Daily Archives: July 24, 2008
The Phillies scratched Jimmy Rollins at the last minute before this afternoon’s game against the Mets.
Rollins has posted a .235 BA against the Mets this season with equally poor OBA and slugging percentages.
The Braves best hitter and pitcher suffered injuries Wednesday night as Chipper Jones pulled a hamstring and Tim Hudson felt tightness in his upper forearm. Both feel the injuries aren’t serious, however, Jones hasn’t ruled out a stint on the disabled list.
Luis Gonzalez opines on the importance of the series against the Cubs:
”I think it’s a chance to make a statement,” Gonzalez said of the Cubs series. “People have been waiting for us to fade out of this thing. But I think others are starting to realize our team is a little bit better than what people were anticipating.”
The Marlins play 16 of their next 20 games against teams with winning records.
The Nationals Willie Harris hit as many home runs this year as he did in all his previous seasons. He hit seven so far in about one tenth the at bats.
For more real-time information, news, links and stats from around MLB, check out Baseball Musings.
The Game:
The Mets (54-47) look to take their three-game series against the Phillies (54-47) today at Shea Stadium, starting at 12:10 pm.
The Lineup:
- SS Jose Reyes
- LF Nick Evans
- 3B David Wright
- 1B Carlos Delgado
- CF Carlos Beltran
- RF Fernando Tatis
- 2B Damion Easley
- C Ramon Castro
- P Oliver Perez
The Pitchers:
LHP Oliver Perez (6-6, 4.36 ERA) starts for the Mets.
LHP Jamie Moyer (9-6, 3.90 ERA) starts for the Phillies.
How To Catch It:
Today’s game can be seen locally on SNY and heard 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 |
I have been listening to WFAN all morning, and the two most popular topics among fans who are calling in to the show are:
1) Jose Reyes’s ‘Cadillacing’ around the bases following his game-breaking, three-run home run last night against the Phillies, during which he did not run hard out of the batter’s box.
2) Marlon Anderson, and why is he starting when hitting just .203 in 118 at bats this season.
On Reyes, if that was ‘Cadillacing,’ than what was Rickey Henderson doing all those years? Jeez.
Why are people so infatuated with ripping on Reyes? He’s a hot-shot, 25–year-old, exciting baseball player. Let him be. If he doesn’t show emotion, people will say he’s stoic, not being himself and being a Kevin McReynolds, and if he does show off they’ll say he’s immature, a showboat and cocky. Unreal. Plus, with one out and runners on first and second, the runners were only half way up the base line tagging for a potential pop out, so Reyes had no choice but to slow his trot.
On Anderson, who will not be in the starting lineup today, I can only think that Jerry Manuel is pulling a page from Willie Randolph’s book in trying to get Anderson in to a rhythm, which is hard to do if he’s buried on the bench. The thing is, he should be buried. Easley should be starting in left field, and Argenis Reyes should be starting at second, with Fernando Tatis serving as the primary bat off the bench.
To listen to WFAN on your computer, go to WFAN.com.
During Tuesday night’s loss versus the Phillies, Jerry Manuel chose to use his bullpen in the ninth inning, rather than send Johan Santana back to the mound after throwing 105 pitches.
Manuel, on the media, and having spent so much time in the last 24 hours defending his decisions from Tuesday’s game, and whether tonight’s win is more gratifying because of it:
“I got a lot of questions about my decisions, but I was very comfortable and confident in my decisions. They didn’t work out, obviously, and that happens in the course of baseball. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any regrets from the decisions I made last night or tonight. Actually, I don’t whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate, but I didn’t. I know that in New York, with so many different people and personalities (in the media), there’s a difference of opinions and that’s good. I’m good with that. That’s cool. I don’t have a problem with that.”
…it’s been obvious the new york media is infatuated with manuel, and they should be…manuel is much more open and candid with them, than Willie Randolph ever was…randolph always seemed to be apprehensive and leery of the media, which is understandable, but new york loves an entertainer…and manuel fits that mold…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
Just a reminder, today’s game against the Phillies at Shea Stadium will begin at 12:10 pm, while SNY’s Pre Game Show will start at 11:30 am.
