Daily Archives: May 28, 2008
The Mets (25–26) defeated the Marlins (30–22) by the score of 7 to 6 at Shea Stadium tonight, thanks to a walk-off, two-run hit by Fernando Tatis in the 12th inning.
For a full recap, boxscore, stats, etc., go to SNY.tv.
It was only fitting that Tatis would walk to the plate with the theme to Superman playing from the stadium’s speakers. He turned on a fastball, pulled it in to the left field corner, and David Wright and Carlos Beltran ran home to score two runs and give the Mets an outstanding, much-needed, come-from-behind win in the 12th inning. Amazin. Did you keep believing? Or did you give up? I hope you stayed tuned. It was worth it.- Well, like I said last week, any time Luis Castillo hits a home run, you know it’s going to be a wild night.
- Oliver Perez looked great, when he was not facing Cody Ross, who hit two home runs against Perez, accounting for four of the five runs he allowed.
- Perez owes Carlos Beltran a steak dinner for making a fancy catch to end the fifth inning with two runners on base. If that ball had gone by Beltran, I can only imagine how Perez would have reacted.
- Fortunately, the Mets have Endy Chavez, who hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth, just like old times. Seriously, Endy to the rescue, just like the good old days. I hope this is a sign of things to come. It just feels right, when Endy is making an impact. Everything just falls in to place, it seems.
- Unfortunately, with the bases loaded in the ninth, and two outs, David Wright popped out. Later in the 11th, Luis Castillo ripped a line drive to center, with two runners on, but it was caught to end the inning.
- I love that Johan Santana was wearing batting gloves in extra innings, knowing he could be called upon to be a pinch hitter. I mean, he does have four doubles.
- Cut a game ball in to quarters, and give it to Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman, Billy Wagner and Duaner Sanchez for pitching six innings of relief. Especially Heilman, who pitched two scoreless innings in a one-run game, during which most fans probably kept their breath on hold. Good for you, Aaron.
- In fact, Mets pitchers struck out 16 batters during the 12-inning game. Outstanding.
- Speaking of Duaner, the boy has wheels. He hustled down the line on a sac bunt in the 10th, and I had no idea he had it in him. Good to know. On the mound, he had a bit extra attitude going, and it was working for him, until Alfredo Amezaga homerd to right in the 11th inning on a hard, inside fastball, which Amezaga swung through on the previous pitch. Sometimes, the batter just wins out.
- This was a game that the Mets could not afford to lose, given the state of the team, who they were playing and how they battled back to tie it up in the ninth, being able to come back and win it was huge. Huge. There has been a significant difference in the life, energy, attitude and performance from this team during the last two games. What’s more, I have been on the edge of my seat, smiling, clapping and having fun, and I hope you are as well.
- In the end, I hope the Mets are starting to believe in themselves, because that’s what has been missing.
- Jay Horwitz, keep that orange jacket on, buddy. Sleep in it if you have to, just don’t take it off.
The Mets take on the Dodgers in the first game of a four-game series at Shea Stadium tomorrow, with Claudio Vargas facing Brad Penny, starting at 7:10 pm.
Pedro Martinez allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out six, through six strong innings for Single-A St. Lucie tonight.
He tossed 82 pitches, 67 for strikes, and gave up all four hits in the fourth inning.
MLB.com and ESPN.com both list Martinez as next Tuesday’s starter for the Mets in San Francisco against the Giants, assuming he recovers well from tonight’s minor league start.
Tagged Pedro Martinez |
The Game:
The Mets (24-26) look to take the rubber-game of their three-game series versus the first place Marlins (30-21) tonight at Shea Stadium, starting at 7:10 pm EST.
The Lineup:
- SS Jose Reyes
- 2B Luis Castillo
- 3B David Wright
- CF Carlos Beltran
- 1B Damion Easley
- RF Fernando Tatis
- C Ramon Castro
- LF Nick Evans
- P Oliver Perez
The Pitchers:
LHP Oliver Perez (4-3, 4.53 ERA) makes his 11th start of season for the Mets. Perez earned a no-decision in his last start on May 23 versus the Rockies surrendering four runs on six hits while striking out two and walking eight batters through 5.0 IP. In 11 career starts versus the Marlins, Perez is 4-3 with a 4.68 ERA.
LHP Scott Olsen (4-2, 3.38 ERA) takes the hill for the Marlins. Olsen had his shortest outinig of the season in his last start on May 23 versus the Giants, allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits and three walks while striking out two over 3.1 IP. He is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in eight career starts versus the Mets.
The Notes:
Carlos Beltran is batting .301 with 4 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 15 runs & 16 RBI in 93 at-bats this month. He is batting .412 (7-for-17) with 2 HR and 5 RBI in his career versus Olsen.
Jose Reyes is 9-for-19 (.474) with 2 2B, 1 3B & 3 RBI all-time versus Olsen.
The Mets have 7 come from behind wins this season. At this point last season, they had 14 comeback wins.
Cody Ross has nine hits in the month of May, seven have been homeruns. He is batting .357 with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 14 career at-bats versus Perez
The Marlins are 22-1 when leading after six innings.
How To Catch It:
Tonight’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…
Tagged Mike Nichols |Once again, Ryan Church will remain home getting rest tonight, while not being placed on the disabled list.
Minaya told reporters that Church wanted to come to the ball park today, but the team and doctors advised that he stay home and get rest.
According to Minaya, Church could be ready to play this weekend against the Dodgers.
