Daily Archives: August 3, 2007
The Mets (62–47) defeated the Cubs (57–51) by the score of 6 to 2 in Wrigley Field this afternoon.
For a recap and boxscore, go to Yahoo! Sports.
…it looked like a blow-out, but, wow, this game was so much more tight than the final score reflects…
…nevertheless, with the game tied, in the top of the ninth, and our old friend Ryan Dempster on the hill, and David Wright on first, Carlos Delgado, who walked in a previous four at-bats, tee’d off on a low-and-in fastball, which skipped to the corner of right field…delgado ran hard, the throw came home, which was way too late to catch wright, and so delgado advanced to third…delgado eventually scored on a two-out, RBI single by Shawn Green…i’m loving the return of the two-out RBI…and hi, shawn, nice to see you again…
…dempster proceeded t o give up a total of four runs to nine hitters all in the ninth, which was saluted by a ton of boos…i’m thinking this is the last time we see dempster pitch against the Mets…dear lord, lou…
…Carlos Zambrano is crazy, man…c’razy…he just looks totally unhinged, even when he’s pitching well…today, with two outs, the bases loaded, he struck out Marlon Anderson, and zambrano did some sort of super aggressive fist pump, while yelling at the sky, and himself, and the stands, and then skipped off the mound, still shouting, and looking like he was gonna rip someone’s head off, yet he was happy…yes, he scares me…by the way, Johan Santana does not…i’m just saying…
…speaking of marlon, why was he taking all the way, much to the apparent dismay of willie…very weird, and totally unlike marlon…nevertheless, marlon ripped a single through the infield to plate David Newhan from second, who was running on contact, to give them a lead…way to put the ball in play, marlon…nicely done…
…hat’s off to Carlos Delgado, who got burned on a ball ripped to his right, up the line, earlier in the game by Jacque Jones…later, with jones up again, delgado played over more towards the line, and sure enough, jones ripped a ball in the same place, but there was carlos to scoop it up…it would have been an easy double, no doubt…
…i have no idea what’s up with Paul Lo Duca, but, as long as he’s not 100 percent, hello Ramon Castro, who hit another home run today, in to the wind…
…Orlando Hernandez was one strike away from getting out of the seventh inning, and protecting a one run lead, but he hung a slider to Jason Kendall, who ripped a ball in to the ivy in left field, which newhan buried himself in, instead of playing it off the hop…had he stayed put, he may, may have kept the runner from second from scoring…who knows…tough play, though, either way…nevertheless, el duque allowed two runs over 7.2 inning pitched…
…newhan made a nice catch, on a very similar play, chasing the ball down, keeping it from being a guaranteed double late in the game…
…early in the game, Ruben Gotay worked a count full on Carlos Zambrano, fouled a few balls off, and walked…later in the game, against howry, with the game tied at two, and one out in the eighth, again, he worked the count, and on tenth pitch he ripped a double off the wall in the right…later, he poked a two-out single to score a second insurance run during a ninth-inning rally…
…speaking of newhan, though, he struck out in a huge spot, game tied at two, in the eighth…he got his pitch, hit in the other way, well, but it hooked foul…that was his shot…he was meat after that…
…it’s weird to see Cliff Floyd in right field…
…Pedro Feliciano entered the game for hernandez, and struck out Matt Murton, while looking very much like the feliciano i grew to trust earlier in the season…phew…
…this team is looking strong, and is rolling along nicely…i feel good…
The Game:
The first-place Mets (61-47) kick off a three-game weekend set with the Cubs (57-50) this afternoon at Wrigley Field, starting at 2:20 pm EDT.
The Lineup:
Jose Reyes leads off, followed in order by David Newhan, David Wright, Carlos Delgado, Marlon Anderson, Ramon Castro, Shawn Green, Ruben Gotay and starting pitcher Orlando Hernandez.
