Daily Archives: July 23, 2008
Though he was eligible to return yesterday from the disabled list, Ryan Church remained sidelined with a limited pre-game workout.
Prior to the game, Church told reporters that he hopes to be cleared for more baseball activities after being evaluated by a team doctor later today.
…the buzz from Shea Stadium suggests that church could still need a few more days of working out at home while being evaluated by doctors, at which point he’ll likely be given a few minor-league rehab games before being activated…
Tagged Mike Nichols, Ryan Church |Billy Wagner pronounced himself ready to pitch after playing catch and throwing in the bullpen before last night’s game, but the Mets opted to be cautious and keep Wagner out of the game.
Manuel, on why Wagner was not available, speaking to reporters after last night’s loss:
“Well, it was suggested we give up him another day…I was told after batting practice (on the advice from ‘medical people’) that he needed a day…(Had Wagner said I can pitch I would have used him), but if he also feels like he needs a day I gotta do what I got to do to protect him.”
Asked if Wagner will be available tonight, Manuel said, “Well, they said he needed a day and he got a day, so I don’t expect to hear he needs a day (again),” which was followed by a smile.
Wagner told reporters after the game that he still feels a spasm in the back of his shoulder, “But, I’m willing to give it a go. We gave it a day, had it been September it might have been different.”
The Mets will re-evaluate Wagner tomorrow, he said, adding, “I’ll go out and play catch and see if it’s better.”
Tagged Mike Nichols |Johan Santana allowed two runs on eight hits in a 105 pitch effort through eight innings, but was not allowed to start the ninth inning, in the Mets 8 to 6 loss to the Phillies last night.
Following the game, Manuel explained to reporters that, had Santana retired Pat Burrell in the eighth, he would have considered sending his ace back out for the ninth to start the inning against the left-handed hitting Ryan Howard.
Santana told reporters that, with a three-run lead, Manuel felt it was the right decision to go to the bullpen, adding, “And, I wasn’t going to go against his decision…If were to have the ball in the ninth inning I would have gone out to pitch, there’s no doubt about it.”
Meanwhile, in Newsday, Johnette Howard asks, “Can the Ace go a little longer?”
…added to by Matthew Cerrone…
…that’s fair…i, too, feel santana – in this specific case – should have been sent back out for the ninth…that said, here is another question: Can the entire Bullpen not surrender six runs in one inning…i mean, for all the discussion about manuel and not sticking with santana, at the same time, he’s not expecting his bullpen to give up six runs and blow the lead…had the Mets been up by just one run after eight, i have a feeling santana would have been sent back out…but, a three-run lead should have been good enough…
…either way, the lack of a ninth-inning appearance should not hide the otherwise outstanding performance by santana, who was essentially given an ultimatum to deliver a brilliant start by columnists, fans and talk-show hosts yesterday afternoon…
Tagged Mike Nichols |In last night’s loss to the Phillies, with the Mets up 5 to 2 in the ninth, with Johan Santana on the bench and Billy Wagner unavailable, Duaner Sanchez, Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano allowed six runs on five hits.
Jerry Manuel, talking to reporters last night, when asked what he was thinking as the game fell apart in the ninth inning, said:
“Well, I was thinking, I wish I had my closer available, but I didn’t. So, we had to try and match up the best way we could and obviously we didn’t the best match up like we thought we could…I felt pretty good with what I thought were decent match ups going in to the ninth…Obviously, when you put a guy in those positions you expect him to have some success. But, Sanchez has been good, and all of those guys have been good down there in the bullpen, we just happened to have a bad night…I obviously made some bad choices and they didn’t work out.”
Manuel also explained that the bullpen has not been in ‘a very good rhythm’ since the All-Star break, adding, “I think, once we get back to that rhythm, we can have different people pitch late in the game, whereas, right now, we seem like we’re almost finding our way again down in the pen.”
Billy Wagner, on the bullpen, speaking to reporters, said:
“In that situation, there in the ninth, there’s no better guy to have out there than Duaner. You know, he’s done it before, they’ve all done it before, but, it’s one of those situations where it gets started and whatever pitch you throw it isn’t good enough.”
In the five games since the All Star break, the Mets bullpen is 2-1 with a 8.18 ERA, allowing 16 hits and 10 walks in 14.1 IP.
…as i noted in yesterday’s pregame, i thought the key to the series was the Mets bullpen…for some reason, Phillies seem to execute versus the Mets bullpen…the bullpen needs to step up and start executing against the Phillies…
Tagged Mike Nichols |During the Mets 8 to 6 loss to the Phillies last night, Third Base Coach Luis Aguayo sent Endy Chavez home on hits by David Wright, but was thrown out at home in both the third and seventh innings with no outs.
Manuel, on Aguayo, talking after the game said:
“Those weren’t very good decisions at that point…Those are important runs…We’ve got to be more careful next time…But, that’s part of being a third-base coach.”
…i love that aguayo wanted to be aggressive in each situation and pressure the opposition to make the perfect throws, but the situation – with no outs and Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado due up – did not warrant that decision…
…added to by Matthew Cerrone…
…SNY picked up great shot of endy getting up from the ground, looking back at agauyo and literally shaking his head and rolling his eyes, which is exactly how i looked at the time as well…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
To watch SNY.tv’s exclusive Post Game Extra, hosted by Gary, Keith and Ron, including highlights and quotes from last night’s terrible loss to the Phillies, click play:
