The Game:
The Mets (16-14) continue their three-games series versus the Dodgers (18-14) tonight at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, game at 10:10 pm EST.
The Lineup:
The Pitchers:
RHP Nelson Figueroa (2-1, 4.08 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Mets. In his last start on April 27 versus the Braves, Figueroa earned a win allowing three runs on seven hits over 5.1 IP while walking and striking out three. Figueroa’s .143 BAA through the first time of the lineup is the ninth lowest in the National League. In two career starts versus the Dodgers, he is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA.
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (1-2, 3.82 ERA) takes the hill for the Dodgers. In his last start on May 1 versus the Marlins, Kuroda allowed three runs on five hits while striking out four over 7.0 IP earning a win. Kuroda is 0-0 with a 6.00 in his two home starts this season. Opponents are 0-for-18 with four strikeouts off Kuroda in the first inning. This is his first career starts versus the Mets.
The Notes:
Juan Pierre is batting .393 (22-for-56) with 11 RBI and 10 steals in his last 18 games.
The Mets are 13-4 when scoring first this season.
Carlos Delgado is 8-for-25 (.320) with 3 HR and 6 RBI in his last seven games.
For more insight on the Dodgers, check out Blogger Beat.
How To Catch It:
Today’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.
…well, let’s see, which Mets team shows up tonight…will it be the one thats only as good as their mediocre record indicates or the one thats favored to be one of the best teams in the national league…this team is so jekyll and hyde you never know which team will show up…
…enjoy, and as always, Let’s Go Mets…
May 6, 2008 at 7:23 pm
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11 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
During his weekly interview with WFAN, Brian Schneider was 
asked about Willie Randolph’s comments about playing more relaxed on the road, away from Shea Stadium, which he said:
“I understand what he’s saying, a little bit. I don’t know if it takes pressure off, or what it may be, but, I guess it is a little more relaxing if you don’t get the job done. To me, I enjoy playing on the road just to get out and get a change of scenery, but there is nothing better than playing at home, for me, getting to sleep in your own bed and, obviously, when things are going good the fans are right there for you…I haven’t heard (people say, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to go to Arizona’)…
…look, let’s be honest, i suspect that every player in that locker room is happy to be away from Shea Stadium when they’re losing…equally, they would probably rather be no other place on earth, but at Shea Stadium, when they’re winning…and i can’t blame them for that…
To listen to Schneider’s entire interview, during which he also discusses Oliver Perez, playing in Arizona, catching Johan Santana, go to WFAN.com.
May 6, 2008 at 4:39 pm
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36 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
Darryl Strawberry made his major-league debut 25 years ago today.
At MLB.com, Marty Noble looks back at Strawberry’s time with the Mets.
According to Matt Artus, at Always Amazin, ‘‘The Jacket’ is going out of style.’
In a report for Gotham Baseball Magazine, Mark Healey believes that the Mets should not fire Willie Randolph.
Lastly, at Mets Fever, Ed Ryan suggests the Mets give Triple-A RHP Tony Armas Jr. a try.
May 6, 2008 at 3:13 pm
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33 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
This weekend in Arizona, D’Backs mascot Baxter took on a fake Mr. Met in a joust competition at Chase Field between innings.
Naturally, Baxter won.
…of course, had it been the real Mr. Met, it would have taken just one authentic headbutt to knock Baxter in to the pool…
…thanks to AZMetsFan for the images, i think…
No Mets pitcher has gone more than seven innings this season.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the only other major league team that has not had a pitcher throw more than seven innings this season is the Cubs.
…this is complicated, because i instinctively first put blame on the pitcher and believe ‘he’ is the one not holding up his end of the bargain…when, in reality, it could also be equal parts Willie Randolph and Rick Peterson pulling their starting pitcher too early, instead of leaving him out there…
May 6, 2008 at 2:18 pm
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0 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
The SNY Blog Network has expanded to include theKnicksBlog.com, written by Tommy Dee.
…i’m glad to see tommy in the mix, as he will be a great addition to the blog network…welcome aboard, tommy…good luck…
…by the way, right now, tommy has a poll up asking readers to vote on who should be the team’s next coach…i would like to see Mark Jackson and Patrick Ewing both on the bench, so jackson can do a between-the-legs bounce-pass of the clipboard to ewing…i miss the 1980s…
Joe Janish’s earlier point on MetsBlog about Nelson Figueroa is hard to deny.
Figgy has been the team’s third-best starter this year, even if he’s only started four games.
But today in the Daily News, Adam Ruben cites a team insider who suggested the Mets could move Figueroa to Triple-A and move Jorge Sosa into the rotation to make room for Matt Wise.
I don’t think that will happen, which is good, because it’d be absurd. I think even sending Joe Smith to New Orleans to make room for Wise would be silly.
I wrote more about this and other concerns facing the Mets in an SNY.tv column today, but essentially I think if the Mets so desperately want Wise back in the bullpen, Sosa should be the guy to go.
I know the arguments for Sosa – he’s leading the team in wins, he’s got a $2 million contract with no options and he’s the closest thing the Mets have to a long reliever – but he’s yet to pitch effectively.
If this team is really committed to winning in 2008, it should put together the best staff it can with the pieces it has – and it’s hard to argue that they should keep Sosa over Smith or Figueroa.
