltdown is complete in all phases, beginning with Jon Niese, who had an inability to get hitters out, an offense that offered little resistance to Tim Hudson, and a porous defense. It’s not alarming the Mets couldn’t do anything against Hudson, but what should be a source of concern is Niese, who was hit hard in his fourth straight start – all lost by the Mets – and this one by the score of 9-4 against a division rival. Manager Terry Collins said Niese was too strong and overthrew his pitches, leading to his lack of control. Collins gave his pitcher an out, but Niese didn’t take it, saying he can’t afford to have games like this. “He just had no feel today”, Collins said. “It’s been seven days since he pitched and he was a little strong. He didn’t have good command.” Niese gave up seven runs, all of them earned, on seven hits and six walks in four innings, and has been rocked for 14 runs in his last four starts totaling 19 innings, but wante Mon, 06 May 2013 13:10:28 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/terry_collins_says_jon_niese_was_too_strong_in_yesterdays_loss/13560197 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/terry_collins_says_jon_niese_was_too_strong_in_yesterdays_loss/13560197 Terry Collins Says Jon Niese Was “Too Strong” In Yesterday’s Loss http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/terry_collins_says_jon_niese_was_too_strong_in_yesterdays_loss/13560197 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/c/0cb82ba5f0b7c8fdb4a39a85234134cbd2f1e0a7/mini/6411330.jpg There will be days like today, where the meltdown is complete in all phases, beginning with Jon Niese’s inability to get hitters out, an offense offering little resistance to Tim Hudson, and a porous defense. NIESE: Didn’t have it. (AP) It’s not alarming the Mets couldn’t do anything to Hudson, but what should be a source of concern is Niese, who was hit hard in his fourth straight start – all lost by the Mets, today 9-4 at Turner Field. Manager Terry Collins said Niese was too strong and overthrew his pitches, leading to his lack of control. Collins gave his pitcher an out, but Niese didn’t take it, saying he can’t afford to have games like this. ON THE MOUND: Niese gave up seven runs on seven hits and six walks in four innings, and has been rocked for 14 runs in his last four starts, totaling 19 innings. One of those games was April 23, when he took a hard comebacker off his right ankle and lasted 2.1 innings. With Saturday’s rainout and tomorrow’s off day, the four innings worked... Sun, 05 May 2013 17:27:10 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/nieses_struggles_continue_mets_have_lost_his_last_four_starts/13555553 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/nieses_struggles_continue_mets_have_lost_his_last_four_starts/13555553 Niese’s Struggles Continue; Mets Have Lost His Last Four Starts http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/nieses_struggles_continue_mets_have_lost_his_last_four_starts/13555553 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg Managers have tried for over a century, but there is no prescription drug capable of curing sick pitching. And, it’s not as if sick pitching is like the flu where it will go away in a couple of weeks. Sick pitching doesn’t go away easily, so it wasn’t as simple as dispatching Josh Edgin to the minor leagues. Robert Carson was disappointed in being sent down to the minor leagues to start the season, but not nearly as disappointed as the Mets were in seeing him come back again. Yesterday was the Mets’ latest pitching calamity – both the miserable start from Shaun Marcum and Carson’s five-run relief bombing – as they lost for the eighth time in 11 games. With the exception of days Matt Harvey pitches, the Mets are rarely getting length from their starters, and on the occasions they do, they get nothing from their offense. It’s a nice symmetry for losing teams, of which the Mets are again proving to be. That’s why today is as must-win-a-game as a team can have for April. With the major ... Sun, 28 Apr 2013 09:37:54 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/niese_in_must_win_start_for_mets/13504283 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/niese_in_must_win_start_for_mets/13504283 Niese In Must-Win Start For Mets http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/niese_in_must_win_start_for_mets/13504283 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg It is the morning after and the Mets will hopefully know more about Jon Niese’s injured right ankle. Niese was knocked from Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Dodgers in the third inning after being struck by a hard comebacker off the bat of Mark Ellis. Niese fell to the ground and had to be helped off the field. X-Rays were negative and he was diagnosed with a bruise. NIESE: Will he make next start? (Getty) “It felt kind of like a stinger, like it hit a nerve,’’ Niese told reporters. “It obviously was painful. But then it kind of locked up down there. I couldn’t move my toes. It was kind of scary at first. But then, coming in here, letting it settle down, it’s just a bruise. “What are the odds that ball hits my ankle? It’s one of those things where I’m glad it’s not as bad as what it could have been. I’ll just move on, shake it off and get ready for my next start.’’ Niese did not say where he earned his medical degree, but knows he won’t be sure until he tests it on his throw day Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:49:18 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_niese_hoping_for_the_best_after_ankle_injury/13470619 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_niese_hoping_for_the_best_after_ankle_injury/13470619 Jon Niese Hoping For The Best After Ankle Injury http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jon_niese_hoping_for_the_best_after_ankle_injury/13470619 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg New York Mets starting pitcher Jon Niese has been diagnosed with a lower right leg contusion. While x-rays on Niese’s leg came back negative it is questionable whether the 26-year-old will make his next start. Niese was hit in the right leg with a comebacker off the bat of Mark Ellis of the Dodgers. The Mets are aleady without Johan Santana for the year after it was deamed that he needed shoulder surgery. Shaun Marcum is dealing with a neck issue while Aaron Laffery was claimed off of waivers by the Blue Jays earlier in the day. Niese, who was 2-1 with a 3.80 in his first four starts, was charged with one run on three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:11:05 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/niese_diagnosed_with_leg_contusion_after_being_hit_with_comebacker/13468492 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/niese_diagnosed_with_leg_contusion_after_being_hit_with_comebacker/13468492 Niese diagnosed with leg contusion after being hit with comebacker http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/niese_diagnosed_with_leg_contusion_after_being_hit_with_comebacker/13468492 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/c/0cb82ba5f0b7c8fdb4a39a85234134cbd2f1e0a7/mini/6411330.jpg Jon Niese left tonight’s game in the third inning after taking a hard ground ball on the inside of this right ankle off the bat of Mark Ellis. Niese was not effective in his brief outing, giving up a run on three hits and three walks with 54 pitches in 2.1 innings. The Mets announced he has a contusion on his leg and X-Rays were negative. It is not known if Niese will be able to make his next start, which would be Sunday against Philadelphia at Citi Field. Niese was replaced by Robert Carson. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:34:29 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jon_niese_leaves_game_with_leg_injury/13467967 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jon_niese_leaves_game_with_leg_injury/13467967 Jon Niese Leaves Game With Leg Injury http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/jon_niese_leaves_game_with_leg_injury/13467967 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cffba293a696f9d06616d2c8803193878a62f7b/mini/6337152.jpg Jon Niese was just removed from the game after being hit by a batted ball while trying to get out of it’s way. He dropped to the ground in pain, but left the field under his own power although with a noticeable limp. Robert Carson came into the game to replace him. Of course we’ll let you know more about the severity of the injury as soon as we learn more. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:55:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/niese_leaves_game_with_apparent_legankle_injury/13467658 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/niese_leaves_game_with_apparent_legankle_injury/13467658 Niese Leaves Game With Apparent Leg/Ankle Injury http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/niese_leaves_game_with_apparent_legankle_injury/13467658 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In a season where there might not be a whole lot to cheer for, outside of the inevitable debuts of Travis d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler and the continued maturation of Matt Harvey, something that Mets fans can take pleasure in is watching homegrown southpaw Jon Niese try to take the next step forward and bring himself into the next tier of starting pitchers. Over the past three full seasons, we’ve seen Niese take some giant steps forward, improving his stock from fourth starter ceiling to a bona-fide number two starter and de facto ace of the Mets staff.  He has done so by cutting his walk rate from a decent 3.21 BB/9 in 2010, to a stingy 2.32 BB/9 in 2012, while maintaining a strikeout rate of more than seven per nine innings. The peripheral stats have always, at the major league level, indicated that Niese was a better pitcher than his win-loss record and ERA indicated. He struggled with incredibly high BABIPs in his first two full seasons, posting a .324 mark in 2010 and .333 in 2... Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:00:28 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/can_jonathon_niese_be_an_ace/13348972 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/can_jonathon_niese_be_an_ace/13348972 Can Jonathon Niese be an ace? http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/can_jonathon_niese_be_an_ace/13348972 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/f/2f019de6aae2819376edd3324e70f1bf489402eb/mini/PicImg_MLB_MAR_17_d626.jpg To add something to the "this really isn't news, but it's a distraction at the very least" category, the wife of New York Mets Opening Day starter Jon Niese revealed in an interview with the New York Post that on Opening Day, and during all of Niese's starts in 2013, she plans on wearing her "lucky underwear", a set of Amazin blue panties. Seriously. When Jon Niese pitches tomorrow on Opening Day against the San Diego Padres, his gorgeous new wife, Leah, will be wearing Amazin’ blue panties — just as she has faithfully done at every game pitched by the lefty love-of-her-life. “I’m the superstitious one,” said Leah, 23. “I have lucky underwear — they’re Mets underwear.” So, it's come to this for the Mets: on the weekend before Opening Day, the top story about the team in one of the city's most popular newspapers is about the attractive wife of the Opening Day starter and her choice in underwear. To be fair, the story is essentially a ro... Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_nieses_wife_will_be_wearing_blue_panties_on_opening_day/13277830 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/jon_nieses_wife_will_be_wearing_blue_panties_on_opening_day/13277830 Niese's wife has strange superstition http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jon_nieses_wife_will_be_wearing_blue_panties_on_opening_day/13277830 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/b/ab0d1c53c956355c3227bfd92c1fc84881efc266/mini/Niese.jpg