Daily Archives: April 22, 2008
The Mets are 10–9, with roughly 88 percent of the season yet to be played.
[Poll=74]
Tagged Poll |The Mets (10–9) lost to the Cubs by the score of 8 
to 1 in Chicago this afternoon.
For a recap and boxscore, go to SNY.tv.
…Nelson Figueroa looked strong, and fought through a few slippery situations to keep the Mets in the game…however in the fourth, following an at bat in which the Mets were unable to score, despite having the bases loaded, the Cubs were able to pick up three runs after also getting the bases loaded, which was helped out by a boot and bobble from Angel Pagan on a one-hopper towards the wall in right field…
…what’s worse, like Regis said to me on e-mail, how many small villages did the Mets leave on base today…seriously…
…specifically, in the fourth, as mentioned earlier, with Angel Pagan on second and David Wright on third with one out, Willie Randolph sent pagan and wright in motion, but Carlos Beltran walked to load the bases…right call…wrong execution…then Carlos Delgado popped out, as did Damion Easley to end the inning…lots of action…no runs…
…later in the sixth, the Mets also had the bases loaded, but could only muster one run on a fielder’s choice…
…i understand lilly can be mind-numbing, but he was hittable enough to the extent that runners were in position all day long, so it is possible to get on base against him…but, it’s apparently impossible to bring them 90 extra feet…ugh…so, so frustrating…
…speaking of delgado, also in the fourth, a weak ground ball was hit to easley, but delgado became confused and drifted aimlessly away from the bag, confused as to whom would be covering first…the runner was safe, instead of ending the inning – and, naturally, a run scored when the next batter hit a single…
…frankly, any day on which Henry Blanco is intentionally walked to face Ted Lilly – the pitcher – and the pitcher reaches base to continue the inning, it’s going to be a frustrating day…
…i’d complain about Jorge Sosa, but i’m out of words…
…so, swept by the Cubs, if you can call it that in a two-game series…this team is 10–9, but there are issues…
The Mets will play the Nationals tomorrow night in DC.
Lately, Willie Randolph has experimented with his batting order – especially at the number two spot in the order.
Ryan Church has replaced Luis Castillo, who had been bumped down to eight in the order, except for when Raul Casanova starts at catcher.
Since last Sunday, Castillo has gone 9-for-31, with one RBI, five walks, and three runs scored. His on-base percentage this year is .338, his lowest since 1998. He also has only four hits in his last 21 at bats.
Church has a hit in 12 of his last 31 at bats, scored 11 times, walked three times, and drove in two. His OBP for the year is .397 and he has an eight-game hitting streak.
…the two-hole should be reserved for a contact hitter with a high on-base percentage who can move the leadoff man into scoring position…
…historically yes, castillo better fits the outline for a No. 2 guy, but this year he hasn’t showed me much…we’re only 18 games into the season, but castillo hasn’t displayed much of the same ability he showed last year by slapping base-hits, laying down bunts, and beating out infield singles, which makes me think that for now, church is a much better fit at No. 2 except for when the light-hitting casanova is in the lineup…
[poll=73]
Tagged Ryan Church |
The Game:
The Mets (10-8) look to split their two-game series against the Cubs (13-6) today at Wrigley Field in Chicago, starting at 2:20 pm EST.
The Lineup:
- SS Jose Reyes
- RF Angel Pagan
- 3B David Wright
- CF Carlos Beltran
- 1B Carlos Delgado
- 2B Damion Easley
- LF Brady Clark
- C Raul Casanova
- RP Nelson Figueroa
The Pitchers:
RHP Nelson Figueroa (1-0, 3.60 ERA) toes the rubber for the Mets. Figueroa earned a no-decision in his last start on April 17 versus the Nationals, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out seven and walking two over 7.0 IP. In seven career appearances, three starts, versus the Cubs, Figueroa is 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA.
LHP Ted Lilly (0-3, 9.16 ERA) takes the hill for the Cubs. In his last start versus the Reds on April 17, Lilly allowed five runs over 6.0 IP, surrendering six hits and three walks while striking out six. Lilly earned a win in his last start versus the Mets on August 4, allowing two runs on seven hits, while striking out eight with a walk over 7.2 IP. In four games, three starts, versus the Mets in his career, Lilly is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA.
The Notes:
The Mets are 8-1 versus left-handed starters this season.
The Cubs are batting .335 (83-for-248) and averaging 8.4 runs scored during their last seven games.
Derrek Lee is hitless in nine career at-bats versus Figueroa.
Carlos Delgado is 3-for-14 (.214) with a double in his career versus Lilly.
For more insight on the Cubs, check out Blogger Beat.
How To Catch It:
This afternoon’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 |
New Orleans (AAA): 6-2 win over Omaha
RHP Joselo Diaz went seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out seven. LHP Willie Collazo and RHP Tim McNab each tossed scoreless frames to closeout the victory. SS Anderson Hernandez went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI, raising his average to an even .200. OF Victor Mendez finished 3-for-3 with a walk, a run and an RBI.
Binghamton (AA): 5-4 win over Trenton
RHP Bobby Parnell allowed four runs on five hits in five innings, walking one and striking out one. LHP Sal Aguilar tossed four scoreless innings to earn the late win, allowing just two hits and two walks. OF Fernando Martinez was 2-for-5 with two runs, and Nick Evans, flanking him in left field, was also 2-for-5, with a run scored and one driven in. 3B Danny Murphy and 1B Mike Carp were each 2-for-4.
St. Lucie (A+): 6-4 loss to Palm Beach
RHP Dillon Gee surrendered four runs on seven hits in six innings, walking one and striking out three. RHP Brandon Nall let up two unearned runs on three hits and a walk in two innings pitched. Lucas Duda, getting another start in rightfield, was 1-for-3 with a walk.
Savannah (A-): 7-2 loss to Rome
Tagged Minors |RHP Scott Moviel struggled again, getting tagged for five runs, four earned, on seven hits and two walks in just four innings pitched. Once again, it was 23-year old catcher Jordan Abruzzo who starred at the plate hitting his first homer of the year in a 1-for-4 night.
Willie Randolph, on whether he will consider moving Carlos Delgado down in the order, while speaking to reporters before the game:
“I think it’s way too early for that. I’m not ready to make any rash moves with Carlos. I’m trying to stay open-minded about the team in general, not just
Carlos, and as long as we pick each other up, we’ll win some ballgames.”
…well, that’s fine and it’s probably the right approach…for now…however, when Moises Alou returns, he has to hit fifth – with delgado batting sixth…
…in fact, Jose Reyes, followed by Ryan Church, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Alou, Delgado, Brian Schneider, Luis Castillo and the pitcher, is actually a pretty good National-League lineup…as it breaks up the left-handed bats, puts more run production at the top of lineup, gets their best hitters more at bats, and allows castillo to essentially be a second leadoff hitter towards the bottom of the lineup, with the pitcher able to bunt him over…
For more on Delgado, read the New York Post, Journal News and the New York Times.
Tagged Moises Alou |
Last night, Aaron Heilman took over in the eighth inning, replacing Duaner Sanchez, who had pitched a near-perfect seventh.
The first batter reached base against Heilman, due to a bobbled ball by Jose Reyes, who then moved to second after Heilman hit the next batter with a fastball in the back. Kosuke Fukudome hit a single off Heilman to load the bases.
However, Heilman got the next two batters out, putting himself one strike away – twice – from ending the inning, before letting up a two-run single to Ronny Cedeno.
Willie randolph replaced Heilman with Jorge Sosa, who immediately have up a two-run home run to Felix Pie.
…if you went to the kitchen for a drink, you would have missed the entire explosion…it happened so quickly…
Aaron Heilman, talking to reporters after the game:
“I put myself in a jam and tried to make a pitch and, unfortunately, I didn’t get it in far enough. He was able to put some contact on it and get it through the infield. You’re one pitch away from getting out of the inning, and unfortunately I didn’t make that pitch.”
…a) i’m glad he didn’t throw reyes under the bus, even though it’s jose’s error that started the slide…b) he’s right…he’s not making the pitch he needs to make…he had cedeno down in the count, with two outs, yet lost him, ultimately serving up a meaty pitch over the plate…
…i’m starting to realize that there is an Ebb and Flow of Heilman that must be acknowledged by the team’s management…in that, he’ll be great for several weeks than become a total mess, then be great again, then be a mess, and back and forth he’ll go…which does not play well with a manager like willie, who sees the down time as a moment to test his faith, a time when he must trust his players in an effort to bring them out of the slump…which may be good, i mean maybe that method is what resurrects heilman during his down time…then again, what is being lost while waiting for aaron to get it together, i.e. what is the opportunity cost…
…smarter men than i will decide how best to use heilman…but, it doesn’t take a genius to realize how streaky he is, and only a fool would ignore it…
To watch Gary Cohen and Ron Darling on last night’s exclusive Post 
Game Extra for SNY.tv, click here.
To watch Willie Randolph’s post-game comments, click here.
To watch John Maine’s post-game remarks, click here.
Lastly, to watch a clip from SNY’s Loud Mouths, during which Mark Malusis discusses the lack of production from Aaron Heilman, Luis Castillo and Carlos Delgado, click here.
Tagged SNY |
As noted yesterday, Moises Alou was 3 for 3 in a minor-league rehab game over the weekend.
He will play again today for Single-A St. Lucie.
Team officials told reporters yesterday that Alou could return as early as this weekend against the Braves.
…for what it’s worth, last weekend, it sounded nearly certain that he would be back by friday…now, it’s as soon as this weekend…
which sounds like a bit of a back track…not that it matters…it’s probably better spoken this way…
…when alou returns, it will bump Angel Pagan from the starting lineup…and understandably so…however, if willie is wise, he gets Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church some time off, while keeping pagan’s .300–hitting bat in the lineup…he has at least one hit in seven of their last 10 games…i understand that alou must get his job back…i mean, he’s alou, and he hit .341 last season…but, pagan is hitting too and that should not be buried…
Pagan did not play yesterday, in his return to Chicago. However, Randolph told reporters that Pagan will be in today’s lineup.
In a post to his blog for the Daily News, Adam Rubin transcribed a Q&A Pagan had with reporters prior to last night’s game.
For more on Pagan, read David Lennon in Newsday.
Tagged Moises Alou |Ramon Castro caught five innings and had two hits in an extended spring training game yesterday, while working to return from a strained hamstring.
The team’s Ass’t GM John Ricco told reporters that Castro is still unable to run at “100 percent.”
Ricco also told reporters that both Orlando Hernandez and Pedro Martinez will travel to New York to be re-examined.
Tagged Orlando Hernandez, Pedro Martinez, Ramon Castro | ← Older posts
