Daily Archives: April 23, 2008
The Mets (11–9) defeated the Nationals (6–16) by the score of 7 to 2 in Washington, DC, last night.
For a recap and boxscore, go to SNY.tv.
…give a game ball to Johan Santana, who, 
with his team on a three-game losing streak, was in total control of the game – allowing two runs, seven hits, while striking out three and walking one, while also hitting two doubles and making two fantastic plays in the field…
…in his post-game remarks, he referred to himself as a pitcher on at least four occasions…and that’s the thing is, he is a pitcher, in every meticulous facet, and he appears to wear that title with pride…he let up hits, but then set up the coming batters to command the inning…he’s the definition of an ace…
…second, give Willie Randolph credit for pushing his team to play a more small-ball style…the bunted, stole bases, hit and ran (avoiding double plays), and put lots of pressure on the defense on all night long…and i like this, especially since the team is struggling to drive the ball lately…
…Carlos Beltran helped, hitting the ball hard and looking like a totally different player than he has in the past…he seems more balanced, comfortable with who is, and a bit more in command of his game…as the guys from SNY pointed out during the game, carlos is just growing up…
…in time Ray King and Error Makers took over, throwing the ball around the field like Little Leaguers…yes, it was nice to finally see the Mets catch a break or two, but they made their luck tonight by forcing the Nationals to react…seriously, don’t discount the Mets life on the base paths when counting the Nationals physical and mental errors…
…huge, huge hit by Ryan Church late in the game to tack on an additional two runs…which is something the team must do more of, so it was great to see it happen here…
…what happened to the patience of Jose Reyes from last season…he is not walking, and swinging at everything, including a lot of first-pitch balls out of the zone…
…hats off to Duaner Sanchez and Billy Wagner for closing the door, and reminding us what an old school, dominant bullpen should look like…
The Mets face the Nationals in the final game of a two-game series tonight in Washington, DC.
The Game:
The Mets (10-9) begin a two-game series against the Nationals (6-15) tonight at Nationals Park in Washington D.C., starting at 7:10 pm EST.
The Lineup:
- SS Jose Reyes
- 2B Luis Castillo
- 3B David Wright
- CF Carlos Beltran
- RF Ryan Church
- 1B Carlos Delgado
- LF Angel Pagan
- C Brian Schneider
- P Johan Santana
The Pitchers:
LHP Johan Santana (2-2, 3.25 ERA) starts for the Mets. Santana earned a win in his last versus the Phillies on April 18, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out 10. Batters are 5-for-52 (.096) versus Santana when facing two strikes. He is 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in two career starts versus the Nationals.
RHP Tim Redding (3-1, 3.27 ERA) takes the hill for the Nationals. Redding allowed four runs through six innings pitched in a win versus the Marlins on April 18, surrendering three hits and a walk while striking out 10. In six games, five starts, versus the Mets in his career, Redding is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA.
The Notes:
Luis Castillo is batting .290 (9-for-31) with a double and three stolen bases in his last eight games.
The Mets are 9-2 this season when they score first.
Ronnie Belliard is 4-for-21 (.190) versus Santana in his career.
The Nationals are 3-for-8 (38%) in save opportunities this season.
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 |
During his weekly appearance on WFAN, Brian Schneider acknowledged that his team’s bullpen has been 
inconsistent, adding, “We’ve got to be patient, it’s a long year and Jorge Sosa and Aaron Heilman have been out there a lot.”
Schneider also spoke quite positively and enthusiastically about Nelson Figueroa, stating, “This is not a fluke.”
Schneider also talked about Duaner Sanchez, who has been “great,” his impressive stats against the Phillies, the team’s late arrival in to Chicago, and fights he and his teammates noticed taking place in the stands in Philadelphia while watching from the dugout.
To listen to Schneider’s entire interview, go to WFAN.com.
…yesterday, my buddy harold and i did something a bit impulsive, but well worth it…we left new york at 7 am for chicago to see the mets play at wrigley field, caught the game, then flew back to new york…
…we got into town and met up with a group of mets fans at Murphy’s Bleachers, including Chicago Mets Fan, and the seiger family who were going to their first wrigley game…i was pretty tired from getting up at 5 am, but i powered through… thanks red bull…
…this was my third time at wrigley, and i can’t imagine a better baseball experience than going to a game there…if you have been to a game with me, you know i can be quite vocal in the good times and the bad, but my taunts were reciprocated in a harmless way which is the opposite of what happens when i go to yankee stadium for example…the fans don’t boo their players, in fact, fans in the left field bleachers boo the right field bleachers and vice versa all in good fun…no fights broke out which made it an event you can actually bring kids to, and not once was there a line for the restroom…all of which have become unheard of at shea i hate to say…however, the song that fans sing after the cubs win is very lame, and they cheer for kosuke fukudome the whole entire game for no apparent reason…
…all in all, besides the mets playing like high schoolers yesterday, it was a great time and always worth the trip, even if you have to get up at 5 am…here is a quick slideshow i put together of the experience…and to set the record straight for those who have asked, my last name is pronounced court-monch, not munch…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |A anonymous reader sent in the following e-mail, asking…
“What manager, while on a five-game winning streak, would change the line-up to go on a losing streak?”
