Daily Archives: May 1, 2006
Mets OF Cliff Floyd is 3-for-27 in his last seven games… …this is when stats can be deceiving, and why i have a hard time putting my faith in them, because while his average is down, he’s also ripping the cover off of the ball…
For example, yesterday, in the second inning, he crushed a ball to the warning track in center field, which only Andruw Jones could’ve run down.
…by the way, did you notice that every time jones made a better-than-average catch in center, the theme song from ‘superman’ was played from the stadium’s speakers…ugh…
…anyway…
…floyd’s stats are in a slump, but he’s swinging the bat really well…in fact, he’s striking out less per plate appearances than he did last season…yet, he can’t buy a hit…he’s giving the ball a ride and he’s putting it in play…the problem is that he’s hitting the ball right where the fielders are…
…in other words, floyd is not in a slump…instead, he’s having bad luck…and, frankly, for a hitter, i don’t know which is worse…
Since taking over for 2B Anderson Hernandez, 2B Kaz Matsui is batting .297 over his first 37 at-bats…
…he’s looked good…he certainly looks more relaxed, both on the field and in the dugout…and his defense seems much improved…if nothing else, he appears to be more alert…which has been a big flaw of his in the past, be it at the plate, in the field or on the bench…
Asked by reporters if Matsui will remain at second when Hernandez returns, the Bergen Record quotes the team’s manager, Willie Randolph, as saying, “Kaz is here right now and as long as we keep winning and he keeps playing well, he’s going to continue to play.”…
…interesting…although, what is willie gonna say in this spot…he’s got a guy out there who 
is doing well and a team that is cruising…this is the only answer he can really give…
…however, i believe it’s the same old story: defense, defense, defense…
…if matsui continues to play solid defense, and continues to hit around .300, then he should remain at second, being a veteran who is making so much money…however, much like in the spring, if the wheels once again come off of his wagon, be it via injury or confusion, then hernandez, or even 2B Jeff Keppinger, has to hop back in there…
As for Hernandez, the youngster has started taking ground balls, while lightly jogging at Port St. Lucie, in his recovery from a bulging disc…
Over at the Mets Minor League Report, Toby recaps the night in Mets minor league action…
Among other comments, Toby writes of strong performances by Tides OF Lastings Milledge, who had an extra innings, walk-off single; B-Mets RHP Willie Collazo, who allowed two runs over eight innings; and St. Lucie OF Ambiorix Concepcion, whose game winning single broke St. Lucie’s three game losing streak…
…toby provides a mets minor league report after each night’s action…thanks, toby…
In 84 at-bats for the Tides this season, Milledge, 21, is batting .357 with 18 walks, 13 strike outs, seven stole bases and 10 extra base hits…
Pitching for Binghamton, Collazo, 26, is 3–1 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts. Spanning 29 innings pitched, he’s allowed 20 hits, while striking out 21 and walking two…
Concepcion, 22, is batting .333 in 96 at-bats for St. Lucie. Though he has struck out 25 times, he has 10 walks and 10 stole bases, eight doubles and 18 runs scored…
In Newsday, David Lennon leads with the following… “The Mets shuffled their rotation for this weekend’s series at Turner Field because they didn’t want one of Victor Zambrano‘s typical performances to derail them in yesterday’s finale against the Braves. “Apparently, Steve Trachsel didn’t get the memo.”… In 3.2 innings pitched, Trachsel tossed 88 pitches, allowed six runs on eight hits while walking five. He had not walked more than two in any of his previous four starts… …the buzz from the locker room is that trachsel, though he didn’t come right out and say so, was pretty irritated with the day’s ump, who was very, very inconsistent with his calls, on both sides of the ball… Asked to criticize the ump, Trachsel told reporters… “You know I can’t answer that. But, the two best pitching staffs in baseball walk 15 guys in one game?”… …at which point he’s said to have rolled his eyes… …point taken… …as it always is in these situation, the problem is not that the home plate ump had a tight strike zone, as many have reported…instead, it’s that he was so inconsistent… …what was a ball in a specific spot in the top of the inning was a strike in the bottom of the inning…he was calling outside pitches as strikes early in the game, and then later in the game they were balls, and with two strikes, which is the worst part about it… …fortunatly, he was consistently inconsistent, in that he was bad regardless of whether trachsel was on the mound, or Kyle Davies was on the mound…
At MLB.com, Marty Noble suggests that, while the Mets could eventually turn to acquiring another starting pitcher via trade, such as Brewers RHP Tomo Ohka, there is increasing buzz that Double-A RHP Mike Pelfrey could eventually emerge as the team’s best option… Pelfrey, the team’s 2005 first-round draft pick, pitched 5.2 innings on Saturday in his first start at Double-A Binghamton allowing no runs on three hits while walking two and striking out eight… Meanwhile, the Mets have yet to officially name tomorrow’s starter, who will take the hill in place of the injured Brian Bannister, who was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury on Friday… …the loud, overwhelming buzz around the team’s locker room is that the start will be given to norfolk RHP John Maine…in fact, though he didn’t say so verbally, Willie Randolph is said to be giving people a nod-n-wink that maine will be tapped… Acquired from Baltimore in the deal for Kris Benson, Maine is 1-3 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Norfolk, and is currently on the team’s 40-man roster.
…you can expect the mets to make an official announcement regarding tomorrow’s starter before tonight’s game…
The Mets took two of three game from the Braves this weekend in Atlanta, bumping their record to 16–8 while sporting a six game lead in the National League East…
Mets C Paul Lo Duca, as quoted by Newsday…
“This was a big one. We have to let them know we’re going to be here for the long haul.”…
Mets LHP Tom Glavine, as quoted Newsday…
“I don’t think anyone in here is getting too caught up in it. Regardless of what happens, nobody thinks these guys are going away.”…
…agreed…while i don’t think the braves are as strong as they’ve been in year’s past, if they’re young hitters get hot, they’re gonna put up some serious runs…and while they’re pitching staff isn’t great, it’s consistent and sound…they’re certainly capable of a traditional Bobby Cox-style 12 game winning streak…
Mets 1B Carlos Delgado, as quoted by the Bergen Record…
“If we execute and stay healthy, we’re going to be the team to beat in this division.”…
…now that’s what i’m talking about…absolutely…if you’re going to be winners, act like it…two weeks ago i wrote about how i was tired of hearing from people how this was the braves division to lose, all while the mets were in first place…sure, it was early, and it still is, but there is no reason why the mets should play second fiddle with a six game lead…it’s a new season…this is a new team with a new attitude, and i’m glad to see them talking like it…
Mets 3B David Wright, as quoted by Newsday…
“It’s a disappointment any time you lose. But two out of three in Atlanta, I’ll take that.”…
Mets manager Willie Randolph, as quoted by the Star-Ledger…
“We have to keep our foot on the accelerator. I’ve always been greedy…
“We’ve played good for a month. If we play bad for two months, then we haven’t done anything. And we’re going to go through our downs. It’s inevitable.”…
…he’s right, unfortunately…it is inevitable…what has me most excited, though, is that during this stellar month, the team has played short-handed, in atlanta and on the west coast…that’s a lot of turmoil to get out of the way and it’s only may 1…point is, they’ve weathered a mild storm, whether we realize it or not, which is a good sign…so, if they become wobbly on the next bumpy road, they’ve built in a solid record and a good lead to allow for error…
