Daily Archives: May 10, 2006
Mets 2B Anderson Hernandez has begun his recovery from a bulging disc by playing second base for the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. In nine at-bats, he has one hit and a strike out and has made a throwing error…
Meanwhile, in Sunday’s Newsday, Jon Heyman wrote that the team continues to shop Kaz Matsui, though Adam Rubin writes in the Daily News that Hernandez will most likely remain in the minors once he fully recovers, given Matsui is playing such solid defense, while batting .251…
Matsui currently has a five-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .192 in 26 at-bats…
In the New York Post, Mark Hale cites an ‘MLB team executive with knowledge of the Mets’ thinking’ as saying if the Mets are to make a trade for a starter it will most likely be for a back-end starter, and not an ace, such as LHP Dontrelle Willis or LHP Barry Zito, because they have no interest in parting with a top prospect…
In today’s San Francisco Chronicle, Susan Slusser writes… “The monthly Barry Zito rumors have begun again after the Mets put starter Victor Zambrano on the DL, but this speculation fails to note that the A’s are working with not one but two members of the starting rotation out (Harden and Loaiza). Assistant general manager David Forst said that the front office expects rumors, especially with Zito pitching well his past two starts, but that there is nothing new here.”…
…the a’s fan must really get tired of watching new york circle over his favorite players like a buzzard…i imagine this must get old for them very, very quickly…
Meanwhile, following two poor outings, Dodgers LHP Odalis Perez has been sent to the bullpen, as the team continues to start RHP Aaron Sele…
On Monday, the Los Angeles Times cited two sources as saying the Dodgers plan to contact the Mets to see if the team has interest in acquiring Perez, who is due $9 million this season and $10 million next season…
In six starts for the Dodgers this season, Perez, 28, is 3–1 with a 6.90 ERA. He has allowed six or more runs in three starts, yet has allowed less than one run in the other three starts…
In the Journal News, Peter Abraham explains why first baseman feel the need to talk to the opposing team’s base runners…
Mets SS Jose Reyes, who leads the National League with 11 stolen bases, as quoted by Abraham, when asked how he responds to the chatty Braves 1B Adam LaRoche…
“I don’t pay attention to it…I’m concentrating on what I’m doing.”…
…great answer, kid…great answer…
Phillies Quotes
Phillies OF Bobby Abreu, as quoted by Dan Graziano in the Star-Ledger…
“The feeling here is very exciting. The way we’re playing right now, we feel like we can win any game we play.”…
Last night in Binghamton, B-Mets RHP Mike Pelfrey struck out 10 batters and allowed two runs on seven hits while walking one in a no-decision against Connecticut…
Writing from Binghamton for the Daily News, Eric Barrow quotes the team’s pitching coach as saying Pelfrey resembles “Don Drysdale or a right-handed Randy Johnson with better command.”…
…wow…talk about your hyperboles…the point is taken, though…i don’t think anyone denies how good this kid can be…
…the big question is: when we’ll he pitch in the big leagues…the answer seems to be sooner than later, but not until the team feels he a) he has total confidence in his off-speed pitches, and b) he is mentally prepared to pitch in new york, for a team that hopes to remain in a pennant race…
Kevin Kobelski sent in the following e-mail, upon returning from Binghamton after last night’s game…
“Next to me was a scout with a White Sox World Series ring, I also noticed a Marlins scout along with someone from the Padres and Mets. I got to talking with the Sox scout and he says more often than not they are usually sent to a game, not to find out about trading for a guy, but just to have some information on someone who might get called up soon to give to their major league hitters hitters…
“I wonder if the Mets bother to do this seeing the way they hit rookie pitchers…
“Anyway, Pelfrey was very impressive – even if his stats don’t show it he really did dominate. He’s a tall guy, at 6-7. He throws hard, he was constantly around 96–mph even into the seventh inning where he did not seem to lose much velocity…
