Daily Archives: May 19, 2008
In the fourth inning of last night’s game, Carlos Delgado hit a home run off the bottom of the foul poll in the left-field corner of Yankee Stadium, which was reversed by the home plate umpire following a pow-wow at mid field.
It was clearly a home run.
The third base ump, who was closest to the play, actually called it correctly at first, yet the home plate ump, who was furthest from the play, called it foul.
In a post to his blog for the New York Post, Bart Hubbach wonders, “How in the world does Randolph not get himself ejected in this situation,” yet Jerry Manuel, his bench coach, did.
Randolph, speaking to reporters last night, 
when asked if getting ejected would make fans happy, said:
“Nah, I don’t believe in doing something silly like that just to appease the fans. If you’ve got a reason to protect your players and do that you go do it. What’s that gonna do? Getting thrown out of the game? They’ll be happy about that? Then what happens? I’m the leader of this club and I don’t believe about moaning about calls. It was obvious he blew the call, so what are you gonna do. You keep your composure and play the game…
“That’s what bench coaches do…The guy came over and told me to shut up. So, Jerry took exception to that, and I did too. He was looking to run some one. He was looking in the dugout. I mean, if you blow a call like that, stay in the game. He was looking to run some one and Jerry took the bait.”
…i get the criticism, but i’m with willie on this, in that this is not the spot to get thrown out…it accomplishes nothing, especially, if like most people on the left-side of the building, you didn’t get a good look at the play…personally, if a manager is going to get tossed, it should be if a) the ump is repeatedly making the same bad call over and over, or b) you need to defend your player, who is visibly upset about the blown call…in this case, none of the above apply…the fans should be the least of willie’s worry right now…
Following the game, the home plate umpire repeatedly admitted to having ‘F’d up’ the call, as he put it, after having a chance to watch it on replay.
Ryan Church, on the call, talking to reporters, said:
“It hit the black part of the pole…It was a home run…Eh, we still put up 11 (smile).”
…excellent response…that’s the right attitude…
Tagged Ryan Church, Willie Randolph |Please answer the following question, while considering the 
team’s ownership, current management, talent, minor-league system, new stadium and network, etc…
[Poll=95]
Tagged Poll |In the two games this weekend against the Yankees, both wins, Jose Reyes was 4 for 10 with no walks, one strike out, one double, two home runs and four RBI.
Reyes, on Reyes, talking to reporters, said:
“I don’t try to hit home runs. I just try to put a good swing on the ball, and I did the last couple of days. Hopefully I can continue to be like that.”
…yes…hopefully…because, like the rest of the team, that has been the problem…it’s not a lack of talent…not at all…the problem is a lack of consistency…keep it going, jose…you know, get in to a nice, little rhythm…
Willie Randolph, on Reyes, talking after Sunday’s win:
“I spoke to Jose the other day, and asked him a straight question, and asked him if he’s feeling any added pressure, is he trying to do too much and he looked at me with that big smile and said, ‘No,’ so you got to believe him…Obviously, when you’re playing well you play with more enthusiasm. With him, I just think it’s doing the right things mechanically. I mean, he kept his head more still tonight, I noticed that yesterday on the home run he hit…Once they fix that up, we’ll start to roll.”
For more on Reyes, check out Ken Davidoff’s column for Newsday, in which he details Reyes’s effort to learn about his swing from watching video in the clubhouse.
…for what it’s worth, from what i can gather, reyes took time to work and watch tape while his teammates took in the NBA Playoffs on television…which is not to suggest that relaxing and watching hoops is a bad thing…it’s just nice to hear of a young player doing a little extra, when he could easily have just hung out with his buddies watching hoops…
Last night in a win against the Yankees, Oliver Perez let up two runs and three hits in 7.2 innings.
Ryan Church, on Perez, talking after the game, said:
“He’s a bulldog, man. He went out there and didn’t use our bullpen. What can you say? They stretched him out a bit, let him throw 100 pitches and he was able to go deep in the ball game.”
Willie Randolph, on Perez, said:
“He was outstanding…He got a nice little ovation when he walked off the mound, and I thought he deserved that.”
Perez, on Perez, talking to reporters, said:
“I want to do anything I can to help my teammates…I want to put us in good positions to win, and that is what I felt I was able to do.”