The Pitchers:
RHP Orlando Hernandez (7-4, 3.02 ERA) starts for the Mets. El Duque was dominant in his last start vs. the Nationals, allowing just one run (on a solo homer) on three hits over 7 IP while striking out eight and walking just one. He has won three straight decisions. Righties are batting just .153 vs. Hernandez this season. In one career start at Wrigley on July 13th of last season, El Duque was blasted for five runs on seven hits over just 1.2 IP. Yes, that was the game where the Mets hit two grand slams, scoring 11 runs in the sixth inning as part of a 13 to 7 victory.
RHP Carlos Zambrano (14-7, 3.47 ERA) pitches for the Cubs. He threw seven and one third scoreless innings vs. the Reds in his last start, allowing just two hits while striking out six. Zambrano leads the majors in wins. He has won four consecutive decisions and seven of his last eight. He has allowed just two runs over his last 25.1 IP (0.71 ERA) since the All-Star break. He has held opposing batters to a .143 batting average since June 6th. Zambrano faced the Mets back on May 15th, dominating the Mets over eight innings, allowing just a solo home run.
The Notes:
OF Alfonso Soriano is 5-for-12 (.417) with a homer, three doubles and three RBI vs. Hernandez lifetime.
3B David Wright is just 1-for-9 with four strikeouts vs. Zambrano.
The Mets took three out of four from the Cubs at Shea Stadium earlier this season (May 14-17).
The Mets are 23-12 in the first game of a series this season — the best mark in the majors.
The Cubs are 35-19 since June 3rd, the best record in the majors.
For more insight on the Cubs, check out Blogger Beat.
The Bleachers:
To chat during the game, head over to The Hot Foot Bleachers. If you
are IRC savvy, log on to irc.echo34.com and enter channel #metsblog.
This season, at the beginning of each series, MetsBlog will attempt to
get the perspective of the opposition and their fans. From this, we
hope to be better educated on the opposition going into a series. It
also gives us a fine opportunity to highlight some of our favorite team
blogs.
On this special edition of Blogger Beat, I teamed up with Eric Simon of Amazin’ Avenue and Mets Geek to chat with Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue.
Eric Simon asks: What’s going on with the Cubbies? Left for dead a couple of months ago, they have been the hottest team in baseball and are now jockeying with the Brewers to be perched atop the NL Central. What has changed?
Al Yellon: The first thing that “changed” was — and you’re going to laugh at first, but I’m serious — Lou Piniella’s tirade in the game vs. the Braves on June 2. He even said it was calculated, that if he had a chance to go out and argue that day, he was going to do it. He wanted to fire up his team and he did so.
But the more serious answer is that the Cubs, who were seriously underachieving in April and May, have begun to play to form. You didn’t really think Carlos Zambrano would have an ERA over 7 all year, did you? Or that Alfonso Soriano would hit no home runs?
With Z and the other starting pitchers being consistent every time out, that has let the entire team relax and start playing better.
D.J. Short asks: The Mets will face Carlos Zambrano in the series opener. His season has been night and day since he last faced the Mets in May. What happened? Secondly, would you take Zambrano and Ted Lilly over any other 1 & 2 starters in the National League?
Al Yellon: Believe it or not, I think the Zambrano-Barrett fight had a lot to do with Z’s transformation. It was reported that he went home and his four-year-old daughter asked him, “Daddy, why do you fight?” He claims that made him a changed man, and he surely has come out and pitched that way. Z is passionate and sometimes that passion has come out in negative ways. If he can channel it properly, he can throw lights-out, and you have seen the results.
The other thing that’s changed is his mechanics. We could see it from the stands — there was something wrong with his arm slot. That’s been fixed.
Right now, yes, I think I would take Z and Lilly over any other 1-2 in the NL. There are weaknesses in the 3-4-5 slots, as Sean Marshall, Rich Hill and Jason Marquis have all been good — but also bad at times. They need to be more consistent.
Eric Simon asks: Talk to me about the Cubs’ catching situation. Michael Barrett, a solid offensive backstop, was discarded, presumably for reasons unrelated to his baseball skills. His replacements – Jason Kendall, Rob Bowen, Joyie Hill, Geovany Soto – have contributed something approaching bupkis at the plate. What is the plan there, both short- and long-term?
Al Yellon: It’s weird, isn’t it? Six different men — the five you mention and Henry Blanco — have started games behind the plate for the Cubs. And you’re right, none of them can hit. And then you get weird days like Hill’s 5-RBI game vs. the Giants. All of them — save Barrett, who really was not a good defensive catcher, and by “defense” I mean more than just throwing out runners, I mean blocking pitches in the dirt and calling games — are well-liked by the pitching staff and call good games.
The Cubs won a division title in 2003 with two guys like this, Damian Miller and Paul Bako, behind the plate. If the rest of the team hits — and the last two months, they have — they can do it again.
Long-term, I have no idea. Kendall’s likely going to be allowed to walk as a free agent; Hill isn’t the answer. A lot of Cubs fans like the potential of Geovany Soto, who’s been hitting well in Triple-A, but he is unproven as a major league catcher. The Cubs may try to trade for a catcher in the off-season, or sign a free agent like the Mets’ Paul LoDuca.
D.J. Short asks: Kerry Wood is scheduled to return on Friday. He’s had 11 trips to the disabled list since 1999. How much of a factor can he be down the stretch? Are expectations tempered a bit due to his history?
Al Yellon: Wood’s going to be brought along slowly, probably pitching in the middle innings rather than be seen as any sort of “savior”. The impact will be more psychological. Cubs fans all remember him in tears at his locker after game 7 of the 2003 NLCS, taking responsibility for losing the series because he didn’t throw well that day, and taking less money to return to the Cubs this year because he wanted to show all of us that he could still perform. He does a lot of charity work, and in many ways is the face of the franchise.
You’ll want to pay attention to the ovation he’ll receive the first time he comes in from the bullpen. You won’t ever hear something as warm and heartfelt.
Eric Simon asks: The Cubs made some smaller deals earlier in the year but were quiet at the deadline. What are your thoughts on this team as it is currently assembled? Did Jim Hendry do the right thing, or do you wish he had done more to improve the club?
Al Yellon: So many Cub fans were clamoring for a deal — “Get Jermaine Dye! Get Ken Griffey Jr.!” — or others, including me, I was all for the Cubs trying to make a play for the White Sox’ Jon Garland, sort of “payback” for trading Garland away as a kid in A-ball for Matt Karchner in 1998.
But the problem here is — it’s easy to say “get this guy”, even if he’s on a team going nowhere, as Dye is, and Dye’s also a free agent. It’s more difficult when the other GM is asking for the moon, stars, planets, and a pony.
I wouldn’t have made a deal just to do so and Hendry didn’t. I’m in the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp — the Cubs are 35-19 since June 2. They’re winning with what they’ve got.
If a decent deal comes their way in August, I’d expect Hendry to make it. Otherwise, this is the Cub team down the stretch.
D.J. Short asks: Where are the Cubs the most vulnerable?
Al Yellon: That’s a really good question. You look at the roster and you wonder how they’re doing this, with kids (Fontenot and Theriot) as the DP combination, starting outfielders who have 2 HR (Jacque Jones) and 4 HR (Cliff Floyd), and three inconsistent starters. But somehow, every day, when one part of the club fails, someone else steps up and becomes a hero. This is a team in the best sense of the word. They’re going to need to continue to get the good starting pitching they’ve been getting. Yesterday’s game against the Phillies was a good example — Sean Marshall didn’t get out of the third inning, yet the bullpen kept the Phillies down while the Cubs came back to 7-6, only to see Will Ohman put the game out of reach by throwing a poor ninth inning.
That hasn’t happened too often, and if the bullpen picks up the rotation as it did for half yesterday’s game, the Cubs can and will continue to win.
…great stuff…thanks so much, guys…look forward to an exciting series…
Last week, at Hot Foot, Radie pointed to a petition that hopes to get Mr. Met’s entire family a bit more publicity.
…so you know, a friend from Shea told me that Mr. Met’s family was not a team concept, 
but comes from a commercial created by ESPN…in exchange for allowing ESPN to use Mr. Met and create costumes for his family, the team demanded that they keep the costumes once filming had been completed…and so, today, in a back closet at Shea, next to Mr. Met’s party-patrol office, there is a collection of Mr. Met heads, including three small ones for his kids and his wife, which are never used…
…so, radie, your dream is still alive…good luck…
Braves SS Edgar Renteria left yesterday’s game with an ankle injury, and had to be helped from the field.
