Daily Archives: April 28, 2008
Tonight’s game vs. the Pirates has been postponed due to inclement weather.
It will be made up on August 11.
Tagged Mike Nichols |
In a poll on MetsBlog.com earlier today, 86 percent of the more than 3,000 readers who responded said they support Carlos Delgado’s decision regarding yesterday’s curtain call, adding, “He can do whatever he wants.”
Only 14 percent said he should have acknowledged the fan’s request.
…if any one feels like calling Mike and the Maddog with this minor fact, i’m sure they’d love to hear from you…
…Update…4:45 pm…
…naturally, Mike and the Maddog spent 40 minutes ripping Mets fans, never once mentioning that a) most fans support delgado and b) never once mentioning that delgado has only granted two curtain calls, despite hitting 432 home runs, during his 16 year career…
…good thing there is a knowledgeable Mets voice on the show to step in and, oh, right, there isn’t…oops…
RHP Claudio Vargas made his first start in the Mets’ organization today, for single A St. Lucie.
The 29-year old right hander, signed earlier this month after being released by Milwaukee, faced the Palm Beach Cardinals, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in five solid innings.
He didn’t walk a batter, and struck out six.
Ramon Castro, also making his first appearance for St. Lucie, caught Vargas and spent seven innings behind the plate.
Castro went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Tagged Ramon Castro |New Orleans (AAA): 2-0 win over Round Rock
RHP Ruddy Lugo went the distance in this rain-shortened, 4 1/2 inning affair. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing just four hits and a walk, striking out two. 3B Fernando Tatis was 1-for-2 with a double and a run.
Binghamton (AA): 3-0 loss to Portland
RHP Eric Brown was unlucky to take the loss, surrendering just one run on seven hits and a walk in six innings. He struck out four. RHP Eddie Kunz allowed a run in the eighth.
OF Fernando Martinez and 3B Danny Murphy flipped spots in the lineup, with Martinez going 1-for-3 with a walk out of the three hole and Murphy 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot. 1B Nick Evans went 1-for-4 and DH Mike Carp finished hitless in four at bats.
St. Lucie (A+): 6-4 win over Palm Beach (14 innings)
RHP Nick Carr cruised through his first three innings before running into trouble. He allowed two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth before getting the hook. All told, he allowed three runs on three hits and three walks in 4.2 innings pitched, with five strikeouts. From there, the Met bullpen was terrific; they received scoreless appearances from four relievers, including Flushing native RHP John Wesley. RHP Tim Stronach earned the win by allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 3.1 innings.
OF Brahaim Maldonado hit a three run walkoff shot in the 14th, his only hit in six at bats. SS Ruben Tejada and OF Ezequiel Carrera were also each 1-for-6, and 1B Lucas Duda finished hitless in his six at bats.
Savannah (A-): 4-2 win over Rome
Tagged Minors |RHP Elvin Ramirez earned the win, allowing one run on four hits and three walks in 5.1 innings, striking out four.
Batting out of the top two spots in the order, 2B Greg Veloz and SS Matt Bouchard were each 2-for-4 with an RBI. OF and Brooklyn native Michael Hernandez was also 2-for-4, adding a double and a run scored.
According to Bob Klapisch in the Bergen Record, citing one person familiar with Fred and Jeff Wilpon’s philosophy, ‘the honeymoon is over’ for both Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya, who both have only a month or so before ownership starts asking some serious questions about the team’s future – assuming they are still a middle-of-the-pack team around June 1.
…this is a must-read and thought-provoking column by klapisch, who continues to be one of my favorite columnists and writers…
…by the way, i have a fear…it may be premature, and i hope it is soon-to-be irrelevant, but it’s a fear nevertheless…
…i fear that the Mets did what was necessary to make themselves competitive quickly, to gain respect in the game, and move fast from last place to first place in two year’s time, but that the cost for this burst may now be a disorganized team at a crossroads…
…think back, it seems that most champions in baseball do so in phases…it never happens on a smooth, straight-up rocket ride to a ring…instead, there is usually a rebuilding phase, followed by mild success, lots of hype, then some disappointment, a slight reshuffling and then true, ultimate-success is achieved…
…i fear the Mets are in that disappointment-reshuffling stage – moving sideways, not forward – but they just don’t know it yet…
…Carlos Delgado, Orlando Hernandez, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, Paul Lo Duca and others may be players who were needed for that initial push, but who will not or may not be part of this team’s next push towards a championship…in 2006, when the Mets were winning, smiling and surging, i never imagined i would see Ryan Church as a key cog in the next phase of winning…in other words, things change…quickly…
…to their credit, i know for fact that some people high up with the Mets realize there may need to be a slight shift in course if the team is going to truly take that next step in winning – and do so consistently over the next decade…surprise, surprise, but acquiring aging veterans to plug holes is not an organizational-wide philosophy…it’s a short-term solution that can temporarily sustain jobs, while gaining instant credibility in the market place…
…the thing is, this team’s needs may be changing…they are respectable now…they have had success…now it’s time to build on that success and grow for the future, pushing aside these short-term solutions so the team can achieve more than just short-term success…
In a post to his blog for ESPN.com, Buster Olney believes that Pirates 1B Xavier Nady would be a good fit for the Mets or Indians, “but the new Pittsburgh management is, for now, devoted to the idea of trying to win in 2008.”
…from what i understand, if the Pirates ever decide to trade nady, it will be for high-quality, young, minor leaguers or zero-to-three guys who they can control…you know the drill…
According to Olney, if the Mets are looking for a short-term solution at first base, “they could talk to Cincinnati about a deal for Scott Hatteberg, who doesn’t hit for much power but does get on base consistently.”
Tagged Xavier Nady |
Despite only accepting two curtain calls during his entire 16–year career, spanning 432 home runs, nearly every local newspaper has a report this morning about Carlos Delgado’s decision to refuse a curtain call from fans during yesterday’s game.
In the Daily News, Bill Madden declares, “Good for him that he chose not to acknowledge them.”
In the Bergen Record, Steve Popper talks about the situation with Carlos Beltran and David Wright, who believes this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of town.
For more, read the New York Post and Newsday.
…mountain, meet mole…have a nice day…
Delgado, while speaking to reporters after the game:
“It surprised me. The way I look at it, the fans here are very passionate, and you just don’t know what they’re gonna do…You hit a home run, shake hands with your friends, but you don’t want to show any one up. The game goes on. We had a two run lead, it went to a three-run lead. Yes, it’s a big run…but, I got a great deal of respect for the game and I don’t think that’s a place for a curtain call…We appreciate the support of the fans, but we’re here to play the game. They pay me to hit the ball and drive in runs. I didn’t think it was the right situation. Having said that, I’m not going to lie that I feel good and it’s a lot better than the boos.
[Poll=77]
Mathematically Alive – A Story of Fandom, a film about Mets fans by Joseph Coburn and Katherine Foronjy, which won Best Documentary during the New Jersey Film Festival, will run in New York City tomorrow, April 29, at 7 pm at the Pioneer 2Boots Theater at 155 East 3rd Street.
For more information, including future showings in New York City, as well as Trenton and Queens, go to the film’s website: Mathematically Alive.
Meanwhile, Mets Walk-offs takes a look at some ‘weirdness’ from Friday night’s loss to the Braves, during which the Mets drew three consecutive bases-loaded walks.
In a post to Faith and Fear in Flushing, Greg recaps at his day at Shea, which included a foam finger.
Lastly, check out Develop Willet’s Point, a blog dedicated to, well, redeveloping Willet’s Point.
According to Adam Rubin in the Daily News, Mets RHP Claudio Vargas is expected to join Triple-A New Orleans today.
Vargas had spent the last week or so working out in extended 
spring training in St. Lucie.
Also, Rubin returns with his outstanding minor-league report, at his blog for the Daily News, during which he recaps who is hot and who is not in the team’s farm system, while speaking with B’Mets 1B Mike Carp, who says: “This year I wanted to prove to the Mets last year was a fluke.”
In 24 games in Double-A, Carp is hitting .376 with six HR, seven doubles and 20 RBI, though he has only one hit (a home run) in his last 16 at bats.
Tagged Mike Carp |
Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters yesterday that Brian Schneider is likely to be released from the hospital today.
…the buzz from shea is that schneider will spend the first day or two at home, then re-join the team mid-week…
…frankly, he can’t get back soon enough…Oh Casanova has actually been a lot better than i ever expected, but the pitching staff reacts better with schneider behind the plate…