“They took him out around 80 pitches. According to the group of scouts, he has an amazing arm, but right now relies too much on his fastball. It will work in AA, but might not at the next level. He needs to throw more off speed pitches, since I noticed that when he threw an 80–mph pitch, every once in a while, he was making hitters look foolish. He also throws what I’m told was a ‘slurve.’…
“The buzz seems to be that he’s going to be a very special kid, but he’s not yet ready. It sounds like Pelfrey’s teammate, Alay Solar, is closer to showing up at Shea, who I was told knows how to use his ‘stuff’ more effectively and could pitch in the big leagues whenever called upon.”…
…thanks, kevin…and be sure to check out kevin’s live journal, as well…
In the New York Times, Ben Shpigel writes of his time spent with a collection of jeering Phillies fans, who heckled Billy Wagner throughout the entire game for his previous comments about their team…
The two fans, who held a sign that read “Billy the Rat,” as quoted by Shpigel…
“You don’t rip our team and our city and expect to get away with it.”…
Rich Hoffman pens a similar column for the Philadelphia Daily News, noting a variety of chants used to taunt the Mets closer, such as, “Rat-ner.”…
…umm, is wagner their version of John Rocker…i mean, i don’t think that comparison is fair, but in terms of angry fans yelling at a closer, it sounds pretty close…yikes…
In Newsday, David Lennon cites a ‘baseball official’ as saying that the league plans to investigate Angel Hernandez’s behavior in Sunday’s game, in which the umpire is alleged to have told Paul Lo Duca that Jose Lima would not get the same calls as the opposing pitcher, John Smoltz…
During last night’s game, the Mets announced that they will promote RHP Jeremi Gonzalez from Triple-A Norfolk to start on Friday in Milwaukee. Jose Lima will make his second start for the Mets the next day…
…for those who missed it, yesterday i made a post breaking down what the coming rotation appears to be, based on comments made by Eddie Coleman, while appearing on wfan yesterday afternoon…
Mets RHP Brian Bannister threw off a mound while rehabbing his hamstring in Port St. Lucie yesterday…
…the buzz from port st. lucie is that he will do so again, and possibly make a rehab start before hopefully returning to the mets in time to pitch in the yankees series either on friday or saturday…
According to several reports, Mets RHP Aaron Heilman recently approached Willie Randolph and Rick Peterson to offer his services in the starting rotation, given the recent injury to Victor Zambrano…
Randolph, as quoted by Adam Rubin in the Daily News…
“I like Aaron in the bullpen right now. We are where we are because of our bullpen.”…
Heilman, as quoted by David Lennon in Newsday…
“I think they know my position, that that’s my ultimate goal is to get back into the starting rotation, and I just wanted to convey that I felt like I would be able to make the transition if need be… “I still feel like I’ll have the opportunity to start. It’s just a matter of seeing what happens and what’s best for the team, what’s going to get us in the playoffs. That’s the bottom line here. We want to win and we want to have a successful year.”… …the buzz from the locker room is that heilman has been very professional about all of this, and he hasn’t really moaned or groaned publicly, or to his teammates…
Chris, from MiracleMets.net, was in Philadelphia for last night’s loss to the Phillies, and writes, “well, let’s just say there wasn’t a lot of Phillies fans offering me handshakes, saying “Good game, sir,” and looking forward to the next one.”…
…chris, what did you expect, man…that place is notorious for what you experienced…
At Metsradamus, John gives credit to Pedro Martinez for honoring his friend, Victor Zambrano, by walking the first two batters of the game…
Ryan from Always Amazin ponders the decision to keep in Aaron Heilman, instead of using Billy Wagner, against Bobby Abreu in the ninth. Dan, at Lonestar Mets, instead, agrees with Randolph…
…i understand wanting to see wagner, but pitching to left-handed batters is heilman’s specialty, that’s his gig…it’s one of the main reasons he is out in the pen…this is just one of those decisions that are a ton easier to make the following day from the sofa, i think…me included…
On the other side of the ball, Weitzel, at the Beerleaguer.com, a Phillies blog, writes, “Flash Gordon … what can I say? Two more and he matches Wagner’s total for blown saves.” Meanwhile, Brian at PhilliesNation agrees with the Philly broadcasters that last night felt like a playoff game…
…thankfully it wasn’t…