In place of Renteria, 3B Chipper Jones was forced to play shortstop for the first time 2000.
In 105 games this season, Renteria is batting .336 with 11 HR, 29 doubles and 53 RBI.
David Lennon on Newsday.com describes Moises Alou after yesterday’s game as looking like a ‘human igloo’
Alou had his shoulder, thigh, and elbow, and thumb wrapped from various soreness and bruises. Despite all this, Alou said he is feeling more comfortable at the plate and feels like a ‘player’ again.
…whatever it takes, bubble wrap, hyperbaric chamber, just keep the guy in one piece please…
Since joining the Mets, 2B Luis Castillo is 2-for-16.
His two hits are on a bunt and an infield single.
Meanwhile, Ruben Gotay is hitless in one at bat, despite having four hits in eight at-bats before Castillo’s arrival.
…look, the Mets scored 12 runs yesterday, despite castillo going 0–for-6, so, it’s not like they must get production from second base to win…it’s just, should castillo struggle, no matter the trade or his defense, etc, i hope willie does not ignore ruben simply for the sake of playing the veteran or to justify omar’s trade…it’s early, and i like castillo, and i like the trade, and i do think he will hit, obviously, but, if castillo continues to struggle, i hope gotay will get more than just one at bat in a three-game series…
Yesterday in Port St. Lucie, Pedro Martinez tossed 67 pain-free pitches, reaching 88 mph, in a simulated game against mostly teenagers from the Gulf Coast League and St. Lucie Mets.
To view Martinez in action, check out the following video, courtesy of TCPalm.com…
Martinez, talking to reporters yesterday afternoon…
“Once I got going in the game, and got used to getting location back – sometimes I had the pitches to get the out, but I wanted to just continue to work and make adjustments as I was going in the game. Thanks to God everything clicked in the end…
“As far as my health is concerned, I’m more aware that I’m fully healthy…all the work has paid off, so far…
(The endurance and the stamina I showed) were definitely the two most encouraging things that happened today…especially in the heat. It wasn’t easy out there…
“It was hot, and very uncomfortable, but I adjusted well, and I feel good right now – after leaving the game, whether I ice or not, I feel fine, I feel normal.”
Omar Minaya, talking to reporters after Martinez’s outing…
“This is just the first phase. I mean, my understanding in injuries like this is it’s now about the recuperation. How is he going to recuperate the next couple of days, the next outing. Usually, I’m hearing, the toughest outings are the second and third outing. The first one, you can tell, it took him a little while to get it going – and once he got it going he felt good…
“I thought Pedro did well, for the first outing. He showed arm speed, he showed extension, I thought he located his pitches well, I thought as the outing went along he got stronger, his location got better…
“So, we’re very encouraged by his first outing.”
For more on Martinez’s outing, check out the always-realistic Bob Klapisch, in the Bergen Record.
…i like Two Boots pizza, which are located around new york city, downstaris in grand central, and soon to be 
in Bridgeport, CT, which i am very happy about…
…i typically get The Newman, which is a white pie with sopressata, ricotta and sausage…each pizza is named after a famous personality, such as Newman from Seinfeld, and features a small picture of the person on the menu…
… yesterday, i noticed that Two Boots now features the The Mild, named for David Wright, the only baseball player on the menu, which consists of fresh marinara and mozzerella cheese…so, basically, a plain pizza…
…for what it’s worth, my favorite pizza is from BAR in new haven…it’s super, super thin, brick-oven with a sweet and smoky sauce…
In his first start for the Phillies, since being acquired at the trade deadline to help improve their rotation, Kyle Lohse left yesterday’s game with a bruised right forearm after getting hit by an inning-ending line drive.
Lohse was 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA over his last five starts.
…i just don’t understand how these people continue to root for this team…just when i think it’s tough to be a Mets fan, i look down I-95 and remember just how good we’ve had it…
