Mike Nichols

preGame: Mets at Yankees (Game One)
By Mike Nichols - May 17, 2008 12:21 pm

The Game:

The Mets (20-19) open an abbreviated two-game series versus the Yankees (20-22) today at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, starting at 1:05pm EST.

The Lineup:

The Pitchers:

LHP Johan Santana (4-2, 3.10 ERA) starts for the Mets. In his last start on May 10 versus the Reds Santana earned a victory allowing three runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out five over 6.0 IP. Santana’s 2.27 ERA in Interleague play is the lowest among pitchers with at least 100 innings. He is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in eight career games, five starts versus the Yankees.

LHP Andy Pettitte (3-4, 4.40 ERA) takes the hill for the Yankees. In his last start on May 12 versus the Rays, Pettitte allowed five runs on eights hits and two walks and five strikeouts over 4.0 IP, earning a loss. Left-handed batters are batting .189 versus Pettitte this season. He is 7-3 with a 3.42 in 16 career stars versus the Mets.

The Notes:

The Mets are 25-35 all-time versus the Yankees during Interleague play.

Carlos Delgado’s 138 RBIs during Interleague play ranks him second all-time. He is batting .257 (65-for-253) with 12 HR and 43 RBI in his career at Yankee Stadium.

Joe Smith has stranded 15 of 16 inherited runners this season. He has 10 strikeouts in his last 4.0 IP.

David Wright is batting .323 (21-for-65) with 5 HR and 15 RBI in his career versus the Yankees. He is batting .385 (5-for-13) with 1 HR and 2 RBI in his career versus Pettitte.

The Yankees have the highest all-time winning percentage (.589) during Interleague play. They are 4-7 versus left-handed starters this season.

Derek Jeter is batting.381 (94-for-247) in his career versus the Mets. He is 5-for-17 (.294) with 3 2B in his career versus Santana.

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.

…enjoy, and as always, Let’s Go Mets

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613 Comments »

Comment by adam900
2008-05-17 12:25:58

Wow I love this lineup today. Lets go Mets!

 
Comment by metsfan42793
2008-05-17 12:25:58

This is how the game will go. 3-0 Mets winning. Bottom of the 7th. Yankees have bases loaded with 2 outs. Willie takes Santana out and who does he put in….. Aaron Heilman! 3-2 pitch to Jeter……Grand slam. Mets lose 4-3. At 7:00 breaking news willie gets fired and Isiah Thomas becomes the new manager.

Comment by PacmanJones
2008-05-17 12:30:50

Agree with all except Isiah, although he couldn’t do much worse.

 
 
Comment by PacmanJones
2008-05-17 12:29:53

You love this lineup? You realize Delgado is in the 6 hole? What’s to love about that, he should be batting 8th, no higher.

Comment by metsfan42793
2008-05-17 12:31:36

also shouldnt alou be the dh. willie will end up taking him out for chavez because of fielding.

Comment by haplo
2008-05-17 12:33:46

My guess is Alou asked to play LF (believe I read that this is his first game at The Stadium), and Willie isn’t really in a position to say “no” to anybody at this point.

Which stinks, because Endy should be out there for defense and batting ninth.

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Comment by WrightPower
2008-05-17 12:32:14

You bloggers are the worst. What a joke, you guys sound JUST like Yankees fans, the transition is complete.

This is coming from someone with giant mets tattoo.

Stop being pessimists, your making the team hate us more than you hate the team, no wonder they play better away.

Comment by Ryan Synagogue
2008-05-17 12:33:52

Actually they play mediocre everywhere

Comment by WrightPower
2008-05-17 12:42:27

Then “root” for someone else.

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Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-05-17 12:43:52

I don’t care if the team hates its fans. It’s very convenient to blame the paying customers. And they don’t play better away.

I go to just about every game and I’ve never booed anyone. I have no reason to care about what they think of me. Oh, and they don’t think of me. These guys have jobs to do. They should just do them. I don’t give a damn what they think of the fans. That whole thing is overrated. If you can work anymore, the Mets aren’t going to pay your rent. You do your job and let them do theirs.

Comment by WrightPower
2008-05-17 13:26:18

The fans do not pay them. The Wilpon’s do. Stop acting like you pay their salary because you pay for tickets and overpriced food, thats your decision.

When the players collect their check it doesnt have your name on it.

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Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-05-17 13:29:48

I never said I pay their salary. I’ve said the Wilpons pay them more than anyone in the last month. But people who pay have a right to do anything they want to do as long as they aren’t breaking any laws. If they want to boo their own team, they can do that. I DON’T do that… so you’re problem is not with me. All I said was they have a job to do, and they should do it. The fans will come around when they see some results.

Again, I am not the kind of fan you are talking about.

 
 
 
Comment by hernandez1786
2008-05-18 03:19:13

i agree but thats not a good attitude your the one who sounds like th yankee fan

 
 
Comment by Ryan Synagogue
2008-05-17 12:33:06

wtf, why is alou not the dh? whatever, clock is ticking willie

 
Comment by ryno
2008-05-17 12:35:49

A .237 DH! Sweet.

Comment by mrose
2008-05-17 12:53:12

a .237 DH who batted .371 vs left handed pitching last year, check stats bro

Comment by ryno
2008-05-17 13:34:33

Sounds like a Willie fan.

Easley has hit .266 against lefties over his career. But why use almost 1500 ABs as a reference when we can use 89. Ahh, Willie lives.

But if you need a small number of ABs to make your point, then go with Easley’s .167 average against Pettitte with 1 RBI over the last 5 years. Yes, that spans 12 whole ABs. Not quite 89, but maybe that will work for you.

Chavez, by the way, is hitting .600 against Pettitte over the same span, but he’s a lefty and Willie isn’t allowed to hit a lefty against a lefty.

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Comment by K-Hern
2008-05-17 12:51:08

Willie said yesterday in the FAN that Alou and Delgado do not like being the DH, so for the 1st game they would play the field… and that the lineup could change for the following games

Comment by dr jones
2008-05-17 12:53:46

thats great to hear sounds like the players are calling the shots..

Comment by mrose
2008-05-17 12:57:48

ugh
two players who can very likely make or break the day, if you make them DH, who knows, maybe they can’t get up for a game, similar to wagner coming in without the game on the line

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Comment by ravi3
2008-05-17 12:55:37

A) Alou isn’t comfortable playing DH. This is the case with many players used to playing the field, as it upsets their focus and pregame preparation. We all know how habitual baseball players can be (i.e. Turk Wendell brushing his teeth between innings). Willie confirmed this was the case last night during his spot with Mike and the Mad Dog.

B) Johan’s Interleague numbers until now are meaningless. His success thus far was achieved against National League teams, whereas from now on, he’ll be pitching against AL teams during Interleague. That would suggest his ERA will jump roughly half a run from 2.27 to nearly 2.80…Still very respectable.

Comment by deloid
2008-05-17 21:04:29

The current thought is that the National league is a tougher hitting league than the American league this year.

 
 
Comment by 41 franchise
2008-05-17 12:57:11

Willie should roll the dice and have Tatis DH. Shake things up a little.

Comment by mrose
2008-05-17 13:03:42

i wouldn’t hate that

 
 
Comment by cohen1333
2008-05-17 13:03:25

sorry matt, but lets kick the yankees’ ASS today.

 
Comment by UncleMuscles
2008-05-17 13:06:35

Let the Whining Begin…. Unreal… the game has yet to begin…
But thats the typical Met Fan these days….

Comment by gipper82475
2008-05-17 13:10:40

Yup. All is well. That champagne’s gonna taste oh so sweet.

 
Comment by AlreadyMissShea
2008-05-17 13:13:13

“Let the Whining Begin…. Unreal… the game has yet to begin…
But thats the typical Met Fan these days….”

The only person I’ve seen whining around here the last few days has been you. If I hated this place like you do, I would go do something else. Life is too short if you’re not having fun.

 
 
Comment by AlouIsNasty
2008-05-17 13:08:20

wow those YES closeups of Andy Pettite make you realize how ugly that son of a gun is

 
Comment by metsfan119
2008-05-17 13:10:51

Alou is playing left in a DH game. The gems just keep coming from Willie.

Comment by jose--jose-jose-jose
2008-05-17 13:18:38

read ravi3’s post above, idiot.