Daily Archives: April 17, 2008
The Game:
The Mets (7-6) look to sweep their three-game series against the Nationals (4-11) this evening at Shea Stadium, starting at 7:10 pm EST.
The Lineup:
- SS Jose Reyes
- LF Ryan Church
- 3B David Wright
- 1B Carlos Delgado
- CF Angel Pagan
- LF Brady Clark
- 2B Luis Castillo
- C Raul Casanova
- P Nelson Figueroa
…as mentioned earlier on MetsBlog, Carlos Beltran is out of the lineup due to a stiff neck…
…interesting clark starts instead of Endy Chavez…my guess is Willie Randolph didn’t want to flood the lineup with lefties…i also like casanova catching tonight as he and figueroa seemed to work well together in figgy’s last start…
The Pitchers:
RHP Nelson Figueroa (1-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his second start of the season for the Mets. In his last start versus the Brewers on April 10th, he allowed two runs on two hits and two walks, while striking out six over six innings pitched. This is Figueroa’s first career start versus the Nationals. In four career starts versus the Expos, Figueroa is 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
LHP John Lannan (0-2, 6.75 ERA) takes the hill for the Nationals. Lannan earned a loss in his last outing versus the Braves on April 12th, allowing six runs on nine hits, while walking four and striking out two. In his only career start versus the Mets on August 18, a loss, Lannan allowed five runs and eight hits over 5.2 IP.
The Notes:
Nationals starters are 2-10 with a 5.16 ERA in 82.0 IP so far this season.
Ryan Church is batting .310 with a homerun, 4 RBI and & 7 runs in 29 at-bats during the homestand.
For more insight on the Nationals, check out Blogger Beat.
How To Catch It:
Tonight’s game can be seen locally on
and heard locally on WFAN.
The Bleachers:
For a live chat, head over to The Hot Foot Bleachers.
…enjoy, and as always, Let’s Go Mets…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
In a series of posts to Bucs Dugout, Charlie pits every General 
Manager up against one another, in tournament style, to determine who is the league’s worst GM.
Today’s match up: Mets GM Omar Minaya vs. Cubs GM Jim Hendry.
…i guess it’s only fitting that a Pirates blog would be hosting a Worst GM Tournament…seriously, what is going on with that organziation…get it together, man…
Tagged Omar Minaya |Brian Schneider has allowed three passed balls this season, drawing criticism from fans and reporters since he was supposedly acquired for his stellar defense.
However, during an interview with WFAN earlier this week, Schneider explained that he is breaking in a 
new catcher’s mitt, and he has struggled to adjust.
In a post to Mets Today, Joe Janish posts and comments on Schneider’s remarks to SNY last night, regarding the new glove theory.
…i don’t know, man…this glove thing makes total sense, yet also sounds like total nonsense…both may be true, actually…who knows…
During his appearance on WFAN, SI.com’s Jon Heyman expressed concern with the way several people on the Mets treat Manny 
Acta around the batting cage before playing the Nationals.
According to Heyman, many players and people from the front-office – not Jeff Wilpon – spend two to three hours treating Acta like ‘some sort of returning hero,’ and he feels it is very disrespectful to Willie Randolph.
…hmmm, this is very ‘behind the scenes’…it’s tough to comment on this without actually having seen it with my own eyes…but, i recall heyman pointing this out, regarding acta, before – towards the end of last season, when there was lots of talk about willie possibly being undermined by people in the front office…again, i can’t really speak to this…but, it’s interesting nonetheless…
To listen to Heyman’s entire interview, go to WFAN.com.
Tagged WFAN, Willie Randolph |Former Jets Pro Bowlers Joe Klecko, Wesley Walker, Greg Buttle, 
and Super Bowl III Champions Randy Beverly and John Schmitt will return to Shea Stadium on Jets Night at Shea, Monday, April 28 when the Mets host the Pirates.
The Jets appearance at Shea, one day after the NFL Draft, commemorates the team’s 20 seasons in Queens.