…the word from Shea Stadium is that the weather is ‘clearing up,’ and the teams feel positive they’ll be able to get today’s game in on time…
According to the Denver Post, the Rockies have asked the Mets for LHP Jon Niese in a deal for LHP Brian Fuentes.
Similarly, the Rockies have asked the Red Sox for RHP Clay Buchholz, and the Yankees for RHP Ian Kennedy.
…to me, the news here is that the Rockies put niese on the same level as buccholz and kennedy, which is good to hear…
…by the way, from what i can gather, these are not hard-and-fast offers, but are a general sense from the Rockies to each time on what fuentes could cost, assuming each team is interested…
…i still believe fuentes will end up on the Rays or Yankees, though the Marlins have reportedly expressed serious interest as well…
Jose Reyes‘s three-run home run in the sixth inning was the difference in last night’s 6 to 3 win over the Phillies.
Reyes, on his three-run, game-breaking home run:
“He threw me a change-up. I’m not looking for any certain pitch in that situation. He threw me a strike and handed me a change-up and I was able to hit it out.”
Since May 1, Reyes is batting .313 with eight HR, 32 RBI and he has scored 58 runs.
…recently the current afternoon host on WFAN said most of reyes’s home runs and rbi have come in games that are lopsided, implying reyes is a stat compiler…
…the thing is, nine of his 11 homeruns and 30 of his 46 rbi this season have come in games where the Mets and their opponent were within two runs of each other…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
In last night’s win against the Phillies, John Maine pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on six hits, two of which were homers.
This was only the second time this season that Maine has completed seven innings in a start.
Maine, on the difference between this start and his previous few starts:
“Well, it’s obvious I have been struggling and it’s nobody’s fault but my own…It’s a mindset. I was too concerned with what was going on on the pitcher’s mound, instead of being concerned with what was going on in the batter’s box…I wasn’t worried about walking guys. Just go out there and throw…I was talking to Dan warthen after my last start and felt like one pitch would be something mechanically and then I’d try to do something different the next pitch. I was too concerned with what was going on. ”
“Basically, I was too concerned with what I was doing and not what the ball was doing down at home plate…I was up there just challenging them and let them put it in play…You guys know me, I’m still gonna nitpick about things, but I’ll take it. It’s a start I needed to go in the right direction and I’ll keep working hard to take it to the next start.”
Jerry Manuel on Maine’s outing:
“I felt he was more in the strike zone tonight. He attacked the strike zone a lot better tonight than he had in his last outing…It was a good outing for him, and he got passed the seventh inning and that’s very big for him, very big for him.”
…i feel like you pretty much know what you will get with Maine; he’ll give up a few runs, and go about six innings…it looks like he’s being so hard on himself out there and wants to pitch deeper into the game more often so it was good to see him finally do it last night…
Tagged Regis Courtemanche |During last night’s win over the Phillies, Billy Wagner pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save of the season.
Wagner, on his shoulder, and pitching the ninth:
“Of course you feel it, but I was able to pitch with and do my job…I think it’s something you know tomorrow after the adrenaline subsides a little bit and I’m glad we won…We needed the win, and I’m glad I was able to contribute and help us.”
Wagner told reporters that he’ll likely continue to get treatment, and simply blamed age for the spasms, adding, “After Friday, I start up the hill to 38,” referring to his age.
Jerry Manuel, on Wagner, speaking with reporters after the game:
“He did an outstanding job…He got that little pesky Victorino out finally. That little rascal, I’ll tell ya, he some little player. But, umm, that was good to see, see Billy come in and do the job like that. The other relievers too did a good job, Schoenweiss and Smitty did good as well…We have some good relievers, they’ve been in some tight situations, but unless you are accustom to doing that on a regular bases it can be difficult and so, yeah, we need (Wagner) to get those last three outs to give confidence to the players and we feel good when he takes the ball.”
Manuel told reporters that Wagner made him aware of his availability just after batting practice.
In his last six appearances, Wagner has not allowed a batter to reach base.
Tagged Mike Nichols |
To watch SNY.tv’s exclusive Post Game Extra, hosted by Gary, Keith and Ron, including highlights and quotes from tonight’s win against the Phillies, click play:
