Daily Archives: May 14, 2008
New Orleans (AAA): 4-3 loss to Sacramento
After the Mets called up RHP Claudio Vargas, LHP Willie Collazo moved into the New Orleans rotation, acquitting himself well in his first start. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and no walks in seven innings, striking out three. RHP Carlos Muniz allowed a run in the ninth to take the loss.
SS Anderson Hernandez hit his second homer of the season, a three run shot that was his lone hit in a 1-for-5 night. 2B Argenis Reyes was 2-for-4 with a walk, double and a run. C Mike Nickeas finished 2-for-4.
Binghamton (AA): 4-2 win over New Britain
RHP Bobby Parnell won his third straight start in his far and away best outing of the season, allowing just two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out three. RHP Eddie Kunz worked around an error, a hit and a walk to toss a scoreless ninth and earn his seventh save of the season.
OF Fernando Martinez was 1-for-4 with what proved to be the game winning RBI. OF Caleb Stewart went 1-for-4 with a solo homer, while 1B Nick Evans was 1-for-4 as well. C Rafael Arroyo went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI.
St. Lucie (A+): 1-0 loss to Vero Beach
RHP Dillon Gee was the hard luck loser, as he surrendered just one run on five hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out eight. Wantagh native and Stony Brook alum RHP Nick Abel tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
St. Lucie has not scored a run in 26 innings, and managed just two hits Tuesday night. OF DJ Wabick (1-for-4) and and C Sean McCraw (1-for-2, BB) had those two hits. 1B Lucas Duda was 0-for-3 with a walk.
Savannah (A-): 6-2 win over Asheville
Tagged Minors |RHP Scott Moviel had his third straight strong start after struggling early in the season, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings, walking none and striking out seven. RHP John Holdzkom earned the late victory with two shutout innings of relief work.
C Francisco Pena was 2-for-4 to break out of a short slump. 3B Richie Lucas finished 1-for-4, with a 2-run homer in the eighth that iced the game for Savannah. OF Richard Pena was 1-for-2 with a run and three walks.
Mark Bowman of MLB.com answers his latest Braves mailbag, including speculating that the Braves maybe interested in acquiring RHP Greg Maddux from the Padres.
Bowman writes:
“It didn’t necessarily mean anything, but when I was asking some of the team’s management and players if they felt they were seeing Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz in uniform together for one last time last week, I kept getting the, “You never know what might happen” response.”
…how about they bring back Mark Wohlers and Steve Avery too…ugh…
…of all the Braves pitchers in the 90′s, i hated maddux the most…he always had that smarmy look on his face after taking himself out of a ball game in the seventh inning after throwing only 80 pitches…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
I understand why MLB, the Mets and Yankees continue to push the in-season Subway Series, but, frankly, I’m tired of it.
[Poll=92]
Tagged Poll |Paul LoDuca was a surprise caller to WFAN this afternoon, and 
answered questions about his health, cheering from the dugout, his inclusion in the Mitchell Report, and other topics.
Lo Duca, on his team in-dugout cheerleading, and Nelson Figueroa’s reaction, while speaking to WFAN:
“I’m not a big fan of it to be honest with you…You know, we’re struggling. Guys are just trying to have a little fun. I think they saw Figueroa getting a little upset, so they amped it up a couple of notches. I do think it’s a little bush league. At first it started off as a little fun, until he got mad. I don’t agree with it. But, also, Nelson Figueroa has nine wins in the big leagues and he needs to keep his mouth shut.”
For more, check out Adam Rubin’s blog for the Daily News.
To listen to Lo Duca’s entire discussion, go to WFAN.com.
Tagged Paul Lo Duca |
SNY’s Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling have launched Pitch in for a Good Cause, where fans can purchase custom designed tee shirts with net proceeds from the sales going to the New York sportscasters’ favorite charities.
The website is offering four different tee shirts.
For more, go to GaryKeithAndRon.com.
David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News takes at look at five question to consider as the race for the National League East enters the second quarter of the season.
Among the five questions Murphy asks is, “can the Mets hit?” To which he responds:
“Their offensive numbers are hardly earth-shattering: 10th in the NL with 173 runs, 11th in batting average (.254), 12th in slugging (.391), 14th in home runs (26). So even though opponents are hitting .255 against them, they have been maddeningly inconsistent.”
…murphy hits this on the head…
…i have no doubt the Mets pitching staff will do more than enough to keep the team in ballgames…it’s their sputtering offense that will be the determining factor if the Mets are to make a return to the postseason…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
When John Maine plunked Felipe Lopez with the first pitch of the game last night (in response to the Nationals’ bush-league cheering of the night before), a message was sent: don’t mess with the Mets.
As Regis Courtemanche stated earlier today, the timing was right and the action appropriate. Further, Maine’s pitch that “slipped” established solidarity — an “I got your back” mentality that all championship teams exhibit.
For too long, fans and pundits have criticized the Mets for being lifeless, unmotivated, and uncaring. Manager Willie Randolph has been targeted as responsible for the team’s supposed apathy. However, a pitcher does not knock down a batter in defense of a demoted teammate unless there is team unity and a bit of “fire in the belly”.
If the Mets go on a roll, we may look back at this incident as the spark, and a turning point in the season.
…please answer the following question, while considering the team’s ownership, current management, talent, minor-league system, and new stadium and network, etc…
[Poll=91]
Tagged Poll |Marlins (23-16, First):
Dan Uggla tries to explain his recent power surge, in which he has hit 8 HR and drove in 16 runs since May 1, to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.At his blog for the Sun-Sentinel, Juan C. Rodriguez says the Marlins are missing Mike Jacobs and Josh Willingham in the middle of the order. Rodriguiez also speculates the Marlins maybe a player for the recently released Jacque Jones.
…i’m not sure what to make of the Marlins this season and if they will be around in the long run…they seem to be relying way too much on the long ball and their pitching continues lag in the lower half of the national league…i’ll be interested to see how they fair over the next month, in which they have games versus the Diamondbacks, Mets, Phillies and Rays…
Phillies (22-18, 2 LB):
David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News takes a look at one of the Phillies main concerns this season; their struggles against left-handed pitching this season.
Over at PhilliesFlow, Erik Grissom is curious why Charlie Manuel elected to play Jayson Werth in center and Shane Victorino in right.
Braves (19-19, 3 LB):
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Rafael Soriano, John Smoltz and Mike Gonzalez are close to returning from their injuries and may be back in the bullpen by the end of May.
…and, that folks is a scary thought…
Nationals (16-24, 8 LB):
Tagged Mike Nichols, Nationals, Phillies |Chico Harlan of the Washington Post asks a few Nationals, including Manny Acta, for a response to the criticism they received for their dugout chants during Tuesday’s game versus the Mets.
In an article for the Daily News, John Harper discusses how the Mets need to put last year behind them and prove their worth in an improving National League.
Harper writes:
“Be the team that fans want to believe these 2008 Mets can be – even if the National League landscape seems to be changing all around them.”
“We’re better than we’re playing right now,” Omar Minaya said yesterday when asked about the state of his team. “But we’re not the only good team that’s just a little over .500 right now.
…i for one am tired of looking in the rear view mirror, and continue to try looking ahead…the fact that people still write about last year irks me, but they have somewhat of a point…the mets need to play well to put this talk to rest once and for all…
…as for the rest of the league, it has certainly become harder for the team to distinguish themselves as the best of the rest, as the diamondbacks and others continue to improve…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche | ← Older postsNewer posts →