In a post to The 10 Spot Blog for SI.com, Pete McEntegart lists 10 
reasons why Shea Stadium is better than Yankee Stadium, while questioning why Yankee is getting more fanfare in its final season than Shea.
…if the Yankees get more coverage, it isn’t going to make me tear up any less when Shea Stadium gets torn down…if reporters and pop culture are more obsessed with the ground that Babe Ruth stood upon, i can understand…however, i am far more interested in the ground that Tom Seaver and Jesse Orosco stood upon…to each his own…
Tagged Shea Stadium |
Marc Normandin at Mets Geek takes a deeper look at newly acquired RHP Claudio Vargas, who is currently working out in extended spring training in St. Lucie.
Normandin writes:
“He’s better than replacement level, but not by much…don’t expect him to beef up the back-end of the rotation anymore than the usual suspects over the long run.”
For his career, Vargas is 43-38 with a 4.95 ERA.
…the low-risk signing of vargas was a good contingency plan in case anyone else goes down or isn’t performing…i admittedly did not know much about vargas before the mets signed him, but hopefully we don’t need his services too often, especially if Nelson Figueroa remains successful…
…wow, did i really just say that…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |At the blog Loge 13, they commemorate the 44th and final birthday of Shea Stadium.
Along with a video of Shea in its opening year of 1964, Kingman writes:
“Sadly, there will be no more openers for our glorious 1st Wonder Of Flushing. She is doomed to go to the great ballpark graveyard. People can mock your concrete carriage, your outdated efficiencies, your challenging parking… Shea’s shortcomings only made us heartier fans, not pampered, luxury box-dwelling ninnies.”
…couldn’t agree more…it’s certainly a bittersweet end to a huge, albeit broken down, part of my life…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche, Shea Stadium |
New Orleans (AAA): 6-4 loss to Round Rock
RHP Joselo Diaz struggled, allowing four runs on three hits and five walks in 4.1 innings pitched. RHP Jose Santiago allowed two more runs on four hits in 1.2 innings.
2B Argenis Reyes was 1-for-4 with a double, OF Caleb Stewart 1-for-3 with a run and a walk, and 3B Fernando Tatis was 2-for-3 with a solo homer.
Binghamton (AA): 7-2 win over Akron
RHP Bobby Parnell was solid, allowing just three hits over five innings, though two of the hits were solo homers. He didn’t walk a batter, and struck out six. RHP Eddie Kunz got the win in relief, tossing two scoreless, hitless innings.
1B Nick Evans had the game winning RBI in the tenth, one of his two RBI in a 3-for-5, three double game. 3B Danny Murphy scored that winning run, as he went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. His average now stands at .480 on the year. DH Mike Carp was 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two batted in. OF Josh Petersen put the game away with a three run shot in the tenth, as he went 3-for-5 with a double, as well. The only down night came from OF Fernando Martinez, who continues his roller coaster ride. He finished 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
St. Lucie (A+): 5-4 loss to Brevard County
RHP Dillon Gee was solid, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks in five innings, with four strikeouts. Suffern native RHP Garry Bakker blew the lead in the ninth by allowing two runs on three hits and two walks.
1B Lucas Duda finished 1-for-3 with a walk and his second homer of the season, SS Ruben Tejada was 1-for-4, and OF Ezequiel Carrera finished with 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice. 3B Leivi Ventura and OF Luis Rivera each went 2-for-4 with a run, Ventura driving in one, as well.
Savannah (A-): 6-5 loss to Charleston
Tagged Minors |RHP Scott Moviel struggled again, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 3.1 innings, though he did strike out five.
C Francisco Pena was 2-for-4 with a double, run and two RBI, while 2B Greg Veloz finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored.
To watch Matthew Cerrone’s MetsBlog Minute, about booing in 
Shea Stadium, which aired during last night’s pre-game show, click here.
To watch Gary Cohen and Ron Darling in an exclusive Post Game Extra for SNY.tv, click here.
Lastly, to watch Carlos Beltran’s home run, click here, and to watch Jose Reyes’s home run, click here.
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