While Willie Randolph thinks five runs and three home runs allowed in six innings is pitching “pretty well,” as he said to reporters last night, the truth is, Oliver Perez has an ERA above eight in his last three starts.
Last night was encouraging, but even Randolph admits Perez’s inconsistency. Mike Pelfrey is just as unreliable, and unlike Perez, he has yet to find success at the big-league level.
Does that make Nelson Figueroa the current No. 3 starter?
Figueroa may be the least-skilled of the three, and have the least impressive resume, but as of now he’s been the most even-keeled and unflappable – while Perez and Big Pelf tend to unravel under adverse conditions. That said, currently I’d be inclined to give the ball to Figueroa in a “must win” situation. And that’s a bad sign for the Mets.
I’m a huge Figueroa fan, but if he remains their third-best starter, the Mets will have their hands full getting into the postseason. Figueroa should be a pleasant surprise at the back end of the rotation – not a go-to guy. Luckily “It’s early as far as pitching is concerned,” as Randolph said after last night’s game, so there’s time for Perez to get on track – and/or Pedro Martinez to get healthy.
The New York Times and New York Post each report on statements made by Willie Randolph prior to yesterday’s game against the Dodgers.
…from what i can gather, having watched his pre-game presser, randolph was asked if the team is more relaxed playing away from Shea Stadium, where his team’s fans have been rather negative of late…
Randolph told reporters that he and his players play hard and are trying to win every baseball game every night, regardless of what city they are in.
Regarding fan negativity specifically, which the reporter first mentioned in his question, Randolph said:
“When we start to play well, then you’ll start to see a change in all that. As far as my players, we don’t talk about it. We don’t concern ourselves with it…Obviously the fans are having a tough time moving past (last season). So we just hope that they eventually get behind this team, because we’re going to make them real proud before the year is over…We live in an environment where they want it when they want it. Believe me, our team is really solid. We look at ourselves. I don’t think we define who we are by the reaction we get. We have some veteran guys. We have some young guys. We’re a real close-knit group. We know we’re not going to be good all the time, but we know mentally where we want to go, where we want to be…We’re going to go through ups and downs, go through the scuttlebutt, but we understand that in this town, that’s how it’s going to be.”
Similarly, according to Joe Torre, who talked with reporters before yesterday’s game, the only way Mets fans will put ‘the collapse’ behind them is when the Mets win, adding, “It’s just a matter of making that a distant memory and give them something to enjoy.”
…my guess is that fans who already do not like willie will take this quote and use it to drive a wedge between him and the fans, and those who do like him will cut him some slack and try to understand what he is saying…
…my feeling is that he is right, and so are we…we should be frustrated and worried and we have every right to be negative…at the same time, for now, willie is probably smart to build a wall around his players…and, in time, like torre says, if the Mets start to win and we all calm down, and get comfortable and confident, fans and players will join back up on the same page like it was in 2006…but, last season was tough, man, for every one…it was never going to be a quick and easy flip of the page, willie…and, some how, i bet you knew that…
May 6, 2008 at 9:20 am
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7 comments
by Brandon Eddy
According to Bob Klapisch at ESPN.com, both the Mets and Yankees played .500 baseball in the month of April and it was treated like the apocalypse.
Klapish writes:
“Billy Wagner tore into Oliver Perez last week for lasting only 1 2/3 innings against the Pirates. Across town, Hank Steinbrenner was openly questioning whether his Bombers would even make it to the playoffs, let alone dethrone the Red Sox in the American League East … Of course, that was before an impressive weekend cleared everyone’s heads … But there was no ignoring the parallels between the crosstown rivals, both of whom left spring training with a we-own-the-world mentality only to discover a reality that wasn’t nearly as generous.”
…it is odd to see both teams experience the same things at the same time…age is catching up with the veterans, youth is under-performing, injuries to key players and the middle of the order is not hitting…
May 6, 2008 at 7:52 am
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20 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
In a rehab start for Single-A St. Lucie, Ramon Castro hit a two-run home run and caught all nine innings.
Meanwhile, Matt Wise is scheduled to pitch back-to-back days this week for St. Lucie, which is said to be his final step in his rehab from a sore right forearm.
…i expect to see both of these players back with the Mets by the weekend…of course, that will mean a corresponding move in the bullpen, such as demoting Joe Smith or designating Jorge Sosa for assignment…
May 6, 2008 at 7:41 am
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44 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
During last night’s loss to the Dodgers, Oliver Perez allowed five runs and three home runs in six innings pitched, while walking just two and striking out three.
Willie Randolph, on Perez, following the game:
“I thought his line was good. He kept us relatively in the game after a shaky a start and kind of settled in 
a bit. But, you know, the gopher balls hurt him a bit…but, I thought he pitched pretty well, for the most part.”
…perez is the easy scapegoat for last night’s loss…however, he did fine through the first four innings, during which the Mets offense left five runners on base all while Dodgers RHP Chad Billingsley looked to be on the ropes – especially in the second…each time, the Mets bats let him off the hook…
…then perez let up two more home runs, and that was that, as the Mets never really threatened offensively from that point on…
Asked by a reporter if he is concerned that Perez has been unable to build up momentum, Randolph said:
“Well, again, it’s early as far as pitching is concerned. He’s in my rotation and will stay there until it’s deemed that we need to make a change. But, right now, he’s fine. He just needs to keep working. We’ll keep putting him out there until he gets more consistent.”