…the Mets picked up a few runs, extended their lead, and then perez came out and immediately surrendered two runs…and i was worried…but, he kept it together…outside of that, he never allowed more than one runner on base in an inning…
Tagged Oliver Perez |
New Orleans (AAA): 8-5 loss to Nashville
LHP Willie Collazo was not so strong in his second start, allowing four runs (three runs) on five hits and four walks, striking out five. He allowed two homers. RHP Joselo Diaz took the loss, allowing three runs on two walks and a hit in just a third of an inning.
OF Victor Mendez was 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI. OF Jesus Feliciano went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. C Gustavo Molina finished 2-for-4 with a walk, a homer and two runs scored.
Binghamton (AA): 10-5 loss to Erie
RHP Bobby Parnell was massively ineffective, allowing six runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings, striking out five. RHP German Marte allowed three more runs on five hits in two innings.
Nick Evans, starting at 1B before moving to LF, went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double and his eighth homer of the season, driving in two runs. 3B Danny Murphy was 2-for-5, and OF Caleb Stewart finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and two runs scored.
St. Lucie (A+): 3-1 loss to Dunedin
RHP Dillon Gee pitched five innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks.
1B Lucas Duda was 1-for-4 with an RBI, while SS Ruben Tejada was 2-for-4 with a run scored. OF BJ Hubbert finished 2-for-3 with a double.
Savannah (A-): 13-5 loss to Greeneville
Tagged Minors |RHP Scott Moviel, hot of late, breezed through his first three innings, then ran into big trouble. Not helped by a Greg Veloz error, he allowed five runs in the inning, which included two homers. He didn’t get out of the fifth inning, for an overall line of seven runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks. LHP Julio Polanco allowed four runs on six hits and a walk in three innings.
OF Franklin Guzman, a 22-year old Brooklyn native, made his debut for Savannah, going 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored. 1B Jose Jimenez went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and two runs scored.
The Mets (22–19) defeated the Yankees (20–24) by the score of 11 to 2 in Yankee Stadium tonight.
For a boxscore, stats, etc, go to SNY’s Mets Recap Page.
Oliver Perez will test your patience. He ‘looked’ like a total mess out there at times tonight. He was all over the mound, all over the strike zone, he was walking batters, using different arm slots, landing in different places, he was spinning off the mound in his follow through like I had never seen before, yet he was throwing nice and easy, kept it together and allowed just two runs in to the eighth inning. He’s a total enigma, but as long as he’s a successful enigma it works for me.- In the fourth, the Mets picked up a hand full of runs, after starting the inning with the bases loaded and one out. However, Carlos Delgado hit a home run off the bottom of the foul poll in the left-field corner, which was reversed by the home plate umpire following a pow-wow at mid field. It was clearly a home run. The third base ump, who was closest to the play, actually called it out, yet the home plate ump, who was furthest from the play, called it foul. Unreal. What’s worse, is the umpires look confused when doing this sort of work. Get. It. Together. Blue. Jeez. The score should have been 6–0 at that point. Fortunately, Delgado ripped a single to get one back, but still.
- Following the botched call, both Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel were jawing at the ump from the dugout, but it was Manuel who got tossed and not Willie. People will make a big deal out of this, as if Randolph getting tossed from a game really matters in the grand scheme of the game. Of course, it doesn’t. That said, it’s sort of funny, in that with all the talk of Randolph’s passivity, it’s his bench coach who gets booted. Nice timing, skip.
- I don’t mean to pile on, but why is it so hard for Jon Miller and Joe Morgan to actually talk about the game at hand. It’s right there, on the field in front of them, yet they’re seemingly always talking about some other nonsense that has nothing to do with the game.
- The Mets played some nice defense tonight, including a nice play by Perez and Carlos Delgado. Ryan Church made two nice catches, including a sliding grab to end the second inning.
- Speaking of Church, he hit another home run tonight. He has been this team’s MVP so far, and I’m happy for him. He plays hard, plays well, and I’m glad he’s on this team.
- This game seemed like it was out of reach for the Yankees when it was 8 to 2, but then Jose Reyes clocked a three-run HR in the seventh and that was that. What had been a likely win, turned in to beat down.
- Best part of the game: 20,000 or so Mets fans, with only a few thousand Yankees fans, left in Yankee Stadium during the ninth inning.
- This worked out so well. Given the mood surrounding the team these last few days, beating up on the Yankees in the Bronx on National television has to make them smile on route to Atlanta to take on the Braves.
- By the way, if the Mets are supposedly ‘flat,’ then what on earth are the Yankees. Good luck with that, Hank.
The Mets will be off on Monday, then travel to Atlanta for a double header against the Braves on Tuesday.
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