…oooh, oooh, i love riddles…umm, umm, Earl Weaver…no, ummm, Cito Gaston…no…darn, i give up…
…as for Willie Randolph, my guess is that he 
removed Ryan Church from hitting second, returning him to batting sixth, because Brian Schneider was out of the lineup with an injury – meaning, he would have had a slumping Carlos Delgado, followed by Raul Casanova, a slumping and injured Luis Castillo and the pitcher…which would most certainly have drawn a whole new set of criticism…so, instead, he beefed up the bottom of the order, returning church to his previous spot behind delgado…
…i hope…and i cannot accentuate hope enough…i hope willie is wise enough to bat church batting second again when schneider returns to the lineup, which should be tonight…
…like i had said, ideally, castillo is getting on base – and so he should hit second, with church down in the order…but, until castillo gets his act together, church behind Jose Reyes makes the most sense…but only if schneider is healthy, hitting and on the field…
Tagged Willie Randolph |Yesterday, in a poll on MetsBlog.com, 62 percent of voters said that Carlos Delgado is their biggest concern as the Mets move 
forward through 2008.
The next biggest concern is the Bullpen, with just 18 percent.
…i agree…and, frankly, i’m at a loss with what the Mets should do with Carlos Delgado…on one hand, i know it’s early…Mark Teixeira is hitting .235, too…the problem, though, is that delgado had a slow bat last season, and he’s now a full year older…
…as i noted on several occasions last year, he has a long history of performing every other month…last year, he hit over .320 in September and July, and .273 in May, but under .250 in April, June and August…the same script played out every other month in 2006, of course all numbers were a bit higher that season…nevertheless, he went every other month…up, then down…up, then down…
…this year, he’s sort of done the same thing, but all in April…he started hot, hitting .357 through his first seven games, but since is batting just .106…
…so, it’s not like he can’t hit…he just can’t hit consistently…and when does, the peaks are smaller and the valleys are deeper…
…as i mentioned the other day, i have noticed more and more eye-rolls, shoulder shrugs and overall frustration regarding delgado from people connected to the team, to the extent that it has me wondering just what his future holds…in short, i believe the team is discussing how best to handle delgado’s struggles…
…the thing is, based on history, the Mets are not going to cut delgado and his $16 million salary…at least not yet…however, it would not surprise me if the Mets have another every-day first baseman during the second-half of the season…for that to happen, though, he needs a replacement and his struggles must continue…
…it’s too early to realistically consider 21–year-old Double-A 1B Mike Carp, who is hitting .425 with five HR in 19 games for Binghamton…he’s got talent…every one knows this…but he’s not an adequate replacement for a pennant-contending team in New York City just yet…soon, but not yet…
…also, i do not trust Fernando Tatis – at all – despite his eight home runs for Triple-A New Orleans, where he is hitting just .238…look, if tatis really could hit, he’d have more than 56 at bats in the major leagues over the last four seasons…at 32 years old, i would hope he could hit home runs in Triple-A…the fact that he can does not impress me…
…also, free-agent 1B Frank Thomas has no business being on the Mets…he’s a egocentric headcase who would not accept splitting time in Toronto, where they have the designated hitter…what on earth makes people think he’ll accept splitting time with delgado, while being forced to take the field…no thank you…it’s not 1999…this is not a fantasy team…also, Sammy Sosa is not a first baseman…hell, he’s barely an outfielder…and people wonder if he can play first…if he can, do you honestly think he’d better than delgado, all while having to answer steroid question after steroid question from the overtly-giddy new york media…unreal…
…lastly, i am also not in favor of putting Moises Alou, Angel Pagan or Ryan Church at first base…not yet, at least…it has not reached that point…first base is not as easy as fans would like to believe, just ask Mike Piazza and Gary Sheffield…now is not the time for trial by fire, or to teach an old dog new tricks…maybe soon, but not yet…
…instead, in the short term, the Mets should just sit delgado down…seriously…call it a mental break if you have to…fact is, he’s a mess, not just on offense, but also on defense…sit down, relax, clear your mind, carlos, don’t take batting practice, just do drills, and return in a few days with – hopefully – a fresh perspective…in the meantime, let Damion Easley get some at bats and let Marlon Anderson get some time, since their action will soon be reduced when alou returns…
…in the meantime, the Mets should continue to pepper teams with ideas and questions about who is available in trade, specifically the Pirates and Xavier Nady, who, to me, is the most obvious solution…he hits righty…he has played nearly 100 games at first over the last few seasons…he succeeded in – and liked – New York a few years ago…he hits…he’s balanced…and he’s well liked in the clubhouse and among the fans…the problem is that it will likely cost pitchers such as Eddie Kunz or Jon Neise to get him…no, Jorge Sosa will not get it done…
…the other day, i speculated that the answer will instead come in the form of a player like O’s 1B Kevin Millar, who, although not much better than delgado, is at least consistent…and he’s a fighter who craves winning…
…i could see a scenario in which a guy like millar, or Scott Hatteberg, are acquired, but this, too, is not yet necessary…
…basically, as Newsday’s David Lennon said on SNY prior to yesterday’s game, delgado has roughly one week to prove himself – before alou returns…if he doesn’t, he’ll most certainly be dropped in the order, after which i assume he’ll be even more on notice…then, many of the above options can be considered…
Yesterday, Delgado was 1 for 4 with two strike outs.
[Poll=75]
…entering the season the one area of the Mets i was not concerned about was the starting rotation, and on the surface they have pitched well, but stressful innings and the inability to go deep into games is leaving a mark on the bullpen early in the season…
Through the first 19 games the Mets starting rotation has pitch 110.1 innings, allowed 46 walks and are throwing 3.88 pitches per plate appearance. All worse than the National League average.
…although they have pitched to a 3.34 era, third best in the nl, Mets starters have only pitched through the seventh inning on five occasions this season and 60% of those have come from Johan Santana starts…
…on too many occasions this season the bullpen has had to bail starters out and their already showing signs of fatigue…many will blame Willie Randolph for pulling the likes of John Maine and Oliver Perez too quickly and not giving them a chance to get through a tough late inning situation, especially when their pitch counts haven’t reach 100, and i agree to an extent, but high pitch counts early in games has lead to late inning situations in which rescue becomes necessary…
…despite it being early in the season, these excessive high-pitch count innings and the starters inability to pitch beyond the sixth inning is taxing the bullpen and as we saw in the second half of last season, too many early season relief appearances spell disaster and is something worth monitoring…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
In March, the Mets announced that Shea Stadium would be a smoke-free environment in its final season, meaning Braves manager Bobby Cox may be unable to light up his traditional post-game cigar.
There is a designated smoking area outside of the stadium.
According to the Associated Press, the Mets will meet with Cox to discuss where and when he can smoke.
…i can’t stop laughing at this image of cox, in his uniform, standing outside of Shea Stadium puffing on a cigar with regular Mets fans, who are all outside smoking as well…hilarious…
Mets 3B David Wright, speaking with reporters following yesterday’s loss, had the following to say when asked…
…if his team’s offense looks a little lifeless…
“Over the course of a long season,
you’re going to go through your ups and downs…and offensively right now, we’re just not clicking…We just can’t get anything going offensively, and the few times we do we can’t get that big hit and we can’t drive in that big run. So, I’m concerned that we’re not scoring runs and I’m concerned we’ve not been a very good situational hitting team. But, you know, it’s kind of expected at some point, you know, a few times here and there over the course of a long season.”
…if he feels any additional pressure to produce when the team is struggling, as he described above…
“Again, we need the guys at the top of the order to get on base and we need the guys in the middle of the order to drive them in. It’s not one guy or another…I mean, it seems like we have one chance a game to have a big inning and if we don’t take advantage of that one opportunity then we don’t score any runs – and that’s not the way it should be. We’ve got to continue to apply pressure, get guys on base, we’re having way too many one-two-three innings, I think we’re giving some at bats away and we just need to go up there with the game plan that HoJo gives us and executing.”
…if the Mets could hit Jose Reyes leadoff, and then feature 24 other players with wright’s attitude, they’d never lose…unfortunately, that is not physically possible…but, it’s a model that should be considered when building a team…
…he makes a good point, though, in that, outside of those few games last week – when Brian Schneider was in the lineup and Ryan Church was hitting second, which will likely be the case again starting tonight – the Mets only seem to muster one solid rally…after that, it’s a series of double plays, pitcher’s counts and unproductive frustration…
…however, as noted yesterday, with brian back, church hitting second, Luis Castillo batting eighth, and Moises Alou behind Carlos Beltran, and with Carlos Delgado hitting sixth, the lineup has a more balanced, doubles-oriented feel, and so while i want to panic right now, i’m excited to see how things look and feel towards the end of next week…at which point, there will still be 85 percent of the season yet to be played…
Moises Alou had two hits in seven at-bats during an extended spring training game in St. Lucie yesterday.
…a) by keeping him in st. lucie, as opposed to traveling with the minor league team, team trainers could monitor his progress…b) since all went all, it sounds like he remains on track to either re-join the team in New York this weekend, or for the start of the following series against the Pirates…and c) he did not pick up a first baseman’s mitt, nor do i think he will…
Tagged Moises Alou | ← Older posts