By the way, the Mets will use the same lineup tonight as they used last night, meaning Carlos Delgado will get another night off to ‘clear his head.’
Tagged Ryan Church |According to multiple reports, including SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt, it is quite likely that the Mets will end up putting Ryan Church on the disabled list, as he continues to feel dizzy following a concussion from last week.
[Poll=104]
Frankly, I’m hoping to see Valentin, because this team needs the Power of the Stache, or Pascucci, because if he doesn’t get called up soon, SNY’s Ted Berg is going to jump out a window.
[Poll=105]
If I had the wheel, I would go with Beltran, Tatis and Chavez, while sending down Evans, who I would replace with Valentin, with Pascucci replacing Church.
For more on Beltran, by the way, be sure to scroll down and check out Mike Nichols’s post. Good stuff, Mike.
[Poll=106]
Tagged Poll |According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Mets only have four home runs from the 
clean up spot in their batting order this season, all by Carlos Beltran, which is the lowest total in the National League.
For some reason, I’m not overly shocked by that fact. I should be, but I’m not. I expected Beltran to have a few more home runs at this point in the season, but with the way the season has transpired and the inconsistency from the offense as whole, it’s just not that surprising to me.
the fact is, Beltran has only hit 30 home runs three times in his 11-year career (2004, 2006 and 2007), and he has not been the prototypical clean up hitter and is more suited to bat second or third in a lineup.
However, for the past year and half the Mets haven’t had that classic ‘clean up hitter,’ and have been forced to bat him fourth. I believe the lack of a quality, consistent bat behind Beltran has allowed teams to pitch around him, which is evident by the number of walks he has taken this season – it’s the leading cause for his 2008 power outage.
Beltran is not alone in this department, though, since the Mets as a team have only hit 43 home runs this season, which is 12th in the National League. The league average is 50. To me, the Mets lack of power isn’t that surprising given the makeup of this team, which has clearly not been built around power, but around a speed-oriented small ball.
That being said, though, I believe the Mets – when healthy – would be more suited to plug Beltran in the two-hole and go with a lineup as follows: Jose Reyes, Beltran, David Wright, Ryan Church, Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado, Brian Schneider and Luis Castillo. This lineup allows for more balance and each spot fits each players abilities.
However, no matter the lineup, don’t expect Beltran or the team to have a resurgence in power, they’re just not built that way.
Tagged Mike Nichols |According to a league press release, if 
the season ended today, the Mets would not have a single player starting in the All-Star Game.
…honestly, i do not care…a) they have not earned such an appearance, at this point, and b) i’d just as soon see them get a few days rest…
David Wright is second in third base voting, trailing Braves 3B Chipper Jones by roughly 100,000 votes; Carlos Beltran is fourth in outfield voting, trailing Reds OF Ken Griffey Jr by roughly 45,000 votes; and Jose Reyes is third in voting for shortstop, but trails Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez by roughly 30,000 votes.
…the fact that griffey could be a starting outfielder, while hitting .249, says all you need to know about the voting process…
Ryan Church is 14th in the outfield, with 157,000 votes.
will have exclusive footage from Pedro Martinez’s 
rehab start for Single-A St. Lucie tonight, which will air around 10 pm either during the game, post-game or on SportsNite.
As noted this morning, MLB.com and ESPN.com both list Martinez as next Tuesday’s starter for the Mets in San Francisco against the Giants.
…which, by the way, is Claudio Vargas’s next day to pitch, following his likely start tomorrow against the Dodgers…
In his three starts for the Mets this season, Vargas is 1–2, but with a 3.93 ERA in 18 innings, during which he has struck out 10 batters, walked seven and allowed 12 hits.
Meanwhile, Pelfrey is 0–3 in his last three starts with a 6.51 ERA in 15 innings, during which he has struck out nine batters, walked nine and allowed 17 hits.
…it’s a tough call…the Mets can demote pelfrey at no cost, while vargas will need to pass through waivers, which could end up being the deciding factor…
[Poll=103]
Tagged Mike Pelfrey, Pedro Martinez |
In the team’s last 162 games, Jose Reyes is batting .270 with a .355 OBP, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
However, Reyes hit .319 with a .380 OBP in the 162 games before that.
Interestingly, if you look at Reyes’s career thus far, short of a few hot months in 2006, and a strong April in 2007, Reyes has essentially been a .280 hitter in the other 2,000 at bats.
This season, Reyes is on pace to hit roughly .280 again, with around 20 home runs, 80 RBI and 50 stolen bases.
By the way, Reyes has reached base in 28 straight games, during which the Mets are 13–15.
And so, I’m starting to think the expression should be updated to read, “Where Reyes goes, the Mets should follow,” because it is clearly not enough for him to just get on base.
In an article for SNY.tv, Brendan Kuty 
profiles the recent return of Fernando Tatis to the majors.
As Kuty points out, Tatis is hitting .429 in 14 at bats since joining the Mets on May 17.
“I’m enjoying every day,” Tatis told Kuty. “It’s amazing for me to be up here in the big leagues. I’m just happy right now.”
…the unexpected success of tatis arrived at just the right time…the Mets needed any type of change to their struggling lineup, and tatis has certainly come through in the clutch…
…tatis has earned a spot on the team’s bench until he proves otherwise, and it will be interesting to see what happens when Marlon Anderson and Angel Pagan return…regardless, the timely spark that tatis has provided with his bat and his attitude was very needed at this frustrating point in time…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche | ← Older posts
